There has to be a morning after ...

[Whispering_Jack 30,107]

The morning after the end of the season and the question is how do we sum it all up?

To call it a success because we had double the number of wins, had an improved percentage and could have won a lot more would be wrong.

After 14 rounds, we had 4 wins and were a game ahead of Richmond. They won their last nine games, we lost all of ours. We really needed to do a lot better than to hit the wall in the last month and our losses to Brisbane and the GWS Giants were heartbreaking.

As indicated by Roosy early in these season we concentrated on improving the defensive side of our game and we certainly made some strides in that regard. We were of course, badly disadvantaged by injuries to so many players in the preseason, in particular our talls and key position players. The retirement of Mitch Clark and the back injury to Jesse Hogan left our forward line in tatters and, even when we started to concentrate more on our attacking side, we were pretty well bereft of players capable of kicking goals. Our best for the year was Chris Dawes with 20. Dean Kent showed some good signs late.

But as good as our improvement was to our defensive side, it was this area that also caused disappointment, particularly later in the season. Our lack of skills was always evident and we often hurt ourselves by the way were unable to distribute the ball when coming out of defence.

Our midfield improved which is only natural given that this area was the main focus of our recruiting. The trade which secured Tyson/Salem worked well as was the recruiting of Vince, Cross and to a lesser extent Michie and Reilly. However, as Roosy said in his press conference last night, the midfield is still the area we need to show continual improvement.

We have youth to come in and develop and we have Hogan, Trengove, Toumpas and Spencer as players who had injury interrupted seasons to come in to improve the team - virtually as recruits and Viney has lots of improvement in him as well.

Nathan Jones was a great team leader and it was unfortunate that Jack Grimes couldn't step up to the plate with him - I don't think he was ever 100% right.

The Frawley situation was problematic all year. He really didn't inspire whether up forward or down back. My guess is that he's gone and if that happens, the hole in our defence won't be as great as one would have imagined a year ago .

There's also a cloud over the club following Max Gawn's knee injury. The outlook is a bit grim but here's hoping.

There's a lot of pessimism out there as a result of our poor finish to the season but I don't believe things are as bad as they look. Roosy made it clear yesterday the players are facing a tough pre season on the track. They are currently running fit but not yet match fit and he promises that will change. Roosy also said that every player on the list is open for trading. Following the successful pre season recruiting campaign of last year, with some high draft picks and with a deep war chest available after the departure of Clark, most likely Frawley and probably 6 to 8 others, we can expect the playing list of 2015 to be substantially different to that of 2014.

I think also that with the changes in personnel, Roosy will be able to work on the improvements in our defensive game of this year and add to it a vast improvement in ball movement and the attacking side of our game, glimpses of which were evident last night.

[Tony Tea 2,809]

For the record: I always confuse "The Morning After" with "We May Never Love Like This Again".

[Guest]

Didn't South Park teach us that if we sing that song backwards, we can send a succubus back into hell? I wonder who the earth would engulf if we did that?

[WhyAlwaysMe 237]

i think you spelt Mourning wrong

[GrandOld 367]

Didn't South Park teach us that if we sing that song backwards, we can send a succubus back into hell? I wonder who the earth would engulf if we did that?

I tried it but Jack is still here

[Go the Biff 3,423]

For the record: I always confuse "The Morning After" with "We May Never Love Like This Again".

Same singer. Both songs used in disaster films. Poseidon Adventure & Towering Inferno

Both horrid as well

[Maldonboy38 6,403]

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this season.

A lot of players missed huge slabs of the preseason before the season proper started, and the only one of them to produce a decent season was Dom Tyson - and his season was an absolute ripper.

Losing Clark, Trengove and Hogan was a huge blow and we never recovered.

Recruiting of Vince, Tyson, Cross, Salem, Riley and Michie at least made us competitive in most games.

The form of Garland, Viney, Watts and Toumpas was embarrassing at times, at least Viney showed some grunt and tackle pressure at times. Toumpas and Viney can be excused for being young at a club that has struggled with player development.

