Gee whiz, ive been drifting away from demonland a lot over the past few months, can't handle the total rubbish that is bandied about on here. Roosy gets ripped in to about negativity but you read through even the first two pages of this thread (which is all I could bear to read) and how can you possibly deny it.

I saw great effort in that first quarter today, unfortunate drop off in the first 10 of the second quarter and a excellent commitment to get back in to the game thereafter. But so many people on here want to find other reasons for the levels final half... "They went in to cruise control". Just ridiculous, can't even pay credit where it's due for your old team.

It's hard watching at times, but all I ever ask for going in to the game is effort, and I'll be happy. I didn't watch yesterday's game on x2, I enjoyed large parts of it.

I far king love watching this team. It gets me pumped. usually I turn off after the first qtr or so and in the last 4 weeks I have seen some magnificent efforts:

10 goals to 0

6 goals to 1

7 goals to 1

8 goals to 2

hows that for being positive?

the free was there as the rules are currently written

the fact he got hurt in it shouldn't change the way the ump is forced to call it

that's like paying somebody a mark that he dropped because he hurt himself landing on his back

I argue the free was not there. But uts typical of the way that the umps completely mis-adjudicate things time and time again.

The rule was brought in to stop Lindsay Thomas and Adam Goodes style sliding into contests on their knees and taking out opposition players legs and coming from the opposite direction. I think this is totally different to what happened yestrday.

Jones was receving the ball, fumbled and lurched fwd after it. That unco idiot Dawson was running behind Jones and cannoned into him collecting him in the head with his knee. He could have jumped over him, stopped or tackled him. He had plenty of time but is so awkward that he fell over Jones.

That is not what the rule is for and it is a disgrace that ball players are penalised for that.

Tom McDonald needs to play within his limitations and take the first option.

This is the major thing holding back most of our players, from Tom McDonald to Nathan Jones to Dom Tyson.

Add in another preseason, petracca and a fit trengove and another decent recruit

Matt Jones is a late challenger to Grimes for the Paul Hopgood Trophy

Hmmm. Consider your opinion in future to be subject to the irrelevancy discount. You clearly don't know what you're talking about and don't mind advertising the fact.

I watched the whole game and it was clear to me that Freo took the edge off their intensity, did enough once they had a 10 goal lead. You didn't need to watch the game to know that Freo (who have finals in a few weeks) were absolutely conserving energy. Check our last 4 results and it would have been closer to 100 points.

I cannot believe what I am reading. That is your summation of being 10 goals down to nothing down after 40 minutes of footy. Unbelievable.

But it was reality. There was lots of effort in the first quarter. Result was terrible, but the effort was there (unlike other weeks).

I thought we did really well considering:

- we were 2 players down including the captain (who while not dominating in recent weeks at least ties up one of their players to keep him quiet).

- packed home crowd in WA full of finals excitement

- playing raw guys like MacJunior, some known NQR's and missing quite a few good players against a top side desperate to ensure a home final

- our history and another bad start

Could have easily led to a 186+ but we kept the margin pretty consistent for the rest of the match which means we were competitive. I saw little evidence that Freo took their foot off the pedal, leaving aside Pavlich at the end. Their players were still hard at it and ran fast. The difference was we just got our act together.

My apologies for this fog of positivity.

To those saying our disposal was poor, which I agree there were some shockers (MJones), it wasn't that far off Freo's. 78% to 74%.

Edited August 31, 20159 yr by Barra17

To those saying our disposal was poor, which I agree there were some shockers (MJones), it wasn't that far off Freo's. 78% to 74%.

This statistic is one of AFLs biggest lies. That said it does show that when we started to hold the football we were able to keep it away from freo at periods of time, but it doesnt show the effectiveness moving into forward 50. Also the fact that most of Freos score came from result of turnovers is a good indication of when we did butcher the footy we were punished

I argue the free was not there. But uts typical of the way that the umps completely mis-adjudicate things time and time again.

The rule was brought in to stop Lindsay Thomas and Adam Goodes style sliding into contests on their knees and taking out opposition players legs and coming from the opposite direction. I think this is totally different to what happened yestrday.

Jones was receving the ball, fumbled and lurched fwd after it. That unco idiot Dawson was running behind Jones and cannoned into him collecting him in the head with his knee. He could have jumped over him, stopped or tackled him. He had plenty of time but is so awkward that he fell over Jones.

That is not what the rule is for and it is a disgrace that ball players are penalised for that.

I came to post this very same thing. Well said.

I came to post this very same thing. Well said.

