Post Match Discussion - Round 5

[3Dee 1,153]

Bias aside, even the commentators were saying we had a poor run of the umps.. no excuse for that fourth quarter effort though.

We are a perimeter 8 team playing against a genuine top three.

Signs of the old era on display today just shows how much we have progressed under Roos/Jackson.

GO DEES!

[Demon Dynasty 16,368]

Our midfield is terrible and Fremantle's is possibly the best in the competition. We aren't capable of going with sides who have midfields that much better than ours.

We were also thoroughly outcoached today. Doesn't mean Roos isn't doing wonders for the club, but two key structural issues were rampant all game and he did nothing to fix them - firstly, we continued to have our forwards too far up the ground, which meant any time we got the ball off them, we'd look up, try to take the game on and move fast, but see nothing but Fremantle players; secondly, the loose man in defence - as a low-skilled side we gain nothing from putting someone behind the ball. It allows the more talent opposition loose man the opportunity to clean up our untidy forward entries and they just go around/over/past our hapless loose man. Terrible coaching from Roos today.

Salem getting injured doesn't help at all, but surely we can find someone at Casey who is better than McKenzie? He's so devoid of confidence and ability in kicking the ball that he thought the best option at one point in the fourth was to handpass to Jamar, who was standing still and not calling for it. To be clear, no one player can cause a 68 point loss, but it's an indictment on our depth that McKenzie was considered the best option to replace Kent. He did absolutely nothing to show he has improved one iota, so what does that say about Riley, Bail, M Jones and Terlich?

Dunn is also in terrible form. He has been next to useless so far this year.

I thought Jamar battled well in the ruck, McDonald did his part again in defence, and Brayshaw is really going to be a great player. Garlett continues to do a fine job, especially with far less to work with today than last week.

He is way off his form of last few years it seems. Got to agree. It comes back to what many here have arleady said and stating the bleeding obvious but our best 22 is only reasonably competitive which might allow us to beat some teams in the bottom 4 to 6 clubs on a good day.

Unfortunately once we lose 3 to 4 of the best 22 we have no quality coming in to replace them. Plus are best 22 is still shy of AFL standard players in the bottom 6 to 7 which leaves us terribly exposed when there is no one coming in from casey to put pressure on them and eventually replace them, even with a fully fit list.

Edited May 3, 2015 by Rusty Nails

[dazzledavey36 49,823]

As of this monday i want Roosy to tell Vince to not do a tag on anyone and go out and play his attacking game again. To go back to playing his 2014 form.

Vince is not a tagger.. it was a one night stand with Dangerfield.

[titan_uranus 23,249]

I find it tiresome, boring, misplaced, dumb, pathetic etc etc that the same posters use any loss or mistake to criticize and blame the same players who in reality have very little to do with our situation.

I try not to come on here and repeat what has already been written. When I post I try to add something new. Roos message to the players for some time is that we are still a poor team who can't expect to compete with the elite. He's right but I criticize him for saying it publicly. His job is to instil confidence, not sap it out of players but telling them the opposition is better. Am I only able to question him I've praised him somewhere else. Give me a break.

If you don't like my posts don't read them. Roos has done a good job since he came to the club along with Jackson but he's done some questionable things. This is one of them. And I'll question him on a public forum if I feel like it.

In what way do the players have 'very little' to do with our situation?

Roos' message to players is...we don't really know. We aren't the players. We're the public, and we get what he gives the public. Instead of what he's currently saying, what would you prefer he say? To go down the Malthouse route and say 'I can't see where we're going to lose this year' and then be pilloried every time the team loses? His way of instilling confidence is to remind everyone that Rome wasn't built in a day and that it is going to take time (therefore, don't lose sight of the end goal when we lose). It's really not that bad, and if your comment about the players having 'very little' to do with the situation is your way of saying you think Roos' public statements are the real problem, then you need to reconsider your perception of the side.

You're welcome to your view; I was calling you out on the way in which you post it only after losses.

[chook fowler 18,596]

Salem is the only player we have that can kick the bloody ball.

