FRIDAY ON MY MIND

[Jaded No More 60,104]

The thing that killed me was the lack of accountability.

Sitting very high up, you get a great view of the structure and time and time again, Essendon were clearly ready to switch sides and yet nobody, not a single Melbourne player, would run to the open side. And lets not even mention the amount of lose players in Essendon's forward 50.

If the second quarter was all about hope, the third quarter was all about wanting to kill yourself and everyone around you.

Young teams, particularly those who lack leadership, are prone to inconsistency, but the body language and lack of intensity in the third was really unacceptable.

Thank goodness for Jurrah, Watts and Grimes. Three reasons to smile.

[45HG 1,539]

3rd quarters...

[Doggo 32]

The thing that killed me was the lack of accountability.

Sitting very high up, you get a great view of the structure and time and time again, Essendon were clearly ready to switch sides and yet nobody, not a single Melbourne player, would run to the open side. And lets not even mention the amount of lose players in Essendon's forward 50.

If the second quarter was all about hope, the third quarter was all about wanting to kill yourself and everyone around you.

Young teams, particularly those who lack leadership, are prone to inconsistency, but the body language and lack of intensity in the third was really unacceptable.

Sitting up in the clouds, (row 'x' high enough for you? I could touch the roof!) I noticed the same thing over and over. Fat side switch, over and over again. Whatever happened to manning up?

The third quarter really just broke my heart. After such promise in the 2nd, to come out after half time and see that lack of intensity... very very disappointing. What is going on in there at half time?

It's almost like the drinks they have during the break are laced with Valium! The team just went to sleep, and the body language was all wrong.

As an aside, i've been as big a fan and admirer of robbo since 1997, but sad as it is to say, he's finished. Lack of 2nd efforts, continually losing his feet, and generally just looking lazy and not interested. Not to mention zero leadership. Very sad.

And Scott Lucas is done as well. God he was shocking for them.

[heartbeatstrue 57]

We disgraced ourselves Queen's Birthday, in front of a big national audience. It's horrible being a supporter after that miserable 'effort', you just want the next game to hurry along to redeem us all - players, coaches, supporters alike.

Well, here it was. So, how was it?

Overall very poor. Third quarter was pathetic. Again in front of a national audience. It's still too raw, but here are a few major gripes.

1. Overall, no pressure. Where is the intensity? Too many players hanging back, soft.

2. Poor coaching, what were the setups? The plan? How were goals to be scored, other than simply by pot luck? It looked awful. If it wan't poor coaching, then the players deserve a rocket for not executing whatever was meant to be happening. Except in the last qtr when they started to use the corridor.

3. Skills overall are woeful. Kicking was bad, decision-making (eg. Paul Johnson giving away a mindless 50 metres and goal) just doesn't improve. Obviously skills are being worked on, so why aren't they improving? Players reached their limit of ability, or coaches not getting through? We supporters have a lot more suffering ahead.

4. Shocking umpiring. Most Melbourne tackles were paid as in-the-back frees to Essendon. Blatantly one-sided, if it was chance then it was a remarkable lesson in statistics. It will be interesting to see the overall free kick ratio. At one stage it was 11 to 4. At the very least, the umpires were far too quick with the whistle, that alone ruins a game.

Positives? Loved watching Jurrah, he's exciting, anything can happen and it's usually good. Should have had at least another goal if someone had used their brain and shepherded the ball through. Again, big question mark over decision-making. Loved Watts' first goal, and seeing the second go right through the middle. Please, don't let Jack catch the 'soft' disease. Grimes is good. Bate did well. Not enough from the seniors in the side.

Sadly another week for hanging the heads.

[Ryan Dee 140]

Does anyone else think we look for Davey to much?

He is a great kick and should set up play but at times it's as if they (the players) stop and look for him then pass it to him, some players just need to stand up and create play for themselves.

Morton was VERY VERY poor tonight.

Watts look very raw. Cant expect much more though, we need to keep playing him. If he gets around 10 - 13 touches and a goal a game he deserves to stay in.

