14 minutes ago, drdrake said:

They just realised our Mids were smashing them and they just sat players behind the Footy and tried to catch us on the rebound. We defended our forward half the best we every have, was that because the Eagles allowed us to do that because we continued to turn the ball over going inside 50m and they knew if they stick with us at some stage they will get through.  I just think at some stage we had to look at stopping the Eagles intercept marks, the way around this to me was send on of our tall defenders forward in the last. 

The other option was have someone who can kick a 55 meter goal just bomb it over the top. If the ball wasn't wet and Bernie leg wasn't hurt then this may well have happened. 

I have the day off and just watched the game again, so many wasted opportunities and half chances, our positioning, tackling and pressure acts had the Eagles under immense pressure. If the boys could have lowered their eyes in some instances and just taken the kick on goal in others we could have won the game and broken another Hoodoo. But alas we weren't able to take advantage of all the hard work our boy's bought to the game. However, If we can Keep This Team Together, they are going to be Something Special. GO DEE'S!!!

1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

No one is "happy" we lost, that's just rubbish.

I think there are quite a few here that love sitting down on gameday with their computer, pad or phone in front of the game, ready to post some negative comment the instant someone makes a mistake.

It might be a little "happy we are losing", or the somewhat opaque view through the "veil of negativity", or it could be just plain "MFCSS".

But it's particularly galling when you can't watch the match and are trying to get a handle on it through Demonland. When I first read the Gameday discussion on Saturday I thought we were 10 goals down, only to discover we were actually a goal or two up.

1 hour ago, jackaub said:

From what I saw we were completely predictable  going into 50 we  kicked poorly played behind and didnt make space or lead,we made their defence look goodthe fact that we did it all day using the same strategy which wasnt working shows what poor game day coaching we have

Not once did we try something different mix it up be creative It was painfull to watch

So this has to at least be somewhat attributable to coaching. We aren't nearly near creative' on game days for mine.

The only way to break open a stymie is to change it up. We hardly ever do. Im thinking/hoping 17 will see a change.

5 hours ago, beelzebub said:

Sue, I certainly understand where a many come from in this respect. I dont for one moment suggest we arent better in many respects however we arent in one major one. The ability to win.

In a game where only one team is victor it becomes  akin to the notion you cant be a little bit pregnant or a little bit dead. You are or you're not. You win or you dont.

At the end of the day only one team takes 4 points and thats all that really counts. Now I use the word counts advisedly as it depicts numeracy. Thats what the ladder is about, numbers..Theres no column for the "in between stuff" 

It would have been a very different discussion had we won because it would have been because we DID find a way to win.. We didnt

 

 

I think we are really in furious agreement.  I don't for one minute suggest winning is not the goal. 

If we haven't worked out how to win the close ones, perhaps it is because we have had so little practice of being close in recent years.  If we are still losing close ones frequently in 2017 and beyond I'll be worried.

39 minutes ago, mauriesy said:

I think there are quite a few here that love sitting down on gameday with their computer, pad or phone in front of the game, ready to post some negative comment the instant someone makes a mistake.

It might be a little "happy we are losing", or the somewhat opaque view through the "veil of negativity", or it could be just plain "MFCSS".

It's simply an outlet for venting frustration, I find it therapeutic in a way. Saves me from muttering a stream of profanities under my breath out of earshot of the wife and kids, while I watch the games.

Ok, watching the last Q again, the incident where the deliberate was paid against Tyson.

The ball shouldn't have got there in the first place.

Big Max had a high free kick paid against him to Priddis, then Max manned the mark. Priddis kicked down the line to Lycett who took a good grab.

Poor football IQ from Max and teammates around him. The ruckman should never man the mark in general play.

Say Viney or Vince take the mark, Max marks or at least spoils Lycett or it forces Priddis to take a more dangerous kick in board.

All the what if's, but this will be brought up in the review. Poor team footy, lack of footy IQ....someone else should have pushed Max back.

6 hours ago, old dee said:

Jones will be gone in a couple of years and Vince has one year left at best.

I just don't know how you get through the day, OD, you're so unremittingly negative. Black, black, black.

Vince is 3 years younger than, for example, Sam Mitchell. As for Jones, he's only 28.

