24 minutes ago, jackaub said:

That is Crap Dieter

Agree. No excuse.

Our game plan needs urgent review.

This play-on at all costs style is fine under the roof at Etihad but in all other conditions it's really struggling.

Because we are playing-on all the time the ball carrier is often under pressure, leading to excessive handballing and turnovers.

We need more composure by foot and. It just relying on getting huge numbers around the ball and spreading.

It's great when it works but if we can't win the ball around the stoppages then it quickly falls apart.

It's also a very taxing way of playing so any players who are underdone really struggle.

Edited August 5, 20178 yr by Clint Bizkit

Funny thing is apart from the 10 minute mark of the 1st quarter to quarter time we seemed to have more of the play & more ball inside 50.... We just need to learn when sides get a run on to shut the game down like Gws did in the 2nd quarter.. Goodwins built a style of footy which will hold up in finals, just not the #hitty wind swept tassie & canberra!

1 hour ago, Deeoldfart said:

Just got home from Manuka.  Bitterly cold, bitterly disappointed!

We were 'flat' today .......... young team / back end of a very tough season perhaps?

Lack of intensity around the contest, lack of spread, lack of pressure on the oppo ball carrier.  We played like the Melbourne of a couple of years ago.  Far too much circular 'self preservation' handball leading to inevitable turnovers, indiscriminate kicking into the forward 50 (often because of no viable options presenting), a multitude of elimentary skill errors and opportunities missed, slow and indecisive ball movement.

Contenders or pretenders?  Based on today's effort, definitely the latter.

If we can somehow regain our confidence, flair and dare we might still make it, but not in the impactful way I was thinking mid season.  Yep, I'm 'flat' as well!

Agree with all of that, just wanted to add that we are still one of the youngest teams going round and were always going to tire in the 2nd half of the year just as we did last season. The disappointing thing is we should have been a few wins better off which would have allowed for this drop off and to still play finals.

Also I'm concerned for Viney it has become clear that he wasn't ready for the captaincy, although he has had some great games this year they have been out numbered by the poor games, he should have been concentrating on getting his game to an elite level before worrying about captaining the team. Sometimes a player needs to be held back for there own good.

2 hours ago, Redlagged said:

Main problem is fairly obvious. We lack players of the highest class. Our on-ballers are good, but not really good. Have we a single player in the most talented 30 - or 40 - in the competition? No. I have hopes for Petracca - but he lacks mongrel and isn't fit enough. We need to make some hard  decisions about players, and forget the obsession with in-and-under scrubbers. We have too many already.

Jones is good at ending up under a pack, and bombing it long to the opposition and turning it over. Occasionally kicks a goal, if we're lucky.

I would expect Nat Jones to come out with his fav sentence DOn'T GIVE UP ON US.        I am going to vomit now,anyone for recyclyed carrots?

2 hours ago, Redlagged said:

Main problem - we lack class. Have no great players.We have a lot of good ones, some very good, but no A grade talent. (I wait on Pettrarca, with diminishing hope.) Our two genuine competition-class players are defenders: Hibberd and Jetta. So we are doomed to mid-table, at best.

I have been saying this for years and people tell me I'm wrong, tell me who ever steps up to stop the rot, when we leak goals and can't stop it, being going on for years,  losses don't hurt enough  are wins are celebrated too much and reputation means nothing to Melb. Watch Hawks against Swans last week they have leaders who won't be denied. I fear for the next three weeks. How many games have we lost over the last 30yrs by playing uncompetitive quarters, halves or games. More performance based contracts might work.  So many Just happy to be mediocre, Just so disappointing again!!!! We are the Gold Coast of Melb without  the Beach!

Edited August 5, 20178 yr by shorty

I'm baffled how we lost to Nth last week ..  I'm watching their game tonite & shake my head as to how we could lose to them!

5 minutes ago, Garbo said:

Agree with all of that, just wanted to add that we are still one of the youngest teams going round and were always going to tire in the 2nd half of the year just as we did last season. The disappointing thing is we should have been a few wins better off which would have allowed for this drop off and to still play finals.

Also I'm concerned for Viney it has become clear that he wasn't ready for the captaincy, although he has had some great games this year they have been out numbered by the poor games, he should have been concentrating on getting his game to an elite level before worrying about captaining the team. Sometimes a player needs to be held back for there own good.

Every year since 1964 we've been the young demons. BS.

2 minutes ago, Hogan2014 said:

I'm baffled how we lost to Nth last week ..  I'm watching their game tonite & shake my head as to how we could lose to them!

And what will happen when we play the filth?

In a way it's true. For the last 10 years at least, basically a feeder club one we have talent it moves on and we replace with more youth!

1 minute ago, Diamond said:

And what will happen when we play the filth?

