We are light years away from top 4.

4 minutes ago, praha said:

And just like that, we're out of the 8.

How depressing.

We aren't out till the fat lady sings. We could win the last 3 and sneak in. Personally don't think we can but must say we are a young side and have won 10 games and could win 13 and be sitting on 52 points and not make the eight. 

If we don't, we must build for next year. 

Trade well, draft players ready to rock and clean up the bottom end of the list. 

Annoyed yet proud as I can see we are getting better. 2018 has a ring to it.

Playing for finals and we put up two heartless performances in a  row.

This club will never change.

We have too many one paced players through our midfield. We also have too many players who don't maximise their disposals.

We played poor yet cost ourselves the game with 20 minutes of effortless, leaderless football in the first. 

In my opinion the drop in form of Petracca and Hunt two of our most dynamic players has coincided with our drop off recently. 

 

2 minutes ago, dee_maso said:

Is it just me or do we continually tackle the guy who's just disposed of the ball?

as they say better late than never!

 

8 minutes ago, praha said:

I feel that the team has hit a wall. Perhaps we've overachieved. Anything less than finals would be a failure but that's a given now, so it doesn't matter either way. Maybe it's a mental hurdle...but many a perennial loser in the side. 

I actually do wonder what would have happened if we kicked with the wind in the first quarter this week and first quarter last week...but then i am an eternal optimist.....have to be with this club..

Hindsight's a beautiful thing but I never thought we'd go close to winning today. Like it or not (and I don't), we just played the Premiership favourite or near to, prior to finals and got a touch up. Probably expected. They made the prelim last year and know about the pointy end of the season. For that reason alone I don't see the season as lost. We will bounce back and blokes like Jones, who had a stinker, will be much better for the run.

Miles away from a  Premiership, but we can still make an almighty charge.

Allowing 8 in answered goals in a quarter of footy is just unforgivable, good side don't do or accept it. The way they congested the game in the second ( something we could not do ) was infuriating. Try something different free up some numbers spread.out a little back yourself to hit a taget !! Our over use of handball is becoming farsical let alone our forward 50 entries. We are the most predictable team going around ... 

Everything to play for but we are and will be finals pretenders.

There is one thing from this game that stands out to me the most, and that is the total disconnect we have at the moment across our half forward line.  

Our least influential players on the ground today were our tall forwards and Garlett.  That says either our forwards are not working hard enough, or our disposal and decision making forward of centre needs to change.  I think it's a case of both.  

We like to 'bomb it in' so to speak, except the problem we have is that all three of our tall forwards actually prefer being hit up on the lead.  So we fluff around with it and then kick it long and high.  We don't mark it, ball hits the deck and GWS run off with it without too much pressure.  It was predictable today, but you also feel a little for the forwards as they didn't exactly get silver service.  A forward relies plenty on the delivery of the ball, and ours at the moment is not good.  For us to challenge for finals we need to change it, and change it fast.

I also think we went in a little too top heavy - did we need Pedersen, or could we have plonked Petracca in the square as we had Jones, Vince and Maynard coming in to the side?  Do we need to get players like Salem and Hunt further up the ground so we can use their foot skills and pace more often?  Are we going in with too many contested ball winners?

Lots of questions need answering, but they CAN be answered.  That's what gives me hope.  We are still right in the finals race and we have 3 weeks to make it happen.  I remember us playing for a finals spot in 1994 in the final round, and this year seems very similar to me.  That year we weren't playing great footy coming in, and this year we are doing the same.  Time is on our side at the minute though, and I can do nothing but back the players, coaches and the club in from here.

Today we got blown away by a quicker and more skilled midfield early, we had no answer for a 15 minute onslaught.

Last week hurts a lot more and for those that said last week wasn't horrible, think again. 

Jeffy had a big day out with 3 touches and no score.

4 minutes ago, big_red_fire_engine said:

We have too many one paced players through our midfield. We also have too many players who don't maximise their disposals.

