Deecisive

Disappointed that we did not finish the game closer. The hawks were the better side, they had far more shots on goal and with a bit more luck could have given us a flogging. All in all our defense played pretty well, yes there were mistakes, stuffups but there was also a lot of intense pressure. The hawks forwards tackling was nothing short of amazing, if we had that kind of tackling in our forward line we would be potential premiers. Sadly our forwards are not chasers, nor tacklers. I thought Dawes tried, a fair amount of the time I see dawes going for marks I see players hanging off him and he rarely gets a free. Bernie was awesome, I thought he pipped Typson for best melbourne player, possibly best on the ground. He was barrelling the ball out from full back then running around tackling mitchell and anyone else with the ball. Bernie needs to stay on the ball he is not a handballer like so many of our on ballers he barrells the ball forward 50 metres, sadly too often the opposition read the flight of the ball better than our forwards. Tyson his best game by a long shot. As for the umpiring, it was not brilliant there were obviously a lot of frees missed with the wet conditions, and a couple of head highs that really should not have been paid. I dont understand the hypocracy of the AFL talking up concussion at the sametime continuing to reward players for ducking and getting hit.

I would love to see spencer come in and hang around in the goal square when not rucking, same with Gawn. Put hogan up on a wing and dawes at chf. Ben kennedy in for Harmes and Kent would make way for Spencer. I think continued ruck dominance is critical in us getting first touch on the ball, so we should ensure there is no respite for the collingwood big men. Also keeping spencer or gawn resting in the forward line will keep one of the big backs at home to stop Spencer or Gawn marking or at least make a serious contest when the ball goes down there. This will have to suck up at least one of the better collingwood backmen reducing the pressure on both dawes and Hogan. Hogan already roams, so let him roam more easily. We still want him running forward for goals and I think he can do that better if he is running into the forward line rather than running out of the forward line to look for passes.

Having more games experience does not excuse the ineptitude and total lack of intensity from some of our players. I can accept it when we are play reasonably well and are out played but we did not even come close to playing even half decent football.

While few of us expected we would play finals football this year, most of us expect the team that is put on the field to put in a solid performance. We had a lot of our players including some of our more experienced players who just did not turn up, or who played well below the standard expected. When I look at teams like St Kilda and Carlton both who were expected to be basket cases I see greater consistency and effort than I see in our players. Again this was a game that earlier in the week were favorites to win, yet again we were thrashed. These are supposed to be professional footballers, professionals some paid hundreds of thousands and they cannot hit a team mate 25 meters away with a pass, who fail to be accountable for their man, and who could not tackle to save their career. Disgusted with the effort. Players need to be sent back to the VFL and bring others who are prepared to try.

H to replace Jetta in the backline. Pederson to replace Garland in the backline. Newton to replace Pederson in the forward line ANB to replace michie on the bench.

just finished watching the replay, while the dogs were really good, some of our play and players were really bad. Our forward line did not pressure, they slipped over, the fumbled marks, missed targets, missed tackles and missed some relatively easy shots at goal. A lot of our players only put in half a game if that, and I have to say I don't like the zone defence any more than I liked the spare man in defence game plan. We gave the dogs players too much latitude and they used it well. zone defence is only really good against sides that cannot deliver the ball well, that gives you a chance to pickup easy turnovers/possessions.

I am not sure dawes is good enough with his body work to be a backman, as he seems to get pushed under or out of the contests far too often.

we loose a lot of momentum when Gawn goes for his rest, in most matches that is when the opposition has hit back hard. I think Spencer can develop further, I doubt few expected Gawn would turn his career around so quickly, I can see no reason why spencer can not try to do the same. They would be a lethal pair if they can play together.

IT would be awesome if we could get spencer into the team working with Gawn, one on the ball one resting in the goal square, Hogan at CHF, it would take some pressure off max rucking all day, and put pressure on the oppsition if he was sitting in the goal square when not on the ball.

The question is now who is not playing this week?

Dunny does a lot of body work pushing players out of contests that goes unnoticed. His kicking out is good and his occasional long shot for goal is a bonus.

in the second quarter with about 11mins to go, Riewoldt kicks a goal and then you can hear the umpire telling him that he is still watching out for something. Anyone know what he was complaining about and how come the umps are paying special attention to and why?

