5 hours ago, Cam Schwab's Whiteboard said:

For anyone at the game, was the press still as tight as it has been? Hard to tell on tv, but it looked like the same super-aggressive press, just maybe 20m further towards Richmond's goal.

Yep. The seagulls spent more time in our forwardline than our actual forwards. 

Our press is ridiculous and doesn’t work. Especially on the MCG. 

1 hour ago, Elegt said:

Mate if you accept last night's mediocrity you're part of the problem. 2 tackles I50 for the whole game and continual bombing forward to the opoosition. Bag your fellow supporters all you want but some people prefer to spend their hard earned money and time on more valuable things. They are full time professional footballers playing like amateurs

I don't accept it. But I was still there to support them.

Fact is if we want these marquee games we have to turn up and show we deserve them. Otherwise we can't complain if they get given to other teams.

56 minutes ago, doc roet said:

I wouldn't mind watching Melbourne play the rubbish game the pies or essendon are playing at the moment.

It would be a 110%improvement on our style. 

2016 Essendon players were suspended they had a VFL team. They lost by 70 points, still got 85k to that game.

3 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I don't accept it. But I was still there to support them.

Fact is if we want these marquee games we have to turn up and show we deserve them. Otherwise we can't complain if they get given to other teams.

Fans not rocking up to games sends a strong message to the club that we won't accept mediocrity and heads need to roll

2 hours ago, sisso said:

We’re not seriously paying May $800k are we?

Would not be in the least surprised Therabouts! 

Edited April 25, 20196 yr by picket fence

1 minute ago, Elegt said:

Fans not rocking up to games sends a strong message to the club that we won't accept mediocrity and heads need to roll

It also sends a message to the AFL that we should be relegated to Sunday twilight games.

1 minute ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

It also sends a message to the AFL that we should be relegated to Sunday twilight games.

So be it!

2 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Therabouts! 

He better be the greatest Melbourne fullback ever when he finally gets fit then

1 minute ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

It also sends a message to the AFL that we should be relegated to Sunday twilight games.

That would be a wise decision from the AFL then. Unfortunate for our supporters but if we are not gonna show up and be competitive why should we be rewarded with prime time games

Gee maybe even better than Tassie Johnson!!!

Dont hold ur breath 

Many reckon Shane Mc Grath was pretty special!!

6 hours ago, Cam Schwab's Whiteboard said:

For anyone at the game, was the press still as tight as it has been? Hard to tell on tv, but it looked like the same super-aggressive press, just maybe 20m further towards Richmond's goal.

Nope. Not aggressive at all.

We played a longer zone and occasionally when handball was used by Richmond through the back flank and along the wing, the middle of our zone pressed more aggressively, but still had cover behind them.

It was an interesting tweak, which within 4 days was surprising, but they clearly knew they had to. Particularly, against the pace of the Tigers.

It did get a little more aggressive in the last quarter, but it was still a deep, long zone for the most part.

4 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

I often wonder why some on here still support the club.  They waffle on about putting up with it for X amount of years, like it's some sort of badge of honour.  You almost expect them to be walking in the ANZAC Day parade, wearing old membership pins and beanies from the 70s so people can clap them and thank them for their efforts.

This is quite funny wiseblood you have picked the only thing that would insult me. You would never catch me in a beanie. I hate them with rare intensity. Yes I have been following the Dees since 1960 and the most frustrating thing is we continually do the same thing. We put in a year or two of respectability then wander off into mediocrity for the next decade. Am I wingeing ? Yes 

Edited April 25, 20196 yr by old dee

6 hours ago, rjay said:

Agree re depth 'Nasher', have always believed depth to be over rated.

...but let me add something.

Whilst our important structural players aren't playing well I would also suggest they don't have a solid structure to work too.

I would also suggest we don't have enough important structural players.

If we had an injury free team our spine would still be missing key forwards and we don't have enough class off half back or around the middle...that's not to mention no soldiers creating serious forward pressure.

I think an easy to follow, strong and reliable system makes a team seem like they have more depth. What you want, IMO, is to have any role player come into the system, know the system and be able to implement a basic function within it.

Our system is shot and therefore our 'depth' looks more ordinary.

In some ways, Hawthorn's lauded control system is a tougher system to play than our own, because foot skills are king. However, it appears our easier system requires a greater work rate in bursts, while the control system is more about aerobic power. 

