What happened to the team that beat Adelaide?

[DeeZee 7,463]

What I don't get is , from the start of year the boys looked like they knew what they were doing when they had the ball in their possession

You could see a clear game plan, hang on to the ball switch play and attack from there.

The way we took the game on against Adelaide, Port, Richmond, Carlton, Essendon, Bulldogs, and even Sydney was great.

Dawes and Pederson were on fire and our forward line was functioning.

Then we lost it and went back to our usual selves, playing hesitant footy, and looking like they don't know what to do with the ball when they get it.

Right back to the turnover kings we were in the past.

I just don't understand how they can just lose it like that.

[Grint 30]

Not offering excuses but - at the start of the year we knew from the likes f Sydney and freo that we had taken on a very taxing game plan. Possibly fitness levels arnt at the point yet where this can be sustained for a full season? Just a thought

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

For me the turning point was Collingwood game. The team just did not look like scoring at all that day and it has continued.

[JV7 2,375]

I have no idea either, watching the game last night I was thinking the same thing. How did this side take it up to port at adelaide oval only 4-5 weeks ago ? I really don't know.. Early in the year even if we lost we'd still defend well and restrict sides..

Obviously their mindset comes into, you have to want to defend and have the intent too.

Maybe sides have worked out how we defend?

Maybe roos tinkered with the game plan mid season to try and add an attacking element and the players are just confused?

Maybe there just tired after a long season? Some of these players haven't known what it's like to run hard both ways..

Whatever it is, it was depressing last night going into the game knowing the exact result and effort that would be dished up, I thought we were well and truly past those days.

[old dee 24,028]

A small blip in the long haul to respectability DeeZee.

A few players played above themselves for six weeks then back to normal.

Dawes was an average player in a very good side at the woods he could afford a dozen good games a year. His dozen were used up around mid season.

Pedersen was renowned for playing a few good games then a spell of shockers. that theme has continued at the dees.

Neither are long term prospects at the MFC IMO.

They will be useful over the next couple of years while others are bought in.

Don't expect anything more.

I hoped for 4 -5 wins this year and a small number of beltings.

We have had four wins and a number of close games.

The good players are still putting in the others not so.

Just shows the ones that will need to be replace over the next two years.

Get cheerful guys there is no alternative to 2014 and the next two years of struggle.

Just a lot of bloody hard work ahead.

The alternative is to hand back the licence is that what you want?

[DeeZee 7,463]

I hope Hogan gives us something to kick to next year.......and will Clisby and Strauss get a gig next week, or are their papers already stamped?

[old dee 24,028]

I hope Hogan gives us something to kick to next year.......and will Clisby and Strauss get a gig next week, or are their papers already stamped?

Stamped and they are not the future

[Sir Why You Little 37,341]

Queens Birthday is our Grand Final so the club has said before.

[sue 9,233]

A small blip in the long haul to respectability DeeZee.

A few players played above themselves for six weeks then back to normal.

Dawes was an average player in a very good side at the woods he could afford a dozen good games a year. His dozen were used up around mid season.

Pedersen was renowned for playing a few good games then a spell of shockers. that theme has continued at the dees.

Neither are long term prospects at the MFC IMO.

They will be useful over the next couple of years while others are bought in.

Don't expect anything more.

I hoped for 4 -5 wins this year and a small number of beltings.

We have had four wins and a number of close games.

The good players are still putting in the others not so.

Just shows the ones that will need to be replace over the next two years.

Get cheerful guys there is no alternative to 2014 and the next two years of struggle.

Just a lot of bloody hard work ahead.

The alternative is to hand back the licence is that what you want?

Good to see something so positive from you OldDee.

Roos points to tiredness which may well be true, but I reckon confidence should never be underestimated. Lack of it leads to second guessing in decisions which leads to dangerous delays or blunders. Also second guessing when executing things can appear as lack of skill. If you hesitate as to how hard to kick a ball just as you kick it, you are liable to produce a kick that has supporters groaning. That is not to say we don't lack skill. Just may help explain why we went from being reasonably competitive to what we've seen in the last few weeks.

