The aftermath: how do you feel about our prospects now?

pietillidie · Joined: 07 Jan 2005

Many posters were doubtful we could win this, so one would expect for many nothing has changed. I always have high hopes of us taking another step, but it's still going to take time to wean the next generation into the side.

One good thing overall was the level of competitiveness; something which was absent from the previous week. That's the minimum I expect from the team.

Mind you, it's still disappointing knowing there's such a gap between us and the top two teams. And nothing grates like another loss to St.Kilda of all shite clubs Mad

But it's a long year and MM has always been one to plan for the pointy end. Our side is clearly unsettled, most notably up forward but also in the middle, so once we get the system right there are gains to be had simply from the side settling. One possibility is we see a mixed first half of the year while we get our systems right, sort out who is going to play where, and work out how to flip from the style required to beat the Bulldogs, which we're good at, to the style required to beat bigger bodied defensive sides.

Wins over the best clubs just don't get handed out according to expectations. Our success this year will depend heavily on how we settle by mid-year, and whether or not we can make it to the halfway point in touch with the top four.

Piethagoras' Theorem · the hypotenuse, is always a cakewalk Joined: 29 May 2006

kicking is a massive concern, are we really that bad? Other than that I think we're pretty good, probably 3 or 4 goals away from the best 2 teams which for mine are still clearly the saints and cats. Yes, long way to go though

OEP · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Location: Perth

I feel fine about the prospects for the season. It's only round three and so far we've convincingly beaten one of the Premiership favorites on their preferred ground, won a game normally we would have lost against poor quality opposition, and lost a game we should have won to another of the Premiership favorites.

Not the perfect start, but not a bad start and plenty of improvement still to come.

ThePieMind · Joined: 11 Apr 2009

I commented on Poise and Polish after the match - that's going to be our main issue this year.

And its the POLISH, that I am most concerned will be the difference between us and the better sides.

We need to becoming much "CLEANER" in everything we do

ANNODAM · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 3:20 pm

Thankfully for us it's only round 3. No time to panic just yet.

The next 6wks will reveal a clearer picture of where we're headed.

bwphantom · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 3:20 pm

2-1 feeling pretty good about that actually. Come back in round 19 or 20 and ask again?

The way some morons on here are acting anyone would believe we have lost all 3 games and have no chance of making the 8 this season.

Pull your $�$%^%%$ HEADS IN!

Sultan of spin · Joined: 31 Aug 2003 Location: Burnley

My opinion hasn't changed we were always gonna be up against it last night especially without Shaw, we will be a lot better back at the G and with our best player back in

STOKA35 · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Mount Barker. South Australia

we were competitive but did not take the chances in front of goals, Kick those goals and we put pressure on there coaching staff and players to respond.

swoop42 · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 4:03 pm

The next 3 weeks will tell the story for me.

Hawthorn is 50/50 but if we can't perform against our biggest rivals in a final like atmosphere and win them both we haven't made one ounch of progress.

Prometheus · Joined: 21 May 2007

Prospects ? we have Prospects ?

Pa Marmo · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 4:22 pm

6th to 8th on the ladder

sq3 · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Location: Gold Coast/Tampa

I did tip the Saints by 36.

The most disappointing thing is the poor skills levels that the Pies continue to show and also that MM does not rate skills very highly at all.

Very surprising considering his brother-in-law is a golf coach and he always preaches skills, skills, skills.

But then again a good pro golfer will make more in a year than a great AFL player in a lifetime. Very Happy

melliot · Joined: 07 Apr 2006 Location: Bendigo

I thought after the Doggies game we'd finally made that extra step in team development and in the competition. However, after last night i see we haven't really progressed much from last year (that is the 4th best team). we should have won it. No excuses.

It is April and there is more than enough games to get the team playing better. Much better. Last year we were 1-2 and not played the best teams.

2-1 is a start I would have taken, considering the Dogs and Saints were two of the sides we had in the first 3 games.

But I have serious concerns about the hunger of several of our "stars". Will be watching them closely over the next few weeks to see if they are proper senior players serious about winning a flag or just there for the ride.

While not giving up hope, I've nearly resigned to think realisticly we can't win it. We'd have to pinch it by surprise rather than being the best. (if you understand my drift).

stui magpie · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 6:06 pm

f*(k we have a lot of pessimists as supporters.

We outplayed them for most of the game and lost it by poor kicking and decisions in the forward line.

So after round 3, we've beaten the dogs comfortably, got over a fired up Melbourne and lost to the Saints in a game we should have won.

I'd say that's actually an improvement on last year at this stage and I still think we're on track for top 4 at worst.

jack_spain · Joined: 03 May 2008