Are the Dees a genuine top 8 side now?

[Cannon82]

Wagner for sure. But if Wagner is getting games it means Salem has regressed, Lewis retired after a repeat of 186 in round 1, Vince got suspended for the season after knocking out THawkins, Forrest, I mean Hunt went for a run and never came back, Brayshaw's head fell off, and Jetta has to play key position for the rest of the year because Tmac drilled a pass directly into the back of Omacs scone causing a bitter family breakdown with both brothers leaving the club.

That all seems quite plausible to me. So you're saying it's a coin flip?

 

[CTHORANGE]

That all seems quite plausible to me. So you're saying it's a coin flip?

If you're not putting your life savings on it, there's something wrong with you.

 

[Demon 16]

We better make it - this is probably my last year living in Melbourne. Would be nice to leave on a high.

Where are you going?

 

[demondavey]

Not from what we’ve seen thus far this year. An absolute hell of a lot of work to do to push into the 8 and hopefully win a final.

Honestly, this can be analysed until the cows roll in, and it always is with aplomb, but the facts are that the only thing that can really turn this season into something are the 22 players out there. It’s 22 guys not accepting dropping away and having some really solid victories. The good sides just hold back the opposition and keep piling on the score.

I firmly believe the measure of us learning anything from the first 2 weeks is our effort against North Melbourne. What a week for us. This is like a final.

 

[PerfectFooty]

We can not use the conditions of last night as an excuse if we fall short on saturday. Both North and Gold Coast came back from a heavy track in Caines and won, and last year we took care of Port coming back from Darwin. Doesn't fly as an excuse anymore

 

[Demon 16]

I feel like there’s been a bit of an overreaction towards last nights performance. We still won - that alone tells me that we are a top 8 side now.

Could you imagine this sort of reaction following a win 3 or 4 years ago?

 

[blitznu]

I feel like there’s been a bit of an overreaction towards last nights performance. We still won - that alone tells me that we are a top 8 side now.

Could you imagine this sort of reaction following a win 3 or 4 years ago?

its the fact its the same bullshit as last few years. bottom 6 players dont show up always hear the experts say your bottom 6 is more important than your top 6 our depth is full of crabs. we always have a horrendous quarter still dont stop a run on. win 3/4s but still manage to lose more than we win. leadership is shite yeah lets make a player who isnt best 22 vice captain. shouldnt still be worried about losing to the bottom teams and giving up 7 goal leads. i get comp is even but no team should give up a 7 goal lead and not kick a goal for over 40 minutes

 

[Demon 16]

its the fact its the same bullshit as last few years. bottom 6 players dont show up always hear the experts say your bottom 6 is more important than your top 6 our depth is full of crabs. we always have a horrendous quarter still dont stop a run on. win 3/4s but still manage to lose more than we win. leadership is shite yeah lets make a player who isnt best 22 vice captain. shouldnt still be worried about losing to the bottom teams and giving up 7 goal leads. i get comp is even but no team should give up a 7 goal lead and not kick a goal for over 40 minutes

That’s quite a rant. I thought a good sleep might have helped a bit but perhaps not.

I think we’ve built good depth on our list and I think it’s well structured for on field balance and lots of high quality youth.

The biggest problem I saw last year, and have seen in our first 2 games this year, is that we don’t know how to (or are unable to) control the tempo when the opposition gets a run on.

It’s something that top sides do, and it saves them games. With experience will come a better ability to do this. I just hope Goodwin and Co have recognised it and are coaching it. Roos was very good at it.

 

[booshboy]

I feel like there’s been a bit of an overreaction towards last nights performance. We still won - that alone tells me that we are a top 8 side now.

Could you imagine this sort of reaction following a win 3 or 4 years ago?

what have you seen so far that suggests this year will be any different from last year?

last night is further proof that we haven't matured at all.

 

[Demon 16]

what have you seen so far that suggests this year will be any different from last year?

last night is further proof that we haven't matured at all.

I’m not sure if I’ve seen anything specific, yet. We are only 2 games in however. Perhaps you could consider a longer period of time to gauge improvement? I can tell you a million ways we’ve improved from 3 years ago though, if that helps?

If nothing else, our improvement will come organically from the fact that each of the 27 players on our list who are under 23 years old, will have another season together and under their belt.

If it doesn’t, then I will have a tantrum too, but I’m not going off yet.

I hope that we can learn to recognise when the opposition inevitably get rolling at times during a game, and learn how to rest back momentum by slowing the game down and maintaining possession.

Throwing extra numbers behind the ball isn’t the only solution, which has seemed to be our main reaction so far.

 

[schmuttt]

I’m not sure if I’ve seen anything specific, yet. We are only 2 games in however. Perhaps you could consider a longer period of time to gauge improvement? I can tell you a million ways we’ve improved from 3 years ago though, if that helps?