We played poor yet cost ourselves the game with 20 minutes of effortless, leaderless football in the first. 

In my opinion the drop in form of Petracca and Hunt two of our most dynamic players has coincided with our drop off recently. 

 

I agree with this today, red.  We made the mistake of bringing in three contested ball winners and it hurt us on the outside.  It was no coincidence that someone like Kelly cut us up today, although he's done it to most sides this year.

I think our selection is a little lopsided at present.  I think we need one less tall up forward so we can play Petracca as that third tall, and we need to find a way to bring some run back into our midfield.  Possibly Hunt to a wing?  Or do we bring Stretch to play that wing role as he's good on the spread?  Big decisions to be made this week.

6 minutes ago, big_red_fire_engine said:

We have too many one paced players through our midfield. We also have too many players who don't maximise their disposals.

We played poor yet cost ourselves the game with 20 minutes of effortless, leaderless football in the first. 

In my opinion the drop in form of Petracca and Hunt two of our most dynamic players has coincided with our drop off recently. 

 

We also have the worst disposal in the league to go with that lack of pace. When you add no tackling and weak effort you have today. 

7 minutes ago, Dirts said:

We aren't out till the fat lady sings. We could win the last 3 and sneak in. Personally don't think we can but must say we are a young side and have won 10 games and could win 13 and be sitting on 52 points and not make the eight. 

If we don't, we must build for next year. 

Trade well, draft players ready to rock and clean up the bottom end of the list. 

Annoyed yet proud as I can see we are getting better. 2018 has a ring to it.

Agree. Its not so much about going deep into September as it is to just make the finals play at least 1 and get that experience. Its about next year now. If we dont make the 8, then thats not good for next year......

Just now, Wiseblood said:

I agree with this today, red.  We made the mistake of bringing in three contested ball winners and it hurt us on the outside.  It was no coincidence that someone like Kelly cut us up today, although he's done it to most sides this year.

I think our selection is a little lopsided at present.  I think we need one less tall up forward so we can play Petracca as that third tall, and we need to find a way to bring some run back into our midfield.  Possibly Hunt to a wing?  Or do we bring Stretch to play that wing role as he's good on the spread?  Big decisions to be made this week.

Time to be brave and throw them around. I would bring Hunt into the middle as well as Salem. Tyson and Watts to Casey. Hannan and a mid from Casey into the team. Petracca to play as the third tall. 

The playing group just look cooked to me. I can't see us turning it around from here.

 

4 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

There is one thing from this game that stands out to me the most, and that is the total disconnect we have at the moment across our half forward line.  

Our least influential players on the ground today were our tall forwards and Garlett.  That says either our forwards are not working hard enough, or our disposal and decision making forward of centre needs to change.  I think it's a case of both.  

We like to 'bomb it in' so to speak, except the problem we have is that all three of our tall forwards actually prefer being hit up on the lead.  So we fluff around with it and then kick it long and high.  We don't mark it, ball hits the deck and GWS run off with it without too much pressure.  It was predictable today, but you also feel a little for the forwards as they didn't exactly get silver service.  A forward relies plenty on the delivery of the ball, and ours at the moment is not good.  For us to challenge for finals we need to change it, and change it fast.

I also think we went in a little too top heavy - did we need Pedersen, or could we have plonked Petracca in the square as we had Jones, Vince and Maynard coming in to the side?  Do we need to get players like Salem and Hunt further up the ground so we can use their foot skills and pace more often?  Are we going in with too many contested ball winners?

Lots of questions need answering, but they CAN be answered.  That's what gives me hope.  We are still right in the finals race and we have 3 weeks to make it happen.  I remember us playing for a finals spot in 1994 in the final round, and this year seems very similar to me.  That year we weren't playing great footy coming in, and this year we are doing the same.  Time is on our side at the minute though, and I can do nothing but back the players, coaches and the club in from here.

Wiseblood, absolutely spot on re the functioning of the forward line. I really do think it stems from too much time spent trying to get that perfect kick away from the centre clearance and by the time it's been ferreted out, the forwards are having to double back. Or, as we saw today, it gets chopped off in the centre and the other side gets a quick transition in.

