2 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

NO EXCUSES!!!

For how many years did we excuse Watts, for his lackluster efforts.?

 

For far too long... this is what the kindly Mfc tradition_ally does... looks for the nice in everything, at our own peril... We need a

harder-edged balance, to our perceptions of our players outputs.

Brayshaw realised he needed to do something and attached himself to Jones and did everything he did. Look how his season turned round this year. 3rd in the Brownlow and just dominated in the midfield. 

Petracca has the talent but I would love to see him in the midfield, so he needs to get his fitness up so he can get through games and just dominate. He can become elite if he chooses to or he could just coast along and be happy with where he is at. 

But players will come in and pass him by and suddenly Christian may find himself fighting for his spot. 

On 11/9/2018 at 12:56 AM, WERRIDEE said:

Everybody should be replicating Gawn's fitness regime he's close to the best player in the AFL.

We plea for Trac to make improvements. Is this fair? Trac is most probably more aware than we are about the directions and milestones of his game and its improvement than we will ever be ... it is rational that this is the case given his superior proximity to the FD and the coaches/players with whom he plies his trade.

He needs the drive, determination and opportunity to pull out something consistently, stunningly and expertly and to my mind, these elements have been demonstrated as singularities quite well so far and hopefully, will become augmentations to his game in the future. Opportunity is one of these major factors onfield, alongside communications and analyses with the coaches.  We all have confidence in him so just maybe, 2019 will be the year?

He was totally overhyped by the media very early in his career, and that wasnt his fault..... UNTIL he made the comment that he wanted to be a hall-of-famer. Confidence in your own ability is one thing, but it has to be backed up. His confidence seemed to disappear this season, especially in front of goal. Way too many attempts at dinky little underground passes inside 50, when a confident player would have taken the shot. 

Trac can stand up in a tackle better than anyone i remember in my time following footy, but other than that, he doesnt actually have a huge bag of tricks to dip into. Currently a poor set shot, average endurance and his field kicking is not exceptional. He also holds the ball in front of his face before having a snap shot. One of the highest ball-raises i can remember. That particularly is something he has to work on.

I would really love to see him play ANGRY. He has the physical tools, but he doesnt have enough [censored] about him.

"Do you remember that great handball he shot out of the pack in that final"?................................. Surely he is better than that. He is a long way from being a champion player, but i still believe he can be one if he makes the choice to be his absolute best. Many talented players before him have failed to make the most of their natural talent. Heres hoping Trac doesnt become another one to join that list.

 

Well, it must be the off-season because some of what I've just recently read here is way out of kilter with what I saw this year.  Petracca's form of course fluctuated but what a few gems he produced (especially kicking to advantage within range and baulking/handballing again to advantage in close contests. And when he did the crowd exploded and his teammates got around him big time and everyone lifted. Not every player will play a robotic game and "play a role" consistently. He adds an X factor that most teams envy. There's not a lot to worry about Petracca come 2019 given a full preseason. PS ...I noted a number of posters had Charlie Spargo as emergency in their best team. This kid is in my best 22. 

Ugh, who wants to listen to a guy who brought Mark Neeld to this club.

Petracca is traveling fine.

I think this article goes back to Gawn's B&F speech.  He mentioned there that while he had done all of the training required in previous years, he hadn't really explored all of the things he could do to optimise his lifestyle.  Things like listening to the dieticians and adjusting his diet to get the absolute best possible benefit.  Chatting to the doctors and physios about the things he could do to improve his recovery and training outcomes.  Even making sure he gets plenty of sleep.  It's not just about what they do on the track, it's all of the little details that make up their lifestyle.  Gawn made a decision to do everything possible to benefit his game.  That's where Petracca needs to go. 

On 11/8/2018 at 12:13 PM, The Chazz said:

 

These guys have the luxury of being in the starting centre square and playing the most midfield minutes. Meanwhile Petracca's stuck on a half forward flank. I think that's part of the reason why Petracca hasn't reached the heights of Oliver (All Aust), Brayshaw (3rd in the brownlow) or Viney (consistent high B &F finishes when not injured)

Until Petracca is able to play in the midfield for 80-90%, i don't think he'll amount to those 3.

Let's not pretend we didn't see this coming. Trac had a reasonable year but he needs to become a machine to go to the next level.