If nothing else, our improvement will come organically from the fact that each of the 27 players on our list who are under 23 years old, will have another season together and under their belt.

If it doesn’t, then I will have a tantrum too, but I’m not going off yet.

I hope that we can learn to recognise when the opposition inevitably get rolling at times during a game, and learn how to rest back momentum by slowing the game down and maintaining possession.

Throwing extra numbers behind the ball isn’t the only solution, which has seemed to be our main reaction so far.

Agree with this, we just don't seem to be smart enough to slow it down and retain possession when the oppo get a run on against us.

 

[Demon 16]

Agree with this, we just don't seem to be smart enough to slow it down and retain possession when the oppo get a run on against us.

It happened a number of times last year I noticed. I’m concerned that Goodwin has a very attacking style of defence (forward pressing and offensive pressure), and his only plan B is throwing players behind the ball.

Hopefully he will teach the other methods, and when to employ them. Getting rolled in 1 quarter per game will lose us 3 or 4 games alone.

 

[BG32]

Yes, but only on talent. Top 8-5

 

[demondavey]

I feel like there’s been a bit of an overreaction towards last nights performance. We still won - that alone tells me that we are a top 8 side now.

Could you imagine this sort of reaction following a win 3 or 4 years ago?

So we get away with a win against a bottom 2 side (most likely) and we are a top 8 side?

No mate.

 

[demondavey]

I’m not sure if I’ve seen anything specific, yet. We are only 2 games in however. Perhaps you could consider a longer period of time to gauge improvement? I can tell you a million ways we’ve improved from 3 years ago though, if that helps?

If nothing else, our improvement will come organically from the fact that each of the 27 players on our list who are under 23 years old, will have another season together and under their belt.

If it doesn’t, then I will have a tantrum too, but I’m not going off yet.

I hope that we can learn to recognise when the opposition inevitably get rolling at times during a game, and learn how to rest back momentum by slowing the game down and maintaining possession.

Throwing extra numbers behind the ball isn’t the only solution, which has seemed to be our main reaction so far.

How long do you think it’ll take us to learn it? Given we had 23 goes at it last year?

The concerning thing for Melbourne is that whenever an iota of pressure gets applied, we just wilt like flowers in 49 degree heat.

 

[demondavey]

Agree with this, we just don't seem to be smart enough to slow it down and retain possession when the oppo get a run on against us.

It doesn’t help that we have players that can’t hit targets. Our field kicking is very poor.

 

[Klyntonius]

How long do you think it’ll take us to learn it? Given we had 23 goes at it last year?

The concerning thing for Melbourne is that whenever an iota of pressure gets applied, we just wilt like flowers in 49 degree heat.

And 23 goes at it the year before. After two rounds plus the JLT game, it appears to be a major issue for a third year in a row without improvement.

It doesn’t help that we have players that can’t hit targets. Our field kicking is very poor.

The other main weakness of the past two seasons that doesn't appear to have improved.

We are top 8 cannon fodder at best.

 

[demondavey]

And 23 goes at it the year before. After two rounds plus the JLT game, it appears to be a major issue for a third year in a row without improvement.




The other main weakness of the past two seasons that doesn't appear to have improved.

We are top 8 cannon fodder at best.

At the moment yes, unless there is significant change

 

[Willo 17]

No matter who wins out of Geelong and Hawthorn Monday....... we will be no worse than 7th I am thinking. Not bad for a s**t team.

 

[demondavey]

North Melbourne
Hawthorn
Richmond
Essendon

Our next 4. We run into a couple of power forwards over the next month, guys that can burn us in Brown and Daniher. Hawthorn and Richmond I think will suit Lever with match ups size wise unless Roughead or Riewoldt gets hold of us.

No better time to get Frost in now so Lever can maximise his strengths over the next month.

 

[LeverPuller]

No matter who wins out of Geelong and Hawthorn Monday....... we will be no worse than 7th I am thinking. Not bad for a s**t team.

Yup. Literally cannot be worse this week.

 

[Cannon82]

No matter who wins out of Geelong and Hawthorn Monday....... we will be no worse than 7th I am thinking. Not bad for a s**t team.

Imagine if we win our game next week - we will literally double our points tally for the season. Marvelous!

 

[Willo 17]

Imagine if we win our game next week - we will literally double our points tally for the season. Marvelous!

And if we lose we will still have the same amount of whinging campaigners as we do now. Nothing changes much. Marvelous.

 

[Cannon82]

And if we lose we will still have the same amount of whinging campaigners as we do now. Nothing changes much. Marvelous.

If we lose to Norf next week, the "whinging campaigners" are probably on to something.

 

[Willo 17]

If we lose to Norf next week, the "whinging campaigners" are probably on to something.

Probably, but if we win the week after they will still be here. Bloody Marvelous.