1 minute ago, Loose Men Everywhere said:

I agree. It annoys me that Jeff has been very unfairly criticised.

I am amazed the number of times the midfield kicks to Garlett when he has 2, 3 or sometimes the whole opposition backline on him. If he is unable to beat the key backs he gets labelled as ‘soft’.

Why does he get in this situation? – because he is the only one who seems to knows how to lead properly. It clearly is not his role to be the marking option, but he has to do it when he is alone in the 50. Where are the other forwards? Leading to the wrong places or too far up the ground

Absolutely, I would have thought it's an indictment on our key forwards that Garlett leads us for marks inside 50, not the other way around. Anyways, don't want to sidetrack the thread too much.

 

8 minutes ago, Matsuo Basho said:

McCartney just been pushed to the exit lounge. I expect he will be one of the first names gone in September followed by any number of the assistants and possibly some admin as well. Loyalists to Peter Jackson will be feeling the heat. This is Gary Pert's show now.

Jackson had NOTHING to do with the Football Dept...This is entirely someone else mess. 

We need a Hardwick style cleanout. Doubt the real offenders will be pushed though

21 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

The biggest line I have taken out of this is the players feedback around this issue. Changes have been made based on feedback from staff and players.

And the big one to come out of that was McCartney now won't be involved with match day commitments on a full time basis but instead will be at Casey working on development on players and coaches. 

Am I the only who sees this as players not wanting much of McCartney come game day?

Apparently Rawlings is highly respected amongst the playing hence why now he has been given a full time role on match day.

 

clouds are parting...people starting to see clearly now

52 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

I guess I see it differently. We are desperate for outside players and finishers, so I'm not one to bag a player who is actually doing those things for us. Everyone talks up the 'hardness' of Oliver, Viney and Brayshaw, but they are our 3 worst users going inside 50, and Viney is rated as worst in the league, for some reason though 'hardness' is rated higher than skill by the average footy fan. I get that it's something about the game that we all love, but clearly our balance is tipped far too much to one side.

It does require an ability to read the game to be that last 'link in the chain', and for a team with a weakness for ground balls inside 50 his ability to crumb and create scoring opportunities is vital, and I think the message it sends to Bedford, Spargo etc is they need to provide more than just 'hardness'.

Incidentally, Garlett leads our team for average tackles inside 50, so I'm not sure I buy this narrative some supporters have about him being 'soft' and not chasing or working hard enough.

We can't complain about a lack of scoring, forward pressure and marks inside 50 and then drop the player who leads us in every one of those categories.

 

Garlett’s main problem is that he lacks physical strength. A school boy physique amongst the gorillas. Far too easily knocked off the ball and that looks like he’s not trying hard enough. He looks he is trying to me. Opponents check him closely because they know it takes little to move him off the ball but he is slippery if he is given room. Give him an inch of space though and he’s off to the races. A more adept forward line around him will take the heat off him and he would look like a million dollars.

Edited June 19, 20195 yr by america de cali

50 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Was it Rawlings' choice? He's an employee of the club. He may be happy with the change and he may have volunteered, but do we know that? Isn't it possible he would have preferred to stay at Casey but has shifted because as an employee of the club he's doing what his employer requires of him? Whether it was his choice or not, and this goes for all the coaches and support staff, I'd like to think they are all committed team members. If they're not, they should be looking elsewhere.

If it was his choice or not does it really matter? Jade has been at Melbourne since 2012 the start of the  dredged Neeld and Craig  era 2012 to the end of 2013. Paul Roos  2014 to 2016 and Goodwin 2017 and beyond. Jade has seen 4 coaches since 2011 and into his eight season.

Jade Rawlings is a well respected coach and person at the MFC and he is one piece of the puzzle that will help us rise up the ladder.

 

What it highlights is the lack of understanding of how clubs work and outright blind faith placed in articles and what is said in press conferences.

Only days ago the regular hand ringers were slating the club for not having a review, to believe that was nonsense.

They are many of the same who probably believe the FD didn't review the prelim. 

Don't expect overnight turnaround gameplan tweeking will have been happening for a while but won't be set in for a while 

I notice the usual troll is making ridiculous claims again. Won't be long before this thread is derailed 

Not entirely au fait with Melbourne's broader coaching staff. What I can say (for what it's worth) is that I have wandered over to a number of Casey quarter and three quarter huddles and Rawlings comes across as a very good communicator.

Interesting to note that apparently McCartney is now a development coach for the coaches, not the players, did others miss that too, or just me?

"The experienced Brendan McCartney, previously the defensive coach, will now mentor the club's AFL and VFL assistant coaches"

Source

 

Edited June 19, 20195 yr by Lord Nev

12 minutes ago, Pennant St Dee said:

What it highlights is the lack of understanding of how clubs work and outright blind faith placed in articles and what is said in press conferences.

