Preview NAB Challenge Round 3: v Essendon Top Ups - Etihad Stadium, Friday 20th March, 5.50pm

[Topkent]

I'm guessing by the meltdown things really turned to s**t after I stopped watching part way through the second. Did Salem keep up his good early work?

He faded like the rest of them , didn't do anything bad but didn't really find it , lumumba played a lone hand in setting up attacks

 

[Charliebrow 16]

As has already been mentioned, Lumumba is a fantastic fit for your side. Provides some much needed dash and lovely disposal.

 

[pure demon]

Farking heatbreaking result. I was hoping that grimes would be pushed out of the side this year.
Im sorry grimey, please stay in the side and build on todays game.
What tha * is happening with dunn, tyson and viney?

 

[CWaffles]

I'm done with this, nothing surprises me anymore.

 

[Jamurp]

How can a team be so down for so long? Hawthorn, Sydney and Geelong seem to get stronger each season, while we remain in a rut. Sads.

 

[Tiger71]

Hang tough guys. I know seeing what you are seeing must be hard to take. Trust me I know. Just look at my club in spuds last year and the last year of Wallace. You have a good core group, there young and there mistakes are a positive. At least they are now trying to create. Only from mistakes do you learn and then get better.

Anyway keep you chins up

 

[Tulip]

Tulip you need to save the quality meltdowns like these for the real season mate.

Disagree.

This game today proved to me, above anything, that this club is either terminal or as close to it as possible.

This isn't Wednesday afternoon at the Nar Nar Goon recreation centre, it's Friday Night under lights with the season two weeks away and look what we serve up.

Unadulterated rubbish against a side with nothing to play for but pride.

I don't care if a player has been here for 10 years or 10 minutes. Anyone who signs up to the Melbourne Footy Club and takes our money is obliged to help pull us out of this hole we're in.

That means trying, always. Sure, it's the NAB Cup - but that makes it worse. We're playing against a side boasting half a dozen delistees, a dozen under 20s, David Zaharakis and a past it Brendon Goddard and Paul Chapman. We're playing our best side, bar the injured Howe and Vince. Every player who played today would have been given a guernsey at Essendon for this competition. We should be belting them. The players should be putting on a ******* show and walking the ball through the goals.

Instead, we watch as our great white hope is absolutely monstered by a 2014 delistee, the full back we've pegged our hopes on can't get near his opponent, our better players from last year play with no intensity and Son of Todd continues his embarrassing descent into Luke Tapscott 'belt first, play good footy later' territory. It's a ******* joke. Who was there to pull their heads in after a shocking first half? Really gives you confidence in our captain and coach, doesn't it? Either they didn't care, or they don't have the authority.

This is as helpless as I have ever felt, because it just shows how out of touch these players are with reality. All they had to do was not lose and they could have gone about their business quietly. Instead - with the notable exceptions of the Prince, the timeless Daniel Cross and Garlett - they prove that they aren't good enough, big enough, strong enough or committed enough to this football club and the supporters who give up their time and money so they can earn a living. I don't know if I can be bothered going to the GCS game and sinking more of my very little cash into a lost cause.

The only pride I feel in the red and blue anymore is when I walk side by side with people wearing it and see how much we all try when the players clearly don't care.

#GAGF #fistedforever.

 

[The Dr]

Just back from the game. Horrible, horrible performance by us and my off-season optimism has diminished in one evening.

It's crazy how two off-season recruits in Lumumba and Garlett are basically our two most impressive players, bar Jones and Tyson (despite them both having off nights tonight).

Genuinely worried about Toump. Not 100% writing him off but gee, he doesn't do anything that makes you sit up and think 'wow, this kid is something special'...

 

[Benwah83]

So I completely missed this due to being stuck at work late on a Friday. How did we go?

Reads last 8 pages of posts.

Oh. Good-o.

Walks out.

#fistedforever

 

[Tempy Tiger]

Vince and Howe the only clear best 22 missing

And Kent. And JKH.

