Straight Sets Simon

Probably already posted but this is just about the best thing from the night.

Our pressure won the game.

Incredible, just an amazing all-round performance from the full 22.

What a legend, it's a massive shame that he didn't get to play finals for us. Some of his performances were as good as any Melbourne player in the last 30 years. I'll always remember his goal from 50, on his left against Geelong in 2015.

And in return we will ask for 58 first round draft picks and their best five players in a trade. Oliver's not going anywhere.

He's holding his marks now but what impressed me most was that goal he kicked.

Good call.

Good thing we can trade them and get something in return. I'd have Frost ahead of O. McDonald but that's just me.

Good hands but lacks penetration?

He started taking the marks we've been waiting for.

No, we are usually so close to the man on the mark that we kick under pressure and our angle of kicking is changed. By going back further the Sydney player actually could straighten up as the man on the mark had no impact in terms of distance or trajectory.

I’m going to keep bumping this until we actually work out what to do when we take a mark or have a free kick. Petracca is the king of just standing still and not actually getting back behind the mark. I saw a Sydney player go back about 15 metres after he took a mark and wasn’t able to play on quickly. Going back so far actually allowed him to kick the ball further because he could go on a huge arc around the man on the mark and kick under no pressure. Today JKH drifted off his mark (causing umpire to call play on) when he was 45 metres out from goal. He gave up a free kick to instead handball under pressure all because he couldn’t walk back in a straight line.

Heartbreaking.

The biggest problem I have with the current AFL MRO and tribunal is that it is outcome based and not action based. Actions can be controlled, outcomes cannot. I'm firmly in the camp that if you intentionally hit or strike a player, no matter how hard then a suspension should be enforced (as a starting point) and not just a fine. Additional weeks are then added for any injuries sustained as a result.

He got a hole in one at probably the best hole in world to do it on.

Many will have seen that Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle has made the heartbreaking decision to go into palliative care after a third battle with cancer. Jarrod is a Melbourne supporter so I just wanted to send love to a fellow Demon supporter and his family during what must be the most harrowing of experiences.

Royal Melbourne isn't in Perth.

The backline didn’t have to do anything because the ball never went down there without Sandilands and Fyfe. On top of that the Fremantle forwards are all no-names anyway. Lewis constantly falls over, panics under pressure and struggles to bend down to pick up the ball. That 50 metre penalty was a disgrace, especially from someone supposed to be a leader.

Cooked.

On top of this, we kicked into the man on the mark twice against Port Adelaide (Brayshaw and Lewis from memory) which is completely unacceptable.

Did anyone hear Jimmy Bartel talking about Petracca just stood still after taking a mark tonight? How the hell is this still happening?

Needs more penetration in his kicking, prefer to see him hit targets 30 metres away than to go for the long options.

https://twitter.com/sirswampthing/status/1000926221562085376

Our first two draft picks last year were 29 (Spargo) and 31 (Fritsch) and both are already getting regular games in their first season. That's what I call good drafting.

Because of a 17-year old rookie ruckman who hasn't played football for three years?