This was very similar to the Round 1Cats loss.

Allowed the Swans to control the tempo in the second and third quarters. Easy exits out of defence with short precise kicks and had us going side to side aimlessly. Structures were non existent in that period. @Lucifer's Hero is pretty much spot on after what I saw from ground level. The lapse cost us Round 1 and it cost us today. Yes we kicked bad but I can’t hang my hat on that. If one of those is a goal, ball is back in the centre and who knows what happens.

We had a chance to win the game but let’s not get fooled by the last quarter. Swans were hanging on for dear life with 2 less men.....and to allow Heeney to camp in the goalsquare for the entire term on his own is astounding. We didn’t send one player to at least stand next to him and impede him at all. 

Edit: This is an opinion on today only. I still believe we can win the last two with Hibbo and Melksham back.

Edited August 12, 20186 yr by Dee Zephyr

1 minute ago, DV8 said:

Catch it in another jumper, so we can get more class in thru our midfield.

 

We have to improve thru the midfield and corridor with smarter players and ball use.

We lack agility with Hoges deep, doesn't aid us much defensively, and doesn't Jump well at the ball.

 

As I said, Weide will be better for us deep, and TMC is very effective for us around half-forward.

We've got to get better at using the ball offensively thru the middle.

 

Hogan, whilst a good key-tall, is not OUR answer...   But can help us acquire what we lack.

Ok so you're disregarding posters, but still tagging them.

Jesse spent his whole career jumping at the ball beautifully, then with his bad ankle now he can't.

He's as agile as any KP forward going round right now. Has been compared with Nick Riewoldt this year by many impartial observers. But don't let that affect your decision.

OK. "Weed will be better for us deep." Good, we'll just bookmark that for the next 8 years. This Weed/Hogan comparison will come back to bite you, but as we're talking about crystal balling, we can cover this when it's all come and gone.

I'll go with you that we need midfield pace and skill. But trading Hogan out is most certainly not the answer. When you have a star you hang onto them. Especially when they're young. Free agents and drafts can net us good mids over the period these gun bookends play. Not only that but many can come in and have immediate impact. Or at least be up and running within 3 seasons.

Let's come back to this in 8 years and see how each of Hogan and Weed go. 

we retained percentage

there are still two games to go

Trac, Oliver, Gus were pretty good today

so many baffling non-calls

Football gods say no

 

Just a rotten result. We will beat Meth Coke next week.

10 minutes ago, Dappa Dan said:

Hogan is 13th this year for marks (total). With a large proportion of those during a time when he hasn't been able to leave the turf cos he's jumping/landing on one leg. Of the players ahead of him, only Hawkins is a full time forward. The rest are waxing defenders. What EXACTLY more can he do to prove he can "catch" the ball?

Weed will play deep? Will he? How do you know? You're putting your faith in a player who's done absolutely nothing so far. He's shown in VFL he can take a mark on the lead and is tall. That's about it. Pedo has shown more than him. Hogan at the same age showed a truckload more, even close to goal. What you're effectively saying is Hogan is better than Weed at close to goal stuff, and has more strings to his bow further out, and you STILL want to move one in and trade the other out for picks. 

Class? Not one supporter or expert would say he lacks ANY class. He's actually one of our best field kicks, once you take the blinkers off. His highball issues weren't there earlier this year. Was taking pack marks and cleaning up groups of players on the way to everyone's mid-year AA side. Since his ankle, like I've said, he's only been able to cover distance, and not been able to jump.

If you hate him, hate him. Be my guest. But your analysis is way off. He's a star of the competition... Only Lynch is more feared in his age group.

 

10 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Fritsch is wasted in the backline.

Fritsch is tired.

He butchered the ball/decisions a couple of times, late last week.

Should have been rested, this week.

In the two decades I’ve supported this team, we have never been winners. Loser mentality seems to follow us, no matter how many list, coaching and admin changes we seem to make. 

For the opposite of this, please see Hawthorn FC. 

Couldn't handle the pressure.

Couldn't apply the pressure.

And still had opportunties to win.

Not good enough at this time

Maybe best we don't make the finals and further embarass the red and the blue further.

Maybe a camp may help in the preseason????

Maybe this is a bit of a "old man" view, but, I don't think it was great preparation for our players to be at Jake Lever's engagement party on the night before a crunch game. The likes of Petracca, Jones Gawn and others were all there having a great time, whilst the Swans would've been minds on the job at their hotel, together, and preparing for the big game. No surprises all uploads from the party on instagram have now been deleted. 

Edited August 12, 20186 yr by wheaters31

3 minutes ago, Jaded said:

In the two decades I’ve supported this team, we have never been winners. Loser mentality seems to follow us, no matter how many list, coaching and admin changes we seem to make. 

For the opposite of this, please see Hawthorn FC. 

Just look at the history of the club we are lost to almost every team more than we have won.. for a once successful club we have been poor for so long.. we supporters crave a chance at success we are constantly let down!!

