Toast How can this Melbourne side be stopped?

[Lampers]

Maybe you should look at the teams and who was actually slotted in the backline for each game.
Also love how you overlooked my whole post and just focus on what you think is right. no witty comeback for the rest of my post.

Ok then, you asked for it.

I see that you do understand my point, funny how you had trouble at the start but came to the conclusion I was making. So, you consider Toby Bedford as one of your best 25 players at the Dees?

I can’t event understand the point you are trying to make. Toby Bedford is the next in line for a small forward opportunity, and has been sub every game this year probably because he is fast and applies pressure which is useful for a late game sub.

If Gawn or Petracca gets injured Bedford wouldn’t replace one of them, but if Spargo or Pickett got injured he would come in.

That’s how football works, there isn’t an arbitrary list of best players. Different types of players represent different depth. Like when Melbourne needed to use their depth to cover the absence of four grand final defenders in rounds 1, 2 and 3.

Never make this claim either, I am saying that I'm not jumping on the bandwagon until you play better teams ie. Brisbane, Sydney, Geelong, Freo. I'm allowed to reserve judgement until I gather more information to determine if you will be the juggernaut that some of the Dees fans believe they will be. See previous posts

I don’t believe Melbourne are a juggernaut, and there are Melbourne supporters here clearly taking the piss as that is their schtick.

If the 2021 premiership including the most dominant finals series since Geelong 2007 isn’t enough, and a 5-0 start, then I guess you’re quite difficult to please.

How can you possibly determine who the better teams are at this point? Who are the good teams Brisbane have beaten this year? Nobody currently in the 8. Fremantle? Haven’t beaten anyone in the 8 either. So why are they in your list of better teams?

We have established that is just not the case, you lost 3 players from your GF backline before the game started. Clearly you are having trouble with the notion of one for one, not willing to explain because like 100% of the people on this forum you have the internet and can research yourself.

I’ll do this again. What on earth is one-for-one? Every time a team loses one player, they replace them with one player. Why is one club replacing one player different to another club doing the same. I cannot understand the point you are trying to make.

As I have CLEARLY stated many other times. Play and beat Brisbane, Sydney and Geelong. it's not hard to grasp that Melbourne haven't played a team in winning form THIS YEAR, of course the grand finalist should beat an out of form Bulldogs and Power, Injury plagued Gold Coast, Essendon and GWS.

This is just like last year. Everyone Melbourne played in the 9-0 start wasn’t in good form, had injuries etc. Then guess what, Melbourne cantered to a premiership come finals time.

I’m not suggesting that will happen again, but you are using the same tired arguments used last year that proved to be wrong.

Maybe this year they will prove to be correct, but you’re just guessing as is everyone else.

If you don't read other posts to have a base knowledge on the topic then it leaves you open to looking foolish.

You’d know a fair bit about looking foolish, so I bow to your greater experience on the topic.

 

[Lampers]

Which midfield position does melbourne not have depth in?

We will see a little bit this week with Viney out whether there is someone able to cover his role.

Dunstan will probably come in, or Sparrow will play a more prominent role, and if it works out fine then it won’t really count because it was just “One soldier out, one soldier in”.

Just like losing Salem didn’t really count because Brayshaw took his place quite effectively, and Jordon took Brayshaw’s place quite effectively.

So the way Melbourne shows they are the real deal is to not effectively cover for missing players by losing games… it makes so much sense!

 

[Some Idiot]

Which midfield position does melbourne not have depth in?

I'm pretty sure he just means Petracca and Oliver haven't missed. Viney and Brayshaw are great players, and Langdon may be the best genuine wingman in the game but it's been a while since they had to be the ones to put the team on their back. Can the likes of Sparrow, Jordon, Harmes and Neal-Bullen step it up to bridge the gap also? Who knows, Petracca and Oliver could just stay fit all year again.

 

[Lampers]

I'm pretty sure he just means Petracca and Oliver haven't missed. Viney and Brayshaw are great players, and Langdon may be the best genuine wingman in the game but it's been a while since they had to be the ones to put the team on their back. Can the likes of Sparrow, Jordon, Harmes and Neal-Bullen step it up to bridge the gap also? Who knows, Petracca and Oliver could just stay fit all year again.

100% Petracca and Oliver are not replaceable and there is nobody in Melbourne’s team that could step in and do the same job. If either misses significant time Melbourne will need to adjust their midfield attitude and likely be more defensive and conservative in there.

James Harmes trying to be Petracca and getting done holding the ball six times a game isn’t palatable.

Alex Neal-Bullen trying to be Oliver and being the fumble machine he has been playing as an inside mid previously is also not enticing.

But being expected to have shown what a team would do without key players who are not injured and have no recent injury history, while simultaneously discounting a situation where the team did effectively cover for multiple players in the same part of the ground who were injured, well it’s just an odd and contradictory argument one poster is trying to make.

