POSTGAME: Rd 03 vs Essendon

[waynewussell 5,742]

3 minutes ago, olisik said:

He has had 4 tackles for the year and doesn’t defend. In case you forgotten his our captain. Did you see how Heppell played when the game was on the line? Jones never has or never will do that. His done.

 

Just now, titan_uranus said:

ANB, Oscar and Jones were our worst three players.

Your comment was he was far from our worst, and I think that's incorrect. If he wasn't our worst player he was very close to it.

He's having no impact on the wing. As the captain of a side which knew during the week that our disposal going inside 50 was a focus point, he took our opening clearance and mindlessly bombed it 50m to an Essendon player. He doesn't get involved in scoring chains, he guards no-man's land without taking a player, opposition players are running around him, he's fumbling the ball, he's turning it over. 

I don't think I'm "blindly supporting the lynch mob". Indeed, I think you've got your Jones-coloured glasses on. As I said before, I've loved Jones and everything he's given to this club, but right now he's a bottom 4 player for us and he's holding us back.

I think the blindness comes from an expectation you have of the quintessential captain... Barassi etc... I'm not suggesting he has risen to those heights... not many have... but the blindness fails to acknowledge the unspectacular contribution. I would agree with criticism in round 1... but you need to watch the full replay and notice the improvement, the endeavour and the leadership before sinking the boot into our best player for the decade! He may be reaching the end, but it won't be on your terms! He is better than that!

[Gunna’s 2,104]

If Melksham was our best deliverer of the ball inside 50 last year, I don’t get why he is being played out of the pocket. Is he being managed after coming back late too?

[Vineytime 847]

O McDonald had 5 touches, 2 of them were ineffective. 

0 marks. 

Why is he in the team?????????can’t beat an opponent, doesn’t win the ball, no attacking side to his game. 

 

[Wadda We Sing 10,685]

Gee 9 pages already.....I got nothin.

It looks bad. Maybe it's just simply that, middle of the road year, much like the one good year one bad year 90s.

[Monocology 1,109]

Bedrock somehow comfortable like an old leather shoe.

[Deespicable 2,726]

We all sat through some impressive pre-season videos that made us all think we'd arrived and Champion Data backed it up saying our list depth made us flag favourites. Well it's fair to say that won't be happening now.

I have four big requests for next week, not that it matters now as the errors have been made and a mid-table finish is all we can hope for now. The intensity in our game is gone and it's almost like we've morphed back into the nice old Demons. I am aware that this is borderline trolling, but it has to be said by someone.

1) Tom Mac - Yes he has a big heart, but he is injured. He has never been a superstar that the club and media made out pre-season, but he has shown enough as a forward to make us all think he can play a key role. But so far this year he has been carried. he is not fit, he can barely run and his return - two goals in three games is abysmal, What's worse is that Hurley went to our only reliable target in Melksham, that's how little the Dons were worried about T-Mac. If he plays against Sydney, there is no point even turning up.

2) KK - An inquiry should be done into who decided to rush him in two weeks ago and that person should have to write 1000 times "I must apologise to Billy Stretch". KK is loping around the field like Jack Watts. He looks good except he rarely gets it and his decision not to take the game on in the second term made you wonder why he is even on our list. He started wing and when he finally got his first effective kick in the third term it was a ripper - he thumped it 60m across ground and you got a glimpse why he was highly rated at Gold Coast as a defender. So what do we do, we send him forward  to be largely ineffective, although he did kick one long goal. But FFS, why was he rushed in. He's barely played for two seasons because of concussion issues and we throw him and the team in the deep end after just one VFL practice match. He still might be a player, but Goody please make him earn it via the VFL. He is the biggest selection rush since Petty v St Kilda last year. And we know what a mistake that was back then. And if and when he does regain his mojo in the VFL,  let's see him play where he once made it with the Suns - in defence. 

