That shutting down tactic

[Kit Walker 225]

now we know he didnt just kick a goal.. and we know he stuffed up big time.. but persit with your strain of logic if you wish...it just doesnt stack up to what HAPPENED !! does it ??

No, but we do know he was about 20 metres from the interchange gate when it occurred and that Bailey is reknowned for using a high number of interchange rotations.

Assumption doesn't mean the same thing as logic.

I get where CB is coming from because he believes that kicking long to a contest of roughly even numbers in the forward half is a good option. I generally disagree from Melbourne's point of view with our current playing stocks but it's a valid view. I don't know the point you're making.

[Jaded No More 68,867]

On the replay they were saying that Meesen was given the instruction from Bruce to hold the ball up.

When we inevitably turned it over 10 seconds later, Bailey lost his [censored] in the box (well it was the most animated I have ever seen him :D) and then Bruce was taken off. Coincidence perhaps, but not only did Bruce give out the wrong instruction, he also had a hand in successfully screwing the brilliant tactic of shutting the game down with 8 minutes left in the quarter, when we're 30 points up (with a [censored] handball or something along those lines)!

Of course this is not a Bruce issue, but it is so incredibly sad to know that our senior players don't have the belief in themselves that they are actually capable of sustaining a winning effort. To 'ice a game' before half time is idiotic to the extreme when you are smashing your opponent.

It is only a valid option when you are having a mountain of goals kicked against you, and you're trying to stop the bleeding. Then that tactic has merit, although again, if you cannot execute it properly chances are you'll only contribute to a bigger loss.

[Yze_Magic 3]

On the replay they were saying that Meesen was given the instruction from Bruce to hold the ball up.

When we inevitably turned it over 10 seconds later, Bailey lost his [censored] in the box (well it was the most animated I have ever seen him :D) and then Bruce was taken off. Coincidence perhaps, but not only did Bruce give out the wrong instruction, he also had a hand in successfully screwing the brilliant tactic of shutting the game down with 8 minutes left in the quarter, when we're 30 points up (with a [censored] handball or something along those lines)!

Of course this is not a Bruce issue

yes it is.

[H_T 3,043]

To 'ice a game' before half time is idiotic to the extreme when you are smashing your opponent.

I will just make one additional word to that sentence Jaded.....:-

To 'ice a game' WELL before half time is idiotic to the extreme when you are smashing your opponent.

[45HG 1,539]

To me it summed up the lack of leadership our team really has at present, especially in the absence of Green and Mcdonald.

I enjoyed Richmond's painfully slow play at about the 25 minute mark of the last quarter...what were they waiting for?

[H_T 3,043]

To me it summed up the lack of leadership our team really has at present, especially in the absence of Green and Mcdonald.

I enjoyed Richmond's painfully slow play at about the 25 minute mark of the last quarter...what were they waiting for?

Was that also a sign of us implementing a good defensive zone, plugging holes?

[45HG 1,539]

If it wasn't Richmond, I'd say yes

[DangerousDemon 3]

the tactic has merit. we just dont have the players to do it. the ball needs to be in the hands of a whelan, wheatley, jnr, garland rather than a warnock and meesen etc (his kick in the 2nd quarter was the dumbest thing ive ever seen)

we did try it too early in the second quarter though.

This cost us the momentum and two goals by my reasoning it was a really silly change of tempo in my book wrong time to do it. We were nailing Richmond in clearances and contested ball and gave them back the ascendancy.

[DaveyJones'sLocker 647]

im pri sure there was about 5 mins left for all those who are saying 10 mins etc.. prob a lil long to start kicking backwards.... but how can a player directing his team to hold possesion be such a big issue.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

im pri sure there was about 5 mins left for all those who are saying 10 mins etc.. prob a lil long to start kicking backwards.... but how can a player directing his team to hold possesion be such a big issue.

Five minutes of game time, but the quarter went for about 32 minutes in total (ten minutes after the slow down debacle). It's interesting to see from watching On The Couch, that in an almost identical situation Carlton tried the same thing against Sydney and it cost them a goal instead creating a potential scoring opportunity.

[titan_uranus 24,974]

im pri sure there was about 5 mins left for all those who are saying 10 mins etc.. prob a lil long to start kicking backwards.... but how can a player directing his team to hold possesion be such a big issue.

Because it wasn't the right call from a senior player. He didn't realise how much time was still left, and even if it had been closer to half time, we don't have the necessary skill to attempt to play a short-kicking, possession-retaining game.

[beelzebub 23,313]

Difference betwen holding position and killing momentum. Essentially Bruce totally misread the situation.. this seems borne out by the visual of his ( Baileys's) consternation and subsequent benching. Bruces incapacity to make many decisons correctly in play is a worry..detracts from all his effort.

Good teams.. winning teams take other teams apart when vulnerable..for mine to attempt a innapropriate "icing" of a game is tantamount to panicking. when you have 30-60 secs in a qtr by all means slow it down..ice it even...not when 1/4..(at least ) of a qtr is left.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

To me it summed up the lack of leadership our team really has at present, especially in the absence of Green and Mcdonald.

I enjoyed Richmond's painfully slow play at about the 25 minute mark of the last quarter...what were they waiting for?

It was something that Melbourne did in the first three weeks.

[beelzebub 23,313]

Probably goes to why Jnr was chosen..alas he wasnt on the field

[DaveyJones'sLocker 647]

so wat? kick to contest? richmond turnover goal?

maybe it was the wrong decision from bruce if we are going to belive Ricky O from channel 7 ... no one knows wat could have happened if we didnt do it

it is the least we have to worry about...

[beelzebub 23,313]

again..for those incapable of reading a complete thread..yes..kicking to a contest can be better. Few contests are 50-50. When in ascendency and numbers prevail you either recoup the ball of force a oundary throw in in your neck of woods.. Somewhat better than the outcome as happened ??

[dreamin' man 0]

im pri sure there was about 5 mins left for all those who are saying 10 mins etc.. .

six minutes to go when I sat down to write that. I was listening on the radio in perth & the commentators were bagging the dees for the tactics & then saying they deserved to get that goal kicked against them. bad move, way too early in the quarter &, of course, poorly executed.