Wasn't really sure where to post this, so figured I might create a thread, although it will probably be ignored.

I've said I saw the eagles loss coming, and I had a feeling it would be a bad one.

Hence, I think the criticism of Bailey is unfairly harsh.

It's a simple evaluation of the pertinent factors leading into the Eagles match.

Cause & effect, if you will.

- Eagles smashed us last year, with bigger bodies in the midfield, dominating contested possessions.

- We played them in Perth, and like all young teams, we don't travel well.

But the most glaring factors were these (coupled with a few new stats I have discovered):

- we were bound to be flat, coming off the bye.

Yes, westcoast were also coming off the bye, but it's still a factor in our lacklustre performance.

As it stands, no team coming off the bye has won a match, except for those playing another team that also had the bye.

- the week before that, we played the Gold Coast Suns easybeats.

We weren't made to play that great against the suns, but still came away with a 90 point win.

As is stands, no team has won a game the week after playing the suns.

I'd say the mental effect on teams is detrimental to their performance the following week, an effect that would be exacerbated by the inexperience and lack of quality senior leadership at our club.

- ok, I don't have a stat for this, but the week before that we played Brisbane, who are also fairly easy competition in comparison to Hawthorn or WestCoast (this year, with a fit list).

In the end though we'll be judged, and should be judged, not by the debacle last Thursday, but by our response on Sunday.

Those that don't at least show some fire and pride will have a black mark next to their name.

I am starting to find the excuse that we have been smashed by bigger bodies a little tiresome. Seems to be trotted up every time we play like wimps.

So are we thinking Gold Coast followed by a bye is like having two consecutive 'soft' weeks? And therefore we went into the WCE game unprepared for a tougher contest? I think there is some merit in the thinking...but if it is true it's a sad indictment on the ability of the team (coaches and/or players) to prepare properly.

Wasn't really sure where to post this, so figured I might create a thread, although it will probably be ignored.

I've said I saw the eagles loss coming, and I had a feeling it would be a bad one.

Hence, I think the criticism of Bailey is unfairly harsh.

It's a simple evaluation of the pertinent factors leading into the Eagles match.

Cause & effect, if you will.

- Eagles smashed us last year, with bigger bodies in the midfield, dominating contested possessions.

- We played them in Perth, and like all young teams, we don't travel well.

But the most glaring factors were these (coupled with a few new stats I have discovered):

- we were bound to be flat, coming off the bye.

Yes, westcoast were also coming off the bye, but it's still a factor in our lacklustre performance.

As it stands, no team coming off the bye has won a match, except for those playing another team that also had the bye.

- the week before that, we played the Gold Coast Suns easybeats.

We weren't made to play that great against the suns, but still came away with a 90 point win.

As is stands, no team has won a game the week after playing the suns.

I'd say the mental effect on teams is detrimental to their performance the following week, an effect that would be exacerbated by the inexperience and lack of quality senior leadership at our club.

- ok, I don't have a stat for this, but the week before that we played Brisbane, who are also fairly easy competition in comparison to Hawthorn or WestCoast (this year, with a fit list).

In the end though we'll be judged, and should be judged, not by the debacle last Thursday, but by our response on Sunday.

Those that don't at least show some fire and pride will have a black mark next to their name.

You have very vividly explained what happened against WCE AFTER THE EVENT. Why don't you put your kahoonas on the line mate and tell us what will happen on Sunday - without the aid of the retrospectoscope. Let's see if you're right.

Even if there is something to this "sequence of intensity" all it really says is that our preparation is lazy and inadequate.

If I'm wrong and it is unavoidable, at least we have less chance of being completely reamed by the bummers rnd 11.

Wasn't really sure where to post this, so figured I might create a thread, although it will probably be ignored.

I've said I saw the eagles loss coming, and I had a feeling it would be a bad one.

Hence, I think the criticism of Bailey is unfairly harsh.

It's a simple evaluation of the pertinent factors leading into the Eagles match.

Cause & effect, if you will.

- Eagles smashed us last year, with bigger bodies in the midfield, dominating contested possessions.

- We played them in Perth, and like all young teams, we don't travel well.

But the most glaring factors were these (coupled with a few new stats I have discovered):

- we were bound to be flat, coming off the bye.

