I’ve got the familiar dread that I used to have in the Neeld years before Roos came on board. I’m going, but will if it’s a 60 + game and contest over at half time I’m not staying. It’s  an emotionally helpful habit I picked up in 2013.  This may be the game that really sits the club on its [censored] on the big stage and brings the Hard spotlight our way. We deserve it. 

I’m an interstater these days, so the saints was the first time I’ve seen  them live this year and I could tell half way thru 1st qtr that something was just wrong. No spark, no real emotion, no system, no flair.  

Just like when Neeld came in everyone is blaming the players and not enough heat coming onto Goodwin and the coaches. Seems like there’s questions of fitness, off season application .......and coaches. Reports now of Disharmony between McCartney and some players ( he’s got history here) and I suspect, in Chaplin’s case,  he just doesn’t have the players trust. It’s u12 stuff back there at the moment. Mission leaving at years end after a pre season where he didnt get the group ( not suffering from post season operations) to required fitness and several careless and tragically bad calls on injuries. He  Might have stopped caring even by 5% once he chose to move on..it’s all it takes. so He can’t leave fast enough for mine.  I still think Goodwin is , or was ....and still can be,  a good coach,  but Ive lost confidence in those that surround him right now. 

 Can feel a coaching clean out on its way. Something is needed to reunite the pack. 

1 minute ago, Wells 11 said:

I’ve got the familiar dread that I used to have in the Neeld years before Roos came on board. I’m going, but will if it’s a 60 + game and contest over at half time I’m not staying. It’s  an emotionally helpful habit I picked up in 2013.  This may be the game that really sits the club on its [censored] on the big stage and brings the Hard spotlight our way. We deserve it. 

I’m an interstater these days, so the saints was the first time I’ve seen  them live this year and I could tell half way thru 1st qtr that something was just wrong. No spark, no real emotion, no system, no flair.  

Just like when Neeld came in everyone is blaming the players and not enough heat coming onto Goodwin and the coaches. Seems like there’s questions of fitness, off season application .......and coaches. Reports now of Disharmony between McCartney and some players ( he’s got history here) and I suspect, in Chaplin’s case,  he just doesn’t have the players trust. It’s u12 stuff back there at the moment. Mission leaving at years end after a pre season where he didnt get the group ( not suffering from post season operations) to required fitness and several careless and tragically bad calls on injuries. He  Might have stopped caring even by 5% once he chose to move on..it’s all it takes. so He can’t leave fast enough for mine.  I still think Goodwin is , or was ....and still can be,  a good coach,  but Ive lost confidence in those that surround him right now. 

 Can feel a coaching clean out on its way. Something is needed to reunite the pack. 

Could well quickly turn around like it did last year vs Richmond, but given our fixture and performances it appears extremely unlikely. Hawks and Tigers games last year were bad, but at least it wasn't a theme. This team is been average now for 8 straight weeks if you count the Prelim and practice games. We are 1-7 in that time which I suspect is bested in awfulness only by North and Carlton.

We have gone from being a flag contender to being one of the worst teams in the league, overnight. 

1 minute ago, praha said:

Could well quickly turn around like it did last year vs Richmond, but given our fixture and performances it appears extremely unlikely. Hawks and Tigers games last year were bad, but at least it wasn't a theme. This team is been average now for 8 straight weeks if you count the Prelim and practice games. We are 1-7 in that time which I suspect is bested in awfulness only by North and Carlton.

We have gone from being a flag contender to being one of the worst teams in the league, overnight. 

We are again the laughing stock! Had mates into me all weekend.. 

FB.     Wagner.     Tmac.      Hibberd

HB.     Salem.      Frost.       Hunt

C.        Stretch.     Jones.     Harmes.

HF.      Melk.        Weid.       Fritta

FF.       Trac.        Pruess.    Garlett

Fol.      Gawn.    Oliver.       Brayshaw

Int.      Viney.    C Wagner. Lockhart hibberd

 

15 hours ago, dl4e said:

So last year we were in a prelim final and by round 6 the following year the best I can hope for is effort.

This perfectly sums up my 50 odd years of following this embarrassment of a club.

1 minute ago, GCDee said:

FB.     Wagner.     Tmac.      Hibberd

HB.     Salem.      Frost.       Hunt

C.        Stretch.     Jones.     Harmes.

HF.      Melk.        Weid.       Fritta

FF.       Trac.        Pruess.    Garlett

Fol.      Gawn.    Oliver.       Brayshaw

Int.      Viney.    C Wagner. Lockhart hibberd

 

You have named Hibberd twice.

