Melbourne: what do we make of them

[db26]

Great start , but seasons a marathon let's not get carried away.Had a great win against us it wasn't one way traffic through we had plenty of opportunities in that game and restricted to 2 less the bench.

 

[Mijhaa]

Why does everyone keep saying this? Our bottom few players do their job when they can but ultimately when players like Trac and Gawn have all time shockers like they did today there’s not a lot the role players can do when they can barely get into the game. Our issue is the inconsistency/non-performance of the stars. If they don’t do what they should we’re just an ordinary football side with some very talented players, as opposed to a champion side who gets the job done even with a few very ordinary players, which is what all the great teams are.

Everyone keeps saying it probably because it’s the truth?

Good teams don’t need to be carried by their top 2-3 players. We cannot rely on Gawn, Petracca, Oliver and Lever etc to have huge games week after week to make up for the fact we have some VFL quality players running around.

 

[00Stinger]

3 quarters to get away from Hawthorn. 2 to get away from North. Doesnt inspire confidence.

Took 1 & 1/2 quarters to get ahead and steam roll Richmond & never seriously challenged by Geelong

Selective pickings there

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Everyone keeps saying it probably because it’s the truth?

Good teams don’t need to be carried by their top 2-3 players. We cannot rely on Gawn, Petracca, Oliver and Lever etc to have huge games week after week to make up for the fact we have some VFL quality players running around.

We weren’t carried by them today and we won, so I’d suggest things are working pretty well.

 

[tigers_of_old_08]

You’re not happy with 3 flags???

13 flags.

 

[CarnTheScray]

13 flags.

Wow! You’re 110 years old???

 

[tigers_of_old_08]

Wow! You’re 110 years old???

Sure.

 

[Cotchins Hair Piece]

Does every thread have to turn into a Richmond jerk-fest?
We’re rubbish, yet to beat a team above us.

 

[Blackas87]

Was 10.3.63 to 2.2.14 in the 2nd half.

Flat in the first half but kicked in to gear after half time to get the win.

 

[HairyO]

Took 1 & 1/2 quarters to get ahead and steam roll Richmond & never seriously challenged by Geelong

Selective pickings there

Adelaide flogged Geelong.

 

[_Mike_]

Undefeated so far, top of the ladder.

 

[00Stinger]

Adelaide flogged Geelong.

so it probably goes to show how hard it is to win 7 in a row

 

[Cool Kangas]

In response to thread title, I’m not sure given what I saw today. Don’t know if they’re real deal.

 

[Wojcinski]

More Geelong salt. It tastes so good.

What does my team have to do with it lol? And I'm sure you dearly wish Geelong or really anyone would be salty about Melbourne, but what is there for us to be mad about?

 

[Wojcinski]

Adelaide flogged Geelong.

TIL 12 points is a flogging

 

[Roobs321]

Just gotta enjoy the ladder top now for what it is. Have they been top since Rnd 3 2005?

Early season aside, Rnd 18 2004 is the only previous time in my life I recall them being top when it meant something. This is one of their deepest ladder tops of the AFL era. Rnd 7 1994 with Balme they were top too.

I don’t see them folding like Norf ‘16. That like Freo the previous year was clearly the window slamming shut. Demons don’t have age issues.

 

[RandB]

On field we're nutting out wins as best possible and still have a fair way to go before we know our optimal setup.

Off field we're building a solid football culture where players will be desperate to be a part of this team and will have to earn their spot.

Right now top 8 looks very likely and top 4 is up for grabs. That's about it at this stage.

 

[Dez!]

On field we're nutting out wins as best possible and still have a fair way to go before we know our optimal setup.

Off field we're building a solid football culture where players will be desperate to be a part of this team and will have to earn their spot.

Right now top 8 looks very likely and top 4 is up for grabs. That's about it at this stage.

They're nutting out wins on field and I'm just nutting out off field.

 

[RandB]

They're nutting out wins on field and I'm just nutting out off field.

Yes, I thought a response of this ilk was possible, just didn't expect it from you Dez! haha

 

[mrmonkey]

Firstly, Melbourne were due a poor game. There's a reason teams don't routinely win 7 games in a row.

To outscore the opposition by 49 points in the second half when you're collectively horrible is what good teams do.

As for the comparisons to North in 2016 ?

In 2016 North didn't have one star of the game (Brent Harvey was already an old man at 38). Melbourne have up to 8 players in AA contention, the best ruckman and a top 3 mid. Melbourne's best players are better than North's of 2016. But yes, all were horrible today (bar Langdon and Pickett).

In 2016 North didn't beat the previous year's grand finalists in their unbeaten run of 9 straight games. When they eventually played Hawthorn and West Coast (2015 GF teams) they lost to both. Melbourne have already beaten both of last year's GF.

In 2016 after round 7 North had the 7th best defence. In 2021 Melbourne have the no.1 defence.

In 2016 after round 7 North had the 6th best attack. In 2021 (with 2 games to go) Melbourne will most likely have the third best attack (subject to Essendon scoring 115+).

It's an easy throw away line to say that the Dees are North of 2016 until you peel back some basic facts. The best teams have the best defences. North didn't in 2016, but Melbourne do in 2021.

This isn't the place for logical facts, we are clearly exactly the same as North in 2016 and the worst 7-0 team in history.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

People can make all the comparisons they like but our closest win this year has been by 18 points, and North won four games by less than that in their first seven in 2016.

As someone else said all that we are is a side which looks likely to make the top four but clearly has a lot of deficiencies to work on.

 

[Dez!]

Yes, I thought a response of this ilk was possible, just didn't expect it from you Dez! haha

There's nothing wrong with nutting, don't nutshame.

 

[Demon bhoy]

Yea, really. Probably should have said KPF's really.

The improved Tominlison is a big out and the injury did not look short-term.

KPD's are still high quality, but I am not entirely sure if McDonald (who has been having a good season to this point and may very well continue being dominate after a poor day today), Weiderman and Brown would stand up when September rolls around. Happy to be proved wrong of course, but that is the perception I have gotten watching the Dee's so far this year. Probably won't find out until September.

Jackson and Gawn are a fantastic ruck combo. Pickett covers for a lot of your small player deficiency and Fritsch (medium) is a gun. I think your depth and bottom players have been the biggest improvement so far this year.

Pickett doesn’t cover for our small player deficiencies, he eradicated them

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Pickett doesn’t cover for our small player deficiencies, he eradicated them

That's what I meant in response to below. He showed great signs last year, but his development has been astonishing this year. Has become a real consistent threat.

It’s the class of our smalls and bottom 2/3 players that could be our issue.

 

[rippersnipper]

Very good team who had a below average first half today. Will be even better when Wiedeman comes back in