All year the football we have played has been pretty pathetic... and there have been a few things that have characterised it for me...

A Listlessness - crappy tackles, lack of repeated efforts

A capacity to wilt in the face of defeat - blow outs

Lack of passionate intent - the intent to get the pill has been good, but in a "because I have to, not because I want to..." kind of way...

Lack of visible comraderie - the players just aren't playing for each other.

From the third quarter on last week, for the first time I've seen this year, none of the above were visible, we played like a team inspired (but lacking confidence and skill) and what's more, we displayed grunt.

Hopefully the boys really can play the whole season for Jimmy rather than just that one game, as they keep telling us they hope to. Because if they can bring that same attitude we saw in the last half last week again each week, the confidence that has deserted them will return, and this season may not yet be lost...

Go Dees.

I actually see this year as a training year for the team, I also think Neeld is on that page also, see how each player performs in specific roles and situation and how they all work together, then do a list clean up next year and start the push.

Like yourself and like Neeld, I would be satisfied this year with a hard contested team play, regardless of win or loss. As we all know by now that losing good games is probably better then winning pathetic games.

Last Sunday was probably the first time it looked like they actually cared for about 6 months. Unfortunately our skills are just so poor that no amount of increased endevour will be able to change upcoming results.

Sorry, but I just didn't see that at all last week (well, perhaps for a few minutes)... it seemed that they decided to have a crack in the 3rd and as a result let down their collective guard in the 2nd instead. Sure, there were individual displays of courage and grunt, but no cohesive team efforts... just terrible skill errors and judgement errors. So far this season, apart from Wet Toast who we all expected to do it easily, we have played the Lions, Toigs and Doggies into form. A 21 point loss to the Doggies in their current state, was NOT an improvement from the result the week before against the Toigs... on form, the Doggies are a much worse team than the Toigs.

I will only believe we are improving if we manage to end the day just 21 points down on the Saints this weekend.

Our third against the Dogs was the best quarter this year. Crowd perked up, players were busy and leadership was provided (Clarke and Moloney)... four of those and we'll give the Saints a run.

for that brief moment in the third we ran and spread

Our third against the Dogs was the best quarter this year. Crowd perked up, players were busy and leadership was provided (Clarke and Moloney)... four of those and we'll give the Saints a run.

And the 3rd quarter in overall scoring contest was a draw. So if thats the best we've got, against lowly Footscray, then we are indeed in for a grim year.

There was genuine passion and a sense of inflated urgency from the crowd on Sunday, but the players skill level and cohesiveness did not match its ambition.

Sorry, but I just didn't see that at all last week (well, perhaps for a few minutes)... it seemed that they decided to have a crack in the 3rd and as a result let down their collective guard in the 2nd instead. Sure, there were individual displays of courage and grunt, but no cohesive team efforts... just terrible skill errors and judgement errors. So far this season, apart from Wet Toast who we all expected to do it easily, we have played the Lions, Toigs and Doggies into form. A 21 point loss to the Doggies in their current state, was NOT an improvement from the result the week before against the Toigs... on form, the Doggies are a much worse team than the Toigs.

I will only believe we are improving if we manage to end the day just 21 points down on the Saints this weekend.

You're looking at it from too much of a "results" point of view. The OP made no mention of how little (comparatively) we lost by, because this year that's largely irrelevant. He saw what many of us saw - an increased intensity, a desire for the contest and a bit more cameraderie. I still think we have a long way to go in each of those areas, but once we do bring them up to speed, you'll see consistently smaller margins. One day, when we're old and grey, we may even get to see our team win again.

Amazing what you can do - when you drop a big man for a mid - more run in their legs after half time - geez who would have ever thought!

You're looking at it from too much of a "results" point of view. The OP made no mention of how little (comparatively) we lost by, because this year that's largely irrelevant. He saw what many of us saw - an increased intensity, a desire for the contest and a bit more cameraderie. I still think we have a long way to go in each of those areas, but once we do bring them up to speed, you'll see consistently smaller margins. One day, when we're old and grey, we may even get to see our team win again.

Of course I'm looking at it from a results point of view... they lost by 21 points to a depleted Dogs side we should have, if not beaten, at least given a very good run for their money... but all we did was let them run away with it. Yes, there were moments (and I stress that word, moments) of intensity, but they were still too few and far too far between.

I would argue that the only reason they could apply some intensity for a few minutes in the 3rd, was that they slacked off for a large portion of the 2nd. Many still held back from the contest, and many still looked completely lost. If they hadn't been able to show some camaraderie and enthusiasm given the occasion, I would have been far more concerned and disappointed... let's see if they can continue to do so without having to have an emotion charged event sparking them up.

As I said, if they can run to within 21 points of the Saints, then I might start to believe that they are finding something. I really hope they do, but I'm not overly confident in their application or their ability to do so.

You're looking at it from too much of a "results" point of view. The OP made no mention of how little (comparatively) we lost by, because this year that's largely irrelevant. He saw what many of us saw - an increased intensity, a desire for the contest and a bit more cameraderie. I still think we have a long way to go in each of those areas, but once we do bring them up to speed, you'll see consistently smaller margins. One day, when we're old and grey, we may even get to see our team win again.

I think you may be over-estimating the Dogs in all this. I really think they made us LOOK like we were more intense, because they are not much better. They were also missing their 4 best defenders.

The game was played at a very low standard. I don't hold any hope from the Dogs game. I think they were just a bit worse than our other opposition to date.

Amazing what you can do - when you drop a big man for a mid - more run in their legs after half time - geez who would have ever thought!

I missed the first half as my Foxtel cracked the sh%#s and froze up my recording. Anyway, I did see a pre-match interview with Neeld and he talked about the plan to run more guys through the midfield in the first half in an attempt to have more in the tank for the second half.

1. Did anyone notice this happening?

2. Did it seem to work?

When they get the processes right, and this will take time and a lot more training until it is second nature to them, the scoreboard will reflect it.

I definitely agree that I saw progress last week. I thought our first half was alright and then the third quarter the crowd were seriously involved! Our problem was we got within one point but couldn't keep sustained pressure from there. The Dogs were just a bit quicker than us and a bit more skilled.

The thing that really disappointed me was when Morton snapped that goal to get us within 16 points with plenty of time left we really didn't try as hard as we did in the third. We wasted heaps of opportunities going forward (though what didn't help was Clark's injury) when I thought we could have won the match.

To sum it up, we contested well and our pressure was at a high but continue to make skill errors regularly and not get enough of the ball.

You're looking at it from too much of a "results" point of view. The OP made no mention of how little (comparatively) we lost by, because this year that's largely irrelevant. He saw what many of us saw - an increased intensity, a desire for the contest and a bit more cameraderie. I still think we have a long way to go in each of those areas, but once we do bring them up to speed, you'll see consistently smaller margins. One day, when we're old and grey, we may even get to see our team win again.

Wow. We have come a long way from last year. (wince)