Post Match Discussion - Round 19

[JV7 2,350]

WTF?

McDonald was good today. Without his spoils today we would've gone down by six more goals.

I would be giving Garland a hard time before Tom.

He will not be a good footballer until his realises his limitations, why he runs behind players looking for the handball to make the play, YOU CANT KICK FOR [censored] MATE!!! You can't even bounce or handball the ball properly. He is a good defender but until he realises he isn't nick malceski he will just be a turn over king. Why he chooses to try and baulk a player in the defensive 50 is beyond me. And what staggers me more is players who actually give him the ball when they have a free kick/mark, just stupid.

[Redleg 40,843]

I don't see the link that people are making between skills and effort. It's like they assume that missed targets are because they aren't trying hard enough.

We clearly had effort, but we lack class on the outside. We comfortably won the contested possession but we turned it over. Brisbane were able to do a lot more damage outside packs than we were.

That's where we need to improve.

Agree.

When you are winning contested footy, that comes from effort. When you are the 18th team or worst at controlling the footy, that is poor skill. We have more scores against us from turnovers than any other team, that comes from a lack of skill at retaining the footy.

Our disposal today was as poor as I have ever seen.

Brisbane didn't play brilliantly, but our poor disposal gave them the footy time and time again. The misses at goal were shameful.

I trust Roos and Taylor and Viney senior to get rid of non AFL standard players at the end of the year. Then to hopefully get it right at replacing them with talented youngsters and tried but skilful players from other clubs, who might not be in their club's best 22, but who have the desire and ability to improve.

[FireInTheBennelly 4,072]

I've just been to the game. I can see the game plan clearly now. Kick it to the opposition as much as possible. Instead of kicking for goal kick it or hand pass it to a contest. If you get the ball and a player is in the 50 on their own run back into trouble and get tackled. If you take a mark and players are streaming forward make sure you stop until they are all manned up, all leads have died out and the man on the mark tackles you causing a turnover. Lose the game at all costs. It's called tinking or something like that...

I think you missed kicking it into the man on the mark?

[jackaub 1,402]

Despite not really caring I didnt actually think we could finish last. I now think we will. I still dont care for to do so would attribute an emotion towards this lot of rabble.

Now if next seasons list dont improve I'll be rather plssed off !!

Bring on the eos cull.

Called it 3 weeks ago BB we are not capable of winning another.They threw the towel in today well and truely

[Axis of Bob 11,686]

You're an apologist for the club. There is no way you can spin the nature of today's loss. It was incompetent, weak and unacceptable.

We would be wrong as fans to cop it.

So I'm an apologist because I said that our effort was OK but our skills are crap?

If that makes you feel better about yourself....

[beelzebub 23,313]

Called it 3 weeks ago BB we are not capable of winning another.They threw the towel in today well and truely

what a strange year

[Redleg 40,843]

You're an apologist for the club. There is no way you can spin the nature of today's loss. It was incompetent, weak and unacceptable.

We would be wrong as fans to cop it.

Chook, Bob isn't an apologist for the club, he is a realist.

We are not good enough. We have far too many who don't have AFL standard skill. When you have a handful of them in your team you just can't win. Doesn't matter who the Coach is or whatever.

Our skill today was pathetic. Our effort, shown by our contested footy wasn't the problem. Excluding Watts from the effort stat as he shows none.

[chook fowler 19,446]

So I'm an apologist because I said that our effort was OK but our skills are crap?

If that makes you feel better about yourself....

You are a patronising pr1ck

[Bang Bang Bang 5,802]

His pass to Viney in the third summed up everything wrong with us at the minute. We worked hard to get it there and then made a stupid decision which lead to a turnover a goal to them.

IMO that was the WORST decision I've seen made by a Melbourne player this season (and that's saying a lot). He was 50m out so could have had a shot for goal. If he's not confident from that range, fine, kick it to the hotspot. But no, let's loop a 15m sideways pass onto the head of a guy that's manned up, 178cm tall and with no overhead marking ability (sorry Jack). Turnover, Lions goal.

Adelaide got rid of him for a reason... useless!

[Wiseblood 24,637]

Chook, Bob isn't an apologist for the club, he is a realist.

We are not good enough. We have far too many who don't have AFL standard skill. When you have a handful of them in your team you just can't win. Doesn't matter who the Coach is or whatever.

Our skill today was pathetic. Our effort, shown by our contested footy wasn't the problem. Excluding Watts from the effort stat as he shows none.

Pretty fair assessment really. The effort is always there for us this year, something you could argue was not in 2013, but effort doesn't = skill. Until we get that into our side we will still have days like today.

[bing181 9,194]

Hard to compete when half the team on the list are not up to AFL standard.

I don't know that it's a half ... though the bottom handful are doing a good job of dragging the rest of the team down to their level (to put it politely).

[Arrow 1,257]

Questions Surely have to be asked of Dawes at the moment. He's had a truly terrible month. His hands are horrific, he tries far too often to milk free kicks that aren't there and far far too often do midfielders look up and there's no target there. That's his job to be the next kick.

