Chris Judd in the Age

[Diamond_Jim 12,585]

perhaps we've turned and are going the wrong way.

[loges 6,767]

4 hours ago, MSFebey said:

Who cares, honorable losses are nice but they have a use by date. 2016 had a chance at finals and blew it, failed pathetically last year, heat is already on again. I don’t care for nice stats and they mean jack crap if a side is mentally weak and can’t handle pressure. As Peter Jackson said himself, if we miss finals it’s a failure this year.

Did you really understand the article?

[loges 6,767]

47 minutes ago, ArtificialWisdom said:

In 6 weeks we will look back at the Geelong as the turning point. Remains to be seen of that's a good our bad turning point.  We could fall as low as 11th/12th very quickly if things don't go our way in the next few weeks. Yet with the possible exception of WC in Perth, we a capable of winning any or all of the games in the run home

The next 5 weeks will tell us a lot, will we rise to another level or drop to the depths of despair?

[SFebes 4,884]

6 minutes ago, loges said:

Did you really understand the article?

I don't care for the article one bit. I've seen enough of them. Lost 4 of our last 6 and staring down the barrel of another missed finals campaign. It's just more fluff for people who get sucked in to the hype.

[loges 6,767]

I could write a long winded reply, but all I'll say is we're all impatient, I've been supporting Melbourne since 1960.

[Sir Why You Little 37,035]

Not a bad article, i agree with a lot of it. My on going problem is we still cannot lock down games at all

The Port game is a prime example. We didn’t score for the last 40 minutes. 

Last saturday the Final Q was another shambles. The effort was there, but no structure. 

The team trains 5 days a week, doing what is what i would love to know??

seems it’s all offensive. 

Defence is an afterthought it seems. 

[YesitwasaWin4theAges 6,702]

39 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Not a bad article, i agree with a lot of it. My on going problem is we still cannot lock down games at all

The Port game is a prime example. We didn’t score for the last 40 minutes. 

Last saturday the Final Q was another shambles. The effort was there, but no structure. 

The team trains 5 days a week, doing what is what i would love to know??

seems it’s all offensive. 

Defence is an afterthought it seems. 

Goodwin is a one way coach, from the  Malcolm Blight school of they kick 120 and we'll kick 130. 

Not a defensive bone in his body.

Edited July 24, 2018 by Win4theAges

[Sir Why You Little 37,035]

Just now, Win4theAges said:

Goodwin is a one way coach, from the blight school of they kick 120 and we'll kick 130, not a defensive bone in his body.

That’s the feeling i get

Blight 1989-95 was a good coach but September is always based on defence, as he found out in those years. 

[Mondê 525]

I think tactically Goodwin is ok,  it is as simple as we just don't have the cattle in the backline right now. Remember how good Oscar looked when Lever was providing cover? Now compound that with Hibberd being out and it is any wonder we got within 5 goals of Geelong let alone 2 points. If anything our injury list has highlighted our lack of defensive depth. Something for Jason Taylor to consider in the off season.

[beelzebub 23,370]

1 hour ago, loges said:

Did you really understand the article?

What's hard to comprehend ?

It's all fluff and icecream. 

It's all good... everyone enjoy the Koolaid and all will be well...I mean golly..look over there.

The circumstances of every club are different. Anything is possible in theory....but reality serves up a cold dish of disappointment...year after year.

Article will make good for lining Cockie's cage.

 

[bringbackthebiff 654]

Judd is a good judge. That’s why he picked Carlton and didn’t even speak to Hawthorn ?

[SFebes 4,884]

Just now, bringbackthebiff said:

Judd is a good judge. That’s why he picked Carlton and didn’t even speak to Hawthorn ?

Why didn't he end up coming to the Dees?

[In Harmes Way 7,771]

Our footy club has the turning circle of a cruise liner.

What I struggle with is Collingwood- they’ve been crap for so long and are suddenly top 2/4 and flag contenders. Why isn’t that us? Arguably, (IMO), we’ve got a more talented list, I just cannot reconcile this.

[Guest]

As per Demonland custom, it's easier to attack the messenger rather than the message (which really was a pretty positive one).

I agree wholeheartedly that this could be the moment where we turn it around. However are we willing to do so? The club would need to go against the grain of fifty different stereotypes associated with our team to do so.

[Diamond_Jim 12,585]

7 minutes ago, small but forward said:

Our footy club has the turning circle of a cruise liner.

What I struggle with is Collingwood- they’ve been crap for so long and are suddenly top 2/4 and flag contenders. Why isn’t that us? Arguably, (IMO), we’ve got a more talented list, I just cannot reconcile this.

game plan perhaps?

[YesitwasaWin4theAges 6,702]

20 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

That’s the feeling i get

Blight 1989-95 was a good coach but September is always based on defence, as he found out in those years. 

Exactly, until something changes (defensively) we are going to continue to get these fluctuations in our results quarter to quarter, game to game.

We are not built structural defensively to stem any form of attacking momentum against at any period of a game.

[Hardatit 13]

5 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

It's a sensible article.  The pain of Saturday night is still pretty raw, but if you can put that aside then you can see that we are continuing to build a strong side that is playing together more often.  Gus, Oliver and Petracca have 150 games between them and they basically led our midfield on Saturday night against almost 1000 games of experience in Ablett, Selwood and Dangerfield.  That's a damn fine effort and proof that our kids are maturing right before our eyes.

That is exactly the point. Well said. The challenge is in the mids we have an inspiring bloke in Jones and then huge experience gap to these young bulls with 50 games..they are standing up big time and this loss could be a big moment.

[picket fence 17,166]

6 hours ago, Gorgoroth said:

It’s not like we think that next year we will fail again and not make finals. 

My problem is with this year. We have failed due to the same reasons of the last few years and even this year. 

