2 minutes ago, Abe said:

 

I am far more concerned with how disorganised we were at stoppages, our lack of leadership cost us just as much as those injuries. We looked great in the first three quarters but fell off a cliff in the last in all areas 

We 'fell off the cliff sector four key injuries. Staggered that anyone could argue otherwise.Normally one man down has a massive affect.

2 minutes ago, frankie_d said:

They had Cotchin over the back at every stoppage with no Melbourne player starting goal side of him. How about that for a start? 

I get it that it injuries and rotations killed us,but coaching was poor at the end.

Thank god

Someone gets it

Should have gone for Pedo to help out Spencer. Watts is far too valuable to waste as a second string ruck. 

7 minutes ago, Wunders said:

I still don't know why. Last week I watched us handball backwards and turn it over. This week I watch us handball forwards backwards sideways in the wet and turn it over or create another ball up. We for 3 quarters got to the ball first and had an option to kick long. We have to STOP handballing over kicking. I can't stand watching us do it every week. PLEASE give our forwards a chance to kick goals, apply pressure. Simple footy is all I ask for. Get ball, kick ball and play one on one. 

The overuse of ring around the rosey handball (especially in the wet tonight) , often straight to the opposition, is killing us. As are our super slow mid fielders and ball hackers in Jones, Viney and Tyson. All are either a long way off their best or have never got near it so far this year, especially Tyson. Then you have other hackers around the ball like ANB and others who hardly see the ball when the heat is on like Salem. Just too many hackers who fluff around with indirect or turnover hand balls instead of recognising their limits and kicking long into the forward 50 quickly. We certainly have no idea of how to hit a target on a lead so I wouldn't bother with this in the short term as I don't think you can improve it much mid season.

I think you are right Wunders... Just go long, low and hard to a spread out forward line with Hogan, Watts and Jeffy and that's it IMO unless the opp is parking the bus...only then would I man them up! The Hawks did this for years much of the time under heat up the field although the usually had 2 very talented Talls....plus Cyril and Puop floating.

Last weeks loss hurt more, we were down to 2 on the bench at half time, no ruckman, petracca was on 1 leg and still played well(will be a star) we just ran out of legs, plenty to like but I feel injuries will make it hard now to make the 8, we need to win our next 2 games if we can't do that then I can't see us making it, bloody norm smith curse, can't fault the endeavor but still plenty of work too do, Richmond on the other hand are north Melbourne from last year they will get flogged next week 

2 minutes ago, frankie_d said:

They had Cotchin over the back at every stoppage with no Melbourne player starting goal side of him. How about that for a start? 

I get it that it injuries and rotations killed us,but coaching was poor at the end.

 

There was a goal in the last where it was clear that it was going to go straight out the back to Cotchin. It showed Jones with his back to the ruck contest. All he needed to do was turn around and tell someone to pick him up. It was shocking. 

 

3 minutes ago, The heart beats true said:

The structure around stoppages is directly linked to the lack of rotations mate. The boys just couldn't get into position because they were shot.

Thats why Viney sat on the bench for 8 mins ?

Injuries and tom mac playing 40m off jack r cost us.  Players were spent in last quarter.  Also, viney shadow of former self - and feel like we've got leaders with heart but no footy smarts.

 

2 minutes ago, Boots and all said:

Of the key forwards you don't want to go to ground against, Jack R would have to be the worst. Tom got smoked tonight, on all fronts.

It's not just tonight. The reality is he is a very poor one on one defender, a bad decision maker and his disposal is better not mentioned.  His strength is floating across as a third man up but some days he constantly fumbles those uncontested opportunities too.

Understand the nature of this sport is that there is very little depth to replace these kinds of players with, however we are looking at another player making a nice life for himself out of the MFC while seemingly not improving any of his deficiencies as his career progresses.

Why do we always have more that go up than stay down? I see it time and time again. Too many go up and don't win the ball, or at least kill the contest, then their numbers get the ball out the back. It's just stupid football.

Our player's are as dumb as batsh!t and our coaches are even worse for not realising this and corrected for it.