Only days ago the regular hand ringers were slating the club for not having a review, to believe that was nonsense.

They are many of the same who probably believe the FD didn't review the prelim. 

Don't expect overnight turnaround gameplan tweeking will have been happening for a while but won't be set in for a while 

I notice the usual troll is making ridiculous claims again. Won't be long before this thread is derailed 

Well said.

40 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Jackson had NOTHING to do with the Football Dept...This is entirely someone else mess. 

We need a Hardwick style cleanout. Doubt the real offenders will be pushed though

Not a hands on role no but Jackson had earmarked and groomed Mahoney for the CEO position prior to the Pert appointment. We know that this event caused a bit of an earthquake at the club at the time. The shockwaves of something like that can be felt months after the fact, especially as the new big dog on the block looks to assert control. Pee on a few fire hydrants if you will. 

39 minutes ago, america de cali said:

Garlett’s main problem is that he lacks physical strength. A school boy physique amongst the gorillas. Far too easily knocked off the ball and that looks like he’s not trying hard enough. He looks he is trying to me. Opponents check him closely because they know it takes little to move him off the ball but he is slippery if he is given room. Give him an inch of space though and he’s off to the races. A more adept forward line around him will take the heat off him and he would look like a million dollars.

Give me Garlett's strength over Spargo's and Stretch's and Kennedy-Harris's any day of the week.

 

Goodwin has bet on some putrid horses (Lewis wing?) in the past year or 2.  For the life of me, why he preferred Spargo over Garlett in the 2018 flag tilt is beyond me.  Spargo will be in a boy's body until 2021.

Many MFC supporters were comfortable with our 'bold showing' in 2018, because like the club, they thought that this was merely a prequel.  The bulldogs in 2016 showed the footy world that sometimes you just have to go all in and maybe you have only one crack at it.  The hubris really filtered down from the top right through the supporter base for mine.  Even after the Port loss in round 1, many here thought it was an aberration, and only a few on her were clear that it wasn't.

 

We are a slow team, and we have the luxury of our fastest player playing VFL?  Come back Roosy for C-sake and set some straight.  Credit to Roos who has always pushed for Garlett and Frost playing in our first 18.

Edited June 19, 20195 yr by TGR

Writing on the wall for McCartney, clearly

Now has no development with players, just with the assistant coaches

25 minutes ago, Pennant St Dee said:

I notice the usual troll is making ridiculous claims again. Won't be long before this thread is derailed 

Am I the usual troll you're referring to? 

Just now, stevethemanjordan said:

Am I the usual troll you're referring to? 

I'm not sure whether it's better to be called the "usual troll" or the "unusual troll".

Nevertheless, I'm tipping PSD had someone else in mind.

1 hour ago, Lord Nev said:

I guess I see it differently. We are desperate for outside players and finishers, so I'm not one to bag a player who is actually doing those things for us. Everyone talks up the 'hardness' of Oliver, Viney and Brayshaw, but they are our 3 worst users going inside 50, and Viney is rated as worst in the league, for some reason though 'hardness' is rated higher than skill by the average footy fan. I get that it's something about the game that we all love, but clearly our balance is tipped far too much to one side.

It does require an ability to read the game to be that last 'link in the chain', and for a team with a weakness for ground balls inside 50 his ability to crumb and create scoring opportunities is vital, and I think the message it sends to Bedford, Spargo etc is they need to provide more than just 'hardness'.

Incidentally, Garlett leads our team for average tackles inside 50, so I'm not sure I buy this narrative some supporters have about him being 'soft' and not chasing or working hard enough.

We can't complain about a lack of scoring, forward pressure and marks inside 50 and then drop the player who leads us in every one of those categories.

 

The issue i have with jeffy is nor tbat he is not hard enough. It is tbat he is squibbing key, non negotable contests during matches where he is simply must commit to the ball and if necessary take a hit.

There have been 5 or 6 of such (non) contests this year and at least 2 or 3 at critical times. Not only have they cost us shots on goals, they are soul destroying for the team. And for me are deal breakers, even with his goals.

9 minutes ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Am I the usual troll you're referring to? 

At a guess I would say no, unless your MB in disguise

Wondering if this is an okay place to talk about Oscar McDonald...? 

16 minutes ago, Matsuo Basho said:

Not a hands on role no but Jackson had earmarked and groomed Mahoney for the CEO position prior to the Pert appointment. We know that this event caused a bit of an earthquake at the club at the time. The shockwaves of something like that can be felt months after the fact, especially as the new big dog on the block looks to assert control. Pee on a few fire hydrants if you will. 

Such an overkill of a statement mate.