Our skills, whether under pressure or free outside, were deflating, embarrassing, hardly VFL standard, and the reason we lost so many games when we were in front during the last quarter. This has to be a major focus of the post-Christmas training.

The form of Dunn, N Jones, Pederson, Jetta, Tyson, Cross was our saving grace. Well done to these boys.

The enraging footskills of co-captain Grimes who reads the play as well as anyone in the AFL, gets to contests, has courage and leadership, but is a worst turnover king of any player at MFC in my living memory. Might cost him the captaincy in 2015.

I love the strength and consistency of the coaching panel. Even when we were losing games we should have won, they did not change their attitude, their public persona, the message... they just kept on with it believing it will work. Gotta applaud that. Loved having Roos as our coach this year, but thought late in the year he used the "this is a damaged group" line too many times and he needs to remove it from his chosen language for 2015.

I am disappointed that a succession plan coach has not be named and added. However, this makes me think that MFC have already chosen and signed their candidate, but he is an assistant coach at another club, waiting for season 2014 to be over at his club prior to coming on over.

I predicted 4-6 wins, thinking we would get only 1 in first half of season, and a few more in the second half. I was only partly right. I have to admit to feeling very deflated with just 4 wins, knowing we were in front during the last quarter in 10 games.

And lastly, having to watch another finals season with Hawthorn and Geelong in it (I can just hear the commentators stiffening up at the prospect) makes me want to throw up. And now, I have the increasing frustration of a growing hatred for North Melbourne who have made finals ahead of us, and whose coach reminds me a of a incompetent, steriodal meerkat - standing up barking rubbish at all and sundry if they come to near "his precious players".

I %&@#*& hate this time of year as a Dees follower.

[Tony Tea 2,809]

Same singer. Both songs used in disaster films. Poseidon Adventure & Towering Inferno

Both horrid as well

Yes, I know that, Biffo. I get confused by Rasputin and Moscow too.

[What 18,810]

first half was a pass, 2nd half was a total disaster

[Vanilla Gorilla 204]

Loved having Roos as our coach this year, but thought late in the year he used the "this is a damaged group" line too many times and he needs to remove it from his chosen language for 2015.

Agreed - him and PJ never miss an opportunity to roll out that old excuse. They've each been at the club for 1.5 years and must start taking responsibility for the state of affairs.

[NowWeKnow 130]

24 hours ago I couldn't wait for this horrible season to end. Now I find myself missing it already. Like most people on this site....I need help!

[jazza 1,323]

24 hours ago I couldn't wait for this horrible season to end. Now I find myself missing it already. Like most people on this site....I need help!

BBO has a self help group,they are located at the noTSnoBS thread.

Its for over 18s and the cost is minimal.

Edited August 31, 2014 by jazza

[ILLDieADemon 804]

I would have to give this season a pass.

I didn't expect the Messiah (Paul Roos) to turn water into wine (turn Watts into a good footballer) over night.

What I got out of this season is hope, which Is something I haven't had for years at this Club.

Every pre season we all sit on this page and write about how hard boys are going on the track and put high hope for our season only to be disappointed at this stage of the season.

I don't expect to be competing with the middle of the ladder clubs for the 8th spot till 2016 and that's the reality of where our list is at.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,177]

Its impossible to argue that we haven't improved. Wins, percentage, possession differentials all clearly point to this. The debatable point is whether the amount of improvement and the way we got there is to people's expectations. The key factor that we had to remove was massive losses and how quickly people forget we lost 12 games by 60+ last year. I stated this year that I just wanted to go to the football and feel we were in it to the end. Whilst we struggled to get the four points in most we were in it in more than half our games deep into the last.

The offensive side of our game or lack thereof is where most will agree we were disappointed but how different that may have looked if we had our two main targets in Hogan and Clark at least in part. I think the other hope was that Roos would do wonders with our players who had stagnated under previous development. Jetta and Pederson aside you could argue that no miracles worked on those we hoped and the improvement came from those we brought from outside or those that were already on an upward development arc.