35 minutes ago, wheaters31 said:

Maybe this is a bit of a "old man" view, but, I don't think it was great preparation for our players to be at Jake Lever's engagement party on the night before a crunch game. The likes of Petracca, Jones Gawn and others were all there having a great time, whilst the Swans would've been minds on the job at crown casino, together, and preparing for the big game. No surprises all uploads from the party on instagram have now been deleted. 

WOW....Granted he has a right to have his engagement when it suits but the night before a critical game.  I wonder would he have chosen last night if he was playing today?

Edited August 12, 20186 yr by Lucifer's Hero

Struggling for this

But some positives - Harmes continues to improve, Salem strong, Tyson better, JKH solid. Oliver + Brayshaw consistently good

7 minutes ago, Dappa Dan said:

Ok so you're disregarding posters, but still tagging them.

Jesse spent his whole career jumping at the ball beautifully, then with his bad ankle now he can't.

He's as agile as any KP forward going round right now. Has been compared with Nick Riewoldt this year by many impartial observers. But don't let that affect your decision.

OK. "Weed will be better for us deep." Good, we'll just bookmark that for the next 8 years. This Weed/Hogan comparison will come back to bite you, but as we're talking about crystal balling, we can cover this when it's all come and gone.

I'll go with you that we need midfield pace and skill. But trading Hogan out is most certainly not the answer. When you have a star you hang onto them. Especially when they're young. Free agents and drafts can net us good mids over the period these gun bookends play. Not only that but many can come in and have immediate impact. Or at least be up and running within 3 seasons.

Let's come back to this in 8 years and see how each of Hogan and Weed go. 

Hogan does not have any long future with us.  its time.

It all revolves around that.  Footy changes quickly. TMc has made Jesse expendable.

We need to be able to afford other player types, we're lacking in.

 

Tyson is one who may help us get in other players.

Hogan is the other.

 

We don't have 8 yrs to wait DD...    the time is now, Re Hoges and Tyson.

Nothing like kids to cheer you up. Said as I’m putting the kids to sleep...

My 3yo girl: Why are you grumpy Daddy?

Me: Because the Demons lost.

Her: Oh that’s ok, the Demons can win next time.

❤️❤️❤️

Hogan is obviously playing with an injury. Over the past 2 weeks he has had numerous times where he has been labouring to run. And he seemed to be playing deeper in the forward line this week, which is where I would prefer him to play, and I'm not complaining about that. But just wondering what the problem maybe. Any thoughts????

 

32 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

 

Inexcusable number of passengers: Pedersen, Spargo, Garlett, Hunt, ANB and JKH all had little to no impact on the game. VDB kicked three goals but for 90% of the game was not just poor, but was a main reason for our struggles through his complete inability to compete with Aliir. Hogan and TMac missed critical shots at critical times. Jones was inept (though credit to him for his fourth quarter workrate). 

We continued to kick the ball to poor places. We continued to play one off the back of the square which only resulted in them mopping up inside 50 after inside 50. And we killed our own momentum by missing easy set shots.

When Gawn doesn't dominate in the middle, we don't get anything from the one off the back of the square. We stopped doing it in the fourth and looked a little better with our ball movement.

ANB is a real problem. Too often goes to water when the pressure goes up but our game requires his input.

We're clearly struggling to cover Viney, Lever, Melksham and Hibberd. Fingers crossed the latter two come back next week.

Peserson will not (should not) play back again. Dropped marks or when he took one he was way to slow to make a decision. I've liked what spargo has done so far but the kids lost confidence. Time for a rest. As for Garlett, well his best us great but when its a hard fought game, how many tackles and pressure acts did he have today? When he doesn't fire we can't carry that. Hunt, injured an ankle again but just doesnt seem to have the same pace as he used to, I actually thought he lowered his eyes and tried make the hit up pass better then ever before. Anb came out better after half time but wow not sure if his or jones disposal was worse. As for vandenburg he got the 3 goals, but his net worth probably didnt justify selection, sydney swapped aliir onto him as soon as tmac started trying to work him up the ground. He seemed to play tall and didnt sacrifice his game at all. 

 

Kicking the ball to poor places, also vandenburg allowing aliir to do as he pleased.

A couple of other games when we haven't ran our flanks off the back of the square we have gone quite well. Seems to happen to late.

ANB has a shocking first half. Has had a great month, and has done well against good opposition in the past. Is a bottom 6 player and we dont seem to worry about getting the in the hands of better ball users. Watching sydney draw our players away from the likes if McVeigh was infuriating.

With all that said, look at all that improvement that can happen and we only lost because we choked in front of goal.

25 minutes ago, Dappa Dan said:

Ok so you're disregarding posters, but still tagging them.

Jesse spent his whole career jumping at the ball beautifully, then with his bad ankle now he can't.

He's as agile as any KP forward going round right now. Has been compared with Nick Riewoldt this year by many impartial observers. But don't let that affect your decision.

