praha

Got Level 1 open in AFL reserve. Strongly recommend everyone download the Ticketek app. I had three browser windows on different devices open from 11;50am. Opened the app at 11:58 and got in on the app bang on 12pm. By the time I finished buying tickets and testing a few different areas of the ground it was 12:08 and the browsers were still in queue lol

Neutrals start rocking up for the Semis as it's the last time non-competing fans can realistically get tickets -- I know of four people there on Friday who go for neither Melbourne nor Sydney. Finals particularly first and second weeks are always made up of around 10-15% Neutrals. This week will be no different. Melbourne fans even thinking of not going who can attend have rocks in their head: it's our fourth final in Melbourne in 16 years and we're a contender with a second chance. Now is the time more than ever to show up and get loud. 60k+ would be a fantastic achievement. People understate how good 78k was against Sydney. Pies will likely get 80k against Freo who get good travelling support so 65k-70k should be an expected result for Friday night.

Will fit right in then!

If we beat Brisbane but lose to Geelong we'll actually go down as having statistically the worst record against the top 4 after actually finishing in the top 4: no top 4 team in history has finished with an 0-6 record against the other 3 top 4 teams.

I don't buy this. Optus Stadium has similar dimensions and we play it very well. The problem is we play a congested game on the MCG and target the flanks which limits our drive and effectively neutralises Langdon, Hunt and Brayshaw. We seem to organically without thinking target the MCC wing which is historically "our wing" but we always seem more dangerous in the AFL reserve wing (ie. Langdon's wing). When we play through the corridor we look super dangerous otherwise it's a hope that we'll get drive from the stoppage. We weren't terrible on Friday but there has to be something about losing to these same teams on the SAME ground.

True. Herculean if we even make the Prelim imo.

I'm not at all. I actually say i don't want to take anything away from them because they've been awesome when they play us. I'm merely highlighting a theme that isn't just 1 or 2 games.

Well you know that's not an option... I'm just calling it like I see it. Not saying we aren't capable but let's get real. We aren't going to get respect from the big boys until we start doing what we did last year on the big stage at the MCG.

I think it's reasonable to question our backline because our drive and transition is extremely one dimensional. We simply don't get drive from them on the MCG for some weird reason. We play the flanks and end up in congestion every single time. Collingwood and Sydney both player it in bursts through the corridor, they play the risky ball and back in their defenders to switch through and double back on the turnover. We have good defenders but a poor defensive strategy atm because it's not giving us enough quick forward entry. Forward 50 pressure comes from defenders having to quickly react to transition, not from slow kicks in from the wing to an aerial contest then ends in a stoppage. We have a backline that can defend quite superbly but once we cross centre half back, unless it's a stoppage we just look clueless and haphazard in transition.

It's not though. We have to beat two top 4 teams to win a flag and we're 0-5 against the top 4 this season. Four of which have been at the MCG in high pressure, high interest contests. Our performance at the MCG is embarrassing for the club. This is our home and we've choked there on every big stage this season. Woopdidoo we're a good travelling team! Guess what? We don't travel for the rest of the year lol

Elephant in the room... We're still a small club that can't consistently perform in big games in the big smoke. We won it last year, a fantastic achievement, on the road in front of a handful of local supporters and rent-a-crowds. Sorry but it's true. Twice against Collingwood, Twice against Sydney, Geelong, and almost Carlton... every single time we've played "the big boys" in Melbourne in battles between contenders this year we have been comprehensively beaten in the contest with pressure. It's great if you're a good travelling team during the season but in finals it's irrelevant when all your games are at the MCG in front of 80k+... I don't want to understate the significance of last year's flag at all, but this year is legitimate "big boys" finals on the big stage and we've really buckled on almost every occasion. There was a shot of a Swans supporter doing the choking motion last night and it's pretty accurate. As soon as things returned to normal and perennial contenders Sydney, Collingwood, Geelong come back onto the scene, we've been deers in headlights. We're so close yet so far. To lose against Collingwood and Sydney TWICE on the MCG in the fashion we have is an indictment on the season in my view. Taking nothing away from those teams at all but we have been way off it on the REAL big stage this season. We turned it up on the other side of the country when most of us were locked up at home and couldn't even celebrate, away from the stress and scrutiny of Melbourne. Now the big boys are out to play and we're still a league below. Last night was just so typically Melbourne in outcome. I know I'm being harsh but it's been an obvious trend this year.

Can you lot just get over yourselves with these stupid crowd noise posts. Pies have a point to prove and are up and about. They also have 100k members. We got 80k against an interstate club of which had maybe 20k supporters there last night. We played poorly and had something to cheer about for maybe 20 minutes total. Turnover after turnover and Swans scoring on almost every single one. Fumbles. Missed sitters. 50 metre penalties. Momentum killers that sap energy from the crowd. It's happened all season. This isn't our fault.

It was pretty even across the board even in that stat. When I saw it at 3 qtr time I thought that eventually our pressure would overcome Sydney and we'd win. Their pressure in the last quarter wins flags. We turned to butter.

Brown is not it. Against week defence last year he did well. All contenders are super defensive sides this year and he isn't agile enough go be useful. Weid is an infinitely better option than Brown right now. Controversial but it's the truth.

The year is probably the reality check the team needed. We were far and away the best team last year. Teams have leapfrogged us this year. It's so hard to win flags.

78k. The crowd was fine. Sydney had way more to cheer about and outside of bursts we were sunk in our seats watching a pretty average outing. Swans silenced the crowd. Pretty simple really.

It might not be this year but we'll be thereabouts for a while yet. Just gotta ride it out.

78k. We outnumbered them 10:1. They just had more to yell about.

If anyone thinks we're a sure thing against Brisbane you're delusional. They will be primed and fierce.

I thought that was our worst game of the year. Sydney kicked 12 goals from turnovers. Teams our beating us playing our own style.

No shame in losing tonight. Swans just superbly drilled. Would be a huge surprise if we win this.

Gonna be tough to win this. They have bounced straight back up from everything they throw at us.

She slips, she slops, she flips and she flops. She's a slippity sloppity floop.

These will be sold to GA and club supporters, and walk-ups on the night.

Duke, Transport, Garden State, Arbory, Clocks. Can't go wrong.