I missed the Freo game live so the first thing I did was get on to this site to learn what I had missed. The reports were very negative so rather than read on I flicked on the replay. The first quarter was better than expected after reading this site .

The umpires got them off to a slightly undeserved flier. Dunn’s reflexes too quick for his own good in giving away a 50 metre penalty. Howe was pulled out of a contest by the serial cheat McPhee on the edge of the goal square. One goal gifted to them; one denied us.

We backed ourselves with run and overlap once we were settled. The semblance of an attacking game is starting to emerge, Sylvia, Grimes and Tom Mac all worked hard and were effective. Nicholson won plenty of it but his disposal by hand and foot is dreadful. I kept thinking what a difference Mitch Clark would make to this line up. Watts much better than Demonland would have me believe, working both ends of the ground and attacking contests even though he did not get a lot of it.

We played hard contested football, Nicholson’s second quarter spoils were strong. Grimes, Trengove and Sylvia all continued strongly but it is the simple lack of reliable marking targets that undermines our time in the forward 50. If there’s no one to rove to there’s not much the roving types can do.

So far I have only watched the first half. Sandilands destroyed us but we had an underdone Jamar against him.

POSITIVES: ,more contests, more run, Grimes looking more and more of a leader, Fitzpatrick might well be a player - interesting to have big Mitch around him, Nicholson’s attack on the ball, stronger bodies than we had in the first half of the season, Tom Mac, Blease continues to show some dash and self belief.

NEGATIVES: nothing new here: too little support and run for Jones in the middle although Jordie Mac works hard in the contests; no consistent forward structure to speak of – Green’s absence was notable even though he was not the tall target Clark would be.

If I can stand to watch the second half might add some more.

FINAL COMMENT: Ross Lyon is a smug [censored] – glad now the Aints let him down and will enjoy Geelong kicking his butt back west next week. Oh, and Zac Dawson is a fraud of a footballer.

I agree with a few things you say, but Watts had an absolute nightmare of a game last night.

If only he did attack contests like you said. He is just half arsed, and he needs to be absolutely slammed all pre season. If only he gave 100% he might turn into the player we want, but right now it looks like he doesn't want it.

I missed the Freo game live so the first thing I did was get on to this site to learn what I had missed. The reports were very negative so rather than read on I flicked on the replay. The first quarter was better than expected after reading this site .

The umpires got them off to a slightly undeserved flier. Dunn’s reflexes too quick for his own good in giving away a 50 metre penalty. Howe was pulled out of a contest by the serial cheat McPhee on the edge of the goal square. One goal gifted to them; one denied us.

We backed ourselves with run and overlap once we were settled. The semblance of an attacking game is starting to emerge, Sylvia, Grimes and Tom Mac all worked hard and were effective. Nicholson won plenty of it but his disposal by hand and foot is dreadful. I kept thinking what a difference Mitch Clark would make to this line up. Watts much better than Demonland would have me believe, working both ends of the ground and attacking contests even though he did not get a lot of it.

We played hard contested football, Nicholson’s second quarter spoils were strong. Grimes, Trengove and Sylvia all continued strongly but it is the simple lack of reliable marking targets that undermines our time in the forward 50. If there’s no one to rove to there’s not much the roving types can do.

So far I have only watched the first half. Sandilands destroyed us but we had an underdone Jamar against him.

POSITIVES: ,more contests, more run, Grimes looking more and more of a leader, Fitzpatrick might well be a player - interesting to have big Mitch around him, Nicholson’s attack on the ball, stronger bodies than we had in the first half of the season, Tom Mac, Blease continues to show some dash and self belief.

NEGATIVES: nothing new here: too little support and run for Jones in the middle although Jordie Mac works hard in the contests; no consistent forward structure to speak of – Green’s absence was notable even though he was not the tall target Clark would be.

If I can stand to watch the second half might add some more.

FINAL COMMENT: Ross Lyon is a smug [censored] – glad now the Aints let him down and will enjoy Geelong kicking his butt back west next week. Oh, and Zac Dawson is a fraud of a footballer.

PM - do yourself a favour and leave it there.

The 2nd half was.....meek.

Turnovers, hand balling to a teammate three feet away, you-know-who tiptoeing to contests, backing out of contests, Jones getting mauled with NOT ONE player showing the discipline to block for him, McKenzie taking over the mantle of Moloney's fingerpointing and directing traffic and and....I'll stop there.

