What to do with Petracca?

[At the break of Gawn 4,460]

11 hours ago, poita said:

I was critical of Petracca when watching on Saturday, but I have mellowed slightly since. As I said last week, he looks miserable on the field at present. The club has sucked all the enjoyment out of his football by taking all the flair and unpredictability out of his game.

I don't want to see Petracca taking the ball 55 metres out from goal and looking for a short pass sideways. I want to see his first thought to be about kicking the goal himself. That is the type of player he should and can be. We have plenty of others who can be robots on the field.

For this week, I want to see Petracca enjoying his football again. If that means sitting across half back getting cheap kicks for a week, so be it. If it means playing in the middle and cleaning a few blokes up, even better.

That said, he would definitely benefit from losing some bulk so he can cover more ground. The amount of muscle he is carrying is definitely doing more harm than good.

He looks miserable because, like Hogan, he is very hard on himself as a player as I think he does have high expectations on himself and what he can do. As per what Rooey said, he probably dominated in the juniors and expected the AFL to be the same. Didn’t he once say he was going to be an ‘All of famer’ in an interview and he wanted to be the no.1 pick? 

I just feel he’s trying too hard to be some flashy player and not enough as just a hard working half forward. He’s not going to be a De Goey as he’s not fast enough off the mark and lacks some of the skills so I wouldn’t even bother to try and emulate that. He doesn’t have a great tank (so he can’t be a midfielder). He just needs to be a strong contributing half forward. He’s a similar height to Breust (albeit not as skillful) maybe that could be a player he should be aiming to be.

[Dame Gaga 2,453]

6 hours ago, DV8 said:

Its not about wanting him to be a saviour.   At least not from my part.

It's about wanting Petracca to provide what he is capable of providing, with his talents and physique in a better condition.

... As he has been, showing last year in inconsistency,  and because its been brought to peoples attention,  they are all now on the bandwagon of trying to get him to lift in their own ways.

He's been spoilt by all and sundry, and allowed to go along as he has,  with Cameo's, for a couple of seasons...  the  'rose-coloured-glasses'  adoration he's enjoyed,  stopped any real close attention on him,  and he's waltzed along accordingly.   IMO, a lot to do with the rest of the team struggling thru 2016/17...  made him look better, on natural talent alone, without real workrate.

 

Now since last year,  the team has much more anticipation/expectation on them,  and so people are looking much deeper into what we're are built on...

Now the microscope is on all of us,  from within and outside.

Players have to lift individually, collectively, and team wise, to improve on the ladder position.   Improve with consistency, and growth of their footy.  this means that some have to wrork harder, those who aren't working to their capacity.  Which is most of your young ones.

Petracca at his age and games played, has the ability to be working much harder.  IF he applies himself to that task.  IF he has the dedication, deesire, and deetermination, to do just that.

 

# edit : Most of the other players commitment is healthier...  they are fitter and closer to their body weight,  fitness levels,  that should be expected of them with their time within the clubs programs.

  I agree that last year's rise up the ladder and finals appearances have brought more attention and scrutiny onto the club. Expectations are high, especially when the media run stories all summer about how good Melbourne is going to be, how good their young players are etc. I have said elsewhere on this topic this is the worse thing that could have happened to these young men. This stroking of egos does no good for players who must step up and work even harder this year to achieve the desired Premiership. It can become too easy to rest on the laurels of your past achievements and coast along in the same lane. Hunger, burning desire and the aggressive will to win must exist to take the next step. I worry some players are just happy they are playing AFL footy every week and getting paid well for it. Us supporters want to see more. That is why we are so disappointed. We need to see some leadership on the field as well, not meek surrender.

[WERRIDEE 5,468]

Most targeted player against the Cats in 14. Not sure what they are doing with T.McDonald and he shirked a contest too. Deserves to be dropped and I hope they do.

[spirit of norm smith 16,423]

Petracca should aim to kick 2 or 3 goals agame. He is good enough.  Now he tries to do the team game and offload it all the time. More half kicks when he can kick goals within the 50. In juniors, he was told to play his natural game. Now he holds back.  Maybe hypnotherapy is the answer. See goal ... kick goal. 

[beelzebub 23,322]

The more I think about it...the more it  makes sense to trade him.

Why.

