14 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

You're probably right, Clint.  But if posters here want BOTH out next week, then that is one solution that could work.  Otherwise we're stuck with at last one of them for a few more weeks at least.

It is a dilemma that we are currently (injuries, form) facing and the potential for amelioration of the now chronic faults, errors and misjudgements are stronger with Frost than OMac, and Tom must find some form, as well. The relief from panic assistance rendered by HIbberd and Jetta down back to cover and support '...he who leaks on the field each week, then piddles off as if nothing was his responsibility...' will also be a refreshing addition to our clearance efficiency. Keilty and Petty are two that one could expect to make contributions with other assets, as well, to the Gawn overload. Just a few thoughts ....

11 hours ago, hemingway said:

With Demonland friends you don’t need enemies. 

I’m incredibly disappointed but posts on this site are appalling and reflect the worst aspects of social media. It’s a bloody game for Christ’s sake.

Constructive comment, analysis and criticism is fine but personal attack on players is disgraceful.

Sure express disappointment but save me on the vitriolic personal abuse.  Your worst feelings should be kept to yourself. If you don’t want to support the side drop off and stop filling these pages with hate mail for the sense of common decency. 

Could not agree more.

Remarkably ironic that the sort of personal attacks on this and on other threads come after a round where the club was supporting reach's campaign to stop on line bullying because of the enormous harm it does to young people in our community. You know like Frost and Omac.  There has been any number of rubbish and potentially hurtful comments posted in the last few days on DL (and sure players probably don't read DL). And this is a moderated site. Imagine the bile posted on non moderated social media. Beggars belief.

As for the article i agree with King.  Frost and OMac are not going to be the key defenders in our premiership side. I have said as much myself. Frost will come out of the team when May and Lever are back (and possibly May will replace Frost once back).  Frost may come out earlier for Petty, but i doubt it. Omac will stay in the team, even when Lever is back. Much to the distress of some. If you really feel so strongly about Omac's ongoing selection speak to Goodwin. 

Frosty is average one on one, makes poor decisions (eg when to come off his man) and his disposal is wonky. But to be frank i put Hunt and now Hibberd in that category. I could see Hibberd getting dropped and Frost playing his role if he doesn't get it together. he has been really poor this year.

On Omac as RBG notes above he was in good form for much of last year. Which was important because Lever was no better than average up until the last 2-3 games he played before his injury.  He hasn't had a great start to 2019 but the most obvious thing to note is that he far from alone in that. He is one of the 12 players who had post season surgeries, so that might be a factor but he seems down on confidence (perhaps related the impact of surgeries). Who knows that lack of confidence might be related to the rubbish he cops on social media. Just a thought. 

On Friday Frost and Omac were not the problem. Far from it. Omac was on Clarke for most of the night and nullified him (though to be fair Clarke is a limited footballer). Just as was the case against the cats it was their small and medium forwards that did the damage.  But again this is the symptom not the cause. Any back line would struggle with the opposition able to move the ball so quickly from their defence into our forward line and deliver it under no real or referred pressure to their forwards.

Back to the article, the issue for us is not OMac and Frost.

True premiership kryptonite is a side that continually butchers the ball, turns the ball over again and again (making ridiculously hard for defenders because our team has pushed forward to provide attacking options) and makes poor decision after poor decision. I watched a bit of the GWS, tigers game and to see some of the kicking skills from GWS was to fully understand how far off we are in this department.

And a team that does not gut run to stop easy uncontested possessions (and chains of such possessions), cannot apply full team defense and pressure won't make finals let alone win a premiership. Brayshaw highlighted this lack of all team pressure with his comment that players are not buying in and running back to get extras into our defence. I am shocked that Brayshaw actually said that but more shocked that in round 3 it can actually be the case.

Any team whose 'one wood' is contested ball who can't bring that is shot.

And any team with supposedly one of the best mid field and rucks in the league  (who are playing pretty well) who can't win center clearance and take advantage of a rule change thatshould advantage them is going nowhere. 