Disposal efficiency is disgraceful

[jackaub 1,402]

As of this monday i want Roosy to tell Vince to not do a tag on anyone and go out and play his attacking game again. To go back to playing his 2014 form.

Vince is not a tagger.. it was a one night stand with Dangerfield.

so who agrees Roosey was out coached today?

i reckon he was smashed>

[Deespicable 2,574]

Hard to believe how good Freo's midfield is and it was a bit like after quarter time against GWS, we simply couldn't win a centre clearance as their big bodies - Mundy, Fyfe and Barlow just kept hurting us.

Not having a back-up ruckman hurt too - especially in the first term when we lost the game.

But basically Dom and Jonesy and Cross and Vince and Lumumba and Vanders couldn't win the clearances effectively and they have very professional backmen who are very good at pushing our blokes aside and utilising the extra numbers.

The biggest critcism has to be for Dom and Jonesy - even though we all love them - because they are meant to be our ballwinners and they couldn't get the job done.

We played 1 or 2 behind the ball to deny them options when they went forward and that meant their defenders had time and space to switch whenever they wanted.

It's going to be very tough to get up for Sydney now, but that's what Roosy has to try and get them to do.

[Older demon 2,328]

Through all the discussion no one has mentioned our lack of ruck strength. There was a bronx cheer when we actually got a clearance. It all starts in the middle and when Mumford took over in Camberra and Sandi dominated today our inexperienced mid field got thrashed. They run harder spread better and kick to position better. They played of for the flag 2 seasons ago, slipped last year and are back this year. They have a mature team not many out their in their 5th game like Vandenberg, Hogan and Brayshaw. I would like the margin to have been less and wish we had converted one of this early last quarter shots.

Number 1 priority is to draft/find a quality ruckman and another key position player. Tamar lowered his colours today.

[ILLDieADemon 804]

Fro have made a lot of good teams look dreadful this season.

Every team they have played this season have been losing by 50 points by the first quarter then they Fought back in the last because Fro had switched off.

We made Fro play hard for 3 quarters instead of one like everyone else has.

Fro at a serious contender this season wear we are 12th at best.

I think the boys can hang there heads high after that performance considering were we have come from.

[jane02 3,576]

Just got back from the game. I thought we were OK in the first half but the final quarter was terrible. Freemantle were just bigger, more confident with their disposal and played smarter football. I also agree with the above posters - the umpiring was shocking. I think Freemantle will be hard to beat this year.

Edited May 3, 2015 by jane02

[Deespicable 2,574]

so who agrees Roosey was out coached today?

i reckon he was smashed>

That's just crap.

We were smashed in the middle from the first bounce and our two best clearance players were in there.

The only criticsm I have is that I would have gone with a second ruckman - Spencer - in the hope that he could tire out Sandi a bit more - but other than that what was Roos meant to do.

He tried Howe as a forward in the last term, what massive change were you looking for.

He had a terrible mismatch in the third term when Fyfe was on Michie, but it was only that term and he was trying something after Vince and Lumumba hadn't worked and Salem was off by then.

In terms of styles, he could have gone more man-to-man defensively, but that would have exposed the fact that we were missing the pace and run of Viney, Frost and Jetta.

[Demon Dynasty 16,368]

As of this monday i want Roosy to tell Vince to not do a tag on anyone and go out and play his attacking game again. To go back to playing his 2014 form.

Vince is not a tagger.. it was a one night stand with Dangerfield.

Yeh i recall Vince racking up a record (for us) 40 stats last year in one game. This is the sort of output you need from young blokes if they're to take the next step. There's no point playing Plus 1 down back all day and tagging with quality players like this.

And why have McKenzie in the team (other than to tagg) if you aren't going to use him early?? Once the jack is out of the box the game's pretty much shot.

There's a key stat on Hill that shows if he gets 25+ stats in a match Freo wins like 90%+ of the time (dont hold me to those exact numbers). Shut Hill out early and maybe contain Fyfe if at all possible and you might stay in the game longer.