Yes, westcoast were also coming off the bye, but it's still a factor in our lacklustre performance.

As it stands, no team coming off the bye has won a match, except for those playing another team that also had the bye.

- the week before that, we played the Gold Coast Suns easybeats.

We weren't made to play that great against the suns, but still came away with a 90 point win.

As is stands, no team has won a game the week after playing the suns.

I'd say the mental effect on teams is detrimental to their performance the following week, an effect that would be exacerbated by the inexperience and lack of quality senior leadership at our club.

- ok, I don't have a stat for this, but the week before that we played Brisbane, who are also fairly easy competition in comparison to Hawthorn or WestCoast (this year, with a fit list).

In the end though we'll be judged, and should be judged, not by the debacle last Thursday, but by our response on Sunday.

Those that don't at least show some fire and pride will have a black mark next to their name.

What a load of tripe. Byes, Gold Coast, Travel, spare me the made up excuses. All most of us want to see this year is some semblance of a gameplan and some effort and intensity. Leave your excuses at the door.

What's your excuse for these stats?

These figures are a true an indictment on Bailey and his men.

Our ranking is as follows

16th for hardball gets,

15th for contested possessions,

15th for clearances,

15th for inside-50s,

17th and last for tackles

There are such things as reasons for things. Not all reasons are excuses.

But...

In certain areas we seem to devolving and it is concerning.

Bailey is under pressure, as should be the LG.

But there are no major decisions on the immediate horizon.

There will be no caretaker until the latter stages of the season, if at all.

We will get in touch with reps of Malthouse and Roos.

And we will make a decision (or Jim will convince everyone of his view) on the FD and the coach after the season is over.

The knee-jerks are on Land and they are not worth worrying about.

Artie I seem to get caught up in the patience vs we should have imprvoed more by now phases. We got smashed by WCE bigger bodies yet last year we were able to run with Collingwood and smashed the Swans, we have let go 3 older players in Bruce, Junior and Miller to get games into players but it doesn't seem players are getting games on merit. Even if we want to get games into these kids then they have to earn it not just be given them.

I think we need to look at drafting some older heads to get a balance correct to allow the young players to develop at a pace but still want to see us looking like we can compete week in week out.

Just my thoughts...

Harden up boys.

If your theory about lack of performance after playing Gold Coast is true, then we're in a bit of strife this week as a few of the boys have just come off jogging aorund against a Frankston team that make GCS look like hall of famers.

The OP is right. I feared for the stick figures of Moloney, Sylvia, Davey and Jones in that first quarter and low and behold they didn't give a whimper. See, I was on to something. Funnily enough a second year player in Trengove managed to get his hands on it, but I put that down to right place right time.

When confronted by brutes such as Shuey, Kerr, the two Selwoods, Rosa and Priddis I knew we didn't stand a chance. What mere mortals would ?

And I agree that the bye was definitely a factor. Just because West Coast were also coming off a bye and didn't seem as flat as a teenage boy's chest means little. The lacklustre associated with the bye meant that we were never going to outnumber West Coast around the ball, or be able to penetrate their super human press.

He's also right when he says that this Sunday is the true indication of where we're at. Just because we beat Adelaide at the G last year and that they've cleaned out senior players such as Goodwin, McLeod, Bock, and Edwards only to be replaced by a heap of kids means little as they're coming off a 'Good win'. Some might think that the following two matches against the Roos and Saints at our hoodoo ground Etihad against teams that have recently had our measure may be a more realistic assessment of where we're at, but they're just antagonistic nay sayers.

I've said I saw the eagles loss coming, and I had a feeling it would be a bad one.

Really? Well aren't you the clever one?

Spare me the tosh. They haven't played 4Q's of good football all year and it's getting worse. Either that gets fixed or we get a new coach. Simple.

Wasn't really sure where to post this, so figured I might create a thread, although it will probably be ignored.

I've said I saw the eagles loss coming, and I had a feeling it would be a bad one.

Hence, I think the criticism of Bailey is unfairly harsh.

It's a simple evaluation of the pertinent factors leading into the Eagles match.

Cause & effect, if you will.

- Eagles smashed us last year, with bigger bodies in the midfield, dominating contested possessions.

- We played them in Perth, and like all young teams, we don't travel well.

But the most glaring factors were these (coupled with a few new stats I have discovered):

- we were bound to be flat, coming off the bye.

