Observations from the stands at Subiaco

[Guest Jose Murinho]

Rubbish. Our Captains are young and new to the job. What the club does need right now is a show of solidarity, at least by the 18 on the grass.

I am concerned about this. And also concerned that you are not.

Don't be concerned about me.

I'm the one with their prioirities in order.

You still want to read a report from that start of last season.

[Sir Why You Little 37,131]

Don't be concerned about me.

I'm the one with their prioirities in order.

You still want to read a report from that start of last season.

Why would i worry about a person who uses multiple alias'?

Your greater being seems to know all the answers so i am waiting for you to become the next president Artie E25 Dr Arsene....

[Guest José Mourinho]

Why would i worry about a person who uses multiple alias'?

Your greater being seems to know all the answers so i am waiting for you to become the next president Artie E25 Dr Arsene....

Dodging the issue again WYL?

[Sir Why You Little 37,131]

Dodging the issue again WYL?

No not at all.

[praha 11,240]

Can't say I agree.

There were improvements, but fundamental aspects of team play still lack.

They also lost by 100 points. They were truly awful. I'm not falling for Neeld's positivity, because I know he is trying to set the tone in the media for the players, who have had a tough week. That's fair enough and I understand that.

But as supporters we shouldn't be so naive as to truly highlight the positives, without focusing on the negatives. You can't fix something if you don't acknowledge.

[DemonWA 3,936]

Rubbish. Our Captains are young and new to the job. What the club does need right now is a show of solidarity, at least by the 18 on the grass.

I am concerned about this. And also concerned that you are not.

for what its worth i didnt notice the Grimes hit live

I did see Embley get crunched though

[DemonWA 3,936]

There were improvements, but fundamental aspects of team play still lack.

yeah but we're not going to get improvement on these fundamental aspects in a week. The season is long, im not going to stop supporting the boys. Whats the point in harping on the negatives?

We're a long way of a flag. The media and the fans (us) got caught up in the hype of early draft picks, and after a few good wins early on penciled us in for the 2013 or 14 premiership (aka Geelongs path after the 2001 draft). Doesnt look like it will pan out that way. Im happy to find posatives in the bleakest of losses to get me through the season rather than depressing myself and the other postes on here with more of the same negative, dooms day stuff.

[Fork 'em 6,991]

I did see Embley get crunched though

Embley didn't get crunched.

Popped his shoulder trying to tackle.

[Sir Why You Little 37,131]

for what its worth i didnt notice the Grimes hit live

I did see Embley get crunched though

Fair enough. Being in the crowd that happens. But i expect at least some of the players saw it.

[Waltham33 475]

Strict rule, the captain goes down one of theirs goes down - no exceptions

Edited April 10, 2012 by Waltham33

[old dee 23,872]

Strict rule, the captain goes down one of theirs goes down - no exceptions

Do you give a discount because we have dual captains?

[Sir Why You Little 37,131]

Do you give a discount because we have dual captains?

That was sharp O.D.

Best one you have cracked in awhile....there is life in the old bugger yet....

Plus you are going to American summer & leaving us to the cold....so smile... B)

[old dee 23,872]

That was sharp O.D.

Best one you have cracked in awhile....there is life in the old bugger yet....

Plus you are going to American summer & leaving us to the cold....so smile... B)

There are plenty of smiles left in me yet wyl

It is just a little hard to find a reason around the MFC at the moment.

But what is it they say there is nothing as constant as change.

[Sir Why You Little 37,131]

There are plenty of smiles left in me yet wyl

It is just a little hard to find a reason around the MFC at the moment.

But what is it they say there is nothing as constant as change.

Too right..i hope to be in Asia in about 6 weeks time...Australia Network will keep me posted, & here.

I hate Melbourne Winter...Yesterday was such a fine example!!

[old dee 23,872]

Too right..i hope to be in Asia in about 6 weeks time...Australia Network will keep me posted, & here.

I hate Melbourne Winter...Yesterday was such a fine example!!

Does the cold weather get to you ?

Never used to worry but I have noticed the last couple of winters have got to me.

[deestar 159]

I totally agree with this thread .... We were much better in the first half and did match them.

If we were not so wreck less with our tackling and a few stupid turn overs I thought we deserved to be within 25 points at the half.

We used the ball through the corridor of half back when we could which we didn't do at all against Brisbane. I saw an open forward line where mitch could beat a single opponent .... I like this tactic of opening up the forward line for him. He is pretty impressive at ground level for a big bloke.

Hope we can do the tigers at get a bit of confidence and then do the dog ... Then it won't seem to bad

[demonbike 1]

Yes I too did not leave patterson oval as guttered this year as last year as I had reduced expectations this year.My observations from the Melbourne supporters area is limited by sight no longer great however I now know that the eagles are light years ahead of us.

I feel let down by previous coaches as the basics are poorly done by MFC.

Talent is one thing we have --development has been ordinary and maybe expectations has been set too low at a few good wins are ok for a season

when eagles players attack the ball they go in hard with a belief they will get the ball and then their team mates expect them to get it and move into position immediately.

If you imagine a clock face the ball winner is the centre--- staight away others go to position 4 oclock and 8 oclock the ball winner feeds the ball back to whichever side is not being pressued and then the centre blocks any tackler

The receiver either draws a player and gives off or turns inside with a 25 metre kick which never misses ( and shouldnt )

And they are away --in the few instances jones or magner or trenners (maybe a few others )pressured then the eagles player would draw the heat and fire off a hand ball down the pre ordained spot along the boundary

[praha 11,240]

Whats the point in harping on the negatives?

