If you had to choose one player in our current team to take that last kick at goal, I would have chosen Sam. 

4 hours ago, Deespicable said:

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

Well obviously.. because he kept Oliver to 2 handballs in the 3rd quarter and 11 for the 2nd half.

7 hours ago, loges said:

Just asking, why would the ball have been wet?

The ball plays as if wet due to the humidity. My Darwin background.  Viney said at half time the ball was a cake of soap.

Sounds strange but the moisture in the air is incredible.  I was worried at half time Oliver would go off the boil in the second half after his heroic efforts in second 1/4 in these conditions.

8 hours ago, SPC said:

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

TMc shouldn't be playing deep...  unless its following the ball back.   Or just in front of transition, coming from the Midzone.   Tmc has to play high, outside F50.   He should be like a Winger, like last year,  and the year before,  when he went on-ball.

Weide and tSmith are a better balance imv, either with or without Preussy.  

If Preuss plays in this setup,  TMc starts on the Wing...  but only when he's running strongly.  somethings NQR with him atmo.   I reckon foot area ?

Edited June 3, 20195 yr by DV8

8 hours 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 21yo 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 am right behind you. 

Great post. He was in tears after the game. Don't tell me this won't help make him a better player.

2 minutes ago, Demon17 said:

Great post. He was in tears after the game. Don't tell me this won't help make him a better player.

I was thinking at that moment,  after the game,  that this will be Weides making... coming of age.  

This will be his spur,  to drive him forward.

I'm not unhappy,  to this this occur.  As I think the outcome will be all Up.

Edited June 3, 20195 yr by DV8

43 minutes ago, Neil Crompton said:

If you had to choose one player in our current team to take that last kick at goal, I would have chosen Sam. 

You left out the letters L and E mate.

Edited June 3, 20195 yr by John Demonic

17 minutes ago, John Demonic said:

You left out the letters L and E mate.

Salem and (oddly) Lewis would be my choices. Sam wouldn’t, he doesn’t have the clutch ability yet. 

8 minutes ago, Pates said:

Salem and (oddly) Lewis would be my choices. Sam wouldn’t, he doesn’t have the clutch ability yet. 

I did say players from our current team - and I don’t believe Lewis or Salem we’re playing.

11 hours ago, Nasher said:

The TMac thing is just baffling to me. I just don’t understand what’s happened. The “gets the best defender every week” argument doesn’t come close to explaining it. I know Hogan was in the side last year but TMac kicked 50 goals last year; mediocre forwards don’t do that. He would have been attracting pretty handy defenders last year too.

The gap between quality of this year and last is so wide I can only assume it’s due to something invisible to us on the outer, either injury or something psychological. I just hope whatever it is gets resolved before next season and he comes good again.

Considering before this year Tom was one of the fittest players in the team with the best endurance and this year he looks like a 90 year old with arthritis, I have to believe he is not fit. He must be carrying a back injury of some sort because he is struggling to run, bend and jump. He also has no penetration in his kicking which makes me think he has lost some power in his leg due to a lower back injury. 

I am of course guessing this, because honestly if he isn’t injured then we are [censored]. 

9 hours 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 21yo 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 am right behind you. 

Totally agree. He played well and I think he has a lot of potential to make it and be a really good KPF for us. 

The 8 other experienced players who missed before him are just as much to blame for the loss as he is. 

6 minutes ago, Neil Crompton said:

I did say players from our current team - and I don’t believe Lewis or Salem we’re playing.

My bad. Whenever i see the word 'current' i always associate it with current best 22. Fair enough to put it in his hands then. I would probably go Tmac ahead of him.

Edited June 3, 20195 yr by John Demonic

1 hour ago, Demon17 said:

The ball plays as if wet due to the humidity. My Darwin background.  Viney said at half time the ball was a cake of soap.

Sounds strange but the moisture in the air is incredible.  I was worried at half time Oliver would go off the boil in the second half after his heroic efforts in second 1/4 in these conditions.

Strange I was at the game , no moisture before during or after the game. Car was bone dry when we got back to it. In my opinion since we've been here it's been a dry heat not much humidity at all.

On 6/2/2019 at 12:45 PM, ding said:

We know the club is almost rock bottom when posters like @Wiseblood have given up telling everyone to be positive after a loss.

Where has he and @ProDee disappeared to i wonder......

Our season has taken its toll on plenty already and it will only get worse after the Collingwood game.

Guess we have the cricket to follow for a while.

"Go the cheaters"!!!

Why waste my time?

I've found that I've enjoyed the football far more from week to week, regardless of the outcome, since I stepped away from here.  Best decision I've made in a long time.

Cheers.

