Adelaide didn't test our biggest weakness

[Dee man 299]

As good as our game against Adelaide was, I don't think the game was a fair indication of where we are at.

Our biggest weakness against West Coast was our terrible kick-ins. Adelaide, meanwhile, kicked only 5 behinds.

I've written an article about it here - http://thebigtip.com.au/afl/dont-get-behind-demons-yet

I don't want to take anything away from the amazing win. But I hope that everyone within the football club is able to put a lid on the celebrations and realise that we are still the same team that lost to the Eagles. As talented as our players are, the game plan still needs a fair bit of tweaking before we can compete against quality opposition.

Perhaps Kangaroos will test us this week, but I think St Kilda the following week will be the real indication of where we are, and whether the West Coast slaughter has taught us anything.

[Guest Artie Bucco]

Our kick-ins weren't the issue, it was the targets we had to kick to.

Long down the boundary is the soundest strategy to combat the press.

[titan_uranus 22,427]

They did actually.

Second quarter, they kicked 3 in very quick succession. Mainly because we couldn't clear the ball after the first two.

It's still an issue.

[The Chazz 4,077]

I wouldn't say that it's our biggest issue, well up there, but it is not greater issue than our Inside 50 count (both for and against), as well as our Tackles Inside F50, and our Contested Possession tally. I'm quite sure if we win each of those KPI's, the issue of kicking out will be a lot less.

Also the KPI about us winning more quarters! Some are going to have a field day on that statement!

[Radar Detector 1,339]

Our biggest issue is still the midfield. When our midfield plays well, we win and when they get smashed (Hawthorn, WCE) we lose. All the other issues like i50s, kick-ins, tackles inside the F50 etc. are by-products of the midfield performance.

That said, Adelaide has been particularly weak this year at hard-ball gets, clearances etc. so the OP's point still stands that Adelaide didn't test our biggest weakness.

[Nasher 33,067]

Kicking in is a minor tactical issue. It's something that needs improving but kicking in doesn't hold a candle to the importance of pressure and intensity, which is where we bottomed out on in the West Coast game.

[The Chazz 4,077]

Our biggest weakness for the past few years is that fact that the other team has been scoring more than what we have. We made an improvement in this area against Adelaide and got the desired outcome.

If we can continue achieving this KPI, we should see a few more wins before the end of the season.

<<Sarcastic post>>

[beelzebub 22,225]

Surely a poor kick in only compunds the pressure on yourself. When it starts geting to the stage you arent confident in clearing the ball out of their 50 then they start to feel that with only a bit more of their own pressure they can inflict scoreboard damage.

Dont undestimate the consequences or relevance of kickins... or be it at your peril.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,443]

Perhaps Kangaroos will test us this week, but I think St Kilda the following week will be the real indication of where we are, and whether the West Coast slaughter has taught us anything.

I'm not sure if it was deliberate, but I can't help but think you're having a go at Nick Reiwoldt's goal-kicking (or, rather, behind-kicking).

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Our kick-ins weren't the issue, it was the targets we had to kick to.

Yep. Our skills were superb at times... Why such a huge turnaround? Since 5 minutes before half time against the Hawks when Davey signalled for us to slow down, none of the demons players have been running, or leading. Puts incredible pressure on the guy with the ball...

When we run, our average kicks suddenly seem good, and our good kicks suddenly look amazing... And then there's Davey who can kick like that in a cyclone.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

To fair and honest, Adelaide did not test any of our weaknesses. They merely displayed all of their shortcomings in a truly appalling performance. If you were a Crows supporter you would be devastated at the way they feel apart at the 1st bounce and got progressively worse as the game went on. It was party time for MFC and you dont get many of those gifts in AFL

[Harrisonrules 273]

Our biggest issue is still the midfield. When our midfield plays well, we win and when they get smashed (Hawthorn, WCE) we lose. All the other issues like i50s, kick-ins, tackles inside the F50 etc. are by-products of the midfield performance.

That said, Adelaide has been particularly weak this year at hard-ball gets, clearances etc. so the OP's point still stands that Adelaide didn't test our biggest weakness.

But midfield is also dependent on how well the backs can run and kick out of the back line. When we are not stopped by the opposition mid field press we have a good running game.

