Melb16

Until we're down by 6 goals at half time against the Eagles and you blokes have the entire list culled again!

A small edit if I may ...

And if anyone believes Vince's "we didn't know how much time was left", get in touch, I have a bridge for sale.

Well it actually makes the most sense. Why else would they setup up as normal?

These sort of "what-ifs" have been done to death over the years. You rarely have your best 22 on the field at one time, and the absent players are game changers all of sudden, when in reality, we know they're not. Sure, VDB, Salem and Kent would improve the team on paper, but that's not to say that the result changes.

If Garlett was out, many would say thet he was the difference between a win and a loss. He played and did stuff all, and the players you've mentioned could well have done the same, because none of them are proven A graders.

Great points.

Stating who is out provides comfort to people but I'm not sure the guys we had out makes all the much of a difference, we would've found a way to lose.

We should be more worried about our system.

Too many players in this team have serious mental issues with winning and shyte thier panties. They then start playing sideays/backwards footy with virtually no one willing to take the game or their opponents on, take risks/responsibility and go out an win the fricken thing through effort and attacking/daring play a la Geelong.

The irony is that by not taking those so called risks we actually take bigger risks! They're not willing to go to long to one on ones quickly yet they'll slow it down and then try switch it into the centre with oppotistion players everywhere. How does that make sense!!!???

Why are we never questioned about this? I want to know why we don't go to even contests quickly.

Can anyone explain to me why we spent the whole last quarter creating ways to put pressure on ourselves?

Can anyone explain why, when we have a clear one on one down the ground, we wait as long as possible and then turn it over by either going backwards or then trying to go to that one on which which has turned in to a 4 v 5?

This is the reason we lost yesterday.

It's going to be difficult to blame Chris Dawes for the loss, but I'm confident our supporters can find a way.

We still refuse to make our opposition defend in dangerous areas. Scoreboard pressure was non existent after 40 minutes of dominance. Port were rubbish early and we still played completely into their hands. Then they wake up and our confidence is out the door in 10 minutes. Not good enough.

I hope we try and score today, the last 3 weeks have been boring.

Why not try and kick goals and put their players under some pressure instead of just doing what they want us to do and play safe.

That's not a true reflection of where we are at. We gave up 20 minutes into the game, which is disgraceful, because we were scared.

We didn't play how we were supposed to and it unravelled very quickly.

Leadership is our biggest, of many, weaknesses and days like today highlight that.

Blame Dawes, Toumpas and Grimes all you like, but blokes like Tyson, Jones, Vince weren't good when it counted. We're no chance when that happens.

The sad thing is, we've seen them attack. Especially in round 1. I struggle to believe that they're under instructions not to attack. The ball use was *horrendously* slow in the first half; by the time they disposed of the ball, Sydney had completely shut down every option. I don't consider myself much of a footy analyst but the TV cameras were favourable, and even I could see the options closing down in front of my eyes, while our player just held on to the ball. On the odd occasion we moved the ball with a bit of speed, we looked dangerous. We've got at least two genuine, serious scoreboard threats in Hogan and Garlett, we are just incapable of getting the ball down there quickly enough.

I don't know what the answer is. It's bloody frustrating.

This is spot on and the main thing I took from last night.

So frustrating and I don't know why it happens.

Very surprised at Jamar. I'm ok with Spence in the ruck but he has been a liability around the ground. I hope he's improved because we can certainly do with his aggression and size.

I get the feeling Michie was more from a defensive point of view. Still think he's learning to play both sides of the game.

Hope Toump takes his chance.

Jonathon Brown tipped WC to beat Brisbane last week. I assume that mean's he doesn't love his club either?

Let's just get all media personalities to be totally biased towards their own clubs and push their own agendas. I'm sure the response from the public will be overwhelmingly positive.

I am 100% with you on this one Jesse Christ.

To all you saying its being too sensitive, can't handle the truth,, blah, blah blah - this is absolute bulldust because it is a prediction of future events - not something in the past - and typical of our loser mentality.

This club needs to boost its self-confidence and its self-belief. Not naysayers prediciting a gloomy future.

The best thing Roos bought to the club is belief, belief, belief. If any player thinks they can't beat hawthorn then maybe they shouldn't show up. Was this the same mentality in the 1988 GF?

All melbourne supporters with a high public profile owe it to the club to instill belief in its supporters on the public stage and should pay much more attention to what they say.,

Would Eddie McGuire ever say something like that??? No, because he is a true leader. Even if Collingwood was on the bottom of the ladder winless, he would say they would give em a tuff run for their money or the likes.

Perception is everything in the media, and the perception is Garry should show more blind faith in Melbourne and spread more belief.

All this because he didn't tip Melbourne/said we'd lose to the best team in the comp?

I assume David Neitz will be secretly working against the Hawks when we play them in 2 weeks then?

People keep comparing him to Eddie....who is currently president of his club.