I wonder how long it will be before players deliberately try to upend themselves over the guy who is trying to get the ball rather than trying to get to the ball first.

Edited August 31, 20159 yr by sue

Once again it was our talented yet inexperienced players showing the way,, Gawn, Viney, Salem were all great and will be great...

We must do what the Giants did and bring in some serious experienced support for the younger brigade.. they recruited the likes of Shane Mumford, Heath Shaw , Ryan Griffen and Joel Patfull.

We have grabbed Bernie and Cross which is good, but we need more. Lumumba has been terrible unfortunately and Dawes was a Neeld pick up who cant play footy.

Edited August 31, 20159 yr by hogans_heroes

Once again it was our talented yet inexperienced players showing the way,, Gawn, Viney, Salem were all great and will be great...

We must do what the Giants did and bring in some serious experienced support for the younger brigade.. they recruited the likes of Shane Mumford, Heath Shaw , Ryan Griffen and Joel Patfull.

We have grabbed Bernie and Cross which is good, but we need more. Lumumba has been terrible unfortunately and Dawes was a Neeld pick up who cant play footy.

A couple more, but we really need more top end draft talent as much as anything.

Add in another preseason, petracca and a fit trengove and another decent recruit

Mate dont want to be critical of these two or your comment.

But we need SPEED

The game is different now to Roos" style of play the successful teams play hard, run hard and fast and dispose well.

We are a very slow side and these two wont change that

The other notable is the time it takes for us to either take a fisrst good option in general play or take a kick after a mark

Time and time again Melbourne took a mark turned their back ran backwards looked up eventually and surprise surprise there were no options. So Bomb into 50 was done all day with Freo running away (Using their spare man ) and scoring

This just has to change It looks bad and is bad and is not how good teams play in 2015

Mate dont want to be critical of these two or your comment.

But we need SPEED

The game is different now to Roos" style of play the successful teams play hard, run hard and fast and dispose well.

We are a very slow side and these two wont change that

The other notable is the time it takes for us to either take a fisrst good option in general play or take a kick after a mark

Time and time again Melbourne took a mark turned their back ran backwards looked up eventually and surprise surprise there were no options. So Bomb into 50 was done all day with Freo running away (Using their spare man ) and scoring

This just has to change It looks bad and is bad and is not how good teams play in 2015

This.

After being trashed all week by the media and theuir own supporters

They come out and concede the first ten goals

And some here are happy with it

We truly are a pathetic club destined to die

When you’re playing interstate against the top team along with our recent first quarters it was critical to get off to a good start for all sorts of reasons. Going in at quarter time with a free kick count 12-3 against never gives you a chance. The fact it ended 16-17 in Melbourne favour is baffling. Considering one of those free kicks was against the runner, Freo got 12 frees in the first quarter when the game was up for grabs and 3 for the rest of the game.

I argue the free was not there. But uts typical of the way that the umps completely mis-adjudicate things time and time again.

The rule was brought in to stop Lindsay Thomas and Adam Goodes style sliding into contests on their knees and taking out opposition players legs and coming from the opposite direction. I think this is totally different to what happened yestrday.

Jones was receving the ball, fumbled and lurched fwd after it. That unco idiot Dawson was running behind Jones and cannoned into him collecting him in the head with his knee. He could have jumped over him, stopped or tackled him. He had plenty of time but is so awkward that he fell over Jones.

That is not what the rule is for and it is a disgrace that ball players are penalised for that.

It may well be, but it was a free against Jones...

After being trashed all week by the media and theuir own supporters

They come out and concede the first ten goals

And some here are happy with it

We truly are a pathetic club destined to die

Then walk away mate, why do it to yourself?

In answer to your earlier 'unbelievable' criticism, I wasn't trying to provide a summary. My comment was in response to another.

The first quarter effort was clearly there to anyone who watched objectively. Inside 50's were there as well but we couldn't convert, the last kick was a failure. It wasn't an avalanche of goals, it was a steady quarter by Freo built on sustained pressure. We just couldn't convert our own pressure.

The first 10 minutes of the second quarter was obviously not good enough, but to arrest the slide midway through the quarter and to kick 4 of our own was a good effort.

The result on the weekend was a fair representation of where we are at from a talent and development perspective. I know that, so I walk away from that game relatively positive and hope to see further improvement next year.

2 years ago is still very fresh in my mind, so I can see the improvement. It's a shame that so many others can't.

EDIT: I might add that the final line in your comment above is the pathetic one, and is not reflective of a true 'supporter'.