I'd like to see us develop some new systems that either blend control v chaos or provide something entirely different. I was hoping we had the brains between Goodwin and Jennings to come up with something like this. We'll see.

6 hours ago, Hell Bent said:

If anything they pushed higher,  but it may have been because I watched from behind the goals instead of my usual home game seat flank /wing. 

I don't understand why the coaches persist with this. Works well as you saw in the first qtr when we are fresh,  we set up a few goals from half back with run.

Problem is they spend all their petrol tickets and there's nothing left in the tank. The press becomes our downfall because every other team is fitter and their run n chase constantly put our playmaker  under pressure causing turnovers because we are not running to present to the player with the ball.

This is completely wrong. The zone was relaxed markedly in comparison to most other weeks.

 

5 hours ago, Good Lord George said:

Thanks for this post. It's very heartening to think we have Lewis internally saying that they'd been here before at Hawthorn. Even that great Hawthorn side that evolved over the coming years. I had completely forgotten they were 1-5 in 2010. I would have loved that. Their only win was probably against us.

1 hour ago, buck_nekkid said:

We haven’t yet seen what we are capable of.  Imagine if Lever and May had both been on the park, and we were able to structure up in the back half behind the ball with elite pillars?  Imagine if TMac and Weids had a bit of form forward of the ball?  Imagine if we were able to hit a target by hand and foot?

Jesse wanted out.  We made the best of that, and the deficiency we had in defence ‘appeared’ fixed when we secured May, and KK as a freebie to go with him.  We have not yet seen how this will go.  

It looks like it will take us until the Bye to get all the right pieces on the park.  I just hope that as we write off 2019 that we can use it to redefine a style of play that we can manage, and to get some cohesion into our players so that we can become ‘elite’ in 2020.  I also hope we start playing a style that will encourage the AFL to give us premium time slots and not consign us to the rubbish time slots again.

If we're imagining dream scenario's, i'd prefer the 'pick 6 gun running around this year with Lever in defence and FA May joining us for round 1 2020' scenario over yours ?

Edited April 25, 20196 yr by John Demonic

17 hours ago, Leoncelli_36 said:

Wouldn’t you be? Look at what Goodwin has destroyed in two years. He sacked off Watts, who Roos had got the best out of. He sacked off Hogan, who was known as Roos’ pet. He got rid of all our depth in favour of C.Wagner, Lockhart, a few late picks.

lets look at the players that we had contributions from over the 2017/2018 seasons and look who has departed:-

 

hogan

watts

kent

tyson

bugg

pederson

vince

 

look at those names. All made contributions over that period. I said at the start of the year tht I was concerned with the 7 list changes we made in the off season. It’s too many and we have not bought any real talent into the side. No wonder we have gone backwards. Roos and PJ made a massive contribution to restoring a club culture, that seems to have eroded in the space of 5 months. Welcome to ground zero. Again!

You make a point L36 but please get some rationale and sense in your post.

Only Hogan and possibly Watts were in any position to influence our fortunes in any major way when leaving.

To say Bugg Pedo Tyson and Kent are the reason for our fall in form is ridiculous.Also Bernie is allowed to retire!

Clubs have to turn depth players over and look fir youngsters to develop.

we haven't made any real progress yet other than Fritsch  and that is hurting with injuries to About 6 players who normally would be in our best 22.

Also our coaches and players seem to be on different paths at present and I don't know how we solve these problems,

4 hours ago, DeezNuts said:

I think JLO should move to the coaching team, there’s a lot there he can contribute given his modern experience

Yep, agreed there.

I have a Home and Away Membership again this year as I have done every year. I will continue to buy that membership every year to support the Club but I just can’t attend the games until it improves. I will likely hit an opposition fan for the continual barrage of insults that come our way when we are losing.Do all teams have to put up with the continual unpleasantness of opposition fans at matches when you are losing or is it just us. Those insults usually include swear words, rude gestures and aggressive, intimidating behaviour.

When we are winning, it is much less obvious!

16 minutes ago, A F said:

 

 

Thanks for this post. It's very heartening to think we have Lewis internally saying that they'd been here before at Hawthorn. Even that great Hawthorn side that evolved over the coming years. I had completely forgotten they were 1-5 in 2010. I would have loved that. Their only win was probably against us.

It was - in Round 1! 

