Why Melbourne are a Dee-sappointment - and what they should do next

Tomlinson as a lead up half forward makes a lot of sense to me, surely would offer more than Hunt. 

Desperate article

Desperate times

I don't think anyone knows what to do with this team

The pressure acts point is an excellent one.  In the Carlton game, Q1 was elite in terms of pressure acts.  The result was clear.  It has dropped off since = look at the results.

  On 07/07/2020 at 22:41, buck_nekkid said:

The pressure acts point is an excellent one.  In the Carlton game, Q1 was elite in terms of pressure acts.  The result was clear.  It has dropped off since = look at the results.

Yes there was something very familiar about that Q1 against the blues. That manic pressure was a trademark of our 2018 campaign. All this talk of endeavour and effort not the problem is bullocks if you ask me. I could tell within the first 5 mins whether Melbourne will win a game based on that pressure - it was so entertaining and we had such a good brand. But the issue was that it never could be sustained and perhaps why it’s being potentially phased out ? Or no longer our 1 wood? Who knows - but we definitely play better when we have that defensive intensity.
 

Im going through the 12 steps of a Demon supporter.

Today im at  "who cares"  All you get  from this club is talk talk talk for 18 months.. untill there is a pattern of change i just dont care because they will keep letting us down. Im in lockdown for another 6 weeks and watching my Footy teams is worse.. thats how it is.

Edited July 7, 20204 yr by Demon3

This makes me feel better everyone:

Overall, I don’t think the Dees’ position is a dire as some make it out to be. Their 2020 players who were 23 or younger on January 1 this year have 399 career AFLCA votes between them – more than you’ll find on any other AFL list.

Article failed to mention that we have not had a single NAB rising star nomination since 2016. 

It’s an interesting article and provides a more balanced look at things. A lot of the recent supporter frustration and feelings of “guttedness”(!) comes from the fact that we have not recaptured our 2018 form yet, especially after such a disastrous year in 2019 and the promise of the off season.

The Hogan argument is pertinent - yes, he was not playing towards the end of 2018, but he had played for the majority of the campaign (to great effect) as a mobile forward, with stints going through the midfield and wing. This was actually a master stroke, as it gave him more touches of the ball (which we knew helped him, from previous campaigns). It also serves to throw the opposition defensive structures off, which helped us going forward.

There’s no harm in trying Tomlinson as a half forward as he is a good mark, but he will need to step up the defensive side of his game, which has been sorely lacking in recent games.

  On 07/07/2020 at 23:33, Demon3 said:

Article failed to mention that we have not had a single NAB rising star nomination since 2016. 

NAB rising star means very little. 

  On 07/07/2020 at 23:36, A F said:

NAB rising star means very little. 

Really? it meant a lot when Hogan won it and it means a lot to the club when you get a nominee. 

  On 07/07/2020 at 23:33, Demon3 said:

Article failed to mention that we have not had a single NAB rising star nomination since 2016. 

Jordan Gysberts got 2 nominations. It's not really a reliable guide.

  On 07/07/2020 at 23:35, 3183 Dee said:

It’s an interesting article and provides a more balanced look at things. A lot of the recent supporter frustration and feelings of “guttedness”(!) comes from the fact that we have not recaptured our 2018 form yet, especially after such a disastrous year in 2019 and the promise of the off season.

The Hogan argument is pertinent - yes, he was not playing towards the end of 2018, but he had played for the majority of the campaign (to great effect) as a mobile forward, with stints going through the midfield and wing. This was actually a master stroke, as it gave him more touches of the ball (which we knew helped him, from previous campaigns). It also serves to throw the opposition defensive structures off, which helped us going forward.

There’s no harm in trying Tomlinson as a half forward as he is a good mark, but he will need to step up the defensive side of his game, which has been sorely lacking in recent games.

Hogan missing coincided with our winning streak towards the finals.

