Ash82

The other link with that Elimination Final in 1987 is that we lost to North twice that season in the H&A one being with a kick after the siren... from none other than Alastair Clarkson playing his first game!

Our forward line is as much to blame as any line as to why we have been getting opened up out the back. Yes our backs have been poor in letting opponents get goalside but those coast to coast goals normally start in our forward line due to our lack of pressure on key ball carriers. Hawthorn gave us a lesson in workrate and forward pressure and that was the difference in the end: Tackle Numbers (forwards) Watts 0 Puopolo 10 Hogan 0 Rioli 11 Dawes 1 Gunston 5 Kent 3 Breust 5 vandenBerg 3 Stewart 9 Garlett 3 Sicily 2 Petracca 6 O'Brien 3 16 45

I just can't believe this was then reviewed and allowed to be a goal.. Again no outcry from the club or the media at the inept umpiring yesterday...It's only Melbourne... Imagine Collingwood were cruelled like we were yesterday. Eddie would be calling for heads!!

Mark Neeld really has to cool it with the 'development phase' rhetoric. Us supporters aren't stupid we know where we're at. But don't talk about Brisbane as being some powerhouse with an experienced list and excuse inept performances as positives because we got within 5 goals of a bottom 6 side on the road. Please! I checked the stats and Brisbane put out a younger side than us yesterday and only slightly more experienced: Brisbane ave age: 23y 328d Melbourne ave age: 24y 208d Brisbane total games: 1572 Melbourne total games: 1500 http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/games/2013/111920130428.html

WTF is going on here?? Surely the club would have advised him on how to handle the media surrounding this issue!? His dad is in charge of recruiting for Christ's sake! The club should be advising him to tell GWS and GC if they pick him he'll ask to come home not the other way around! Someone has stuffed up here. If there was any doubt about GC putting in a bid to force our hand with pick 3 i think that has been extinguished now...

Do you seriously think Mark Neeld and Dave Misson would allow this to happen given they have both come from elite programs? Melbourne while not in the upper echelon of football department spenders certainly aren't in the bottom few after last years revolution of the FD. Matthew Lloyd is an idiot and has lazily attached Melbourne as a struggling club way behind the top clubs in elite performance. Maybe in 2011 not 2012. Would like to know who he has 'spoken to' from Melbourne. I wouldn't be surprised if he just threw that in there to give his article some form of credibility. Moron.

Remember this: http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/march-backed-on-young-talent-20100525-wb2x.html Gary March was onto something and Schwab shouldn't have been so dismissive

We've won a total of 24 quarters out of a possible 76 this year. That's less than 1/3 of quarters won across the year. We've had just one game where we've won the entire four quarters - against Adelaide. Lost 7 quarters by over 40 points or more Lost 14 quarters by over 20 points or more Epic fail whatever way you look at it.

This guy is an a-grade tool. What makes him a respectable opinion on anything?? I wish he'd just shut up! Thinks he's some sort of world leader - stick to chasing a Sherrin around mate.

What about the non holding the ball decision on Swallow late in the 2nd Quarter?? Had clear prior opportunity resulted in a turnover and easy goal to North. A clear turning point in the game. Absolutely putrid decision!!

For one reason or another we have almost broken even in our first quarters and I think we're ahead in 4th quarters over the year which indicates we have the ability to run games out even with injured players. The real problem lies in the huge lapses we've had in nearly every game between the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Here is a quick analysis of our 2nd & 3rd quarters this year: Round 1 Melb 2.2 V Stk 9.5 Round 2 Melb 6.5 V Haw 13.1 Round 3 Melb 3.8 V Geel 10.11 Round 4 Melb 8.6 V Freo 12.6 Round 5 Melb 5.7 V Syd 6.5 Round 6 Melb 6.6 V Port 6.7 Round 7 Melb 4.8 V WB 8.11 Round 8 Melb 6.4 V WC 8.10 Round 9 Melb 2.6 V Kang 5.9 Total 42.52 V 77.64 This is clearly more than a coincidence or a pattern. But where is the answer for these lapses? Is it leadership? Is it a mental problem with our players where they switch off? or is it a problem in planning and midfield rotations?