13 minutes ago, poita said:

My son's under 9s team won yesterday with a goal after the siren. An eight year old was able to kick straight from 20 metres out to win a game for his team.

Yet we have highly paid professional footballers who can't kick goals from 30 metres out straight in front. I don't blame Weideman, as he at least had a go on Saturday.

The efforts (or lack thereof) of Spargo, both McDonalds, Hannan, Garlett, Smith, Wagner, Stretch and Kennedy-Harris were just abysmal. Oliver and Brayshaw are making a habit of going missing when the heat is on.

Goodwin's selection and coaching were again terrible, but ultimately we lost because the players couldn't or wouldn't execute basic skills at important moments.

In fairness to Oliver Pyke put a hard tag on him after half time. He's coming into new territory this year with the tags and something he will just have to be accustomed too. This is where i expect someone like Brayshaw to really grab the game by the throat and display some of that explosive performance we saw the back end of last year.

38 minutes ago, Baghdad Bob said:

I’m an unabashed Weideman fan. Instead of concentrating on the missed shot at goal I’m concentrating on the fact that a 21 key forward was able to take a contested pack mark against strong opposition in the dying moments of a knife edge game. 

Yeh, he missed the shot. I could go back over the years and show you every great player missing from dead in front.

What a shocking moment for the kid and what a great learning experience. Bounce back Sam, you’ve a great opportunity in front of you to become a really good player and I for one are right behind you. 

Weideman actually had a decent game despite his two misses. He is the least of our problems and I was heartened to see his performance early where he was clunking some marks and getting to where the ball was.

2 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Weideman actually had a decent game despite his two misses. He is the least of our problems and I was heartened to see his performance early where he was clunking some marks and getting to where the ball was.

Exactly right,

Said a page back that with our season officially over i would now switch into development mode and just play Weideman for the rest of the year. Just get games into him.

If he plays for the rest of the year that will take him into 2020 with 38 games meaning he will hit that 50 game mark next year. I think next year Weid will go up a level and become a permanent 22 in our side.

3 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Weideman actually had a decent game despite his two misses. He is the least of our problems and I was heartened to see his performance early where he was clunking some marks and getting to where the ball was.

Agree. I like him and Smith together, they work better than he and McDonald. 

9 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Exactly right,

Said a page back that with our season officially over i would now switch into development mode and just play Weideman for the rest of the year. Just get games into him.

If he plays for the rest of the year that will take him into 2020 with 38 games meaning he will hit that 50 game mark next year. I think next year Weid will go up a level and become a permanent 22 in our side.

Thank God they are some level heads around here. I've been stunned by the negative feedback on Weidermans game... He presented well, was our best key forward option all night, kicked a goal, made a contest whenever it when his way and took 4 contested marks along with that. Sure he missed the last shot but aside from that it was good, what the hell do people expect from a 20 odd game key forward? I would have said weiderman playing the way he did was one of the positives to take out of is the game.

14 minutes ago, ArtificialWisdom said:

Thank God they are some level heads around here. I've been stunned by the negative feedback on Weidermans game... He presented well, was our best key forward option all night, kicked a goal, made a contest whenever it when his way and took 4 contested marks along with that. Sure he missed the last shot but aside from that it was good, what the hell do people expect from a 20 odd game key forward? I would have said weiderman playing the way he did was one of the positives to take out of is the game.

There was definitely some real glimpses of his talent that he showed during the finals on display saturday night thatsfor sure.

I also thought that he lookee bigger aroundthe upper body which probably means he's been doing extra weight sessions to combat the bigger gorilla defenders.

3 hours ago, Demon17 said:

Great call LG.  Garlett's easy miss in the game's first minute was deplorable and a scene setter.  Those types of misses should be under the microscope big time. Not   Weid's shot with a wet ball and hardly surprising at that time of night. He will learn.

And while I'm at it, when I see Petracca with an improved technique , then I'll believe the coaching/development team are doing their job. Until then, Trac gets away with murder for a professional sportsman.