I have thought we won’t play finals this year since the port loss and nothing I’ve seen since convinces me thatI’m wrong thinking that. I truly hope this loss gels them and we go over belt the crows, beat the suns and swans and make finals.

I don’t care about next year. For 13 years I’ve been getting to July and thinking of next year.

I’m over next year.

Mate you should complain?? Ive been over it since 1964! Same old yadda yadda short on actual deeds!

[Dr.D 1,771]

like everyone else is saying, i'm over it. it's a failed year. and salt into the wound is having no decent draft picks either due to lever who is out until late into next season. 

[Willmoy1947 4,086]

5 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

It's a sensible article.  The pain of Saturday night is still pretty raw, but if you can put that aside then you can see that we are continuing to build a strong side that is playing together more often.  Gus, Oliver and Petracca have 150 games between them and they basically led our midfield on Saturday night against almost 1000 games of experience in Ablett, Selwood and Dangerfield.  That's a damn fine effort and proof that our kids are maturing right before our eyes.

Wise i agree with the Games analysis, the thing is these blokes try their guts out, play it the way it should be played then have it dashed by one or more stupid, non nonsensical, blatantly bias,non rule, made up to even up, power play, bubble of the moment decision that makes the three of them stand around at the next bounce and say to themselves how do i play the next foray into the forward line, under the ground, in the air, or do i run fifty meters and bounce the ball over everyone's head and kick it myself from in front, because that is the only way we get a goal without being penalized,,,,,,,,,

[Wiseblood 24,637]

11 minutes ago, Dr.D said:

like everyone else is saying, i'm over it. it's a failed year. and salt into the wound is having no decent draft picks either due to lever who is out until late into next season. 

Two things.

How is it a failed season when we're still in the eight and the season isn't even finished yet?

And Jake Lever, you would imagine, would be available in the early part of the season, not out until 'late next season', as you suggest.  I would have thought you would know better, you know, being a doctor and all.

[mauriesy 7,296]

48 minutes ago, small but forward said:

What I struggle with is Collingwood- they’ve been crap for so long and are suddenly top 2/4 and flag contenders. Why isn’t that us? Arguably, (IMO), we’ve got a more talented list, I just cannot reconcile this.

You build a potential side around a tough, skillful and experienced midfield. You can have stars and/or talent on every other line, but the midfield is the engine room that makes you go places. It's been the case with every premiership side, such as Brisbane in the early 2000s, Hawthorn, Sydney and Geelong.

Collingwood's midfield comprises players like (games played in brackets) Pendlebury (268), Sidebottom (202), Treloar (135), Adams (111). Geelong has Selwood (266), Selwood (161), Ablett (314), Dangerfield (218), Duncan (174), even Guthrie (135). Richmond has Cotchin (214), Martin (194), Edwards (224), Houli (180), Caddy (132).

We've got Jones (256), but as a comparison we are building our real midfield around Brayshaw (50), Viney (95), Petracca (55), Oliver (52),  Salem (62), Harmes (62), Neil-Bullen (51), Fritsch (16) etc.

You work it out.

These games played stats highlight our present condition, but are also a reason for huge optimism.  It's hard to be patient when we've been down as long as we have but we have reason to be genuinely optimistic. They are not "excuses", just reality.

Calling the side "mentally weak", highlighting deficiencies in individual players, saying someone "should never play again", asking for the coach to be sacked and handing in our memberships will never overcome that current lack of experience. They are just poor analyses, and mentally weak in themselves.

I agree with Judd. It's a good summation of where we are and where we are going. I'm look forward to the next two years with great anticipation, regardless of whether we make the 8 this year (which I think we still can).

[Wiseblood 24,637]

6 minutes ago, mauriesy said:

You build a potential side around a tough, skillful and experienced midfield. You can have stars and/or talent on every other line, but the midfield is the engine room that makes you go places. It's been the case with every premiership side, such as Brisbane in the early 2000s, Hawthorn, Sydney and Geelong.

Collingwood's midfield comprises players like (games played in brackets) Pendlebury (268), Sidebottom (202), Treloar (135), Adams (111). Geelong has Selwood (266), Selwood (161), Ablett (314), Dangerfield (218), Duncan (174), even Guthrie (135). Richmond has Cotchin (214), Martin (194), Edwards (224), Houli (180), Caddy (132).

We've got Jones (256), but as a comparison we are building our real midfield around Brayshaw (50), Viney (95), Petracca (55), Oliver (52),  Salem (62), Harmes (62), Neil-Bullen (51), Fritsch (16) etc.

Superbly put, mauriesy.  

The comparison in terms of experience and what we are trying to build is spot on.  The younger players are just beginning to work things out with each other and work as a cohesive unit.  You could even argue that, with Viney missing so much time in the last 18 months, that they are still working out how to play alongside him as well.

As we continue to get games into these players they are only going to continue to get better.  If they can be this good now, how good will they be with another 80-100 games under their belt?  It's terrific to think about.

[bing181 9,234]

We're 2 seasons away from being the side that many on here think we are.

[Deemania since 56 6,636]

6 hours ago, MSFebey said:

According to most on the forum last week they had the Cats pencilled in for a win, now we are meant to admire the nice loss. Not me.

''Atta boy! How are we supposed to sit back to accept a 'nice loss' when supporters start out with limited hope of a win. That is the second time in one season that we have been nuzzled out of a win against Geelong - and it is not good enough. Mental toughness is critical to sealing a game and win/loss is all that matters at the end of the day. We do not even get a fair shake of the saveloy to inspire the team to a higher plane - the AFL/umpires appear against it. Many of our opponents seem to be able to sense preferences onfield and are permitted by selective attention and rule stretching to do as they might please to 'extract' a contributed win.