Toast How can this Melbourne side be stopped?

[estibador]

I think it's probably too early for us to be seriously challenging Melbourne, our team is still so young. If you look at the demographics of the team we're fielding every week we really have no right to be up where we are at the moment.

It might work out perfectly for us that our list is peaking in a few years as Melbourne start to come back down though, rather than at the same time like we did with Hawthorn during our last period of challenging.

 

[Bluelegs]

I think it's probably too early for us to be seriously challenging Melbourne, our team is still so young. If you look at the demographics of the team we're fielding every week we really have no right to be up where we are.

It might work out perfectly for us that our list is peaking in a few years as Melbourne start to come back down though, rather than at the same time like we did with Hawthorn during our last period of challenging.

Usually when a young team overachieves they do so with attacking flair and talent. Looking awesome but ultimately being unsustainable.

What I love about Freo is how sound they are defensively. Rare to see a young team play such a mature style.

 

[BarbieITFC]

Usually when a young team overachieves they do so with attacking flair and talent. Looking awesome but ultimately being unsustainable.

What I love about Freo is how sound they are defensively. Rare to see a young team play such a mature style.

The age demographic of our team and depth is the same as the Crows, Hawks, Bombers and other rebuild teams. There's a thread on here about which of Hawks, Crows and North have the best youth - the answer is Freo. The best news for us is that we now have clear succession plans for the small number of over-28s in our squad that are still getting games (Mundy = Erasmus, Fyfe = Brodie, Walters = Henry, Colyer = Frederick, Lobb = Treacy, Taberner = Amiss. Henry being the only one of these that has yet to have a break out performance).

Excitingly for the Demons fans is that they have ascended to the top as a relatively young squad compared to other premiers in the past.

I really don't want to get ahead of myself here (but I am) - whilst I think we are far more likely to finish 4th-6th this year, the prospect of the Demons and Dockers slugging it out at the top of the ladder for the next 5-6 years is really bloody exciting for two clubs who have never really had any success before. Add in the Lions and Swans - and it's a really unfashionable group of teams that look set to dominate for the next few years.

 

[VicBased]

Of course it counts. So does there loss to St Kilda at Optus. So they got a food away win and loss at home, what else are we judging them on? The 5 bottom sides. People are questioning whether the reigning premiers are any good or not and Fremantle is the team we will judge Melbourne against but we aren’t questioning Fremantles credentials?

Melbourne just convincingly beat a team that was in the top 4 in St Kilda, but apparently that’s not a great win, we will wait until they play Fremantle even though St Kilda beat Fremantle at Fremantles home.

Fremantle beat Geelong at Geelong, Fremantle are good.

St Kilda beat Fremantle in Perth but Melbourne still haven’t beaten anyone.

Yes i think Melbourne/Freo at the MCG will give us much more indication as to where these two are it.

 

[Blackas87]

Yes i think Melbourne/Freo at the MCG will give us much more indication as to where these two are it.

You need Melbourne to play Fremantle to see where they at?

What would that show you that Melbourne’s win against St Kilda didn’t?

 

[VicBased]

You need Melbourne to play Fremantle to see where they at?

What would that show you that Melbourne’s win against St Kilda didn’t?

As i am seeing it in the top 8 at the moment is that any team on a given day can beat another team above OR below them.
Geelong at home being defeated by a team from the other side of Australia is a tougher proposition than Melbourne defeating a Victorian team on their own home ground.
Yes, i understand that Saints beat Freo on their home ground and Melbourne beat them, but Geelong is a much tougher gig than the MCG.
It shows me that Freo can dig deeper when it is needed.

 

[fingerbone]

Successful teams should get the Friday night prime time slots. Melbourne were terrible for years, no one wants to watch that.

Hawthorn were the top for along time hence they got plenty of prime time slots. Now Melbourne is the top side and we started the season with 6 night games.

I remember last year Port Vs Sydney was planning on to be the saturday night game but the AFL changed the fixture to melbourne vs essendon which was one of the worst games of the year low scoring slog. Port vs Sydney went right down to the wire. I'm not being a dickhead but i have seen it too many times with the AFL and how many people say they want to see good teams play good teams on prime time matches but this hardly happens nowadays we hardly see two good interstate clubs get these prime time slots even though they could be 1st and 2nd. Like Fremantle and West Coast when they were at the top of the ladder never got prime time games, It basically is about making money that's why Essendon Richmond Collingwood Carlton are gonna get the most night games cause they are the biggest Clubs in the AFL. We got night games cause people expected us to do well but after looking at the AFL fixture we may be lucky to get one more night game at home which sucks cause i love attending those games.

