Review Dees v Sydney: the Good, Bad and Cosmically Indifferent.

Apr 13, 2015
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Potential being the operative word. Brayshaw has a foot out the door in my opinion, we need to give something good to get something good. Big call to be made. Viney is overrated mate. Sorry.
I don’t doubt that both have had rubbish seasons. If Brayshaw wants to be traded that just confirms that this club stinks. Good clubs don’t keep losing required players. He’s also one of very few of our inside mids who can score goals. He needs a huge preseason and to be retrained as a two way runner but I wouldn’t be tossing baby out with the bathwater yet.

Likewise Viney has had a stinker but blind Freddy could see he has been well below his best. He’s won a best and fairest as a 22 year old, he was best on ground in that Hawthorn final and at his best (which we admittedly haven’t seen for the best part of two seasons) he’s a very influential talisman who creates an extraordinary amount of physical pressure around the ball and inspires his teammates with his efforts. I’d also rather see what Burgess can do with him than write him off as a shitheap under the fog of an awful season.
 
Apr 18, 2005
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I don’t doubt that both have had rubbish seasons. If Brayshaw wants to be traded that just confirms that this club stinks. Good clubs don’t keep losing required players. He’s also one of very few of our inside mids who can score goals. He needs a huge preseason and to be retrained as a two way runner but I wouldn’t be tossing baby out with the bathwater yet.

Likewise Viney has had a stinker but blind Freddy could see he has been well below his best. He’s won a best and fairest as a 22 year old, he was best on ground in that Hawthorn final and at his best (which we admittedly haven’t seen for the best part of two seasons) he’s a very influential talisman who creates an extraordinary amount of physical pressure around the ball and inspires his teammates with his efforts. I’d also rather see what Burgess can do with him than write him off as a s**theap under the fog of an awful season.
Fair. But if it means potentially solving a problem with our list to acquire what we need then it’s not a bad move. The bones of a good finals outfit are there.
 
Apr 13, 2015
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I know what you mean absolute soulless performance. We were belted by a team sitting at 15th. I don't think I've questioned whether to not renew my membership but it rolled through my head. I will renew because love the club. It's mind boggling how a team can fall so sharply. The players confidence has completely evaporated. Can only hope that we have a good shake up and the team bounce back up the ladder. Otherwise the heat will be right on.
It’s the lack of resilience that’s worrying me. In 2017, there were several occasions where the team started the game flat as a tack or let the other side get a run on out of nowhere - I wrote that off as immaturity and a young team and coach adjusting to a new style. In 2018, we were better but still had games where we conceded many goals in a row and still copped the odd large beating that flint hard sides don’t - more concerned about this, it had to be a key objective of everybody to close the gap between our best and worst.

2019, shows that this lack of resilience has become part of our DNA. If the opposition get a run on, they simply give up, that’s the most shameful part. Sydney were the perfect contrast to watch last night: also terrible year, also ‘nothing to play for’, but they went hard at the win and got their reward. That’s the difference between the two clubs, at Sydney you have a crack, no matter what - at Melbourne poor performance is excused, accepted and pretty much expected.
 
Oct 11, 2018
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Could only bare to watch the first half so these views are purely on the first hour. I like to be optimistic, so I'll try my best here.

Clutching at straws:
I thought Lever was serviceable. He had a lot to do to cover for Frost.
The umpiring was in our favour.
The look on goody's face in the box when we'd concede a comical goal at least reflected supporters' faces, so I guess he may just get what we're going through after all.

Bad/fugly:
We won't be getting a Fri night gig for another 5 yrs. I guess that's bad.
Sam Frost. What the flock was that first half?!
Is the lead up to the player with the ball now dead? Is it that hard?! Genuine question. I know there are a lot of numbers inside 50 but honestly noone even bothers to put in a hard 20m sprint to demand the ball anymore. Maybe I'm just out of touch. Maybe the sports medicine guys won't yet them sprint for that time because they'll get muscle fatigue. But it really sh#*s me seeing 5 tiny forwards lift their arm up to the air in a stationary spot as if to say 'Put it on his head and I'll take mark of the year.' That's the stuff you do in yr 8 kick to kick. Fk me.
 

Jamurp

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 26, 2011
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I remember the crowd at that first final v Geelong, I’d never seen so many Melbourne supporters at a match in a long time, was amazing. Compare that to last night, what an embarrassing night for the club in so many ways.

I honestly thought this group could finally give us that premiership, and perhaps they still can, but we look so far gone now.

Next season will be interesting, but how this club expects supporters to jump back on after this year is beyond me.
 
Last edited:
Apr 18, 2005
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I agree with much of what you say, but I can’t reconcile how Petty, Baker & Weideman are premiership potential yet Brayshaw and Viney must be traded.
I also didn’t say they must be traded, I see them as trade bait to acquire what we want. They are both senior players and they’ve lowered their colours this year. Badly. Viney isn’t a captains toe.
 