[Doggo 32]

The 50 against Johnson was ridiculous. The player was off, pure and simple.

Scott McLaren is a joke.

[45HG 1,539]

(Amended from the last time I posted it)

Premiership Quarter:

Melbourne - 24.20: 164

Opposition - 52.48: 360

ROUND 1 3.1 - 4.2 Loss 7 points (quarter), Loss 34 points (match), 21% (of the margin)

ROUND 2 2.2 - 6.4 Loss 26 points, Loss 53 points, 49%

ROUND 3 3.1 - 6.7 Loss 24 points, Loss 57 points, 42%

ROUND 4 3.4 - 4.1 Loss 3 points, Won 8 points, 27% (of possible margin)

ROUND 5 1.3 - 1.1 Win 2 points, Loss 17 points, -11%

ROUND 6 2.1 - 3.9 Loss 14 points, Loss 43 points, 33%

ROUND 7 3.0 - 4.5 Loss 11 points, Loss 8 points, 136%

ROUND 8 1.1 - 3.4 Loss 15 points, Loss 7 points, 214%

ROUND 9 4.4 - 5.2 Loss 4 points, Loss 22 points, 18%

ROUND 10 0.0 - 3.3 Loss 21 points, Loss 37 points, 57%

ROUND 11 1.3 - 6.4 Loss 33 points, Loss 66 points, 50%

ROUND 12 1.0 - 7.6 Loss 42 points, Loss 48 points, 88%

Percentage - 45.56

Won one quarter - 1.3 to 1.1 against the Crows.

In total this season we have lost by 384 points. We have lost 3rd quarters by 196, which is more than half of the total points of our losses.

This needs to be improved!!!!!

[Jaded No More 60,104]

Sitting up in the clouds, (row 'x' high enough for you? I could touch the roof!)

My view of Jack Watts' first goal:

Good thing I taped it and can watch the second quarter again!

As an aside, i've been as big a fan and admirer of robbo since 1997, but sad as it is to say, he's finished. Lack of 2nd efforts, continually losing his feet, and generally just looking lazy and not interested. Not to mention zero leadership. Very sad.

I'm a huge fan, but he is really really struggling. Will stay in the side until the end of the year and should then retire. Would be a shame if he tarnished his career with a really [censored] ending. He is so much better than that.

On a totally separate note, Stef was pretty good up forward I thought. Much better as a leading forward than a FF it seems.

Don't know whether long term he has what it takes to be a key forward, but he certainly did alright. He is like the new Miller though, being thrown around the ground like a ragdoll.

By the way, your boy did a lot better in the ruck tonight as well. Shame about the inability to use the ball though!

Please, don't let Jack catch the 'soft' disease.

Laid a fierce tackle in the last, which really impressed me. He has really good intensity, and is constantly finding space. Shame about the idiots around him who literally refuse to kick it to him. I knew Davey would kick to Jurrah at every opportunity, but FFS the boy is tall and blonde, it's not that hard to pick him out!

Also, his handballing abilities are ridiculous (in a good way). Lets hope that, like swine flu, his deadly skills are contagious (again, in a good way).

Edit: I never thought anything at a game of football could surpass Melbourne's crapness. Well done McLaren you tool.

[heartbeatstrue 57]

Does anyone else think we look for Davey to much?

He is a great kick and should set up play but at times it's as if they (the players) stop and look for him then pass it to him, some players just need to stand up and create play for themselves.

Morton was VERY VERY poor tonight.

Watts look very raw. Cant expect much more though, we need to keep playing him. If he gets around 10 - 13 touches and a goal a game he deserves to stay in.

Yeah agree, there's quite a few who instinctively look for Davey now and give it to him even if he's in no better or even a worse position. It looks like big lack of confidence in their own skills and decision making. At least Green has a go himself. We need many more ball carriers out of defence.

Morton doesn't deserve a game next week after tonight's 'effort'.

