1 hour ago, binman said:

He made one crucial  in the error, the one that lead to a pies goal. The other one was standard clearing kick from the backline. And in my opinion he was outstanding in the second half against the pies.Critical to our victory in fact.

But those comments aside apologies for the criticism. it was supposed to be in jest and riffing on the #OMacmyth idea but i could see how it could come across as a dig. 

I enjoy the show by the way and i will take up the invitation to call in at some point (i have thought about it but only listened live a couple of times).

No worries mate. I have never been overly critical of OMac. He has made errors as any kid thrust into the position before they were ready (IMHO) would be but I understand why the powers that be decided to persist with Oscar over some more experienced heads in Dunn and Garland (last year). That faith has started to pay off and this week was the culmination of that. He will only get better and better as will his decision making.

As I said I am not an expert. I suffer from MFCSS so it is often hard for me to see silver linings. Omac was wrapped in Gold yesterday.

Please do call in. That goes to everyone else. We want to hear from other Demonlanders. We all have different opinions but we're all Demons.

Could not agree more PF his best game by far and he was relishing it, well done Oscar!!!

That was from last week, he went up another couple of notches on Sunday, Oscar has arrived, we are indeed fortunate to have three VGood talls in the back line, Omac, TMac & Frost three very competitive players.

On 6/12/2017 at 10:25 PM, picket fence said:

Gee I have been very vocal won't make it etc etc, but never let it be said that I don't acknowledge a good performance, even a very good one! I thought today was Oscars best game for the club!! No ifs or but's he still bothers me and the jury from my piont of view is well and truly out but I must say..... Oscar, Very good game indeed!

PF

 

He has had a great start to 2018.  Just turned 22 as well so still finding his feet...  I could never understand the negativity toward him on here, its almost as if people just ignored the fact he as a very young inexperienced KPD.

Big fan.

Thought he was best on for us at least in the first half, kept Roughy very quiet. Would have to be the most improved player this season by the length of the straight.

5 minutes ago, leucopogon said:

Thought he was best on for us at least in the first half, kept Roughy very quiet. Would have to be the most improved player this season by the length of the straight.

Agreed. I thought he was best on ground for us in the first half. He repeatedly beat Roughead in one on ones in quite convincing fashion. Very impressive. He’s improved his body work and spoiling immensely this year IMO. One of the few shining lights for us thus far this season.

Never understood why he was and continues to be judged so harshly; you'd think we'd be overjoyed to have a 6'5" KPD holding down full back from his third season.  I really like like him and invested in his stock early.

He has the potential to become a much loved player for the MFC if he continues to develop and improve his intensity.

19 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Never understood why he was and continues to be judged so harshly; you'd think we'd be overjoyed to have a 6'5" KPD holding down full back from his third season.  I really like like him and invested in his stock early.

He has the potential to become a much loved player for the MFC if he continues to develop and improve his intensity.

That's not how it works on here.  He could increase those things tenfold, win 3 Bluey's, a Brownlow and Norm Smith, but as soon as he has 1 miss-kick, there'll be a community coming down from the trees to berate him.

Frost is making him look like a [censored] superstar

5 hours ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Never understood why he was and continues to be judged so harshly; you'd think we'd be overjoyed to have a 6'5" KPD holding down full back from his third season.  I really like like him and invested in his stock early.

He has the potential to become a much loved player for the MFC if he continues to develop and improve his intensity.

You should see some of the comments on the facebool groups. nauseating. every week you have nuffies calling for him to be dropped.

Yeah, in a roundabout way it's a good place for us to be in as a club. The sooks on d'land and elsewhere always need their whipping boy. Nowadays they have to pick players who are actually playing well to get their weekly abuse in. Going along well is Oscar.

Some other whipping boy highlights - Jeffy who's roundly believed to be knocking on the door of AA. Lewis who was second in B&F. Bugg who kicked 4  a week and a half ago. Wagner who has been among our best defenders through the first 3 weeks.

Edited April 19, 20186 yr by Dappa Dan

4 hours ago, Dappa Dan said:

Yeah, in a roundabout way it's a good place for us to be in as a club. The sooks on d'land and elsewhere always need their whipping boy. Nowadays they have to pick players who are actually playing well to get their weekly abuse in. Going along well is Oscar.

Some other whipping boy highlights - Jeffy who's roundly believed to be knocking on the door of AA. Lewis who was second in B&F. Bugg who kicked 4  a week and a half ago. Wagner who has been among our best defenders through the first 3 weeks.

I just find it funny when posters are confused by criticism around a player.

If a bunch of supporters and footballing followers share a common view for a player, there’s got to be some sort of truth to it.

A whipping boy doesn’t magically appear without reason.

Edited April 19, 20186 yr by stevethemanjordan

Yep. 

I have been one if those who felt Oscar should gave been developed in the VFL comp under the radar.

He wasn't.

Over the last 2 years l have been frustrated by Oscar's regular errors and poor positioning on the field that bled goals. 

On Sunday, he was our best defender and took some important and strong marks for us. 

It was his best game for Melbourne without a doubt. 

Well done young man. Keep up the effort and you will make a fool of me and many others but you will also make Melbourne a stronger side. 

On 20/04/2018 at 6:09 AM, stevethemanjordan said:

I just find it funny when posters are confused by criticism around a player.

If a bunch of supporters and footballing followers share a common view for a player, there’s got to be some sort of truth to it.

A whipping boy doesn’t magically appear without reason.

I'm not referring to or reacting to criticism. It's the nonsensical abuse I'm talking about. And yes, whipping boys do appear without reason. Not all the time, but often without legitimate cause. Oscar has been pasted on here, and elsewhere, even though he's a KP player who's still developing. Jake Lever has gotten off lightly compared to the abuse Oscar's copped. What's the age difference? About 2 weeks. 