The kids have just cooked me breakfast - I'll focus on that.

Oh, yes...I agree that Lyon is a [censored]...mmmm eggs.

the only thing you need to consider from the last game of 2012 was we lost by 10 goals.

That says it all

At least we are consistant

I am not going to argue we aren't crap - because we have been this year

But lets be a little realitics as pitmaster says - the year has been over for a long time for the Dees. Freo had something to play for (finals ambition) and unleass we were playing the Dogs, Port, GC, GWS or any other club in our position we were always going to struggle in the last games of the year.

We are not the only team to be touched up by Failo this year

I wonder whether we watched the same game mate. Because the only positive I saw last night was Jack Fitzpatrick kicking a few. Across the board were we smashed, they were toying with us. it was a dismal way to finish the season. Really we could just field Clark, Jamar, Blease, Tommy M, Howe and Jones next year and get a similar result.

Grimes is improving but is a shadow of some of his previous form.

its nice to think positively but to think positively at the moment is to try and make excuses for why we are on average 7-10 goals behind most of the teams in the league.

I missed the Freo game live so the first thing I did was get on to this site to learn what I had missed. The reports were very negative so rather than read on I flicked on the replay. The first quarter was better than expected after reading this site .

The umpires got them off to a slightly undeserved flier. Dunn’s reflexes too quick for his own good in giving away a 50 metre penalty. Howe was pulled out of a contest by the serial cheat McPhee on the edge of the goal square. One goal gifted to them; one denied us.

We backed ourselves with run and overlap once we were settled. The semblance of an attacking game is starting to emerge, Sylvia, Grimes and Tom Mac all worked hard and were effective. Nicholson won plenty of it but his disposal by hand and foot is dreadful. I kept thinking what a difference Mitch Clark would make to this line up. Watts much better than Demonland would have me believe, working both ends of the ground and attacking contests even though he did not get a lot of it.

We played hard contested football, Nicholson’s second quarter spoils were strong. Grimes, Trengove and Sylvia all continued strongly but it is the simple lack of reliable marking targets that undermines our time in the forward 50. If there’s no one to rove to there’s not much the roving types can do.

So far I have only watched the first half. Sandilands destroyed us but we had an underdone Jamar against him.

POSITIVES: ,more contests, more run, Grimes looking more and more of a leader, Fitzpatrick might well be a player - interesting to have big Mitch around him, Nicholson’s attack on the ball, stronger bodies than we had in the first half of the season, Tom Mac, Blease continues to show some dash and self belief.

Pfft.

I missed the Freo game live so the first thing I did was get on to this site to learn what I had missed. The reports were very negative so rather than read on I flicked on the replay. The first quarter was better than expected after reading this site .

The umpires got them off to a slightly undeserved flier. Dunn’s reflexes too quick for his own good in giving away a 50 metre penalty. Howe was pulled out of a contest by the serial cheat McPhee on the edge of the goal square. One goal gifted to them; one denied us.

We backed ourselves with run and overlap once we were settled. The semblance of an attacking game is starting to emerge, Sylvia, Grimes and Tom Mac all worked hard and were effective. Nicholson won plenty of it but his disposal by hand and foot is dreadful. I kept thinking what a difference Mitch Clark would make to this line up. Watts much better than Demonland would have me believe, working both ends of the ground and attacking contests even though he did not get a lot of it.

We played hard contested football, Nicholson’s second quarter spoils were strong. Grimes, Trengove and Sylvia all continued strongly but it is the simple lack of reliable marking targets that undermines our time in the forward 50. If there’s no one to rove to there’s not much the roving types can do.

So far I have only watched the first half. Sandilands destroyed us but we had an underdone Jamar against him.

POSITIVES: ,more contests, more run, Grimes looking more and more of a leader, Fitzpatrick might well be a player - interesting to have big Mitch around him, Nicholson’s attack on the ball, stronger bodies than we had in the first half of the season, Tom Mac, Blease continues to show some dash and self belief.

NEGATIVES: nothing new here: too little support and run for Jones in the middle although Jordie Mac works hard in the contests; no consistent forward structure to speak of – Green’s absence was notable even though he was not the tall target Clark would be.

If I can stand to watch the second half might add some more.

FINAL COMMENT: Ross Lyon is a smug [censored] – glad now the Aints let him down and will enjoy Geelong kicking his butt back west next week. Oh, and Zac Dawson is a fraud of a footballer.

