Gawndy the Great

I’m in 2 minds - if it was travel based fatigue, I’d expect us to fade out in Q4, but our pressure was off all game. I’d love to see the pressure ratings for each quarter.

We are 10 pages in the post game thread. I’m sure it’s not too difficult to read through to get the specifics yourself.

Yes almost identical.

I think we learnt that last year isn’t a sustainable model. Not giving our 2nd tier and junior mids more time in CBA last year has stagnated their development - perhaps they are now playing catch-up. I think they will definitely be the better for it as the season progresses and the teams that roll lesser numbers through will likely tire as we have done previously. Well that is the hope anyway.

Which is why i think the 6 day break isn’t the excuse as we were off from Q1. It’s 100% attitude. We got it right in 21 largely by a game plan that didn’t require us to be 100% all the time and system worked. Our system has been forced to change into a higher risk and higher pressure game plan where we cant afford to be complacent. Be prepared to have a few more games where we will concede 100+ points this year until it clicks with the team that every week requires us to turn up.

I’d disagree but there is no point arguing.

Why don’t you offer us your take then? He is a champion player, but didn’t even have a hard tag and yet got pantsed in Q1. I hate it, he hates it but the fact still remains he has two touches (12 in the first half) and wasn’t able to impact the game.

He does seem quite hesitant to commit- I agree. Not sure whether he has full confidence back yet.

Different roles and agree it’s harder to win the ball than to receive it. But he’s a kid in his 2nd year that continues to find a way. Oliver is arguably one of the best in the comp and yet gets the ball twice in a quarter when it matters most. You usually see this once maybe twice a year. He wasn’t alone today and our the whole teams defensive pressure was missing. Maybe there is something in that and the travel involved , but I want the Dees to make a statement every time we play and when the Bombers kicked the first 2 before kicking away again, I knew which Melbourne turned up.

One thing the Pies do so well is continue to take the corridor on with carry.. we seem to hack kick out of 50 instead of run it out today. The Bombers haD a high press which would have buckled if we managed to clear through it and kick a couple of goals. But their high press and pressure is our kryptonite - has been for a while.

Why don’t they do that in Q1 where the game is in the balance? It really irks me. Clarry had 2 touches in Q1 and Trac wasn’t in the game. They have both come somewhat back to the field this year. Thankfully it’s early days but a kid at Pies in his 2nd season is still running rampant no matter what teams throw at him.

My view was he ducked to evade Resmans arm and was clipped by his hip. I’m not going to watch the replay but agree the ump was poor here to let it continue, when we clearly had a player concussed. Will it come under a scrutiny? Probably not. Im biting my tongue with these soft frees in our D50 resulting in goals until Maxy returns. If he continues to get thumped in the head, held and arms chopped Iin marking contest in our F50 then I’ll lose my 💩

One stat I saw was kicking efficiency midway throughout 3Q was 77% to 64. One might think this is flukey but it’s lack of pressure on kicker. I would be surprised if we cracked 160 avg and the Dons would have been closer to 200.

How serious is Levers ankle? Is this one of the ‘22 hindsight changes in list management to keep the team fresh or was it a genuine 1 weeker?

His performance tonight was actually quite worrying. Looked disinterested and couldn’t get himself in the game. Shouldn’t just pick on him, but he seemed more interested in taking a specky rather than maximising the teams chances.

Our variability in performances is worrying. To be outplayed by Essendon is nothing short of embarrassing. We don’t have too many more losses to give up this year and to drop them to teams unlikely to make the 8 or challenge in finals is unforgivable in the wake of last year.

Oliver’s 2nd half, 6 Viney 5 No one else deserves anything. in fact we should deduct previously earned points.

No mark, no free, no goal.

Things could have been worse. This could have been at the G. Take the loss and move on. Clearly we are a bit off, given the WA travel and shorter break than Essendon, gives them an edge. Throw in the injuries to Lever has thrown us off balance.

2 consecutive trips and a 6 day break will do this to you.

This is just Bs

Where is the rain?

I’ll be the first to stay I could see this coming… but to be honest I still have that feeling before every game. The benefits of being a Melbourne supporter.

Talk about a team playing out of their skin.

How is that 50? And not downfield only?