Useless having a hack like McKenzie in the team if not using early in this particular match as all he does is kill your rotation numbers/options through the middle and gives Freo the advantage on the rotation through the middle where the game is won/lost (on top of the quality they already have there!).

Edited May 3, 2015 by Rusty Nails

[WhyAlwaysMe 237]

We got smashed in the midfield, simple

Pedersen, Garlett, McDonald and Grimes (who blanketed Ballantyne) and Brayshaw all gave a yelp all game, the 4th quarter can be added to the 2 against GWS

yep midfield didn't touch it, can't do much about it thou caus they are some of our best players, i suspect some of them are playing with injuries, not a fan of playing 2 rucks but it may be time to give it a go.

[bluey 924]

Recruited a coach who has planned his exit from day one, a bunch of battlers past over by their own clubs, Cross, Vince, Labumba, Garlett, Dawes, add our aging ruckmen Jamar to that brew, should have followed the true course like the Bulldogs and Saints youth policy, not much to look forward too, except our next loss.

[Emerald 1,743]

JKH needs a rearview mirror attached to his forehead.

[Coq au vin 754]

Mckenzie should be delisted NOW. I don't care what his contractual state is. He should never be picked again to play in the AFL. He can't kick a football. This is a game of football.

[Mickey 4,248]

Recruited a coach who has planned his exit from day one, a bunch of battlers past over by their own clubs, Cross, Vince, Labumba, Garlett, Dawes, add our aging ruckmen Jamar to that brew, should have followed the true course like the Bulldogs and Saints youth policy, not much to look forward too, except our next loss.

Troll-lolol-lol

[Coq au vin 754]

Recruited a coach who has planned his exit from day one, a bunch of battlers past over by their own clubs, Cross, Vince, Labumba, Garlett, Dawes, add our aging ruckmen Jamar to that brew, should have followed the true course like the Bulldogs and Saints youth policy, not much to look forward too, except our next loss.

thats garbage. The previous administration had that policy and got rid of all our senior players including junior macdonald. Did you think Bsiley, Prendergast and Neeld's youthful teams were great? The few dead wood oldies that they recruited were useless. Lamuumba, Garlett and Cross have brought in some good mature leadership and skill sets. Carlton supporters are spitting chips that they lost Garlett. Edited May 3, 2015 by Kali

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

But he is not a protected species.

I know its hard when someone that good is on the opposition side.

rubbish, he certainly is - once you are perceived to be on that level, ala Ablett and Selwood, you get a cushy ride from the umps every week

[jackaub 1,402]

That's just crap.

We were smashed in the middle from the first bounce and our two best clearance players were in there.

The only criticsm I have is that I would have gone with a second ruckman - Spencer - in the hope that he could tire out Sandi a bit more - but other than that what was Roos meant to do.

He tried Howe as a forward in the last term, what massive change were you looking for.

He had a terrible mismatch in the third term when Fyfe was on Michie, but it was only that term and he was trying something after Vince and Lumumba hadn't worked and Salem was off by then.

In terms of styles, he could have gone more man-to-man defensively, but that would have exposed the fact that we were missing the pace and run of Viney, Frost and Jetta.

We are a one paced side ----- Sloooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwww!That's what was exposed today

[bluey 924]

Troll-lolol-lol

So Vince, Cross, Labumba Jamar, Dawes and Roos are our future, laughable, Bulldogs and Saints seem ok without desperately seeking has beans who will all be gone in two years .

Edited May 3, 2015 by bluey

[dees189227 11,314]

I went to the game and my god I found it boring.

Wow certainly got a reality check today but a team like freo should smash a team like us.

There midfield was just awesome and there tackles stuck. They defended us really well.

We just couldnt get anything going.

[Chook 14,702]

Mckenzie should be delisted NOW. I don't care what his contractual state is. He should never be picked again to play in the AFL. He can't kick a football. This is a game of football.

It's like a high jumper who can't jump high. Or a cricketer who can't cricket.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

He is nothing special

I'll certainly give you that

[chook fowler 18,596]

Must admit I was expecting more from Lamumba - he's been just OK but disposal very ordinary especially handball.