3) O-Mac - You can't have a defender who is the slowest in the league and also possibly the least intense being the cornerstone of your defence. He is an unbelievably accurate kick, but he  lack's strength physically. He is Brent Grgic 2.0. He has played more than 60 games but will never make it to the top tier. He just doesn't have AFL level intensity and he's too slow to be part of our zone. It is now time to stop hoping his skill level will win through and just accepting you got it wrong - Neale Daniher did the same thing with Grgic. Try him as a forward Goody if you have a contract stipulation that you must play him for a certain number of games, but please, don't keep insulting us. 

4) ANB - Yes we all love his workrate but he's just not linking up how we hoped when he was brought into the role by Goody three seasons ago. He needs to go back to the VFL for confidence and I'm sure he will play useful games for us down the track - just not at the moment.  A run on the ball is not such a bad idea, but it needs to be after a few weeks of Lachie Neale type stats in the twos. Nibbler is such a hard worker that I give hime three games tops before he is banging the selection door down again.

Other than those four, everyone else had their moments when they looked the part and moments when they looked like Old Melburnian Amos standard.

Weid - Started the game dropping the simplest of marks on a lead from Salem. But he did take a couple of marks later in the game and even won some clearances in the ruck. His long goal from a tight angle in the third made him look like a superstar again. But that's the problem, he looks like a beauty but so far he's not even averaging a goal a game. 

Jonesy - Started like a million dollars finding the pill on his wing, creating and linking like Ablett in form. But after quarter time you had to check if he played and when thrown on to the ball in the third quarter, he lost a couple of clearances that made you wonder where to now. Goody won't drop him yet, but it's getting close. 

Olly - He looked a class above everyone else in the second term with his run and carry but then he went back to his poxy short handballs and quick kicks and if that's where he's at, our season is over. He will lift next week I'm sure but he just has to realise that he's a gun, he has to act and play like one. Parish outplayed him tonight - my god I can't believe I said that!

Frosty - He had an incredibly good second term when he got on tops of their bigs and became a defensive wall but after that he's lucky that his cohort in defence Oscar made him look respectable. Must have given away three stupid frees at least. But until May returns, he must play, it's as simple as that.  

Trac - Had a chance to be a hero in the first term and couldn't hold the mark and later that term dropped a Jonesyesque sitter. But from then on he did actually contest and whilst there's no doubt he's down on confidence, it is hard to see how you could say he wasn't worthy of a spot based on that game.

I won't keep going on, but I was rapt with Gawny's first half and Hibberd did return to his AA form in the second half after looking disinterested up to half time. Hunt applied pressure and was dangerous up forward but we lost his dash from defence and Lockhart has a go, although he may be too small to really make it as a player long term. Corey Wagner had a super first term and was a terrier until then as well but I think he got a bad corkie (injuries will confirm this).  Angus and Salem both were among our best, yet neither was able to grab control of things and Harmesy could not contain Shiel but he did end up kicking a couple of late goals to also be one of our better players.

 

 

 

[Jaded No More 68,915]

3 minutes ago, Wadda We Sing said:

Gee 9 pages already.....I got nothin.

It looks bad. Maybe it's just simply that, middle of the road year, much like the one good year one bad year 90s.

Middle of the road? I miss middle of the road! 

We are dead set last. Welcome home Demons fans. Welcome home!

[bing181 9,227]

3 minutes ago, Deespicable said:

But FFS, why was he rushed in. He's barely played for two seasons because of concussion issues and we throw him and the team in the deep end after just one VFL practice match.

I think that's the point. They want to play him to get out on the park again and back into form, especially given that he's not really keeping anyone out. Short-term pain for long-term gain?

[picket fence 17,154]

1 hour ago, Deesprate said:

If Melbourne don’t drop Neal Bullen and Frost will be super xxxxed. I don’t care who come in but just cannot watch these two clowns. I thought the wagners weren’t to bad.

Ahem I was at the game and I thought Frost was OK!!

Harsh call , had a dip and did a few good things!

