Post match discussion - Round 6

[SaberFang 7,151]

Ah well, in the end, sounds pretty sensible really. A real shame it has come to this, when we need to make the absolute most of the limited talent we have.

I suppose when guys like Nicholson cant get a game, it would make them spew to see joggers get one.

This. How miserable it must be for the players not getting picked to watch this idiot jog around the MCG without a care in the world. Hardly going to inspire a culture letting him keep playing, Roosy.

I'd take Nicho over Watts, and I've been saying that for a few weeks now. He runs hard, fastest in the team. This is what we totally lack at the moment. Would take 5 Nicho's over 5 Watts', his silky skills are useless if he isn't going hard at the ball.

[SaberFang 7,151]

Nice to see Crossy speaking his mind after the game.

“We certainly had intent and pressure from most of the guys, which was a massive improvement from last week, but that’s the minimum standard that you have to have every week.

“It’s a tough game that we play and you can’t have any passengers any week, so that’s what was disappointing.”

[Dr. Gonzo 24,273]

Yes we have been lucky with teams kicking poorly in games.

I think we do our team a disservice when we make comments like this. After one or two games you can say its luck but after 5 out of 6 I think we can start to say that the other teams don't look very good/don't convert their chances because we're not allowing them to.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,273]

Nice to see Crossy speaking his mind after the game.

“We certainly had intent and pressure from most of the guys, which was a massive improvement from last week, but that’s the minimum standard that you have to have every week.

“It’s a tough game that we play and you can’t have any passengers any week, so that’s what was disappointing.”

Apparently Roos made similar comments in his press conference. I assume Watts and possibly Howe had some home truths told to them this week and no doubt the leaders would be disappointed to see their response.

[P-man 13,366]

I was appalled at Watts' effort tonight. I really thought he would lift after last week and if anything he went backwards.

Simply must be dropped and for the first time I am seriously questioning if we are wasting our time with him.

[praha 11,240]

Our forwards are coming too far up the ground and they do not lead where we need them to lead.

This was a major problem with Bailey's team. It started to come undone in 2011, around the time of the Carlton game. We were pressing defensively but held back from a full-on press, but whenever we'd have the ball there would be no target, because the forwards (or mids) weren't working hard enough to get back and present.

Guys like Watts, Howe, Frawley, they need to be leading and trying to get into a space, they all need to work harder. Watts is mind bogglingly second-rate in his urgency to get into space. Howe is just lazy. Frawley still plays like a defender. He doesn't have the eyes for the goals.

Has Watts played his last game for us??

The epitome of Schwabs list management skills from that 2008-09 period.

Epic fail.

Quite incredible.

"No. 1 draft pick Jack Watts...and the Melbourne Football Club!"

Let's be honest, the kid never had a chance. He's done. Astonishingly below AFL standard so far as urgency goes. He will not play 150 games.

Watts is just that smart student with the potential for greatness but is ultimately satisfied with a B- average.

Can anyone imagine him in any team from 10th upwards? My god, imagine him in the Port side? Hawks? Geelong? He'd be lucky to ever make the 22.

Worst No.1 pick ever? Not even in the top 22 of the second-worst if not worst team in the league.

[Alcho Dee 269]

Sat and watched the game with a Port Adelaide supporter who has been hard on Watts since we first drafted him, however, through the whole game we were following Watts and his movements, all he was doing was running between contests and running away from where the ball was likely to be, he is a joke and an embarrassment to the MFC anyone who disagrees with me can go and get fkd. He need to be dropped from the team to show the other players what and who we expect of our players. It is a joke .

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

TIME TO GO WATTS.

[Alcho Dee 269]

I was appalled at Watts' effort tonight. I really thought he would lift after last week and if anything he went backwards.

Simply must be dropped and for the first time I am seriously questioning if we are wasting our time with him.

I agree with you PMan he is a joke and a soft [censored].

[Macca 17,032]

We had about 6-8 players who didn't do enough tonight ... Watts, Howe, Frawley, Bail, Dawes, Jetta, Terlich and Byrnes all had questionable games. We needed at least one of Frawley or Dawes to stand up and both those blokes can play a lot better than what they showed tonight.

Jamar played ok and hopefully, he'll start to involve himself more as the season progresses (in terms of possessions) Roos will want him to link up and do a lot more running and let's hope he's up for it. He's ahead of Spencer at this stage.