I'd love to see T.Mac down back but Goodwin suggested he will stay forward.

We must play well and take it up to the Tigers.  A repeat of last year's 8 goal loss will give the AFL the excuse to take this game away from us.  Maybe not next year but they will be watching.

It is a big stage, important game.  It is essential we come out to play and make it a decent game to watch. ?

12 hours ago, The Stigga said:

Actually Peter Garrett doing this above would be more effective than anything else in our forward 50...

At least his movements are unpredictable.

13 minutes ago, WERRIDEE said:

You have named Hibberd twice.

I'd love to see T.Mac down back but Goodwin suggested he will stay forward.

dang it... I do too. I was meant to have Hore in

Seems obvious to me .. but not Goody et al... that we need to restructure the forward line to hold it in there longer... you can’t have Trac, Melksh, Preuss, Weed and TMac as 5 of your 6."... too big too slow too inflexible .. I’d keep Preuss as the big target and also to ruck in the forward half so Max helps out the wall.. make a choice between  Trac and Melksh ... make a choice between TMac and Weed ... then you have 3 smalls for pressure ... Jeffy, Hunt, and Corey or Spargo, Stretch, and Lockhart, or Sparrow, ANB and Chandler ... Jeff Farmer, Aaron Davey and Keeny Emselle.... at least show the supporters the coaches are trying!!

17 hours ago, samcantstandya said:

I can't bring myself 2 go I will vomit when I cough  up the dosh 2 watch us play like crud. I would rather bash my head against a brick wall. To think I was thinking about a membership upgrade 2 my m/ship so get a guaranteed ticket if we had ' ve made the Gf. 

Yep the time of looking forward to a game and the excitement of game day seems a long time ago now. How sweet it was. To think I paid for 2 mships this year.

I said it at the time but Joel Smith being injured hurts us quite a lot.

He's far more dynamic than McDonald and Weideman and is the type of player (along with a genuine crumber) that we need in our forward line.

A positive spin.

We have lost to 4 of the top 7 sides. 

Form this year seems to be very different to last year.

Compare the home & away end of season ladder to now.

Richmond down 10 positions

WCE down 6

Collingwood down 1

Hawthorn down 9

Melbourne  down 12

Sydney down 11

GWS up 1

Geelong up 7

This is most unusual, and we are the worst but we are not alone. I don't know the answer but I am becoming clearer on what the question is.

There are 9 teams on 3 wins, we are only 2 wins and % off being 3rd on the ladder!

How's that for 1/2 full?

Edited April 23, 20196 yr by ManDee

1 hour ago, grey wolf said:

Seems obvious to me .. but not Goody et al... that we need to restructure the forward line to hold it in there longer... you can’t have Trac, Melksh, Preuss, Weed and TMac as 5 of your 6."... too big too slow too inflexible .. I’d keep Preuss as the big target and also to ruck in the forward half so Max helps out the wall.. make a choice between  Trac and Melksh ... make a choice between TMac and Weed ... then you have 3 smalls for pressure ... Jeffy, Hunt, and Corey or Spargo, Stretch, and Lockhart, or Sparrow, ANB and Chandler ... Jeff Farmer, Aaron Davey and Keeny Emselle.... at least show the supporters the coaches are trying!!

That's dead right. I dont know how the coaches can't see this. You need more the 1 guy with pace in yor fwd line these days. You need more like 3 of them. Plus you need pace on the wings, not geriatrics. Maybe when the tigers pacey smalls tear us a new one tomorrow night Goody and co might wake up, but I'm not holding my breath.

20 hours ago, jane02 said:

I am seriously in two minds about dragging myself out on Wednesday night. This is usually my favourite match of the season but there is only so much a supporter can take. I am still flat after Saturday nights loss so I am not sure I can put myself through that again in one week.

Think I will decide on the night.

 

20 hours ago, Lord Travis said:

This is usually my favorite home and away game to attend each year. But I’m probably not going this year. Our poor performance mixed with the rubbish quality of games at present, combined with the trains being offline still makes this a very hard sell to drag myself to.

 

20 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Footy is off my brain for a few weeks, as from today. I'd rather play golf at the moment and enjoy life. The MFC, not the players, have yet again fumbled around in the dark to very poor effect. We even have Pert as the boss. My goodness; poor coaching to match worsening selection options to match catastrophic decisions and outcomes. 

Memo to the AFL. Short turn-around times aren't just difficult for players to cope with. Supporters, too, can struggle to get enthusiastic after a loss. I expect a relatively low turn out partly because insufficient time has passed since Saturday's loss.

