NAB CHALLENGE: GOLD COAST SUNS v MELBOURNE

[pikeout 41]

Try the Gulf. Remote, 1 shed for 700kms.

[rjay 24,939]

..and so i no complain.

Heres my take on it:

The more senior (or rather, guys that have been at MFC for a while) players there are in the team, the further away we are from sticking to structures - ie: further away from our best footy.. (For the time being that is)

1st year players have a clean slate and no bad habits to correct. You can instill a gameplan / techniques and its all that they know.

After being at the 1st game, watching the following weeks via replay and reading the reports - the best game weve played this preseason was against Port.

We won because we stuck to the structures.. even tho we didnt have the personnel.

We had 16 - 18 of our best 22 out that day.

Patience is again required.. (at least until everyone is on the same page)

Agree with most of what you are saying and that game against Port was the best I've seen us tackle in memory.

[Demonsterative 3,020]

Is it possible to lose an intraclub game?

It is the MFC. Anything is possible

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

..and so i no complain.

Heres my take on it:

The more senior (or rather, guys that have been at MFC for a while) players there are in the team, the further away we are from sticking to structures - ie: further away from our best footy.. (For the time being that is)

1st year players have a clean slate and no bad habits to correct. You can instill a gameplan / techniques and its all that they know.

After being at the 1st game, watching the following weeks via replay and reading the reports - the best game weve played this preseason was against Port.

We won because we stuck to the structures.. even tho we didnt have the personnel.

We had 16 - 18 of our best 22 out that day.

Patience is again required.. (at least until everyone is on the same page)

Structure and game plan yes DD.

But when are these players going to start "thinking" on their feet as the play evolves?? And i'm not talking about the Suns match.

Take the game against the Saints last week. On a number of occasions in the 2nd, we were so focused on enforcing some kind of forward press, that we forgot there was a decent breeze. All the Saints did was adjust to that. Kick a quick short pass into the pockets knowing that they could then quickly bomb it over the back, where "unmarked" players were waiting just behind the press. That loose player or 2 were then able to run amok and link up through the middle/wings, freeing up others to take shots at goal.

Where were their opponents on those occasions? Minds were still enforcing the press, and so were their bodies. Floating higher up the ground, not quite a full kick away from the outlet receiver for the Saints. Some players were still trying to maintain/play some kind of press instead of recognising the need to pick up a man (preferrably a designated one) once the Saints had gained that first outlet kick.

This wasn't the only reason the Saints kicked so many unanswered goals last week in the 2nd quarter, but it sure didn't help matters.

I'm just not sure this kind of "on the run" mind set (ie., footy smarts) is coachable with some of our players. It will need to happen soon though if we're to win a hand full of games against opposition other than the 2 new AFL franchises and only Richmond/Essendon from the Victorian based clubs as we've seen in the past 5 years or so.

Edited March 16, 2013 by Rusty Nails

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Neeld just said we had two less players on the pine in the second half. I would imagine rotations would have been in full swing with the heat up there.

[Arrow 1,257]

Neeld just said we had two less players on the pine in the second half. I would imagine rotations would have been in full swing with the heat up there.

This might sound stupid but I'm disappointed Mark has dropped that line. He must know by now we as supporters are over excuses, it happens to teams regularly and they find a way. He should coach so that we do the same. He's always come across as a 'I don't give excuses kind of a guy' yet we get beaten by a rubbish team and he comes back with the same stuff as Bailey, Viney and all before him.

Lets hope the regular season footy is considerably better than today, I don't read much into the NAB Cup results wise, but by the sounds of it 2013 sounding alot like 2012.

[dee-luded 2,959]

"As the 7th Year aproached i was again told to be patient by a team that really does not know how to win"

How refreshing.

Winter Holidays to Asia again look a most positive goal. Might start planning this week

leave your planning for 3 or 4 weeks WYL.

late august may be the time to go, or around our Darwin game. I wish I could join you, I've ne'er been to Asia, or outside the airport.

[Josh 1,420]

It's going to be a long year.

Damn auto correct I meant to say I'm still enthusiastic about our season

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

When we beat Port in Round 1 I'm starting a we will win the flag thread.