Edited August 31, 20159 yr by watchtheeyes

After being trashed all week by the media and theuir own supporters

They come out and concede the first ten goals

And some here are happy with it

We truly are a pathetic club destined to die

I haven't read all the posts, but I haven't seen anyone saying they were 'happy with conceding the first 10 goals'. But I have seen and written posts that point out that unlike previous weeks (which go to your first sentence) the effort was there, however unsuccessful it was. And later on the effort did lead to limited success against the odds and against a team with a lot more to play for and with than us.

If Freo supporters took your positive type of stance, they'd be cutting their wrists for their club allowing Melbourne to recover so easily and shredding their GF tickets.

It may well be, but it was a free against Jones...

You have contracdicted yourself. And clearly I disagree with the decision.

Then walk away mate, why do it to yourself?

In answer to your earlier 'unbelievable' criticism, I wasn't trying to provide a summary. My comment was in response to another.

The first quarter effort was clearly there to anyone who watched objectively. Inside 50's were there as well but we couldn't convert, the last kick was a failure. It wasn't an avalanche of goals, it was a steady quarter by Freo built on sustained pressure. We just couldn't convert our own pressure.

The first 10 minutes of the second quarter was obviously not good enough, but to arrest the slide midway through the quarter and to kick 4 of our own was a good effort.

The result on the weekend was a fair representation of where we are at from a talent and development perspective. I know that, so I walk away from that game relatively positive and hope to see further improvement next year.

2 years ago is still very fresh in my mind, so I can see the improvement. It's a shame that so many others can't.

EDIT: I might add that the final line in your comment above is the pathetic one, and is not reflective of a true 'supporter'.

Might be something a certain coach pointed out last week too, although very few on here can see that he was right.

Then walk away mate, why do it to yourself?

In answer to your earlier 'unbelievable' criticism, I wasn't trying to provide a summary. My comment was in response to another.

The first quarter effort was clearly there to anyone who watched objectively. Inside 50's were there as well but we couldn't convert, the last kick was a failure. It wasn't an avalanche of goals, it was a steady quarter by Freo built on sustained pressure. We just couldn't convert our own pressure.

The first 10 minutes of the second quarter was obviously not good enough, but to arrest the slide midway through the quarter and to kick 4 of our own was a good effort.

The result on the weekend was a fair representation of where we are at from a talent and development perspective. I know that, so I walk away from that game relatively positive and hope to see further improvement next year.

2 years ago is still very fresh in my mind, so I can see the improvement. It's a shame that so many others can't.

EDIT: I might add that the final line in your comment above is the pathetic one, and is not reflective of a true 'supporter'.

If you are imploring al supporters who are desperately unhappy with our clubs inability to compete in the first half of football four weeks running to give it away there wouldn't be many supporters left would there?

I watch other teams and almost cry its so frustrating. They compete hard each week, they blood new young talent, they look halfway competent. We are a flipping basket case and we have a mesiah of a coach who all but admits he doesn't know what to do about it.

Apologies if this has already been discussed but was anybody else appalled by the lack of information about Jones' and Spencer's injuries during the broadcast. What other club's Captain goes off injured in his 200th game and we don't hear constant updates /speculations about what is happening.

And then that idiot Dermott says Spencer hasn't had a kick or whatever for some time when in fact he hasn't been back on the field for a quarter or so.

Mate dont want to be critical of these two or your comment.

But we need SPEED

The game is different now to Roos" style of play the successful teams play hard, run hard and fast and dispose well.

We are a very slow side and these two wont change that

The other notable is the time it takes for us to either take a fisrst good option in general play or take a kick after a mark

Time and time again Melbourne took a mark turned their back ran backwards looked up eventually and surprise surprise there were no options. So Bomb into 50 was done all day with Freo running away (Using their spare man ) and scoring

This just has to change It looks bad and is bad and is not how good teams play in 2015

This has been a perennial problem for years. It seems to me that when guys get the ball they often have no one to kick to, particularly going into the forward line. Commentators often say it and it seemed prevalent yesterday. Unfortunately watching it on TV you don't get the perspective. I Often get annoyed that they take too long move the ball on. Watching other sides they just seem to know a team mate will be there and handball or kick to position. Obviously there is a significant amount of faith in their mates but it must also be the game plan. We just don't seem to have it and consequently have to take that extra second to look. The other problem is the bombing it long in the Hogan direction. I get it that the team has changed week in week out and he has not really had the number of games with the same players so that they know instinctively what and where he will lead, but still they just launch it hoping he will take a huge contested mark, because thats what he does. I reckon you could count on 1 hand the times we have had a lace out pass into the forwards.