Just asking, why would the ball have been wet?

18 minutes ago, ArtificialWisdom said:

Thank God they are some level heads around here. I've been stunned by the negative feedback on Weidermans game... He presented well, was our best key forward option all night, kicked a goal, made a contest whenever it when his way and took 4 contested marks along with that. Sure he missed the last shot but aside from that it was good, what the hell do people expect from a 20 odd game key forward? I would have said weiderman playing the way he did was one of the positives to take out of is the game.

I loved weeds game, he is going to be a huge part of our club for years to come. Disregard the depressing masses here who can't see the forest for the trees. It's misguided to focus on that last kick so much - it was a team effort to let the crows back in and get us to that point. As I said earlier, weeds has had an enormous burden bestowed upon him with Jesse leaving and that kind of pressure for a 21 year old with bugger all games under his belt is incredible. A kind of pressure that few here could even relate to. 

Yes, its a disappointing effort that last kick, but these are the sort of experiences that make a young key forward in the long run. He will be better for the experience and since the season has been over for weeks already, why don't we stop focusing on results that don't matter and start focusing on the improvements and positives in what has become a year for further development.  

On 6/2/2019 at 9:15 AM, Dee Zephyr said:

Lost count as to how many times the commentators blurted out umps were ‘blindsided’ when missing obvious frees.

That’s why I’m proposing there should be six field umpires on the ground at all times to mitigate this ‘blind-siding’ scourge. 

Muppets, there was less errors and better game flow with only two. 

On 6/1/2019 at 10:59 PM, Redleg said:

Besides our own disgraceful kicking for goal, don't forget the bad luck we are continually having.

Can't get a free in front of goal ever.

Multiple injured players unlike the opposition each week.

Lose Salem and Hore just before the game.

With them in it would be fair to say we win.

 

Agree entirely Redleg. it's not quite rolling our way, in fact it hasn't for nearly 60 years! 

Unfortunately on Saturday night there were: 

• 4 players in the side that either aren't yet capable or are no longer capable of AFL level football (Wagner, Spargo, Oscar McDonald and Stretch)  
• 1 players who is highly capable but woefully out of form / injured (Tom McDonald) 
• 1 player who is highly capable but has been played out of position and struggled for form (Brayshaw) 
• 2 players on their last legs (Garlett and Jones, who has necessitated Brayshaw being played out of position) 
• 3 players who battle manfully out of their weight and / or class (Frost, JKH and Tim Smith) 
• 2 players who have been in the top 5 performed for the year withdrawn late (Salem and Hore) 

All of that leaves a lot for a core group to do.

You could assess that as a leadership flunk or a leadership success considering a 2 point loss where you've outplayed the opposition for 4 quarters and let yourself down with your final touch in front of goals. 

I agree with Goodwin, we will improve as players return. They are all practice matches for 2020 now. He must not waste them.  

1 hour ago, SPC said:

Agree. I like him and Smith together, they work better than he and McDonald. 

Mcdonald needs to be played in Hogan's role. Push up the ground and win ball along the wing. 

Play Weeds and Smith forward, alternate Oliver, Baker and Petracca through the forward line, have Hannan there as a permanent fixture. We badly need permanent small forwards though because Garlett is a skid row man's Betts and Spargo doesn't have it. Our forwards bring the ball down but we have minimal pressure there to win it when it hits the ground. We're tackling okay in the forward line but not actually winning the ball and keeping it there. Garlett is an opportunist and Spargo and hopeless. Saturday was an improvement though although Garlett got worse as the game progressed. 

44 minutes ago, McQueen said:

That’s why I’m proposing there should be six field umpires on the ground at all times to mitigate this ‘blind-siding’ scourge. 

Muppets, there was less errors and better game flow with only two. 

And Razor Ray would still overrule the other 5 from 100metres off the ball. 