Who knows... our leaders need to stand up & don't let an opportunity go by ...  need to question the mental toughness of our group 

I can't see another win this season, seriously, I'm not even confident we can best the bears at home. The group is spent.

2 minutes ago, leucopogon said:

I can't see another win this season, seriously, I'm not even confident we can best the bears at home. The group is spent.

Agree

Scott said last week that Norf had a strategy kicking in to the wind and I guess that's because they play down in Tassie where it's always windy, we didn't learn a thing from last week and didn't have a strategy kicking in to the wind or kicking with it. 

GWS crowded our forward line in the second and third quarters, but we allowed their forwards to have an easy go at it, one out, or in some cases two out. We played like an under 12 side in the first quarter with everyone on the ball and as soon as they got the ball over the top they ran away from us, they were gaining in confidence with every easy goal they got. How did we allow it to happen, why didn't we drop a few in to their forward line and stop the easy uncontested goals.

We got smashed in the clearances, outclassed around the ground, and we were comprehensively out coached, this week and last week.

If the were a ladder for last 6 weeks, we are on the bottom. Our form is terrible. Maybe the young boys are getting a bit tired. Geez, I'm sounding like Paul Roos justifying inspired performances. Ok, I've had a few. I'll try again tomorrow.

I said to a mate yesterday at some stage GWS are going to hit the switch Coniglio is a key to frre up Kelly and Shiel hope he takes another week. Well it happened today. 

Dumb football today - Jones Frost Hunt Nibbler Harmes Hibberd

Lack of effort - Watts & Garlett

When we were flying mid season it was on the back of all 22 putting in.

Captains need to shut the doors all week and come out and play. Sudden death elimination starts next week and I want 22 who leave nothing out there

Such a different group from the exciting group of 1987-88 who had guts, flare and enjoyed taking it up to the top teams. This group seems to have the hangover of the tanking and general bad attitude of the last 10 years entrenched in their minds.

The season is over? Absurd responses. GWS are undefeated at Manuka in the last two years and sit second on the ladder. A poor performance, yes. But we're back at the MCG with 3 chances against teams below us and we're away from shitty suburban backwater local footy stadiums. We should all come out to the G and fire up the team with some noise, so they have a massive start against St Kilda. Big Crowd, Big atmosphere, big energy to be gained from a good start that can propell us into the finals. A little confidence wouldn't go astray. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky with a few injuries or poor form from a team that finishes 5th or 6th, if we can sneak in.

Edited August 5, 20178 yr by DominatrixTyson

3 minutes ago, DominatrixTyson said:

The season is over? Absurd responses. GWS are undefeated at Manuka in the last two years and sit second on the ladder. A poor performance, yes. But we're back at the MCG with 3 chances against teams below us and we're away from shitty suburban backwater local footy stadiums. We should all come out to the G and fire up the team with some noise, so they have a massive start against St Kilda. Big Crowd, Big atmosphere, big energy to be gained from a good start that can propell us into the finals.

Glass half full type, I guess.

2 minutes ago, DominatrixTyson said:

The season is over? Absurd responses. GWS are undefeated at Manuka in the last two years and sit second on the ladder. A poor performance, yes. But we're back at the MCG with 3 chances against teams below us and we're away from shitty suburban backwater local footy stadiums.

Maybe we should have been training at the shitty Junction Oval the last two weeks to acclimatise.

 

12 minutes ago, Diamond said:

Every year since 1964 we've been the young demons. BS.

Can't speak for the past teams but it is a fact we go out almost every week as the younger more inexperienced team even with players like Lewis and Vince coming in to help with this. You can only defy gravity for so long, at some point you will come crashing back down and that is exactly what is happening now. Gravity in this case been experience and age

Have a look at the age of the players in the successful MFC sides of the late 50s and early 60s. They were very young.

Edited August 5, 20178 yr by Diamond
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15 minutes ago, Diamond said:

Such a different group from the exciting group of 1987-88 who had guts, flare and enjoyed taking it up to the top teams. This group seems to have the hangover of the tanking and general bad attitude of the last 10 years entrenched in their minds.

That's not a bad point. You don't shed that mindset instantly.

18 minutes ago, DominatrixTyson said:

The season is over? Absurd responses. GWS are undefeated at Manuka in the last two years and sit second on the ladder. A poor performance, yes. But we're back at the MCG with 3 chances against teams below us and we're away from shitty suburban backwater local footy stadiums. We should all come out to the G and fire up the team with some noise, so they have a massive start against St Kilda. Big Crowd, Big atmosphere, big energy to be gained from a good start that can propell us into the finals. A little confidence wouldn't go astray. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky with a few injuries or poor form from a team that finishes 5th or 6th, if we can sneak in.

So we sneak in then LOSE big time. Really?? Is that what you want?

Edited August 5, 20178 yr by Diamond
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