Toast How can this Melbourne side be stopped?

[Bluelegs]

Disagree all you want, teams would want to knock you off, but no more than they did Geelong, Port, Brisbane as well because at times this year they were seen as credible flag chances.. But you aren't the measuring stick until you accomplish something, which is why teams "played their Grand Final" against Richmond in 2018 onwards.

Also you can't be the measuring stick if all the other teams want to knock you off because you were seen as a weak team. Thats not really how it works.

Are you Smasha's alt?

 

[Lampers]

Which game in 2018 was Richmond’s grand final, I wonder?

Clearly a pre-season intra club practice match.

 

[SleepingGiant]

Which game in 2018 was Richmond’s grand final, I wonder?

We will see how big your boys are when they get hunted week in week out next year by everyone.

 

[Blackas87]

We will see how big your boys are when they get hunted week in week out next year by everyone.

a bit like this year.

 

[freddy mercury]

Carlton will stop them.
They've got cerra and a couple of new board members.

 

[Bluelegs]

Carlton will stop them.
They've got cerra and a couple of new board members.

What position do those board members play?

 

[Desync]

No, They can't be stopped. /Thread

 

[freddy mercury]

What position do those board members play?

No idea, I'm just going by what some of their supporters on another post are saying on why they'll play finals.

 

[markm106]

We sat top of the ladder for 13 round from round 7 onwards. I reckon we were the hunted already.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Richmond spent 8 weeks out of the top 4 in 2017 and got belted by St Kilda by 67 points in R16. Bit different to our 2021 (similar run with injury though), you’d think teams were taking us a bit more seriously this year though.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Hard to believe that after R16, 2017 we were above Richmond on the ladder. What a capitulation.

 

[Ash1337]

If Dees can keep their side injury free next season they should go back to back. There is a unknown on their quality of depth because there were few injuries in the season.

 

[Lampers]

If Dees can keep their side injury free next season they should go back to back. There is a unknown on their quality of depth because there were few injuries in the season.

Just Tomlinson, Ben Brown, Weideman, Harmes, Viney, Hunt and Hibberd missing 4+ stretches with injury. McDonald only missed 2 but he clearly wasn’t properly fit when he came back.

And the depth in Hore, Joel Smith, Melksham, Neitschke, vandenBerg, Jones, Laurie, Mitch Brown, Deakin Smith and Lockhart all missed games ranging from a few to the entire season.

Melbourne were fortunate to keep their absolute elite players fit for the whole year with only May missing more than one game, but there were many injuries and the depth was tested.

Mitch Brown was a tall forward for one game. It was a choice between an injured May and an injured Joel Smith for the grand final.

But people can feel free to peddle the myth that Melbourne had no injuries if that makes them feel better I guess.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

We will see how big your boys are when they get hunted week in week out next year by everyone.

One of my favourite moments this year was Anzac Eve. The Tigers supporters were so lippy early in the game, especially towards Lever. They went real quiet after half time though and then started telling us how Pickett pointing to the scoreboard would be remembered by the Tigers come September. I don't think they realised yet that their time was over but it certainly felt like a handing over of the baton, especially with Dusty being shut down by Hibberd and Petracca BOG. Fun night all round can't wait to do it again next year.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

If Dees can keep their side injury free next season they should go back to back. There is a unknown on their quality of depth because there were few injuries in the season.

It's going to come down to whether role players like ANB, Spargo, Langdon, Brayshaw, Harmes, Rivers can maintain their form, most if not all had career best seasons. Those guys doing their job is what allowed Petracca, Oliver, Gawn etc to get off the leash. May and Lever both critical too obviously if either of those guys go down our defence looks a lot shakier.

 

[Toump Ass]

It's going to come down to whether role players like ANB, Spargo, Langdon, Brayshaw, Harmes, Rivers can maintain their form, most if not all had career best seasons. Those guys doing their job is what allowed Petracca, Oliver, Gawn etc to get off the leash. May and Lever both critical too obviously if either of those guys go down our defence looks a lot shakier.

Rivers had a great season, I expect him to improve given he's only 20.

Lever and May are huge but our backline is pretty strong. Hunt was best 22 until injury, Smith was keeping Hibberd out, and Tomlinson will come back. Gonna be pretty tight for spots down back which is a good thing.