 

[booshboy]

In the end didn't matter if we'd won or lost. I'd be pissed either way. Can't be bothered saying much more than this; for us supporters this was the wake up call we needed R.E Hogan, the blokes going to be a jet, but in reality he is a first year player and we shouldn't expect that he's immediately going to have an impact. Once again another draft pick that has had way too much expectation heaped on him. Tyson, Viney, Bail, Jones, Toumpas terrible. Whilst Dunn was okay- made some terrible decisions.

 

[Bluelegs]

Id rather we lose now and get a kick in the are before the season

 

[PerfectFooty]

Id rather we lose now and get a kick in the are before the season

Still, this result we really help get to our 35,000 members goal by round 1

 

[Demon 16]

I'm actually concerned with jack viney , not because of that last kick but I've been wondering for a while if he's already reached his ceiling

He is tough as nails but his kicking and decision making is pathetic

Bad call.

Sucked in by that late play nick.

 

[Bluelegs]

Still, this result we really help get to our 35,000 members goal by round 1

Was never going to happen

 

[booshboy]

Bad call.

Sucked in by that late play nick.

And at least the other two clangers that directly resulted in goals...you're right though, he needs more time.

 

[Sprout]

It's crazy how two off-season recruits in Lumumba and Garlett are basically our two most impressive players, bar Jones and Tyson (despite them both having off nights tonight).

The only positive I took out of it, and I mean the only positive, is that along with Jones the best players were probably Lumumba (again), Garlett and Vanders - the new blood. The recruiting has been smart and effective. I wonder if the clowns on here who were adamant that Lumumba should "heck off" are still of that opinion. He's been peerless so far in the pre-season.

The stagnant and fearful ball movement from last season still lingers, and there are now alarm bells sounding with Viney. He was beyond poor again tonight, and if he along with Toumpas fail to come on, that leaves something of a hole in the list. We badly need these two to deliver and there are now very real warning signs. Tyson also had a stinker and when he does, it hurts. Got enough of the leather but used it poorly.

Looks like yet another tough year ahead. Hopefully some of the kids get a decent run to give the fans a reason to stay interested.

And please Roosy. No more Bail and M Jones. It couldn't be more obvious that they are not AFL standard players.

 

[stretcharmstrong]

Hoges is going to be something.

He was ******* rubbish. Truth.

 

[ManWithNoName]

He was ******* rubbish. Truth.

I'm not saying he was good tonight. But the talent's there.

 

[PerfectFooty]

I'm not saying he was good tonight. But the talent's there.

In the defence of @Strecharmstrong thats what people have said in the past "The talent's there". None the less i think Hogan still needs time and there is to much hype.

By the way could somebody please tell how exactly did the game go and the final moments? i actually have no idea what happened

 

[Tempy Tiger]

I feel sick

Yes, we should definitely stop picking Bail, the bad Jones and Jordie. It just robs kids who might be of the necessary standard of games. Dunny brush is concerning me, he is a good kick but kicks to terrible options constantly. He should be banned from kicking in. Ever. Having Salem or Nev taking the kick ins this year will immediately make us better.
Crossy is looking old and slow, Garland and Grimes still stagnant and submissive in the backline. We are improving the list but are starting from a long way back. I've said it before. heck you Barry Prendergast you a-hole.

 

[Headless]

Just back from the game. Was good for a laugh.

 

[Cannon82]

So I'm actually excited to watch us play tonight even though it's against an under strength Essendon and preseason, any chance of a convincing win is good considering all our wins last year were by under 2 goals

Just got home, saw you posted this and I've seen the score. Thoughts?

 

[Bluelegs]

Was happy enough with Watts and Dawes.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Some stuff okay, but plenty of bad.

- Frost should NEVER play forward, he just got in the way of everyone even though he has a crack + has limited skill.
- Bail, M Jones, Cross, Viney, Toumpas and Tyson all were pathetic; sold players into trouble left right and centre.
- Basic decisions were made very poorly, when to posses v when to clear especially
- That smother from Cross summed up our game for the night, he lazily stuck one hand out and looked surprised when the ball hit it.

Salem, Watts, Jones, Lumumba and Garlett all played well - Vanders looks promising too.

Dawes worked hard, but heck he made some bad mistakes in important moments/passages.