THE AGE OF ENTITLEMENT IS OVER by George on the Outer

The Age of Entitlement is Over ...

…..so says Joe Hockey, the Federal Treasurer, and the same words may well be coming from Paul Roos the Melbourne Football Coach.

For too long now, players have been selected to wear the Red and Blue on the basis of expectation, history or just plain “no one better”. The 5 goal loss against the Swans was hopefully the last vestige of the “Entitled to a game” group.

Roos warned us to appraise the group after 5 games and while there has only been 1 win in that period for the fans, it has also been the same opportunity for him to appraise the group that he inherited.

The ¾ time huddle conference between Jack Watts, Jeremy Howe and the coach will hopefully signal the end their sense of entitlement to a game next week. Neither of these players seems to understand that their performances are visible to all and sundry. Neither seems to appreciate that with today’s media capabilities: fans are able to compare their efforts to those in other sides constantly.

And what they see they don’t like.

Is it any wonder the Bronx cheers resounded around the M.C.G whenever they went near the ball? Contrast that with the huge cheer afforded Adam Goodes when he returned to the field after a 6 month hiatus. The Fans applauded his bravery and determination, not for what he did in this match, but for what he has done before. His is a positive reputation. It is not what a number of Melbourne players have to their name.

The game itself was rather ugly. Perhaps that wasn’t unexpected with the styles already in place at Sydney and being developed at Melbourne. That the Demons were able to hold a top 4 side to a 5 goal victory is now seen as a positive, but given the disasters of last season as history, this would have turned into a 100+ point rout in 2013.

There were small positives, although more than just a few small ones are needed to boost the hopes and morale of the still long suffering supporters. Cam Pedersen showed just what an AFL level footballer should be doing all game long. He was one of the few who ran to space and made opportunity for those up-field. Backing up in the ruck with a hit-out to advantage better than any ruckman on the day was an additional bonus.

The return of Mark Jamar was a breath of fresh air. Again after a long lay-off he showed what a ruckman should be capable of with input around the ground, and not just standing in the centre circle and swatting at the ball.

Chris Dawes was another who put in plenty, but had few opportunities to work with. Importantly, he is prepared to work. He stands the goal line on kick-outs, then runs to the first contest, then runs to the next, while others are rooted to the ground that they stood when setting the zone defence. If he only had some genuine assistance, the forward line pressure would produce results.

Jones, both Nathan and Matt are setting the standard for mids at the club, ably assisted by Cross and Vince. It is the one area that Roos has bolstered positively, yet there still remains a fragility about the group, as too often the Sydney players freed the ball too easily in the pack situation. But then they are the masters of this.

May 13th is Budget night and we will all witness the carnage that the end of the Age of Entitlement will bring. For those Melbourne players who haven’t been prepared to adopt the Roos mantra, the end of their own period of entitlement may well be sooner, and more final.

Those that didn’t sign on when he coached Sydney didn’t come back. They didn’t win Premierships with un-committed players….

Melbourne 1.2.8 2.3.15 4.4.28 5.8.38

Sydney Swans 4.5.29 4.8.32 7.12.54 [ ,: 9.15 (6

Goals

Melbourne Byrnes Dawes M Jones Salem Tyson

Sydney Jack 2 Cunningham Derickx Franklin Hannebery Kennedy McGlynn Parker

Best

Melbourne M. Jones N. Jones Vince Dunn Terlich McDonald

Sydney Hannebery Kennedy Parker Jack Shaw Rampe

Changes

Melbourne Nil

Sydney Nil

Injuries

Melbourne Nil

Sydney Franklin (knee) Jetta (calf)

Reports

Melbourne Nil

Sydney Nil

Umpires Margetts Ryan Mitchell

Attendance 24,855 at the MCG

(Congratulations to those that did turn up! Even the door officials have stopped checking the tickets of Melbourne supporters as they enter the Premium areas. They are obviously not prepared to turn ANYONE away who is that resilient, having paid or not!)

I'm guessing I should have brought a pocket full of Matchbox cars to lob at Buddy.

I think JKH is a midfielder and potentially a good one.

Sometimes bites off a bit too much at the moment but he will learn.

Salem showed some poise skill and hardness.

Loved Pedersen's game.

Our bottom 6 have cost us again.

Terrible quality game.

