29 minutes ago, jumbo returns said:

You'll have a great time - the boys will fire up

I seriously think we'll give this game a shake

Really need sarcasm font !

Weeds plays well with Hogan in the team, even if he isn't quite ready (OMac anyone) he'ld at least demand a tall defender which means Watts / Ped have a better chance for a high ball into the forward line.

Im a little past anyone spending time in the firsts simply to learn. Hone a craft find. Learn it in the magoos. The better teams do that.

Weed may be a good fwd...around the 2019 season.

cheer up beelzebub

 

25 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Im a little past anyone spending time in the firsts simply to learn. Hone a craft find. Learn it in the magoos. The better teams do that.

Weed may be a good fwd...around the 2019 season.

Allowing for injuries, we haven't got 28 first choice, 'starting 22' AFL players ... so we have to play 2nd raters, kids,  inexperienced or unproven players and the like. 

How many first choice, starting 22 players have we got?  I'd say about 13 - 15 and of those 13 - 15, only about 6 - 8 can be relied upon to play well most weeks (right now)

So players like Hunt,  Brayshaw,  Oliver,  Oscar,  Weideman,  Hannan,  JKH,  Frost,  Harmes,  Wagner and the like have to learn on the job ... and they either sink or swim. 

Edited May 8, 20178 yr by Macca

Jake Melksham has copped a 1 week suspension in the VFL.

4 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Jake Melksham has copped a 1 week suspension in the VFL.

Crows by 20 goals.

Looking at the VFL stats i see Dean Kent had 16 disposal 1 goal and 8 tackles. 

Mitch King had 12 disposals 29 hitouts and 5 tackles. Seems to be building with each game. In saying that Pruess had 71 hitouts!

10 minutes ago, 3Dee said:

cheer up beelzebub

 

See post 105 above

That's cheery

3 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

See post 105 above

That's cheery

And also realistic, bub.

Most clubs are in the same boat ... except the best clubs might have 12 - 15 players who play well most weeks.  Even the gun teams over the years had 5 or 6 players who were expendable. 

In 2012 & 2013 we had 1 player who was able to play well most weeks ... and that largely explains why we were so poor.  X amount of 'good' players generally converts to X amount of wins (give or take a couple)

And that's also providing that a club has a good culture and a decent coach & coaching staff.  And good admin.

The bottom line is that we all have to deal with playing players who either aren't up to it or are inexperienced.  It's just a fact that the pool of good players in the AFL is not that large.  There might only be 120 in total. 

If we get to a point where we have more than our fair share of the real talent pool, we'll play finals.  You've got to have a ruckman though, all the same.  And that's not an excuse, it's a reason.

 

First game this year where I feel we really are no chance whatsoever of winning.

Without a ruckman, coming up against such a strong team, at their home ground, after they had a shocking loss... it's gonna get ugly!

I would definitely drop JHK and Bugg and bring in Kent and Stretch. We need class, and a few fresh legs won't hurt either, especially as we have a day less preparation. 

29 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Crows by 20 goals.

Was gonna be 21 before he got suspended. 

Would like to see Ben Kennedy get a shot this week.  Hes been playing well for Casey and if JKH can get a chance in the seniors off the back of one Casey game, surely BK deserves a go.

Perhaps trial him as a defensive small forward. Direct swap for JKH, same role.. he cant do any worse thats for sure.

20 hours ago, picket fence said:

Bulltish if he said that, I lost count of how many clean midfield clearances by Hawks resulted in scoring opportunities whilst we scrapped for every clearance!

2 things 
1. We won the clearances.
2. What change could we possibly make that will help with that? You may not have noticed but we have no ruckmen to pick!! 

After being grumpy and withdrawn for 24 hours I feel I can at last begin to look at our next match. Adelaide in Adelaide could be a total whitewash if we are not careful.

In his post match press conference, Goodwin made repeated mention of players not having a defensive mindset in the first half and being really disappointed in that. Also, we were annihilated in the air, so maybe the coaching staff will address these 2 things. In light of that, maybe

OUT   JKH, Bugg, OMac/Wagner. OMac would be unlucky even though he continues to give me "Ben Holland" syndrome every time he looks like kicking it. 

IN     Harmes (clumsy as a baby emu but he is good in the air). Stretch (good at two way running) and unfortunately maybe Weid who is not ready but can at least compete in the air if not actually hold them yet. 

Feels like clutching at straws or shuffling the deck chairs, but trying to figure out a way forward without much anticipation of change. 

46 minutes ago, ArtificialWisdom said:

2 things 
1. We won the clearances.
2. What change could we possibly make that will help with that? You may not have noticed but we have no ruckmen to pick!! 

A better definition of 'winning' a clearance would my first port of call.

Bernie Vince should be assigned to tag Sloane, and not give him an inch all game.

The Kangas shut him down, and that was the end of Adelaide.  

 

8 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

A better definition of 'winning' a clearance would my first port of call.

The clearance numbers we are given are often a nonsense.  Neutral outcomes from a tap-out are awarded to one team or the other so as to match up to the total hit-outs.  Clean clearances should be the measure. 