 

[danster168]

Must be hard covering one injury

It is when it's a player that good. Who are stkilda covering, Hannebery, Coffield, Hayes? Woah!

And if you did your research you'd know that Melbourne had Lever out for a month, Petty out for 5 weeks and Hibberd out for the whole season thus far.

If Stkilda had someone of Salem's talent out injured, they wouldn't have the depth to fill his spot.

 

[WillHayward]

I think Freo are the real deal.

Will give Melbourne a big fright at some point in the next 18 months

 

[danster168]

Yes i think Melbourne/Freo at the MCG will give us much more indication as to where these two are it.

Dees by 5 goals.

 

[VicBased]

Dees by 5 goals.

Love and admire your support for your club! I hope it does not hurt to much when they are beaten.

 

[danster168]

Love and admire your support for your club! I hope it does not hurt to much when the are beaten.

Well flags are hard to win. Wouldn't surprise me at all if we lost a prelim or GF. Anything can happen on one day with so many variables. But the best team doesn't always win the GF.

 

[VicBased]

Well flags are hard to win. Wouldn't surprise me at all if we lost a prelim or GF. Anything can happen on one day with so many variables. But the best team doesn't always win the GF.

100% agree but the best team on the day does. for mine, an outsider (Brissy) will probably win it this year and it will be good for the comp.

 

[Partridge]

When Richmond were the best team, the easy throw away line was ‘’it’s the weakest the comp has been. No good teams around to challenge them’’ 2022 looks extremely thin on contenders if any…… Cannot see anything else other than Melbourne pissing the premiership in.

If there's a certainty in footy, it's that IF your team manages to win a flag or two, it's guaranteed that an endless horde of opposition fans will deride with exactly that argument - "weak standard of competition" etc. etc. Strangely enough, it never occurred when MY team won a flag though. Then, well the standard was never better.

Funny how that works.

Agree with your last sentence. Other than injury or a total loss of focus and/or wasting opportunities when it matters (see 1998, 2008), can't see anyone stopping them.

 

[Blackas87]

As i am seeing it in the top 8 at the moment is that any team on a given day can beat another team above OR below them.
Geelong at home being defeated by a team from the other side of Australia is a tougher proposition than Melbourne defeating a Victorian team on their own home ground.
Yes, i understand that Saints beat Freo on their home ground and Melbourne beat them, but Geelong is a much tougher gig than the MCG.
It shows me that Freo can dig deeper when it is needed.

Any Top 8 team on a given day can beat another. The post I was responding to had put Fremantle (with Brisbane) on a higher level than the other top 8 teams. I’m questioning why Fremantle are suddenly higher than the others top 8 teams.

If your saying Fremantle travelling to the other side of the country and beating Geelong put Fremantle on a higher level, then what level are St Kilda on for travelling to the other side of country and beating the higher level Fremantle?

You’ve stated Melbourne playing Fremantle at the MCG would be a good indication, why can’t you get a good indication from Melbourne playing St Kilda the MCG? They’ve both beaten top 8 teams travelling to the other side of the country.

 

[Kapow!!!]

I think Freo are the real deal.

Will give Melbourne a big fright at some point in the next 18 months

Not yet. We're doing well but Freo have a very tough run home. If I'm being honest. I'd expect us to fall a bit after the bye both with some young legs and the difficult draw. Me, personally, I hope we both host and win a final this season and have a red hot crack in a second final. That's invaluable experience for a developing group that they can thrive on the big stage and hopefully hold us in very good sted in the coming number of years.

I expect Brisbane and Geelong to move past us in the back half of the year and Carlton and Sydney to be in that real dogfight with us. Lets not completely dismiss Port and Footscray who are finding their form after early stumbles. Richmond aren't a completely spent force and GWS, whilst coached by a complete moron, is stacked with talent that is foolish to completely dismiss in the finals picture.

Melbourne I expect will be a bridge too far for us. We might be able to jag the return fixture in Perth later in the year but I don't think so. Same with Brisbane. I do however think we'll probably defend both of these sides better than they'd like.

Melbourne may drop a game here or there but they should be treated as the outliers rather than the rule. There's no reason to think any side other than Brisbane this season should be good enough to be a consistent challenge to them.

 

[danster168]

100% agree but the best team on the day does. for mine, an outsider (Brissy) will probably win it this year and it will be good for the comp.

Yeah, on any given day anything can happen. For me, its the umpiring. I don't trust the umpires. They can swing a game 8 goals in any teams advantage. In terms of Brisbane, I don't think they're anywhere near Melbournes level. We smashed them in last years finals and that wasn't even at our home ground which we'd earned the right to do. I rate Fremantle and Carlton higher.