Watts needs some leadership around him up forward, someone to fly the flag and instil some toughness in him. I'm worried all he's going to get by way of example is soft players who won't apply defensive pressure. It's as contagious as swine flu.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,000]

I'm seeing a small hole in the Melbourne defensive structure. It's about thirty meters out, directly in front of goal. Seems that nobody is allowed to run into that space or something because the opposition always take uncontested marks there.

I went into half time today thinking good thoughts. We were playing well. Three players had kicked their first goals. We were in touch. Sadly, during the long break some fiend stole all of our team jumpers and put them on a flock of sheep and let them out on the ground. They ran around in circles and looked understandably lost, while the opposition kicked goals at will (I often feel sorry for Will, but today i'm too sorry for all Melbourne supporters to bother with him). It was possible the worst quarter of football I have ever seen.

All in all I think it's a good thing we aren't planning on challenging for a premiership until 2012-2014. It'll take at least that long to fix this rabble.

[Dannyz 2,354]

Forward line structure is terrible but there is no solution.

Bate doesn't work hard enough, Miller just doesnt find enough of the footy and Robbo has seen better days.

[heartbeatstrue 57]

Laid a fierce tackle in the last, which really impressed me. He has really good intensity, and is constantly finding space.

Edit: I never thought anything at a game of football could surpass Melbourne's crapness. Well done McLaren you tool.

I liked Watts' ability to find space, and he's a lovely accurate kick. Think his tackles will be better when he's bulked up and stronger. Not sure how quick he is, though.

McLaren was ably supported by his two cronies. They loved the Friday night national stage, it was all about them and they made sure every opportunity that they were central, getting noticed. And they kept the Essendon crowd happy, mostly.

If there was any justice, not one of them would umpire next week. Our game deserves far more professional umpiring than the self indulgent crap we suffered tonight. But then, they're not accountable for such pathetic performances.

[Doggo 32]

My view of Jack Watts' first goal:

On a totally separate note, Stef was pretty good up forward I thought. Much better as a leading forward than a FF it seems.

Don't know whether long term he has what it takes to be a key forward, but he certainly did alright. He is like the new Miller though, being thrown around the ground like a ragdoll.

By the way, your boy did a lot better in the ruck tonight as well. Shame about the inability to use the ball though!

Not far at all from where we were sitting. I was probably only one or two bays to the right of where you were, maybe a bit closer to the centre, and definitely further back. Row 'x' is actually the back row at Etihad. First time i've ever sat in the back row of any stadium, ever. I literally could touch the roof! Was kinda nice not having anyone sitting behind me though, LOL...

Agree re Martin up forward. Kicked a very nice goal, and overall looked pretty comfortable there and also the Martin/Miller comment. I wish they would just settle him down in one spot, although being so new to the game, every match he plays is a learning experience for him. So no doubt it will make him a better player for the future. Has the potential to be anything really, except probably a ruckman... watching Hooker and Martin ruck against each was pretty entertaining. Two raw young athletes, both new to the game. They kept looking at each other with a "what do we do?" kinda look in the centre contests

And PJ did alright too, though yes, his disposal at times still wasn't great. Won some contested footy and used his body a lot better tonight though, looked like he got a few lessons from the Russian over the break. Did the 'big man' things that normally aren't his strength pretty well, like blocks for his midfielders and hitting to advantage. Had one real shocker of a kick coming out of defence that came straight back in for a goal, but overall wasn't the worst in that regard. Green, Bruce and even Flash and Grimes butchered it quite a bit too.

Clint Bartram's ball use and place in the AFL absolutely mystifies me. Can't ever question his endeavour or guts, but gee... he really is the new Simon Godfrey.

[Jaded No More 60,104]

What is the deal with the bomber sirens that Essendon use before they come out onto the ground?

As someone who grew up in what often turns into a war zone, and has heard those sounds many times before, it was really unsettling.

I can think of a few countries where using that as a precursor to a match would result in mass chaos and thousands of people bolting towards the door! Alternatively you can just make them watch Melbourne play :D

Bartram is running on endeavor. Love him, and really feel for what he has gone through, but his ball use is so bad that there is no way he would ever be good enough to be a contributor in a premiership side. Needs to go.