Post match. Pies down by 9 - All comments please

[spoljar]

Davis miss was the turning point as ithers have said. If he kicked it, Melbourne may well have dropped their heads.

Right on the money Lone Ranger. Did you see the Melbourne players as they walked off the ground at half time? They were just about down for the count. That goal would have killed them off without a doubt!

[Adz]

Last quater effort was a disgrace. Lonie seemed disinterested, putting his hands on hips, not showing any desperation. Cole in the last quater did nothing. Burns and Woey got 2 possi between them in the last quater. 21 tackles to 3.
Shaw must be on the verge of being let go to another club. Why was Wakelin on the bench??
Lokan has gotten an easy ride all season and MUST be droped. Davis can't mark and will never be anygood. 85 games and he is still useless. MM coached terribly. Goodnight 2004.

[Morrigu]

We seemed to go backwards when Laidley left - then improved with us much as it pained me TD - then he was dumped and we got McKenna and we have gone backwards again The assistants seem to play a big role - Ratten is being credited with much of Melbourne's resurrgence - I think we need people who will stand up to MM - not just be yes men!! Certainly this is the widely accepted "rumor" reason that TD was flicked!

What the hell was MM on about with the Hart or Sticks comments - I was listening but obviously missed the point here - anyone enlighten me?

[labrooy]

My god!!! Thank christ we didn't lose by 100 pts.

FFS we lost a game to the third team by 9 points!! It was disappointing and a game we should have won but the way some people are carrying on is incredible.

Blaming Davis is silly. His attempt at goal in the 3rd quarter was pathetic but then J Cloke, who I considered to be our best player on the day, dropped an easy mark in the last quarter 15m from goal. Should we talk about dropping him?

Its one that got away but we still have 10 games left of which we need to win 8 to make the finals. If our guys can start to string 4 quarters together we can do it. Jumping up and down and calling for the heads of the coach or particular players isn't going to do it for us.

[Adz]

What the hell was MM on about with the Hart or Sticks comments - I was listening but obviously missed the point here - anyone enlighten me?

He seems to think we are on the 'right track' but the Bulldogs and Carlton have a bigger chance of making the 8. This season there MUST be a clearout of at least 10 players.

[Adz]

My god!!! Thank christ we didn't lose by 100 pts.

FFS we lost a game to the third team by 9 points!! It was disappointing and a game we should have won but the way some people are carrying on is incredible.

Blaming Davis is silly. His attempt at goal in the 3rd quarter was pathetic but then J Cloke, who I considered to be our best player on the day, dropped an easy mark in the last quarter 15m from goal. Should we talk about dropping him?

Its one that got away but we still have 10 games left of which we need to win 8 to make the finals. If our guys can start to string 4 quarters together we can do it. Jumping up and down and calling for the heads of the coach or particular players isn't going to do it for us.

Either is playing Davis.

[Nath]

Didn't hear the press conference, but on the basis of the names mentioned, I dare say it pertains to how quality teams in the past have always had a quality CHF and how its difficult to win football matches without a CHF standing up.

Adelaide - Carey, minimal impact and lost
Brisbane - Brown, played well, got over the line
Carlton - Whitnall, best game of 2004 from Big Red
Collingwood - Rocca misses, compounds Tarrant out, Pies down by 9
Essendon - Lucas, one sided, lacks direction, not his best game this week
Fremantle - Polak, coming of age. Took contested grabs in poor conditions
Geelong - Graham, quiet game but creates opportunities for the likes of Ablett and Riccardi
Hawthorn - Thompson and Holland, over rated and go missing in big games
Kangaroos - Petrie, still developing, but was lost on Skilled Stadium
Melbourne - Miller, played a roaming role and was excellent at it.
Port Adelaide - Tredrea......superstar
Richmond - ????? They only have one forward and he lacks consistency too
St.Kilda - Riewoldt, played the worst game he has ever played on the weekend
Sydney - Barry Hall....his opponent had 25 odd touches, better on small grounds
West Coast - Ashley Hansen, kicked four on the weekend and looks likely
Western Bulldogs - Rotation of Rawlings, Darcy and Bowden, all good contributors on the weekend, one of which is ultra consistent.

Hence, I can see where MM is coming from, not the be all and end all, but a contributing factor no doubt

[Johnson#26]

Promised so much...delivered little. It pains me to see all the players smiling at each other, grinning and giving slaps on the back when less then a quarter later are all concerned and angry. We had the game in the bag - how could we let that one slip?! The game poses more questions then answers: Why did Jonno take a kick in? Why did Davis kick across his body when the standered drop punt could have just about sealed the game? Why does Davis get so many chances? Talking about chances, we had our. C2 - 30 out in the 2nd, Bucks - 50 out in the 2nd (hard but it was in kicking distance), Lokan - 40 out in the 1st. Not to mention Davis

It was a good effort without Tarrant and Pebbles but to be 30 points up and absoulutely flying and lose really hurts. You could see the Dess lift in the 3rd. They got the run on via Davey. He sparked the side with his despirite efforts and they all lifted accordingly. Speaking about despirite efforts, Nathan Brown. The most underated player in the game again played a part. He was knocked out and very groggy at half time but inspired his side in the last. Any chance of him becoming a Pie next year?? I must play credit to Jason Cloke. His 2nd and 3rd quarters we terrific. He courage and despiration lifted the side and he finally returened to the season 2002 form we all want from the big fella. He won about 4 free kicks in a row in about 5 minutes - great stuff. Cam Cloke also deserves credit. His marking and passion was all class. His best turn out so far. Nick Maxwell as well was also a key. Although he didn't do all that much, he gave a real contest and seemed to relish the challenge to play CHF and did well.