  On 07/07/2020 at 23:42, Wrecker45 said:

Jordan Gysberts got 2 nominations. It's not really a reliable guide.

Yep i agree with the sentiment, but facts are facts.. 3 seasons without a nomination is a bit stark..  

Edited July 7, 20204 yr by Demon3

  On 07/07/2020 at 23:45, Wrecker45 said:

Hogan missing coincided with our winning streak towards the finals.

I would argue that his 47 goals (before injury) was a key factor in the side’s momentum into finals and that we have been diabolical going forward ever since.

I like the thinking of Tomlinson to CHF.  It’s a good option. He can mark the footy. His mobile. I don’t see him as a player for the “Wing” position that Goodwin etc highlighted him to fit into. He’s a CHF/CHB. That’s where he played all his junior footy.  He can kick the footy 55 metres. That’s where he played his best footy at the Giants.

His endurance is excellent and so that’s why perhaps we saw him as a winger. By midfielders standard, he is dead slow.

Time to rethink where we use Tomlinson. Again he’s a good footballer that we need to get best value out of. 

I’d be happy to go 1-16 as long as our players got coaches votes. 

  On 07/07/2020 at 23:38, Demon3 said:

Really? it meant a lot when Hogan won it and it means a lot to the club when you get a nominee. 

It's an okay list but it's by no means an indicator of stardom or meaning much at all.

Interesting article. 

"Let’s be honest – they aren’t winning the flag or likely even playing finals this year. Why not send Tomlinson forward for a handful of games and see if he can have an impact? There’s little to be lost, much to be gained."

Really a good thought if we are struggling at the moment. I have growing concern that Goodwin and Co get so committed to something they aren't prepared to try a circuit breaker (especially mid game), it might not be part of the long term plan but may just work to break a cycle. This is important when other teams think they have us figured out and have to deal with something they weren't expecting.  

  On 07/07/2020 at 23:30, A F said:

This makes me feel better everyone:

Overall, I don’t think the Dees’ position is a dire as some make it out to be. Their 2020 players who were 23 or younger on January 1 this year have 399 career AFLCA votes between them – more than you’ll find on any other AFL list.

Adam, it reminds me of the old quote that it is never as good as it seems and never as bad as it seems or something like that. 

But I like the Leonard Cohen poem and song that “there is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in”. 

At the moment, there appear quite a few cracks. 

Interesting that everyone says Tomlinson would need to improve his defensive efforts to play forward, I'd argue that by competing and drawing his man to a contest, he is contributing more to our scoring opportunities than any chase or tackle.

It's also somewhat ironic that they suggest Tomlinson play the Tom McDonald role of 2018 while the man himself is stuck playing deep.

We certainly need a focal point up forward, enabling Tom to roam from backward of centre to CHF, and occasionally deep forward.

Daniher is not the man though. I wonder if it's actually Jackson with smalls around him. But a lot of pressure for a kid. In the shorter term, we should be trying Weideman.

Edited July 8, 20204 yr by A F

The lack of a second tall target is suicidal. Weideman, Brown, Jackson, Tomlinson (?) might not be the answer but you've got to give somebody a go, the idea that you're going to kick long onto the head of Fritsch and Hunt is insanity.

  On 08/07/2020 at 00:16, hemingway said:

Adam, it reminds me of the old quote that it is never as good as it seems and never as bad as it seems or something like that. 

But I like the Leonard Cohen poem and song that “there is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in”. 

At the moment, there appear quite a few cracks. 

And I would like to implant my foot in a few cracks

  On 07/07/2020 at 23:46, Demon3 said:

Yep i agree with the sentiment, but facts are facts.. 3 seasons without a nomination is a bit stark..  

Michael Tuck played 50 games in the reserves before getting a senior game. I doubt he would have been eligible for a rising star but he won 7 premierships.

If we played Jordan on the ball he would likely get a rising star nomination but he would need to pass Viney, Oliver or Brayshaw. Harmes would be breathing down his neck too.