Toumpas, Riley, Kent, Garland and Clisby are chances to come in but after that, the cupboard is becoming bare. Hogan will come in when he's ready and Michie might force his way in. Hunt needs time to develop. The rest need to find something and they had better be quick about it.

What is becoming increasingly obvious are those who can and can't play under the Roos game plan. That transparency is there for all of us to see. It's hard work playing the way Roos wants them to play and our players are certainly finding that out (finally) There's absolutely no room for lazy players anymore.

However, our attack on the ball and our 2nd and 3rd efforts has improved quite substantially. 29 clearances against Sydney's 35 is a fairly good result, all things considered. Our contested possessions matched their numbers as well. Keeping them to only 9 goals is another plus. The difference of course, is the finishing skills but that important area needs time and the recruitment of a number of good footballers.

Could be quite a lively off season by the looks of it but until then, all our players will need to make the most of their opportunities. What was also pleasing was that we didn't go to sleep for a quarter. The quarter time scoreline didn't reflect our team's efforts. A reasonably solid performance and we're showing some promise and progress.

[Pennant St Dee 13,301]

Disappointed with the loss, but bring that intensity against the likes of GWS, Suns, Dogs, Tigers, Brissy, Saints, Blues & Meth Coast and your in with a shot of winning some games. Sydney are very well drilled and their run and spread is where we need to get to.

Pretty sure by second half of season to seasons end those not doing the basic non-negotiables will be running around for Casey

[Watts Jurrah Dunn? 735]

Demonland membership should be revoked if:

A) you think you'd get any better than pick 40 for jack watts, or

B) you think that Terlich, at age 24, might still be able to tidy up his kicking and decision making and make it at this level.

It infuriates me that people are this stupid, but I guess they're probably the same supporters that think Jetta, bail, Evans and Spencer, who've each been on the list for 4-6 years, aren't list cloggers.

[Pipefitter 2,163]

Watching watts play is just astonishing. I have never seen a player give less care for the jumper in my life. This guy is not interested in being an AFL player full stop.

[Forest Demon 4,681]

GOOD

Salem's cameo and JKH's finish to the game

Many owe Pedersen an apology. Regardless of his output, which has been good the last month, he is playing with heart and went back with the flight against Buddy at one stage too. Will support anyone who plays with this passion and effort.

Dunn has become a rock, Matt Jones and Bernie Vince were great.

Keeping our opposition to such low scores consistently. Playing four quarters and not dropping our bundle.

BAD

Have quietly stuck up for Terlich, but his disposal hurt us a few times last night.

Jeremy Howe. What to do with him? Needs a spell at Casey.

UGLY

Holding the ball

Buddy Franklin's old man

Jack Watts' progress

[Forest Demon 4,681]

I hope Jack is called out in front of this leading teams stuff. Shown examples of his tame efforts and shown examples of where he needs to get too. He doesn't need to become Daniel Cross but even a first gamer in Salem cracks in lower and with more far more purpose.

And his tackling and contested work are one thing, but his canter and lack of urgency are the killers. Could beat Usaon Bolt over 50 metres but we would never know given I cant remember the last time he broke into a sprint.

Not a fan of supporters Bronx cheering or getting stuck into one of our own, but this guy needs a few home truths.

Edited April 26, 2014 by Forest Demon

[John Crow Batty 8,878]

Watts and Howe are letting the club and their teamates down bigtime. The only reason they are still getting a game is for team balance and structure only. There are not much of their type and roles around to replace them at the moment.

The positive is that once their kind of attitude was infectious and spread throughout the team. Now most of their teamates have moved forward. These guys stand out like goat glands for all the wrong reasons, the game is moving past them.

Edited April 26, 2014 by america de cali

[Dr. Gonzo 24,273]

Not a fan of supporters Bronx cheering or getting stuck into one of our own, but this guy needs a few home truths.

Yeah I'm as frustrated as the next person but that kind of thing doesn't help anyone. It makes a player down on confidence even worse and it shows the rest of the team our support for them is conditional.

Edited April 26, 2014 by Dr. Gonzo

[timD 994]

I was heartened by the effort. Jamar gave us first use much more often. i think that would have made a huge difference. The Swans were inaccurate but that had to do with their mids having to do all the running and kick the goals. That is as much to do with their lack of forward potency than anything.

