Toast How can this Melbourne side be stopped?

[scoman]

Probably a good call tbh

Cameron killed us in the 1st final last year. From memory he kicked 4 or 5

I think this is the most likely way Melbourne get beaten. Brisbane manage to compete in the middle for good chunks of the game, our tall forwards (please be fit come September) keep May and co busy allowing Cameron, Rayner, Bailey and McCarthy to kick a winning score.

Plenty has to go right, but its plausible.

 

[Falcon3518]

Richmond invented being humble

In terms emphasising it in footy, pretty much yeah. If you remember the 2020 GF EVERY player tucked their premiership medals under their jumpers when GAJ did his retirement walk. No other team has done that, if we now see the Dees do that I’ll spew.

Anyway that’s enough of that, we’ll try to stay on topic now.

 

[thedank]

tiges won't worry anyone of importance this year, maybe next year but I doubt it

 

[WAbulldog]

Don’t worry everyone the inform West coast will crush Melbourne tonight

 

[Blackas87]

Yes.

Not dismissing.

So Fremantle still a benchmark team along with Brisbane above others like St Kilda?

Freo 2-2 against the top 12, 5-0 against the bottom 5

St Kilda 5-3 against the top 12, 1-0 against the bottom 5

Will we judge Melbourne’s performance over Fremantle more critically than the performance over St Kilda?

 

[VicBased]

So Fremantle still a benchmark team along with Brisbane above others like St Kilda?

Freo 2-2 against the top 12, 5-0 against the bottom 5

St Kilda 5-3 against the top 12, 1-0 against the bottom 5

Will we judge Melbourne’s performance over Fremantle more critically than the performance over St Kilda?

Look, every team has an off day. It is the nature of the game. If WC beat Melbourne today does that mean Melbourne stop being the benchmark?
Doubt it, you need to stop wanting to be right all the time.
I hope Melbourne do well as i quite like them as a footy club.

 

[00Stinger]

I think this is the most likely way Melbourne get beaten. Brisbane manage to compete in the middle for good chunks of the game, our tall forwards (please be fit come September) keep May and co busy allowing Cameron, Rayner, Bailey and McCarthy to kick a winning score.

Plenty has to go right, but its plausible.

I reckon you guys ate a big bodied midfielder short tbh

 

[Blackas87]

Look, every team has an off day. It is the nature of the game. If WC beat Melbourne today does that mean Melbourne stop being the benchmark?
Doubt it, you need to stop wanting to be right all the time.
I hope Melbourne do well as i quite like them as a footy club.

Of course teams have off days, but you don’t consider that Geelong had an off day against Fremantle.

All I’m saying is Fremantle should be judged after they play a few more top sides. From round 11 to 21 they play 9 of the top 10 and no bottom 5 teams. I think people have jumped the gun on them being a benchmark team above other top 8 sides for beating an off day Geelong.

 

[Lsta062]

I have no idea. The issue is that the only way to beat Melbourne is restricting their offence. Their defence and midfield simply do not allow big scores and is out of the question. That's why they have not conceded above 100 points since 2019 and only conceded over 90 points once in that period (96 points against Adelaide).

Fremantle, Sydney, and Carlton are probably the sides that I can see stop Melbourne IMO because they have the ability to restrict them. Brisbane is a real maybe, but I am OK with putting them in this category as well. They each have their question marks though.

• Will Fremantle be able to kick a winning score? Not sure they do, but I probably give them the best chance out of anyone.
• Sydney have the defensive system to restrict Melbourne. They also have the forward line to score. However, I don't know if they can get enough opportunities to kick a winning score with Melbourne's midfield.
• Carlton's midfield and forward line can score heavily when it's on. Their issue is that they may not be able to restrict Melbourne's forward line for long enough. Also, the ruck situation is not ideal against a side like Melbourne.
• What happens to Brisbane if Melbourne's midfield gains ascendency? Will they be able to defeat Melbourne in another way? I don't think they can personally. Their defence hasn't been able to restrict Melbourne's scoring so far.

From the other top 8 contenders:

• Port Adelaide can restrict Melbourne's forward line, but I don't think that they can kick a winning score.
• Geelong have the defence to restrict Melbourne's forward line, but their midfield in particular are too slow for Melbourne.
• Bulldogs, well, I don't need to break this one down. Just watch the GF and this year's game. Bulldogs' ends are not good enough.
• St Kilda's midfield is not good enough to beat Melbourne's as we saw last week.
• Richmond's midfield and defence is not good enough for Melbourne. No surprise that Richmond struggle against them.
• Gold Coast's midfield is good in contests, but their defence and forward line probably won't go near Melbourne's. Especially with King out for the season.

The other teams aren't really top 8 contenders IMO.

Having said that, injuries and changing weather conditions are probably the best way they can be stopped. The weather one in particular is out of their opponents' control and Melbourne's injuries are also out of their control for the most part.