I have no doubt we will make some hard decisions over the offseason and not all will be to everyones liking but I have faith that we are on the right path. Some astute trading and drafting and full seasons from some who missed and we will see some serious improvement. I was over 2014 but already cannot wait for 2015.

[beelzebub 23,374]

And yet BRFE we're still 17th !!

Im not actually convinced that we HAVE improved a great deal (yet )

What we have as an upside is probably greater access to the potential to ACTUALLY improve.

The overseeing and the conduit to real betterment probably now exist where they didn't.

I expect to see tangible improvement next season via a better list, one that can begin to engage the plan and bring it to reality.

You win or lose by the scoreboard. Again, we're still 17th.

[bananas 428]

You win or lose by the scoreboard. Again, we're still 17th.

Last year we were basically the most hopeless (non-expansion) team since Fitzroy … and even that might be being generous. We were the 2nd worst team, but holy hell, we were friggin' abominable.

This year we were still the 2nd worst team in the comp, but we were at least the normal kind of 2nd worst team. Most years would have a 2nd worst team about as good as we were. After last year's apocalypse, that's actually a pretty huge step up.

It wasn't the year I was hoping for, but after Clark's retirement, it was pretty much the year I was expecting.

Edited August 31, 2014 by bananas

[bing181 9,235]

Still feel many people underestimate the impact the loss - or more specifically, the non-return - of Clark had on us. On-field and off.

PJ said as much as well.

Season has to be judged in that light.

Feel that there's a lot more going right than wrong, but for the moment, we're just not seeing the results - though we were getting somewhere across the middle of the season.

Plenty of upside with the young players, including the likes of Harmes and hopefully, Hunt, but thank god Roos is staying 3 years, we're going to need all of them to even start looking like a respectable footy team.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Same singer. Both songs used in disaster films. Poseidon Adventure & Towering Inferno

Both horrid as well

Got me first kiss and hand holding in 'Towering Inferno' - still don't know the ending......

[beelzebub 23,374]

Still feel many people underestimate the impact the loss - or more specifically, the non-return - of Clark had on us. On-field and off.

PJ said as much as well.

Season has to be judged in that light.

Feel that there's a lot more going right than wrong, but for the moment, we're just not seeing the results - though we were getting somewhere across the middle of the season.

Plenty of upside with the young players, including the likes of Harmes and hopefully, Hunt, but thank god Roos is staying 3 years, we're going to need all of them to even start looking like a respectable footy team.

Bing ...there are many reason etc..but the nett effect is ....just right now we havent left the station...We're STILL there. Albeit with different carriages and locomotives but Train is still at platform 17.

[jane02 3,748]

Same singer. Both songs used in disaster films. Poseidon Adventure & Towering Inferno

Both horrid as well

I cannot get this song out of my head now I've read this thread...... Having flashbacks of my year 11 choral competition..... Very painful.

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,294]

If anyone told me at the start of the year we would beat Carlton, Richmond, Essendon, Adelaide and had Port on toast twice, I'd have told him he was dreamn!

So we beat 2 finalists, should have been 3!

I expected 4-6 wins and we probably should have had more than that realistically, so it's a pass for me but gee the last 2 months have been soul destroying!

[Slartibartfast 17,274]

My biggest disappointment for the year was the complete failure of Roos to get anything out of our early picks - Strauss, Tapscott and Blease. He got something out of Watts, just not enough and of course Trengove was injured although he was dropped to Casey prior before retiring for the year.

Neeld as we all know was not a coaches bootlace and I hoped that his approach was the reason these guys had faltered. I hoped that a couple could come good and turn into good AFL footballers. But no.

Interesting, in talking to two people involved in FD of other clubs this year Blease name came up. One said he wouldn't have picked him if he had been the last player in the draft and the other said they were stunned when we picked him at 17 as they didn't have him in the top 60. Having said that he did polarize opinions as when I was at the club and Blease was injured there were a lot of enquiries from other clubs about him.