 

[VicBased]

Any Top 8 team on a given day can beat another. The post I was responding to had put Fremantle (with Brisbane) on a higher level than the other top 8 teams. I’m questioning why Fremantle are suddenly higher than the others top 8 teams.

If your saying Fremantle travelling to the other side of the country and beating Geelong put Fremantle on a higher level, then what level are St Kilda on for travelling to the other side of country and beating the higher level Fremantle?

You’ve stated Melbourne playing Fremantle at the MCG would be a good indication, why can’t you get a good indication from Melbourne playing St Kilda the MCG? They’ve both beaten top 8 teams travelling to the other side of the country.

Simple question requiring an honest answer Where would you rather play Geelong? At the MCG or GMHBA stadium

 

[Blackas87]

I remember last year Port Vs Sydney was planning on to be the saturday night game but the AFL changed the fixture to melbourne vs essendon which was one of the worst games of the year low scoring slog. Port vs Sydney went right down to the wire. I'm not being a dickhead but i have seen it too many times with the AFL and how many people say they want to see good teams play good teams on prime time matches but this hardly happens nowadays we hardly see two good interstate clubs get these prime time slots even though they could be 1st and 2nd. Like Fremantle and West Coast when they were at the top of the ladder never got prime time games, It basically is about making money that's why Essendon Richmond Collingwood Carlton are gonna get the most night games cause they are the biggest Clubs in the AFL. We got night games cause people expected us to do well but after looking at the AFL fixture we may be lucky to get one more night game at home which sucks cause i love attending those games.

I don’t remember this fixture change so I’ll take your word on it. But Melbourne were at top 4 side while Essendon were battling for a top 8 spot. I wouldn’t say that’s a bad game. The AFL can’t predict if a game is going to be a slog or not but that game also went down to the wire.

Adelaide vs Brisbane is on this Saturday night so you do get 2 interstate teams on prime time slots

 

[Blackas87]

Simple question requiring an honest answer Where would you rather play Geelong? At the MCG or GMHBA stadium

The question should be which one is tougher?
Geelong at GMHBA or Fremantle at Optus?

St Kilda beat Fremantle at Optus, Fremantle beat Geelong at at GMHBA.

Melbourne play/played both St Kilda and Fremantle at the MCG.

You’ve stated Melbourne playing Fremantle at the MCG will be a good indication for Melbourne which is below.

Yes i think Melbourne/Freo at the MCG will give us much more indication as to where these two are it.

So why isn’t Melbournes game against St Kilda at the same venue a good indication?

 

[BarbieITFC]

The question should be which one is tougher?
Geelong at GMHBA or Fremantle at Optus?

St Kilda beat Fremantle at Optus, Fremantle beat Geelong at at GMHBA.

Melbourne play/played both St Kilda and Fremantle at the MCG.

You’ve stated Melbourne playing Fremantle at the MCG will be a good indication for Melbourne which is below.

So why isn’t Melbournes game against St Kilda at the same venue a good indication?

Worth noting the loss to Saints was the one game where we deviated from our team structure by picking two rucks - we were terrible. Longmuir has said it was a mistake and we set up all wrong.

 

[Vikingnz]

The question should be which one is tougher?
Geelong at GMHBA or Fremantle at Optus?

St Kilda beat Fremantle at Optus, Fremantle beat Geelong at at GMHBA.

Melbourne play/played both St Kilda and Fremantle at the MCG.

You’ve stated Melbourne playing Fremantle at the MCG will be a good indication for Melbourne which is below.

So why isn’t Melbournes game against St Kilda at the same venue a good indication?

One happened a week ago; the other happened 6 weeks ago. This is relevant in ranking where each team is currently.

 

[Blackas87]

One happened a week ago; the other happened 6 weeks ago. This is relevant in ranking where each team is currently.

But that game is still relevant for when Melbourne play Fremantle in few weeks from now?

 

[fingerbone]

I don’t remember this fixture change so I’ll take your word on it. But Melbourne were at top 4 side while Essendon were battling for a top 8 spot. I wouldn’t say that’s a bad game. The AFL can’t predict if a game is going to be a slog or not but that game also went down to the wire.

Adelaide vs Brisbane is on this Saturday night so you do get 2 interstate teams on prime time slots

Yeah true it's extremely difficult for the AFL to predict whether games are gonna be good which is why they don't take the risk.

 

[VicBased]

The question should be which one is tougher?
Geelong at GMHBA or Fremantle at Optus?

It was not the question asked though. As we all know GMHBA is a much tougher proposition than the MCG and a club winning there are deemed as minor miracles.

So why isn’t Melbournes game against St Kilda at the same venue a good indication?

Because the MCG is your homeground and very similar (read exactly) the same as Optus.
So, back to the question, would you rather play at the MCG or GMHBA?