Stop accepting sh!t please. You give the club an excuse to continue on its merry way.

Stop accepting sh!t please. You give the club an excuse to continue on its merry way.

It's not a question of accepting rubbish - it's a matter of trying to see progress and understand what the club is doing.

It's not a question of accepting rubbish - it's a matter of trying to see progress and understand what the club is doing.

See anything?

Stop accepting sh!t please. You give the club an excuse to continue on its merry way.

You're unbelievable.

The OP tried to point out some of the positives. No one is saying we've had a good year, we've had a terrible year. But there is nothing at all wrong, and a lot of things right, about trying to look for the things that have gone right this year.

Similarly to the way no one would say we've been any good this year, no one would deny that Mitch Clark was an absolute star before getting injured. See? A positive. Amazing, right?

You're unbelievable.

The OP tried to point out some of the positives. No one is saying we've had a good year, we've had a terrible year. But there is nothing at all wrong, and a lot of things right, about trying to look for the things that have gone right this year.

Similarly to the way no one would say we've been any good this year, no one would deny that Mitch Clark was an absolute star before getting injured. See? A positive. Amazing, right?

5 goals in 2 hours of football and you think i am unbelievable!!!

I wonder whether we watched the same game mate. Because the only positive I saw last night was Jack Fitzpatrick kicking a few. Across the board were we smashed, they were toying with us. it was a dismal way to finish the season. Really we could just field Clark, Jamar, Blease, Tommy M, Howe and Jones next year and get a similar result.

Grimes is improving but is a shadow of some of his previous form.

its nice to think positively but to think positively at the moment is to try and make excuses for why we are on average 7-10 goals behind most of the teams in the league.

I agree with what you say NSC - but lets not kill all the optimism around here. Pitmaster isn't too far off with his points - they are hard to be seen as positives when we are as you point out a 10 goals a game behind most teams

Thank god there was some positivity last night or what is there to look forward to?

5 goals in 2 hours of football and you think i am unbelievable!!!

Just because we were flogged doesn't mean there were no positivies - We all know we're crap - at least this bloke is trying to debate some positive development....

Neeld has said he won't deviate from the process - and as much as that sucks in the short term it is worth looking at these positives otherwise we will all end up old grumpy and unhappy watching this side!!!

Just because we were flogged doesn't mean there were no positivies - We all know we're crap - at least this bloke is trying to debate some positive development....

Neeld has said he won't deviate from the process - and as much as that sucks in the short term it is worth looking at these positives otherwise we will all end up old grumpy and unhappy watching this side!!!

All power to the OP for trying to see positives. I see a list of well paid (elite) footballers who do not REALLY CARE deep down. Talk is very cheap at Melbourne. Has been for years. The only way this old place is going to wake up is if the supporters who do care shake it up.

5 goals in 2 hours of football and you think i am unbelievable!!!

So you disagree about Clark?

You don't think Howe is a promising footballer? That Jones showed marked improvement? Or Tom McDonald?

All power to the OP for trying to see positives. I see a list of well paid (elite) footballers who do not REALLY CARE deep down. Talk is very cheap at Melbourne. Has been for years. The only way this old place is going to wake up is if the supporters who do care shake it up.

Ah yes, that ought to do it.

Let's all take our eggs and go throw them at the club. That really will make everything right again.

Forgive me if I'm not in a positive mood. For all the 'progress' we've made we were smashed in just about every key stat last night.

We've won 31 of our past 141 matches, effing Fitzroy were kicked out of the competition with a better strike rate than that during their last 6 years. How many quarters do we go through barely scoring? We've had 10 top 20 picks from 2006 to 2010 & effed up 80% of them.

The talented players we have are generally soft & lazy. Our hardest & hardest working players (whom always end up on the chain of handballs) couldnt hit the backside of a barn from 1 metre by hand or foot. Watching Melbourne play is like a sick joke, it looks almost as if when we have the ball we man up, when we don't we spread. We don't block, chase, tackle or intimidate opponents. Where was the support for Jones last night when that maggot Crowley was mauling him & giggling all the while? Why don't our players hunt & attack the ball? Toby Greene from GWS is about 5'5 & 30kgs dripping wet, yet he has the confidence in his own game & support from his teammates to win the ball.

