Toast How can this Melbourne side be stopped?

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That’s not proof. At the moment that’s an anomaly.

More than happy to concede that they’re wobbling and there is the distinct possibility that soon enough they won’t be the best, second best or even third best side in it.

But of the teams in and around them Brisbane is the only one that has shown any sign of dependability in being at a high level and they’ve repeatedly failed when it counts. They all have question marks.

Stats and facts say otherwise. You can call the situation as it currently is an anomaly but that doesn't change the fact that as the season stands, they are not the best team in the comp. Again, they are second on the ladder losing all but 1 game against top 8 teams. With a forward line that is stuttering.

The #1 pressure team in the comp last year (the game plan that won them the GF) is now 2nd last if I heard correctly yesterday. They are nothing like the team they were last year. And yet you want to continue to call the last few weeks an anomaly.
 
Stats and facts say otherwise. You can call the situation as it currently is an anomaly but that doesn't change the fact that as the season stands, they are not the best team in the comp. Again, they are second on the ladder losing all but 1 game against top 8 teams. With a forward line that is stuttering.

The #1 pressure team in the comp last year (the game plan that won them the GF) is now 2nd last if I heard correctly yesterday. They are nothing like the team they were last year. And yet you want to continue to call the last few weeks an anomaly.


How I would equate it would be the same situation as when, say, a Daniil Medvedev is #1 in the world in tennis.

He’s not the best player in the world - he’s not the second best really. He’s ticked a lot of the right metrics to earn the right to be called #1, but he’s got nothing like the proof required to be called the best.

I’m not deliberately being obtuse or misunderstanding what you’re saying or anything like that, I acknowledge, accept and respect exactly what you’re pointing out but for me until there is a definitive switch they’re still the best team in it IMO
 

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Injuries and form. I don't think any side would get close to them at their peak

Is that when they are the only team peaking?

Injuries and form effects every team. It's more of an excuse to some teams though!
 
Tonight just confirming what we all said after the Freo game. They’re seriously lacking in all parts of the ground. Gawn, May, Oliver and Petracca are stars. Drops off a cliff after that.

They need more quality in the midfield and a power key forward. May also needs more support.
This line fascinates me. ‘Gawn, May, Oliver, Petracca’ that’s the equivalent of ‘Martin, Riewoldt, Grimes, Cotchin’. It’s the equivalent of ‘Stewart, Hawkins, Dangerfield, Selwood’.

You take the four best players out of any team and they’ll be compromised.

It’s an absolute bullshit line that applies to every single team.
 
Stats and facts say otherwise. You can call the situation as it currently is an anomaly but that doesn't change the fact that as the season stands, they are not the best team in the comp. Again, they are second on the ladder losing all but 1 game against top 8 teams. With a forward line that is stuttering.

The #1 pressure team in the comp last year (the game plan that won them the GF) is now 2nd last if I heard correctly yesterday. They are nothing like the team they were last year. And yet you want to continue to call the last few weeks an anomaly.

0.2% between 1st and 2nd who haven't played each other yet 🤦

Lions lost to the Hawks, Freo lost to Pies and Sun's - no team is undefeated and have dropped winnable games, let's see how things stand in a couple of months. Flags aren't won in June after all.
 

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0.2% between 1st and 2nd who haven't played each other yet 🤦

Lions lost to the Hawks, Freo lost to Pies and Sun's - no team is undefeated and have dropped winnable games, let's see how things stand in a couple of months. Flags aren't won in June after all.

Absolutely agree with you. Unequivocally. I was simply pointing out to Phat that imo, at this point in the season, you're not the best team in the comp. Marginal but it is what it is.

Who gives a sh1t though at this point in the season if you're not the best team in the comp. The only thing that matters is that your side peaks in September and is the best team through the month of finals. Richmond supporters know that better than most. As do Brisbane supporters through their 3 peats.

Having said that, Goodwin and the coaching staff will earn their money this year if you do win it. I think you have some serious structural problems this year that won't be easily overcome. Namely forward line. Also as I mentioned earlier, you've gone from the #1 pressure side in 21 to the 2nd last this year. Huge drop off in pressure. This can be rectified but will require a huge change in attitude by the players. Do they want to? Time will tell.
 
Will be interesting to see how they cope with Gawn gone for a month
Big opportunity for Jackson now. Will be interesting to see how he performs as a number 1 ruck. Will be keeping a close eye on
 
Difference is Carlton have the best key forward combo in the game right now followed by Geelong I’d argue any other team in the top 8-9 teams have a better key forward combo including Collingwood. Rather Miocheck in my side any day of the weak over Ben Brown any day of the week. He is a one trick pony.

Now the other teams have caught up to them they don’t have anything in the front half offensively to really separate them from the rest around them.
 
Big test for the Dees now. Will the last 3 losses trigger some mental demons and re-ignite some of the mental frailties associated with the list pre 2021? A forward line and defence currently under performing with their most in form player and skipper now out for month. Big test, they come through their next 5 games winning at least 3-4 then they're on track to cause some havoc in september again.
 
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Stats and facts say otherwise. You can call the situation as it currently is an anomaly but that doesn't change the fact that as the season stands, they are not the best team in the comp. Again, they are second on the ladder losing all but 1 game against top 8 teams. With a forward line that is stuttering.

The #1 pressure team in the comp last year (the game plan that won them the GF) is now 2nd last if I heard correctly yesterday. They are nothing like the team they were last year. And yet you want to continue to call the last few weeks an anomaly.
We aren't close to last year. Why that is I don't know, but we should be much better. I think we are both lazy and arrogant. There is a lot of expecting things to happen, rather than making them happen, but it's the middle of June, and as a Richmond fella you of all people should know that a bad run before the thaw sets in can mean nothing during the spring.
 
Intriguing, not ready to judge the Dees yet, but not surprising if they came back to the pack this year, last year was a huge change to the structure of the game with STAND coming in, teams have now had a preseason to adjust their gamestyles to the new paradigm, adjust their lists also.

I fully expected significant reordering of last years finishing positions based on that, Dees being less dominant could just be part of that.
 

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