Very disappointing.

The other is Kent. By God he's selfish. Could've given off two certainties today and went for it himself. It's a really bad look. Thought Bail ran hard today and Jetta has been close to our best over the last 6 weeks.

[Demonsone 2,036]

Pathetic!!!!!!

WTF is wrong with these players????

Roos commits till 2016 & yet these players cannot commit by turning up to compete & effort at AFL level!

These would be non negotiable by Roos & should drop/ sack & turn over the list until he gets the right players!

Don't want hear any excuses by members etc... Wasn't expecting finals but it seems players going thru the motions! Watts FFS grow some [censored] balls & compete ... No hunger... Needs to be dropped until season end to show if he wants to play afl anymore!

Members have had enough.....

[Key Deefender 143]

While that was one of the worst games of football skill-wise I have seen, the AFL and/or Etihad management need to take some responsibility for this. How they can even contemplate leaving the roof open on nice sunny days is beyond belief. The contrast between light and shade and the fact the ground faces north/south to the MCG's east/west, means players are constantly shading their eyes from the glare when facing north, promoting errors and making a mockery of the supposed skills of the game. Sure it is the same for both teams, and some of their mistakes were as bad as ours with the sun being responsible for a fair number of them.

While this has been an ongoing argument at all levels, today's game was living proof that the roof should be closed regardless of the weather. The sun in your eyes is the sun in your eyes regardless of how good bad or atrocious you are as a player or team. The fact the ground was built facing the wrong way should not mean that players or fans should have to suffer the consequences.

That said, we were terrible today and I couldn't believe we were ahead at any stage of the game.

[P-man 13,366]

Effort wasn't the real issue. You could see players getting forward and back in numbers. It was largely deplorable skills. Words can't do justice as to how bad it was today.

[chook fowler 19,446]

Still say effort involves concentration and not just physical exertion. Kicking into men on the mark, missing from 10 metres out unpressured handball to teammates feet, burning your team mates and blazing away at goal shows a lack of MENTAL effort. You can't tell me they don't have the skills to do these simple tasks at this level.

[jumbo returns 6,740]

He will not be a good footballer until his realises his limitations, why he runs behind players looking for the handball to make the play, YOU CANT KICK FOR [censored] MATE!!! You can't even bounce or handball the ball properly. He is a good defender but until he realises he isn't nick malceski he will just be a turn over king. Why he chooses to try and baulk a player in the defensive 50 is beyond me. And what staggers me more is players who actually give him the ball when they have a free kick/mark, just stupid.

Great defender.....but, not as a ball carrier. Get rid of it asap.

Having said that, we're ranked number 2 or 3 in the league for bringing the ball out of defence, but ranked 18th for delivery into the F50......(no surprises there!). So, the breakdown occurs around 60 - 70 metres out of goal.

[P-man 13,366]

Still say effort involves concentration and not just physical exertion. Kicking into men on the mark, missing from 10 metres out unpressured handball to teammates feet, burning your team mates and blazing away at goal shows a lack of MENTAL effort. You can't tell me they don't have the skills to do these simple tasks at this level.

The body of evidence continues to grow.

I don't think the players are switched off. I do think they have a tendency to panic or second guess themselves.

[mrtwister 652]

Brisbane won this game when Merrett cleaned up Pedo and nobody had the nads to get stuck into him and rough him up. From that moment on they knew we would be a walkover. Weak as pizz.

Agreed.

Momentum changed.

It's a pity Tappy was subbed as he would have had my vote to be the karma provider.

[jumbo returns 6,740]

Effort wasn't the real issue. You could see players getting forward and back in numbers. It was largely deplorable skills. Words can't do justice as to how bad it was today.

They got tired though, didn't they?

It's been a long season for some boys, playing the Roos' style.

[chook fowler 19,446]

Can't believe how passive everybody is in accepting the crap that was dished up today. Must be battered fan syndrome.

[Nasher 33,607]

I thought Brisbane were just as bad, if not worse with the footy than we were. I doubt that if I'd been barracking for the other team, I'd feel any better about the result than I do now. Was not difficult to see why those two teams are where they are.

[Coq au vin 755]

They got tired though, didn't they?

It's been a long season for some boys, playing the Roos' style.

oh the poor dears!

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Just got back. Why did I bother? Brisbane had players waltz around the middle of the ground with no one around them. I can only assume that everyone hates Dawes because we butchered any chance of Dawes being rewarded for effort. Dawes would bust his butt to chase a Brisbane player on the switch because no one else bothered to man up all day and when we had a easy overlap that should of ended with Dawes having a open goal we figured out a way to turn it over. Jetta was very good today and Kent showed some flare with Tyson chipping in as well. Apart from that it was a ordinary day. I had Machine Head stuck in my head all afternoon with Robb Flynn singing "The seasons wither away"

[jumbo returns 6,740]

oh the poor dears!

When so many are not up to AFL standard, it's hard.

Lol, I don't feel sorry for them....I'm a battered member!