Bucks was good, not great and will be better for the run. Ditto Presti, who looked very rusty. One player I have to bring up is Lokan. I think a spell at Willi bekons.

A good performance but not what we needed. We are still in the race but must win the next 3. Then we are a chance.

[Dids20]

Great effort by the boys to get up by five goals but after that it seemed like a lack of something and 2 key forwards out cost us. First pet hate would have to be Mick Malthouse a close second Leon Davis. Rhyce Shaw played really well to what i saw in the first quarter why did he have hardly any game time after that, please explain someone. Also McGough was leading the clearences for most of the games and possesions and gets taken off. Didnt see him turn it over directly at any stage during the game.
Leon Davis, i've been waiting for him to stand up and become a good small forward but i think his reached his peak and its not going to get much better. He can play week in weak out average 8-10 disposals a game and just over 1 goal. He seems to kick the impossible goal every so often to keep him in the limelight but 2 often he misses snaps straight infront. And seems to go missing for long periods of play, Gone Cold should be changed to Leon Davis he seems to fit the bill perfectly.
Positives now, getting in front of one of the better teams looking the better unit for alot of the game. The Cloke combination looks to be working alrite. C2 should have been in the square in the last quarter a tall option. Maxwell has a future as he doesnt back down at any stage and has a presence about him with pretty good skills. Ruck division looks strong midfield still looks slow but good enough. Back line so-so Wakelin looked disinterested today, Presti was good.
For next week i think i would drop Lokan and Leon. Included Rocca if his fit and .....???

[Doc63]

Its one that got away but we still have 10 games left of which we need to win 8 to make the finals. If our guys can start to string 4 quarters together we can do it. Jumping up and down and calling for the heads of the coach or particular players isn't going to do it for us.

As Rex would say; "Its Oveeeerrrr!!!!!
The fat lady has sung long & loud. 2004 is all over - end of story.
Today was a disgrace, worse than the Carlton game. The Bulldogs have more heart than we do.

[Rocccaaaaa23]

Well a very dissapointing game in the end.

From what I saw we lost because nobody stood up from the middle of the third quarter. We needed a couple of players to really stand up and alas nobody did.

Melbourne a very good side this year and I predicted that we would lose by 40 points. Maybe with Tarrant and Rocca... well God only knows.

I think we will either just make the 8 or just miss out but MM keep playing those kids. It can only benefit us in the long run.

[David]

I cannot believe that people are comparing this loss to the Carlton game....that was a bad loss against a bad team - this game was a tough loss against one of the better teams in the comp.
A lot of people have critiscised Lokan, and he didn't have a great game today. But the courageous mark and great goal when Collingwood looked gone in the last quarter was great.

[spoljar]

I think we will either just make the 8 or just miss out but MM keep playing those kids. It can only benefit us in the long run.

Great point! Although we don't want to completely give up the season, a lot of what we do now needs to be geared towards next season. We need to find out who can and can't play with the younger lads but also who wants to play with some of the more senior players. Particularly some of the players that have now played around 4 seasons!

[Doc63]

I cannot believe that people are comparing this loss to the Carlton game....that was a bad loss against a bad team - this game was a tough loss against one of the better teams in the comp.

Melbourne will be absolutely crushed in the finals and are pretenders. We exposed them today. We should have learnt from the Carlton game, but we havent. If Matera had have held on to that mark last week, the Wet Toast may have run over the top of us as well.

A lot of people have critiscised Lokan, and he didn't have a great game today. But the courageous mark and great goal when Collingwood looked gone in the last quarter was great.

I agree, it was a very courageous mark. To bad a few others werent as inspired.

[sherrife]

I think we will either just make the 8 or just miss out but MM keep playing those kids. It can only benefit us in the long run.

Great point! Although we don't want to completely give up the season, a lot of what we do now needs to be geared towards next season. We need to find out who can and can't play with the younger lads but also who wants to play with some of the more senior players. Particularly some of the players that have now played around 4 seasons!

Mick isn't playing the *RIGHT* youngsters, that's yet another of his problems... Shaw actually is beginning to show some form, and gets benched. MCG is always one of our best players, gets benched. Lokan, didn't do much, was left in at FF and seemingly forgotten by MM. He needs to reward effort and skill, not just pick "favourites" and leave them on the field for whole matches.

Lokan was being double teamed the whole second half, Nicholson absolutely killed us off half back, and Mick didn't see or didn't do anything.

Who needs Chocko Williams when you have Mick who's perfectly capable of going a whole game without making a single creative, offensive move (Presti on Nietz was a no brainer). Top 4 coach my a**

Great one Mick, 8 years and we're back to waiting till 2005-6 for success.