He is a square peg in  a round hole at Melbourne. (Not alone ) He has lots of faults/many attributes but in the end he's played out of position and probably told to adhere to dysfunctional team direction.

Other clubs might see value.

[spirit of norm smith 16,423]

1 minute ago, beelzebub said:

The more I think about it...the more it  makes sense to trade him.

Why.

He is a square peg in  a round hole at Melbourne. (Not alone ) He has lots of faults/many attributes but in the end he's played out of position and probably told to adhere to dysfunctional team direction.

Other clubs might see value.

Ridiculous.  Some always want to always trade out. Petracca can be a very very very good player  

We are ready to cast aside but somehow we then feel mortally hurt when Thompson, Scully,McLean etc leave. 

Petracca stays imo

[beelzebub 23,322]

18 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Ridiculous.  Some always want to always trade out. Petracca can be a very very very good player  

We are ready to cast aside but somehow we then feel mortally hurt when Thompson, Scully,McLean etc leave. 

Petracca stays imo

I didn't say he couldn't be a good player.

What I said is we don't provide a logical role to suit 

We don't play him ( and others to their strengths )

He won't bloom at Melbourne currently.

He might elsewhere...hence a value to other clubs

( Hint...we aren't that clever presently )

[rolling fog 1,207]

Anyone else watching Jones on the Oval Office?

FYI guys "we need to temper our expectations" when it comes to Petracca.

[rolling fog 1,207]

Also Isaac Smith is smugly talking about our I50 vs. goal ratio from the weekend.

It's a subtle dig that I'm not sure Jones fully picked up on which probably annoys me the most

Edited April 1, 2019 by the rolling fog

[SwissDee 43]

Trac would be great as a leading forward if there is a good forward structure. His reaction time however doesn't seem to be great, and with the chaos ball theory they seem to be going with it doesn't seem to suit him (actually, not sure who it suits, the definition of chaos is it's uncontrollable :))

Has anyone ever thought of Trac in the role of the great Allen Jakovich? Same height and build, and capable of anything 

Edited April 1, 2019 by SwissDee

[Lou C. Fur 1,009]

On 3/30/2019 at 9:58 PM, Petraccattack said:

Wish I could change my display name .   Very lazy footballer with no tank.  Also cant kick.  So disappointing.

Ye, who have little faith...

[Lou C. Fur 1,009]

1 hour ago, Dame Gaga said:

  I agree that last year's rise up the ladder and finals appearances have brought more attention and scrutiny onto the club. Expectations are high, especially when the media run stories all summer about how good Melbourne is going to be, how good their young players are etc. I have said elsewhere on this topic this is the worse thing that could have happened to these young men. This stroking of egos does no good for players who must step up and work even harder this year to achieve the desired Premiership. It can become too easy to rest on the laurels of your past achievements and coast along in the same lane. Hunger, burning desire and the aggressive will to win must exist to take the next step. I worry some players are just happy they are playing AFL footy every week and getting paid well for it. Us supporters want to see more. That is why we are so disappointed. We need to see some leadership on the field as well, not meek surrender.

Bit hard on the players! My observation is they are giving 100%

[Ethan Tremblay 30,845]

23 minutes ago, Demonia said:

Bit hard on the players! My observation is they are giving 100%

Don’t they have to give 110%? 

[old dee 23,786]

7 hours ago, Demonia said:

Bit hard on the players! My observation is they are giving 100%

If this is their 100% then we can make a spot on the wall for another wooden spoon.

[Skuit 10,031]

Noted a fat-tracker app in the Google store the other day. Man-bo'som-tush.

[spirit of norm smith 16,423]

9 hours ago, the rolling fog said:

Also Isaac Smith is smugly talking about our I50 vs. goal ratio from the weekend.

It's a subtle dig that I'm not sure Jones fully picked up on which probably annoys me the most

Yes Smith was fuc^%<n smartar$$(

 

[Demonland 71,868]

 

[shorty 233]

Was gifted games in my opinion, like so many other 1st Rd picks at Melb.

What is wrong with developing at Casey. If you're out of form go back.

I fear the club doesn't have the balls to drop him. 

Might sulk and ask for a trade!!

