Those forever backward handpassing forays yesterday put us under enormous pressure, with skills deteriorating as we went further back.

And handpassing into the corridor from defence seems really dumb since that usually intensifies pressure, too.

And players calling for the ball when they are covered by an opponent. That was so blatant yesterday I figured our guys had sworn a vow of

silence.

So which is the bigger weakness in our game? I am leaning towards decision making.

  On 08/07/2012 at 02:45, pitmaster said:

Those forever backward handpassing forays yesterday put us under enormous pressure, with skills deteriorating as we went further back.

And handpassing into the corridor from defence seems really dumb since that usually intensifies pressure, too.

And players calling for the ball when they are covered by an opponent. That was so blatant yesterday I figured our guys had sworn a vow of

silence.

So which is the bigger weakness in our game? I am leaning towards decision making.

Two sides of the same coin. If we could do either of them really well, it wouldn't be so bad but until we can, we will continue to play each other into trouble. I think it will improve.

Or number three our fitness. The player with the ball tires too quickly which means they cant execute or make the correct decision when tired. The player without the ball does not run to space or effectively block meaning that the options we do have are limited and usually covered.

West Coast players couldn't hit the side of a barn two years ago now look at the them move the ball.Fix the fitness and get the gameplan more embedded and then we can see how bad the skills actually are.

C) All of the above...

I actually think our decision making is reasonably good. Under Bailey, we quite often took the right options. This year, most players seem to have the footy IQ to make reasonable decisions. What lets us down time and again is our skills in execution. The backwards handballs are because of pressure. There are two sports of handballs - offensive (refer Hawthorn) and defensive. It's not so much decision making as pressure linked to poor execution of skills.

  On 08/07/2012 at 03:04, big_red_fire_engine said:

Or number three our fitness. The player with the ball tires too quickly which means they cant execute or make the correct decision when tired. The player without the ball does not run to space or effectively block meaning that the options we do have are limited and usually covered.

West Coast players couldn't hit the side of a barn two years ago now look at the them move the ball.Fix the fitness and get the gameplan more embedded and then we can see how bad the skills actually are.

A lot of the mistakes were in the first quater

Both our skills and decision making were just lamentable. Also too many of our players are on their heels when the ball squirts out of a contest which means they are invariably second to the ball and how many times did we wait for the ball to come to us rather than attacking it

One big problem that we've had even back to Bailey times is we deliver the ball to the back of a player rather than leading the player where they need to go with the pass, so the receiver is always flat footed and consequently under immediate pressure.

The other thing I've noticed happen more and more this year is players running the WRONG WAY! ie: Player has the ball 60m out and our players are running from 50m out to 75m out and calling for it, we seem to concede ground ALOT more than is the norm. Same thing happens when we try and get a run on out of defence, players are running towards defence rather than streaming forward.

Ughhhhh.... I hate footy right now

Hard to split them.

I couldn't believe that we had players on our team yesterday that thought a bomb down the line to Magner was a good option. WTF?

However, the number of times we should have been out into to open space with an overlap and we were unable to deliver the ball with precsion was deplorable.

We are screaming out for a pure footballer or two. By that I simply mean players that always take the right option and nearly always executes to perfection (see Simon Black, Lenny Hayes or Luke Hodge). Simply having even one player on our list that fits into this category would give others a bar to measure themselves against and to highlight how woefully inept many off them are. We simply don't have an A grade player for others to measure themselves against. Trengrove makes relatively good decisions but simply doesn't get enough of it and Grimes work one on one is exemplary but once the ball hits his foot it's more often embarrassing. Mitch Clarke has been aggressive and decisive, but we are screaming out for a footballers footballer to raise the bar in the midfield. I personally feel we don't have enough players with good football brains.

  On 08/07/2012 at 04:36, Bad Demon Pun said:

We are screaming out for a pure footballer or two. By that I simply mean players that always take the right option and nearly always executes to perfection (see Simon Black, Lenny Hayes or Luke Hodge).

Is there any team that would't want any of those blokes? They are hard to find.

Could argue the best footy we have played in the past 5 years is when we have been able to free up Davey behind the ball. Unfortunately could't find a way to elevate his game to the level of the guys you mentioned under any type of tag.

  On 08/07/2012 at 04:11, stuie said:

The other thing I've noticed happen more and more this year is players running the WRONG WAY! ie: Player has the ball 60m out and our players are running from 50m out to 75m out and calling for it, we seem to concede ground ALOT more than is the norm. Same thing happens when we try and get a run on out of defence, players are running towards defence rather than streaming forward.

Surely this is tactical. I'm not suggesting it's right but it happens so often that it has to be part of the game plan. Neeld is aiming for a very controlled, ball in our hands game style. This would be a great plan if only we had players that could execute it.

