CHASING TIGER TAIL

[Forest Demon 4,681]

Whilst it was an improved effort, the facts are we were beaten by nearly six goals by a side that only a few years ago, were behind us in their development. i just cast my mind back to 2011 when we put in one of our most promising performances in recent memory, beating the Tiges by just under five goals - Jack Watts was excellent that day. It is a sad state of affairs when in May 2013 we have to take heart from a comprehensive defeat.

Of course it is, but we are where we are, and today was an improvement. Not even close enough to convince me Neeld is the right man for the job but a small step in the right direction.

[praha 11,240]

I wonder where we would be now if we had Ablett?

We'll have to wait until 2017 to find that out

[pitmaster 3,578]

What I want to know is how can a Richmond player duck his head and headbutt one of our players in the nuts and get a free kick for high contact?

Yeah that was weird but the howling mob cowed the umps all arvo.

[TONKA 64]

We were also smashed in the disposals again, this time by over 100. I know people will say this doesn't matter and sometimes it doesn't but it does when it happens week in week out. Why can we not get the ball? Every time the ball hit the ground all I saw was black and yellow?

Edited May 19, 2013 by demon_dave

[Swooper Northey 494]

It's the same depressing story. It's an absolute slog trying to get the ball - we just struggle to get our hands on it week in, week out. Makes scoring rather difficult!

[pitmaster 3,578]

Side note: Dustin Martin is the biggest [censored] in the AFL. Couldn't handle copping abuse from us behind the goals when he was fighting with Dunn, so started pointing at the scoreboard. Well done, champion, you beat Melbourne by half of what an expansion team did; how about focusing on playing four quarters of football, and not finishing ninth.

Richmond are soft.

Mentally weak and prone to sooking.

[Maldonboy38 6,406]

First time this year I was able to sit through a game thinking we had a chance to win, and watching the players have a genuine hard crack at the footy.

If any team gets a free player across half back, something about our structure cannot stop the flow until our over-worked back six stand tall - over and over again. Hat off the Terlich, Frawley, Garland etc...

Dawes is worth the money and trade. Can't wait for him and Clark to be on the park together. For those complaining about him having to stop and stand at the end of a lead, look to the kick. Rarely did he have a choice.

Welcome back Aaron Davey. Like the idea of subbing him at 3/4 time. His kicking today was a masterclass. A couple of Strauss' kicks showed a similar potential. That laces out pass to Dawes - breathtaking.

Magner - you should sue those people who decided to put you on the rookie list. Jones had some help in and under.

If only Evans, Bail and Jetta could kick.

Nicho and Jordie... I wanted to punch someone late in the game because of you two . Please listen to these two words: PERIPHERAL VISION!!!!!

Dunn looked very steady.

Loved it when the melee began. Boy, the Tiges are soft.

Those two passages down the members wing in the last quarter were our two best passages of running football for the year.

I can't believe I feel OK about a 30+ point loss.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Comparing Melbourne to the Sydney v Fremantle game on Saturday night, when Sydney get the ball their teammates are constantly moving, creating options, running one way then the other. An option opens up, it is taken and the whole process is repeated and until there is a clean break.

Melbourne do the opposite. From a mark, Melbourne players get the ball, then jog back (still facing the backline), teammates might run a bit but then they stop. If the ball isn't kicked into the man on the mark Melbourne players are forced to kick to a contest or if they switch, no one has the very basic football smarts to then provide an option one, two or three possessions ahead. They are just flat-footed and wait for the ball to come to them.

[monoccular 17,573]

get Roos or Choco in as coach and I guarantee you this team will win 10+ games and be competitive every week

Yeah....and they will be just jumping at the opportunity to take us on, especially if we sack a third coach mid stream.

Put Clark Sylvia Watts Grimes and McDonald back in and have a go like we did and there is something to look foward too.

Any news on Toumpas?

According to today's thread bearing his name, according to at least some "Melbourne supporters" it was trivia and he is an overacting wimp. On the other hand I would suggest we await expert opinion!

Anyone still want to trade Frawley?

Hopefully not Frawley.

[Chook 15,022]

Comparing Melbourne to the Sydney v Fremantle game on Saturday night, when Sydney get the ball their teammates are constantly moving, creating options, running one way then the other. An option opens up, it is taken and the whole process is repeated and until there is a clean break.

