Jump to content

2014: Pass or Fail?

130 members have voted

  1. 1. How would you grade 2014?

    • A - Perfect season
      2
    • B - Good, but flawed
      3
    • C - Acceptable, with areas for improvement
      10
    • D - Didn't meet expectations, but still areas of promise
      71
    • E - Well below expectations, some positives
      28
    • F - A complete failure: nothing positive to get out of it
      6

Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

Featured Replies

Is it?

And we had another failure of a season - we lost 18 games...

BUT we have improved (relatively) immensely, and only the demented few will say we are no better off than we were 12 months ago or 18 months ago.

The trajectory is up, we are just coming from 6 feet under the ground...

Improved immensely is a bit rich
 

Another D.

The second half was incredibly deflating and I can only hope that fatigue played a big part. Brisbane and GWS were every bit as bad as Neeld performances, and those are memories that didn't need resurfacing.

Certainly there.were areas of promise, and on an individual level, Dom Tyson may well be the greatest piece of recruiting the club has done in over a decade.

A D from me, was hoping for 5-8 wins and a percentage of at least 70.

We should have beaten:

  • St Kilda
  • Bulldogs (Twice)
  • Port Adelaide (Twice)
  • Gold Coast (Questionable)
  • Brisbane

That's 7 extra games we could have won if we learn to close out last quarters and turn our attitude into a winning one, in total that's 11 games that could have been won - for us we would have been very happy with that.

Unfortunately for us as demon supporters and in life in general, the negatives stick out more than the positives. And when it pours, it rains for the Melbourne FC. I strongly believe with another strong drafting period & pre season those winnable games that could have been this year, will be won next year.

This is a pet peeve of mine, "we should have beaten" - maybe, but we didn't. We won 4 games by under 4 goals, we lost 6 games by under 4 goals. How/ why did we win those games?

The league average for accuracy is 52.44%. Our season average was 49.22%.

In the games we lost our average was 45.34%.

In the games we won our average was 65.33%(49.26), at the same time, the opposition was averaging 34.65% (35.66). In each game we won, our opposition had more scoring shots, across the 4 games we won our opposition had 26 more shots.

As for the 6 games we lost by less than 4 goals - only vs St Kilda in round 1 did we have more shots than an opponent. In those 6 games we kicked 63.63, our opponents kicked 74.67 (pretty much the league average).

There are many variables that go in to the simple stats of goals and behinds, but it paints a picture. The games we won we had a high accuracy percentage and our opponents was low. In the games we were close both teams were around the league average.

Go back and relive last season - we are worse than last year ? I fear you have a very short memory.

Maybe not worse than last year, but the loss to GWS was the most soul destroying loss I have ever seen (worse than 186 or the 148 point smashing by the bombers), pretty much ruined the entire season for me.

 

I wait to see who is culled first. Results may sway my opinion.

interesting take....i.e Season not quite over..lol


Maybe not worse than last year, but the loss to GWS was the most soul destroying loss I have ever seen (worse than 186 or the 148 point smashing by the bombers), pretty much ruined the entire season for me.

It was soul destroying for me to. That's because I expected to win that contest. The difference is that last year I didn't go into any games with an expectation of winning.

E - Well below expectations, some positives.

I expected 5 wins. ;)

D from me.

Could have been a lot better if we finished off better in some of those games, in that being said we also played Carlton, Richmond and Essendon at the right time. At the end of the year those matches would have been a loss.

There's enough there to work with, hopefully some new players via the trade/free agency/draft and another pre-season under Roos will see us with 7-10 win team next year.

 

Judging by wins/losses mmmmm no thanks.

PR.order of business.

Teaching a group{that are not good enough}to switch with player on mark the whole game.=improvement and better next year.TICK.

Kicking down the line=improvement and found out who cant maintain this for a 23 game stretch.TICK,improvement next year

Getting more than 18 players into the thematic game role.Tick more improvement coming next year.

Controlling out pass from stoppages,=Tick,more improvements next year.

Teaching skill needed to overcome situations=not there yet,more improvement needed and will happen in pre.

Finding out who can and who cant=TICK delistings and new players to come.

Type of list needed size/speed/age/etc=TICK,more changes to come.

Overall rating from me.=7/10

Saw massive changes within team structure and looking forward to next stage,now the players know whats to come and whats expected,feel very confident about next 2 years.

In education we spend a lot of time talking about differentiated teaching to cater for the often large spread of ability in any given class group. The difficulty is always trying to find a balance between developing the lower achieving students, progressing the middle band of capable students and extending the high achievers. It's not easy and, unfortunately, we often end up teaching to the middle and failing the other two groups who really need our time and attention as much as the middle band.