And often more than half the hit-outs result in neutral outcomes.  The actual hit-out numbers are also often a nonsense - many of the so-called tap-outs are totally ineffectual. 

We're now getting the taps-to-advantage stat and about time too. 

Gawn was giving the team numerous taps to advantage and often, those taps to advantage resulted in clean clearances.  That's his value (apart from his around the ground marking and link-up play)

9 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Bernie Vince should be assigned to tag Sloane, and not give him an inch all game.

The Kangas shut him down, and that was the end of Adelaide.  

 

We don't tag players mate.. its not in our DNA.

3 minutes ago, Macca said:

The clearance numbers we are given are often a nonsense.  Neutral outcomes from a tap-out are awarded to one team or the other so as to match up to the total hit-outs.  Clean clearances should be the measure. 

And often more than half the hit-outs result in neutral outcomes.  The actual hit-out numbers are also often a nonsense - many of the so-called tap-outs are totally ineffectual. 

We're now getting the taps-to-advantage stat and about time too. 

Gawn was giving the team numerous taps to advantage and often, those taps to advantage resulted in clean clearances.  That's his value (apart from his around the ground marking and link-up play)

Without trying to be flippant I honestly believe the vast majority of stats are a nonsense. Disposals etc. You rightly call the true litmus ... "To advantage" 

Some will disagree.

1 minute ago, dazzledavey36 said:

We don't tag players mate.. its not in our DNA.

Yeah true, its ludicrous really.

Also its nice to see Charlie Cameron get cleared for striking so he can face us this week.  The Kangas medical report helped him out - I guess they arent corrupt like the Carlton doctors.

On a related note, six goal hero Jarrad Waite copped a 1 week suspension and he will come back to face us the game after next.

It is quite incredible how every single thing goes against the MFC, whether it be injuries to us, injuries to other clubs playing us or suspensions/non suspensions that time up perfectly to screw us over.

This club is cursed.

Just now, beelzebub said:

Without trying to be flippant I honestly believe the vast majority of stats are a nonsense. Disposals etc. You rightly call the true litmus ... "To advantage" 

Some will disagree.

Most I speak to share your thoughts ... in soccer they talk about dynamic disposals but I reckon that might apply more to Aussie rules.  Top players rarely waste a kick or a handpass - of course, the best players possess great vision so it stands to reason that they won't waste a disposal.

Our forwards are still often caught out playing from behind - how do you measure that?  In the first half the Hawk defenders were leading our forwards to the ball ... unacceptable.  Roughhead plays in front constantly and therefore receives his fair share of free kicks.  That's footy.

4 hours ago, beelzebub said:

Really need sarcasm font !

Genuine feeling about this one - and, if it rains, we'll definitely win

To be brutally honest,it doesn't matter who comes in and who goes out.We don't have the "cattle" simple as that. The loss of Gawn and to a lesser extent Joel Smith was a huge blow. Spencer should have been delisted ages ago,yes he may play a good game as a replacement but like most replacements are not up to scratch. I would have pick a forward/ruckman in preference to Brayshaw and then follow up picking more mids. Oliver and Hunt are the two standouts.Tyson and Salem need to produce the goods. Personally I wouldn't have Nat Jones and Vince in the same side. Both have been around for a long time yet neither are stand outs. Weid,Bugg,Kennedy,ANB,JKH,O'MAC,Trengove,Hannan,Hulett,Wagner,VanderB etc are only up to VFL standard. King and White havn't progress in the VFL,thou King has been injured.Pedersen is too short be  a quality ruck man,the club should have planned ages ago for a decent back up to Gawn. Out of the new recruits we picked up in the last draft what are we going to get out of them,they don't seem to be setting the world on fire. Perhaps it is wishful thinking on my part. The question I would like to ask Hogan,does he still want to play for the club.

11 minutes ago, ENYAW said:

To be brutally honest,it doesn't matter who comes in and who goes out.We don't have the "cattle" simple as that. The loss of Gawn and to a lesser extent Joel Smith was a huge blow. Spencer should have been delisted ages ago,yes he may play a good game as a replacement but like most replacements are not up to scratch. I would have pick a forward/ruckman in preference to Brayshaw and then follow up picking more mids. Oliver and Hunt are the two standouts.Tyson and Salem need to produce the goods. Personally I wouldn't have Nat Jones and Vince in the same side. Both have been around for a long time yet neither are stand outs. Weid,Bugg,Kennedy,ANB,JKH,O'MAC,Trengove,Hannan,Hulett,Wagner,VanderB etc are only up to VFL standard. King and White havn't progress in the VFL,thou King has been injured.Pedersen is too short be  a quality ruck man,the club should have planned ages ago for a decent back up to Gawn. Out of the new recruits we picked up in the last draft what are we going to get out of them,they don't seem to be setting the world on fire. Perhaps it is wishful thinking on my part. The question I would like to ask Hogan,does he still want to play for the club.

[censored] me ENYAW - you're a bitter bastard!