AFL Toast Round 15: 17 point win against North Melbourne

[TheGreatBarryB]

There was a respectful and quite funny North supporter two rows behind me, surrounded by Essendon fans. When North kicked a goal in the last and the crowd was silent he said in a commentator’s voice “boy it’s electric in here”. Everyone laughed.

Let’s not get carried away thinking generalisations from muppets you saw is the norm. Sadly it’s harder to notice the quiet ones.

The row of Essendon fans in the row directly behind me are no better than the North peanuts.

Yeah you and Seth are right but it as particularly directed to the BF North morons reading this thread. You’ve ruined it now, thanks.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Yeah you and Seth are right but it as particularly directed to the BF North morons reading this thread. You’ve ruined it now, thanks.

But if like you said they are morons then they either wouldn’t get it or be proud of it.

 

[Beerfish]

The first time we’ve beaten North two games in succession since 2001. Noteworthy.

No wonder the melts seem extra melty.

 

[Rack Watts]

No wonder the melts seem extra melty.

It's glorious

 

[Coldacre]

Hard to find too much wrong with that performance anywhere.

our third quarter was rubbish. again.

 

[MarkG]

i reckon Saads run in the last quarter where he had 6 bounces with 4 North players chasing broke North. The look on Zeibels face hoping like hell that somebody else would chase so he didn't have to told the story.

If we could ever get Richmond chasing like that, rather than letting them have the upper hand and us kicking the ball on their chests in their wall it would make a huge difference.

We now have multiple guys taking the game on including Saad, McKenna, McGrath, Colyer, Fantasia, Smith. If one is being tagged just switch from one to the next.

Colyer almost broke the lines a couple of times but lacked confidence to keep going and hand passed off. Reckon he will be better for the run.

 

[Mootsy]

we are 1 win less than 6th position, lol!

 

[Old Stuckup]

Don’t want to get too carried away but if we do somehow end up making finals, I’m certain we will do significantly more damage than we’ve done in previous years. We’d be a good chance to pinch one against Port, Geelong, West Coast, etc.

 

[SherbertLemon]

That Carlton loss hurts us so bad. Why do I feel like I type this every year

 

[MarkG]

Don’t want to get too carried away but if we do somehow end up making finals, I’m certain we will do significantly more damage than we’ve done in previous years. We’d be a good chance to pinch one against Port, Geelong, West Coast, etc.

Any chance Daniher comes back this season?

 

[Stopher]

That Carlton loss hurts us so bad. Why do I feel like I type this every year

That loss has been the catalyst for the recent run of very good form, plus it could also be the game that costs us finals.

As you say, it shouldn't have got to the situation where it had to be either.

 

[Macca18]

That Carlton loss hurts us so bad. Why do I feel like I type this every year

Because it happens every bloody year.

Although every club has had a ‘surprising’ loss or two this year. Ours have occurred against the Bulldogs & Carlton which may cost us in the long run.

But I’m sure if you ask Geelong, GWS & West Coast fans where their ‘banana peel’ loss has come against... they will say us.

 

[Coldacre]

Watching the replay and it is worth watching Stringer on the goal line. I reckon his work in the first half was worth about three goals to team mates. His shepherding on the line is first class.

yep. I made that point in the game day thread. every long bomb from 50 went through because he took their last defender out of the equation. he was brilliant last night.

 

[Summer Nights]

I am staggered how his inclusion this week was questioned.

Yes, you can guarantee at least a couple of errors a game from him... but he makes us a better side with his run and risk taking. A perfect inclusion against North.

Really? Staggered?? I cast a sceptical and contemptuous expression your way, Sir.

He wasn’t even that good yesterday. Nothing to hang one’s hat on.

 

[Stopher]

North Melbourne = Everton

A supposed working man's / people's club with some small periods of success in years past, but forever living in the shadow of its bigger and FAR more successful brother. And the enormous chips on the shoulders of its supporters bear testament to this.

Hell, I can even go as far as saying big brother has been a bit more s**t of late, threatening to once again act like the big club it is, yet little brother can't (and probably never will) take advantage of it.

 

[Runk]

That loss has been the catalyst for the recent run of very good form, plus it could also be the game that costs us finals.

As you say, it shouldn't have got to the situation where it had to be either.

It was the loss we had to have

 

[Mootsy]

That Carlton loss hurts us so bad. Why do I feel like I type this every year

yup, 2 more do-able wins and we'd be 4th/5th.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

we are 1 win less than 6th position, lol!

+ %

So really, two wins

 

[BrunoV]

Interesting game that played out as it should have. All things being equal, or close enough to equal, we would always beat North because they're too slow.

They had a quick player forward (Atley) and a quick player in defence (Williams) and we had Fantasia, McGrath, Saad, McKenna, Colyer at the same pace and then Smith, Tippa and Merrett who probably do not have equivalents in North's side (in terms of their pace).

There were numerous phases of play when we were just running away from North players. I thought that once things settled toward the end of the first quarter that the result wasn't really in doubt, particularly as Myers, Heppell and Langford were giving us enough around the ball to negate North's superiority in close.

It was much the same as North's game last week when the Dogs had them on the outside (but where they didn't have the class to finish North off). Even if a side wants to try to shrink the size of the ground, that side still needs to have enough run to move its zone around quickly enough.

North sorting out the tempo of the play in the second half was really more about stemming bleeding. It was a big lesson to North and Scott that you'd hope Scott is prepared to learn from - forget about persisting with that blend of players because it won't go anywhere serious.

You do have to query the quality of the match that was played even though the spectacle was enjoyable. We were leaking like a sieve in the first half and then the game changed a lot after half time which made the score against better reading than it otherwise would have been.

I wonder if we played a different game against North than we would now be prepared to play against most other sides. I doubt that we can afford to play that game against Collingwood because they're not going to struggle to keep up on the outside and they'll take the intensity in close to a new level.

I have to say that watching Kayne Turner gives me an appreciation of Josh Green. What the hell is Turner doing on an AFL list? He's basically Liam Sumner without the insane draft position.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

great to get the chocolates whilst getting abolsutey reemed by margetts....again. two weeks in a row now.

 

[Chambo]

Three words...

Mark Neeld's fault

 

[Stopher]

Three words...

Mark Neeld's fault

It's obviously hard to know exactly what was going on there, but given the turn in form since his position was made redundant, you'd have to assume it was causing some sort of communication breakdown between the players and the coaching staff.

 

[brutus76]

North fans are peculiar - always claim their club is "big"

Bugger all supporters. Bugger all members. Bugger all crowds. Sell games interstate as only way they can stay afloat financially.

Bought their first 2 flags thanks to the 10 year rule.

Always happy to remind them of the 2000 Qualifying Final.

 

[doug85]

The first time we’ve beaten North two games in succession since 2001. Noteworthy.

Here’s another trend buck:

We usually start our season like a house on fire and turn to garbage once winter sets in. Complete opposite this time around. Hopefully we maintain this form line right through to spring.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

It's obviously hard to know exactly what was going on there, but given the turn in form since his position was made redundant, you'd have to assume it was causing some sort of communication breakdown between the players and the coaching staff.

Except that the Carlton game (despite the fact we lost) was actually the turn around in defensive style, when Neeld was still there.

Personally I think it had very little to do with it.