Pates

Salem would be leading our B&F in my books, he was the only one to put in solid performances in the first 3 rounds and yet again he was just silky and solid. Given the troubles he's had in the past it's great to see him playing such great footy.

Frustrating that May and Vandenberg appear to have had set backs, AvB could really make in impact if given the opportunity.

So I was finally able to watch the replay yesterday, very interesting game to look at and while I’m absolutely stoked (and still a little shocked!) by the win there will be plenty for the coaching staff to analyse with the players. Firstly in terms of positives I personally was really happy with Preuss’s game, yes he fade but he still had a presence even when not necessarily “winning”. I think it’s worth persisting because it seems to make TMac and Weiderman appear for released. Also it means that Gawn doesn’t have to run his guts off to get to the forward line, instead he can sit in the hole outside the 50 for the oppositions “get out of trouble” kick. Secondly I thought Hore did some really important things, we have sorely lacked someone taking a defensive mark rather than a fist in defence. He showed great confidence in running of his man to help out teammates. I also thought Hunt looked at home in the forward line, he chased, he tackled, he affected contests and kicked a couple of snags. If he can get his efficiency with shots on goal a little better he definitely becomes an asset. Finally gotta say I was so happy to see Jones make a strong impact on the game. Both captains kicked big goals when we needed them and there is zero doubt it makes the rest of the team walk taller. Lots more work to be done but this win will do our confidence the world of good.

3 games into what was meant to be a really promising season and it seriously feels like we’ve gone back in time. We’re back to looking at the fixture with dread to see who we’ve got next, and look at our available list thinking, “wow we’re in for a tough time.” This week needs to be focusing on controlling what we have within our control, injuries are a part of professional sport so we have to get over who is not available. What we have to start with is getting our defensive set ups right and prevent easy transitions that almost always lead to a genuine shot on goal. When we do have opportunities going forward, lower the eyes and look for passes rather than blazing away and kicking to a two on one. Go back to basics to start and build from there. Hopefully Pruess can make his presence felt.

I remember similar things seemed to happen to former Melbourne players going to other clubs and turning up thinking, “wow so this is how fit you’re meant to be”. It doesn’t excuse him from coming to the club in poor condition, as a big name recruit he should be taking it upon himself to be touch with the fitness staff and/or senior players to ensure he doesn’t miss a beat. He admits he’s made mistakes and now it’s on him to try to make up for it.

I did say for years, that was pretty much what I was picturing. ?

Yep and considering we don’t have Hogan anymore we need so much more from him. If nothing else he need to impact the contest and ensure they don’t have easy exits. Bottom line is though there’s so much work we need to do in all parts of the ground. We need to someone to stand the **** up!

Definitely, we are missing structure and marshalling in that area. We can argue Lewis’s playing ability for his age but there is no doubting we play better when he’s in the team. Off the top of my head the players that we are missing that were important during our final H&A games and finals are Hannan, AvB, and Lewis. While they aren’t brownlow medal contenders they each add something important in their respective areas that we are severely lacking in. Oscar and Frost are both very dumb players, they are one dimensional and panic when the heat is on them. Lewis being around them is a cool voice of leadership that lets them know what they might not be noticing. Taking a breathe and analysing all areas of the team it isn’t that hard to work out why we aren’t playing well. Key players have had interrupted pre-seasons and are underdone, average players such as Frost, and Oscar are not at their end of 2018 standard while Weiderman is struggling to recapture his break out form. ANB is also having a slow start not unlike how he was this time last year. We are down in form and quality in practically all aspects of the ground and in such a tight competition a drop of 5% means you’re already off the pace of the competition.

I want Frost out, the reality is a don’t know if there’s anyone that can come in. Our spine right now is as poor as I’ve seen it for years at both ends. TMac needs to be given hard words this week, I know the delivery to him has been deplorable but he also hasn’t been putting himself in the right positions.

There’s so much that needs to change and go right for us against Sydney, it starts with winning the clearances and then being able to lock the ball inside our forward 50. There have been some surprise results early this year, maybe it’s going to be our turn.

Delete please, wrong thread!

With the draw we’ve got this could really be a painful year, I think we’ve reached a ceiling with certain players and our quality aren’t coming to fore. Tom McDonald is better than what he’s showing, I think it’s a combination of poor delivery to him and low confidence but him getting his confidence back is important. Meanwhile our defence is a rabble, no one takes defensive marks and that’s the big difference. Lever is massively missed right now because right now all the defenders are doing/can do is unconvincing fists. I think we’re heading for bottom 6 this year, the draw we’ve got is very difficult and it would’ve been tough if we were on song. Now it’s going to ensure a year of pain. I hate to say it but the positive is that looking forward to 2020 (yes I’m becoming one of those people) we will have a favourable draw.

Dear Melbourne......?

Yet again forward entries are useless and making it difficult on the players, that said they aren’t leading well and demanding the footy. Melksham is a shadow of his 2018 self right now, he should have 3-4 right now but it just isn’t working for him. Our midfield is doing ok, but at both ends of the ground we are useless.

Definitely both frees unrewarded.

What the hell is going on with our defence? It’s way too easy!

Well that wasn’t a free either so there’s the leveller I guess.

Top finish from stringer but that was never a free kick.

We can’t play two way footy.

Soft free, I’ll take it. Still feels like a fight for us to get a shot on goal. We’re not playing smart inside 50.

I thought he over ran it to be honest.

Well this is it isn’t it, both teams under the pump, both having played diabolical footy for the first two rounds. It’s time we bring it or we can kiss any chance of finals for my mind.

I hate saying this but the seasons on the line this weekend for us and the bombers, neither team is good enough to recover from such a horror start. It means both teams should be coming out all guns blazing and I’m not gonna lie I’m worried about whether we will bring the heat. The few positives from the weekend was that there was lots of balls going inside 50, but the manner in which it was going in and our forwards failure to lock it in was just pathetic. Add to that the fact our defence is totally inept right now made for a massively dirty night. Among many things that we are lacking, one is a genuine livewire small forward in the ilk of the Rioli’s. Our forward lack pressure on their defenders which gives them easy exits. IF we get our mojo we will beat Essendon, that I have no doubt. Whether we will and be able to resurrect this already fading season....

I knew when we weren’t converting at the start of the 3rd we were done. They’ve had 6 inside 50s for 5 goals, went way too tall for the conditions and our midfield is letting them get simple kicks in there. Absolutely disgusting efforts inside our forward 50 all night, TMac has been awful, Weiderman (who simply HAD to kick his) mostly unsighted, Melksham continues to look off the pace, and Petracca mostly useless. But ultimately our deficiencies in defence has made this an ugly night. There’s no logical set up, no one marshalling the troops into position, they look like headless chooks. I don’t think it’s possible for me to be more [censored] off with such a pathetic effort.

I was thinking we we might have a drop off this year, but right now we don’t look like a top 8 team at all.