ANB on the other hand was shocking!

[waynewussell 5,742]

6 minutes ago, Deespicable said:

We all sat through some impressive pre-season videos that made us all think we'd arrived and Champion Data backed it up saying our list depth made us flag favourites. Well it's fair to say that won't be happening now.

I have four big requests for next week, not that it matters now as the errors have been made and a mid-table finish is all we can hope for now. The intensity in our game is gone and it's almost like we've morphed back into the nice old Demons. I am aware that this is borderline trolling, but it has to be said by someone.

1) Tom Mac - Yes he has a big heart, but he is injured. He has never been a superstar that the club and media made out pre-season, but he has shown enough as a forward to make us all think he can play a key role. But so far this year he has been carried. he is not fit, he can barely run and his return - two goals in three games is abysmal, What's worse is that Hurley went to our only reliable target in Melksham, that's how little the Dons were worried about T-Mac. If he plays against Sydney, there is no point even turning up.

2) KK - An inquiry should be done into who decided to rush him in two weeks ago and that person should have to write 1000 times "I must apologise to Billy Stretch". KK is loping around the field like Jack Watts. He looks good except he rarely gets it and his decision not to take the game on in the second term made you wonder why he is even on our list. He started wing and when he finally got his first effective kick in the third term it was a ripper - he thumped it 60m across ground and you got a glimpse why he was highly rated at Gold Coast as a defender. So what do we do, we send him forward  to be largely ineffective, although he did kick one long goal. But FFS, why was he rushed in. He's barely played for two seasons because of concussion issues and we throw him and the team in the deep end after just one VFL practice match. He still might be a player, but Goody please make him earn it via the VFL. He is the biggest selection rush since Petty v St Kilda last year. And we know what a mistake that was back then. And if and when he does regain his mojo in the VFL,  let's see him play where he once made it with the Suns - in defence. 

3) O-Mac - You can't have a defender who is the slowest in the league and also possibly the least intense being the cornerstone of your defence. He is an unbelievably accurate kick, but he  lack's strength physically. He is Brent Grgic 2.0. He has played more than 60 games but will never make it to the top tier. He just doesn't have AFL level intensity and he's too slow to be part of our zone. It is now time to stop hoping his skill level will win through and just accepting you got it wrong - Neale Daniher did the same thing with Grgic. Try him as a forward Goody if you have a contract stipulation that you must play him for a certain number of games, but please, don't keep insulting us. 

4) ANB - Yes we all love his workrate but he's just not linking up how we hoped when he was brought into the role by Goody three seasons ago. He needs to go back to the VFL for confidence and I'm sure he will play useful games for us down the track - just not at the moment.  A run on the ball is not such a bad idea, but it needs to be after a few weeks of Lachie Neale type stats in the twos. Nibbler is such a hard worker that I give hime three games tops before he is banging the selection door down again.

Other than those four, everyone else had their moments when they looked the part and moments when they looked like Old Melburnian Amos standard.

Weid - Started the game dropping the simplest of marks on a lead from Salem. But he did take a couple of marks later in the game and even won some clearances in the ruck. His long goal from a tight angle in the third made him look like a superstar again. But that's the problem, he looks like a beauty but so far he's not even averaging a goal a game. 

Jonesy - Started like a million dollars finding the pill on his wing, creating and linking like Ablett in form. But after quarter time you had to check if he played and when thrown on to the ball in the third quarter, he lost a couple of clearances that made you wonder where to now. Goody won't drop him yet, but it's getting close. 

Olly - He looked a class above everyone else in the second term with his run and carry but then he went back to his poxy short handballs and quick kicks and if that's where he's at, our season is over. He will lift next week I'm sure but he just has to realise that he's a gun, he has to act and play like one. Parish outplayed him tonight - my god I can't believe I said that!

Frosty - He had an incredibly good second term when he got on tops of their bigs and became a defensive wall but after that he's lucky that his cohort in defence Oscar made him look respectable. Must have given away three stupid frees at least. But until May returns, he must play, it's as simple as that.  

