What to do with Nathan Jones

[Gator 17,361]

It's quite extraordinary to me that the word ''he's'' has become ''his''.

I see it everywhere.

[drysdale demon 4,836]

12 minutes ago, ProDee said:

It's quite extraordinary to me that the word ''he's'' has become ''his''.

I see it everywhere.

That is what happens when you have bogans supporting the club.

[TRIGON 4,783]

2 hours ago, Lord Travis said:

Have a friend who is a coach at Essendon. Can confirm this is one of the tactics they used. Another was his opponent streaming forward of the contest knowing Jones wouldn't/couldn't go with him. If we won the ball and Jones got it, they weren't as concerned about him being damaging compared to what they'd be able to get out of exploiting the match up. They rotated Heppell, Parish and Smith through the wing playing off Jones to great effect. It's a match up that opposition clubs are exploiting, and they would've done the same last year against Tyson.

We need to stop playing slow inside mids on the wing and play someone with running stamina and/or pace. Players like Fritsch, Stretch, Hunt, Hibberd are the types we should be playing there now. The wing needs to stop being a grave yard for slow inside mids or retiring players being protected.

Not sure what to do with Jones unless we play him inside mid again and start pushing Brayshaw and Oliver to the outside for stints?

☝️Either play him as an inside mid, or don’t play him at all. On the wing he’s a liability and it saddens me to see such a great contributor over the years reduced to this.

[doug williams 49]

Perhaps as an inside mid he'd still have some relevance but essentially he's due for a rest, maybe due to be turned out to pasture.

This can be done with gracet so that he develops a niggling injury, has family issues, needs time away from the game - there are any number of ways to ease him into retirement.   And that is where he is headed.

I agree with the poster who recognised that he wasn't taken away from the co-captaincy role because Viney is an iffy proposition and the captaincy can't be handed over to him as a stand-alone man so it is a dilemma and to resolve it may well require a vice captain to step up. But if it's Tommy Mac then we have another guy under an injury cloud. There must be a solution and I'm sure it will be found.

[SPC 3,549]

17 minutes ago, TRIGON said:

☝️Either play him as an inside mid, or don’t play him at all. On the wing he’s a liability and it saddens me to see such a great contributor over the years reduced to this.

Agree with this.. play him in his best position and if he is not good enough, then VFL. We cannot be emotional, we are shareholders- we demand results, results come from playing the best available in their best position 

[picket fence 17,170]

8 hours ago, ProDee said:

Give him a role that he can focus on.  Free up his mind.  Have him lock down on a key opposition player.  Stop them. 

Harmes is quicker and more dynamic, so is better suited to the outside running role, while still winning contested footy.

Try it.

Yep but hate to say it a Melbourne Great and terrific leader and better bloke but father time draws near and takes no prisoners. I dont mind your logic here Pro Dee! 

[John Demonic 5,797]

Zak Jones had a BOG game last week with 31pos and 7 clearances, Maybe throwing his brother on him for a hard tag could liven things up with a bit of bite and reinvigorate him for this weeks game at least.

Edited April 9, 2019 by John Demonic

[picket fence 17,170]

5 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Fwd flank?  Jones doesn't chase, tackle or do the 1%.  We have enough problems with lack of forward pressure to keep the ball i50 and his lack of defensiveness would make it worse.

In the middle he doesn't run both ways or apply mid-field pressure.

Its a case of where does he do least damage to see out the year...tough choice for coaches.   

I thought it significant that yesterday Ben Guthrie wrote that Jones' position this week could be under review.  He wouldn't make up stuff like that about a much loved player and co-captain.  Maybe Goodwin will get ruthless sooner rather than later and tbh Goodwin has a duty to put the team and the club first.

Nonetheless, can't see Jones' being dropped but expect his defensive game to lift.

Succesful Clubs must make ruthless decisions. What would Clarko do???

[Wiseblood 24,637]

Just now, picket fence said:

Succesful Clubs must make ruthless decisions. What would Clarko do???

Trade him to us.

 

 

 

P.S - Not a knock at all on the Lewis trade mind you....