 

[SleepingGiant]

One of my favourite moments this year was Anzac Eve. The Tigers supporters were so lippy early in the game, especially towards Lever. They went real quiet after half time though and then started telling us how Pickett pointing to the scoreboard would be remembered by the Tigers come September. I don't think they realised yet that their time was over but it certainly felt like a handing over of the baton, especially with Dusty being shut down by Hibberd and Petracca BOG. Fun night all round can't wait to do it again next year.

Win 3 flags then come talk big salty boy. We did it without getting our balls cupped by the AFL.

 

[danster168]

Just Tomlinson, Ben Brown, Weideman, Harmes, Viney, Hunt and Hibberd missing 4+ stretches with injury. McDonald only missed 2 but he clearly wasn’t properly fit when he came back.

And the depth in Hore, Joel Smith, Melksham, Neitschke, vandenBerg, Jones, Laurie, Mitch Brown, Deakin Smith and Lockhart all missed games ranging from a few to the entire season.

Melbourne were fortunate to keep their absolute elite players fit for the whole year with only May missing more than one game, but there were many injuries and the depth was tested.

Mitch Brown was a tall forward for one game. It was a choice between an injured May and an injured Joel Smith for the grand final.

But people can feel free to peddle the myth that Melbourne had no injuries if that makes them feel better I guess.

Even as a dees fan I think that's silly. Tomlinson got replaced by Petty (no loss). Ben Brown wasn't injured really, he just couldn't crack the afl team after bad vfl performances. Weideman was just sh!t at afl level every time. Hunt and Hibberd are the fringiest of fringe players and Mcdonald probably isn't even best 22 anymore.

Hore is vfl standard, Joel Smith had 5 kicked on him vs Brisbane and has no footy IQ, Vandenberg is always injured and now delisted, Mitch brown,Lockhart, Jones , Smith, Melksham, Neitschke and Laurie are all vfl players so no idea why you're mentioning it.

When people talk about injuries, they mean was your team impacted by injuries, not do you have fringe players or guys playing VFL that have had injuries.

We were lucky all year with injuries with nothing to our main players like Gawn, Oliver, Trac, Langdon, Salem May and Lever.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

One of my favourite moments this year was Anzac Eve. The Tigers supporters were so lippy early in the game, especially towards Lever. They went real quiet after half time though and then started telling us how Pickett pointing to the scoreboard would be remembered by the Tigers come September. I don't think they realised yet that their time was over but it certainly felt like a handing over of the baton, especially with Dusty being shut down by Hibberd and Petracca BOG. Fun night all round can't wait to do it again next year.

That’s the night that I realised they were done. Both fans and players who couldn’t deal with losing again, which is the best indicator of a soft underbelly

 

[Lampers]

Even as a dees fan I think that's silly. Tomlinson got replaced by Petty (no loss). Ben Brown wasn't injured really, he just couldn't crack the afl team after bad vfl performances. Weideman was just sh!t at afl level every time. Hunt and Hibberd are the fringiest of fringe players and Mcdonald probably isn't even best 22 anymore.

Hore is vfl standard, Joel Smith had 5 kicked on him vs Brisbane and has no footy IQ, Vandenberg is always injured and now delisted, Mitch brown,Lockhart, Jones , Smith, Melksham, Neitschke and Laurie are all vfl players so no idea why you're mentioning it.

When people talk about injuries, they mean was your team impacted by injuries, not do you have fringe players or guys playing VFL that have had injuries.

We were lucky all year with injuries with nothing to our main players like Gawn, Oliver, Trac, Langdon, Salem May and Lever.

No, it’s the very definition of depth when the team can effectively cover the injuries they got.

Petty was a competent defender that wasn’t first choice when the season commenced. Depth. That’s only “no loss” if there is depth.

If Hore was fit he absolutely would’ve played some games given May and Tomlinson got injured and Smith got some games.

Brown and Weideman were considered tall forwards one and two before the season commenced and WERE injured for the first two months of the season. They were not in the VFL until they were gaining fitness and form. That they later got dropped is an illustration of depth…

Your arguments makes no sense. Players are no good if they don’t play, but if they play due injuries, and they play well then they don’t count as depth? Like Petty.

Or if they were nominally best 22, but then don’t play well in the seniors, those who replaced them don’t count as depth? Like Weideman and McDonald?

Hore is not best 22 AFL quality, that’s what depth is. With the injuries to Tomlinson and May he likely would’ve played some games.

