THE WRITING ON THE WALL

[beelzebub 23,380]

Inappropriate high kicks are not limited to incursions i would say. Some passes have needless hang time. Up and understand can as stated be a defenders blessing .

[BIG JIM 508]

I think if MFC are going like this next year

We will see Neil craig back coaching and im sure that Neil would love another chance.

Im not saying i want Neeld to fail.

Im just saying i want the MFC to win games.

If there was no GWS or GC we would still be the worst team in the AFL after 5 years of Draft picks.

Neeld has done some great talking but were still waiting for the results and i dont see them coming.

[beelzebub 23,380]

We WILL be noticably different next year.

[The Chazz 4,077]

We WILL be noticably different next year.

What differences are you expecting B59?

[beelzebub 23,380]

With some added grunt to the middle and more games in legs id expect confidence in ability to play the bosses game to increase. Against the giants there were signs that a game wss evolving .

Id be expecting our clearance ability to get better. We lose first use against much better teams. Kills us. Id be hoping Mitch wont be such a lone gun in 2013.

Neeld has alluded Hell be looking for some rsady made likely (underappreciated at other clubs ) types to plug a gap or two.

List cloggers and game day spuds to have been moved on.The pressure to keep a spot may encourage greater outputs !!

All fhat and simply the club will be year more experienced with its personel.

We wont be perfect but should be much better .

[Sir Why You Little 37,046]

This years october draft will be a huge "shop till you drop"

After 5 years we are still stationary onfield.

Who else would accept anywhere near that?

[DemonWA 3,934]

We WILL be noticably different next year.

That's what we said when neeld got the job....

[beelzebub 23,380]

That's what we said when neeld got the job....

yep. Some expected overnight success .....others are more realistic

[dee-luded 2,959]

Inappropriate high kicks are not limited to incursions i would say. Some passes have needless hang time. Up and understand can as stated be a defenders blessing .

Yesterday we were undermanned & we getting opened up on the turnover.

In the second half I saw us kicking highballs frequently along the centerwing area.. I initially wondered what we were doing, but then I thought we were giving it 'hang time' near the boundary so we could defend over the line, to stop a smashing.

I think this is why Neeld took the positives out of this game. To only lose by around 60 was maybe as good as we could have hoped for in the circumstances.

Other than putting old heads on young shoulders.

[beelzebub 23,380]

Fair comment but im still from the school that suggests kicking more positvely to a beeter positioned team mate offers even more upside. Silly i know.

Edited July 2, 2012 by belzebub59

[thaipantsman 180]

Today was like watching a replay of round 1. We got out run on all occasions from the HBF. Clearly indicates to me that we must draft one and quicksmart, one who can kick, is quick but can take a man, much like Hanley.

The injury to TMac killed the defensive structures and the game was gone from there. A lot more accuracy and reward for effort in the opening stanza and it may have been a different outcome but oh well, look to next week's thumping

A worry if all our defensive structures revolve around TMac. TMac is was badly missed but more so was Frawley's lack of form along with a general lack of depth. Sure Hanley would be good. We got smashed in the Guts was the big issue. Moloney missed his big buddy. Sylvia Put in a really good game and is getting back to his best slowly after his back break.

[thaipantsman 180]

That's what we said when neeld got the job....

So what do think is the problem?

[thaipantsman 180]

B59, I'm all about the longer term view, and can only put my faith (hopefully it's not blind faith) in to Neeld and co. But, at the risk of speaking on behalf of some supporters, all we want at the moment are competitive efforts. I'm sick of hearing press conferernces from players after a loss saying "we didn't spread". This has been obvious all year, and while the players are totally aware that this is a problem, why the hell aren't they doing something about it?

I strongly believe that Neeld made some poor decisions yesterday, with the first being obvious at the opening bounce. Why was Martin first ruck and Spencer in the forward line? Spencer is a ruckman (apparently), it was his first game in a long time, why start him forward? Moving Watts to Brown was obviously for Watts' development, but why? Brown's that "gorilla forward" that some teams have, Watts won't be one of those, and will not be a "gorilla tamer" if he has a career as a defender.

Playing Garland and Rivers forward has been somewhat of a success story in previous weeks, and is giving both players the opportunity to learn to play a role that in future, we may need them to pinch hit. From a development point of view, I don't know if there is a strong need to play them there for the rest of the year, and as soon as we saw McDonald go down yesterday, I think that it would've been better from a structure point of view to move at least one of JR or CG back. To Neeld's credit(?), he wasn't reactive in his moves, but I'm just not sure if that was the right decision.