[beelzebub 23,378]

The honest answer is no-one really knows. The problem, as such with chunk , since that very first game I saw against North , is that he's a see ball get ball type. Nate doesn't play a very complex style. He's a meat and three veg in and under inside mid. Occasionally he finds the sticks which always surprises me as he can hardly ever find a team mate with a properly weighted pass. But he is Melbourne through and through and he's been there when it counted.

Unfortunately...the game is going past him at a great rate of knots .

He's gone from reliable (in a fashion ) to liability.

Funny thing is he's still plays a more accountable game than some, and that's saying something !!

I guess Jones gets to play until someone really pushes him aside. That might be season's end at that might be it.

Season's heading for a bust anyway. 

I honestly have no idea where he should play now. I'm not sure it matters.

Edited April 9, 2019 by beelzebub

[picket fence 17,170]

Just now, Wiseblood said:

Trade him to us.

 

 

 

P.S - Not a knock at all on the Lewis trade mind you....

I actually think Clarko would have offered him Retirement at end of last season and if he wanted to play on... Somewhere else! 

[Engorged Onion 10,215]

Jones knows it's his last season... his a proud bloke and will exit at round 19 -2019 knowing he has given his all.... 

that 'his' is for, you know who....

[Ante_Up 69]

8 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

On the plus side:

• Much loved champion of our club.
• Loyal, a demon forever.
• Sets off-field standards
• Works hard
• Plays tough football

On the negative side:

• Can't or won't run both ways. 
• Does not chase opponent, instead goes ball chasing or 'hands-over' his opp to a team mate who has to leave his man to cover Jones' opp, leaving a free player or sometimes two if he doesn't cover Jones' opp in time. 
• Defensive skills are now limited: stats this year for tackles and 1% are woeful. 
• When attacking into fwd 50 he rarely hits a target.
• Poor reader of the state of game so is limited in effectiveness as an on field general.

I see someone who is aging, who is showing more 'individual' rather than 'team-first' behaviours.   He may be preserving himself (purely speculation) or he may just be physically worn out from almost single handed carrying our club.  

Do the negatives outweigh the positives?  In the past a resounding 'No'.  For the future I fear they do. 

We need senior players and especially captains to set an example for expected on-field behaviours and to engender confidence in their charges that if we get into a hole during a game the captains know how to digs us out of it. 

I can't see Jones overcoming the negatives so I feel it is time to hang up the boots.  When?  End of this year.  It means he ends his wonderful career about 15 games short of 300 and without a flag. Sadly, just like a former #2.  

He will always be an immortal at mfc. 

I imagine Jones will have to be dragged kicking and screaming into retirement but I trust Goodwin to have the hard conversations, like Clarkson has.

2020 will be a write off let’s get him to 300

[dpositive 1,665]

Plenty of great analysis on this thread and some good proposals.

A great (and I struggle for the most appropriate word) servant, performer, player?

He was often our sole contributor during our darkest times, but he has been targeted and suffered so much physical attention it is amazing that he can still stand upright.

He has never been exceptionally skilled and had plenty of limitations and despite his inspirational play could not inspire consistently or effectively.

He however still has plenty to provide and perhaps does not need to do that every week in the team.

How about choosing an opposition player or team where his style and presence will be  most effective. Rest him in Casey to inspire the next generation, or even use him at training to bring match day intensity to other players who are younger and fitter and can recover more quickly.

It ain't that hard, manage him and every other player in the squad to play them only when they are at their peak physically and mentally.

Matching opponents, alternative game styles of opponents and adherence to our game patterns when appropriate should select the side. 

Jones will never leave without honour he already has it. Playing at Casey or even not playing will not affect his status as clubman. He can still be captain presence from the coaches bench.

[dazzledavey36 54,947]

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/melbourne-s-emerging-mids-aren-t-keeping-up-with-the-joneses-20190409-p51ci4.html

[chook fowler 19,459]

1 hour ago, Engorged Onion said:

Jones knows it's his last season... his a proud bloke and will exit at round 19 -2019 knowing he has given his all.... 

that 'his' is for, you know who....

I’m not so confident Jones feels it’s his last season. I think he said he wants to go on as long as possible. It will be a shame to see him pushed but I think it might happen.