Sure Lever and May will help our defence. Well perhaps not sure, as i noted Lever was average in his first 6-7 games with us and keep in mind he is average one on one, so the 666 rule change won't help his cause. And May has hardly set the world on fire, what with poor conditioning and lack of discipline (on May i thought it was instructive that against the cats he was the loose man and not given one of their bigs).

But lets say they both star for us. As i expect they will. All that will do is put a finger in the dyke. We are nowhere near wining a flag if we don't sort out the issues i highlighted above. 

Wow. From a member of the media, that is pretty harsh. I wouldn't entirely disagree.

My response is that I would agree we will never win a flag with Frost and OMAC add defenders BUT they aren't our first option backs. May and Lever are that.

It also goes to show how important Lewy is. I wonder how many of those rush of blood to the head decisions Frost would make if he had Lewis breathing down his neck?

 

16 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

I think Frost stays to play on Franklin, but either way we are in all sorts.

Frost and O. McDonald would both look serviceable if we had May and Lever, but as the main men they are no good.

Leave Frost for Buddy. Has done a reasonable job before but replace OMac with Kielty. At least he can defend and can take a contested mark. He also has a football brain.

On 4/6/2019 at 9:03 AM, JV7 said:

What's the alternative ? Keitly ? Petty ? You've got to be realistic if Petty is a long term prospect as a 3rd you can't throw him to wolves without Lever & May, may do long term damage.

We clearly have the answers but both are out injured

*** TBH I've had it with both of them but our hands are tied while May & Lever are injured

Terrific post JV ... the league is incredibly restrictive in terms of changing personnel too. 

As you said,  replace Oscar & Frost with who?  Other C or D graders?  Not a lot will change by doing that.

We just have to put up with it (or shuffle the deckchairs) but apart from all that,  it's by no means our biggest issue anyway.  Not even close.

Our obvious biggest issue is that we have 13 of our best 15 not playing at their best.  The numbers are through the roof poor ... fix that,  and we will start winning games even with Frost & Oscar in the side.

We won 16 games last year with Oscar playing in all those wins whilst Frost played in at least half of those wins.  I am by no means saying either player is very good but 2/3rds of our list are nowhere near being top-liners.  That's about 30 players.  And that number isn't changing in a hurry

But a number here want their pound of flesh thinking that will somehow solve the overall issue.  May & Lever both playing right now wouldn't add much to our overall output either (right now)  We've got most of best players well down on their best.

We need a big lift in overall performance from our key personnel - right across the board. And it is not about any particular individual either.  Teams win and in order for the team to win,  we need our best players playing well. 

 

Edited April 7, 20196 yr by Macca

7 hours ago, chook fowler said:

Oscar needs some attitude pills  - he never plays with any urgency, passion, aggression, mongrel, physicality etc. Looks like he’s playing suburban footy. Frost looks like he care it’s just that he’s got no F’ing  idea.

I wouldn't mind having Frost start on the HFF.  I would want him to play as a Winger.  But starting in the forwardline.  He could replace TMc's run and marking thru the middle... with TMc sore.

 

I want to see Lockhart and Salem start on the wings,  so they can run forward or back,  as the game flows.   My reason is, they can push back to support the halfbacks...  rather than Salem being fully responsible for his forward.

 

So my back flankers would be  kKolod & Hibberd, minding their men...   I want Hibberd to be freer running with the ball,  coming out of defence.   Salem and Lockhart can give him/them cover,  or bring the ball forward themselves...  whichever is the best option at the time.

 

All this would mean we need another CHB...   IF TMc can't play back, then Petty would need to come in.

Can we do a straight swap for Gold Coast’s defence or employ their defensive coach?

1 hour ago, At the break of Gawn said:

Can we do a straight swap for Gold Coast’s defence or employ their defensive coach?

Key words there are St Kilda, Fremantle and Bulldogs.