2 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

No one is "happy" we lost, that's just rubbish.

Seems that it's just too complicated for a number on here, given that it entails experiencing more than one emotion at the same time.

11 minutes ago, bing181 said:

I just don't know how you get through the day, OD, you're so unremittingly negative. Black, black, black.

Vince is 3 years younger than, for example, Sam Mitchell. As for Jones, he's only 28.

As someone who has despaired of OD's despair, I have to say OD has been unusually positive several times this year.

44 minutes ago, sue said:

If we are still losing close ones frequently in 2017 and beyond I'll be worried.

2018.

I'd be surprised if one year is enough to get the experience we need.

21 minutes ago, rjay said:

Ok, watching the last Q again, the incident where the deliberate was paid against Tyson.

The ball shouldn't have got there in the first place.

Big Max had a high free kick paid against him to Priddis, then Max manned the mark. Priddis kicked down the line to Lycett who took a good grab.

Poor football IQ from Max and teammates around him. The ruckman should never man the mark in general play.

Say Viney or Vince take the mark, Max marks or at least spoils Lycett or it forces Priddis to take a more dangerous kick in board.

All the what if's, but this will be brought up in the review. Poor team footy, lack of footy IQ....someone else should have pushed Max back.

The deliberate OOB decisions against us in the last quarter are questioned in the 'Whistle Blowers' segment on afl.com.au. No surprise that the powers that be are happy with the decisions.

Typical that the issue wasn't that they were paid but more the fact that WC had a few that weren't. Pity somebody didn't show them those ones and ask why they WEREN'T paid in contrast to ours that were.

Courtesy of Titus O'Reily

excerpt from The Monday Kneejerk.

pretty well sums it up !!

 

West Coast (66) v Melbourne (60)

"Melbourne had to work incredibly hard to manufacture this loss. They won every statistical category ever invented, even non-footballing ones and still managed to find a way to not win.

The Demons would be kicking themselves that they lost this and based on their performance, they’d miss.

Countless times the Demons streamed forward, only to invent new ways to turn the ball over. It was a performance eerily similar to The Simpsons scene where Sideshow Bob repeatedly steps on rakes. It would be too much to ask for Melbourne to learn from their mistakes during a game.

While the Demons were inept, the Eagles hardly won any admirers with this performance. Make no mistake, the Demons lost this, the Eagles certainly didn’t win it.

If this is the best they can do at home, expect the Eagles finals stint to be shorter than Mal Meninga’s political career."

I always get a laugh out of Titus.

Rather than start a new thread I am posting the AFL opinion today. 

"Head umpires coach Hayden Kennedy was satisfied free kicks paid against midfielder Dom Tyson and ruckman Max Gawn were warranted, and he said the duo didn't do enough to keep the ball in play."

What a load of rubbish. Every week this muppet comes out and rationalises why his umpires never make a mistake. Not for the first time this year the umpires influenced the final outcome yet Hayden is there every Monday defending his umpires. maybe if he actually corrected and instructed them and acknowledged errors they may improve. Last week it was the Ferrito free and this week 2 against us as deliberate

""Certainly there were instances over the weekend where there was some poor (skill) execution by players and they weren't paid as deliberate out of bounds," he said.

What particularly angers me is that he reckons Tyson and Gawn didn't do enough to keep the ball in play. What rubbish Tyson was in a contested situation and if there were other instances why weren't they paid? Turn must be poorly skilled as the ball always went out of bounds when he was nearby.

Kennedy you should resign if that is what you are teaching umpires.

1 hour ago, old dee said:

I always get a laugh out of Titus.

You must have worn your sense of humour out with overuse on here if you do OD

4 hours ago, DeeZone said:

I have the day off and just watched the game again, so many wasted opportunities and half chances, our positioning, tackling and pressure acts had the Eagles under immense pressure. If the boys could have lowered their eyes in some instances and just taken the kick on goal in others we could have won the game and broken another Hoodoo. But alas we weren't able to take advantage of all the hard work our boy's bought to the game. However, If we can Keep This Team Together, they are going to be Something Special. GO DEE'S!!!

You had the day off, and watched the game again? Now there's a wasted opportunity! Or waisted if The Trump is reading....