At least we continued our ability to not get belted off the park due to inaccuracies from the opposition.

As I said in the game day thread - it's easy to see where we're going. I also made the comment that we're almost a bone-fide middle of the road side - but there were times where we showed why we're still a bottom four side. We still have too many crap players in our side, and one or two non-crap players who are only half going. I walk away disappointed but heartened.

Salem wore the green vest for the first and last time I'd say. Kid looks a gun.

Jack Watts desperately needs to be dropped. Not to send a message, but simply because he's not in our best 22.

Boring as batsh1t. Would have fallen asleep if I wasn't so cold

Won't win many games by holding the ball up and then bombing it into the forward line

We don't have Mitch anymore.

I'm guessing I should have brought a pocket full of Matchbox cars to lob at Buddy.

maybe buddy could become partners with Dermot, in the panel shop.

Jesus Christ Roos knows how to clog up a game...

He knows what he is doing. It isn't pretty but...

Watts is absolutely terrible

Not AFL standard which is diabolical for a pick 1

Well Salem showed he is the real deal.

Must play a full game next week, nice to see a first round draft pick that shows us straight away why he was drafted where he was.

Terrible quality game.

At least we continued our ability to not get belted off the park due to inaccuracies from the opposition.

This was the first time I'd seen our opposition miss a lot of very easy shots. Some of their set shot misses were unforgiveable. Against Gold Coast I thought their high behind to goal ratio was due to having a lot of low percentage shots on goal (i.e. snaps in play, set shots from pockets, shots from too far out etc). The latter would say to me that we're defending okay inside defensive 50, but it's still getting in there too much. Today I thought we looked worse in that regard.

Thought the final score line was reflective of the difference in class.

killed by the umpires again

I count 14 players who can hold their heads up, which is many more than we usually have

We battled pretty well , but 37 inside 50s and 5 goals will never beat anybody.. pleasingly though it was only 4 goals to 5 after quarter time

It is nice to have a midfield that can have 5 blokes combine for nearly 150 touches

Frawley was bloody useless tonight

I like Dawes a lot, just wish he could get into the game more, same with Tyson

Pederson's best game for the club, I think he is really surprising everybody - he did make some nasty errors though

Nice to see Salem get 6 kicks with 25% game time, he looks the goods

McDonald was great after a rare stumble last week

Cuddly Watts has to be dropped, when your own supporters are getting stuck in like that it is a very bad sign

Roos: "it’s just a fact that we want players playing well week in, week out and setting standards in the seconds, and trying to knock the door down before they get a game"

If that's the culture he is trying to build, it is not fair to keep selecting cuddly after repeat failures to put in

Anyone who doesn't get home and automatically delete the game from their PVR/IQ fast forward to 3/4 time and have a look at Roos' frustration/inability to fathom the ineptitude of Watts & Howe - and then have a look at the players reactions. Watts looks like he wants to be anywhere except playing a game of footy and Howe looks in disbelief like he can't believe Roos is having a go at him. I had flashbacks for a second to Zantuck/Barassi though of course not to the same extent. It's only a brief shot as the camera pans away but you can see Howe just standing there and looks like he's about to say something back to Roos.

We won't improve until we get pretenders like that out of our side. They're not good enough for modern footy and never will be. Howe is still a one-dimensional, unaccountable player who can't even perform his one dimension competently anymore.

Loved the look of Salem the kid is class.

Overall was happy with the effort other than a couple of dishonourable mentions but our skills and poise are still deplorable. We got caught out too often tonight out of position, Sydney are a well-drilled team and our guys looked lost on occasion which meant they were running into each other/giving off to someone under pressure. We did OK in close tonight but couldn't get any space to get our attacking game going. Sydney were able to on a few occasions more than us and had cleaner ball use which was the difference.

We're on the right track but we need to drop a couple of non-performers, turnover over about a third of our list who aren't up to it talent-wise and drill the gameplan into the players until it is instinctual.

Nathan Jones was well held tonight and while Vince stepped up somewhat he was nowhere near as damaging. Didn't notice anyone giving Jones a chopout on the TV - that touched goal towards the end of the third could have made a difference but overall I don't think the Swans were ever really worried. They actually went better once Franklin went off as it opened up their forward line a bit, up til then they'd been kicking it on top of his head. After that they isolated Terlich, Georgiou and Dunn and Terlich well and we couldn't defend against them.