  On 08/07/2012 at 02:45, pitmaster said:

Those forever backward handpassing forays yesterday put us under enormous pressure, with skills deteriorating as we went further back.

And handpassing into the corridor from defence seems really dumb since that usually intensifies pressure, too.

And players calling for the ball when they are covered by an opponent. That was so blatant yesterday I figured our guys had sworn a vow of

silence.

So which is the bigger weakness in our game? I am leaning towards decision making.

It's like asking who is better looking Sarah Jessica Parker or Mr.Ed. I don't know.

re OP...dang you got me....cant split them !!!! pretty crap at both

  On 08/07/2012 at 05:04, cowboy_from_hell said:

It's like asking who is better looking Sarah Jessica Parker or Mr.Ed. I don't know.

oh Wilburrrrrrrrrrr !!! easy one

Decision making is over rated. If your teammates work hard to make good options, the decision becomes obvious and easy. The skills also become easier to execute because the option is obvious and easy...

Hand balling to players who are stationary or flat footed next to their opponent gets on my goat.

Happens time and time again, usually after a loose possession that has potential for an forward-going overlap.

Great opportunities going wasted because of bad decision making and poor execution, sometimes under little or no real pressure.

No talk when someone takes it on, resulting in a tackle that causes a turnover. Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!

Talk helps awareness.

When we were doing those asnnoying handballs it was flashbacks to Dean Baileys plan. We know it isnt neelds thing and it was just the pressure Richmond put on us,

Mark summed it up when he compared our errors to auskick stuff.

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Decision making was poor on occasion (McKenzie handballing to Frawley who was then hit high in that incident. This was not the fault of Richmond but McKenzie's decision making) but our skills turn free running ball into the need for gritty, tough decisions. Our kicking when not under pressure was inexcusable.

Our skills are atrocious. Period.

  On 08/07/2012 at 11:04, condemned 84 said:

Our skills are atrocious. Period.

Those five words cover it perfectly c84

I marvel at how we can recruit so many players who cannot hit a target.

It is mind blowing.

  On 08/07/2012 at 08:07, Benno said:

Decision making is over rated. If your teammates work hard to make good options, the decision becomes obvious and easy.

It's never been more important, which is why players practice drill after drill after drill at training. Teammates want to be predictable to each other. Decision making under pressure becomes even more crucial.

You mention "teammates working hard to make good options". Exhibit A in decision making.

I know we could list reasons why we have been so poor for so many years.

Skills, decision making, recruiting, contracts, training facilities (Junction Oval), coaches, finances, culture, etc.

What I want to understand is why has this happened for so long and how has this become the norm?

I really don't get why just about every other club has made basic, simple, responsible decisions that have moved their club forward and created some on field success. Or at least some form of positive hope. Why do we seem to go from bad to worse year after year? Why have club structures not created a unity of purpose and drive that has resulted in on field success. False dawns are hard to take.

I know we are much better off financially and Jimmy did a great job of pointing us in the right direction. But we keep falling further back in what is an ever-more cut throat, supporter-led competition. Yes, it's not that simple a matter that can be explained here.

People can point to Port Adel or Brisbane (or even back to Fitzroy) and say they struggle/d as well. But I know several Bris and Port fans who wouldn't want to be in our shoes for a million bucks.

It's getting very hard to keep supporting this club. But I will, of course, persist. The alternatives are too unthinkable. I love this Club, as did my father and grandfather.

  On 08/07/2012 at 12:18, Moonshadow said:

I know we could list reasons why we have been so poor for so many years.

Skills, decision making, recruiting, contracts, training facilities (Junction Oval), coaches, finances, culture, etc.

What I want to understand is why has this happened for so long and how has this become the norm?

I really don't get why just about every other club has made basic, simple, responsible decisions that have moved their club forward and created some on field success. Or at least some form of positive hope. Why do we seem to go from bad to worse year after year? Why have club structures not created a unity of purpose and drive that has resulted in on field success. False dawns are hard to take.

I know we are much better off financially and Jimmy did a great job of pointing us in the right direction. But we keep falling further back in what is an ever-more cut throat, supporter-led competition. Yes, it's not that simple a matter that can be explained here.

People can point to Port Adel or Brisbane (or even back to Fitzroy) and say they struggle/d as well. But I know several Bris and Port fans who wouldn't want to be in our shoes for a million bucks.

It's getting very hard to keep supporting this club. But I will, of course, persist. The alternatives are too unthinkable. I love this Club, as did my father and grandfather.

you are not alone Moonshadow, there are plenty of us with similar feelings.

Hang in there it has to get better

it does doesnt it