9 hours ago, RalphiusMaximus said:

I think this article goes back to Gawn's B&F speech.  He mentioned there that while he had done all of the training required in previous years, he hadn't really explored all of the things he could do to optimise his lifestyle.  Things like listening to the dieticians and adjusting his diet to get the absolute best possible benefit.  Chatting to the doctors and physios about the things he could do to improve his recovery and training outcomes.  Even making sure he gets plenty of sleep.  It's not just about what they do on the track, it's all of the little details that make up their lifestyle.  Gawn made a decision to do everything possible to benefit his game.  That's where Petracca needs to go. 

great summary.

18 hours ago, maximum bob said:

Well, it must be the off-season because some of what I've just recently read here is way out of kilter with what I saw this year.  Petracca's form of course fluctuated but what a few gems he produced (especially kicking to advantage within range and baulking/handballing again to advantage in close contests. And when he did the crowd exploded and his teammates got around him big time and everyone lifted. Not every player will play a robotic game and "play a role" consistently. He adds an X factor that most teams envy. There's not a lot to worry about Petracca come 2019 given a full preseason. PS ...I noted a number of posters had Charlie Spargo as emergency in their best team. This kid is in my best 22. 

he definitely adds an X factor and his bursts can be inspirational and team lifting. 

6 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

These guys have the luxury of being in the starting centre square and playing the most midfield minutes. Meanwhile Petracca's stuck on a half forward flank. I think that's part of the reason why Petracca hasn't reached the heights of Oliver (All Aust), Brayshaw (3rd in the brownlow) or Viney (consistent high B &F finishes when not injured)

Until Petracca is able to play in the midfield for 80-90%, i don't think he'll amount to those 3.

What a cop-out.

Those three pushed guys like Jones, Vince and Tyson out of the midfield.  Heck, even Harmes made the most of his opportunities when given a bit of extra responsibility.

If Petracca wants to play more midfield time, he has to be better when he goes in there.

20 hours ago, The Chazz said:

What a cop-out.

Those three pushed guys like Jones, Vince and Tyson out of the midfield.  Heck, even Harmes made the most of his opportunities when given a bit of extra responsibility.

If Petracca wants to play more midfield time, he has to be better when he goes in there.

Petracca averages 20  possessions a game that's Elite for a half-forward, what's with everyone wanting everyone to play heaps of midfield times, we have enough good players through the midfield, what's  wrong with him becoming a great half forward, with pinch hits in the midfield, he just needs to sort out his set shot goal kicking, fix that up and he can kick 40 goals a season.

9 minutes ago, don't make me angry said:

Petracca averages 20  possessions a game that's Elite for a half-forward, what's with everyone wanting everyone to play heaps of midfield times, we have enough good players through the midfield, what's  wrong with him becoming a great half forward, with pinch hits in the midfield, he just needs to sort out his set shot goal kicking, fix that up and he can kick 40 goals a season.

Its not the stats.. its his effectiveness.  He butches the ball, trying the miraculous. Putting teammates under the pump, with handballs at their ankles, etc... or too hard etc.etc...  he needs to be more composed with ball in hand, and he also needs to cover more territory. get to more contests and also to get more ball on the outside. IMV.

He's Not well rounded yet as a player.  and still too rounded, physically.

 Garry Lyon is spot on.

Can anyone say for certain that Tracca is not training to the seemingly "Maxie level" demanded by the commentators here?.

What if he is and this is what maximum Tracca looks like or what if he is training to the level required by the FD for HF flanker and part time midfielder or what if he straightened his kicking and kicked 30 a year and dished off many more?

He fills a valuable and vital role and, let's face it, not everyone can be a dashing Brayshaw or a ball magnet Oliver.

here's one out of the nostalgia bag for ernest.................

seeing the thread title with "be like max" reminded me of the old days when we had snail mail and people actually wrote letters. a lot of wags used to write witticisms and acronyms on the back of the envelope.

the one i remember was

   hey mr postie

   don't go slow

   be like elvis

   and go man go

The thing that annoys me about the Gaz Man is that his prescriptions to relieve teams' ills are usually the same old hackneyed clichés involving them not 'wanting it enough'.

While it can explain why players/teams aren't succeeding, this mindset is incredibly short sighted, analytically lazy and is great for an applause line among the old school types who pine for the good old days but does little to solve actual problems.

The vacuity of this approach was shown  by his comments after our loss to the Swans (it wasn't effort but football smarts that cost us that game) and his analysis of why Essendon were underperforming (it had more to do with the dynamics of the coach's box and was quickly remedied once Gazza's pick for a senior coach was moved on).

