R1 - Mariners v WSW Grand Final Rematch

[midfielder]

I did not hear the cannon ...

Hugely impressed with storm boy ... he is better than Pedj...

Flores IMO the best on park by a fair margin.... he looks pure class ... with Fitzy & weeMac each side with Duke up front speed and skill to burn....

 

[rbakersmith]

I heard the cannon loud and clear from Bay 38; the brass band less so, and unless I happened to be looking toward Bay 16 at the time I couldn't hear the mega at all.

I thought the band was a fantastic idea - I can't wait to hear them in full flight against Adelaide in a couple of weeks.

RBB were their usual obnoxious selves. Somehow I don't think they're going to get their pullovers back this season, given that it's tied to not pulling any flares and they pulled at least 2 last night.

Something really needs to be done with the GA allocation for Mariners Mates and the 3/6 game memberships for the "premium games" - it was embarrassing seeing the "sold out" sign go up only to be 3,000 short in attendance, and frustrating since those who wanted to use "bring a friend" vouchers couldn't. Perhaps they could implement a window that closes 1-2 weeks before the game where you indicate whether you are going to use your allocation.

As for the game itself...

I think for the start of the season, with a side that's still coming together vs a side with very few changes, we did immensely well. Arnie mentioned in the post-match function that there were 4 players wanting to come off towards the end and I think it showed; a few more games should see the team firing on all cylinders.

Very impressed with Pasfield's shot-stopping; not so with his distribution and playing out of the box. I think he needs to watch a few clips of what happened to Coe when he did that in February to be reminded of what can happen.

I'm eternally grateful to Ange for letting Flores go and to MVFC for paying part of his wages. He's going to be extremely successful here once he and the rest of the team get on the same page (I'd love to know the secrets of his eye contact with Duke). If anyone wants a reason why Ange shouldn't be Socceroos coach, you just need to look at how he handled Flores.

Pedj... Pedj who? Storm did an amazing job last night - let's hope we can hold on to him past the end of his contract.

Looking forward to a win down in Melbourne next week.

 

[eenfish]

Typical 442 no picture of our tifo or even our fans. I couldnt here the brass band i was behind them how did everyone like them???

The band was brilliant, a bit awkward but some fine tuning and getting comfortable and it will be tops.

Also I totally agree with your ratings, Wombat. Probably wouldn't give Pas a 9/10, but apart form that spot on.
Really liked Roux, loved that Simon-Flores get together for the goal, fantastic stuff. Ando did look a bit off, and Siep didn't impress me as much as Trent did.

 

[tsd]

RBB - disgraceful bunch of animals as always

Really? i didnt see anything disgraceful, if anything i think they are fantastic. 5k at an away game causing way less trouble than a hand full of squadrunts. ive had plenty of friendly interactions, had at least 10 of them congratulated me after the grand final

they support a different team but i think they do it really well

 

[rbakersmith]

they support a different team but i think they do it really well

Aside from the toilet paper and the flares...

Did anyone check the condition of the seats down that end after the game?

 

[eenfish]

The most violent interaction I had with a Wanderer fan this weekend was when someone flipped me the bird from inside their car on the F3 on my way to the game because I had my Mariners flag flying out the window.

 

[shipwreck]

Concur about RBB I'll host them any day over half that many jets fans...

 

[Ancient Mariner]

Concur about RBB I'll host them any day over half that many jets fans...

Agree fully.

 

[true believer]

Concur about RBB I'll host them any day over half that many jets fans...

I had a chat with a bloke from my old stomping ground.about piss ant town
i'd host them (the rbb) over del piero fc,scum and tards any day

 

[priorpeter]

Well done, yellow army... is the brass band going to be regular?

Cheers brother, and it sure is!

 

[Forum Phoenix]

All been said really. Agree with most. Surprised some thought they outplayed us though. Their interplay was nowhere near as good as ours, they're strength is their defensive organisation and Beauchamp and NTS are a very solid pairing, and made more so having Mooy in front of them.

Pedj won't be missed.
Weemac will always be missed. Best player in the HAL for mine.
Pasfield was great.
Duke will be a strong contender for Golden boot.
Fitzy had a great first half.
Monty and Hutch were terrific.
Rose had a very poor first half I though, but a much improved second.

