disgruntled goat
Premiership Player
HAVING had hours now to calm down and reflect on today's frustation and disappointment, I think there's a lot of good things to discuss about our draw in the context of a very interesting first round.
First, in specific comparisons with the last time we played Melbourne, we've improved almost 80 points, we didn't lose again on the MCG (in fact, we really should've won) and we were more than competitive against one of the "hot" young teams in the AFL. All that with a defence that is still very unsettled and inexperienced, with a ruckman still finding fitness and having to juggle our forward line to adapt to the new substitie rules.
Also, we are notorious first round losers, but not this year.
I have a strong feeling today's draw will end up being a good result as we get further into the season and, as they say in racing, this might be a good form reference.
But looking at several other teams: St Kilda has been talked about as definite top four, yet the Saints lost a very ugly game and again exposed serious deficiencies in their style, a point even their coach has conceded.
The Hawks have been the "spruik" team through the preseason, again. So much talk of putting two disappointing seasons behind them and staking a claim for top four and flag contention, they blow a game they led by five goals. Admittedly, this also might be a strong form reference game, and Adelaide should be a legitimate finals team, but there's no doubt Hawthorn will be very disappointed to have come home without the points.
The Bulldogs, similarly talked up as one of the genuine challengers to Collingwood, got blown off the park by a team I am still yet to be convinced by (although my theories will be tested next Sunday). The Essendon thumping says more about the Dogs than the Dons as far as I'm concerned at the moment. They have so much to prove, and should have been primed to go on with what seemed a reasonable start to today's game, but were flogged.
North Melbourne was disappointing. They had to travel to Perth but no matter how you look at it, not getting over one of the wooden spoon favourites will be a bitter disappointment for a team once again talking itself up as a finals contender.
Carlton won but erven the Blues' most one-eyed supporters will be taking only very nervous comfort out of the victory over a Richmond team that all but had them done.
Next week's round throws up several suddenly important games. St Kilda v Richmond means one of those teams will be 0-2 (no big deal if it's the Tigers but a serious worry if it's Saints); North v Collingwood (the Roos will not be happy staring at 0-2); Gold Coast v Carlton at the Gabba (no pressure, Blues, none at all against a team desperate to make a big first impression); Hawks v Melbourne (the Demons finished big against us and will be very dangerous for a Hawthorn team also dreading an 0-2 start), and finally; Sydney v Essendon. This is a statement game for the Bombers, attempting to win on the road for a 2-0 start, but if we can improve just a bit in several areas we're a very big show of winning, and again, further down the track a win over Essendon following a draw with the Dees might look a lot better than when the season draw first came out.
Yes, it's very early days, but we might just be able to leave our traditional "early daze" behind.
First, in specific comparisons with the last time we played Melbourne, we've improved almost 80 points, we didn't lose again on the MCG (in fact, we really should've won) and we were more than competitive against one of the "hot" young teams in the AFL. All that with a defence that is still very unsettled and inexperienced, with a ruckman still finding fitness and having to juggle our forward line to adapt to the new substitie rules.
Also, we are notorious first round losers, but not this year.
I have a strong feeling today's draw will end up being a good result as we get further into the season and, as they say in racing, this might be a good form reference.
But looking at several other teams: St Kilda has been talked about as definite top four, yet the Saints lost a very ugly game and again exposed serious deficiencies in their style, a point even their coach has conceded.
The Hawks have been the "spruik" team through the preseason, again. So much talk of putting two disappointing seasons behind them and staking a claim for top four and flag contention, they blow a game they led by five goals. Admittedly, this also might be a strong form reference game, and Adelaide should be a legitimate finals team, but there's no doubt Hawthorn will be very disappointed to have come home without the points.
The Bulldogs, similarly talked up as one of the genuine challengers to Collingwood, got blown off the park by a team I am still yet to be convinced by (although my theories will be tested next Sunday). The Essendon thumping says more about the Dogs than the Dons as far as I'm concerned at the moment. They have so much to prove, and should have been primed to go on with what seemed a reasonable start to today's game, but were flogged.
North Melbourne was disappointing. They had to travel to Perth but no matter how you look at it, not getting over one of the wooden spoon favourites will be a bitter disappointment for a team once again talking itself up as a finals contender.
Carlton won but erven the Blues' most one-eyed supporters will be taking only very nervous comfort out of the victory over a Richmond team that all but had them done.
Next week's round throws up several suddenly important games. St Kilda v Richmond means one of those teams will be 0-2 (no big deal if it's the Tigers but a serious worry if it's Saints); North v Collingwood (the Roos will not be happy staring at 0-2); Gold Coast v Carlton at the Gabba (no pressure, Blues, none at all against a team desperate to make a big first impression); Hawks v Melbourne (the Demons finished big against us and will be very dangerous for a Hawthorn team also dreading an 0-2 start), and finally; Sydney v Essendon. This is a statement game for the Bombers, attempting to win on the road for a 2-0 start, but if we can improve just a bit in several areas we're a very big show of winning, and again, further down the track a win over Essendon following a draw with the Dees might look a lot better than when the season draw first came out.
Yes, it's very early days, but we might just be able to leave our traditional "early daze" behind.