[DV8 2,271]

14 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Petracca should aim to kick 2 or 3 goals agame. He is good enough.  Now he tries to do the team game and offload it all the time. More half kicks when he can kick goals within the 50. In juniors, he was told to play his natural game. Now he holds back.  Maybe hypnotherapy is the answer. See goal ... kick goal. 

I'd like to see him apply this attitude inside the midfield...  see ball-get ball. get angry   he's appears so passive.

Put him in the pivot and tell he to throw his weight atround throwing players to the ground in his quest to win the footy. 

Get him angry first in his footy..   play with AGGRession  Use that Bulk,,, or lose it !!!

Edited April 2, 2019 by DV8

[DV8 2,271]

13 hours ago, SwissDee said:

Trac would be great as a leading forward if there is a good forward structure. His reaction time however doesn't seem to be great, and with the chaos ball theory they seem to be going with it doesn't seem to suit him (actually, not sure who it suits, the definition of chaos is it's uncontrollable :))

Has anyone ever thought of Trac in the role of the great Allen Jakovich? Same height and build, and capable of anything 

He is not quick enough, nor tall enough to do that.   The ball will be punched away by taller defenders with longer reach.

 

3 hours ago, Demonland said:

 

Tracc plays better IF we play better.   now he is a sheep.

Stop making excuses for one another, and get tougher...   Mentally weak players will let us all down...    and NO,  this is not about depression, as I suffer from it,  but have survived all this time with it.

 

Its about faith in self, and a bit of GO about the place, and the Players. 

It's simple contact sport...  go out,  throw about your strength at the  Fffing  ball,  and get the thing to your mates.

 

And  'Ffs',  stop sulking and feeling for yourself...   Get out of your own head,  and get onto the Field and just go for IT.

.

[Deemania since 56 6,627]

On 3/30/2019 at 10:00 PM, ProperDee said:

Treats every game like park footy with his mates.  Needs to have someone like Todd Viney pin him up against a wall and  be told a few home truths from 2 inches away. Get angry son! You can be everybody’s buddy off the field. On it, you need to be a dead set hard nosed bastard that physically intimidates the opposition.

That is the key to Petracca's improvement and consistency - take him aside and show him the faults, toughen him up, make him seriously want the ball so that he can use it to the team's benefit, insist on peak fitness at all times, wipe the smile off his face by telling him he is not a very convincing show pony. As he walked off the field against the Cats, he had fake tears in his eyes - seemed to be more worried about his lack of commitment and image than he was about the team result that he may well have ameliorated to some significant degree. Not working hard enough, Christian, or often enough. You are currently far short of the Dusty Martin profile that you attempt unsuccessfully to emulate. Get real - footy is not blindly generous, for long. 

[Deemania since 56 6,627]

4 hours ago, DV8 said:

See goal ... kick goal

Very good mantra for Petracca to follow - he CAN do it.

[KingDingAling 3,757]

Petracca is a gun. He can and probably still will be a better player than DeGoey. Don't forget Trac missed his first full year with an ACL. That is less time to develop his tank, and he is still developing his tank. He is a full time midfielder. When that happens we will see the obvious - that Petracca is a superstar. I wouldn't trade Petracca for pick 1 in the next upcoming draft and many on here want to sell him off for a bag of chips and a pie. 

[DV8 2,271]

41 minutes ago, KingDingAling said:

Petracca is a gun. He can and probably still will be a better player than DeGoey. Don't forget Trac missed his first full year with an ACL. That is less time to develop his tank, and he is still developing his tank. He is a full time midfielder. When that happens we will see the obvious - that Petracca is a superstar. I wouldn't trade Petracca for pick 1 in the next upcoming draft and many on here want to sell him off for a bag of chips and a pie. 

He's had 4 years in the AFL system. 

In this his 5th Year...  and Pro-Rata,  he's as heavy as Fev was at Carlton.

We do not want to trade him...   We want him to get fit and build his aerobic fitness levels to that,  of at least that of an  VFL  midfielder.    Would be a starting point.

When do you reckon on him becoming a trimmed  AFL footballer ?

 

Let's stop making excuses for unfit players...   and expect them to be fully Professional in attitude,  and in shape.

Edited April 3, 2019 by DV8

[What 18,810]

Trac fancies himself as a big game player and future hall of famer...   well Friday night lights vs Essendon at the MCG is his chance to show the world what hes made of.

Lets see how he goes.