It amazes me people take Champion Data seriously.
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They made and won a final last year. We ain’t won ■■■■ for 15 years.
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I agree we deserve the heat we are getting, but they are getting a free pass.
They haven’t won a flag in 55 years and only appeared in 2 GFs (and got smashed in both) in that time.
Imagine making only 2 Grand Finals in all that time, and the 2 years you do, you come up against 2 of the best sides in history ?
The Melbourne sides of 1988 and 2000 weren’t great by any means, but sometimes timing is everything.
Perhaps not the best seasons to make a GF 
BOG ruckman, won all the key stats, like clearances, I50s contested possessions etc.
Just shows, the only stat that matters in the end is the scoreboard.
I think their forward line is actually worse than ours.
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It is worse than ours.
Hogan for May is a bust this year.
but maybe hitting draft earlier and having a fit may next year will be good in the long run.
Only blokes like Hibbo and Melksham getting older.
And next year Lewis and Jones may have departed.
Add in Lever and May and their defence is solid.
but they need to work on their forwardline. - weidman has scope to improve, but they need mroe outpout from medium/small forwards too.
People ask what is our game plan?
It’s a paragon of clarity compared to Melbourne- their ball movement from defence and going forward is an absolute schemozzle.
They have reasonable to good players- but no cohesion.
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They just do not get any value for fwd entries
Poor kicks inside 50 and poor goal kicking accuracy
Had Pies on toast in that last quarter but just were not capitalizing
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Hmmm… now where have I heard that before? Reminds me of another team…
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They are getting it inside 50 more than enough to kick a decent score, but they are getting no return. The complete opposite to Essendon 2017, when we were in the bottom 4-5 teams for inside 50s yet the #3 ranked offence for points scored. We were the most efficient attacking team in the AFL that year. I hope we can get back to that soon!
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If you think we (or Melbourne) are bad you should go watch Yarra Glen on the weekend.
You’d swear once the ball gets forward of centre the players are kicking into mini tornados with a flat footy
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Their mid to forward connection is non existent, and much worse than ours (which is saying something).
They have periods of midfield domination, but get no scoreboard reward because they fluff around with the footy too much, or if they do win the ball within range, they waste their chances more than any other team.
Their best and most dangerous forward currently in the side (Melk inj.) is Hunt.
He has some real X-factor and provides defensive pressure.
Unfortunately, unless he is kicking from the square, he is a 50/50 proposition going for goal.
Weiderman is tracking well again once coming back from his stint at Casey.
McDonald is struggling big time.
No confidence at all, which is NOT helping to mask the loss of Hogan.
Hannan is a decent player, but is miles off it ATM.
Should be finding touch in the ressies.
Their small forwards are the worst in the league…THE WORST.
Spargo is not AFL standard.
Doesn’t have any standout qualities.
Garlett is completely cooked.
I’d be surprised if he plays more than 4 more games !
Patracca is an enigma, but will improve.
Another who needs to work on his ball drop.
They need to recruit some benfti specials to restock their small forwards.
Lewis will retire (along with Garlett).
N.Jetta and Jones are getting older, but will play on next year.
They need to work out what they are doing with Preuss.
They could easily bounce back next year, but they have some work to do off season.
Both in personnel and game style.
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They’ve got a hugely unbalanced list
I said it last year too
Great inside brigade
Best ruckman in the comp
Good forward, backline
Their outside mids are Jayden Hunt and…
Rubbish run, both ways
and he’s not even a mid.
The only guy prepared to run and carry is Hibberd.
If any team is going to pry Isaac Smith away from the Hawks, it should be Melb.
Not that he helps defensive actions much.
Would give that midfield a different look though.
They should go ‘all or nothing’ on the next 2 seasons IMO.
They would love Zaha too.
discussing how bad melbourne are is much more enjoyable than lamenting our shabby season.
or talking about how good collingwood is.
play on.
DKP ‘likes’ this post.
Had a good forward line. Not much there now. Read online they are into Keath now as well. Going to be a stacked backline. Shame there isn’t anyone to kick goals.
What changed in 2018?
- Skippy moved to the midfield coaching role,
and - Green tailed off due to injury?/form -15 goals
3 Stringer came in + 30 goal contribution. - -55 goal contribution from Joe
- Tippa -5 goals
Nett change approx -40 goals
Joe + Brown, Tippa + Green + Raz was dynamite.
TBH, I think Green was underrated, not for the number of goals, but the additional dynamic of 3 fast running smalls which was too much for most sides to handle.
In the next year, forward half pressure became the “thing” and we have never re-captured the fast overlap run of the Tippa-Green-Raz swarm.
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