Now that OUR Grand Final is over, and we lost,

we can look forward to our more usual threads like who the best draft pick will be, What choice numbers will we use,

Who are we going to take,  and make mediocre. 

And How we are later on training the house down, and we will thump the opposition in 2020, what a great bunch of champions.

Build up our hopes and then discard them like old socks.

Peeved                                               yes I am !!

Unfortunately they have lost all of the confidence they built up last year. And are playing like it.

It might be an idea to get Lockhart and Dunkley into this team, replacing Spargo and Garlett, and getting prepped for a big 2020. 

Realise Dunkley was recruited as a “versatile inside midfielder”, but we need to test his versatility. It seems a lot of players scouted these days get noticed in the midfield, and then get a forward-education later on. 

Edited June 10, 20195 yr by Mel Bourne

Spargo was a complete liability, Garlett is not the answer anymore, Lockhart adds more tackling pressure and has better skills.

The skills on display today were reminiscent of circa 2008-2013.

5 hours ago, RedButMostlyBlue said:

...With this year well and truly done (just for laughs, if the Blues and Suns win next week, we'll be dead last), I really hope the club now just narrows its focus to 2020, with nothing escaping the microscope - off season prep, Goody and our dumb football, player's positions, captains, who should and shouldn't be there etc. 

Today's positives: I liked Hannan and Hunt up forward again. Weid looked great, yeah his kicking wasn't great but he looked more confident. Imagine if he gets decent delivery!

May, Lever and Hore will get better out back. Will be pretty sweet with Hibbo and Salem doing their thing.

Can't ask much more from Maxxy either.

Which game were you watching? Really.....Hannan & Hunt?

Hannan 3 touches up to half time & a missed chest mark that my grandson would have taken. Had a stinker, again, & one of the worst on the the day (53% efficiency & 5 turnovers) Hunt I like but didn't like much today.....9 possessions & 53% efficiency.....

Are you serious or am I missing something?  Not many positives that I can see here......

 

1 hour ago, Beetle said:

You’re taking the [censored] aren’t you? What does that statement even mean?

Did you watch the game today? We would have been flogged even further without May back there.

Hore had 20 disposals but 9 turnovers.......played well or don't we look at turnovers anymore?

Had a good year but needs to tidy up his kicking......we are very critical of others for the same!

3 minutes ago, Laughing Goat said:

Hore had 20 disposals but 9 turnovers.......played well or don't we look at turnovers anymore?

Had a good year but needs to tidy up his kicking......we are very critical of others for the same!

What are you talking about? I was talking about May.

1 minute ago, Beetle said:

What are you talking about? I was talking about May.

apologies Beetle.....I'm still seething over the loss ha ha

agree, one of the players that can hold their head up.....May very good today!

 

1 minute ago, Beetle said:

What are you talking about? I was talking about May.

 

5 hours ago, #MFCtoTassie said:

Couldn’t agree more.  I would argue the worst professional sporting club over the last 50 years globally.  Doesn’t deserve the name Melbourne

Yup.   Things really are that bad.

Zero flags since 1964.  A pitiful total of two Grand Finals in that time, and destroyed in both of them.  A miracle this club has any supporters left.

 

2 hours ago, bing181 said:

But of course. He's also currently doing what other the other forwards don't: more contested possessions than Hunt, Garlett and Hannan combined.

The fact that people can't see why Spargo is in the team says a lot about them, not much about Spargo.

Quite often hard work &/or creativity in 1%'rs  goes unnoticed,  because its mostly not-flashy.

Yet flashy types that don't create much,  but just feed on others work,  collect most of the accolades.  We're carrying a 29Yr old one now.

I must've said the word "embarrassing" about 20 times during that much.

You see our players looking round, checking that they are guarding space - in the middle of nowhere between three opposition players.  This happens from a kick-out all the way down the ground.  Chip-kick to unmarked player, chip-kick to unmarked player, all the way - by the centre-line the opposition are lining up for the optimum line of attack, and presto, another goal.  Our players do this because they have been told to do it.