I'm seeing Paul Roos taking stock of the situation and focusing his attention on establishing fundamental defensive skills with our group. This seems to be an acceptance that they can't progress without having a solid grasp of the basics. My concern is that in doing this some of our higher achievers have been starved of opportunities to shine. Our middle core group have also been restricted in their progression.

The fact that some of brighter lights have been absent, or wagging, for a good part of the year compounds the problem.

Overall, an E+. Better effort for some of the year but little real progress towards being a finals contender anytime soon. Hopefully some expulsions and some new enrollments next year will serve to raise the collective ability levels of the group.


BUT we have improved (relatively) immensely

Improved immensely is a bit rich

Did you read the word in between the parenthesis?

We have doubled our wins and improved our percentage by 25% (14% in real terms) and shaved 34 points a game off what the opposition were scoring against us.

Because we were in an abyss in 2013 - this year's mere utter failure is an immense improvement to the nonsense of last year.

Did you read the word in between the parenthesis?

We have doubled our wins and improved our percentage by 25% (14% in real terms) and shaved 34 points a game off what the opposition were scoring against us.

Because we were in an abyss in 2013 - this year's mere utter failure is an immense improvement to the nonsense of last year.

it is still an abyss in my view.

You are clutching at straws.

Who cares if we only got blown away in one quarter or three, it just delayed the result.

We are 17th behind all but the Aints, who beat us.

it is still an abyss in my view.

You are clutching at straws.

Who cares if we only got blown away in one quarter or three, it just delayed the result.

We are 17th behind all but the Aints, who beat us.

You are arguing out of muscle memory - I have agreed it is a failure of a year.

You are arguing out of muscle memory - I have agreed it is a failure of a year.

with immense improvement. I am disputing that.

Despite an extremely disappointing August, I saw improvement in the basics before that. I was hoping and expecting 6+ wins, so 4 was below my expectation. Despite the wins against unexpected opponents being refreshing, it was the very poor displays against teams we should have been closer to that stood out for me.

The loss to GWS was a worse performance than 186 for me, so that still burns.

D

Our defence was miles better but our offense was hamstrung by a lack of quality targets. Losing Clark & Hogan for the year cost us at least 4 wins and we may have even got 10 wins if both had played all year.

A club like our's just can't plan for things like that to occur. It's not an excuse, it's a valid reason.

Without quality targets, it's hard to win more games than you lose unless ... you've got a super midfield. Dawes is a 3rd forward and Frawley played a similar role. There's no one else worth mentioning in terms of KPF's. Good key forwards know where to lead to and they get into the right places, more often.

We had the worst forward line on paper in the league and the results speak for themselves. We need to recruit another key forward to support Hogan if we're serious about pushing for finals in the future. With Dawes as the 3rd forward, we'd be a much better performed team.

Forward line Z-

Midfield A+ compared to last year

Backline C

Maths D- not enough wins

Teachers comments :

The most likely to end up in prison

Forward line Z-

Midfield A+ compared to last year

Backline C

Maths D- not enough wins

Teachers comments :

The most likely to end up in prison

Have me smiling budge especially your last line.

interesting take....i.e Season not quite over..lol

Yes and no BB. Interesting reading all year especially peoples takes on players performances ie Watts. Roos has defended his chargers all year during his press conferences, now it's time to see what he really thinks.

Yes and no BB. Interesting reading all year especially peoples takes on players performances ie Watts. Roos has defended his chargers all year during his press conferences, now it's time to see what he really thinks.

I was actually concurring. I.e The season as a whole, so possibly what transpires next is quite reasonably a part of it. Some might say part of next season but I see the jist :)

Its terribly important for obvious reasons that we morph. Let the morphing continue :)

Gets an F from me.

Any of the early gains were obliterated in the last 9 rounds.

Bring on the draft & get some players with some steel in their attitude.

Surely nearly beating Port in Adelaide was a worthy effort in the last 9 rounds? Like many I gave us a D. We are gaining in our efforts to climb up the ladder.

Nearly not good enough A bad fail Thry are just not good enough and the season end was particularly poor Just so dissappointing A Big F

 

E.

Those two merry souls who voted 'A' will have a complete aneurysm if and when Melbourne actually win a flag.


Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Featured Content

  • PREVIEW: Essendon

    As the focus of the AFL moves exclusively to South Australia for Gather Round, the question is raised as to what are we going to get from the  Melbourne Football Club this weekend? Will it be a repeat of the slop fest of the last three weeks that have seen the team score a measly 174 points and concede 310 or will a return to the City of Churches and the scene where they performed at their best in 2024 act as a wakeup call and bring them out of their early season reverie? 
    Or will the sleepy Dees treat their fans to a reenactment of their lazy effort from the first Gather Round of two years ago when they allowed the Bombers to trample all over them on a soggy and wet Adelaide Oval? The two examples from above tell us how fickle form can be in football. Last year, a committed group of players turned up in Adelaide with a businesslike mindset. They had a plan, went in confidently and hard for the football and kicked winning scores against both home teams in a difficult environment for visitors. And they repeated that sort of effort later in the season when they played Essendon at the MCG. Unfortunately, performances like these went against the grain of what Melbourne has been producing from virtually midway through 2024 and extending right through to the present day. This is a game between two clubs who have faltered over the past couple of years because their disposal efficiency is appalling. Neither of them can hit the side of a barn door but history tells us that every once in a while such teams have their lucky days or come up against an opponent in even worse shape and hence, one of them will come up trumps in this match.

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: Essendon

    Facing the very real and daunting prospect of starting the season with five straight losses, the Demons head to South Australia for the annual Gather Round, where they’ll take on the Bombers in search of their first win of the year. Who comes in, and who comes out?

      • Thanks
    • 247 replies
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 05

    Gather Round is here, kicking off with a Thursday night blockbuster as Adelaide faces Geelong. The Crows will be out for redemption after a controversial loss last week. Saturday starts with the Magpies taking on the Swans. Collingwood will be eager to cement their spot in the top eight, while Sydney is hot on their heels. In the Barossa Valley, two rising sides go head-to-head in a fascinating battle to prove they're the real deal. Later, Carlton and West Coast face off at Adelaide Oval, both desperate to notch their first win of the season. The action then shifts to Norwood, where the undefeated Lions will aim to keep their streak alive against the Bulldogs. Sunday’s games begin in the Barossa with Richmond up against Fremantle. In Norwood, the Saints will be looking to take a scalp when they come up against the Giants. The round concludes with a fiery rematch of last year's semi-final, as the Hawks seek revenge for their narrow loss to Port Adelaide. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

      • Thanks
    • 17 replies
    Demonland
  • CASEY: Geelong

    There was a time in the second quarter of the game at the Cattery on Friday afternoon when the Casey Demons threatened to take the game apart against the Cats. The Demons had been well on top early but were struggling to convert their ascendancy over the ground until Tom Fullarton’s burst of three goals in the space of eight minutes on the way to a five goal haul and his best game for the club since arriving from Brisbane at the end of 2023. He was leading, marking and otherwise giving his opponents a merry dance as Casey grabbed a three goal lead in the blink of an eye. Fullarton has now kicked ten goals in Casey’s three matches and, with Melbourne’s forward conversion woes, he is definitely in with a chance to get his first game with the club in next week’s Gather Round in Adelaide. Despite the tall forward’s efforts - he finished with 19 disposals and eight marks and had four hit outs as back up to Will Verrall in the second half - it wasn’t enough as Geelong reigned in the lead through persistent attacks and eventually clawed their way to the lead early in the last and held it till they achieved the end aim of victory.

      • Like
    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • REPORT: Geelong

    I was disappointed to hear Goody say at his post match presser after the team’s 39 point defeat against Geelong that "we're getting high quality entry, just poor execution" because Melbourne’s problems extend far beyond that after its 0 - 4 start to the 2025 football season. There are clearly problems with poor execution, some of which were evident well before the current season and were in play when the Demons met the Cats in early May last year and beat them in a near top-of-the-table clash that saw both sides sitting comfortably in the top four after round eight. Since that game, the Demons’ performances have been positively Third World with only five wins in 19 games with a no longer majestic midfield and a dysfunctional forward line that has become too easy for opposing coaches to counter. This is an area of their game that is currently being played out as if they were all completely panic-stricken.

      • Thanks
      • Like
    • 0 replies
    Demonland
  • NON-MFC: Round 04

    Round 4 kicks off with a blockbuster on Thursday night as traditional rivals Collingwood and Carlton clash at the MCG, with the Magpies looking to assert themselves as early-season contenders and the Blues seeking their first win of the season. Saturday opens with Gold Coast hosting Adelaide, a key test for the Suns as they aim to back up their big win last week, while the Crows will be looking to keep their perfect record intact. Reigning wooden spooners Richmond have the daunting task of facing reigning premiers Brisbane at the ‘G and the Lions will be eager to reaffirm their premiership credentials after a patchy start. Saturday night sees North Melbourne take on Sydney at Marvel Stadium, with the Swans looking to build on their first win of the season last week against a rebuilding Roos outfit. Sunday’s action begins with GWS hosting West Coast at ENGIE Stadium, a game that could get ugly very early for the visitors. Port Adelaide vs St Kilda at Adelaide Oval looms as a interesting clash, with both clubs form being very hard to read. The round wraps up with Fremantle taking on the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium in what could be a fierce contest between two sides with top-eight ambitions. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

      • Thanks
    • 273 replies
    Demonland