Toast How can this Melbourne side be stopped?

[CarnTheScray]

Hard to say, back at that point in the season the dogs selection committee weren’t so heavily into the drugs.

I reckon most at the club would list the Hawthorn performance only a tick worse than the Melbourne one. Skills were much worse against Melbourne but effort worse against Hawks.

Against Melbourne the first time we had our best players uncharacteristically turning it over (e.g. Caleb Daniels kick in our defensive 50). Game vs Hawks we just look lost, I watched the whole Melbourne game, couldn't watch the Hawks game. Turned it off with 10 minutes left.

 

[ClintEastwood]

By stopping them.

 

[JackFlash]

Wouldn't surprise me if Melbourne went straight out!

 

[lethalsax]

Finals haven't even started yet, that is still entirely a possibility.

Brisbane finished 2nd on the ladder 2 years ago only missing top spot by percentage and went out in straight sets. Happens to good teams all the time.

In fact since 2011 the minor premier has only won the premiership once.

Twice*

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[Andy_Mac]

It pains me deeply to say this because it goes against my OP but Melbourne is ngmi. Not sure how the wheels fell off the cart so quickly but perhaps their past culture is rearing its ugly head.

I foreshadow a Geelong vs Syd GF.

R U OK?

 

[raskolnikov]

I hope they can't be. Unless it's by us of course.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Wont be stopped if Gawn and Oliver produce what they did against Geelong for 4 quarters.

 

[Farm Boy]

Their midfield has been beaten all year, yet possesses all the ingredients necessary to dominate when functioning as it should. Gawn should be tapping to Oliver and clearing it more often than not. He either isn’t as good a tap ruck as advertised, or they’ve just been playing down on where they should be (midfield wise).


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[Whiskers]

Just don’t put the cue in the rack. Seems straight forward.

 

[00Stinger]

Their midfield has been beaten all year, yet possesses all the ingredients necessary to dominate when functioning as it should. Gawn should be tapping to Oliver and clearing it more often than not. He either isn’t as good a tap ruck as advertised, or they’ve just been playing down on where they should be (midfield wise).


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Sorry are you saying our midfield has been beaten all year or hasn't been beaten all year?

 

[Freomaniac]

no they cant. The winner of the Port vs Dogs game will be smashed by the demons in the grand final.

 

[Freomaniac]

Just don’t put the cue in the rack. Seems straight forward.

my thoughts exactly.

 

[TP86]

Worst case scenario for the neutral will be Bulldogs winning but with exacerbated injury to Bont and other injuries or suspensions for others. Could end up giving 2019 a shake as the third highest margin in a Grand Final. Port is the neutrals' only hope of a contest based on what we've seen so far.

 

[Substance]

Port or dogs will provide more of a challenge than Geelong did 100%

Can't see them losing though. I was keen on the dees very early. 20 weeks later they still have that same team tenacity & hunger.

 

[demondavey]

Port or the WB will be a lot tougher than Geelong. Melbourne at their best should do it though.

 

[Handsome_Jack]

They looked pretty impressive tonight for sure but there's always recency bias when one side of the bracket has played and the other hasn't. You'd think either Port or the Dogs will put more pressure on thier play and you would think cope with thier pressure a bit better than a tired Geelong side tonight. It's going to be a tough tough assignment and the Dees are rightfully favorites at this point but to say it's a sure thing is IMO just people queining up thier 'greatest choke ever' posts if they don't win while risking nothing if they do.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Dees and Port were both belted in their last two GFs by arguably the two most dominant sides of recent football history. Would be an interesting match up

 

[RandB]

Melbourne not unbeatable but they've put out the warning that it will take a 4 quarter effort to get them.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

They looked pretty impressive tonight for sure but there's always recency bias when one side of the bracket has played and the other hasn't. You'd think either Port or the Dogs will put more pressure on thier play and you would think cope with thier pressure a bit better than a tired Geelong side tonight. It's going to be a tough tough assignment and the Dees are rightfully favorites at this point but to say it's a sure thing is IMO just people queining up thier 'greatest choke ever' posts if they don't win while risking nothing if they do.

Geelongs game style plays right into our hands. I don't think we'll have it so easy in a fortnight whether we play Port or the Dogs.

 

[Xhoquelin]

Their midfield has been beaten all year, yet possesses all the ingredients necessary to dominate when functioning as it should. Gawn should be tapping to Oliver and clearing it more often than not. He either isn’t as good a tap ruck as advertised, or they’ve just been playing down on where they should be (midfield wise).


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I don't think its been clearly beaten that frequently(usually I feel the end-of-game stats have us as at least neutral) but it definitely hasn't been on top as much as it should've, felt like today was one of very few times in the last 2 years Clarry/Trac/Vin have legitimately clicked. when Vin got it he was dishing it off immediately to someone in space, the way Clarry and Trac got into space when the other got the footy, knowing they could break a tackle...just some awesome stuff

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

I don't think its been clearly beaten that frequently(usually I feel the end-of-game stats have us as at least neutral) but it definitely hasn't been on top as much as it should've, felt like today was one of very few times in the last 2 years Clarry/Trac/Vin have legitimately clicked. when Vin got it he was dishing it off immediately to someone in space, the way Clarry and Trac got into space when the other got the footy, knowing they could break a tackle...just some awesome stuff

Yeah that was by far and away the most synergised performance this midfield has put together IMO. They were on a different level. That’s why Max kicked five goals.

 

[Xhoquelin]

Yeah that was by far and away the most synergised performance this midfield has put together IMO. They were on a different level. That’s why Max kicked five goals.

Wonder if part of it was Geelong's stoppage D being quite poor, the movement of our mids in tandem was elite but Vin's quick decision making/vision is usually quite limited and yet he was successfully making quick decisions all game long...never seen that from Vin, ever. Usually he needs to break tackles to compensate for his lack of quick decision making(sometimes missing passing windows by doing that)...tonight he didn't need to do that at all

 

[KickLongTackleHard]

no they cant. The winner of the Port vs Dogs game will be smashed by the demons in the grand final.

Was more worried about facing the cats than Port or the Dogs...

 

[KickLongTackleHard]

Port or dogs will provide more of a challenge than Geelong did 100%

Can't see them losing though. I was keen on the dees very early. 20 weeks later they still have that same team tenacity & hunger.

I’m sorry, but the Dogs are cooked

 

[KickLongTackleHard]

Falling apart for Melbourne like I said.

Good call Shaz . You really know your footy!