Melbourne do the opposite. From a mark, Melbourne players get the ball, then jog back (still facing the backline), teammates might run a bit but then they stop. If the ball isn't kicked into the man on the mark Melbourne players are forced to kick to a contest or if they switch, no one has the very basic football smarts to then provide an option one, two or three possessions ahead. They are just flat-footed and wait for the ball to come to them.

Isn't there some stat about how we play on the most in the comp or something? Or did I imagine that?

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Isn't there some stat about how we play on the most in the comp or something? Or did I imagine that?

Well that's the other thing, when Melbourne do play-on there is usually an opponent a metre or so away just waiting to lay a tackle.

The decision making is horrid.

[Robot Devil 1,895]

Isn't there some stat about how we play on the most in the comp or something? Or did I imagine that?

It doesn't say we play on quickly....

[Macca 17,033]

We were also smashed in the disposals again, this time by over 100. I know people will say this doesn't matter and sometimes it doesn't but it does when it happens week in week out. Why can we not get the ball? Every time the ball hit the ground all I saw was black and yellow?

They got 120 contested possessions today against our 112. So we're not far way with regards to winning the ball. We continually get cleaned up in the Clearances ... 45 to 29 today. Magner got 7 and N Jones 6 but we obviously need more ball winning ability at the stoppages.

Our biggest issue is that we get killed in uncontested possessions. Reason - we don't play well enough as a team when we've got the ball.

The post below by CB sums up the reasons very well. Our lack of teamwork has been an issue for more than just this season.

Comparing Melbourne to the Sydney v Fremantle game on Saturday night, when Sydney get the ball their teammates are constantly moving, creating options, running one way then the other. An option opens up, it is taken and the whole process is repeated and until there is a clean break.

Melbourne do the opposite. From a mark, Melbourne players get the ball, then jog back (still facing the backline), teammates might run a bit but then they stop. If the ball isn't kicked into the man on the mark Melbourne players are forced to kick to a contest or if they switch, no one has the very basic football smarts to then provide an option one, two or three possessions ahead. They are just flat-footed and wait for the ball to come to them.

Edited May 19, 2013 by Macca

[DemonOX 8,800]

get Roos or Choco in as coach and I guarantee you this team will win 10+ games and be competitive every week

Agree but we need a few more mids to hurry up the process.

[Mongrel Dee 56]

Jamar looked like a ruckman.

Dawes did his bit.

Tappy will make a player

Love Trengove - a really nice young man - but WHAT IS WRONG?

Jack Trengoves career is stuffed under Neeld unless Jack goes to another club OR Neeld gets out of our club.

[Return to Glory 8,448]

Get me Nathan Fyfe or a close approximation of him.

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

Jack Trengoves career is stuffed under Neeld unless Jack goes to another club OR Neeld gets out of our club.

I thought is second half was acceptable, but why the hell was he playing as a decoy up forward? we needed his class around the ball.

[leehow 303]

Thought the commentary was disgraceful today. First melb game I've missed, unfortunately had to sit through Bruce and Tim pay out on Melbourne at every opportunity, while going crazy every time cotchin or one of their other favourites got near the ball.

[DemonOX 8,800]

I didn't feel like getting in the car and closing the garage door today. Still, Freo next week.

That's [censored] hilarious RTG. Havent had much to laugh about this season.

[Theo 276]

Players consistently not up to it at present:

Bail

Jetta

McKenzie

Spencer

Sellar

Nicholson

Players that need to do more:

Trengove

Howe

Tapscott

Dunn

Gawn

Edited May 19, 2013 by Theo

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Much better performance, probably the best one of the year over four quarters.

The talls seem fine. Dawes is a great pickup, imagine if he had some support. Clark will give him that, Hogan in the long run. Watts should play forward in the meantime. In defence, Sellar started OK but he's still not great. Jamar smashed Stephenson in hit outs but still doesn't do anything around the ground.

Davey getting involved in the middle makes a significant difference. His kicking inside 50 was vital to us holding possession and scoring when we took it forward.

Howe doesn't do enough. His second half can't mask his first half, which wasn't good enough. He can't get away with attempting/taking a speccy each week and a nice goal from the boundary. Must get involved more.