 

They are footballers, following counter-intuitive instructions, and getting sliced wide every time - and we wonder why they have lost confidence?  Treloar explained it, in case anyone didn't realise what's going on.  We are not fast enough, but not told to be on the man anyway.  So by the time we have a shot at goal, after a couple of quarters of this rubbish game plan, we are as lacking confidence to kick straight as our stupidity has made the opposition totally can't-miss confident.

 

Plus Macdonald is plainly not fit.  I can't see that Viney is either.  Jones is finished.  We have gone in every week with the team knowing we are handicapped in terms of personnel as well. 

 

Neeld was our schoolmaster teaching what happens when the coach messes with the players' heads and with their natural competitive instincts.  This is looking like a re-run - all the way to a spot in the middle of nowhere.

Edited June 10, 20195 yr by robbiefrom13
wrong name, spelling typo

If my TV was AI-capable and you asked what it learned recently, it would repeat the single refrain: kick the [censored] thing at the goals. I can't back this up statistically, but I'm pretty sure your odds of kicking a goal are increased by kicking at goals. Maybe us withstanding. This club is mentally damaged. I watch the forwards of Geelong, Richmond, Collingwood, etc. and when the ball enters the 50 they have one clear objective: kick goals. For us, it's like we all have to share it around like some big [censored] Care-bear cuddle-puddle. .

It is clear TMac I’m injured. Toe, Foot, Groin not sure but he has no power, no speed and has lost his ability to kick through the ball.  It’s obvious for all to see.

As such TMac should be put to pasture for the remainder of the season. Get him right for 2020 and let’s get a good look at TSmith, JSmith (when he returns) and all other tall forwards.

8 hours ago, Thehardtackler said:

Personally, a large number of Collingwood players looked fitter, faster and hungrier for the ball. They moved more often with purpose and we did not!

Yes that's exactly How I saw it!!

15 minutes ago, Grand New Flag said:

It is clear TMac I’m injured. Toe, Foot, Groin not sure but he has no power, no speed and has lost his ability to kick through the ball.  It’s obvious for all to see.

As such TMac should be put to pasture for the remainder of the season. Get him right for 2020 and let’s get a good look at TSmith, JSmith (when he returns) and all other tall forwards.

Something foot, was adjusting his boot at every opportunity and took them of before they walked of at the end.

18 minutes ago, Grand New Flag said:

It is clear TMac I’m injured. Toe, Foot, Groin not sure but he has no power, no speed and has lost his ability to kick through the ball.  It’s obvious for all to see.

As such TMac should be put to pasture for the remainder of the season. Get him right for 2020 and let’s get a good look at TSmith, JSmith (when he returns) and all other tall forwards.

Earlier this year there was a video of him on Instagram at a wedding with no shoes on because they hurt his foot.

His foot injury is clearly worse than has been let on.

Based on form alone he should not be in the team.

8 hours ago, Dame Gaga said:

Well, who told them that was ever going to work? I watched it on TV and all I heard all game was a constant booing from the ferals. Even when a Melbourne player took a clean mark and was lining up for a goal the boos and jeers were relentless. They really are some of the most obnoxious supporters. And I heard from friends at the ground they gave Melbourne supporters a hard time during the game and walking out after. You can't even barrack for your own team now without some opposition supporter having a go at you or glaring at you. Really, going to the football is getting less enjoyable now. I know I've said this before, but it feels true. Something is off. 

West coast fans boo more.

1 hour ago, Skuit said:

If my TV was AI-capable and you asked what it learned recently, it would repeat the single refrain: kick the [censored] thing at the goals. I can't back this up statistically, but I'm pretty sure your odds of kicking a goal are increased by kicking at goals. Maybe us withstanding. This club is mentally damaged. I watch the forwards of Geelong, Richmond, Collingwood, etc. and when the ball enters the 50 they have one clear objective: kick goals. For us, it's like we all have to share it around like some big [censored] Care-bear cuddle-puddle. .

Yes Skuit, it looked like several times we were attempting to score a try and it was so frustrating to watch them waltz it the other way for easy goals. 

3-9, oh boy!

Viney is another who is clearly carrying an injury. He too should be put to pasture to get right for 2020.

1 hour ago, Grand New Flag said:

It is clear TMac I’m injured. Toe, Foot, Groin not sure but he has no power, no speed and has lost his ability to kick through the ball.  It’s obvious for all to see.