Trac - Had a chance to be a hero in the first term and couldn't hold the mark and later that term dropped a Jonesyesque sitter. But from then on he did actually contest and whilst there's no doubt he's down on confidence, it is hard to see how you could say he wasn't worthy of a spot based on that game.

I won't keep going on, but I was rapt with Gawny's first half and Hibberd did return to his AA form in the second half after looking disinterested up to half time. Hunt applied pressure and was dangerous up forward but we lost his dash from defence and Lockhart has a go, although he may be too small to really make it as a player long term. Corey Wagner had a super first term and was a terrier until then as well but I think he got a bad corkie (injuries will confirm this).  Angus and Salem both were among our best, yet neither was able to grab control of things and Harmesy could not contain Shiel but he did end up kicking a couple of late goals to also be one of our better players.

 

 

 

Best analysis so far! Congrats mate! This is informative and helpful!

[Moonshadow 17,676]

1 hour ago, loges said:

Seems to me TMac is a big part of the problem, all those forward entries and he just doesn't get near it.

I saw Tmac getting his back worked on extensively over the breaks. Is this why he's so slow atm? I think he needs a rest to get it right. Whatever is wrong, he can barely get to the ball or contest. Doesn't look to be moving well at all.

[Scoop Junior 3,471]

Our defensive problem is two-fold.

One, we play a high press reliant on keeping the ball inside our forward half and forcing any opposition exits to be rushed. Hence we take aggressive defensive positions to chop off the rushed exit. But when you're not dominating the contest/clearances and not applying enough forward pressure, the opposition exit cleanly and then it's game over. Once they're out, our lack of leg speed means we aren't going to catch them and the high press and aggressive defensive positions means the opposition have loose men streaming inside their forward 50. With no pressure on the ball carrier it's just handball-chip kick all the way to an easy mark inside 50.

The joke was this was happening in the first 5 minutes of the game! In the first quarter alone they constantly had loose options inside 50. The worst thing you can do when you play a low-on-confidence side is give them easy goals to get their adrenalin flowing. Guess what - we did just that in conceding 6 goals in the first quarter.

The question is how can your structure be so easily dismantled by an ordinary side in the first quarter of a game? It's mind boggling.

The problem was there for all to see last year. It happened enough times to be worrying. But our contest work and inside 50 pressure was so good that it masked the problem. So far this year we haven't reached anywhere near those levels in our contest work and inside 50 pressure work so the problem of our defensive structure rears its ugly head.

I just find it astonishing that we've seemingly been happy to move into season 2019 without any tinkering to this area both in terms of structure and personnel (other than the recruitment of May). It's just unrealistic to expect to dominate the contest every single week. We needed to find a way of absorbing pressure when the opposition gets on top, when we lose the clearances and contested ball, when we can't retain the ball in our forward half. But we are so easy to transition and score against and not only is it giving the opposition confidence but it's deflating ours as well.

The second problem with our defence is that when we are finally able to get a one-on-one or a legitimate contest, we have a combination of horrible one-on-one defenders and out-of-form defenders.

20 goals against a previously-struggling Essendon is putrid stuff. This after 20 goals last week in wet conditions. We will not go anywhere unless we can limit the scoreboard damage when the game is not on our terms.

[JTR 2,846]

These threads are depressing and I have no desire to read all 9 pages.

2nd quarter aside we were total crap, but I can only hope someone has raised the absolutely disgraceful umpiring, again.

How many 50/50 calls did they get (that we didn't!) that directly resulted in goals?

Livid

[picket fence 17,154]

47 minutes ago, 640MD said:

Perhaps our FD should review the game against WCE last year. They might see what other coaches have seen, we have been worked out.   And over. 

And why have we traded to get a second ruck, who all the watchers said was fantastic and then he cannot get a game in the real stuff.

and why sugar coat our practice form when we really are turds, not much point in sugar coating or polishing [censored]. 