My point is it’s a myth Melbourne haven’t had injuries, and the depth hasn’t been tested. It’s fact they had many injuries, and the depth was tested. Nobody has depth to cover their absolute elite players and Melbourne were fortunate to not have those players injured.

I have no idea what point you are trying to make.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

No, it’s the very definition of depth when the team can effectivelycover the injuries they got.

Petty was a competent defender that wasn’t first choice when the season commenced. Depth. That’s only “no loss” if there is

If Hore was fit he absolutely would’ve played some games given May got injured and Smith got some games.

Brown and Weideman were considered tall forwards one and two before the season commenced and WERE injured for the first two months of the season. That they later got dropped is an illustration of depth…

Your arguments makes no sense. Players are no good if they don’t play, but if they play due injuries, and they play well then they don’t count as depth?

Or if they were nominally best 22, but then don’t play well in the seniors, those who replaced them do t count as depth?

Hore is not best 22 AFL quality, that’s what depth is. With the injuries to Tomlinson and May he likely would’ve played some games.

My point is it’s a myth Melbourne haven’t had injuries, and the depth hasn’t been tested. It’s fact they had many injuries, and the depth was tested. Nobody has depth to cover their absolute elite players and Melbourne were fortunate to not have those players injured.

I have no idea what point you are trying to make.

I do love his point that none of the three key forwards were good enough to play when they were injured, so it doesn’t matter that they were injured, and they cancel each other out.

 

[danster168]

I do love his point that none of the three key forwards were good enough to play when they were injured, so it doesn’t matter that they were injured, and they cancel each other out.

huh? What on earth are you talking about? Weideman was garbage all year when playing and McDonald was horrendous the last 6 weeks of the season. Brown played his role eventually.

 

[Lampers]

huh? What on earth are you talking about? Weideman was garbage all year when playing and McDonald was horrendous the last 6 weeks of the season. Brown played his role eventually.

Let’s approach this another way.

How would you describe depth for an AFL team?

Is it 30 players on a list capable of playing consistent level AFL football with no form slumps? Nobody has that.

 

[danster168]

No, it’s the very definition of depth when the team can effectively cover the injuries they got.

Petty was a competent defender that wasn’t first choice when the season commenced. Depth. That’s only “no loss” if there is depth.

If Hore was fit he absolutely would’ve played some games given May and Tomlinson got injured and Smith got some games.

Brown and Weideman were considered tall forwards one and two before the season commenced and WERE injured for the first two months of the season. They were not in the VFL until they were gaining fitness and form. That they later got dropped is an illustration of depth…

Your arguments makes no sense. Players are no good if they don’t play, but if they play due injuries, and they play well then they don’t count as depth? Like Petty.

Or if they were nominally best 22, but then don’t play well in the seniors, those who replaced them don’t count as depth? Like Weideman and McDonald?

Hore is not best 22 AFL quality, that’s what depth is. With the injuries to Tomlinson and May he likely would’ve played some games.

My point is it’s a myth Melbourne haven’t had injuries, and the depth hasn’t been tested. It’s fact they had many injuries, and the depth was tested. Nobody has depth to cover their absolute elite players and Melbourne were fortunate to not have those players injured.

I have no idea what point you are trying to make.

Yes I agree with this 'it's the very definition of depth when the team can effectively cover the injuries they got'. But the worse the player injured, the easier it is to cover the loss. That's common sense. For example, all of the players you mentioned are probably 20-45 on the list in terms of quality. Good luck trying to replace a Petracca, Gawn or Oliver.

Yes, Weideman was considered one of our starting 2 forwards but Weideman getting dropped isn't depth. It's because he was absolutely horrific. 3 goals in 5 games for the best team in the comp with the best midfield in the comp. Literally anyone from Casey could replace Weideman, it's got nothing to do with depth.

Usually, the guys that are getting dropped are dropped because they aren't performing, not because someone is bashing the door down in the vfl. So that's why the focus shouldn't be on the depth, but mores the ineptitude of the player getting dropped. With 45 players on the list, it's not hard to find 1 player to cover for a player that is doing nothing in the seniors.

 

[danster168]

Let’s approach this another way.

How would you describe depth for an AFL team?

Is it 30 players on a list capable of playing consistent level AFL football with no form slumps? Nobody has that.

I don't care too much for depth because there is no team that can cover the superstars of the game. Richmond can't cover Dusty, Riewoldt. Dogs can't cover Bont, Naughton.Carlton can't cover Walsh, Cripps, Mckay. You get the point.