16 hours ago, Matsuo Basho said:

It would make sense for that happen but judging by the shabby quality of our goalkicking this season, little attention is paid to kicking mechanics and set shot routines by our coaches. Take Petracca as an example. Five seasons in still, ludicrously, has not been taught how to modify his kicking action so that he guides the ball onto his foot from a lower height. Or if he and others are being taught then they're not listening, practicing or following instructions. I suspect it's more of the former, however.

Kicking goals from that short distance is like putting in golf: you need to keep ice-cool and stick to a method. It's not about having a shot, missing and correcting subsequently. That should have been completed at training. There was a given length for the kick and hence, a given amount of leg power to see it through. Accuracy of the ball drop and hyperextension of the foot - all inherent skills and techniques. Follow through by all means so as not the jag the kicking action itself. Smooth, ice-cool, deliberated. Costly miss in terms of the footy season. Careless, actually. 

2019 Another MFC gap year.

Like I've said and many others on this forum for the last month, get the guys that need surgery in now, play the kids, get games into them find out who can play or can't once and for all eg. Stretch, JKH, Oscar, Pruessy, Lockhart, Wagners bros etc.

Season is completely shot now, top up with the bonus draft picks which we didn't plan for with 2-3 good kids with good ball use and plan our pre season now.

Even get the new fitness guru to look over the squad now, be pro active about next season.

Edited June 3, 20195 yr by Win4theAges

1 hour ago, Robot Devil said:

And Razor Ray would still overrule the other 5 from 100metres off the ball. 

They'd find  a way if biind siding each other 

10 minutes ago, binman said:

They'd find  a way if biind siding each other 

Or perhaps they are just blind.

3 hours ago, poita said:

My son's under 9s team won yesterday with a goal after the siren. An eight year old was able to kick straight from 20 metres out to win a game for his team.

Yet we have highly paid professional footballers who can't kick goals from 30 metres out straight in front. I don't blame Weideman, as he at least had a go on Saturday.

The efforts (or lack thereof) of Spargo, both McDonalds, Hannan, Garlett, Smith, Wagner, Stretch and Kennedy-Harris were just abysmal. Oliver and Brayshaw are making a habit of going missing when the heat is on.

Goodwin's selection and coaching were again terrible, but ultimately we lost because the players couldn't or wouldn't execute basic skills at important moments.

You've got no idea mate......

Spargo openly said 2 weeks ago that he wasn't ready to jump back into senior footy & needed more time in the seconds, so he's not to blame. (70% efficiency but I agree needs to find more of the footy)

Tom although he obviously put of form is still wotking his [censored] off & was the third highest with distance covered the other night with 14km. Still provides a presence & takes a good man with him.

Stretch was told 2 minutes before they ran out that he was playing back pocket....a position he's never played to my knowledge Ran 14.1km & had a 100% efficiency. (Also his opponents Galluci & Murphy had 17 possessions combined)

Hannan: underdone obviously & started to find his feet after half time. provides run & carry to the forward line & offers a competitive edge. will only get better but may need a few more weeks. (78% efficiency)

Garlett; Hes there to kick goals & that's what he did although he dropped a lolly. this was a crucial error......(3 goals)

Smith is our best option at the moment whilst Sam W finds his feet again & gains some valuable confidence. I imagine he & JKH will return to Casey this week to do just that, especially with the return of Hore, Salem & potentially Lever. (10 Contested poss @ 67% efficiency)

Wagner is another whipping boy on this site who was easily one of our best last week, although efficiency was only 46%. Good size, mobile & can take a good mark. (73% efficiency)

Oliver; Gone missing? 16 possessions in the 2 quarter at 85%......

 

I'd like to know which efforts you're talking about & which ones where abysmal?

 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

In fairness to Oliver Pyke put a hard tag on him after half time. He's coming into new territory this year with the tags and something he will just have to be accustomed too. This is where i expect someone like Brayshaw to really grab the game by the throat and display some of that explosive performance we saw the back end of last year.