1 hour ago, Older demon said:

Rather than start a new thread I am posting the AFL opinion today. 

"Head umpires coach Hayden Kennedy was satisfied free kicks paid against midfielder Dom Tyson and ruckman Max Gawn were warranted, and he said the duo didn't do enough to keep the ball in play."

What a load of rubbish. Every week this muppet comes out and rationalises why his umpires never make a mistake. Not for the first time this year the umpires influenced the final outcome yet Hayden is there every Monday defending his umpires. maybe if he actually corrected and instructed them and acknowledged errors they may improve. Last week it was the Ferrito free and this week 2 against us as deliberate

""Certainly there were instances over the weekend where there was some poor (skill) execution by players and they weren't paid as deliberate out of bounds," he said.

What particularly angers me is that he reckons Tyson and Gawn didn't do enough to keep the ball in play. What rubbish Tyson was in a contested situation and if there were other instances why weren't they paid? Turn must be poorly skilled as the ball always went out of bounds when he was nearby.

Kennedy you should resign if that is what you are teaching umpires.

I noticed listening that he never really said it was the right call, he just said there was justification enough for him to back the umps decision. 

On another umpiring point, I note 2 eagles got fines for rough conduct in the last quarter, you wouldthink that engaging in rough conduct would get a free wouldn't you? One of the not frees cost us a goal as well as it blocked any chance of Gawn contesting a mark they took that they goaled from 

24 minutes ago, Chris said:

I noticed listening that he never really said it was the right call, he just said there was justification enough for him to back the umps decision. 

On another umpiring point, I note 2 eagles got fines for rough conduct in the last quarter, you wouldthink that engaging in rough conduct would get a free wouldn't you? One of the not frees cost us a goal as well as it blocked any chance of Gawn contesting a mark they took that they goaled from 

They missed the cheap hit on Gawn when he couldnt even see it coming.

Max channeled his anger and got the next clearance but he was extremely angry and disciplined at the same time.

What a champ.

9 minutes ago, Biffen said:

They missed the cheap hit on Gawn when he couldnt even see it coming.

Max channeled his anger and got the next clearance but he was extremely angry and disciplined at the same time.

What a champ.

Glad you mentioned that Biff! You are correct Gawn didn't see it coming and did go  on to handle it very well.

However, from a team point of view ( West Coast's that is) it was a terrific play in a tense situation. It sent a message.

It's just that type of mongrel and "attitude" that Melbourne need to show more of.

2 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Glad you mentioned that Biff! You are correct Gawn didn't see it coming and did go  on to handle it very well.

However, from a team point of view ( West Coast's that is) it was a terrific play in a tense situation. It sent a message.

It's just that type of mongrel and "attitude" that Melbourne need to show more of.

Very true. Winners use every advantage.

The ends often justify the means.

I want us to get that guy in the first minute of the next game.Stretchered.

All is fair in love and war as they say but I reckon Bill Cosby took it to a disturbing level.

21 hours ago, beelzebub said:

Whilst many bask in the luminosity of our great positives I'm bemused how few seem concerned about the inabity to craft a win. This is not about them 'trying' to win, which they obviously were, it's about any capability to make the magic work when required. 

In contrast the team that should have lost by all accounts didn't. They found a way to win. We need to find this ability. 

Found a way to win, yes, guided and then aided and abetted, by three maggots in yellow.

Even Dennis Cometti tweeted the umpiring totally favoured the WCE in the last quarter.

5 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Found a way to win, yes, guided and then aided and abetted, by three maggots in yellow.

Even Dennis Cometti tweeted the umpiring totally favoured the WCE in the last quarter.

I see your point

and raise it by 2 

4 hours ago, sue said:

As someone who has despaired of OD's despair, I have to say OD has been unusually positive several times this year.

Dare I whisper " how would he be if we were on the bottom" ah.... the award winning TV series by name encapsulates it perfectly!!

Flippant reply from umpires advisor Hadyn Kennedy re decisions against Dom Tyson and Max Gawn truly amaze me. Afraid I didn't see either decision that way.

Further to wave away WA crowd influence  on decisions mind blowing.

The deliberate rule in slippery conditions should applied with caution surely.

Imo they weren't and outcome in game was significant.