Preview Preview/changes v. Collingwood @ MCG - Qualifying Final

[stEdy]

Fagan said they played their best footy for the year that day against us and they still lost.

They're 'soft' because they have structural issues in their team and game style that gets showed up in finals when the pressure goes up. Their tall forwards are incredibly hot and cold and go missing and their smalls, which are their key strength, aren't as impactful with less time and space. They can get bullied on the inside too.

They're a better team in some respects this year because they went out and got some support for Neale on the inside with Dunkley and Ashcroft. Ashcroft going down is a big blow for them as now Jarron Lyons is playing minutes again who I don't rate as he gets killed on the spread and is pretty limited these days. Joey Daniher is in better form than previous years but Gunston didn't make the impact they were looking for.

All will be revealed over the next month or so. Like I said, I'll believe it when I see it with Brisbane.

 

[schmuttt]

Bloody hell, now I’ll be on DL again looking for training reports.

 

[Topkent]

Lol lions get exposed in finals but they knocked us out last year at the G

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

There is probably some Collingwood nuffy saying the same about us after our straight sets exit last year, "Melbourne get exposed in finals at the G, can't handle the pressure of home finals, get stage fright and wet their pants"

..you can make similar stupid arguments up for every team.

 

[Scythe94]

This will all make for a hell of a discussion if we play Brisbane in a final

 

[stEdy]

Lol lions get exposed in finals but they knocked us out last year at the G

Pretty clear we had completely run out of gas last year and were cooked. They then lost to the Cats by 71 points at the G the next week.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Seems it’s become very popular with influencers .

I couldn't think of anything worse, being in a place with influencers.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Pretty clear we had completely run out of gas last year and were cooked.

After beating them by ~ 50 points a couple of weeks earlier coming off a pre finals bye. Right.

 

[Scythe94]

After beating them by ~ 50 points a couple of weeks earlier coming off a pre finals bye. Right.

I mean, Petracca was playing with a broken leg, Gawn had a hip injury, Lever had a stress fracture in his foot, Oliver still had the hand issue and Fritsch was carrying injury as well. Think it was 11 players in total from memory.

We got outplayed and deserved to get bundled out last year, but there was no denying that we were cooked by that semi

 

[Lord Nev]

After beating them by ~ 50 points a couple of weeks earlier coming off a pre finals bye. Right.

Pretty widely accepted we ran out of gas last year - Gawn and Salem both even said so this week.

 

[Toump Ass]

I couldn't think of anything worse, being in a place with influencers.

Haha, yeah I hear you.

But if free drugs and booze, 24-7 orgies, naked women, and incredible sound systems are your thing, it's a pretty fun place to be.
72,000 people there, always gonna attract a few shitty people with that size crowd but you're also gonna meet a few fun people

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

I couldn't think of anything worse, being in a place with influencers.

Give me surrounded by Pies fans watching the dees get flogged as its pissing down on a Thursday night any day over this.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

I mean, Petracca was playing with a broken leg, Gawn had a hip injury, Lever had a stress fracture in his foot, Oliver still had the hand issue and Fritsch was carrying injury as well. Think it was 11 players in total from memory.

We got outplayed and deserved to get bundled out last year, but there was no denying that we were cooked by that semi

We were 4 goals up. I blame the coach more than giving us an excuse with injuries.

 

[stEdy]

The mental gymnastics going on in here...so the 2022 Melbourne with Trac playing with a broken leg and Gawn barely able to get out of a jog was a big scalp for Brisbane at the G? Their 1 win at the G from 15.

This back and forth is going nowhere. Go Lions!

EDIT: other posters seemed to address this above anyway

 

[Scythe94]

We were 4 goals up. I blame the coach more than giving us an excuse with injuries.

Fair enough – I blame them more for not rotating players throughout the year and carrying half an injured team into the game to begin with.

Anyway, I hope we meet Brisbane in the GF and get a true evaluation of all our theories haha

 

[LarryDavidNeitz]

Don't know what to make of reports of Fritsch being sore. Obviously he finished the game out and if he's got through training surely he plays.
But generally having a sore foot first game back from a broken foot would be a pretty bad sign.

We're in a world of pain if he's a late withdrawal so somebody pls reassure me he's fine.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

The mental gymnastics going on in here...so the 2022 Melbourne with Trac playing with a broken leg and Gawn barely able to get out of a jog was a big scalp for Brisbane at the G? Their 1 win at the G from 15.

This back and forth is going nowhere. Go Lions!

EDIT: other posters seemed to address this above anyway

Chris Fagan outcoached Goodwin by not playing injured players. 4D chess by Fages , brilliant strategist.

 

[Topkent]

Pretty clear we had completely run out of gas last year and were cooked. They then lost to the Cats by 71 points at the G the next week.

so predictable we'd get the excuse of running out of gas but Brisbane just sucked in finals

Maybe they ran out of gas the next week

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Don't know what to make of reports of Fritsch being sore. Obviously he finished the game out and if he's got through training surely he plays.
But generally having a sore foot first game back from a broken foot would be a pretty bad sign.

We're in a world of pain if he's a late withdrawal so somebody pls reassure me he's fine.

Viney went thru similar coming back off a foot injury IIRC. Dreaded hot spot.

 

[LarryDavidNeitz]

We were 4 goals up. I blame the coach more than giving us an excuse with injuries.

I try not to remember the game too closely but my recollection is we lost this game the same way we lost a bunch of games second half of last year. We got off to a decent start but became totally boring and predictable and they ran over the top of us. Which Max confirmed is pretty much the internal view of the season now too.

Tbh I don't think the team is over being prone to this. Still seen many occasions this year when we get out to a lead and start our boring 'control' mode which gives opposition teams very little trouble.

 

[Lord Nev]

Anyways, here's a post about the upcoming game...

Some second hand info via a mate of a mate at training today:

Fritsch looks all good. Moving fine, took a speccy at one stage too. Will play.

Grundy training purely as a ruck and taking on Gawn in match sim. Doesn't look a chance given that.

Joel Smith training in Melks role against Lever - possible matchup for Moore.

Tomlinson in the B Team lining up against TMac, so doesn't seem likely.

 

[dazzledavey36]

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

I try not to remember the game too closely but my recollection is we lost this game the same way we lost a bunch of games second half of last year. We got off to a decent start but became totally boring and predictable and they ran over the top of us. Which Max confirmed is pretty much the internal view of the season now too.

Tbh I don't think the team is over being prone to this. Still seen many occasions this year when we get out to a lead and start our boring 'control' mode which gives opposition teams very little trouble.

I think we've proven we can score and comeback when behind at least this year, unlike last year we were massive front runners... So thats nice to have in the locker.

 

[Topkent]

I couldn't think of anything worse, being in a place with influencers.

Some ******* was doing a giveaway at the mall and all these kids were surrounding him yelling and screaming. Nearly flykicked me way through teenagers and I think security would have let me

 

[LarryDavidNeitz]

Anyways, here's a post about the upcoming game...

Some second hand info via a mate of a mate at training today:

Fritsch looks all good. Moving fine, took a speccy at one stage too. Will play.

Grundy training purely as a ruck and taking on Gawn in match sim. Doesn't look a chance given that.

Joel Smith training in Melks role against Lever - possible matchup for Moore.

Tomlinson in the B Team lining up against TMac, so doesn't seem likely.

All seems pretty much as anticipated. Not surprised they'd give Smith first crack at Moore but just don't think he'll have the smarts, and I'm worried about what Plan B is when that doesn't work.

We could try just not kicking it straight to Moore, but that doesn't really fit our BRAND.