As such TMac should be put to pasture for the remainder of the season. Get him right for 2020 and let’s get a good look at TSmith, JSmith (when he returns) and all other tall forwards.

It is beyond debate he is carrying something (and it's not the team). You just have look a his kicking. He struggles to make the distance from 40 out. 

The weird thing is goody was directly asked about tmac playing going forward and he was unequivocal that he would remain in the team.

Leaving aside the issue of injury and the logic of resting him to get right it is is hard to mount a case he should remain in the team on form. His timing on marks is completely out of wack. No better example than the free he gave away on the wing for going too early. Should have swallowed that mark.

I was at the game but got home very late after V-Line decided to go 3kmh through Sunbury and Gisborne.

As a supporter, there were very few moments when I was up out of my seat yelling and barracking. It wasn't a very appealing match, and Collingwood have n othing to cheer about. They won off our boot.. Three things dominated Melbourne's loss:

Woeful kicking and handballing, often under no immediate pressure, often to stationary targets not expecting the ball. Case in point - late in the last quarter when the game was over, a free Dees player handballed to a free Jones on the far wing, both players 5-10 metres clear of any opponent, and the handball missed Jones by 5-7 metres. 

Very little movement forward of centre. If we did kick it well, it was to a stationary target, and the Pies backs just floated across to spoil or outmark. I will give some kudos to Weideman who moved well inside F50 after half time. 

Goal kicking. Not just set shots, but 25m out, roving packs and stoppages and constantly missing the target. 

I am not a fan of dropping people very week, but 3 clear outs after the QB clash. I hate to say it but Garlett was soft and didn't enter the fray on an umber of occasions when he should have. Spargo ( I have been a bit of a fan) was shown up as having limited impact in clinch moments around goal, and Wagner whose limitations were on show.

Not sure how the injury situation is, but would love to have Preuss, Jetta and Lockhart come in.

Not our worst game of the year by a long shot, but we are miles off being a decent team.

The good: Gawn's game was excellent, Harmes was very good, Petracca had some good moments, May was solid first game back.

The bad: Our goalkicking remains putrid. Lever and Hore spent half the day crashing into teammates in marking contests. Wagner and Spargo were their usual inept selves. Viney and Jones had zero influence on the game. Hibberd continues to struggle. The early loss of Frost was costly.

The ugly: Oliver 33 possessions for 54 metres gained. What purpose did any of his touches serve? McDonald continued his abysmal form and I really can't see that he is adding any value to the team in his current role. Garlett's inability to put his body on the line - I can't believe an AFL footballer is allow to snatch at the ball whilst avoiding all contact. Tim Smith's inability to play more than two games in a row without getting injured - please delist.

14 hours ago, frankie_d said:

Interview with ?deGoey

" We knew if we could break even on the inside we'd get them on the outside"

As ever... Been the case for a fair while. St Kilda this year and last year, Essendon etc etc

 

This is coaching

This is the recruiting, we have recruited for a contested Paul Roos style of game, control the footy at the contest and keep it.  The issue is we do get first hands on the footy at the contest but don't have the skills to keep it.  The game has also evolved to get the balance between contested and uncontested ball, we don't have the players on our list to compete on the uncontested side.

We are a boring side no exciting players with run and dare.

The biggest issue we have is keeping the ball inside our forward half, the ball just gets transitioned way to fast from our forward 50m arc to our defensive 50m our back 6 have no chance.

Yesterday Hunt and Petracca really get a c- for their games Weiderman a D the other forwards Tmac, Garlett, Spargo, Hannan just offer nothing, Hannan has an excuse the other 3 are just plan woeful. 

Time to inject more youth Chandler, Lockhart to play small forwards, Pruess deep.  Tmac, Spargo and Garlett get back to Casey and earn your way back into the side.

 

1 hour ago, Grand New Flag said:

Viney is another who is clearly carrying an injury. He too should be put to pasture to get right for 2020.

You are kidding injured? will take 4th round pick for him all he can do is tackle cannot run cannot kick and has no football upside people are now starting to see this but we will keep playing him.