[Engorged Onion 10,215]

Just now, chook fowler said:

I’m not so confident Jones feels it’s his last season. I think he said he wants to go on as long as possible. It will be a shame to see him pushed but I think it might happen.

mmm @chook fowler - he seems like a guy who wants to give his all, and is quite reflective of reality... frankly your guess is as good as mine

[chook fowler 19,459]

5 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

mmm @chook fowler - he seems like a guy who wants to give his all, and is quite reflective of reality... frankly your guess is as good as mine

It’s just that I heard him say as much in a recent interview. I hope whatever happens it’s handled well. He will live on as a club great.

[DeeSpencer 25,713]

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/melbourne-s-emerging-mids-aren-t-keeping-up-with-the-joneses-20190409-p51ci4.html

This seems like flawed logic to me. Yes, the 4 inside guys have been bad but just because they've been bad defensively doesn't mean Jones and the outside mids have been any better.

Certainly something needs to change at centre bounces and maybe it's Jones going back in. I'm not against the idea of Corey Wagner and I'm not sure why we've seen less of Petracca in bursts. Even Jay Lockhart should have a go - I would've like to have seen him against the Essendon smaller and quicker mids.

But unless there's a role there with Jones tagging I'm not sure it's anything more than a change up. We might persevere with him on a wing for a while (there's no better options right now) but eventually it has to be either forward or back for him.

[Soidee 1,496]

8 hours ago, Rusty Nails said:

So is that a slow tag vs a soft tag Soi?

It’s the dees!  I say slow and soft!!

[dave 183]

11 hours ago, Wrecker45 said:

Nathan Jones is likely to be in our next team of the century.

He stood by MELBOURNE during the worst years when he could have easily left for more money.

Paul Roos, who is a better judge than I, rated his leadership and rates the winning goal he kicked to seal a final as one of his greatest moments he has seen watching football.

Bernie Vince won our b&f, the following year he was moved to the backline and was never the same.

Benie Vince was more dynamic and had more tricks than Jones. Jones can’t play anywhere to AFL standard other than in the guts much like Dom Tyson.

Oliver is close to the best midfielder in the league but I think he could spend less time in the midfield and more across the ground to provide Jones an opportunity to spend more minutes on the ball.

We need to give him more time in the midfield or send him into retirement.

 

 

Back Pocket for Jonesy, cannot play wing!!!

[Moonshadow 17,676]

Lock down on Kennedy or the like. Loves a task, could be his saviour

[titan_uranus 25,020]

I'd be happy to see us try something new or different with Jones. Whether that's half-back, half-forward, a defensive run-with role, or back in the guts, I don't think we can keep sticking with doing what we've tried doing with him for the first three weeks. He's unfortunately been one of our worst players so far this year.

[Lucifers Hero 39,826]

12 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/melbourne-s-emerging-mids-aren-t-keeping-up-with-the-joneses-20190409-p51ci4.html

Quote: "The blowtorch, if it is to be applied, is better directed towards a bunch of blue-collar mids who have begun to play the game like millionaires.

Harsh and unfair. Since when are 23 yo 3rd in the Brownlow and 23 year old AA 'Blue collar'?  I say hyperbole!

Quote: "But if any Melbourne supporter thinks the co-captain is the cause of the team's poor start to the season they are misguided".

More hyperbole!  Ryan has been reading Demonland.  No-one here is saying Jones is the cause of our poor start.  The comments here are saying he isn't doing enough for the team and as a captain and leader.

Quote: "Talented with the ball in hand and tough inside the contest, opponents have begun to realise that Clayton Oliver, Angus Brayshaw, James Harmes and Jack Viney don't seem to want to work as hard this season as they did at the end of last year to help out a defence that has begun to leak like a colander held under a waterfall".

I can't agree with that.  Sure the midfield is not getting back to help out the defence but those four players have made 28% of our 206 tackles this year!  They can't do the inside work, the tackling and the running back and forth.  Others need to get the blowtorch as well - Jones gets off scott free in that article. 

Edited April 9, 2019 by Lucifer's Hero

[TGR 1,367]

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/melbourne-s-emerging-mids-aren-t-keeping-up-with-the-joneses-20190409-p51ci4.html

Seriously, Angus Brayshaw would be leading our B&F; and Clayton Oliver's nose would be touching his backside.

Brayshaw and Oliver have carried the side in the first 3 games, and couldn't do any more.