4 minutes ago, Abe said:

 

I am far more concerned with how disorganised we were at stoppages, our lack of leadership cost us just as much as those injuries. We looked great in the first three quarters but fell off a cliff in the last in all areas 

I understand what you are getting at 'Abe' but this is where the injuries kicked in.

Our mids had nothing left in the tank to set up properly. Worked hard to cover a losing ruck then 2 down on the bench.

It wasn't leadership this time. They were f.......

2 minutes ago, america de cali said:

Should have gone for Pedo to help out Spencer. Watts is far too valuable to waste as a second string ruck. 

This^^^^

Just now, brendan said:

Last weeks loss hurt more, we were down to 2 on the bench at half time, no ruckman, petracca was on 1 leg and still played well(will be a star) we just ran out of legs, plenty to like but I feel injuries will make it hard now to make the 8, we need to win our next 2 games if we can't do that then I can't see us making it, bloody norm smith curse, can't fault the endeavor but still plenty of work too do, Richmond on the other hand are north Melbourne from last year they will get flogged next week 

Every winnable loss hurts !!

Frost can help out Pederson & Watts in the ruck. Not ideal but something. Right now Will Minion wouldn't have been the worst idea.

He is a gun

Being at the game our leaders and experienced players just didn't show up in the final quarter. We were 20 points up. Good sides find a way to hold on. just disappointing. 

Would not have lost this game if Roos was coaching....

22 minutes ago, Goffer said:

If Goodwin so much as mentions the word 'journey' in his presser it's foot through the TV time. 

Don't stop Believin'

2 minutes ago, Return to Glory said:

Figjam

Dont need to ask me as i have the runs on the board

too many on here predict results based on emotional attachment to mfc. I make my tips based on form.

so far i am way out in front

25 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

We lost because of injuries. Plain and simple.

And dont tell me injuries are no excuse, cos they [censored] are.

Also Richmond are still a bunch of pretenders.

We lost it at the selection table. We needed experience and composure and instead we have JKH.

Just now, beelzebub said:

Thats why Viney sat on the bench for 8 mins ?

Nope, that was because Hardwick was smart and instructed his players to play the other side in the last so we couldn't even run the rotations we had and were even more shot.

Its easy to coach against a depleted side.

1 minute ago, Canplay said:

Injuries and tom mac playing 40m off jack r cost us.  Players were spent in last quarter.  Also, viney shadow of former self - and feel like we've got leaders with heart but no footy smarts.

 

Not so much that but Tommy Mac really needs to either keep his feet or get back on his feet when he goes to ground.

You would have sworn he was a lumbering ruckman the way he rolled around on the ground whilst Jack was up and away.

11 minutes ago, watchtheeyes said:

Fair go! I seriously wonder if some of you people have brains.. 

The wrist slashing on this site is absurd.

It is actually unbelievable. I've sat through a decade of the most dire foootball I have ever seen, and I've been massively critical of the club through that time.

If supporters can't get behind the team after the hand we've been served this year, crucial injuries at horrible times, and we have still dominated large periods of games against much older experienced sides, then they can [censored] off.

Edited April 24, 20178 yr by Forest Demon

9 minutes ago, Mr Steve said:

Only real negative tonight is that we should have been ten goals up at three quarter time. 

 

I would agree with that. Should've been well over by that stage. We are potentially a very good football side, and perhaps the makings of a great football side. But, at the moment we are an ineffective football side. Any ambitions we have will only ever be realized if we use the ball effectively. Until then we are doing a lot of hard work and not getting rewarded for it. I thought it was a smart move to start Oliver, Salem and Petracca all in at the opening bounce. Sadly Petracca injured his knee early and didn't run on the ball much after that. I think we are getting there, slowly, but we are getting there. Very proud of the lads tonight regardless of our flaws, and result.

Edited April 24, 20178 yr by KingDingAling

1 minute ago, martin said:

Frost can help out Pederson & Watts in the ruck. Not ideal but something. Right now Will Minion wouldn't have been the worst idea.

Minions are generally too short to ruck, just sayin.