So putting Bryce Gibbs on him is a hard tag is it? 

I finally got a chance to go through the tape again and I've got to say the game was a bit like the Eagles match, in that even with a dodgy defence we finally seem to have the legs and run to drive the ball through the middle - fantastic efforts by our entire midfield brigade and backed by Hunt who linked up spectacularly and Trac who is getting closer to a breakout De Goey type game.

Obviously our key issue is being beaten close to goal so often both forward and back. And in defence it wasn't just O.Mac. Fritz made two howlers back there early before becoming very effective off half back. With Jetta out our only player who seems to be play the last line percentages correctly is Hibberd and even he struggled with an inspired Betts in the final few minutes. Sadly we don't have a Tom Stewart or a Dylan Grimes or a Shannon Hurn to make the strong and smart plays on the last line - maybe that will change a bit this week with May and Lever back on top of Salem and Hore.

The other problem is our lack of ability near the goalsquare up the other end. T.Mac, as has been mentioned, was a huge failure again on Saturday, although his strength last year was using his endurance and running back into the area. He has never had a leap and he doesn't have the pace for a lead (his defenders invariably beat him to it when he does) but he does have great marking judgment. As I've said elsewhere, he could still beat almost any footballer in a marathon, but his pre-season injuries meant he didn't spend time on his acceleration out of the blocks and it continues to hurt him and us. He also missed almost all the 200m pre-season rep sessions. He needs three weeks of just pure speed running and with the season now over - there's no point in not resting him and getting him speed fit. The bye is his chance to finish the season on a good note.

Pleasingly on Saturday we did have an extra tall (Weid) up front which meant the ball did hit the ground quite a bit and Jeffy and Spargo and Trac and Hunt all looked dangerous. Yes I get the Garlett toughness vitriol but it was probably also his best night for crumbing all season - he messed up about four chances though and still kicked three.  

Having Hannan back at least gives us another mid-size quick marking option and whilst it wasn't his night, he gives us more balance and more hope when it gets down there.

So ultimately I think the doom and gloom of others here was misguided. Our midfield was on top almost all night and I'm sure they will be excited by the chance to play against the Pies and their highly rated midfield. It was great to see Baker and JKH providing more outside run (albeit with a few turnovers) and Angus was so much better playing predominantly in the middle.

Our defence should also pick up with four keys back in the side next week, although Goody will have to think long and hard about stopping Stephenson over the back. He also will have to again try and figure out his best balance up front.

3 hours ago, loges said:

Just asking, why would the ball have been wet?

The nervous sweat beading off Weid’s hands.

17 minutes ago, Matsuo Basho said:

The nervous sweat beading off Weid’s hands.

W...ER

2 minutes ago, drysdale demon said:

W...ER

WINNER?

5 minutes ago, drysdale demon said:

W...ER

?

1 hour ago, Matsuo Basho said:

WINNER?

Unfortunately not this time for you

I’ll join those in saying Weids played alright on Saturday night, he missed the winner that he should’ve got but he wasn’t alone in that respect and yet again we’re left thinking about what might’ve been (story of our year). We had some NQRs in the team that really dragged us down at important moments, Oscar was embarrassingly beaten and surely goes for May, JKH was a baffling choice to come in for Salem and again when given a shot proved he is a list clogger, both Wagner’s are depth, and Spargo seems to be the match committee’s love child because for me he’s not showing enough. Add Hannan being underdone to that (although should be better for the run), and Tommy Mac putting in yet another disappointing performance we definitely had our class dragged down. 

What concerns me is that we’ve gone back to the cliche of forgetting how to win. When the heat came on we panicked, no one stood up and said let’s think this though. We also had multiple chances to either ice the game or get back the lead and choked. This pattern is clearly getting the players minds now and I can’t think how we change that. 

I would never have picked that coming into the queens birthday the chances of finals are basically gone.