A "common view" is as regularly wrong as it is right. In all fields. People are thick. A PERSON is smart. I find it funny that whipping boys always seem to be under 22ish... and certain other players get off scot free.

31 minutes ago, Dappa Dan said:

I'm not referring to or reacting to criticism. It's the nonsensical abuse I'm talking about. And yes, whipping boys do appear without reason. Not all the time, but often without legitimate cause. Oscar has been pasted on here, and elsewhere, even though he's a KP player who's still developing. Jake Lever has gotten off lightly compared to the abuse Oscar's copped. What's the age difference? About 2 weeks. 

A "common view" is as regularly wrong as it is right. In all fields. People are thick. A PERSON is smart. I find it funny that whipping boys always seem to be under 22ish... and certain other players get off scot free.

You misunderstand what STMJ said. He said there is a reason some players draw ire from supporters. It doesn't come from thin air.

Are you seriously trying to compare Lever with Oscar because they are the same age? I have heard everything.

And BTW , Watts was well over 22, so was Jamie Bennell when he was a whipping boy as you call it. 

On 4/19/2018 at 10:09 PM, stevethemanjordan said:

If a bunch of supporters and footballing followers share a common view for a player, there’s got to be some sort of truth to it.

Oh no there doesn't.

There are a whole series of cognitive biases around group/sheep/herd behaviours. And this goes back a long long way. We're social animals, and the pressure to conform to the group (from both self and others) trumps rationality every time (almost).

As some of us said last year, key defenders take a long time to mature and Oscar has certainly come on quicker than I expected. His calmness has really stood out this year while the rest of our backline has been [censored] their pants and running in circles.

A real improver this year, in what I feel has been a disappointing start to the year for many players who seem to have stalled or regressed. 

On 20/04/2018 at 6:52 AM, Hot as Hell said:

Yep. 

I have been one if those who felt Oscar should gave been developed in the VFL comp under the radar.

He wasn't.

Over the last 2 years l have been frustrated by Oscar's regular errors and poor positioning on the field that bled goals. 

On Sunday, he was our best defender and took some important and strong marks for us. 

It was his best game for Melbourne without a doubt. 

Well done young man. Keep up the effort and you will make a fool of me and many others but you will also make Melbourne a stronger side. 

This severely understates his contribution and improvement imo. He stood out in a very poor team on Sunday. He's been a consistent performer since mid 2016 and many supporters refuse to or just can't see it. His performance on Sunday was as solid and consistent as we've seen from him over the past 20 or so months.

Every defender has a "shocker". Rance has one once a month. Oscar has been as consistent and as influential a player as we could hope for from a developing key defender. 

Edited April 21, 20186 yr by praha

3 hours ago, praha said:

This severely understates his contribution and improvement imo. He stood out in a very poor team on Sunday. He's been a consistent performer since mid 2016 and many supporters refuse to or just can't see it. His performance on Sunday was as solid and consistent as we've seen from him over the past 20 or so months.

Every defender has a "shocker". Rance has one once a month. Oscar has been as consistent and as influential a player as we could hope for from a developing key defender. 

Please. 

Oscar has been a roo in the spotlight because he was played way too young, deserving his pick 52 or 53 draft position. 

Despite embarrassing performances week after week he was persevered with. Thank God that stage appears over. 

I said last week was his best game for Melbourne amongst a side that played very poorly. 

I am unable to determine whether last week's game was a reflection of a hapless backline that elevated his performance, or a genuine break out game.

I attended every Melbourne based game last year and regularly tracked his on field movement away from the ball. Believe me, l did not see much brilliance or ball reading skill. 

I want every player we have on our list to succeed, to make us strong.

The jury is well and truly still out on Oscar in my view. One good game in a 67 point loss does not make a player special. 

I understand he has many fan boys on this site, so my view is the minority view.

Nevertheless l have seen way too much VFL/AFL football in 6 decades to be swayed by the views of one eyed fans or coach's favorites that have kept us as cellar dwellers for most of the last 54 years. 

 

He is out of contract at seasons end and probably is a key signature going forward.

He has some haters, but I think most can agree he is best 22 and he is an important signature going forward.

 

He is our best defender in 2018.

26 minutes ago, Adzman said:

He is out of contract at seasons end and probably is a key signature going forward.

He has some haters, but I think most can agree he is best 22 and he is an important signature going forward.

 

And at some stage during that meeting Oscar’s manager will say "so Lever’s on $800,000”.....

I can see Oscar carving out a solid career in the same vein as Tom Lonergan. Dour solid defender who'll get the job done every week, but probably not the recognition he deserves externally. 

Enjoying Oscar's development this year.

Thumbs up to Simon Goodwin for having the confidence in him each week when most wanted him dropped and developed in the VFL.

 

17 hours ago, bing181 said:

Oh no there doesn't.

There are a whole series of cognitive biases around group/sheep/herd behaviours. And this goes back a long long way. We're social animals, and the pressure to conform to the group (from both self and others) trumps rationality every time (almost).

Given we're all Melbourne supporters, explain to me the incentive we get in pointing out obvious weaknesses in an individual's game aside from wanting to see the best from our club?

The only reason that a player becomes a 'whipping boy' is because of an obvious flaw/flaws in an individual's game that a majority can see. That includes supporters, expert opinion, media etc. You can argue that a player may be unfairly criticised, but you can't argue that the issue isn't there.

 

And for the record, I agree he showed great improvement in certain areas in the first half of the Hawthorn game.

He was genuinely making a positive impact in contests and turning them into wins rather than floating about in an insignificant way.

His kicking is usually very good. His defending needs improving along with his general intensity, body positioning, reflexes and awareness.

Hopefully he can go on with it on Tuesday night.