It was mentioned before but Gaddy's rant on MMM after 186 also provided a lot of the impetus for Bails' sacking and the justification for Neeld's hiring. That rant clung to a lot of the bedside philosophical musings about 'getting in and having a go'.

When Gaz starts on about Tracc needing to commit more, take it with a grain of salt. Don't discount of entirely but realize that Garry is more Allan Killigrew than Paul Roos.

Edited November 13, 20186 yr by Colin B. Flaubert

4 hours ago, tiers said:

Can anyone say for certain that Tracca is not training to the seemingly "Maxie level" demanded by the commentators here?.

What if he is and this is what maximum Tracca looks like or what if he is training to the level required by the FD for HF flanker and part time midfielder or what if he straightened his kicking and kicked 30 a year and dished off many more?

He fills a valuable and vital role and, let's face it, not everyone can be a dashing Brayshaw or a ball magnet Oliver.

 

Well, lets all settle for what we get dished up then... when a lot more is the potential.

 

 

This is the old demons way, of making excuses for our beloved boys... instead of Dee-Man''ding they grow and play like Men.

 

I see watts is back early for preseason... as he tries to impress yet again. Back to the wall again, jackie boy?

 

Let us NOT make this mistake again with Tracca... that we did for so long with watts, with Gawn for so many years.

.. and what we did with Yze and Robbo, Green etc, letting them off the potential hook, and accepting they're hot and cold, and the lack of effort on some occasions. 

Neither these days are mentioned as champions... and they should have become champions. They had the ability to, but not the drive and application. Nore the culture within the club.

Edited November 13, 20186 yr by DV8

Trac is the sort of player that books are written about. His gifts will come from within him when he is ready....

2 hours ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

The thing that annoys me about the Gaz Man is that his prescriptions to relieve teams' ills are usually the same old hackneyed clichés involving them not 'wanting it enough'.

While it can explain why players/teams aren't succeeding, this mindset is incredibly short sighted, analytically lazy and is great for an applause line among the old school types who pine for the good old days but does little to solve actual problems.

The vacuity of this approach was shown  by his comments after our loss to the Swans (it wasn't effort but football smarts that cost us that game) and his analysis of why Essendon were underperforming (it had more to do with the dynamics of the coach's box and was quickly remedied once Gazza's pick for a senior coach was moved on).

It was mentioned before but Gaddy's rant on MMM after 186 also provided a lot of the impetus for Bails' sacking and the justification for Neeld's hiring. That rant clung to a lot of the bedside philosophical musings about 'getting in and having a go'.

When Gaz starts on about Tracc needing to commit more, take it with a grain of salt. Don't discount of entirely but realize that Garry is more Allan Killigrew than Paul Roos.

I couldn't have expressed it any better 'Colin'...

He harks back to the days of the Don Scott special comments, "the boys got to go harder".

Edited November 13, 20186 yr by rjay

In years gone by fans would have enjoyed the cameos from Petracca as they did with other gifted players that shone brightly but intermittently. 

Today fans expectations along with those of the footy media are high. Players are expected to perform to their optimal level all the time.

The pressure on all players to play 100 min every week at optimal level is exacting on mind and body. And it takes its toll on longevity. 

But Petracca is not Viney, Brayshaw, Oliver. Do we want him to be ? 

Does he work hard enough? Do we really know ? My guess is that he is a sprinter not a two miler and that he will excite us and disappoint us.  I suspect he is what he is, and his personality and style will dictate the way he plays. He is flashy, like the guy with the Ferrari. He is not going to hop into a Toyota Prius.  You are not going to drive the Ferrari around Australia but you will drive it down Beach Road. 

On 11/11/2018 at 4:46 PM, TheoX said:

Ugh, who wants to listen to a guy who brought Mark Neeld to this club.

Petracca is traveling fine.

Message to Gary: be less like Gary and more like Billy

Claytons Plea to Petracca: keep up the good forward craft ?

Those highlights from 2017 post #30 showed just how good he can be.

His power and brute strength, and competitive nature are amazing.

If he regains his confidence those long outside 50 goals are inestimably valuable.  

To those who say he is lazy, look in particular at the one v Lions - ran from back pocket to collect and bomb another long one.

He is coming into his prime - fourth season looming, 63 games.

Watch out!!!  GO DEES!!