Midfield clearances is the second aspect of the midfield. We certainly did better this week. In fact that is where we killed them. I suspect Maloney had are different approach. I'll be watching with interest to see if there has been a change in centre square strategy

[beelzebub 22,225]

Adelaide played particulalrly poorly allowing us the ability to play the game very much to our dictate. Not taking anythign away from the pressure etc which precipitated all that but in reality we werent pushed or had to omany questions asked of us... thats the good news.

The bad is that Nth WILL ask very different questions and play a much more contested game.. Their 2rse is on teh line now...they will react accordingly.. This week we'll seee where we're at.

Go Dees

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

pressure/intensity = tackling, the ability to walk through them and the ability not to be walked through. The importance of this could never be showcased better than by watching the MFC over the last 2 weeks. The other extremely important thing that we did far less of this week was general disposal errors/turnovers. We were clean with the ball and kept it way from them and the rest took care of itself.

[satyricon 267]

As good as our game against Adelaide was, I don't think the game was a fair indication of where we are at.

Our biggest weakness against West Coast was our terrible kick-ins. Adelaide, meanwhile, kicked only 5 behinds.

I've written an article about it here - http://thebigtip.com.au/afl/dont-get-behind-demons-yet

I don't want to take anything away from the amazing win. But I hope that everyone within the football club is able to put a lid on the celebrations and realise that we are still the same team that lost to the Eagles. As talented as our players are, the game plan still needs a fair bit of tweaking before we can compete against quality opposition.

Perhaps Kangaroos will test us this week, but I think St Kilda the following week will be the real indication of where we are, and whether the West Coast slaughter has taught us anything.

If the only worry you have is the kickins then what is the problem, all teams at the moment are having the problem with the forward pressure.......as long as we continue to score goals and minimize the errors we will be ok

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

I'd say there were several weaknesses they didn't test for us. Yes, our midfield was better. We put on a better show of tackling, which is great. But as stated we were not really tested on our kick-ins, and given that the crows played a tall forward line, we were not facing our greatest defensive deficiency against small mobile forwards. North Melbourne have both angles covered, as well as a much harder midfield, so we will find the going significantly tougher against them next week.

[satyricon 267]

I'd say there were several weaknesses they didn't test for us. Yes, our midfield was better. We put on a better show of tackling, which is great. But as stated we were not really tested on our kick-ins, and given that the crows played a tall forward line, we were not facing our greatest defensive deficiency against small mobile forwards. North Melbourne have both angles covered, as well as a much harder midfield, so we will find the going significantly tougher against them next week.

The press involves the whole team, and covering everybody for the kickin, it is the way it is structured and whether the players work hard enough to keep the structures, you will notice Liam Jurrah got a bit of a hit in the player review so assume this was one of the reasons why...........we just need to keep keeping on and hopefully we will, Bate, Maric, Petterd are back in and want to stay there

[H_T 2,941]

The biggest and most critical element in enabling one team to put pressure on the other is to keep winning it out of the midfield.

We were able to set up our zone time thanks to our workrate and pressure, and again on their kickouts (no thanks to the 2.7 in the first) it enabled us to refine the press tactic used by most other sides, by winning clearances and winning the midfield battle.

A couple of times they did crack it through and went coast to coast and scored in the first. We're learning.

Because our midfield were on top and clearing it (ref: see Moloney) time and again, we were able to put a heap of pressure on and set up accordingly with good use of the pill. Losing Dangerfield and later Thompson didn't help the Crows, in effect it put more pressure on their use of rotations and we took advantage in junk time.

North Melbourne away and St.Kilda will be big tests for our students of today's game. But the Adelaide game was a good learning curve and great for a boost in confidence.

Through our intent and desire to work hard against Adelaide, it transpired into 'part time for MFC' and made Adelaide look insipid.

[Dee man 299]

Too true. A good midfield performance wins games.

Look at the games in which Moloney has stood up: 4 BOGs, 3 wins and a draw.

The injury to Jamar only makes next week more interesting. Can Moloney - and Melbourne - still stand up without the big Russian? Because if he can't, I imagine we might be seeing the ball in our defensive 50 yet again. (but hopefully I'm wrong...)