Flores did get tired, but he worked hard defensively and basically I thought ran himself into the ground looking to impress us. And he did. I like that kind of heart.
His sub came ten minutes too late for me though, you could see he was out on his feet before the cramp - and that's actually when momentum began to shift, not on his substitution.
It was just exacerbated from there by our tactics, as when we made subs we clearly shifted to a more defensive mind set. The world over this lesson repeats and repeats... that you invite trouble. And the fact that Hutch and Monty, who had worked so hard and surely had to be tiring, and then Matty S came on and sadly never held the ball up effectively, and he had just replaced the player who had been doing that best on the field - combined with the rub of the green falling the other way.... and well, the typical result... you cop one back.

But, we never start 100% out of the gates. We build, and the building blocks look great.

 

[nebakke]

For mine, I think the but that had me unsettled, was the amount of times that the boys clearly weren't entirely confident about their positions, in the first half. It felt like there were a lot of times where they were almost fighting each other over the ball, rather than WSW. Flores, Monty and Duke/Sterj all falling over themselves to try to help each other out, ending up causing trouble for themselves in stead. Similar things were happening in the defence, but I think that perhaps, was a bit more justifiable as Hutch did a decent job trying to cover any gaps or uncertainties between Trent and Ando.
I do think that these are quite obvious signs that it's just early in the season... This is exactly the sort of thing you'd expect from a team that's still finding it's feet, it's fair enough, it just surprised me for some reason (it really shouldn't), I think mainly because it is such a contrast to last year for example, where I felt more like everyone knew their place, they were just uncertain about everyone else's, which is marginally different but doesn't look as clumpsy

All-in-all, once again, I though it was a positive result and again, YA impressed as always lately

 

[true believer]

All-in-all, once again, I though it was a positive result and again, YA impressed as always lately

the lad wants to go and stand in bay 16 . were definitely gunna need a training pen for girls and lads
and old blokes aging disgracefully.

maybe a training day game

 

[FFC Mariner]

Old farts congregate at the back.

 

[Kareem]

1) nobody will ever be able to match Ryan's ability with his feet
For goodness sake look at casillas...he is woeful with his feet.
Just as long as pad field realise that, and our coaches don't tell him to take risks

2) Flores: he was quite clearly a class above.
I think our attackers made him look bad.
Several times he held the ball waiting for the right run, the other opening!
He even looked frustrated once or twice!

Give him time...
And he will send duke to brazil

 

[eenfish]

1) nobody will ever be able to match Ryan's ability with his feet
For goodness sake look at casillas...he is woeful with his feet.
Just as long as pad field realise that, and our coaches don't tell him to take risks

2) Flores: he was quite clearly a class above.
I think our attackers made him look bad.
Several times he held the ball waiting for the right run, the other opening!
He even looked frustrated once or twice!

Give him time...
And he will send duke to brazil

Very accurate re: Flores. At times it looks like he was trying things three steps ahead of where our other forwards were thinking. He would pass it to open space where our players should run, and it worked real well with Duke's goal. Top stuff.

 

[Rocket]

Watching the replay, Flores actually pointed to where he was going to play the ball for Duke to run on too and score. This will be brilliant when surrounding players make the run in anticipation of his passing. Flores first touch in most situations was first class, I lost count of the number of times he glided past a WSW player effortlessly. Feeling good about how we are shaping up as a squad.

 

[true believer]

it's amusing that so many people are chortling about storm guy.
he had a big game .no doubt.
then again rosey marked hersey who in my opion is the second best player in the A league(the glinch
is the best) he got away, once ! by tearing roses shirt nearly off ,with a lines man 2 metres away ?
that was their goal !
umm people

 

[sally]

Had a great time as always. Flores showed the class he is- so happy to have him. Pasfield gave me some heart in the mouth stuff but saved us many times. Roux was great. A team that has a lot of new players looks to have jelled very well.
We are in band 6 and could hear the trumpet and drums but not a lot else- not the mega. Having said that- without it I'm sure we wouldn't have heard anything at all against the RBB.
Loved the cannon. Hated the new mascots. Loved the "Loose Cannon" handout. Sorry didn't notice the tifo at all.
As for RBB-we somehow got caught up in their walk back and couldn't get past police barricades. 2 of us walked all the way back around the club and had no problem at all. Civilised friendly discussions with quite a few. Maybe we look too old to harass.
Was hoping for a win for my birthday but think a draw was fair.

 

[Yoda]

A view of the Tifo from the top deck