Review Dees v Norf and the Ghost of 1965 - the Good, Bad and Ugly

[AmericanAFL]

Good to see schmutt has gone lid off.

I was ready to tip a loss against the Swans assuming we spanked north by 70. But we may have dodged that bullet for now. Instead I may be circling that trip to Adelaide as our stumble game heading into that clash with the Dogs.

9-1 though

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

I don't see it as a must win game, and far less embarrassing than losing to Norf.

Wouldn't be surprised if we dropped it , few alarm bells last week and the forward set up will continue to be a work in progress for a few weeks imo.

Plus the backline now needs some reorganizing .

 

[Bluelegs]

Swans knocked us off in critical games in 2017, 2018 and 2020. They are our only remaining bogey side, and their dominance of us at the MCG goes back to our last GF appearance. This is probably our second biggest home game of the century since two weeks ago lol.

Game clear in the top spot and three games clear in the top 4. This is like rating our 2018 game against North as one of the biggest ever because we hadn't beaten them since 2006 at that point.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Neither of these games have been bigger than round 23 2017 and round 22 2018. Those games had huge stakes on the line.

Those were both away games. Also, meh. R22, 2018 maybe but in both of those games the reasons they were so ‘big’ was because we’d lost critical games earlier in the season when we were running hot (inc against Sydney at the MCG). This is a game between two top four sides who have started the season extremely well and are looking to establish themselves as contenders, not to scrape into finals after fizzling out of good starts.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Game clear in the top spot and three games clear in the top 4. This is like rating our 2018 game against North as one of the biggest ever because we hadn't beaten them since 2006 at that point.

Yes it’s exactly the same because that was also a game between two top four sides

 

[Bluelegs]

Yes it’s exactly the same because that was also a game between two top four sides

You're moving the goal posts. It's round 8, for all we know the game against Geelong was a top 4 clash. If we follow your logic that might be one of the biggest games for the club over the past 20 years in hindsight.

It's a bit like when Ken Hinkley proclaimed Port's round 1 win over us in 2019 to be one of the best wins he's ever coached.

 

[Meds]

Please explain how? Sydney is good. They might win. Doesn't really prove much either way.

Exactly. It's bloody cliche but each game only gives you 4 points. You don't get any more for beating the reigning premier or for beating a team that's had the wood over you. You don't get less for beating North or any other team that might be struggling.

Our goal is enough points to guarantee finals (48?), then top 4, and then ideally top 2. I couldn't care less how we get them.

Building games up to be more than what they are (another chance to bank points) is what you do when you're searching for meaning in an otherwise meaningless season. At this point, in this year, that's not us. If we build individual games up artificially, then it's only gonna heighten the sense of dread when we eventually drop a game (we're not at the level of blah, or we're ahead of ourselves whatever else people want to say).

Beyond the win or loss, it's all just fugazi.

 

[LeverPuller]

Our goal is enough points to guarantee finals (48?), then top 4, and then ideally top 2. I couldn't care less how we get them.

52. 48 is a 50:50 shot

 

[stEdy]

Beyond the win or loss, it's all just fugazi.

 

[GatesOfHell]

We will belt Sydney by 10 goals.

 

[jhong]

I don't know what you guys saw on TV, but I was at the game and let me tell you, Jones was important. He worked hard, he got himself in good positions and made it harder for North to move the ball. Jones had a steadying influence on the game when we needed it. I can't fault the way he cracked in. Again, maybe it didn't look that way on TV, but sometimes it doesn't tell the whole story.

Not questioning Jones game , just the logic of why he was picked as medical sub.

 

[mrmonkey]

It's a bit odd that if you only beat the poor sides it's "Who have they beaten" but if you have an ordinary game against one of those sides it's "they look vulnerable." If we had smashed Hawthorn and North for four quarters but dropped the game to Richmond we'd be 'flat-track bullies'.

I think a lot of the speculation around us is simply based on historical form and reputation. If Hawthorn, Collingwood or Sydney had the start we had no one would bat an eye at a poor quarter here or there, those teams would just be considered 'tough' and 'full of character'.