A more successful melbourne with an up and coming list will also be a major reason to stay. If we do not progress from last year then he would certainly think about other options. everyone wants success. some of our long suffering players have stuck with us through some horribly lean times. Now I prey they all get a real taste of success and that Hogan is part of that success.

If howe was still with us then he would be playing for Casey until he could pull himself together which given the current competition for spots could be a long time away, which would have devalued him ever more. He is lucky he is playing for a lesser skilled team at the moment so he can get a game of AFL football. I dont blame him for leaving, I am more proud that our club told him what they thought he was worth and did not bend to him and said if you can do better elsewhere go... While we may not have gotten the player we wanted in return, somehow I think we got the player we needed instead. So I thank you Jeremy for giving us the opportunity to replace you with what i would say at this point in time is a better player than you. I will miss your great marks, but then I doubt I will miss the occasional turnovers that sometime happened once you landed.

It would be a shame to loose wagner from defense his attack on the ball and delivery into attack has been pretty important. I like the brayshaw and frost but they both seem the most likely to be rested for oliver and petracca. I would take petracca for his bigger body over anb. For the first time in god knows how long we now have a list of talented players in the wings having to try damn hard to force their way back into the side,

A great win, yes Richmond were sloppy and so were we at times, but we also played some damn fine football that was entertaining to watch. Rance deserves a 3-4 for that cowardly hit, Watts head was on the ground or close so likely to have resulted in a heavier impact, I guess we will see what the tribunal says, giving him 1 just says that sort of cowardly behavior is ok, some players may think of trying it a 1 match penalty may not be that big a deal to take out the oppositions best player, i.e. ablett, or viney, etc..

A fantastic result, i cannot remember a year when we have so many different players all kicking a bag of goals in different matches, Hogan, Watts, Jeffy and Kent. Wow not the hard decision on next weeks team.

Essendon VFL side is really hammering collingwoods VFL side, looks like Bucks cupboard is bare. Cloke may be in for a long stay down in the VFL, that is if he is not dropped from that side as well.

would have preferred nick to have hammy problems next week, but montagna will do for a start.

The odds have nothing to do with who is the best side but where the money is being bet. Bookies figure out their initial spread and then adjust to the market, they are putting us at longer odds because there is much more money going on to the tigers from over optimistic supporters or other who think Melbourne will not make it 2 in a row. they need to give good odds on the Dees to attract more money to offset potential losses, and lower the tigers odds to reduce their risk/payout on new bets should the tigers get up. Bookies aim to make money no matter who wins rather than backing one side. Backing one side or another is mugs game for us punters, not bookies. So I will happily back to dees to win tonight.

So the Geelong Essendon game where they kicked a total of 15 goals for the game, 4 interchange players on the bench all rotating in and out would mean 60 changes, though I would assume you could also change at each break for another 12, so that would be a total of 72 interchanges for the game. But would you want to use your interchange if someone kicks a goal in the first minute or two or each quarter. And how do you cope if you have injured players who can not come back on like the saints did a few weeks ago against Collingwood then you would be totally stuffed. I think the brains trust needs to wake up to themselves and stop trying to tweak everything every year.

I would prefer if this was a scoreless draw with at least 12 players from each side reported for rough contact.

Petracca is listed as an emergency, so there is time on Friday or Saturday to release a video of him calling his mum or dad telling them he is now playing. Announcing him as an emergency stokes the interest in this game and who's in or not. All eyes will be on tomorrows training. interesting the mixed feelings it brings out, do we want Jeffy to have another week off, or want him in possibly at the expense of Petracca who we have waiting so long to see run out in the red and blue.

That's probably because the tend not to practice for it. I think a few simulations of this at training will help the players pick up the signs of it and practice to take down the arm.

Ducking and taking the hit is not an option, we are more likely to end up with a player having concussion. Ducking under also seems fraught with danger as you would probably have to lead into his body with your shoulder or head, if you hit him head first then another potential concussion. Not a big fan of trying to Corral a player, that just gives him time, Dusty moves too quick anyway to corral easily or without getting run over. The Viney approach is the one a like. I think this should be part of their standard tackling practice anyway as there are a few players who do this now. With a players like dusty you know its coming so you should be prepared for it and take advantage of the fact that you know it is likely to be coming.