Pedo is working his guts out. Matt Jones too. Terlich is brave and takes marks in front of leading key forwards. His disposal gives me the willies.

We are desperately in need of tough half backs that can kick and have some leg speed.

I remember Webber and I both calling for Howe to be traded last year. I argued he was lazy and a poor thinker on the field. Howe is a liability. Watts is not a footballer and nothing will change that. Can't get cross at/with him. He doesn't have it. It is not in his nature.

Salem is a footballer and not even the MFC can change that.

Funny, but I'd think that if Chip won his position, we were a big chance of winning the game last night. We matched the swans through the midfield for large chunks of the evening. We just needed reward for effort. The sooner we can wave goodbye to chip and watts and howe and get some players in that work hard and have some talent, the better. The lack of competitive effort from those three is really stark. I*'d drop chip when hogan is fit. I'd drop Watts and Howe as soon as toump and riley are fit. Salem is starting 18. JHK should be running around for casey - he's not ready.

BTW, the umpiring last night was despicable. They are now just randomly paying frees. It is inconsistent contest to contest. Buddy gets a bit of body contact..free. Chip has a swans player pulling is arms down - nothing in it. There are dozens of examples and they compel me to use very bad language!

[Undeeterred 3,124]

The positive is that once their kind of attitude was infectious and spread throughout the team. Now most of their teamates have moved forward. These guys stand out like goat glands for all the wrong reasons, the game is moving past them.

Excellent point, actually. Same reason players like Sylvia got away with it for so long - there was just so much camoflauge.

[JV7 2,354]

What really stood out once again for me last night was our poor use of the footy by hand and foot, especially in the back half. I think with one of our top picks this year we have to pick up a strong bodied half back in the Grant Birchall mould who can use the footy well. We need to go down the Hawthorn route and draft players who can kick. Our turnovers are what's killing us, in this day & age of football you can't afford turnovers especially in your defensive half.

Apart from that I'm happy with the way we are going, it may not be pretty but we are at least staying in the game for longer. I go to the footy now excited to see what we dish up and that's a lot different to previous years where I've dreaded going to witness yet another massacre.

[CityDee 738]

I have no idea why we persist with Byrnes. Cant hit a target with a handball and cost us .wattsy needs to get back to basics in the 2's and Howe the same. Terrible game with even our good players missing targets . Field kicking was bad .

Umpires are a joke . Commentary on 7 is an absolute farce .

Salem will keep up with the Joneses and BigCam showed his critics . We need another crumbing foward Byrnes retired Play Sammy .

[jnrmac 20,154]

Dawes is worth 10 goals, gives us structure.

err we only kicked 5 goals....

[Demon_JB 1,385]

Many owe Pedersen an apology. Regardless of his output, which has been good the last month, he is playing with heart and went back with the flight against Buddy at one stage too. Will support anyone who plays with this passion and effort.

I'm sorry, but being a critic of a professional player and then him delivering in one game doesn't warrant an 'apology'. If Pedersen has this ability and chooses when to actually run hard or try he should be owing us an apology for making him watch those god awful games he has previously produced since arriving at the club. I admit, I was and still am a harsh on Pederson, but if he continues this good form I wont be apologising for an AFL footballers pedigree of skill and determination he has finally found, but rather a sense of admiration.

[DeeZee 7,445]

I think we just need to put watts and Howe on forward flanks and hope they snaffle a few snags with their skill.

Bring in clisby for some more run and Garland to help out down back and we will be a better side.

Onece toumpas and Kent are right they should slot in too and give us some more skill and firepower.

[chook fowler 19,519]

I think Howes game was much better than Watts. Full of praise for Dunn and Pederson. Dunn must be in allAustralian consideration.

[STN91 32]

You can see from last night it's a five year programme to get us anywhere near being a threat. You look at Sydney and they got the ball clean in congestion and then all their players spread and they were off. Compared to our boys who fumbled and stayed in clusters.

I support Roos bottleneck approach as it worked for Sydney and it has stopped the bleeding for us. I trust he can turn over the players who don't have skills to be at AFL level and those who won't commit physically so we can resemble a top 8 side.

A big ask though as theirs probably 7-8 blokes that need to be turned over and then our kids are going to take 3-4 years to get to a consistent level.