Game of two half lets focus on the first half,so far we have played six good qtr two bad ones

.

In fact we only played one good quarter on Saturday the second quarter was theirs and we only led due to GC inaccurarcy

In fact we only played one good quarter on Saturday the second quarter was theirs and we only led due to GC inaccurarcy

We won that quarter. I get that they had the run of play and kicked poorly into their forward line and at goal but we chastise ourselves on here for saying 'we should have won' and some keyboard hero always yells that 'winning is all that matters' in an effort to end that conversation...

Well, 'we won that quarter'!

In fact we only played one good quarter on Saturday the second quarter was theirs and we only led due to GC inaccurarcy

more importantly, GWS were horrific in the first half until they decided to turn up

Chook I made the statement about dumb footballers based on a number of eyewitness posts on this thread from those who unfortunately witnessed our second half effort. There is a common theme of our players not setting up correctly at ball ups, defenders all flying for a mark, leaving no crumbers or midfielders all going in to tackle the opposition guy in possession while he releases the ball over the top to the players you left to tackle. It is a worry to me. Yes they are young but you should have learnt these basics much earlier, in under age footy. You shouldn't need someone like Roosey to point out the bleeding obvious. It sounds like dumb footy to me in the modern game.

Also tacklers falling into guys backs when they don't need to. I have thought we have been a dumb football team for years.

My biggest concern was our complete mental capitulation. Shows the ugliest feature of last seasons second half is still present. May not be an aberration as it was evident in practice matches and to a lesser extent against an also out of sorts GC.

I think the players (and fans) at half time had a big drink of their own bath water, thought that they were better than they are, and immediately got the reality check such indulgences deserve.

Hopefully the lessons been learnt, success is fleeting for the untalented, and only hard work and 100% commitment to the next contest matter.

Maybe its just the lesson a team, long deprived of victory, needed to learn after tasting a solid win (Round 1).

My biggest concern was our complete mental capitulation. Shows the ugliest feature of last seasons second half is still present. May not be an aberration as it was evident in practice matches and to a lesser extent against an also out of sorts GC.

I know from tennis, I can be up 40-0 and if I think "I've got this..." I then find myself at 40-40 thinking "Arrgh" then lose, as all my mental demons (doubts, limitations, fears) run amuck...

The MFC has some mental demons to work through and new beliefs to rebuild in the group (and fans).

I think the players (and fans) at half time had a big drink of their own bath water, thought that they were better than they are, and immediately got the reality check such indulgences deserve.

Hopefully the lessons been learnt, success is fleeting for the untalented, and only hard work and 100% commitment to the next contest matter.

Maybe its just the lesson a team, long deprived of victory, needed to learn after tasting a solid win (Round 1).

Not much has changed. This happened with unflexible regularity in the Northey, Balme and Daniher days also. Every time we looked like we may have been the real deal we fell flat on our arses the following game.

Not much has changed. This happened with unflexible regularity in the Northey, Balme and Daniher days also. Every time we looked like we may have been the real deal we fell flat on our arses the following game.

It's interesting, both Roos and Bucks on 360, talked about how more tightly balanced games are this year, with the slightest drop on form catastrophic, and that the teams ability to hold ground when the tides against them as important as their ability to capitalise when they have the advantage. The MFC is not the only team suffering this challenge (look at North's first two games).

I also think whats different from some of our past is that 1/3 of the team are new to club, and while most welcome this for the talent boost it's given, the short term effect is we need probably 10 games as a new unit to iron out style differences and gel as a team.

Was at the ground

They looked all right during the warm up etc and while playing poorly fumbling. dropping marks, overrunning etc were able to lead as GWS were worse.

Seemed almost over confident and spent it before they had it .

Then when GWS improved they started to get desperate and wnet up for marks together resulkting in spillage which the GWS picked up and delivered to the free player.

Structures and teamwork disappeared and individuals wanted to wrest the game back and committed similar errors due to over desperation.

There was effort there was desire but it was all misplaced or misdirected

In summary, it sounds as if they panicked under pressure. Not sure how that can be addressed: certainly not at training where the pressure is never really there.

It is surely mental. A lack of belief probe;y reinforced by years of underperformance under pressure.

I am sure there must be a solution somewhere - the Cats were after all rumoured to be about to sack Thompson after the first few rounds of 2007(?) then they buried the handbags and won the flag.

I for one am VERY VERY interested in the McCartney effect.

itll take a while I know.

In some ways hes just as...if... as much as Roos an inspired appointment.

I expect Goodwin to invigorate the team with a 'merciless attack' attitude.

but, surprisingly, still...it's all about potential

Im so sick of potential

Lets hope that the coaching panel as a combination can exorcise the Demons' demons.

more importantly, GWS were horrific in the first half until they decided to turn up

And we punished them for it, especially in the first quarter. If we'd been horrific as well, the scores would have been close at quarter and half time, but they weren't. We must have been playing at least okay - okay enough to be able to take something away from it.

The MFC has some mental demons to work through and new beliefs to rebuild in the group (and fans).

What mental demons? It isn't even the same group of guys that have been getting belted all these years

What mental demons? It isn't even the same group of guys that have been getting belted all these years

Same result doesn't mean the same mental demons...

Midfield fluency and effectiveness under pressure comes from building trust and understanding of your role and how that works in the bigger system being implemented. Until the team has that trust and understanding rock solid without doubt or hesitation (i.e. mental demons), we will be open to being pulled apart by better and/or more experienced midfields...

In summary, it sounds as if they panicked under pressure. Not sure how that can be addressed: certainly not at training where the pressure is never really there.

It is surely mental. A lack of belief probe;y reinforced by years of underperformance under pressure.

I am sure there must be a solution somewhere - the Cats were after all rumoured to be about to sack Thompson after the first few rounds of 2007(?) then they buried the handbags and won the flag.

Lets hope that the coaching panel as a combination can exorcise the Demons' demons.

Yeah I agree .

I have been asking TDI about intensity at training so not sure how that relates to the actuality of an opponent who does the unexpected.

Form is certainly fleeting but the confidence in your ability is the aspect I would expect Roos to concentrate on.

That and getting the umpires adviser or similar down to a training session and asking what we are doing wrong with our tackling where we seem to giva away kicks when applying a tackle but never receiving frees when pushed even ridden in to the ground with a player on our back. also the number of players we have who get injured in the head with no free kick awarded is odd.

We have no backs and no necks perhaps we need to adress that with the league.

Not complaining too much though as the number of times we fell or pushed each other over was amazing.