Can you back this bizarre statement up with some form of proof? If Mahoney was so disgruntled about not getting the top gig then i highly doubt he would have stuck around. 

2 minutes ago, stevethemanjordan said:

Wondering if this is an okay place to talk about Oscar McDonald...? 

Careful............. ?

7 minutes ago, binman said:

The issue i have with jeffy is nor tbat he is not hard enough. It is tbat he is squibbing key, non negotable contests during matches where he is simply must commit to the ball and if necessary take a hit.

There have been 5 or 6 of such (non) contests this year and at least 2 or 3 at critical times. Not only have they cost us shots on goals, they are soul destroying for the team. And for me are deal breakers, even with his goals.

Can you cite those '5 or 6 such (non) contests this year'? I don't recall that many to be honest, and I certainly don't recall Garlett being responsible for the 'soul destroying' of the team.

No player is perfect, I've outlined Garlett's strengths and how they directly oppose our weaknesses and that's why I don't think he should be dropped. If any 1 player is responsible for 'soul destroying' moments I would cite Viney's inside 50 delivery as far more impactful in that way. Gawn is dominating hitouts, we are generally winning centre clearances, but Viney is leading the league for being the worst at delivery inside 50. Watching him deliver the ball time after time straight to Hurn in the West Coast game is the definition of 'soul destroying' for mine. So I wouldn't place 'commitment to the ball' on such a high pedestal, comparatively speaking, when as a team that is not where improvement is needed.

 

Edited June 19, 20195 yr by Lord Nev

The changes in the FD demonstrate that the Club is listening to the feed back from members and all critics but more importantly also actively seeking feedback from Players and the entire coaching team. No doubt that there will be further changes at the end of year. Most on here appear to like the biggest change and that is getting Twig back into the senior coaching group, however, I wouldn't be writing McCartney out of the picture, his strength is in player development and that is where his skills should be focused with our younger coaching group to get the best out of our entire playing group.

Great time to ring the changes and I,  like most on this site will be looking forward to a significant improvement in player performance in the second half of 2019.

3 hours ago, stevethemanjordan said:

It's a thing.

As someone said, the eternal optimists will see this as a huge positive. The opposite can be said for the pessimists. 

Something had to give and from what I've heard from a few with connections to the club is that some of those Macca rumours weren't far from the truth. 

Not all is rosy. Prelim to third last. It's a big deal. 

Any structural and personnel changes in the midst of a performance rating period is always a bad sign. Corporations do it when projections are below even the worst forecasts. Deck chairs. I've seen it many times over the years. Expect huge changes at season's end. Interesting that it comes a week after Barlett went down for a gander. This also puts Goodwin on notice more than people imagine. He would have driven recommendations and outlined to the FD what changes needed to be made.

This was in the pipeline since Goodwin was broadcast live on television vs Sydney, pulling the headset off Macca and telling him to stop talking over him.

Edited June 19, 20195 yr by praha

32 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Such an overkill of a statement mate.

Can you back this bizarre statement up with some form of proof? If Mahoney was so disgruntled about not getting the top gig then i highly doubt he would have stuck around. 

Caroline Wilson penned articles about it last August. It was well documented. It’s up to the individual whether you believe her or not. I happen to. Like it or not, Caro knows her stuff and has well placed sources everywhere.

Re Mahoney “not sticking around”, it’s not about that. I’m sure he’s okay to continue on in his role. GM of football jobs aren’t easy to come by at AFL level. However, I doubt he’s enjoying the same close mentor-protege relationship he had going with PJ and will be feeling the heat as much as anyone in the wake of this shake up. 

When the head honcho rattles one bloke’s cage you can bet it has reverberations all the way up the chain of command. As SirWhyYouLittle remarked on page one of this thread - “it’s put up or shut up time.” That goes for Mahoney, too.

Edited June 19, 20195 yr by Matsuo Basho

4 minutes ago, Matsuo Basho said:

Caroline Wilson penned articles about it last August. It was well documented. It’s up to the individual whether you believe her or not. I happen to. Like it or not, Caro knows her stuff and has well placed sources everywhere.

No surprise that you would believe it.

5 minutes ago, praha said:

Any structural and personnel changes in the midst of a performance rating period is always a bad sign. Corporations do it when projections are below even the worst forecasts. Deck chairs. I've seen it many times over the years. Expect huge changes at season's end. Interesting that it comes a week after Barlett went down for a gander. This also puts Goodwin on notice more than people imagine. He would have driven recommendations and outlined to the FD what changes needed to be made.

I think this is what people may have missed in their comments. The changes may be minimal but mid season and announced in the manner they have been the process itself is significant.

Without a change in gameplan however any personel changes are of questionable impact and they should and can only be measured in the tougher games later in the season.