On Triple M after the match Danny Frawley asked Moloney about our forward set up and why we didn't seem to have targets forward of the centre, whether that was intentional or not. Moloney said they were pushing up the ground to help out in stoppages, but that made it difficult for the midfielders when the ball was won as, in his words, it's difficult when you don't have someone presenting towards you. He said we'd be looking at that through the week.

That tells me it wasn't an instruction, or that Moloney and/or other midfielders don't understand the idea of kicking into the space. Either way it told me the 'game plan' is far from functional. Whether or not it is what Bailey wants in the coming years, we play better when we don't have our forwards pushing up the ground. Having players like Green, Bate and Watts deeper and leading towards the ball carrier, not away from them, is what gets us goals.

It's not an instruction, it's just the way the game is played in today's football when you're six goals down and it's pissing with rain.

At times it did seem to bother Moloney as he regularly turned the ball over to a Carlton player. He is not the smartest user of the ball.

It's not an instruction, it's just the way the game is played in today's football when you're six goals down and it's pissing with rain.

How is it beneficial to have nobody forward of the centre or presenting to the ball carrier when it's pissing with rain? That just forces us to go backwards/sideways or over-use the handpass which is more likely to result in a turnover than if we had an option to kick to.

This plan would work a lot better (and has worked a lot better) in the dry.

This plan would work a lot better (and has worked a lot better) in the dry.

Worked a treat against the Bulldogs.

We were asleep for the first quarter and half and our use of the ball was appalling. Our lack of midfield pressure was very very poor early.

it's difficult when you don't have someone presenting towards you. He said we'd be looking at that through the week.

Good to get something like this straight from the horses mouth. We are making the job for our mids nigh on impossible when there is no MO in our forward half. Leigh Matthews summed it up perfectly last night when Richmond kicked about 6 goals in a row - it is amazing how a midfield can perform when they have confidence in their forwards. Yes, they subsequently lost but the point was that their ball use was instincively attacking where the mids didn't have to think twice in what they were doing. The mentality that it comes down to our mids and how they deliver it and that the buck stops with them is so backwards it isn't funny. Our lack of forward system is making an already hard job rediculous.

Worked a treat against the Bulldogs.

No it didn't. We played against the Dogs like we did in the third quarter today. There were lead up targets presenting to the ball carrier.

Our lack of midfield pressure was very very poor early.

Agree. Has been a common theme in our losses (Hawthorn, North Melbourne, West Coast, Carlton), and a common positive in our wins. No surprise there.

Worked a treat against the Bulldogs.

We were asleep for the first quarter and half and our use of the ball was appalling. Our lack of midfield pressure was very very poor early.

Lost the Game in the first 10-15 minutes. There is no excuse for that.

I am sure that both clubs would have known the big wet was coming-Carlton were running flat out in that first Q.

Seen it before so often.

At times it did seem to bother Moloney as he regularly turned the ball over to a Carlton player. He is not the smartest user of the ball.

Can't argue with that, his brand of footy is often antiquated and counterproductive.

Can't argue with that, his brand of footy is often antiquated and counterproductive.

Too many long bombs with no target or benefit.

Before he got OP his kicking was a treat. Now it's pretty mediocre.

The reason this keeps happening is because we find ourselves 5 goals down in the first 15 minutes of almost every game, and hence play defensive catch-up football for the rest of the game.

We have to stop losing games in the first quarter. We are NEVER at the contest until half way through the second quarter, by which time we need to defend against big scores being kicked against us, while also trying to create enough scoring opportunities ourselves.

The reason this keeps happening is because we find ourselves 5 goals down in the first 15 minutes of almost every game, and hence play defensive catch-up football for the rest of the game.

We have to stop losing games in the first quarter. We are NEVER at the contest until half way through the second quarter, by which time we need to defend against big scores being kicked against us, while also trying to create enough scoring opportunities ourselves.

When we're 5 goals down, surely the only way to win is to play a style of football that is going to help us bridge that gap? Can't see how getting defensive after 15 minutes when we're 5 goals down is going to get us enough on the board to win.

Too many long bombs with no target or benefit.

Before he got OP his kicking was a treat. Now it's pretty mediocre.