Lions Flag 2020

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Jul 18, 2017
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Could only bare to watch the first half so these views are purely on the first hour. I like to be optimistic, so I'll try my best here.

Clutching at straws:
I thought Lever was serviceable. He had a lot to do to cover for Frost.
The umpiring was in our favour.
The look on goody's face in the box when we'd concede a comical goal at least reflected supporters' faces, so I guess he may just get what we're going through after all.

Bad/fugly:
We won't be getting a Fri night gig for another 5 yrs. I guess that's bad.
Sam Frost. What the flock was that first half?!
Is the lead up to the player with the ball now dead? Is it that hard?! Genuine question. I know there are a lot of numbers inside 50 but honestly noone even bothers to put in a hard 20m sprint to demand the ball anymore. Maybe I'm just out of touch. Maybe the sports medicine guys won't yet them sprint for that time because they'll get muscle fatigue. But it really sh#*s me seeing 5 tiny forwards lift their arm up to the air in a stationary spot as if to say 'Put it on his head and I'll take mark of the year.' That's the stuff you do in yr 8 kick to kick. Fk me.
Lol. Started so optimistic and ended with Fk me.
 

stEdy

Premiership Player
Nov 2, 2007
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Didn't really end up watching last night but on the resilience thing: Last week when Collingwood kicked the 2nd of their run of goals, everyone at the MCG knew the momentum had shifted and that we were going to do nothing about it until the game was over. Everyone, especially the Melbourne players. It was damning. We just dont have any players willing at the moment - their spirit de corps (lol, remember that s**t last year?) is dead and buried. Everyone's looking to next year, although I now have a sinking feeling that it wont come back with the ease that the players and coaches seem to think it will.
 

Lions Flag 2020

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Jul 18, 2017
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The reality is that the competition is so close these days that any club could have the Melbourne experience next year. Compare Brisbane to Melbourne.
Preseason
You guys had a million surgeries and interrupted preseason. We had minimal surgeries and virtually every player doing a full preseason.
You guys had a shorter preseason due to making PF. We had a long preseason with all players fully rested and recovered.
You guys had a poor trade period losing your best forward and replacing with someone who has only played 4 or 5 games.
Your injury list has been devastating with a number of your first team players missing. Lions injury list has been minimal.
Your draw has been tough due to making PF so your double up games are harder. Lions have had an easy draw winning 9/10 double up games against easier opposition.

There are other factors which have contributed to your season but compared with our season you guys have been disadvantaged immensely. Lions could easily have your season next year (hope not).
 
Apr 13, 2015
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Fair. But if it means potentially solving a problem with our list to acquire what we need then it’s not a bad move. The bones of a good finals outfit are there.
My take is, and I’m aware I’m probably in the minority, that the list is good enough if developed, kept healthy and coached properly.

We could do with some outside run but we need two way running and pressure up forward more than anything. These can be solved by coaching rather than recruitment.

The sluggishness of our team is systemic as much as anything else. I’m sceptical that despite them being good players that Lever and May would’ve stopped us haemorrhaging goals out the back, given the way we set up. Therefore, I’m not confident that Brad Hill will solve our outside speed and class problems if our other midfielders continue to be sucked into the contest and play dumb footy - Hill will be just a more expensive version of Billy Stretch or Oskar Baker p-turning his way into trouble if that happens.
 
Oct 13, 2015
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The look on goody's face in the box when we'd concede a comical goal at least reflected supporters' faces, so I guess he may just get what we're going through after all.
He's certainly playing the role of "spectator" in the coaches box pretty well
 
Oct 11, 2018
301
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I
The reality is that the competition is so close these days that any club could have the Melbourne experience next year. Compare Brisbane to Melbourne.
Preseason
You guys had a million surgeries and interrupted preseason. We had minimal surgeries and virtually every player doing a full preseason.
You guys had a shorter preseason due to making PF. We had a long preseason with all players fully rested and recovered.
You guys had a poor trade period losing your best forward and replacing with someone who has only played 4 or 5 games.
Your injury list has been devastating with a number of your first team players missing. Lions injury list has been minimal.
Your draw has been tough due to making PF so your double up games are harder. Lions have had an easy draw winning 9/10 double up games against easier opposition.

There are other factors which have contributed to your season but compared with our season you guys have been disadvantaged immensely. Lions could easily have your season next year (hope not).
I Like this guy. You're being far too kind to us though. Change that name to Lions flag 2019. I'm on the Lions bandwagon.
 