In summary, it's very likely that we are all screwed lol

 

[Blue1980]

I have no idea. The issue is that the only way to beat Melbourne is restricting their offence. Their defence and midfield simply do not allow big scores and is out of the question. That's why they have not conceded above 100 points since 2019 and only conceded over 90 points once in that period (96 points against Adelaide).

Fremantle, Sydney, and Carlton are probably the sides that I can see stop Melbourne IMO because they have the ability to restrict them. Brisbane is a real maybe, but I am OK with putting them in this category as well. They each have their question marks though.

• Will Fremantle be able to kick a winning score? Not sure they do, but I probably give them the best chance out of anyone.
• Sydney have the defensive system to restrict Melbourne. They also have the forward line to score. However, I don't know if they can get enough opportunities to kick a winning score with Melbourne's midfield.
• Carlton's midfield and forward line can score heavily when it's on. Their issue is that they may not be able to restrict Melbourne's forward line for long enough. Also, the ruck situation is not ideal against a side like Melbourne.
• What happens to Brisbane if Melbourne's midfield gains ascendency? Will they be able to defeat Melbourne in another way? I don't think they can personally. Their defence hasn't been able to restrict Melbourne's scoring so far.

From the other top 8 contenders:

• Port Adelaide can restrict Melbourne's forward line, but I don't think that they can kick a winning score.
• Geelong have the defence to restrict Melbourne's forward line, but their midfield in particular are too slow for Melbourne.
• Bulldogs, well, I don't need to break this one down. Just watch the GF and this year's game. Bulldogs' ends are not good enough.
• St Kilda's midfield is not good enough to beat Melbourne's as we saw last week.
• Richmond's midfield and defence is not good enough for Melbourne. No surprise that Richmond struggle against them.
• Gold Coast's midfield is good in contests, but their defence and forward line probably won't go near Melbourne's. Especially with King out for the season.

The other teams aren't really top 8 contenders IMO.

Having said that, injuries and changing weather conditions are probably the best way they can be stopped. The weather one in particular is out of their opponents' control and Melbourne's injuries are also out of their control for the most part.

In summary, it's very likely that we are all screwed lol

All things being equal you’d think Dees will win the flag.

However a long way to go, injuries/form, other sides etc can play a role.

For my side, we don’t play them till R22, so who knows where we will be placed by then, hopefully Pittonet back from a ruck perspective.

I think we definitely have the weapons to trouble them in a one off game, you’d back them to be more consistent though.

 

[Lsta062]

All things being equal you’d think Dees will win the flag.

However a long way to go, injuries/form, other sides etc can play a role.

For my side, we don’t play them till R22, so who knows where we will be placed by then, hopefully Pittonet back from a ruck perspective.

I think we definitely have the weapons to trouble them in a one off game, you’d back them to be more consistent though.

I was more thinking about finals. Any of the teams I listed and have not yet played Melbourne can beat them in the H&A season, but I don’t know about stopping them from a Premiership.

But you’re right, a lot can happen from now until finals. That’s what people said about Richmond around the same round in 2018 and they didn’t even make the Grand Final.

 

[PrinceCharles]

Unbelievable how easy their draw this season so far has been.

 

[schmuttt]

Unbelievable how easy their draw this season so far has been.

Beating the Suns up there is a solid achievement m8 you should know that

 

[PrinceCharles]

Beating the Suns up there is a solid achievement m8 you should know that

About the only decent win, agreed.

 

[schmuttt]

About the only decent win, agreed.

Yep, haven't beaten anyone good for approximately 34 games now I believe.

 

[PrinceCharles]

Yep, haven't beaten anyone good for approximately 34 games now I believe.

There's been 9 games...

 

[Scythe94]

16-0

 

[netslave]

View attachment 1400976

16-0

Still wearing the watch and jumper too big, terrible photo shoot.

 

[BigVic]

Unbelievable streak. Dees vs Blues in R22 will be interesting to see how they go

 

[Scythe94]

Unbelievable how easy their draw this season so far has been.

When you have a current winning streak against 17 of the AFL's 18 teams, what constitutes a hard draw?

 

[Scythe94]

(Playing Collingwood every week would be the natural response to that hypothetical)

 

[Crimson Azure]

9-0, not a great win but it is what it is. Lots of teams have worked out how to beat us, Eagles did.

Has how to beat freo been found out?

 

[00Stinger]

Unbelievable how easy their draw this season so far has been.

Tbf it didn't look easy on paper to start the year

 

[00Stinger]

Unbelievable streak. Dees vs Blues in R22 will be interesting to see how they go

Tbh I reckon we will smoke the Blues. They lose ascendency in games too easily

Freo and Brisbane are the tricky games

 

[Crimson Azure]

Most dominate 74 point loss I've seen. We've been worked out.

Eagles all over us.