OK. "Weed will be better for us deep." Good, we'll just bookmark that for the next 8 years. This Weed/Hogan comparison will come back to bite you, but as we're talking about crystal balling, we can cover this when it's all come and gone.

I'll go with you that we need midfield pace and skill. But trading Hogan out is most certainly not the answer. When you have a star you hang onto them. Especially when they're young. Free agents and drafts can net us good mids over the period these gun bookends play. Not only that but many can come in and have immediate impact. Or at least be up and running within 3 seasons.

Let's come back to this in 8 years and see how each of Hogan and Weed go. 

Wiedemann is a joke. Get real.

I tried my absolute best to refrain from coming on here to foam verbal dirrohea but I don’t think it will so much good.

What can you say that hasn’t already been said? You rock up to the MCG in a big stage match hoping the club will make a statement but fold faster than Superman on laundry day. This was always going to be a game where the first 15 minutes were going to tell a lot. You could go all in with the nutters who look at 2.6 to 1.1 and say “Look at that Melbourne’s winning!” But I think myself and a lot of people felt quite differently. I saw a guy who has kicked 40+ this year and playing his best season fluff one completely from 15 metres out slight angle. I see the trend continue into the 2nd quarter with T-Mac spurning one dead in front. These misses were not close, they were way off and they told me a lot about where the mindset of where our guys were today, which was not up to it. The swans took their chances and played the game in a professional manner.

At half time I was shot. I don’t think there’s a bigger buzz killer in footy than bad kicking. And at 3.12 you feel your mindset is as flat as the guys out there. I just felt it was gonna be a mammoth task from there.

Sam Frost, your head is to be held up high. Gus Brayshaw, your head up high. Special mention to Dom, Salem and even Trac who had a go. That’s where it ends I’m afraid, the rest were lacking big time. Neal-Bullen, big let down today expected s big one. Garlett, not a skerick of pressure. Hunt, next to completely useless. A lot more underperformers.

I am so deeply disappointed right now. I know there are plenty here who are. MFC just feels like an unborn baby that does not want to come out of the womb, they like it in there because it’s nice and warm. We did a massive number on our chances today, there are still 2 games but gut feel is this is it. We had a few goes to get it right with St Kilda, Geelong, Port. You only get so many get out of jail free cards. 

I could go on forever right now but I’m not going to, that’s just stupid. But I want to say one thing: To all the positive Dees fans here who are always looking on the bright side. I am burning and gutted right now but I’m never going to attack you for being positive. At 3 qtr time I was going to a heap when I looked at DL on my phone and saw @Wiseblood tellling us to chill out because we were going to win this. I need people like you to keep me sane! I know it’s not always what we want to hear and I know I can be as negative as they come but please don’t ever change. We need this stuff.

I’m sick to death of dealing with this kind of stuff from this club but what can you do? Signed the lifelong contract of doom. 

2 hours ago, whatwhatsaywhat said:

We remain a good ordinary club

I said we’d finish 10th with an 11-11 record; looks like it’ll be 10th with a 12-10 record

Ah another who agrees with my pre season opinion that we would finish 10th! Come all ye faithful!

2 minutes ago, Optimus D said:

Hogan is obviously playing with an injury. Over the past 2 weeks he has had numerous times where he has been labouring to run. And he seemed to be playing deeper in the forward line this week, which is where I would prefer him to play, and I'm not complaining about that. But just wondering what the problem maybe. Any thoughts????

He’s a poor kick on goal from a set shot. Why run around all over the place? Why not run directly at the target and kick the [censored] goal?

32 minutes ago, small but forward said:

We would have won that game today if we’d gone on the preseason camp.

Soft.

So the players run to the AFLPA and complain about the camp. Too one-sided for my liking. 

Tge pkayers should be fined for bringing the club into disrepute. 

16 minutes ago, Graeme Yeats' Mullet said:

Struggling for this

But some positives - Harmes continues to improve, Salem strong, Tyson better, JKH solid. Oliver + Brayshaw consistently good

Salem needs to be a link up forward. ANB needs to be moved back

27 minutes ago, Optimus D said:

Couldn't handle the pressure.

Couldn't apply the pressure.

And still had opportunties to win.

Not good enough at this time

Maybe best we don't make the finals and further embarass the red and the blue further.

Maybe a camp may help in the preseason????

LOL  Camps naaaar players would veto just tooooooooooooooo hard 

Time for Goodwin to call club from players to bootstudder to account A La Norm Smith!

Any bloke who wont do it … see ya later saaaaaaarnn

Edited August 12, 20186 yr by picket fence

Also when are we going to address the slight issue that we can’t win at our own home ground? 

Have been putrid at the G since Goodwin took over. Putrid. I wish the game was at the SCG today. Honestly. 

We are a [censored] team who have no chance this year.

Wow Hogan bashers he was playing injured FMD

39 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Fritsch is wasted in the backline.

Absolutely he is the third tall 30+ goals player.  fwd flanker definitely.