POST MATCH DISCUSSION

[rjay 25,307]

i agree, but the club is still in a very bad way.

1 goal to 16 in a second half. No pride at all. Nothing.

Yep, we are struggling old son and that is an understatement.

[McQueen 17,867]

Does Trengove have OP?

The whole team does, obviously.

[rjay 25,307]

Yeah, I am not surprised by this result.

For those that are struggling to see how 22 blokes can be so dominated by another 22 blokes - it is not just a coach.

It's inertia. The feeling that attempting something will be met by failure so the attempt is affected or not even bothered with.

You won't run past a contest to receive a handball because you know, you just know, that your teammate won't get the ball and you are more worried about making sure your man doesn't get the footy. So you don't attack. And then, when the ball comes out of the contest, only one team is setup to win it. And they do, and they win the next one too.

You don't run. You don't trust your teammate to get the ball in a one-on-one, so you get in and 'help' and the other team has an immediate advantage with a release player created.

You become inert.

And you get thumped.

Pretty good observation 'rpfc' and it makes judging the list so much harder but it looks like we a carrying a lot of deadwood.

[McQueen 17,867]

If anyone says Melbourne doesn't have a case for draft assistance after that atrocity, they should have their head read.

Brad Scott thinks it's not deserved.

I wonder if he changed his mind today?

[beelzebub 23,390]

inert ?

INEPT !!

you nearly had it

[RalphiusMaximus 6,103]

It was very interesting to watch the two midfields, and seeing the contrast just reinforces the fact that we need a new midfield coach. It's not simply a matter of not having the players, it's the patterns they work off. North's mids run angles, they do quick reversals and changes of direction and generally turn our mids inside-out trying to figure out where the ball is going. Ours on the other hand have two plays, both of which appear to have come directly from the pages of Midfield Coaching for Dummies, and which the Roos not only were able to read but often got to the end of the move before we did. We are not drilling them in the correct running patterns and it is this as much as the skill level of the players that is killing our ability to work in traffic. Sorry Brian Royal, I know you've been at the club forever, but it's time to admit you aren't a coaches armpit and take a desk job.

Our forwards were largely stationary for much of the game. I and others have wondered why it is that we seem to have to scrap for every goal while other teams run the ball down, hit up an uncontested mark and nail the easy goal. It really does seem to be a lack of movement which is inexcusable for such a mobile group. I'm not sure if this stems from poor coaching in that they are not being told to keep moving and working to make space for each other, or if it's a lack of confidence in their teammates. It seems that when we have the ball our forwards simply stand and wait to see where the kick will go rather than moving to create an opening for the ball-carrier to kick to. On the few occasions where we actually did have good movement we were able to score with relative ease.

It killed me today to see the constant lateral and backwards movement of the ball. I have no doubt that this was in part a contributor to the above lack of forward movement, but it also hurt us in other ways. A number of times we could have put the ball deep into attack and instead tried to spot up short chips and messed it up. The constant crossing through the defensive 50 caused turnover goals repeatedly as well. I just can't see a scenario where this sort of play is actually going to be productive. To me it screams of self-preservation by both players and coach as they attempt to boost their numbers. I don't like seeing them kick mindlessly forwards, but when the opportunity comes to put the ball in a scoring position they have to have the confidence to take it.

So what we can draw from the above is that there are some massive fundamental flaws in the side that go far deeper than just "we need some decent mids." A lot of it is due to coaching that is not just poor but ultimately inept, and a massive lack of confidence and trust within the playing group. I have a sneaking suspicion that a new coach and a couple of experienced mids won't be enough to fix this.

The beer was poured to the top!

Three cheers for the bar staff at Etihad!

I also had a damn nice sausage in a bun. Much better food outlets than the MCG.

I dont see any forward line or backline, we lost by 20 goals,our talls are putrid, Bailey and Neeld couldnt construct a back yard shed.

Our tall backs were our best players today. Sadly it was like trying to stop a tsunami with sandbags. Our forwards were sadly stationary and not providing mobile targets for most of the game.

Oh, forgot one thing:

Sack The Coach!!!!!

Edited July 27, 2013 by RalphiusMaximus

[Je Roos Salem 661]

