layzie

To look at it on paper that is exactly right, he is a depth forward and that is a fair assessment. But for where we took him in the draft and the resources we've put into him is it also fair to have expected a bit more at this stage from him Nev?

A couple of days to process this and also time to grieve for Liverpool's defeat in the Champions League Final. Let’s get back to business. Did Freo come up with the blueprint on how to beat Melbourne? I don’t believe so, they brought so much effort and work rate that they absolutely deserved this win but there were also a series of circumstances that allowed this to happen and to Justin Longmuir’s credit he pounced of them, great coaching. I watched all the shows, I knew they were going to deep dive on this game and a story like this is like xmas day for footy analysts so I wanted to see what everyone had to say and graded their performances. First crack showed Freo bringing so much pressure and double or even triple teaming Melb ball carriers at centre clearances, although the footage was very well edited and impressive I could not help but think this would be tough to replicate and surprisingly David King agreed. Petracca banged up and Oliver being sat on by Aish allowed them to do this but on another day I can see Freo or another team for that matter bringing 2 or 3 to the ball carrier and us handballing over the top to the open man. Speaking of Aish, a brilliant job he did but Oliver still ended up with 36 possessions. Nullified him for sure and played his part in the big win but on more days than not a day like that from Clarry contributes to a Melb win. I’m not trying to downplay Freo at all and what they did but I do believe sometimes when you’re down at half time in a game like that, you throw a few things into the mix that you wouldn’t usually do. I do wonder if Freo would have sacrificed in midfield had the game been level at half time. Sometimes it’s the unpredictable stuff that gets you, could Melbourne have done more to stem the bleeding? I’d have to watch again but it didn’t seem like we were prepared to match the running and defensive work rate of Freo once they got the head of steam up. Individual brilliance from their small forwards Frederick and Shultz, if you’ve got some small forwards who can kick goals like these you’re in with a show. If there is one secret sauce it is moving the ball quick against us. Injuries never an excuse but Ed Langdon’s ability to not only help with ball carrying attacks down his wing but his ability to track back almost like a sweeper when the backline pushes up. Missed it badly. Then there is May, losing him is equal to losing Virgil Van Dijk for Liverpool (apologies Soccer haters), the marshalling he does as the backline commander is underappreciated. A dozen times when there was a Freo kick to the point of the goal square you were just expecting that big fist but without him roles down back weren’t as defined. I see this more as a pivot moment for us and the rest of the comp, a sliding doors moment if you will. Everyone takes stock and the road map changes slightly or dramatically, time will tell. Freo capitalised in the best possible fashion you could, they are an excellent unit and match up well on us, can’t wait for the return match at Optus that will be a ripper. What does it mean for Melbourne? All things considered it is more likely to have a positive effect than negative. The winning streak to me was becoming a side show and frankly quite annoying. I said last week that I believed this team needed to lose as we were controlling games but also bringing a little too much Hollywood to the picture, honestly I don’t blame them. It’s hard to stay as motivated and hungry to improve when you are in this position, I’d even say it’s impossible to not get a little ahead of yourself. It also goes to show that no team is perfect and no team can run hard for 4 quarters, for 22 games a season. You do not need to be great for all of the season, you need to be great where it counts. I didn’t give a stuff about records, I care about what gives us the best chance for another shot at it all. The magnifying glass will come out this week no doubt about it and these guys know what they need to do. Losing games is a part of following this sport and I know all of you will be confident we can get this back on track.

Freddy got ....

It comes down

Show up

When everyone else is going around the body every second shot, Fritta does it drop punt weaker side.

Reasonable quarter just gotta watch out for those Freo talls.

Well done Jords!

Flushed that one Lobb

Couple of sausages being kicked

Another one of these big time games for Weid.

The Great Australian Beer Spectacular at the Royal Exhibition Building. Sorry bout that!

Let's go Narrm, need to bring our A game today. Might have to leave early to go to GABS but hopefully not.

It's a Static-X night tonight..

I mean forget mean happened. Theres 6 seconds left at that throw in, I'd be surprised if the Swans players didn't know this. Did they really have to hold? I think the free kick was dicey but why even put doubt in the umpires mind? I also love it how we're so mortified that someone boots a ball into the stands and pay 50s for it because they can't get it back to the player quickly yet if someone boots a behind into the stands we have ball boys like lightening throwing another ball to the kick in guy to keep play going :p

Prestia for a goal was good money too tonight, wish I had it!

That is brutal!

Free kick was soft, the seconds tick down, the noise so loud, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that the Swans player didn't hear it before kicking into the stands. Technically a 50 but perhaps par for the course.

BT has completely lost the plot. Free kick was soft anyway, 50 would have been controversial after the siren went but it probably should have been paid. Correct call I though though.

Lack of discipline

You can't do that in AFL football if you want to be a success

How about that Macca! Probably neighbours. I went to Kew Primary School and half the kids there were Hawks fans so if you spoke ill of them you ended up with no friends! That time would have been great watch the Dees under Northey, 23 years without finals is just unheard of 06 to 18 was bad enough! I do have a soft spot for the Hammers, saw a lot of similarities with Melbourne. Hopefully they win something soon. He's just been a revelation, his value to the club has been even more than the trophies. The way he's brought the fans together in the city of Liverpool and beyond is incredible, he really is the modern day Shankly. You need to be that as manager of this club, it's such a people driven club. And yes the football is very nice to watch!

Very level headed view of it all Macca. Unfortunately even believing all of that myself I still think I would have spat the dummy hard! Growing up in the Hawthorn area and half my friends being Hawks fans it would have just been all too much for me! I saw this game on tape so much I wore it out. Bucky was easily one of the best set shots around I reckon he probably would have kicked it too. Simon Eishold gets off way too easy for his part in this game!

Unless they were indeed undermined by top management and not able to do their job properly 😛

Macca if there's one day I wish like hell I was old enough to have fully experienced it's that final round in 1987, I reckon that would have been off tap. In contrast though if there's one day I'm so very grateful I wasn't old enough to fully experience or remember well it's the 87 prelim at Waverley..