[Sir Why You Little 37,046]

leave your planning for 3 or 4 weeks WYL.

late august may be the time to go, or around our Darwin game. I wish I could join you, I've ne'er been to Asia, or outside the airport.

Late June i like to go. When the Frost is at it's worst in Melbourne.

The MFC will continue to under achieve whether i am in the country or not.

[Demonstone 22,569]

I'd disagree with those saying we're in for a long year. I expect it'll all be over by the end of August.

Having said that, it's hardly wrist-slashing time. Harden up princesses!

[DemonDan... 77]

Structure and game plan yes DD.

But when are these players going to start "thinking" on their feet as the play evolves?? And i'm not talking about the Suns match.

When the plan becomes more 2nd nature to everyone..

I would guess by mid year..

by then we should start to look more cohesive and have a better understanding of how each other plays under neeldys plan..

[DemonDan... 77]

Late June i like to go. When the Frost is at it's worst in Melbourne.

Great.. Take Mjt with you..

[jumbo returns 6,741]

The cull aint over yet.

3 or 4 big names will see a lot of Casey this year.

Edited March 16, 2013 by jumbo returns

[Longsufferingnomore 1,631]

Great.. Take Mjt with you..

and the rest. I don't have to name them.

[DeeSpencer 25,717]

My god Neeld is getting good at making excuses for a guy who promised to be ruthless. As per MFC twitter Neeld said they played with 2 less rotations for second half

[Josh 1,420]

The cull aint over yet. 3 or 4 big names will see a lot of Casey this year.

Like who?

[titan_uranus 25,020]

This might sound stupid but I'm disappointed Mark has dropped that line. He must know by now we as supporters are over excuses, it happens to teams regularly and they find a way. He should coach so that we do the same. He's always come across as a 'I don't give excuses kind of a guy' yet we get beaten by a rubbish team and he comes back with the same stuff as Bailey, Viney and all before him.

Lets hope the regular season footy is considerably better than today, I don't read much into the NAB Cup results wise, but by the sounds of it 2013 sounding alot like 2012.

Really?

It was 27 and humid. Rotations would kinda be relevant in those conditions.

I also don't read that as 'hey, we would have won if we'd had a full bench!'. I read it as 'look, we struggled today, and part of the reason for that was because we couldn't rotate our players through the terrible AFL conditions'.

[Allen Jakovich 516]

So no McDonald, Frawley, Clark Dawes, Davey, jetta, viney, trengove, garland for the 2nd half... Not anywhere near the strength we'll be at come round 1... Obviously a dissapointing result but probably not a great indication of what we'll dish up against port imo.

[sue 9,107]

This might sound stupid but I'm disappointed Mark has dropped that line. He must know by now we as supporters are over excuses, it happens to teams regularly and they find a way. He should coach so that we do the same. He's always come across as a 'I don't give excuses kind of a guy' yet we get beaten by a rubbish team and he comes back with the same stuff as Bailey, Viney and all before him.

Lets hope the regular season footy is considerably better than today, I don't read much into the NAB Cup results wise, but by the sounds of it 2013 sounding alot like 2012.

While it sounds like the tweeter is keen to make excuses, I'll be radical and wait to see the context in which Neeld made that remark before saying anything.

[P-man 13,366]

When we beat Port in Round 1 I'm starting a we will win the flag thread.

Might I suggest as a title, "2013 premiership: Relax, we've got this".

[DeeZee 7,397]

So no McDonald, Frawley, Clark Dawes, Davey, jetta, viney, trengove, garland for the 2nd half... Not anywhere near the strength we'll be at come round 1... Obviously a dissapointing result but probably not a great indication of what we'll dish up against port imo.

Add Blease and Kent to that.

[Muvver Jones 64]

When the plan becomes more 2nd nature to everyone..

I would guess by mid year..

by then we should start to look more cohesive and have a better understanding of how each other plays under neeldys plan..

Similar things were said at the begining of last season. I also recal Ross Lyon only took about a month to get his not to disimilar to Neeld's structured defensive game plan clicking at Freo. Basically the way they played was at polar opposites to their previous season with good success.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Like who?

Sylvia

Davey

Macdonald

Start with those three....the big shock for most will be J...J...nah, can't say it.

[Sir Why You Little 37,046]

Great.. Take Mjt with you..

oh no. I travel alone.

It's the only way.