I was in utter shock today as it has become clear that we are now deluded to the point where we keep making the same mistakes and are just carefree in making changes to our game plan. Some of our players almost have an attitude of "Oh it's not my fault I'm kicking the ball this way, because the coach told me to do so and I don't care it resulted in a turnover". We continually go wide and continually leak goals. We might have one good long kick out of defence but that never turns into anything. It just doesn't work. Individual brilliance is a thing of the past, barely anything inspiring happens from our players. There's too many players trying to "play their role" and definitely not succeeding. Frawley was an exception today as he was smart in defence. Gawn did a lot and tried hard. McDonald was ok. I don't like the way the players instinctively look backwards and sideways when they get the ball, and it's even more tragic to see Toumpas doing that in defence at such a young age. Nathan Jones is always one of our best, but he has sort of stayed at one level this year and has quite reached the heights of last year and fluctuates in form and effort during games and can't seem to dominate like he used to. Davey's disposal was horrid. Watts started poorly and never stayed poor, the fact he went back so early showed how defeated we were. Dawes and Fitzpatrick don't demand the ball enough or not enough players want to kick it to them. Howe is sometimes a bit of a lost cause and seems to not hold a position. Viney had a disappointing game. Blease had 4 possessions and one Blease moment in the game, or two if you count the last one where he dashed backwards and turned it over. And finally, Grimes needs to get out of the midfield and become that defender he was earlier in his career. He seemed to be on the ball all day yet had 9 disposals and not one memorable moment. I don't think he's ever had a great game as a midfielder, to be honest. I think we could far benefit with him taking marks inside defensive 50 as opposed to Toumpas, Dunn or Clisby.

[beelzebub 23,390]

i too prefer Grimes as a sweeper in defense , collecting, rebounding and STRAIGHTENING us up coming back through the guts.

Currently we are lost sheep with the pill. Its deplorable .

Edited July 27, 2013 by belzebub59

[Pennant St Dee 13,403]

I watched the first half yesterday before going to WAFL and watched the 2nd half last night. Just Wow I thought Darwin may be a factor but that is to convenient an excuse. Yes we may have been beaten but if we had the right attitude a 30-60 point loss would have been the outcome if Darwin and Skilled the previous week took a toll.

Hats off to Dunn, Frawley & Tommy Mac down back they were among our best players today and Sylvia was our best mid. I thought defeats like this would be a thing of the past but that was every bit as bad as Round 2 vs the Bombers. A lot of soul searching this week and boy do we need Garland and Terlich to come back in. A lot of our boys Howe, Trengove, Grimes & Davey need to get back to some decent footy and time for Taggert to be given a run through the middle, we need all the big bodies we can get in there.

Jones & Viney were down today but will give them the benefit of the doubt, We really need to make a statement next week against GWS from the first bounce if we turn up with no will to run & spread and play self preservation footy we will be looking at a 5 to 6 goal loss.

[Demon trucker 1,800]

The club will not be able to trade our first pick for a ready made mid no one will want to come, the club tried to trade our pick 3 last year for dawes and wellinigham, wellngham did not want to come , who would want to come to the mfc. I used to laugh at Richmond with all their high draft picks that were dudfuss, we are the new Richmond, the last time they played finals was 2001, so it's going to take the MFC another 5 years to get to Richmond's level.

[whatwhat say what 23,451]

That's funny, I've been saying we are the new Richmond for a while too.

Thoroughly depressing.

[DemonFrog 1,359]

I was at the Fremantle Game Day Function last night and they were making funny of MFC.

Their special guest John Platten (ex-Hawthorn) also made fun of MFC when he said he beat MFC by over 80 points in a GF and they not improved may since then.

Is it too much to ask for a competitive team which will shut these turkeys up?

[jumbo returns 6,741]

The club will not be able to trade our first pick for a ready made mid no one will want to come, the club tried to trade our pick 3 last year for dawes and wellinigham, wellngham did not want to come , who would want to come to the mfc. I used to laugh at Richmond with all their high draft picks that were dudfuss, we are the new Richmond, the last time they played finals was 2001, so it's going to take the MFC another 5 years to get to Richmond's level.

Serious? Sunday morning joke?

No disrespect AD, but we're miles off!!!

[Return to Glory 8,453]

Brad Scott thinks it's not deserved.

I wonder if he changed his mind today?

Brad Scott has managed to keep a team that should be battling for top 4 out of the finals through poor coaching. Not sure I give a rats about his opinion.

[Melbournepotter 383]

I was at the Fremantle Game Day Function last night and they were making funny of MFC.

Their special guest John Platten (ex-Hawthorn) also made fun of MFC when he said he beat MFC by over 80 points in a GF and they not improved may since then.

Is it too much to ask for a competitive team which will shut these turkeys up?

I don't get it that many players are so accepting of being a laughing stock and the butt of so many jokes. The just don't seem to have any self pride at the very least. Do they know people laugh at them, make jokes about them ?

If no-one is arsed to put i any effort, just close the doors and supporters can find something else worthwhile to do on weekends. There's plenty of local footy where at least you get effort on the ground.

There's already supporters doing this, and efforts like this will only turn more away.