OP wouldn't have helped I agree and I think he has at least tried to work on lowering his kicks so I'll give him that. His kicking technique in general play is not the best. The problem for me is when he gets the ball, too often he refuses to get it off quickly and pauses for a second then takes on a tackler or two and gets both himself and his team mates in trouble. Sometimes he just has to play as a quick link man but tries too much. If he had the burst speed to get around an opponent then great but he doesn't. In any case, regardless of his strengths/weaknesses as a player I agree with what he said.

When we're 5 goals down, surely the only way to win is to play a style of football that is going to help us bridge that gap? Can't see how getting defensive after 15 minutes when we're 5 goals down is going to get us enough on the board to win.

It won't, but when a young team is down early, their first instinct is to defend.

That's why we have to learn to start games well, instead of always playing catchup footy.

I think it is a sad fact that Bailey has no idea about how to develop a forwardline. You only have to look at the development of most of our forwards and you wonder if any of the coaches actually have any experience in developing forwards.

We need a forward coach who has some ideas and experience.

I think it is a sad fact that Bailey has no idea about how to develop a forwardline. You only have to look at the development of most of our forwards and you wonder if any of the coaches actually have any experience in developing forwards.

We need a forward coach who has some ideas and experience.

Let's just wait until we have a fit Jack Watts, Austin Wonaeamirri, Liam Jurrah, Ricky Petterd, Matthew Bate and Brad Green in there together. I'd like to see what they can all do for each other before calling it one way or another.

Petterd and Bennell won't recruited as forwards. Both started in the backline. I think the experiment to move them forward was really good, espeically Petterd who looks so natural up there.

Petterd and Bennell won't recruited as forwards. Both started in the backline. I think the experiment to move them forward was really good, espeically Petterd who looks so natural up there.

When Bailey gets some structure and organisation in his forward line, we will improve.

Will that happen? Probably not.

Too many long bombs with no target or benefit.

It's what happens when there are no leading forwards.

I can understand the midfielders angst. We dominated the 2nd quarter and yet were outscored, we should have been within 3 goals IMO. We played some reasonable footy thru the corridor but nobody was in the forwardline to present. Lost count of how many times we have seen this happen over the years, but it looks like we`ll have to put up with it for a while yet.

I think it's pretty clear we need to create a better forward structure (or get guys who will do what the coaches ask of them).

It's not about this game - it's been an issue for [literally] years.

When people at the ground are yelling 'just kick it' and those watching on TV throw their remotes at the screen, we're so often stuffing around with the ball because there's no one* in the forward line to 'just kick it' to.

*sometimes there's a 1v3

I can understand the midfielders angst. We dominated the 2nd quarter and yet were outscored, we should have been within 3 goals IMO. We played some reasonable footy thru the corridor but nobody was in the forwardline to present. Lost count of how many times we have seen this happen over the years, but it looks like we`ll have to put up with it for a while yet.

I agree with your comment but WHY do we have to put up with it?

He said we'd be looking at that through the week.

That tells me it wasn't an instruction, or that Moloney and/or other midfielders don't understand the idea of kicking into the space.

Well they should have been "looking at that" weeks ago because this is not the first time it's happened.

Incidentally, Carlton played the wet conditions far better in the last qtr (long kicks to the goal square). In those conditions, bombing the ball towards goal, with its momentum in the right direction, gives the best chance of scoring. We still chipped it around, playing the possession game which in those conditions simply increases the percentage of turnovers.

FCS BAILEY

DO SOMETHING

3 years now we have been looking at an forward 50 area that is less populated than Chernobyl

Get Johnson or Martin or one of these other hack excuses for a 2nd ruckman, so that at least one of them can act as some sort of target i50 at times, and can switch with Jamar so he can go in there, we know he can take a contested grab.. and as a little bonus, you don't have to put people like sylvia in the ruck and just gift the opposition goals (seriously, am I having a nightmare or do we have a coach that has decided Sylvia is our 2nd ruckman?)

How about this? Get Morton in there, make him play as FF all day. Get Davey back in there, he is as useful as the proverbial 2nd a-hole elsewhere anyway, so let's see if he can some work some magic at ground level and create pressure etc like he used to do

JUST TRY SOMETHING ELSE BAILEY IT IS NOT WORKING

and I imagine it is not doing the confidence of the playing group any favours, blind freddy can see that we have zero chance of scoring goals the way it is now

About the only times we looked at all likely to score was when the ball was kicked forwards over the heads of our up ground forwards who then were running towards goal.

IF so many of our players are to push up to help the mids, then they will have to be prepared to run towards goal following a big bomb, ahead of their direct opponents.