Stupid turnovers has nothing to do with players developing in their roles. When I saw Grimes kick it on the full because he elected to kick with his non-preferred when he had ample opportunity to kick it with his preferred, that sort of stuff just kicks me in the guts. This has happened umpteen times this season from a variety of players, and I'm continually amazed that these errors are being made without consequence.

The thing that concerns me the most about this season is the fact that, taking away the 2 franchise clubs, we are on the bottom. No one expected GC or GWS to be in a position other than where they are, so basucally, we're the "unofficial" wooden spoon-ists. Neeld has openly commented that he has told players that when we've played well in the past, we've looked amazing, but we're putting that style of play on hold to work on some of the basics. This is a very dangerous path to take, but again, I'm putting my faith in his decisions. At the instruction of the coach, we've shelved that run through the corridor, we've shelved that creativity and dare to take the game on, I just hope that when the players are asked to take it off the shelf that they remember how to do it.

I'm amazed that we lost by 10 goals - it should've been more, and I'm more amazed that people on here are happy to accept it and write it off as development. Like Big Jim (I think) said in another post, I'm sick of draft picks. I'd rather be wondering who is left toward the end of the first round rather than wonder who we are going to take with pick 3 - at least that would mean we're finishing higher up the ladder. Then some more educated posters on here are hoping we get involved in the mini draft this year, which will mean we're picking up a 17 year old who won't be able to play until 2014 at the earliest.

End rant.

Good Rant Billie! Should be more of it. Can't see anything to disagree with and have started to back Neeld even though I know he has big L plates on and makes constant mistakes both in strategy and in the media. IMO both Neeld as Coach and the Co Captain set up was an integral mistake. Now we must make the best of a series of unfortunate decisions a go with that. We are mere supporters.

Edited July 2, 2012 by thaipantsman

[dee-luded 2,959]

Fair comment but im still from the school that suggests kicking more positvely to a beeter positioned team mate offers even more upside. Silly i know.

Yes of course, but yesterday with Clarke out & Watts playing back flank, Rivers & Garland are as good a marks as Goddard.

The lions were banging us up on the rebound.

We weren't in a hope of winning so the best way to defend was to do what we did.

[dee-luded 2,959]

A worry if all our defensive structures revolve around TMac. TMac is was badly missed but more so was Frawley's lack of form along with a general lack of depth. Sure Hanley would be good. We got smashed in the Guts was the big issue. Moloney missed his big buddy. Sylvia Put in a really good game and is getting back to his best slowly after his back break.

No, our future defence revolves around Frawley, Garland, & our young talls in McDonald, Davis, (Cook) (Watts) + a host of small medium types.

We have to play these young ones into experience & form.

Yesterday with the injuries we were nobbled. If we played Rivers & Garland back, & the kids forward then there would be less forward defensive pressure, creating more Lions rebound & placing the defenders under greater pressure.

[thaipantsman 180]

No, our future defence revolves around Frawley, Garland, & our young talls in McDonald, Davis, (Cook) (Watts) + a host of small medium types.

We have to play these young ones into experience & form.

Yesterday with the injuries we were nobbled. If we played Rivers & Garland back, & the kids forward then there would be less forward defensive pressure, creating more Lions rebound & placing the defenders under greater pressure.

hei R @B

Agreed Spud is integral just had a bad game. Cook? A lot of talk about him but not kicking many goals for Casey. Hope he's good. Any comment about Leigh Williams? He looks good and would fit the bill. Had a shocking run with Injuries and health but back now.

yes we missed McDonald but should have depth to cover.

[beelzebub 23,380]

I still reckon kicjing to posession far outweighs high balls knocked over the boundary. In one instance you HAVE the ball and options ahead. In the other your HAVE stopped play, killed momentum and given them time to man up and structure before a throw in which is 50-50.

Seems dumb at best and defeatist at worst.

Edited July 2, 2012 by belzebub59

[P-man 13,366]

_{Some well balanced and thought out posts on this thread. Refreshing reading after I was pretty p*ssed yesterday.}

_{One thing that does do my head in is that we never seem to kick to a forward on a lead, it’s always long and high to a contest. Mitch was able to deal with this okay, but 9 times out of 10 this is a defenders dream and the ball is smashed to the boundary.}

_{Whatever happened to leading hard and putting the ball into space to run into? Essendon are doing it beautifully at the moment and Hurley is reaping the rewards.}

This really was doing my head in yesterday as well and must be high on the list of things to be rectified in the coming weeks if we are to have any hope of winning a few games. Our failure to capitalise during the periods where we absolute dominated the game was telling. We can no longer bomb it in there and rely on a Mitch Clark to take a contested grab in a 2 on 1.