[John Crow Batty 8,880]

This was loss of a magnitude I did not see coming after some good improvement under Craig. Whether this is a blip or not time will tell. Brad Scott said they will be trying to improve their defensive game and it appears they used us as guinea pigs to try out their new tricks. Once again big tactical errors were made by us that compounded by the problem of our weak midfield. Always one step behind the oposition in thinking. As if we were playing the defensively fickle North of the recent past. Moving the ball backwards as the first, second, third options strangled us. In fact our first goal of the second qtr was created by MacDonald looking back then switching the ball. forward and no doubt against team rules. The only time we split their mids and defence open for the game. The players could see it was not working, lost confidence and played accordingly.This was a Neeld like performance. The second big tactical blunder made by Craig at the helm. But this time the weather is no excuse.

Edited July 28, 2013 by america de cali

[Melbournepotter 383]

This was loss of a magnitude I did not see coming after some good improvement under Craig. Whether this is a blip or not time will tell. Brad Scott said they will be trying to improve their defensive game and it appears they used us as guinea pigs to try out their new tricks. Once again big tactical errors were made by us that compounded by the problem of our weak midfield. Always one step behind the oposition in thinking. As if we we playing the defensively fickle North of the recent past. Moving the ball backwards as the first, second, third options strangled us. In fact our first goal of the second qtr was created by MacDonald looking back then switching the ball. forward and no doubt against team rules. The only time we split their mids and defence open for the game. The players could see it was not working, lost confidence and played accordingly.This was a Neeld like performance. The second big tactical blunder made by Craig at the helm. But this time the weather is no excuse.

From memory (and there weren't too many to remember) one of our goals was also created by Dunn kicking long straight down the centre from a kick-in. It looked good and a goal came of it. Mark that down to most of the supporters behind the goals screaming for it to be kicked long. I think it was the only time we did it.

[DemonFrog 1,359]

I don't get it that many players are so accepting of being a laughing stock and the butt of so many jokes. The just don't seem to have any self pride at the very least. Do they know people laugh at them, make jokes about them ?

If no-one is arsed to put i any effort, just close the doors and supporters can find something else worthwhile to do on weekends. There's plenty of local footy where at least you get effort on the ground.

There's already supporters doing this, and efforts like this will only turn more away.

Great new West Perth beat East Perth (arch enemy) by 5 goals and are sitting second on the ladder.

I may be going to a Grand Final after all.

(For those of you who don't know West Perth they are the oldest surviving WAFL team, with the team colours of Blue and Red, have the Grand Old Flag as their theme song and once was called the Victorian FC.)

[John Crow Batty 8,880]

From memory (and there weren't too many to remember) one of our goals was also created by Dunn kicking long straight down the centre from a kick-in. It looked good and a goal came of it. Mark that down to most of the supporters behind the goals screaming for it to be kicked long. I think it was the only time we did it.

Thaks for pointing that out. I missed that moment.

[P-man 13,366]

Reeling from the loss, Mitch Clark's Facebook offering last night was a photo of his dog chasing bubbles in the backyard...

Wouldn't look out of place in a Melbourne jumper.

[dazzledavey36 55,892]

They just showed footage on Game Day of Neil Craig giving the boys an absolute ROOST and i mean it was an almighty spray! It was good to see and something i havent seen from a coach for melbourne for a while.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Reeling from the loss, Mitch Clark's Facebook offering last night was a photo of his dog chasing bubbles in the backyard...

Wouldn't look out of place in a Melbourne jumper.

Neil Craig on AFL Game day.

'Whoever takes over will inherit a group that want to be good and will be up for the fight.' I sincerely hope so.

'Melbourne supporters should have a picture in their head about Chris Dawes, Mitch Clark, and a young guy called Jesse Hogan who's playing in the VFL'...

Maxwell interrupts with 'Looks handy?'

Craig replies...'you'll enjoy standing him, Nick', with a wry grin on his face.

At this stage, this is the only thing I'm looking forward to in 2014.

[Cards13 9,117]

Neil Craig on AFL Game day.

'Whoever takes over will inherit a group that want to be good and will be up for the fight.' I sincerely hope so.

'Melbourne supporters should have a picture in their head about Chris Dawes, Mitch Clark, and a young guy called Jesse Hogan who's playing in the VFL'...

Maxwell interrupts with 'Looks handy?'

Craig replies...'you'll enjoy standing him, Nick', with a wry grin on his face.

At this stage, this is the only thing I'm looking forward to in 2014.

2014... Will be longer than that Jumbo for us to be a team to take seriously let alone a finals team let alone a top 4 team.

[P-man 13,366]

We all cling to something or someone as hope for the future mate. We've become experts at it.

It would be very Melbourne if the the much hyped partnership of Clark and Dawes never even makes the field. Hopefully it does, and with Hogan it will be formidable. Just need to address the barren wasteland that is the midfield.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

2014... Will be longer than that Jumbo for us to be a team to take seriously let alone a finals team let alone a top 4 team.

I know, I know.

I've got a headache and I'm getting all sentimental again, trying to find hope.