This team is a joke to the word 'professional' - until coach & playing group take responsibility for our current shithouse state we are effed. Given past history I won't be holding my breath. So let's save the positivity until we see some tangible results ergo not meek 60 point losses in 4 win seasons.

So you disagree about Clark?

You don't think Howe is a promising footballer? That Jones showed marked improvement? Or Tom McDonald?

Ah yes, that ought to do it.

Let's all take our eggs and go throw them at the club. That really will make everything right again.

I'm not talking eggs mate. I am talking attendance. If the players show little passion for the cause what hope have we got.

Players were not fighting for their list placement last night. After 23 rounds it was the same rabble as round 1.

I'm not talking eggs mate. I am talking attendance. If the players show little passion for the cause what hope have we got.

Players were not fighting for their list placement last night. After 23 rounds it was the same rabble as round 1.

So you disagree with what I said about Clarke, Howe, Jones, McDonald etc.?

Forgive me if I'm not in a positive mood. For all the 'progress' we've made we were smashed in just about every key stat last night.

We've won 31 of our past 141 matches, effing Fitzroy were kicked out of the competition with a better strike rate than that during their last 6 years. How many quarters do we go through barely scoring? We've had 10 top 20 picks from 2006 to 2010 & effed up 80% of them.

The talented players we have are generally soft & lazy. Our hardest & hardest working players (whom always end up on the chain of handballs) couldnt hit the backside of a barn from 1 metre by hand or foot. Watching Melbourne play is like a sick joke, it looks almost as if when we have the ball we man up, when we don't we spread. We don't block, chase, tackle or intimidate opponents. Where was the support for Jones last night when that maggot Crowley was mauling him & giggling all the while? Why don't our players hunt & attack the ball? Toby Greene from GWS is about 5'5 & 30kgs dripping wet, yet he has the confidence in his own game & support from his teammates to win the ball.

This team is a joke to the word 'professional' - until coach & playing group take responsibility for our current shithouse state we are effed. Given past history I won't be holding my breath. So let's save the positivity until we see some tangible results ergo not meek 60 point losses in 4 win seasons.

Excellent post. Lets take the band aids off again, and find the real problems.

I thought they had been attended to, but i was wrong.

So you disagree with what I said about Clarke, Howe, Jones, McDonald etc.?

No i don't. But the problems go way deeper than that. I am sick of just looking at the top layer.

Sorry to see some positives in the gloom, but I thought the team did pretty well for a good deal of the first half. There were some pretty skillful and competitive moments - we just couldn't score any goals when we dominated the forward 50's. Hopefully that and the midfield deficiencies will be addressed with recruitment and injury recovery (Mitch).

It wasn't as if Freo weren't trying during that time. We just fall apart when the opposition gets a cheap goal or two. That is partly down to lack of confidence which is easy to lose given our truckload of deficiencies.

No i don't. But the problems go way deeper than that. I am sick of just looking at the top layer.

OK, great, finally got it out of you.

You therefore agree that there are positives at the club and coming out of 2012.

There's also nothing wrong with looking at the 'top layer'. That 'top layer' is what's going to drive us through the next few years, and we need to build around it. Clearly we have a small top layer and no depth at the moment, so what we need to do is get rid of the deadwood around the edges and focus on adding to our list to support our core.

OK, great, finally got it out of you.

You therefore agree that there are positives at the club and coming out of 2012.

There's also nothing wrong with looking at the 'top layer'. That 'top layer' is what's going to drive us through the next few years, and we need to build around it. Clearly we have a small top layer and no depth at the moment, so what we need to do is get rid of the deadwood around the edges and focus on adding to our list to support our core.

This club spends too much time looking at the top layer.

Time to dig deep and find the real problems.

What creates the soft underbelly every year?

If these problems can be found then i will call it a positive.

Sorry Mr Anus i am not disagreeing with you, but i have seen performances like last night over many years.

The club tells us that it wants to learn and be the best. But it doesn't put it into practise.

Does it know how?

Not appointing Sheeds 5 years ago may be the biggest mistake the club has made in decades.

Yes he is getting on & a little fruity. But he knows how to win at all costs.

I dont usually post but one thing that upset me last night was that when we had kicked a point no body manned up for the kickout.

All players just waited while a Dockers played ran into an open space and marked the ball kicked to him, then a Melbourne player ran across slowly to stand the mark. This happened time and time again whenever they had the ball the dockers would spread and had men everywhere by themselves whilst our players were about five to 10 yards behind them. Arrrh