[Ted Lasso 19,564]

Clisby and Strauss are gone, if they haven't had a run by now they aren't required.

[DeeZee 7,463]

Clisby and Strauss are gone, if they haven't had a run by now they aren't required.

The thing is with them is they both have skill, and Clisby has a bit of pace to his game.....shame he wasn't given at least one game to prove himself.

[What 18,810]

Tiring from a demanding game-plan that requires 2 way running

Something foreign to the MFC

[Whispering_Jack 31,271]

Tired?

Yesterday, we had more possessions, more hit outs, won at the stoppages and had either the equal of or better than WCE except from the umpiring decisions. We even had them on effiency (79% to 78%) rate except inside our forward 50.

Where we were beaten was in our running, particularly both ways. The question is whether we were trained to be able to run like the other clubs do this year or is it a programme by which Roos intends to develop the team in stages with defensive play coming first and the other things to follow. Either way, there are a number of personnel at the club who need to be replaced for various reasons.

[Sir Why You Little 37,341]

I can't cop this not fit enough.

Dave Misson has conditioned elite Athletes in many sports.

Above the shoulders i still believe

[Deeoldfart 8,162]

Tiring from a demanding game-plan that requires 2 way running

Something foreign to the MFC

This reflects what Paul Roos had to say in yesterday's post match presser, and it applies particularly to those players who had no, or limited pre-seasons. It makes some sense, or at least I'm gullible enough to buy into that line of thinking.

ps. I'm only a supporter but I'm tired too, and very much looking forward to the off-season and the new hope that it will inevitably bring.

[jazza 1,323]

I can't cop this not fit enough.

Dave Misson has conditioned elite Athletes in many sports.

Above the shoulders i still believe

Agree,dave has had his 3rd pre and all the experts told us that was what we needed 3 preseasons ago.

I think this game plan is very difficult to keep up game after game for a group of under prepared lazy people.

They have got away with laziness and being an isipid sunday church league club for many yaers and it will take another preseason of PR demanding 100% concentration to even see a glimmer of the light.

[titan_uranus 25,209]

Tired?

Yesterday, we had more possessions, more hit outs, won at the stoppages and had either the equal of or better than WCE except from the umpiring decisions. We even had them on effiency (79% to 78%) rate except inside our forward 50.

Where we were beaten was in our running, particularly both ways. The question is whether we were trained to be able to run like the other clubs do this year or is it a programme by which Roos intends to develop the team in stages with defensive play coming first and the other things to follow. Either way, there are a number of personnel at the club who need to be replaced for various reasons.

Stats can fool, WJ. More possessions isn't necessarily because of work rate, but probably due to unnecessary flipping the ball around. The efficiency rate similarly is boosted by a whole heap of backwards kicks/handpasses.

[DeeZee 7,463]

We seem to be getting our hands on the ball ok, we just can't get it inside 50 enough, and when we do do we rarely find a leading target.

[Coup Cooper 610]

What I don't get is , from the start of year the boys looked like they knew what they were doing when they had the ball in their possession

You could see a clear game plan, hang on to the ball switch play and attack from there.

The way we took the game on against Adelaide, Port, Richmond, Carlton, Essendon, Bulldogs, and even Sydney was great.

Dawes and Pederson were on fire and our forward line was functioning.

Then we lost it and went back to our usual selves, playing hesitant footy, and looking like they don't know what to do with the ball when they get it.

Right back to the turnover kings we were in the past.

I just don't understand how they can just lose it like that.

They starter believing the what the papers wrote about them!

[Demon3 2,541]

It's so simple, on 2 levels.

1. Player with ball in hands.. Tries to attack with ambitious kick.. Turns it over..happened every time last night..

2. Player waiting to receive ball.. Doesn't run at ball, stands and waits. Oppo spoils/ intercepts and bang.. They are off.

We are the worse team in the AFL.. By far.. These are simple footballer traits.. Yet we continually do the basics very badly.