For mine, the most impressive thing about our start has been that none of our games have been close at the final siren. We have closed out every game strongly and have gotten ourselves to a comfortable lead by half way through the last quarter at the very latest.

The whole 'they haven't beaten anyone' was getting ridiculous after the Geelong game. We beat Geelong but suddenly it was 'yeah but Geelong is out of form'. So there's no pleasing some people. I just find it funny now.

 

[djpaulydemon]

I don't know what you guys saw on TV, but I was at the game and let me tell you, Jones was important. He worked hard, he got himself in good positions and made it harder for North to move the ball. Jones had a steadying influence on the game when we needed it. I can't fault the way he cracked in. Again, maybe it didn't look that way on TV, but sometimes it doesn't tell the whole story.

Definitely noticeable on TV. Basically the only mid to nail tackles when they were waltzing it through the middle and getting easy clearances. Some vintage extractions as well.

 

[Deemanding]

Good: Even if it wasn't the best game, were on a 9 match winning streak, and the last time we did that it included a grand final...

 

[Jamurp]

The whole 'they haven't beaten anyone' was getting ridiculous after the Geelong game. We beat Geelong but suddenly it was 'yeah but Geelong is out of form'. So there's no pleasing some people. I just find it funny now.

you can't win, we beat Richmond and it's 'dees played their grand final in April', most opposition supporter talk is fluff.

 

[KickLongTackleHard]

you can't win, we beat Richmond and it's 'dees played their grand final in April', most opposition supporter talk is fluff.

One half don’t want us to be good and the other half don’t trust us to be good. Can’t blame the later half.

 

[LeverPuller]

Coaches’ votes v interesting
All of Salem, Hall and Trac getting 3
Then Kozz 2 and Jackson 1

 

[mrmonkey]

you can't win, we beat Richmond and it's 'dees played their grand final in April', most opposition supporter talk is fluff.

The best pre Richmond game was copping Melbourne haven't beaten anyone this came from a Dogs supporter. Who have the dogs beaten at this point? West Coast at etihad looked good in round 2 but evidently West Coast doesn't travel well and Brisbane at Ballarat. I don't mind the Bulldogs but happy to see Richmond give them a reality check.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Coaches’ votes v interesting
All of Salem, Hall and Trac getting 3
Then Kozz 2 and Jackson 1

Ridiculous

 

[jhong]

Coaches vote -;

North Melbourne v Melbourne
10 Bayley Fritsch (MELB)
8 Ben Cunnington (NMFC)
3 Aaron Hall (NMFC)
3 Christian Salem (MELB)
3 Christian Petracca (MELB)
2 Kysaiah Pickett (MELB)
1 Luke Jackson (MELB)

 

[stEdy]

Thought Spargo laid some smart blocks for Fritsch among others.

Good kid

 

[Dancing Potato]

Salem was one of our few players to have a consistent 4 quarter effort so no problem with that. Kozzy and Jacko a bit stiff on those numbers though.

Trac's game was average overall but to be fair he was one of our only players to actually look alive in the first quarter.

 

[MarcMaverick]

I'm glad we all agree its definitely still a veil

Veil Veil Veil, Vot have ve here.

 

[Frank Thring]

Veil Veil Veil, Vot have ve here.

This reminds me of the joke of a husband and wife disembarking off a plane arguing whether the place they were in was pronounced Hawaii or Havaii so they asked a local who said it was pronounce Havaii. They thanked him for clearing up the confusion and he said you're velcome.

Anyway congrats on the win, albeit ugly but that's what good teams do.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

You're moving the goal posts. It's round 8, for all we know the game against Geelong was a top 4 clash. If we follow your logic that might be one of the biggest games for the club over the past 20 years in hindsight.

It's a bit like when Ken Hinkley proclaimed Port's round 1 win over us in 2019 to be one of the best wins he's ever coached.

It’s not moving the goalposts lol, the point is that it’s a big game right now in the build up because we are currently on top of the ladder and we’re playing a top four side when everyone wants to knock us off for once, rather than saying something was just a big game in hindsight