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

Considering before this year Tom was one of the fittest players in the team with the best endurance and this year he looks like a 90 year old with arthritis, I have to believe he is not fit. He must be carrying a back injury of some sort because he is struggling to run, bend and jump. He also has no penetration in his kicking which makes me think he has lost some power in his leg due to a lower back injury. 

I am of course guessing this, because honestly if he isn’t injured then we are [censored]. 

 

That's been my suspicion as well. He moves & bends for the ball as though he's wearing a back brace, designed & manufactured some time in the 1960's. There's been the odd week where he's seemed a bit freer but he regresses the following week. To my unprofessional eye it looks like a back issue he can't shake off.

Agree with your last line too. We've put a lot of eggs in the Tom McDonald basket

On 6/2/2019 at 3:53 PM, sue said:

True.  I suspect it would be useful to practise with goal posts significantly closer together than normal.  Then when you see wider goals in front of you under the pressure of a match, you will be more confident.  For this to work  it must be marked a failed attempt at training if you miss, so no one can excuse misses as 'well I would have got it on normal posts'.

I agree sue. The same technique works for musicians trying to master difficult passages. Make it more difficult in practice and it becomes easier in performance.

They kicked 3.12 in the last 1/2  had 17 more inside 50s & 11 more marks inside 50, bottom line they all blew it & game should have been over at 3/4 time!

1 hour ago, Demonia said:

I agree sue. The same technique works for musicians trying to master difficult passages. Make it more difficult in practice and it becomes easier in performance.

When they nail it I guess they are on song

20 hours ago, Dee*ceiving said:

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.  

Describes our current position perfectly Deceive! Thanks for your analysis

With a few back in this week we will have a great chance to beat the Pies

Not all Gloom and Doom right?

I actually thought we contested well vs Adelaide and I enjoyed watching the game

somewhat of a rarity this season.

11 hours ago, Go the Biff said:

That's been my suspicion as well. He moves & bends for the ball as though he's wearing a back brace, designed & manufactured some time in the 1960's. There's been the odd week where he's seemed a bit freer but he regresses the following week. To my unprofessional eye it looks like a back issue he can't shake off.

Agree with your last line too. We've put a lot of eggs in the Tom McDonald basket

I hope they rest him this week and with the bye he may shake it off.

22 hours ago, Jaded said:

due to a lower back injury. 

'OP',  is starting to rise again, in footy this year.   I hope TMc doesn't have,  this ailment.?

On 6/3/2019 at 8:13 PM, Wiseblood said:

Why waste my time?

I've found that I've enjoyed the football far more from week to week, regardless of the outcome, since I stepped away from here.  Best decision I've made in a long time.

Cheers.

You have the passion and love the club as many  of us do. You are a wise person Wiseblood  unfortunately there will always be a troll around the traps and hide behind a keyboard. However they are the cowards. 

On 6/3/2019 at 7:51 PM, Go the Biff said:

Agree with your last line too. We've put a lot of eggs in the Tom McDonald basket

...including a tall chicken running around the hen coup to stay out of physical contests with the rooster.

On 6/1/2019 at 11:47 PM, frankie_d said:

I think Max should be our captain

Absolutely!

On 6/2/2019 at 2:31 PM, Baghdad Bob said:

.  I'd love to see how many people who talk about the dangers of social media and bullying posted in the Oscar thread.

 

On 6/2/2019 at 2:55 PM, leave it to deever said:

Sorry BB.......Just dont get this.

@leave it to deever

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2019-06-07/weideman-experiences-the-afls-dark-side

I know you've probably read this and I know the majority won't change their behaviour but the more astute will.  It's time we got serious about the realities of bullying on social media and realised its impact.

I'm not having a crack at you LITD but it really is an issue.  I know because I sponsored players at MFC for about 30 years and I've spoken to them about it.  The sort of justifications you raised in your post are just not valid.

I wish @Demonland would do something about the abuse this site is responsible for but I do understand that it's not easy to moderate. 

6 minutes ago, Baghdad Bob said:

 

@leave it to deever

https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2019-06-07/weideman-experiences-the-afls-dark-side

I know you've probably read this and I know the majority won't change their behaviour but the more astute will.  It's time we got serious about the realities of bullying on social media and realised its impact.

I'm not having a crack at you LITD but it really is an issue.  I know because I sponsored players at MFC for about 30 years and I've spoken to them about it.  The sort of justifications you raised in your post are just not valid.

I wish @Demonland would do something about the abuse this site is responsible for but I do understand that it's not easy to moderate. 

But @Baghdad Bob, abusing players is just an innate function of passionate supporters. That’s how it’s always been. The tough men in the 1970s didn’t seem upset about the unsolicited abuse *they* received around the clock on Twitter.