Just too slow and the backs were behind all night. We had enough play just defended very poorly. Who’s up next. Another easy game?

Is it true that Goody hasn't watched last years PF ??

If so then no lessons have been learnt and we will forever be in the "Abyss"

[Demonsone 2,037]

Watch this club implode on itself...history is on our side

[BenJamin on Deesy St 805]

Melksham non-free kick near end of first half the turning point in this game. Absolutely disgusted and utterly confused by the inconsistent application of rules around prohibitive contact in marking contests, and holding the ball / incorrect disposal. It’s almost making the game unwatchable for me - and, of course, being 0-3 and getting home with my kids after midnight because of this city’s crap public transport system doesn’t help matters.

[At the break of Gawn 4,460]

5 minutes ago, Scoop Junior said:

Our defensive problem is two-fold.

One, we play a high press reliant on keeping the ball inside our forward half and forcing any opposition exits to be rushed. Hence we take aggressive defensive positions to chop off the rushed exit. But when you're not dominating the contest/clearances and not applying enough forward pressure, the opposition exit cleanly and then it's game over. Once they're out, our lack of leg speed means we aren't going to catch them and the high press and aggressive defensive positions means the opposition have loose men streaming inside their forward 50. With no pressure on the ball carrier it's just handball-chip kick all the way to an easy mark inside 50.

The joke was this was happening in the first 5 minutes of the game! In the first quarter alone they constantly had loose options inside 50. The worst thing you can do when you play a low-on-confidence side is give them easy goals to get their adrenalin flowing. Guess what - we did just that in conceding 6 goals in the first quarter.

The question is how can your structure be so easily dismantled by an ordinary side in the first quarter of a game? It's mind boggling.

The problem was there for all to see last year. It happened enough times to be worrying. But our contest work and inside 50 pressure was so good that it masked the problem. So far this year we haven't reached anywhere near those levels in our contest work and inside 50 pressure work so the problem of our defensive structure rears its ugly head.

I just find it astonishing that we've seemingly been happy to move into season 2019 without any tinkering to this area both in terms of structure and personnel (other than the recruitment of May). It's just unrealistic to expect to dominate the contest every single week. We needed to find a way of absorbing pressure when the opposition gets on top, when we lose the clearances and contested ball, when we can't retain the ball in our forward half. But we are so easy to transition and score against and not only is it giving the opposition confidence but it's deflating ours as well.

The second problem with our defence is that when we are finally able to get a one-on-one or a legitimate contest, we have a combination of horrible one-on-one defenders and out-of-form defenders.

20 goals against a previously-struggling Essendon is putrid stuff. This after 20 goals last week in wet conditions. We will not go anywhere unless we can limit the scoreboard damage when the game is not on our terms.

This absolutely nails it.

[Jaded No More 68,915]

6 minutes ago, Scoop Junior said:

Our defensive problem is two-fold.

One, we play a high press reliant on keeping the ball inside our forward half and forcing any opposition exits to be rushed. Hence we take aggressive defensive positions to chop off the rushed exit. But when you're not dominating the contest/clearances and not applying enough forward pressure, the opposition exit cleanly and then it's game over. Once they're out, our lack of leg speed means we aren't going to catch them and the high press and aggressive defensive positions means the opposition have loose men streaming inside their forward 50. With no pressure on the ball carrier it's just handball-chip kick all the way to an easy mark inside 50.

The joke was this was happening in the first 5 minutes of the game! In the first quarter alone they constantly had loose options inside 50. The worst thing you can do when you play a low-on-confidence side is give them easy goals to get their adrenalin flowing. Guess what - we did just that in conceding 6 goals in the first quarter.

The question is how can your structure be so easily dismantled by an ordinary side in the first quarter of a game? It's mind boggling.