[The Chazz 4,077]

hei R @B

Agreed Spud is integral just had a bad game. Cook? A lot of talk about him but not kicking many goals for Casey. Hope he's good. Any comment about Leigh Williams? He looks good and would fit the bill. Had a shocking run with Injuries and health but back now.

yes we missed McDonald but should have depth to cover.

I always find these types of comments amusing. We've used a first round pick on an U18 AA CHF who has been on our list for a couple of years, is still growing, and has kick 9 goals in the last 3 weeks at Casey, however, we prefer to believe that a mature age rookie who had been playing in EFL could take on the role that we hoped a first rounder would take.

[old dee 23,792]

Does a lack of personnel affect the selection and match-ups in a game?

We won the contested possession, clearances, Inside 50s, and had as many tackles as them.

We didn't spread, and we didn't kick into the forward line well (or have a functioning forward line).

We didn't play poorly, but had a poor result.

I don't know why the 17 year old draft is relevant here? I just want the best list management outcome from wherever we finish the season - that might involved the 17 year old draft.

Or should we just leave that business to other clubs?

Whatever It Takes...

I am up here in Brisbane and went to the game.

You are 100% correct rpfc

With Clark, Davey and Jones in our side we would have beaten the Lions.

They had a functioning forward line and we did not.

That in my opinion was the difference.

[P-man 13,366]

I am up here in Brisbane and went to the game.

You are 100% correct rpfc

With Clark, Davey and Jones in our side we would have beaten the Lions.

They had a functioning forward line and we did not.

That in my opinion was the difference.

A pretty positive post from you OD. You feeling alright?

[old dee 23,792]

A pretty positive post from you OD. You feeling alright?

I only ever say it as I see it P_man

The majority of 2012 we have been rubbish

And when we are again I will say it.

[Dr. Mubutu 855]

I am up here in Brisbane and went to the game.

You are 100% correct rpfc

With Clark, Davey and Jones in our side we would have beaten the Lions.

They had a functioning forward line and we did not.

That in my opinion was the difference.

Exactly. We went from the second most potent in 2010 to what we saw on Sunday. Shows how much we miss Jurrah, really.

Or, as has been brought up elsewhere, maybe Juice is the solution?

[drdrake 3,178]

I am up here in Brisbane and went to the game.

You are 100% correct rpfc

With Clark, Davey and Jones in our side we would have beaten the Lions.

They had a functioning forward line and we did not.

That in my opinion was the difference.

Old Dee, watching from the TV it seemed Brisbane attacked from Half Back, they always seemed to have numbers behind the football and when they broke free there was a lot of space in front of them. Being at the game was this the game style they played leaving Brown, McGrath and Merrett up forward and the rest working from Half back. It just seemed on TV everytime we went into our forward 50m arc it was 3-4 loose Brisbane players to our one forward or is it our players went to the contest getting more around the footy and the Brisbane defenders just picked off our incoming kicks and attacked from there.

[dpositive 1,665]

There has been much positive and negative in this thread that I agree with. Couldnt say I liked it but agreed with it

We had lost Mitch and it was time to see how the coach and playing squad dealy with that. He wont be back till next season and we cant just accept that we continue to lose with that excuse as others say we are not the only team to have injuries.

Howe has developed as an allrounder but has shown he has a prodigous leap and while he doesnt hold everything he makes a contest why not on the forward line when rivers and watts can provide run and delivery from back when Mcdonald went down.

Why was it even contemplated to put Watts on Brown as noted by someone he is not a grunt forward nor is he a grunt defender, He is smart moves well gets the ball and delivers it well.

Sylvia seemed to play OK but like Moloney places it all on a self delivery program and doesnt really use teammates well.

Moloney points to others for tasks he knows need to be done and could provide more Jones type leadership by doing it .

Too many of our players tried to take on stronger bodies and work through packs, it worked ok against GWS who were smaller and tackled in smaller numbers,

Martin did seem to play well both when rucking and round the ground

Spencer was useful for ruck taps and did notice that the ball didnt just go to his feet. brisbane didnt seem to get the clearances fron stopages as others teams have done.

Need to see the replay again to reinforce my joy anger and despair probably wont. Enjoy the analysis hope that the players and coaches are doing it even harder than we are.

I also reckon we have a solid squad with different skills and ability it is surely time to use what we have not wait for the next draft or the next season. Morton has deficiencies but we have to use him Blease has shown some attributes that can be valuable. The Watts experiment has shown that for all the deficiencies others have expressed HE HAS IMPROVED and is very valuable we should be demanding that of all our players

I saw many that did improve but we failed because we did not use all that we had all that well. Hopefully there was something learnt and something saved for next week.

I think I m exhausted End of rant for now