I'm not blaming Roos for this failure by the way, I'm blaming Barry Prendergast. He clearly was seduced by skilful footballers and overlooked competitiveness. Watts, Strauss, Blease, Gysberts, Cook were all early picks who really lack AFL competitiveness. In his defence 2009 was a terrible draft in retrospect and 2008 hardly a good one either.

[Go the Biff 3,423]

My biggest disappointment for the year was the complete failure of Roos to get anything out of our early picks - Strauss, Tapscott and Blease. He got something out of Watts, just not enough and of course Trengove was injured although he was dropped to Casey prior before retiring for the year.

Neeld as we all know was not a coaches bootlace and I hoped that his approach was the reason these guys had faltered. I hoped that a couple could come good and turn into good AFL footballers. But no.

Interesting, in talking to two people involved in FD of other clubs this year Blease name came up. One said he wouldn't have picked him if he had been the last player in the draft and the other said they were stunned when we picked him at 17 as they didn't have him in the top 60. Having said that he did polarize opinions as when I was at the club and Blease was injured there were a lot of enquiries from other clubs about him.

I'm not blaming Roos for this failure by the way, I'm blaming Barry Prendergast. He clearly was seduced by skilful footballers and overlooked competitiveness. Watts, Strauss, Blease, Gysberts, Cook were all early picks who really lack AFL competitiveness. In his defence 2009 was a terrible draft in retrospect and 2008 hardly a good one either.

Fair point on failing to improve what have now become lost causes

With regard to the bit I've highlighted, did the FD bloke say why ? Ability or attitude ? I've heard from a few sources that it doesn't take a lot for young Blease to get on very good terms with himself

[binman 42,950]

My biggest disappointment for the year was the complete failure of Roos to get anything out of our early picks - Strauss, Tapscott and Blease. He got something out of Watts, just not enough and of course Trengove was injured although he was dropped to Casey prior before retiring for the year.

Neeld as we all know was not a coaches bootlace and I hoped that his approach was the reason these guys had faltered. I hoped that a couple could come good and turn into good AFL footballers. But no.

Interesting, in talking to two people involved in FD of other clubs this year Blease name came up. One said he wouldn't have picked him if he had been the last player in the draft and the other said they were stunned when we picked him at 17 as they didn't have him in the top 60. Having said that he did polarize opinions as when I was at the club and Blease was injured there were a lot of enquiries from other clubs about him.

I'm not blaming Roos for this failure by the way, I'm blaming Barry Prendergast. He clearly was seduced by skilful footballers and overlooked competitiveness. Watts, Strauss, Blease, Gysberts, Cook were all early picks who really lack AFL competitiveness. In his defence 2009 was a terrible draft in retrospect and 2008 hardly a good one either.

I don't blame BP alone as i assume he was acting on orders from Bailey and perhaps even Schwabb on what type of players to target. In my opinion at that time we made a disastrous miscalculation on where the game was heading. Those making the call predicted the game was moving to an outside running game (basically the hard running Geelong game with attractive chains of possessions as players in waves brought it down the ground) in which a players like Blease would be perfectly suited.

Unfortunately whilst this partially came true (moving the ball in waves, important to have players with pace) the game became much more combative with an even greater emphasis on contested possession and defensive skills where an unfashionable grunt player like Puopolo would be very valuable.

We backed the wrong horse and are still paying. Though even with that in mind BP did make some shocking calls.

On Blease, in what could be the final comment from MFC this review from the coburg v scorps game from Brad Miller could really be about his career thus far:

Sam Blease: Sam had 22 disposals and one tackle. We found Sam won a fair bit of the ball, playing on the wing and high half-forward. However, we got no advantage from the majority of Sam’s possessions. Unfortunately, again, he made selfish decisions on the day and chose to go sideways or backwards with a switch kick, when we need his run-and-carry and ability to drive through the lines and be far more damaging.

[Redleg 40,920]

Got me first kiss and hand holding in 'Towering Inferno' - still don't know the ending......

You were making out while a building was collapsing, she must have been a hot date.