The problem was there for all to see last year. It happened enough times to be worrying. But our contest work and inside 50 pressure was so good that it masked the problem. So far this year we haven't reached anywhere near those levels in our contest work and inside 50 pressure work so the problem of our defensive structure rears its ugly head.

I just find it astonishing that we've seemingly been happy to move into season 2019 without any tinkering to this area both in terms of structure and personnel (other than the recruitment of May). It's just unrealistic to expect to dominate the contest every single week. We needed to find a way of absorbing pressure when the opposition gets on top, when we lose the clearances and contested ball, when we can't retain the ball in our forward half. But we are so easy to transition and score against and not only is it giving the opposition confidence but it's deflating ours as well.

The second problem with our defence is that when we are finally able to get a one-on-one or a legitimate contest, we have a combination of horrible one-on-one defenders and out-of-form defenders.

20 goals against a previously-struggling Essendon is putrid stuff. This after 20 goals last week in wet conditions. We will not go anywhere unless we can limit the scoreboard damage when the game is not on our terms.

Totally spot on. We think that if we win every clearance we will win the game. This never happens. Teams have figured us out. 

Not only did we do nothing in pre season to rectify our defensive issues, we did nothing to prepare for 6-6-6 and we did not actively chase pace. We have got to be the slowest team in the league. 

Even a dime a dozen speedy half back flanker like Saad would do. 

[Adam The God 30,242]

2 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

No.

When he dropped that mark very early in the third term, which was under no pressure, I yelled so loud I woke my 12 week old daughter up.  The wife told me off, but I told her it was ANB's fault.  I've defended him before, but I just can't do it anymore.  The bloke is simply not good enough and his fumbles, dropped marks and lack of contribution can waste away at Casey for the rest of his career.

Wow, mate. You're human. Everyone has a breaking point. And completely agree.

[Adam The God 30,242]

2 hours ago, PJ_12345 said:

Im so disappointed.

It seems to me that the game has passed us by.

- too many players going for 1 ball (an issue last year)
- not enough spreading (an issue last year)
- mass inside 50s which clearly is a quality vs. quantity issue
- poor forward pressure
- zone defence when the game's 6v6v6 format advantages 1on1
- poor kicks from defence to 40m when clubs are taking advantage of new rules to 60m

The stock is there, but the strategy isnt. Really poor coaching.

We've lost a prelim, 2 JLTs and 3 2019 games... thats 6 in a row. What have we done to change?

Never thought we'd be 3 rounds in and #18.

Not entirely sure I agree with this. We tried something new tonight. We had players short for the kick in as (usually) decoys. We'd then go to Max, Tom or Weid 60 out. Those short players (usually a Hibberd or Wagner) would then either guard space or come up to the next contest to be the front and centre. I actually like the thinking and it showed that at least we have worked on something with that new rule.

[dl4e 5,851]

26 minutes ago, Wadda We Sing said:

Gee 9 pages already.....I got nothin.

It looks bad. Maybe it's just simply that, middle of the road year, much like the one good year one bad year 90s.

Yep. Back to the Daniher years.

[WERRIDEE 5,478]

17 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Ahem I was at the game and I thought Frost was OK!!

Harsh call , had a dip and did a few good things!

ANB on the other hand was shocking!

Frost got out marked by a midget gave away heaps of free kicks and dropped marks SPUD

[DistrACTION Jackson 8,734]

1 hour ago, The Swimming Dee said:

You have KK in your best 22? WOW! His first two games for us have been nothing short of disgraceful 

I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt coming of a long lay off. His second season with GC was one of the best for a second year player.

[Demonsone 2,037]

Watched Goodwin Presser & said get scored against too easily last 3 games....

Wow what about the prelim & all 3 JLT games, we can't or want defend if we don't win the ball!

Remember Roos gotta work both ways!!!!!

[Age 485]

Can anyone tell me about this 666 thing. I thought you got a warning and then the second time a free was to be given. Why did they start twice with no one on the wing. It looked like they were warned the first time but the second time they just let it go? Did they only have 17 on the field?