Toast How can this Melbourne side be stopped?

[Freomaniac]

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

Bloody hell, you might have an exciting 3 months: Chelsea winning champions league and Demons possibly winning the flag

 

[OnlyPowerForever]

I don't think Port can beat Melbourne because our Inside 50 quality is just not good enough.

If the deep Bulldogs mids could get on top early they'd be a chance, but fear that Gawn would have 30 HTA's and kick 6 goals against English and co

 

[pineapple dee]

Despite having suggestions made by magpie fans in this thread, the cats couldn't stop us.
What the cats needed was an injection of Collingwood players.

 

[fishardansin]

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.

Was thinking the complete opposite. Port is not that good of a side. Well, they are a good side, but not as good as your typical contender. They are the sort of side that will look exciting against mediocre opposition. If cards fall their way they will make a prelim, might even get lucky with the opposition having a down one then and sneak into the GF to be absolutely smashed. Just like the 13, 07, 00, 99 and 95 GFs.

A fully fit Doggies, not having a form slump in August, are the clear 2nd best team. Everyone else who came close to looking like they were a top two this year did so on the back of Melbourne and Doggies having a month off at different stages in the year.

My hope for next year is crowds back at the footy! As well as Carlton and Essendon both in the bottom half of the finals. At the top end it would be nice if all of Melbourne, Doggies and Brisbane could have a great run with injuries because those three teams are primed to go well for another 2 seasons after this one.

 

[pineapple dee]

Wouldn't surprise me if Melbourne went straight out!

This was surprisingly prescient for a Geelong supporter. Hopefully he will tell us what he thinks will happen for Geelong next.

 

[OnlyPowerForever]

Was thinking the complete opposite. Port is not that good of a side. Well, they are a good side, but not as good as your typical contender. They are the sort of side that will look exciting against mediocre opposition. If cards fall their way they will make a prelim, might even get lucky with the opposition having a down one then and sneak into the GF to be absolutely smashed. Just like the 13, 07, 00, 99 and 95 GFs.

A fully fit Doggies, not having a form slump in August, are the clear 2nd best team. Everyone else who came close to looking like they were a top two this year did so on the back of Melbourne and Doggies having a month off at different stages in the year.

My hope for next year is crowds back at the footy! As well as Carlton and Essendon both in the bottom half of the finals. At the top end it would be nice if all of Melbourne, Doggies and Brisbane could have a great run with injuries because those three teams are primed to go well for another 2 seasons after this one.

Anyone sneak into a GF and win it?
Because there's a bit of confirmation bias going on....

 

[fishardansin]

Anyone sneak into a GF and win it?
Because there's a bit of confirmation bias going on....

Adelaide snuck into two grand finals and won them both. However, St Kilda wasn't that good a side and North kicked terribly. I'd say Hawthorn 08 was a sneak as well and that also relied upon Geelong being terribly wasteful in the first half. So, while Port could pull off a miracle against a far superior side a humiliating smashing is more likely.

 

[JackFlash]

This was surprisingly prescient for a Geelong supporter. Hopefully he will tell us what he thinks will happen for Geelong next.

I already have and that prediction was more out of hope than anything else. Geelong has been the worst team in the 8 for about 2 months now, they are not much better than North or Collingwood and are in for a similar slide in 2022. Footy fans can breathe a sigh of relief next year, Geelong will be footy fodder and be lucky to win 5 games.

 

[Freomaniac]

I already have and that prediction was more out of hope than anything else. Geelong has been the worst team in the 8 for about 2 months now, they are not much better than North or Collingwood and are in for a similar slide in 2022. Footy fans can breathe a sigh of relief next year, Geelong will be footy fodder and be lucky to win 5 games.

Stop being negative lol

 

[scoman]

Covid outbreak?

Food poisoning?

Gawn, Trac and Oliver get lost on the way to the stadium?

That's all I got......

 

[wowlace]

I'm remembering posts in BF about how we miss timed our form run. Or that we didn't have another gear.

It's clear Gawn has found the cheat codes.

 

[garlic munchers]

Have to dock sometime!

 

[SBYM]

I'm not MCC anymore coz I fled the coop, so I dunno if they're still the same...but I hope the grumpy old Melbourne supporters that literally used to froth with rage have found some peace.

 

[Darksidepoints]

 

[JackFlash]

Stop being negative lol

You're right, i should be jumping up and down for joy yelling hallelujah and singing the club song, but what a lie that would be! Footy is our great escape and just like life, we make certain assumptions about the way things are going to turn out. And sometimes the larger the assumption, the greater the disappointment. You can't get any more disappointing than Geelong at the moment, they'll be lucky to beat an egg in 2022.

 

[nineteen eighty]

I commented earlier that Melbourne's biggest weakness was their forward line and their ability to kick 90+ points (which in my view is required to win the GF). Well Brown has played a huge part in plugging that hole. Tremendous for their structure and allows their mids - small to come into play.

So if Melbourne play to their best, they win. The hope for Port (yeah I reckon Port will win tonight) is if Dixon plays a blinder and their talls take plenty of contested marks. Contested marks will beat this style of play. Easier said than done though. How often do teams have dominant contested mark games? Oh wait, that clunt Cox in the 2018 PF (yeah yeah I'm almost over it)...

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

I’ve never been more sure of a team winning a GF than I am of Melbourne.
Everything is going right. The stars have aligned. And why not.

If Port win tonight they might have the 2 highest losing GF margins in the history of the game.

Nothing will stop Melbourne.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Guess this will be answered tomorrow ):

 

[VineySMASH]

I know this was meant as a troll thread but the answer, from a tactical point of view, imo is:

Move fast, take them on head to head through the middle, don't give the Demons a chance to set up their defensive wall. And you have to keep it up all game, because this Demons side is fitter than everyone else and run out games very well. Also, pray that Fritsch and Brown aren't kicking straight (which happens fairly regularly).

 

[My Tilly]

The Doggies may just pull off the upset in this one.
Their midfield is better than Melbourne. Bats deeper and they have the option of throwing a couple of guys up forward.
The only glaring concern is Gawn as he should dominate no matter what.

I think this is going to be a terrific match. One of those very rare grand finals which are decided in the final minutes.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

I don’t think anyone is stopping them.

 

[iBeng]

Doggies midfield has absolutely nothing on the Demons midfield, clearly.

 

[Toump Ass]

In terms of H/A dominance, this side looks unstoppable imo and is reminscent of St Kilda 2009 and Collingwood 2010 - they have beaten alot of the top sides already (richmond, geelong, sydney, gws).

I also felt they were unlucky this week and should have got two frees that would have either won or drawn them the game (Keays HTB and the deliberate call) - they are absolutely a 10 zip side.

If you look at their list they have guns on all lines and if they are not guns, it's B graders that are in peak form (Pickett, Langdon, Hames, Fritsch etc).

You may be wondering, well the bulldogs play Melbourne next week, you are just making excuses. No not really, Melbourne has beaten better sides right now and are better on form - this is an objective reality. I expect to lose but still content with 9-2.

Barring the allure of the now discontinued priority pick, how can this Melbourne side be stopped?

Suck on that one champ.
I hope it hurt

 

[YeoShuey]

It’s simple. They can’t.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Only an all conquering midfield with unprecedented depth could stop Jackson, Petracca, Oliver and Gawn.