Decision making and skills

[Happeninghunts 7]

What is wrong with Melbournes skills and decision making. I know we have young team but even our more mature players csnt hit a target or dispose the ball to there team mates advantage causing unnecessary pressure on the player. How many times do they pass it off to the team mate where they have an opponent right on themand they get caught. i like the way they are playing the game but sometimes they just play on too quick and dont read the oppositions defence. I know its very frustrating but it shouldn't matter what ground they are playing at when it comes to these two problems in our game.

[armstrong35 262]

their problem is they handball or kick to someone who has a player right up their clacker

even their handballs were terrible. they just rushed.

[1858 285]

i like the way they are playing the game but sometimes they just play on too quick and dont read the oppositions defence.

I share a similar concern. Like you I am all for the attacking play they are trying to develop (either in the middle or from defence) but I fear certain aspects of our game are being lost here. There is an obvious trade-off happening out there IMO. In another thread I made comment that I think our play on at all costs approach is over the top and it can get to a point where "coaching" can simply become "conditioning". We are playing on in situations where we quite simply shouldn't and the repercussions are quite big due to not only the opposition capitalising but also our expended energy in mopping up our self made messes - not to mention that our opposition can exploit it with a simple zone. Attack is the best form of defence (by convention at least) so our general game philosphy is a sound one but we have to be smarter in how we go about it IMO and that comes down to the coaching side of things as well as the players.

[Grandson of a gun 276]

I share a similar concern. Like you I am all for the attacking play they are trying to develop (either in the middle or from defence) but I fear certain aspects of our game are being lost here. There is an obvious trade-off happening out there IMO. In another thread I made comment that I think our play on at all costs approach is over the top and it can get to a point where "coaching" can simply become "conditioning". We are playing on in situations where we quite simply shouldn't and the repercussions are quite big due to not only the opposition capitalising but also our expended energy in mopping up our self made messes - not to mention that our opposition can exploit it with a simple zone. Attack is the best form of defence (by convention at least) so our general game philosphy is a sound one but we have to be smarter in how we go about it IMO and that comes down to the coaching side of things as well as the players.

Agree to a point. As the young backs and mids develop, they will learn to execute skills better under pressure and also which option is the best option. Yes the turnovers kill us and eat at me but if we go back to that stagnant style fo the last two years we will have made no progress. When we execute these well we move the ball well forward and look good. However, when teams play a really well drilled zone (which Adelaide did today) then we can be in trouble. I think the long term plan is right, it is just going to create heartache for us all in the short term.

[Happeninghunts 7]

Agree to a point. As the young backs and mids develop, they will learn to execute skills better under pressure and also which option is the best option. Yes the turnovers kill us and eat at me but if we go back to that stagnant style fo the last two years we will have made no progress. When we execute these well we move the ball well forward and look good. However, when teams play a really well drilled zone (which Adelaide did today) then we can be in trouble. I think the long term plan is right, it is just going to create heartache for us all in the short term.

I dont want to see them go back to the old game style. Our game plan now is very effective and exciting when they pull it off put how many times do they pull it off a game? I think our back line and midfield have been not too bad this year its our forward line IMO lets us down more. We do not get a whole lot clean easy marks in our forward 50. Where it comes back to basic disposal skills not kicking to our advantage. Im sorry im just so frustrated with how they have played some really great games this year and some real [censored] poor games.

[drdrake 3,162]

How can your forward line let you down when you don't get the footy in there enough and when we do our delivery has been poor. The only concern with the forward line is we are either kick chasing on our half back line or pushing up as per coaches instructions which usually leaves no options when we clear from half back and a wall of defenders waiting to pick our kicks off. IMO we need 3 players at all times in our forward half, at least on of this inside the 50m arc around 15-25m out from goal another on the 50m arc and another not to far away a crumbing forward.

The young players skills will get better, but Bruce, Bartram, Warnock, Miller, Rivers and MacDonald should be able to execute at this level and unfortunately they can't.

[Happeninghunts 7]

How can your forward line let you down when you don't get the footy in there enough and when we do our delivery has been poor. The only concern with the forward line is we are either kick chasing on our half back line or pushing up as per coaches instructions which usually leaves no options when we clear from half back and a wall of defenders waiting to pick our kicks off. IMO we need 3 players at all times in our forward half, at least on of this inside the 50m arc around 15-25m out from goal another on the 50m arc and another not to far away a crumbing forward.

The young players skills will get better, but Bruce, Bartram, Warnock, Miller, Rivers and MacDonald should be able to execute at this level and unfortunately they can't.

Who is a dominating forward for Melbourne? I do agree though about leaving at least 2 players in our 50 when everyone else floods back to defend. When do get out of the centre we do struggle to to be accurate with our disposal in the forward 50. Its all over the ground thats why I started the thread with our skills and decision making. Just reading as well we are 4th Team with the most average disposals

Edited June 28, 2010 by Happeninghunts