If the argument is “This team have yet to prove they can overcome this potential hurdle that is yet to happen, and may not happen” well you can just say that about every team because it’s true for every team.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

I don’t believe Melbourne are a juggernaut, and there are Melbourne supporters here clearly taking the piss as that is their schtick.

I’ve never once taken the piss in my life

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

What was the last side to play in a GF with one of their two best midfielders missing? Like certain The Western fans of 2021 everyone is desperate for Petracca and/or Oliver to get injured before the GF but it’s not as though it’s a thing that regularly happens

 

[Saints TV]

I have to say I thought it was going to be very hard being "the hunted".

Melbourne Demons weren't "hunted" last year, even though we beat every Top 8 team we played leading into the bye, and only lost two games until then which included a 9 game winning streak to start the year... I think then every other team was still trying to work out how to beat Richmond. Even though Richmond were unlikely to play finals because they weren't very good, and had no Dustin Martin either. Even other Top 4 teams like Port Adelaide and Western Dog were trying to beat Richmond still even when the Top 8 was set and we were on the eve of finals. That was why we won, because we weren't Richmond and every other team only prepared to beat Richmond.

It's really strange that we're being "hunted" now and teams have spent all summer trying to figure us out and are putting in "extra effort" to beat us... and yet we're still winning.

Especially because we're playing shit and we're not actually any good.

Only 5 weeks into being the hunted and to sure you haven't hit your straps but I'd say most sides haven't either - still early.

Saints will lose 3+ of their next five games and be back in the pack by R10. Curious to see how the Dockers go, this week v Carlton and GC at Metricon will be big games for them. Similarly Carlton in away games v Freo and the Giants, and then the Swans at Marvel in R10.

We'll see.

 

[markm106]

Replacing a Oliver or Petracca like for like can’t be done. However I think we’d still get by. It would place a dent in premiership chances that’s for sure. But that’s like most teams if you take out match winners. Defence we can cover as the system takes care if that. And we don’t rely on specific forwards to kick goals. But taking match winners out of the middle hurts any team.

 

[MickG88]

That’s how football works, there isn’t an arbitrary list of best players.

Yes, there is an arbitary list ofthe best players at a club. You think Petracca, Gawn and Gawn are treated the same as Toby Bedford. Experience and talent make them the best and thus put them at the top of that list. Petracca goes down at training and the club would do anything to get him going again but the same wouldn't be said for Toby Bedford, he would have to go through the normal channels of recovery.

Different types of players represent different depth. Like when Melbourne needed to use their depth to cover the absence of four grand final defenders in rounds 1, 2 and 3.

You claim to not understand one solider out, one solider in but.... plus it was 5 defenders in rounds 1 to 3

I don’t believe Melbourne are a juggernaut, and there are Melbourne supporters here clearly taking the piss as that is their schtick.

All I was commenting on was that notion.

If the 2021 premiership including the most dominant finals series since Geelong 2007 isn’t enough, and a 5-0 start, then I guess you’re quite difficult to please.

Didn't realise that Geelong won the 2008 Grand Final.

How can you possibly determine who the better teams are at this point? Who are the good teams Brisbane have beaten this year?

My exact point, How can you determine that Melbourne is the best team when they haven't played enough games against teams in the top 8.

Nobody currently in the 8.

Saints beat Fremantle in WA.

Fremantle? Haven’t beaten anyone in the 8 either. So why are they in your list of better teams?

I use that list as they have had a 4-1 start to the season. Freo are playing an exciting brand as they are on top of the ladder for points from turnovers. Brisbane finished top 4 last year and are currently 3rd. who else would you have Melbourne contend against, Power? Essendon? West Coast?

I’ll do this again. What on earth is one-for-one? Every time a team loses one player, they replace them with one player. Why is one club replacing one player different to another club doing the same. I cannot understand the point you are trying to make.

It has to do with the system that teams put into place, hawthorn were the first to implement it and Richmond were big on it as well, One player goes out of a team and another comes in a plays the position exactly as the player who goes out. I don't understand why you can't understand this concept.

 

[MickG88]

I'm pretty sure he just means Petracca and Oliver haven't missed. Viney and Brayshaw are great players, and Langdon may be the best genuine wingman in the game but it's been a while since they had to be the ones to put the team on their back. Can the likes of Sparrow, Jordon, Harmes and Neal-Bullen step it up to bridge the gap also? Who knows, Petracca and Oliver could just stay fit all year again.

I did mention it was Petracca, Gawn and May as the irreplaceable. but yeah if they lose both Petracca and Oliver then they are in trouble.