His role in the media is to analyse footy, not sure how long he'd last if he started sacrificing common sense to please a few disgruntled dees supporters.

To those spruiking loyalty, come on here at half time of a game when we're down by 6 goals. Most people on here have half our team lined up in the gallows.The other half are personally abused and have their character assassinated.....talk about loyalty.

There are a few people on here have a ridiculous notion that Garry should be solely responsible for saving our club. Get over it.

This could be the worst thread in Demonland history.

Points so far have included that Garry Lyon can get stuffed because he thinks Hawthorn (the best team of the past 3 years) will comfortably beat us (the worst team of the last 3 years) and that only tipping us once in recent history (which is factually incorrect) means he isn't loyal.

Do these people actually believe what they've written, or have I fallen for a prank?

The bloke is Melbourne through and through. Show some respect.

Heard some funny reactions to this. The Adelaide coach and fans looking pretty stupid in my opinion.

Playing the man? Not tough? Coming from the team that had less contested possession? Spare me.

Loved it from Bern and the other boys, ruffled their feathers and the Crow army didn't like it.

Sam's comments and a few others around, included on here, reflect the misunderstanding by society of the condition. That will change though.

Not Mitch's biggest fan but any sledging based on depression is off limits.

For those that don't comprehend it, or think it's fair game... think of it like sledging someone with cancer.

Jamar named as the ruckman in the AFL team of the week. Anyone that suggested dropping him should perhaps give themselves a week ban and get along to the game in round 4 instead of watching it on TV (or not at all).

Vince for Toump and Dawes for Frost or JKH.

Roos did say we'd be dropping players that are in form. It's how it is and its a good thing.

So one report of him hurting his knee during training and some on here, who haven't even seen it, have written him off for the year with an ACL.

Gee these last few years have done things to us.

I don't think you know what happened at the club when he was there. I thinks it's important we remember.

If you mean inside the club then you're right I don't know. Can you enlighten?

I'm aware he was a hard taskmaster and upset some. Ironically that's what a lot of us were asking for after Bailey.

Good luck to him and good to see him in back in the AFL.

At the end of the day he wasn't right for us (or senior coaching) but he did what he though was right for the club.

The vitriol hurled at him by some here make it seem like he murdered someone....not coached a football club.

Anyone laughing, slandering, wishing him to fail etc. are pathetic. That's fact.

Yes but his main job is to kick goals which he hasn't (please don't give me the 'ball doesn't get down there enough' routine)

Is it?

I suspect his main role is to provide structure/target, forward pressure and leadership on the field. Which I think he did reasonably well for most of the year.

Probably lost his way a little late (had plenty of mates) but if he gets a pre season in I think he'll have a big year next year.

In my opinion, he's the best leader we have.

'broke stories'

the vast majority of stories that get to air are from the clubs giving out freely or deliberately leaking them to the media. even thru star past players, loading the gun for unsuspecting journo's

there aren't many real great journo's these days, as the AFL has its grip around the throat of sports media, via ex players in media positions, & the threat of snubbing rogue journo's or papers.

so all we have now are purple warriors ??? & fat cats being fed on info, & lap sitting their feeders.

That may be correct but that's not the point. Journos genuinely upset people and breed so much hate and I'm confused as to why. It then leads people to make baseless statements like the one I questioned. Which is ironically often what they're accusing the journo of...

Because its a pipe dream/fantasy & Danger has already stated he's happy in Adelaide.

Do you hate these posts because they're realistic

They're annoying because they aren't based on anything but come across like they are.

It's also a lame win/win type of post. Because if it turns out right you get on your high horse and say you were right, but if it's wrong we're all so happy no one pulls you up for making a stupid post.

It's easy to be negative....

Jay Clark? Won't be need to bring that iPhone charger to work after all

Do you base this on anything? Or just the general journo hate for no particular reason?

I remember the exact same type on responses to Barrett after he broke the Hogan injury (he was right), the mitch Clark burning (he was right) etc.

Brett Anderson, both journo and dees supporter, has said Jay's mail is usually pretty spot on.

I'm not too precious about players, as all I want is to see the Red and Blue up there again....and we ain't gonna get there by being too sentimental.

Having said that I would rather keep Trengove the player rather than draft a young kid.

If the deal is being considered to help us get something bigger, then I'm all for it.

I'm not against that theory, but doesn't that mean we're being hypocritical as fans? Not saying you are one to blow up at players for not being loyal though.

I'm not for trading Trengove. Don't think it sends great messages to players and I like rewarding players for loyalty. Especially given that it seems he doesn't want to go. Don't think it's great for a club that's trying to build a culture.

But footy is going that way and I can understand why.

I'm not a journo hater like so many footy fans seem to be. Fans lose their minds over journos opinions when they're just that. As long as they put forward a balanced view, then it creates good discussion.

However are people basing their positive opinions on him because he supports us at times, not his journalistic work/record? Seems hypocritical.

Don't mind Ralphy, comes across as one of the good guys.