When we put in an effort like we did today, it makes it a lot easier to identify our true problems. To me, what stood out the most was the number of sub-standard players we have in the side. It's not hard to see why we're lacking in skills when we have Dunn, McKenzie, Bail, Nicholson and Sellar in the side. I like M. Jones and Terlich a lot, but they're also not the highest quality kicks.

Put Clark, Viney, Grimes and Sylvia back into the side and put in the effort from today, and we'll get a few more wins, and look a lot better.

Huh?

Very harsh, indeed.

Had Dean Polo subbed off - statistically, Polo has been Richmond's No 1 go to man all year, higher than Riewoldt.

I think he did a great job.

[dees189227 12,398]

what i enjoyed today

The fact we were still in the game at 3/4 time

Our tackling was so much better

Watching Davey go back in time and play when he was really good, is goal kicking and passes were great today. Thats the Davey we want every week

Jetta just some little things he did wer n ice but that dropped mark he did from daveys kick was unforgivable

Frawley getting the ball and running like he used to

Evans just gets better

Trengove is still trying to find his fitness levels. He barely had a pre season

Dawes. Loved his leading and he chased. How I wish Clarke was in the team right now to help him

Magner. Seriously get this guy on the senior list permantely

Lastly grimes doing a radio interview and not wearing the stupid blazer. They are gone

[DeeZee 7,445]

I dont care what anybody says, i was proud f the boys today.

If we had Watts kicking out I reckon we would have won.

They scored alot of goals from our poor skills trying t get it outside defensive fifty.

Throw on Grimes and Clark and we would have had one more class player on each line.

Good on you Davey, Dawes and Magner, 3 that stood out aside from the usual bunch.

Very pleased with M Jones and Terlich, new additions this year who will be long term prospects.

[Adam The God 30,411]

Thoughts, in no particular order:

Jamar was playing on a no name and continues to fall over at almost every centre bounce. Every time he seemed to get a hit out in the defensive fifty, more often than not it was a dinky little knock to his feet. He tried harder today, but against half competent ruckmen, he's embarrassing. He simply gets shown up around the ground. Mind you. Gawn was shown up today too. Very, very, ordinary game from Maxy. His kicking is back to what it was prior 2013 too.

Liked Dawes' game and I haven't seen Davey hit the scoreboard or influence the contest as much in the last four years as today.

Some of Tappy's decision making and kicking is ordinary, given what a talented boot he has. Though he did some good things in amongst the turn overs.

Trengove's pace is a worry. He really has slowed since coming to the club. You only have to watch his video from the '09 Championships to see the difference.

I used to find Nathan Jones a one paced, poor decision maker, who failed to notice his limitations. Under Neeld he has turned into one of my favourite players. You can never question Jones' endeavour, but quite often now, he makes good to great decisions with ball in hand.

Magner was solid too, as was Matt Jones.

Frawley played quite well on Riewoldt, who I thought had two goals he shouldn't have. He beat Chippa at the end of the third quarter in that contest, where he snapped a goal from forty around his body. Outside of that, Frawley tends to always have Riewoldt's measure.

I was really disappointed in Garland's game today. He played long parts of the game on the likes of Martin and a resting Cotchin. He's a foot taller than these guys and is playing key position most of the time. He was out-marked far too many times today. I think he'll be disappointed in himself.

Howe doesn't work nearly hard enough up forward. He becomes really lazy. I thought his move into the sweeper role in the final quarter suited him though. It also allows him to read the play a bit. Very defensive move though.

I hate that we've supposedly got a more defensive-minded coach, yet we continue to leak goals. Our midfield was better at times today, but we were shown up for pace, as was expected, and lacked sound decision making coming out of the back half (again). How many times did we turn it over directly from kick ins? I'd love to see a stat on that. Our defence were also sucked too high up the ground on a couple of occasions, which resulted in goals out the back. The same thing happened against Carlton. Not smart football and still hasn't been addressed.

Understatement of the century, but it's horrible being a Melbourne supporter at the moment. I only hope that a change of coach (implementing stronger, more viable structures, with an ability to instil confidence across the ground) and the injection of midfield talent (experienced and young) will help right this sinking ship.

[Maldonboy38 6,406]

"Our biggest issue is that we get killed in uncontested possessions. Reason - we don't play well enough as a team when we've got the ball."

Absolutely agree, Macca. We do not link up well enough and so have few passages where we hold onto the ball uncontested. Everyone went on about Ellis, Houli, etc... They get so much of because our set up allows it.