Yes, westcoast were also coming off the bye, but it's still a factor in our lacklustre performance.

As it stands, no team coming off the bye has won a match, except for those playing another team that also had the bye.

- the week before that, we played the Gold Coast Suns easybeats.

We weren't made to play that great against the suns, but still came away with a 90 point win.

As is stands, no team has won a game the week after playing the suns.

I'd say the mental effect on teams is detrimental to their performance the following week, an effect that would be exacerbated by the inexperience and lack of quality senior leadership at our club.

- ok, I don't have a stat for this, but the week before that we played Brisbane, who are also fairly easy competition in comparison to Hawthorn or WestCoast (this year, with a fit list).

In the end though we'll be judged, and should be judged, not by the debacle last Thursday, but by our response on Sunday.

Those that don't at least show some fire and pride will have a black mark next to their name.

"Ohhh diddums ... West Coast were tuffa and stronga than us ... Our poor sweet boys" ....

Strike me down some of our supporters are beyond soft.

Perhaps the thread should be titled

This weeks excuse for another pathetic performance.

OP care to indicate why we will get beat this week, in advance, or are you waiting to see if we are competitive and can actually win a game?

I agree there's been plenty of over-reaction, but somewhere on that spectrum must exist "under-reaction". I think this qualifies.

Ironic I think, that all those criticising this thread are the soft ones.

They can't bear to watch a tough defeat without freaking out and declaring the coach and half the players should be sacked.

Instead I take a pragmatic view.

Bad losses happen, to good teams.

I'm not sure what you expected from a bad team clearly still in a development phase.

Find some spine.

shockin thread.

bailey has been there 4 years and no gameplan or passion

no ones over reactin but we got thumped in game plan, intensity, tactics, scoreboard, guts, skill

shall i go on?

please close the thread

I agree there's been plenty of over-reaction, but somewhere on that spectrum must exist "under-reaction". I think this qualifies.

Probably, in resistance to the panicking seen on here, I go too far the other way.

Inside, I have deep concerns, but I still seem to have a greater understanding of the how's and why's than some of the posters on this thread.

Melbourne are an unskilled team with no motivation and a poor game plan. Surely it is the coaches responsibility to ensure that this is not the case.

Davey walking around disinterested, poor skills by most of the team, and poor development in most players that should be at their peak (eg, Dunn, Newton, Miller, Jones, Moloney, Sylvia, Rivers)are some of the reasons why after four years many supporters have had enough.

Out of ineterest, a question for those that still think that Bailey is the man for the job - where you also calling for Daniher to be retained up until he got walked?

So are we thinking Gold Coast followed by a bye is like having two consecutive 'soft' weeks? And therefore we went into the WCE game unprepared for a tougher contest? I think there is some merit in the thinking...but if it is true it's a sad indictment on the ability of the team (coaches and/or players) to prepare properly.

what gets me is our preparation. The team went two days earlier to adjust and according to Grimes were raring to go before the game. You wouldn't know it after 25 minutes of play. The footy department should have known what the Eagles would serve up, from their clinical press against the Hawks in Tassie two weeks earlier.

Preparation needs addressing big time. because the starts have been uninspiring for most matches coached by bailey and insipid to say the least. occassionally after a bake from the supporters they look in the mirror and improve. but it needs to be addressed and carried out week in, week out. not always after the blowtorch is applied. this is what gets my goat.

Probably, in resistance to the panicking seen on here, I go too far the other way.

Inside, I have deep concerns, but I still seem to have a greater understanding of the how's and why's than some of the posters on this thread.

Oy! Nostradamus - what's gonna happen this week?

I'm guessing a 3 goal win.

I don't know how many times I've said it, but we're a young team and one of the hallmarks of a young team is inconsistency.

It's very hard to predict.

I just felt it was inevitable we'd lose to WCE and those were the reasons.

I think they are definitely relevant since they've been proven true with every other AFL team.

Ridicule only shows an inability to construct a decent argument.

Oy! Nostradamus - what's gonna happen this week?

Care to do the same?

Or are you just looking for an avenue to ridicule me, without putting yourself on the line in the same manner?

What, in the last 5 days, Newbie ?

Yes. Read the posts I've made.

There's a similar theme to them.