Okay....where does the improvement come from?

[jumbo returns 6,537]

We're all disappointed but let's see where improvement can come from??

I'll start.

Sellar, Tapscott and Morton must play. Subi is very wide and may suit the boundary game.

Howe needs to stay away from Clarke

Martin needs to stay away from Clarke

Make sure that the spread is working.

Davey was injured and couldn't go a yard - policy: stop playing injured players

To start planning, keep one eye on a good crumbing forward from the VFL - 3rd or 4th round pick.

Frawley must be ORDERED to go the FIRST option all the time.

Grimes to the midfield.

Passion and build a desire for the contest.

[Demon Disciple 11,089]

seriously, where will the improvement come from? My best guess is this years draft. WIth the draft meant to be strong, and what now looks like some high picks (2 top 10 picks, 1 mid teen pick, and a low 20's pick), throw in that we will probably trade for some more draft picks or decent players, our best chance to improve is at the end of this years off-season.

Throw in a recruiter who has half a clue and we might go alright. Sure we don't have one, but i reckon it's better than BP and his look to the future philosophy.

Edited March 31, 2012 by Demon Disciple

[Binmans PA 26,380]

Only problem with Grimes to the midfield is that he doesn't have the endurance for the position, otherwise they would have played him there earlier. The one time he started in the midfield, he did a hamstring after 5 minutes.

[Binmans PA 26,380]

seriously, where will the improvement come from? My best guess is this years draft. WIth the draft meant to be strong, and what now looks like some high picks (2 top 10 picks, 1 mid teen pick, and a low 20's pick), throw in that we will probably trade for some more draft picks or decent players, our best chance to improve is at the end of this years off-season.

Although, I think someone of Clark's physique is essential to our forward make up going forward, it might make it difficult to go out and get a Judd-type boom recruit for our midfield. But I reckon over the next two to three years we need to get one.

[rhaz 342]

Mckenzie

Grimes

Tapscott

Gysberts

Blease

Bail

Strauss

Maybe if all these players can string together 15+ games together this season, then all have a good preseason and play close to 22 together next season, that'd be real nice. All have shown great signs but haven't been able to stay on the park.

[Chris24 1]

We really need some players with penetrating kicks.. Ala hawthorn. Too many times the ball fell short when kicking to Clark.

[Jack son 5 162]

I got a free Sherrin with my slab of Boags on the way home from the G today. The footy was easy to get, I just had to go in and get it.

[monoccular 16,328]

seriously, where will the improvement come from? My best guess is this years draft. WIth the draft meant to be strong, and what now looks like some high picks (2 top 10 picks, 1 mid teen pick, and a low 20's pick), throw in that we will probably trade for some more draft picks or decent players, our best chance to improve is at the end of this years off-season.

Throw in a recruiter who has half a clue and we might go alright. Sure we don't have one, but i reckon it's better than BP and his look to the future philosophy.

Come on - we have had far more than our share of high picks.

Our players are just plain LAZY. They will not run to contests, and certainly have absolutely no interest whatsoever in running to back up a team mate or to make an option. They have got away with this for years. Presumably successive coaches approve, or haven't been strong enough to turn this pathetic attitude over. Too much talk, too little action. Look at Hawthorn, Collingwood, Geelong AND LEARN!!!

We could have the best 20 players in the comp: if they don't want to run, they will get nowhere, as we have done for far too long.

[Sir Why You Little 34,763]

The improvement comes from the brain. (upstairs) on & off the field.

Those not up to it must be asked to leave.

Until we get this attitude throughout the whole club. We will never have respect.

How i wish one year performance contract were available to all at the MFC.

[Guest gidon]

A good balance between defense and offense. Playing the whole ground allowing run and spread, forward kicks to advantage. Pace in the middle.

Drop Beamer. I love the guy but he hasn't done anything. Perform at Casey and your back. I would rather Gysberts getting beaten and developing than Brent playing that bad.

[jumbo returns 6,537]

I think that that's the key....no point dropping Davey or whoever else and bringing in a Dunn or a Bate.

[Guest Dr Who]

Upping the work rate - our players simply need to work harder to increase the pressure on oppositions. They need to work harder for one another.

Todays effort was just not good enough. Lions outworked us today in all aspects of the game.

If its fitness it will take time - if its learning the game plan it will take time. If its endeavour - then I'm concerned.

Edited March 31, 2012 by Dr Who

[timD 994]

Move Grimes to the midfield. Add Morton and Sellar. Bring in bennell.

