Tried, just very tired. That is about all that needs to be said. Oh, and injured, very injured. 

Just now, bing181 said:

Wonder if the story of this year for us isn't going to be injuries to key players for key periods. There's only so much you can do.

Amazing really. There was always a hiding..hiding there. And then further injuries occurred...fmd

We have it cut out for us ...  for sure

Apart from the crappy scheduling and injuries, what stood out for me was our poor kicking ability/efficiency skiils in general. I think we knew we were an average kicking team, but we had covered it well until now. Tonight without Jones, Watts, Salem and Garlett (all i would rank in our top 5 best kicks) we looked decidedly average in skills.

 

1 minute ago, McQueen said:

"Go on, give it to Buddy - give him 5!!"

almost dry retched when he said that.

Stick to athletics you muppet.

That was good, wasn't it. It's hard to work out how he can hold the binoculars when his hands are otherwise engaged.

Good learning game. Not the end of the world. Viney, Bugg out, Tyson potentially. Lots of tight players so expect to see maybe some other injuries.

We're reaching the depths of our list now. Trengove, Kennedy, JKH may all potentially be playing next week. 

We're 8-6 and may stay around 5th-6th. 

3 things did us in tonight - a lack of forward pressure, not enough intensity and injuries.  I feel as though we could have been more competitive if we had of changed the first two, but we just didn't have it in us.  Viney going down at half time snuffed out any hope really and we did well to stay in the game as long as we did.  Shows how far this group has come.

Now the real challenge begins.  I'm proud of the boys tonight but if we're to play finals football then the next few weeks are critical.  Even with the injuries we can't drop a game to Carlton, so hopefully we can regain Watts, Hogan and Garlett to give us some extra firepower.

24 minutes ago, DemonOX said:

Truck, hunt, TMac and omac r the positives tonight. 

And the fact we didn't give up but otherwise disappointing. 

Hunt, really? Sorry but seven possessions doesn't cut it for me.

I came in tonight expecting a loss due to our injuries and short break. As expected we were flat all game. And now to hear the news that Viney is out now makes me think that it will be a tough road towards making finals. We simply just dont have the depth for these players.

Unfortunately the injuries just had to happened in a year where we have finally looked like doing something positive (finals)

Really starting to think we are cursed.. Jones, Watts, Garlett Hogan, Viney, Salem, Brayshaw VDB.. Like seriously get [censored]..

And unfortunately i think that will be Mitch Whites last game in a Melbourne jumper. Him and Wagner were simply horrible.

 

Edited June 30, 20178 yr by dazzledavey36

I've ben a major critic of his for as long as ....  well he warranted criticism.. but Oscar...that was a bloody good effort.

You and Sam... You did ok

Simply too many out and two many games close together plus the trip to Perth.  White and Wenger not like for like replacements yet on skill and poise.  In saying that Sydney were good and on a roll.

 

 

The Viney injury has really upset me. 

 

2 minutes ago, The Sailing Demon said:

 The hardest part of our season is done and we came out of it 4-1.

This is the state of things. Review the game, move on, and set ourselves up for our next game. But it was a very boring evening. 

8 minutes ago, Canplay said:

cameron ling worst on -  kills me.

U can add Bruce and bt to that. 

They are all [censored] useless. 

Ling really is sinking the boots in. He's now saying 6+ but you just know he wants more.

An odd game.

The Swans managed to put great pressure on us, and when we finally got a bit of space we would absolutely butcher the ball and put the recipient back under extreme pressure. Fumbles galore, which usually isn't us at all.

Someone said the White had a great left boot on him. Must have been the same great left boot that Strauss was suppose to have  which for some reason I never noticed either.

Umpiring terrible for both sides, we got a number of [censored] frees and they got away with heaps too.

Lewis went missing; really starting to worry about him. 

Oliver not his usual self.

Buggy suspended but would have been dropped anyway. 6 disposals. 33% DE. Shocking game.

Commentators were the pits. I always thought that people were being harsh on Bruce, but he needs to retire. A lot of his calls dont actually make sense.

The Good

Frost and OMac did very well in defense under great distress.

Petracca was very clean and strong when others were not. He will be a great player.

Plugger Mac has a great set shot.

 

2 minutes ago, The Sailing Demon said:

Garlett
Jones
Salem
Hogan
Watts
Viney for half the game
4 games in 18 days
Travelling across the country.

Was always going to happen. If anything, I am surprised we did so well in keeping them to just 6 goals.
Watts, Garlett, Hogan back in 9 days after a good rest. The hardest part of our season is done and we came out of it 4-1.

Not fussed at all about tonight, we all knew it would happen, Bugg, yeah disappointing, the leadership group will speak to him about that but take the good with the bad with a player like him, he is an antagoniser and will overstep the mark like that at times.

We are still 6th and will still be in the 8, the worst loss of the year ant it's only 35 points against last years premiership runners up and our Casey squad.

Go Demons, we are still one of the top 4-5 teams in the comp but you can only do so much.

I think Brayshaw, Smith and VDB on top of those outs, as they would be the ones to replace them normally, so we have had to go pretty far down the pecking order.

Just need to find a way to get some wins in the next month now.

Tmacs calf heavily strapped in the last and was labouring . 

Also, it can be argued (as it has by others) that our bottom six players didn't step up at all under the pressure of the game.  Harmes, ANB, Stretch, Bugg, White... these guys needed to give us something and they had no influence on the game.  It really hurt us, as we needed a few of them to bob up with a few goals and some pressure around the footy.

Wagner fumbled a bit tonight but he still found the footy.  I thought Melksham did okay in patches.  These guys will continue to get games though with the injuries we have so if we want to play finals we need them to step up - quickly.

September is gunna be hard to do .....   injured !!

3 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

3 things did us in tonight - a lack of forward pressure, not enough intensity and injuries.  I feel as though we could have been more competitive if we had of changed the first two, but we just didn't have it in us.  Viney going down at half time snuffed out any hope really and we did well to stay in the game as long as we did.  Shows how far this group has come.

Now the real challenge begins.  I'm proud of the boys tonight but if we're to play finals football then the next few weeks are critical.  Even with the injuries we can't drop a game to Carlton, so hopefully we can regain Watts, Hogan and Garlett to give us some extra firepower.

Out for a month, did his hammy at training.

[censored] the loss, the Viney injury has just completely ruined my night. 

What a disaster 

Jack Watts was speaking pre game and saying thim him , Jeff Garlett, and Jesse Hogan all big chance to play next week.

12 minutes ago, BAMF said:

You can have White and Wagner in a team.

But you can't have all of White, Wagner, Bugg, Harmes, ANB, Stretch, Melkshem.

Pick 2 or 3 but then you are going to really struggle.

Yep - the group I have lazily come to refer as the foot soldiers. Exactly those players in fact.

I thought White in particular looked way in over his head. I hate to single out a rookie listed player in game 3(?) but he just couldn't compete on any level. It's a very tough way to find out that you're not at the standard. I don't begrudge him or blame him, just think it's the harsh reality.

Ling was annoying 

1 minute ago, Watts the matter said:

Out for a month, did his hammy at training.

Where was this reported?