Lions Flag 2020

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Jul 18, 2017
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I

I Like this guy. You're being far too kind to us though. Change that name to Lions flag 2019. I'm on the Lions bandwagon.
The more we can get supporting the Lions as their second team the better! Today is a huge game for us and we must beat Geelong at home to be a serious threat. It is bloody hot here already. I recon it could be in the 30s on the field by kick off.
 
Oct 11, 2018
301
555
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Melbourne
The more we can get supporting the Lions as their second team the better! Today is a huge game for us and we must beat Geelong at home to be a serious threat. It is bloody hot here already. I recon it could be in the 30s on the field by kick off.
For me, it's a no-brainer to be on the Lions bandwagon this September. Exciting football but also willing to do the tough stuff too. Plus Geelong, West Coast, Richmond, Collingwood, Essendon and Adelaide/Port are detestable.
 
Apr 18, 2005
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The more we can get supporting the Lions as their second team the better! Today is a huge game for us and we must beat Geelong at home to be a serious threat. It is bloody hot here already. I recon it could be in the 30s on the field by kick off.
Does it ever get cold up there? What’s your winter like? How low would it get?
 
I remember the crowd at that first final v Geelong, I’d never seen so many Melbourne supporters at a match in a long time, was amazing. Compare that to last night, what an embarrassing night for the club in so many ways.

I honestly thought this group could finally give us that premiership, and perhaps they still can, but we look so far gone now.

Next season will be interesting, but how this club expects supporters to jump back on after this year is beyond me.
Its just incredible how the back end of the season has been more pathetic than the first half. All those excuses and look at us now. A few wins would have been enough to get people convinced to join again. I can’t see myself paying up again for AFL membership next year tbh.
 

demoniac

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Oct 14, 2003
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My take is, and I’m aware I’m probably in the minority, that the list is good enough if developed, kept healthy and coached properly.

We could do with some outside run but we need two way running and pressure up forward more than anything. These can be solved by coaching rather than recruitment.

The sluggishness of our team is systemic as much as anything else. I’m sceptical that despite them being good players that Lever and May would’ve stopped us haemorrhaging goals out the back, given the way we set up. Therefore, I’m not confident that Brad Hill will solve our outside speed and class problems if our other midfielders continue to be sucked into the contest and play dumb footy - Hill will be just a more expensive version of Billy Stretch or Oskar Baker p-turning his way into trouble if that happens.

Oskar Baker and Brad Hill on the wings?

Like.

Actual speedy wingmen with nice sidesteps and reasonable disposal.

Beats playing inside mids on the wings!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Apr 18, 2005
30,892
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My take is, and I’m aware I’m probably in the minority, that the list is good enough if developed, kept healthy and coached properly.

We could do with some outside run but we need two way running and pressure up forward more than anything. These can be solved by coaching rather than recruitment.

The sluggishness of our team is systemic as much as anything else. I’m sceptical that despite them being good players that Lever and May would’ve stopped us haemorrhaging goals out the back, given the way we set up. Therefore, I’m not confident that Brad Hill will solve our outside speed and class problems if our other midfielders continue to be sucked into the contest and play dumb footy - Hill will be just a more expensive version of Billy Stretch or Oskar Baker p-turning his way into trouble if that happens.
I don’t disagree. As I said the bones of our team are good, we’ve seen them play and play well. We obviously have a lot of players not able to execute the skills required to play at this level. We also have a gameplan that is one dimensional. Combine those elements with a plethora of slow inside players and we’ve an issue.

A mate of mine went last night and I spoke to him this morning, he said even though we were poor in all of the above, we were just lacking effort and had checked out. That bothers me a lot. I get they’re not motivated, need a break and want to finish the year, but when there is a winnable game to take something from in front of a crowd at home, you’d expect a far better output effort wise.

There is clearly dysfunction in that group, something is not right. Unrest in the coaching box is evident. McCartney gone, Jennings gone. A major reshuffle of the coaches. It seems there is complete instability. My opinion is that I think Goodwin gets until round 10 next year, if we have a negative win loss ratio then I think the club calls it. Whatever he has to do this summer, the club will afford him that to get the place in order.

Goodwin really has to make some hard calls on players. No player is bigger than the club. I also don’t see why we wouldn’t be approaching senior assistants at Geelong, Brisbane, Hawthorn, Richmond and West Coast. The notion that we might add Richardson to our ranks really is a poor one. I like him, but I don’t think he can coach. I mean really, appointing a rejected coach of another loser club in St Kilda?

I just hope we get this right.
 

Topkent

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Its just incredible how the back end of the season has been more pathetic than the first half. All those excuses and look at us now. A few wins would have been enough to get people convinced to join again. I can’t see myself paying up again for AFL membership next year tbh.
Yeah I'm not paying for next year. * em.
It's not even just a down year, it's a prelim to 17th and we are only just above GC by the skin of our teeth.

Club can * off
 
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