PS. Is it Umpire Appreciation Round yet?

I *really* need to appreciate them.

Could only watch the last q.

From what I could saw Dunn, Pedersen, Salem and M Jones looked good.

How was Jamar?

PAUL ROOS: "I think the effort was great, from 80% of the team."

I wonder who he thinks didn't put in...

At some point, we're going to need to learn how to kick more than 5 goals in a game. That's all.

Nathan Jones was well held tonight

33 touches

Though we defended really really well, and very pleased with the effort apart from a couple who Roos picked out at 3 quarter time. Just that lack of class, decision making and leg speed is hurting us. A quick line breaker at half back and a midfielder with genuine speed is needed desperately, we have guys who can win the contest in the middle (Tyson, Vince, Jones, Cross) but just don't have that polish and speed to make the most of their good work. Thought Pederson was excellent, lets hope he can keep it up, and Cross has been an absolute beauty for us. Salem looked terrific.

Anyone who doesn't get home and automatically delete the game from their PVR/IQ fast forward to 3/4 time and have a look at Roos' frustration/inability to fathom the ineptitude of Watts & Howe - and then have a look at the players reactions. Watts looks like he wants to be anywhere except playing a game of footy and Howe looks in disbelief like he can't believe Roos is having a go at him. I had flashbacks for a second to Zantuck/Barassi though of course not to the same extent. It's only a brief shot as the camera pans away but you can see Howe just standing there and looks like he's about to say something back to Roos.

We won't improve until we get pretenders like that out of our side. They're not good enough for modern footy and never will be. Howe is still a one-dimensional, unaccountable player who can't even perform his one dimension competently anymore.

Loved the look of Salem the kid is class.

Overall was happy with the effort other than a couple of dishonourable mentions but our skills and poise are still deplorable. We got caught out too often tonight out of position, Sydney are a well-drilled team and our guys looked lost on occasion which meant they were running into each other/giving off to someone under pressure. We did OK in close tonight but couldn't get any space to get our attacking game going. Sydney were able to on a few occasions more than us and had cleaner ball use which was the difference.

We're on the right track but we need to drop a couple of non-performers, turnover over about a third of our list who aren't up to it talent-wise and drill the gameplan into the players until it is instinctual.

Nathan Jones was well held tonight and while Vince stepped up somewhat he was nowhere near as damaging. Didn't notice anyone giving Jones a chopout on the TV - that touched goal towards the end of the third could have made a difference but overall I don't think the Swans were ever really worried. They actually went better once Franklin went off as it opened up their forward line a bit, up til then they'd been kicking it on top of his head. After that they isolated Terlich, Georgiou and Dunn and Terlich well and we couldn't defend against them.

Jones well held but still with 32 possessions. He is a living legend of the club m8. Just enjoy

him

PS. Is it Umpire Appreciation Round yet?

I *really* need to appreciate them.

How about the chain of holding the balls in the second quarter? After the two were paid against Neville Jetta and Dom Tyson, I laughed like an absolute madman when one was paid in our favour (to Nathan Jones). What a joke.

Nathan Jones is a legitimate A grader.

Salem will do as he pleases, even in AFL.

Terlich will strengthen Casey.

Tom McDonald is lucky Garland is injured.

Viney and Tyson are taking this club forward.

Brynes will strengthen the development squad at Casey.

Dawes is worth 10 goals, gives us structure.

Watts should've stuck to basketball.

I love Roos.

Really like Salem, I remember reading somewhere that the Hawks were big fans before draft time, can see why. He's looks a Hawthorn-type, hard at it, balanced, and left-footed. Looking forward to seeing more of him.

Roos is doing a pretty good job, there's no way we would have lost to a team like Sydney by 30 points this time last year. But I have to wonder how often we'll be able to kick a winning score.

Really like Salem, I remember reading somewhere that the Hawks were big fans before draft time, can see why. He's looks a Hawthorn-type, hard at it, balanced, and left-footed. Looking forward to seeing more of him.

Roos is doing a pretty good job, there's no way we would have lost to a team like Sydney by 30 points this time last year. But I have to wonder how often we'll be able to kick a winning score.

Yeah, but I'm pretty sure we lost to Sydney by 31 points at a different time last year...