Because if you focus on the positives and ignore the negatives, you end up going 50 years without a flag. Positives can be expanded on, but negatives need to be addressed and turned into positives.

I admire your optimism and ability to find positives, though. Neeld did it for the good for the playing group. Fans seem to be doing it now for their own sake.

Plenty of positives, but hey, we lost by 100 points.

inb4"stopbeingnegative"

[demonbike 1]

MFC use hand ball to get out of trouble the eagles use it to create space and time and time allows (with your hardened team mates blocking for you )skills to be precise.

Eagles hand ball to the chest region which allows them to to keep their elbows up and weight balanced --this is a skill that should and can be drilled into players where as often MFC players receive a pressured handball under their knees so they have to look down and then refocus or over their heads so they must lift their elbows above their eyes and therefor easily tackled and un weighted --spilling the ball like on Saturday--these skills should have been taught by previous people

1. Watts was ok early and will be ok as a swoop down outside player goal kicker but is not a "see ball hunt ball " type

2.MFC appear not as physical as needed --have a look at eagles player in last qtr on hf flank get pouced on by us --shrug the tackle --get pounced on again and with a shrug run off as if playing against juniors --how embrassing

3.Frawley had a shocker but other backline players tried hard.

4.Green looked a yard short and didnt go hard

5.Bennell --if he cannot perform on wide open patterson send him back to bunbury

6.Bartram surprised me as how flaky he is with ball in hand

7.Clark ground work for a big bloke ok

8 Our assistant coaches are critical to our success as Neeld will have lots of areas to work on

[monoccular 17,574]

DemonWA - I appreciate your first hand observations. You were there: most of us were not.

From watching on TV I thought that most of the WCE frees were there, but many we deserved didn't come - that from an umpiring point of view was all I shall say.

Our mids do look all at sea, though they do seem to get their hands on it better than last year. One cannot appreciate the dynamics of the game on TV with those bloody zoom-in head and shoulder portraits especially on the player after a mark or free so we can't see the options available: are they spreading and running or what I see too often at the G just standing, maybe waving their arms about but rarely making a genuine lead into space?

Same goes for the defenders - they often look slow and stupid on TV but they just don't have options because those ahead and laterally are either just plain lazy and / or too dumb to make a move, even if just to drag an opponent and free up space ahead. Live viewing just lets one see so much more.

[DemonWA 3,936]

when eagles players attack the ball they go in hard with a belief they will get the ball and then their team mates expect them to get it and move into position immediately.

agree on this point. The Egales are playign so well that they have the confidence to do the running in anticipation that they'll win the stoppage. And becasue most of the time they did, they had players lined up for posessions all the way down the field unmarked by our players who were too busy worrying about the stuctures they've been tought for the stoppage.

[Sir Why You Little 37,131]

agree on this point. The Egales are playign so well that they have the confidence to do the running in anticipation that they'll win the stoppage. And becasue most of the time they did, they had players lined up for posessions all the way down the field unmarked by our players who were too busy worrying about the stuctures they've been tought for the stoppage.

Instinct footy still has merit. As does winning the ball at stoppages which is crucial.

But unless options can be made up the ground it means nothing. I am suprised we played the MCG so badly in Round 1 as it is the home ground, we should be one of the better teams to spread.

[McQueen 17,867]

Thanks to that lady in Block 340, 2nd tier down the front, who shared her sun burn cream with fellow Dee's supporters. It was as hot-as-nuts in that first half and the beer was warm too.

Oh, and that security guard that come upstairs to find out who sprayed water over everyone to celebrate Melbourne receiving a free-kick was a flogger also.

[darkhorse72 1,925]

Yes I too did not leave patterson oval as guttered this year as last year as I had reduced expectations this year.My observations from the Melbourne supporters area is limited by sight no longer great however I now know that the eagles are light years ahead of us.

I feel let down by previous coaches as the basics are poorly done by MFC.

Talent is one thing we have --development has been ordinary and maybe expectations has been set too low at a few good wins are ok for a season

when eagles players attack the ball they go in hard with a belief they will get the ball and then their team mates expect them to get it and move into position immediately.

If you imagine a clock face the ball winner is the centre--- staight away others go to position 4 oclock and 8 oclock the ball winner feeds the ball back to whichever side is not being pressued and then the centre blocks any tackler

From view from Paterson was happier than the same game last year, which I think we lost by less.

TIN passages we moved the ball well and players ran to the right positions(can't see that on tv) but we can't at the moment actually hit our players with the ball. I think the first quarter there was 6 out on the full coming out of defence. And those weren't players under direct pressure, just couldn't hit a spot in the ground..this also occurred int he field kicking, landing at the feet of leading players, particularly through the middle, killing any run we had, as players stopped to gather and then were pressured. If they can't do a daisy cutter, just put it up in front, pretty basic. Often we would be first to the ball in stoppages but the sharp skills to move it out to advantage aren't there yet against a quality side, they simply took it off us and broke away.

In comparison to training on the Friday in Perth, the full ground movement looked smooth, so its a game day mental problem.

I've been a fan of green, but on the weekend, he looked old and slow. Either he finds some speed or tries to find a stay at home fwd line position, sad unfortunately.

Otherwise some of the decision making was pretty bad.

In saying that, in general play we matched the eagles for over half a game in effort, but free kicks more missed on our side 20-1..half time...made the job harder for the boys.

Hoepfully the return in rd 23 will bring a long awaited live victory for wa supporters.

[DemonWA 3,936]

but we can't at the moment actually hit our players with the ball. I think the first quarter there was 6 out on the full coming out of defence. And those weren't players under direct pressure, just couldn't hit a spot in the ground..

yeah Tommy McDonald missed his first 3-4 targets by foot