(I realise there's not much the AFL can do about it because of ANZAC Eve falling on a Wednesday. I just wanted an excuse to criticise the AFL because it makes me feel better).

1 hour ago, ManDee said:

A positive spin.

We have lost to 4 of the top 7 sides. 

Form this year seems to be very different to last year.

Compare the home & away end of season ladder to now.

Richmond down 10 positions

WCE down 6

Collingwood down 1

Hawthorn down 9

Melbourne  down 12

Sydney down 11

GWS up 1

Geelong up 7

This is most unusual, and we are the worst but we are not alone. I don't know the answer but I am becoming clearer on what the question is.

There are 9 teams on 3 wins, we are only 2 wins and % off being 3rd on the ladder!

How's that for 1/2 full?

1/2 full. High on drugs. Drunk. Insane. Senile. Loopy.

Haven't decided which one yet.

We’ll be thrashed. After 54 years of disappointment, another year of disappointment.

I would push Jones back to cover Jetta's absence in defence. He is not a wingman and now that he has been pushed out of our centre midfield, he will provide more as a small defender IMO. Stretch to come in as Jetta's replacement.

Garlett should come into the side for Spargo.

We need to bring in another true key defender to play on Riewoldt and Lynch. Oscar or Petty need to come in (partnering with Frost) for either J Wagner or Hore. (Probably Hore out based on pace.)

Lewis is past it and we need to inject some more run. Lockhart should come in for him and play a wing role.

Neal-Bullen for Preuss if he is not fit. 

There are other players out of form like Hibberd and Fritsch but I think we have to let them work through it. C Wagner also lucky, but we are thin for options at Casey.

But the biggest change we need to make is to our defence and being less aggressive in pressing the ball carrier. The Tigers are fast and will kill us if we over commit. Up forward the key issue is we need better contests from TMac and Weideman.

 

3 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

I would push Jones back to cover Jetta's absence in defence. He is not a wingman and now that he has been pushed out of our centre midfield, he will provide more as a small defender IMO. Stretch to come in as Jetta's replacement.

Garlett should come into the side for Spargo.

We need to bring in another true key defender to play on Riewoldt and Lynch. Oscar or Petty need to come in (partnering with Frost) for either J Wagner or Hore. (Probably Hore out based on pace.)

Lewis is past it and we need to inject some more run. Lockhart should come in for him and play a wing role.

Neal-Bullen for Preuss if he is not fit. 

There are other players out of form like Hibberd and Fritsch but I think we have to let them work through it. C Wagner also lucky, but we are thin for options at Casey.

But the biggest change we need to make is to our defence and being less aggressive in pressing the ball carrier. The Tigers are fast and will kill us if we over commit. Up forward the key issue is we need better contests from TMac and Weideman.

 

The other issues up forward:

1. The ball rebounds out of our forward fifty too easily due to lack of tackling.

2. All of our forwards go up for the one mark and don’t spread.

3. There is nobody crumbing effectively.

4. The players all seem to be scared to have a shot at kicking a goal! They prefer to pass the responsibility to another player who then gets tackled, the ball spills free and the opposition rebounds to kick a goal.

5. Out tall forwards don’t supply good leads.

completely understand people feeling gutted and not attending.  I would encourage you to still go however as I think Viney and Co have been putting in the effort. Our system is broke and there is (small) chance it may be fixed tomorrow night.  Or we might just get lucky and it be a close game.

I reckon bring in Garlett, Lockhart 

for Spargo and Jetta

T Mac to play defence if Reiwolt plays. Lewis to play half back to cover Jetta

Maybe bring in Keilty for T Mac if not in defence 

 

GO DEES!!

Riewoldt to play, no Cotchin 

Frost on Lynch

T Mac on Riewoldt

can't see Hibbo or Hore taking Jack

12 minutes ago, Deemented Are Go! said:

Riewoldt to play, no Cotchin 

Riewoldt and Lynch vs our backline.

They could easily kick 8 each.

Why does Neville need 10 weeks off for a simple meniscal tear? Should be an arthroscopic removal and 1 -2 weeks of rehab. Must be more to it.

2 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Riewoldt and Lynch vs our backline.

They could easily kick 8 each.

In my view, our backline would be looking a lot better if our forward line functioned properly. There is insufficient pressure in the forward half which allows the opposition to deliver the ball quickly and easily to their forwards. Playing Richmond's forwards is a tough ask, but if our forwards placed more pressure on their defenders, it would make the job of our defence a lot easier.