Magner I presume is out injured. Drop Joel Mac. Drop Bartrum. Drop green. It weakens our backline in terms of hardness but improves its speed and disposal. It allows Grimes into the pivot to replace magner. i don't want to make more than 4 replacements. There will be no big improvements in our mids until gysberts or blease matures (or we get some more good draft picks).

[Sir Why You Little 34,763]

Watching tonights game. Shockers v Cats. Both teams have an appetite for the contest. It is the main ingredient our entire club lacks

We do as we are told far too much.

[DeeSpencer 23,378]

Improvement will come from the players gaining experience in the game plan, but really we need to get Tapscott and Strauss back in and give them a shot to see if they can hold down a spot in the 22 and after that we'll be reliant on some good drafting for real improvement.

The 22 who played today aren't up to a top 8 finish.

[Chook 14,605]

I got a free Sherrin with my slab of Boags on the way home from the G today. The footy was easy to get, I just had to go in and get it.

If only Moloney could get the ball by drinking beers. He'd get leather poisoning.

[Guest Thomo]

TimD - drop Bartrum And Joel MacDonald? Two of the blokes that had a real crack for four quarters. Teo of the first selected next week. As far as backman go both were better than Grimes, and River is a liability. Get the blinkers off.

[Sir Why You Little 34,763]

TimD - drop Bartrum And Joel MacDonald? Two of the blokes that had a real crack for four quarters. Teo of the first selected next week. As far as backman go both were better than Grimes, and River is a liability. Get the blinkers off.

Agree. Both Joel Mac and Barttram had a crack, i would add Garland. The midfield gave them no respite or protection.

[Guest Thomo]

Agree with Garland, he and Frawley were assumed in my best. Out of the back 6 two were poor, but it will be Bartam and MacDonald that carry the blame on demonland, not Grimes and Rivers, it's they way it has been and will be.

[robbiefrom13 877]

The improvement comes from the brain. (upstairs) on & off the field.

yes. neeld was a teacher - he ought to know how to make this happen.

nobody ever achieves anything great in life when their outlook is defensive - creative is risk-taking, confident students find it easy, and an environment of encouragement helps a lot. why don't we run to space, to make a lead? negative state of mind maybe? the coach needs to know that the state of mind of his players is the biggest determinant of their achievements, and interact with them accordingly.

remember the sydney game, 2010: the same players, but suddenly faster, stronger, accurate and flying. AFL is not the Australian army, it's a workplace where the players determine the outcome. somebody posted somewhere the truism of coaching that it is the players who make the great coach... so, build them up!

[Biffen 12,398]

Move Grimes to the midfield. Add Morton and Sellar. Bring in bennell.

Magner I presume is out injured. Drop Joel Mac. Drop Bartrum. Drop green. It weakens our backline in terms of hardness but improves its speed and disposal. It allows Grimes into the pivot to replace magner. i don't want to make more than 4 replacements. There will be no big improvements in our mids until gysberts or blease matures (or we get some more good draft picks).

Sorry but bringing Morton straight in is only going to make me angrier and more depressed.

We are in for a long season.

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

Okay I'm very upset with the effort yesterday, and I think that a lot of changes are needed. But we've only played one game...let's keep talking about THIS season, please. No need to say we're already done for the year...still a lot of footy to be played.

[Biffen 12,398]

Can we continue to pick Bartram ,McKenzie ,Joel Mac ,Bail who have the right attitude normally but not the required level of skill?

Can we pick guys who have the skill but not the attitude ?ie Green and Davey ,even Rivers

Just hope the coach gets the boxing gloves out and puts them in a circle and calls out two at a time for two minutes each.

Wake up you [censored] .This is my club you are destroying and embarrassing .

[Guest melbman]

I got a free Sherrin with my slab of Boags on the way home from the G today. The footy was easy to get, I just had to go in and get it.

haha, nice :-) That's were we lost the game. Couldn't/didn't get first use of the ball. We have to get guys in the middle that will get the thing. As your example said, just go in and get it

Sorry but bringing Morton straight in is only going to make me angrier and more depressed.

We are in for a long season.

Yes it is a worry. He loves the space on the defensive side and sometimes it seems instead of forging forward when he has the ball, he doubles back into defensive backline space thus all momentum is lost.

[Biffen 12,398]

Just on Rivers and Garland .

How can you be caught BEHIND continually from 15-50mteres from goal and caught in FRONT on the long bomb 0-15 metres from goal when you draw an income as a backman?

Rivers will sit 2 metres behind on a slow lead ,make a feeble spoil ,hang his head as they guy goes back ,watch him kick a goal ,then watch the replay on the screen .

I can do that for $100 a week if you want .

I'm 39 but I'll make them earn it more than our lot .