[DeeSpencer 26,479]

1. We weren't that good to begin with. Only beating Adel and Ess by playing a fluke half of footy in each game whilst being outplayed in the other half

2. Carl and Rich were crap at the start of the year

3. We got figured out a bit when teams dropped a man behind the ball we literally can not score - Pies QB'day was the start of this trend

4. Cross' injury really hurt our midfield mix which was really dependant on Tyson, Jones, Viney, Vince and Cross playing well.

5. In searching for replacements to fill the bottom 6 spots each week we stuffed the limited cohesion we had

6. Narrow losses - not getting the positive reinforcement when we played well against the dogs twice, Port twice, Gold Coast etc meant that eventually when we dropped off we lacked belief

I'm going to be positive and hope that we can find a couple of decent mature age players to step straight in and that also the addition of Hogan, Trengove and Toumpas gives us something as well so that we start next year up and running.

The biggest problem we have now is the doom loop between players taking the game on and the skills to execute it. Roos mandates one on one defensive structures that mean we will never have easy open running footy. So it's always going to require skills to execute and hard work both physically and mentally to run with the ball and without. Right now as we don't capitalize on the hard work it becomes ingrained in the players to do the safe thing and handball and kick backwards and sideways.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

1. We weren't that good to begin with. Only beating Adel and Ess by playing a fluke half of footy in each game whilst being outplayed in the other half

2. Carl and Rich were crap at the start of the year

3. We got figured out a bit when teams dropped a man behind the ball we literally can not score - Pies QB'day was the start of this trend

4. Cross' injury really hurt our midfield mix which was really dependant on Tyson, Jones, Viney, Vince and Cross playing well.

5. In searching for replacements to fill the bottom 6 spots each week we stuffed the limited cohesion we had

6. Narrow losses - not getting the positive reinforcement when we played well against the dogs twice, Port twice, Gold Coast etc meant that eventually when we dropped off we lacked belief

I'm going to be positive and hope that we can find a couple of decent mature age players to step straight in and that also the addition of Hogan, Trengove and Toumpas gives us something as well so that we start next year up and running.

The biggest problem we have now is the doom loop between players taking the game on and the skills to execute it. Roos mandates one on one defensive structures that mean we will never have easy open running footy. So it's always going to require skills to execute and hard work both physically and mentally to run with the ball and without. Right now as we don't capitalize on the hard work it becomes ingrained in the players to do the safe thing and handball and kick backwards and sideways.

I think that's a fair summary of the situation.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

I think that losing the last game against Port Adelaide must have been a huge hit to the team's confidence.

Bloody umpires.

[Dr John Dee 1,057]

I think that's a fair summary of the situation.

+1

[old dee 24,028]

Good to see something so positive from you OldDee.

Roos points to tiredness which may well be true, but I reckon confidence should never be underestimated. Lack of it leads to second guessing in decisions which leads to dangerous delays or blunders. Also second guessing when executing things can appear as lack of skill. If you hesitate as to how hard to kick a ball just as you kick it, you are liable to produce a kick that has supporters groaning. That is not to say we don't lack skill. Just may help explain why we went from being reasonably competitive to what we've seen in the last few weeks.

What's the alternative sue hand back the licence?

Seriously I was reflecting with a mate yesterday about what we expected at the start of the season.

When we cast our minds back our expectations were fairly low. We thought five wins would be the maximium ( I could not see past four ) we actually had different games marked as winners. We hope for a reduction in thrashings and that was about it.

We both said our list was in a sad state and a large number would need to be replaced over 2014- 16.

We both had a list of VFL players listed but they varied a bit but there were really no surprises the crap always sinks to the bottom.

So we got pretty much what we expected with four wins a few close ones and not to many thrashings, also along the way we had the NGE's confirmed.

My view on why we fell away in the second half of the season is simply lack of numbers.

Once we started to lose players from our best 22 from injuries or loss of form there was no one to replace them.

AS has been stated by many the list is poor and as a result our complete lack of any depth shone through in the second half with form dropping and confidence went out the window.

I have said many times that the hole we found ourselves in at the end of 2013 was going to take years to get out of, now some see that as negative I always thought it was the reality of the situation.

Time I think has justified my position.

I am depressed like most on here but if we are honest with ourselves did we really think we were going to do a Port?