I guess what I'm saying is that I need to be the coach of the Melbourne Football Club, effective immediately.

We have won the inside 50's last two weeks. Scoring efficiency once in 26% today and 39% last week versus opposition 55% and 59%. Forward smarts have disappeared and defence leaks worse than the White House.

Edited August 5, 20178 yr by america de cali

Completely out coached 2nd half of the season. Game plan stinks of late and they have been worked out. Haha

Commentators saying the good teams have worked the Giants out pre-match. We obviously hav'nt. 35 points flattering. 12 scoring shots to 27. More like a 12 goal loss...

Games against North and the Giants are potentially scarring to this group. We are dreadful with the wind. A propose we play games at Etihad.

At 1/2 time the camera cut to our rooms.  Jones, Lewis and Viney sat looking despondently and blankly into space.  No talk between them or with other players. 

In that moment I knew we had no chance.

I expect our leaders to show some energy, get around the players, especially the young ones, give them some encouragement.  Show they care. Nope. Nothing. 

Lead and they will follow.  Don't lead and we become like Brown's cows.

We supporters deserve better than that from our so called leaders. 

problem is we run extra men around the ball and then find ourselves out numbered every time we go forward. How many times do we see our players bomb it down into a forward line where our sole forward has two or more opponents who just hold him out of the contest. Opposition teams are creating their attacks from turn overs in our forward line.

As I said to the imported GWS intellectuals who talked amongst themselves in front of us for most of the match: "looking forward to hearing you sing the song correctly loud and clear!"

6 minutes ago, Dee tention said:

Completely out coached 2nd half of the season. Game plan stinks of late and they have been worked out. Haha

Commentators saying the good teams have worked the Giants out pre-match. We obviously hav'nt. 35 points flattering. 12 scoring shots to 27. More like a 12 goal loss...

Games against North and the Giants are potentially scarring to this group. We are dreadful with the wind. A propose we play games at Etihad.

Maybe I've lost my sense of humour as I get older, but I wouldn't say our play of late has been funny.  Or am I in the minority here?

6 minutes ago, america de cali said:

We have won the inside 50's last two weeks. Scoring efficiency once in 26% today and 39% last week versus opposition 55% and 59%. Forward smarts have disappeared and defence leaks worse than the White House.

We can look at this one of two ways, adc.  One is that we are still winning plenty of the footy and giving ourselves chances to score.  We aren't the side from 4-5 years ago that would have 8 inside 50s for a half.  We know how to play and we know how to get the ball forward.

On the flip side, our use of the ball going forward, our leading patterns and pressure when the ball hits the deck have all been very poor and it has cost us games of footy. 

We can fix it, but we need to do it now.

Edited August 5, 20178 yr by Wiseblood

1 minute ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

At 1/2 time the camera cut to our rooms.  Jones, Lewis and Viney sat looking despondently and blankly into space.  No talk between them or with other players. 

In that moment I knew we had no chance.

I expect our leaders to show some energy, get around the players, especially the young ones, give them some encouragement.  Show they care. Nope. Nothing. 

Lead and they will follow.  Don't lead and we become like Brown's cows.

We supporters deserve better than that from our so called leaders. 

Agree we have been down before at half time and come back and won games, the team today did not have that belief and played like it

 

1 minute ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

At 1/2 time the camera cut to our rooms.  Jones, Lewis and Viney sat looking despondently and blankly into space.  No talk between them or with other players. 

In that moment I knew we had no chance.

I expect our leaders to show some energy, get around the players, especially the young ones, give them some encouragement.  Show they care. Nope. Nothing. 

Lead and they will follow.  Don't lead and we become like Brown's cows.

We supporters deserve better than that from our so called leaders. 

To be fair, they show 5 seconds of a 20 minute break. While I think leadership in games like this is a valid question to ask, I'd be careful about drawing conclusions from such anecdotal evidence.