 

[MickG88]

What was the last side to play in a GF with one of their two best midfielders missing? Like certain The Western fans of 2021 everyone is desperate for Petracca and/or Oliver to get injured before the GF but it’s not as though it’s a thing that regularly happens

Still waiting for which 3 games the Saints will lose in the next 5 weeks.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Only 5 weeks into being the hunted and to sure you haven't hit your straps but I'd say most sides haven't either - still early.

We'll see.

It’s crazy that we were on top of the ladder for most of us last year and yet no other side ever thought to hunt us, including during finals. So weird

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Still waiting for which 3 games the Saints will lose in the next 5 weeks.

Can see them losing all five. Will definitely lose to us and the Cats, and inevitably drop at least one to Port, Adelaide or GWS away from Docklands.

 

[MickG88]

It’s crazy that we were on top of the ladder for most of us last year and yet no other side ever thought to hunt us, including during finals. So weird

It has to do with who won the premiership, Richmond would of being the hunted last year and Melbourne this year. The winner of the season is who wins the premiership and hence are hunted the next season.

 

[Lampers]

Saints beat Fremantle in WA.

And there it is!

You win.

Saints are the best.

 

[MickG88]

And there it is!

You win.

Saints are the best.

Not at all, You said that NO team in the 8 has beaten another team in the 8.
You're wrong. Nothing about the Saints being good, it was going to the case for either the Saints or Fremantle.
I have little confidence that we will play finals but as the saying goes "one week at a time."

 

[MickG88]

Can see them losing all five. Will definitely lose to us and the Cats, and inevitably drop at least one to Port, Adelaide or GWS away from Docklands.

I think the Dees and cats game will show where we are at, The Adelaide game is a danger game after last year b ut if we want to play finals then it is a must win. Port and GWS are playing terribly so we should cover them.

 

[Lampers]

Not at all, You said that NO team in the 8 has beaten another team in the 8.
You're wrong.

Well, this is embarassing. For you. Below is what I wrote.

How can you possibly determine who the better teams are at this point? Who are the good teams Brisbane have beaten this year? Nobody currently in the 8. Fremantle? Haven’t beaten anyone in the 8 either. So why are they in your list of better teams?

And you’ve interpreted that to mean I said no team in the 8 has beaten another team in the 8!?! Yikes.

First you get wrong how many of Melbourne’s GF backline players were missing in round 1, then you get wrong that Melbourne have only used 25 players when they’d used 27, now you get this wrong too…

Quit while you’re behind.

 

[MickG88]

Well, this is embarassing. For you. Below is what I wrote.



And you’ve interpreted that to mean I said no team in the 8 has beaten another team in the 8!?! Yikes.

First you get wrong how many of Melbourne’s GF backline players were missing in round 1, then you get wrong that Melbourne have only used 25 players when they’d used 27, now you get this wrong too…

Quit while you’re behind.

Okay Champ, you clearly don't see what I'm saying. You need to be more careful with what you say as you have backed my original point "How can you possibly determine who the better teams are at this point? " so thanks for agreeing with me.

 

[Saints TV]

It’s crazy that we were on top of the ladder for most of us last year and yet no other side ever thought to hunt us, including during finals. So weird

Yeah dogs just went hunting for disposals in the GF, not scoreboard pressure haha

 

[aussierulesrules]

Can see St Kilda losing all five. Will definitely lose to us and the Cats, and inevitably drop at least one to Port, Adelaide or GWS away from Docklands.

The Geelong team who last week lost to Hawthorn, who we beat by 70 points the previous week, on their home ground?

Away from Docklands is also not much of an issue for us these days.

So far this year we’re 2-0 interstate and 3-0 away from Marvel, and last year we were 4-7 there and 6-5 away.

So in the last two seasons we’re 9-5 away from Marvel and 5-8 there.

 

[Bluelegs]

Melbourne v Saints looking like a great game in a couple of weeks. Given the blockbuster timeslot of 1.10pm on a Sunday.

 

[Fat Tony!]

Melbourne v Saints looking like a great game in a couple of weeks. Given the blockbuster timeslot of 1.10pm on a Sunday.

Mother’s Day as well.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Melbourne v Saints looking like a great game in a couple of weeks. Given the blockbuster timeslot of 1.10pm on a Sunday.

Hopefully you get more than 20k like you did on a Saturday night at the G last week.
North Melbourne like numbers.

 

[Bluelegs]

Hopefully you get more than 20k like you did on a Saturday night at the G last week.
North Melbourne like numbers.

Maybe one day we can dare to dream of drawing the crowds the big clubs get like Essendon v Freo with 23k the following day or Collingwood v West Coast with 25k the previous week. Crowd was ordinary but it's an AFL issue not a Melbourne one.

Early mothers day slot is a shocker. Game will probably lose a few thousand as a result unfortunately. But I reckon it will be low 30k.