Classic Melbourne.

3 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

It was - in Round 1! 

Classic Melbourne.

Once you wipe away the tears it is quite funny.

38 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

It was - in Round 1! 

Classic Melbourne.

Yep, thought so. Hawthorn have enjoyed beating up on us for years. Apart from their soft as butter supporters from all the success they've endured and become used to, the reason I hate them the most is the disdain they've shown for us over the years. So many times we've been pummelled.

And my wife is Hawthorn, so there's that too. At least, these days she only watches Melbourne games and always tells me 'Go Dees' before I head out the door to the game. She'll only change sides if Melbourne beats Hawthorn in a Grand Final, she says. Bizarre rule, but at least there's a chance.

You watch us get absolutely murdered next week by Clarkson's control game. Even without their midfield, their slingshot and zippy forwards will be, as usual, our kryptonite. 

19 minutes ago, Thehardtackler said:

I have a Home and Away Membership again this year as I have done every year. I will continue to buy that membership every year to support the Club but I just can’t attend the games until it improves. I will likely hit an opposition fan for the continual barrage of insults that come our way when we are losing.Do all teams have to put up with the continual unpleasantness of opposition fans at matches when you are losing or is it just us. Those insults usually include swear words, rude gestures and aggressive, intimidating behaviour.

When we are winning, it is much less obvious!

Think of your membership as a chartitable donation it reduces the pain substantially.

2 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I have to say the softest performance last night was the Melbourne supporters who didn't turn up. 72k and a predominantly Richmond crowd. There should have been at least 10k more Melbourne supporters there. The crowd has an impact on players and umpires and we let the team down when we don't show up to provide the support.

We want these marquee games we have to turn up to them regardless of our form. Coll/Ess supporters always turn up to Anzac Day regardless where they are on the ladder.

Yes I back that up Dr Gonzo 

someone said that 6,000 Demons fans turned up!!

Didnt look much more That is ONE in EIGHT of our members to a REPLACEMENT HOME GAME!!!!!!!

And those who chose to miss the game think about it next year when it's our turn to host!

We need marquee games vs the big Clubs and fans to support us not just when all is going well.

And please no members complain they can't sit in their regular seats and have to go to General Admission  seats!

There really isn't a bad seat in the house!!

Record Membership yes but RECORD MEMzbERSHIP not attending !!!

Hope 42,000 think about it and wonder why the Skiers down hill joke is shoved down our throat.

We are better than that Dees but PJ didn't say there wouldn't be a road crash or three on the journey!

Get your RACV Dees clothes on and get the guys back in form and winning!

1 hour ago, sisso said:

He better be the greatest Melbourne fullback ever when he finally gets fit then

This trade may go down as one of the worst in our history. Ever wonder why GCS put so little effort into keeping him? A guy who comes to the club well over weight, trains poorly, gets reported then breaks down with a long term injury.  And just to rub salt into the wounds he is paid around $80k. 

30 minutes ago, A F said:

Yep, thought so. Hawthorn have enjoyed beating up on us for years. Apart from their soft as butter supporters from all the success they've endured and become used to, the reason I hate them the most is the disdain they've shown for us over the years. So many times we've been pummelled.

And my wife is Hawthorn, so there's that too. At least, these days she only watches Melbourne games and always tells me 'Go Dees' before I head out the door to the game. She'll only change sides if Melbourne beats Hawthorn in a Grand Final, she says. Bizarre rule, but at least there's a chance.

You watch us get absolutely murdered next week by Clarkson's control game. Even without their midfield, their slingshot and zippy forwards will be, as usual, our kryptonite. 

Scully will be BOG

1 hour ago, Elegt said:

That would be a wise decision from the AFL then. Unfortunate for our supporters but if we are not gonna show up and be competitive why should we be rewarded with prime time games

If you honestly think that we might as well pack it in. This is a ruthless comp, nothing should be given up easily because once it is you never get it back. Just look at us with the MCG.

I get people can't make every game. I get people may prefer to sit at home on a week night even with a day off the next day. But as supporters we need to support the club ESPECIALLY with these marquee games (ANZAC Eve and Queens Birthday). If you only get to two games for the year make it these ones even when we are the away team. There were plenty of vacant seats on the upper deck of the MCC last night where the MFC supporters have been in years past.

Edited April 25, 20196 yr by Dr. Gonzo