AFL Grand Final 2021 Grand Final - Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs - Sat, Sept 25 - 5:15pm AWST / 7:15pm AEST

[hfc70]

Superb player for 22-23 year old.

Just a brain dead comment from someone (Brereton) thinking they know the game better than anyone else.
Very good player, absolutely….Superb player ??? Could well be but not quite yet in my opinion.

 

[grumbleguts]

Thanks Grumbleguts.

I took your advice on board than spent 10 minutes looking at myself in the mirror this morning.

Two realisations:

1. I shouldn't drink as much the night before and
2. I need a haircut.

Welcome. Any time.

 

[HR Roughnstuf]

I think this game will set dogs back a fair bit ala GWS after 2019.

They were comprehensively smashed and have areas to address. Still think their midfield is a bit too ‘same’ apart from Bont who is a gun. Forward and back line need work, lucky they have back to back ~1 picks

 

[Toasted]

I think this game will set dogs back a fair bit ala GWS after 2019.

They were comprehensively smashed and have areas to address. Still think their midfield is a bit too ‘same’ apart from Bont who is a gun. Forward and back line need work, lucky they have back to back ~1 picks

Back to back KPF no.1 picks at that

 

[Blackhawk42]

I think this game will set dogs back a fair bit ala GWS after 2019.

They were comprehensively smashed and have areas to address. Still think their midfield is a bit too ‘same’ apart from Bont who is a gun. Forward and back line need work, lucky they have back to back ~1 picks

I feel the opposite actually. Half this group now knows the feeling of both winning one and losing one. They'll continue to develop two of the most highly rated KPF draftees of the past decade and their gun midfield is still young. Every chance to be their at the pointy end again next season.

How you can be three goals up half way through the third quarter of a Grand Final and almost lose by 100 points is mind blowing, but on another day they may just go on with it and win by 7 goals themselves.

 

[Mercy Seat]

I feel the opposite actually. Half this group now knows the feeling of both winning one and losing one. They'll continue to develop two of the most highly rated KPF draftees of the past decade and their gun midfield is still young. Every chance to be their at the pointy end again next season.

How you can be three goals up half way through the third quarter of a Grand Final and almost lose by 100 points is mind blowing, but on another day they may just go on with it and win by 7 goals themselves.

Still hard to believe this moment was more than halfway through the third…

 

[Pinoy Hawk]

Video between Caleb and Max.

Is this the spark that triggers the Dees to start climbing back

 

[Pinoy Hawk]

Still hard to believe this moment was more than halfway through the third… View attachment 1246314

Oh Caleb ... again.

He is a good player ... but.

 

[Blackhawk42]

Reminded me a little of the 2011 Grand Final.

Elite footy for 3 quarters and feeling like an all time classic, until the last quarter happened. At least Melbourne were likeable victors unlike the Handbaggers.

 

[Off The Couch]

After that performance from the dogs, Port players relieving that choke this morning and wondering what If

 

[Messenger]

As if we needed anymore reason to not have a night/twilight grand final. Tom Browne talking up how good the half time show was the final nail in the coffin

Unfortunately the other person who loves night GF’s is Gerard Whateley. And people listen to him.

 

[burton5]

If Bailey Smith

6

Bailey Smith

Age

23

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

doesn’t fumble that ball out of the stoppage which ultimately leads to Harmes intercept and Fritsch goal, I doubt Melbourne come back.

Dogs were well and truly up during that quarter and another goal would’ve put them 25 up with 8 or so left in the 3rd. No doubt their midfield group will be tormented by those half a dozen stoppages for the next 6 months at least.

 

[TylerDurden]

If Bailey Smith doesn’t fumble that ball out of the stoppage which ultimately leads to Harmes intercept and Fritsch goal, I doubt Melbourne come back.

Dogs were well and truly up during that quarter and another goal would’ve put them 25 up with 8 or so left in the 3rd. No doubt their midfield group will be tormented by those half a dozen stoppages for the next 6 months at least.

Agree. And the next 3 centre bounces they allow the Dees to storm it out the front. Pathetic defending really. Unless they were just cooked and hanging on. Which it seems to be the case now.

 

[Messenger]

I think this game will set dogs back a fair bit ala GWS after 2019.

They were comprehensively smashed and have areas to address. Still think their midfield is a bit too ‘same’ apart from Bont who is a gun. Forward and back line need work, lucky they have back to back ~1 picks

The recent history for runners up is pretty poor.

The only teams to win after losing the preceding GF since 1980

1984 Essendon
1987 Carlton
1988 Hawthorn

1999 North Melb

2006 West Coast
2009 Geelong
2013 Hawthorn

That’s the list in 40 years.

 

[Rich]

Will be interesting to see what the Dogs do with their rucks from here. English looks like he's a back up at best and Martin is a stop gap who's probably done.

 

[TylerDurden]

Will be interesting to see what the Dogs do with their rucks from here. English looks like he's a back up at best and Martin is a stop gap who's probably done.

They're both bog average.

 

[Kenyan]

This game and year showed the growing importance of the centre square. Starting back 6 and out the front of stoppages is a deadly combination. It's why I feel that Ned Reeves was the most significant debutant this year. He matched Melbourne in the ruck and limited this aspect. In the future he could regularly give us first look. It's a shame we don't have the explosive stoppage players and the likes of Horne-Francis and Callaghan will be gone by our pick. Nash is our best athlete in there, could play more defensive role. Wingard has to start there more often. It will be interesting to see what type of players already on our list Mitchell trials. Will Day

12

Will Day

Age

22

Ht

191cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.5

4star

K

10.0

4star

HB

7.5

5star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.5

2star

D

17.5

4star

K

10.0

4star

HB

7.5

4star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.0

2star

CL

0.5

3star

D

17.5

5star

K

10.0

4star

HB

7.5

5star

M

5.0

5star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.5

3star

in time? Seamus Mitchell? Can CJ develop?

Our backline looks great and the forward line is developing with our young keys. Just don't have explosive midfield talent.

Spot on - the explosive attacking mids are crucial in today’s game. Petracca , Oliver, Bontempelli and even Stringer are game changers.

 

[Messenger]

Will be interesting to see what the Dogs do with their rucks from here. English looks like he's a back up at best and Martin is a stop gap who's probably done.

They‘ve got Darcy Jnr in the draft and some other academy picks and Ugle-Hagan developing. I’d say Martin gets another season with English

 

[Hawk Dork]

They‘ve got Darcy Jnr in the draft and some other academy picks and Ugle-Hagan developing. I’d say Martin gets another season with English

They will need another ruck next year and the year after you would still think if they want another shot

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Video between Caleb and Max.

Is this the spark that triggers the Dees to start climbing back

So your captain playing for a free kick that wasn't there can spark a comeback?

 

[KermitJagger]

And the dogs beat Essendon in 2000, hardly was a great indicator of future success.

It's one thing getting up as the underdog a couple of times a season when you are underestimated and quite another to win consistently across the season when being hunted.

I personally take nothing from the dee's and dogs games but annoyance about a worse pick and instead focus on the games against teams at our level (Freo, Saints, Carlton even Gold Coast) as to where we need to improve.

Not at all the same as the Bulldogs beating Essendon, and you saying that proves you've never actually seen that game.

Hawks had a good record against good opponents and were able to maintain structures and play to a game plan against them. That should mean a lot more to you than "boo hoo worse pick in the draft".

 

[Braidz]

After that performance from the dogs, Port players relieving that choke this morning and wondering what If

No one survives that sort of onslaught. Pressure, ball movement and efficiency. Looked like the dogs where just standing still.

 

[KermitJagger]

The problem for Bulldogs is less that their ruck stocks are below average, as Gawn wasn't as big a factor as you'd think, but more that they have one bloke in their D50 who is above average as a player and that's Caleb Daniel

35

Caleb Daniel

Age

27

Ht

171cm

Wt

72kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

19.5

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

CL

1.0

3star

D

16.4

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

9.2

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.2

2star

. That said, Daniel is an absolute liability due to his height and the fact that any player he gets rotated on has an advantage in the contest.

Their D50 would have to be one of the worst in the league, they're lucky that their midfield is typically good enough to stop too much ball from getting down there. Wasn't the case here.

 

[burger09]

Credit where its due to the AFL, the rule changes limiting rotations and stopping teams playing extra numbers at half back for centre bounces has encouraged exiting play and goals.

The way Melbourne exited the front of centre bounce stoppages was great to watch and key to their succes throughout the season.

As others have said, we need explosive mids badly.

 

[Pessimistic]

The recent history for runners up is pretty poor.

The only teams to win after losing the preceding GF since 1980

1984 Essendon
1987 Carlton
1988 Hawthorn

1999 North Melb

2006 West Coast
2009 Geelong
2013 Hawthorn

That’s the list in 40 years.

‘most of those there was poor goal accuracy and or a close result