I live in the UK so this sometimes does get lost to me but I forgot that this was our rare shot at a prime time slot and we embarrassed ourselves. Back to Fox Footy for us for the rest of the year I'd say.

2 hours ago, Pollyanna said:

Well it's very hard for even @Pollyanna to find any positives from that debacle, although I guess Steven May contained Charlie Dixon.

Our biggest strength is our greatest weakness.  Max's ruck domination is too predictable.  There's a difference between first possession and clearance.  We're flat track bullies - against the weaker midfields we can turn first possession into the clearance but against stronger well-drilled midfields they turn our first possession into their clearance. Contested clearance is the centre-piece of our strategy and it all goes horribly wrong from there.

What to do?  Well it won't happen but ...

I'd ruck Max less and ruck Jackson (or Preuss when Jackson needs week off) more to change up the dynamic.  I'd also ask Max to mix up the set-plays when he rucks much more with some big thumps forward and make sure our forwards are first to the ball.  When he's not rucking I'd vary Max either in defensive 50 or attacking 50 and let him use his marking strengths which is really his biggest winning asset.  I'd also instruct him to handball from the mark to a runner going past at least some of the time, probably most of the time.

I'd move Viney forward, he has been very good this year but along with Oliver he's all first possession and it's too samey with him in the midfield rotation, he'd make a great small forward and he could cameo or provide injury coverage in the middle.  I'd put Brayshaw back in there with Petracca and Oliver and as others have pointed out - use Harmes as a stopper when Neale or Boak get on top - in this case Oliver and Petracca can go forward in his place.

I agree with this

After watching last night the port midfielders either read Max’s taps better than ours did or they positioned themselves slightly behind our midfielders to tackle/dispossess them if we were first to the footy.

Unless we’re playing against a Grundy or Goldstein or another ruckman that would challenge max for all Australian honours I’d try max forward and then let Jackson/tmac/preuss/whoever take the hit outs. At the very least both midfields will have to watch the ball and will have less of an idea which ruckman will win the tap.

maxs dominance in the ruck is an Achilles heal at the moment.

its certainly not why we lost last night but somethings gotta change!!

My one word review of the game - DEE-PLORABLE

Deeplorable decision making

Deeplorable kicking, handballing, disposals in general

Deeplorable tackling

Deeplorable awareness

Deeplorable coaching (before the game in making sure that the players heads are in the right space and during the game as there was no reaction from the coaches box as to what was happening)

A couple of things we are consistently good at is turning the ball over and giving away stupid free kicks.

DEEPLORABLE

2 minutes ago, Nicko said:

I agree with this

After watching last night the port midfielders either read Max’s taps better than ours did or they positioned themselves slightly behind our midfielders to tackle/dispossess them if we were first to the footy.

Unless we’re playing against a Grundy or Goldstein or another ruckman that would challenge max for all Australian honours I’d try max forward and then let Jackson/tmac/preuss/whoever take the hit outs. At the very least both midfields will have to watch the ball and will have less of an idea which ruckman will win the tap.

maxs dominance in the ruck is an Achilles heal at the moment.

its certainly not why we lost last night but somethings gotta change!!

We got first hands on it from max so many times, but proceeded to a) fumble, b) be pre-tackled, or c) rush a dump-disposal and turn it over.  Max needs confident, strong and capable midfielders at his feet.  The midfielders are the issue.  They just dont know how to do more than the one thing (get ball, get rid of ball).  When we come up against poor, slow or weak midfields, we look a million bucks.  It is so rushed that good teams take advantage.  We need smarter midfielders who make time and find valuable exits according to a range of plans, not just get ball dump ball.

4 minutes ago, CHF said:

My one word review of the game - DEE-PLORABLE

Deeplorable decision making

Deeplorable kicking, handballing, disposals in general

Deeplorable tackling

Deeplorable awareness

Deeplorable coaching (before the game in making sure that the players heads are in the right space and during the game as there was no reaction from the coaches box as to what was happening)

A couple of things we are consistently good at is turning the ball over and giving away stupid free kicks.

DEEPLORABLE

Fraudulent....

20 minutes ago, CHF said:

My one word review of the game - DEE-PLORABLE

Deeplorable decision making

Deeplorable kicking, handballing, disposals in general

Deeplorable tackling

Deeplorable awareness

Deeplorable coaching (before the game in making sure that the players heads are in the right space and during the game as there was no reaction from the coaches box as to what was happening)

A couple of things we are consistently good at is turning the ball over and giving away stupid free kicks.

DEEPLORABLE

You left one Dee Deepressing

22 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Fraudulent....

That could be next week.... one week/word at a time

7 minutes ago, Deesprate said:

You left one Dee Deepressing

See above.... one week/word at a time

6 minutes ago, CHF said:

That could be next week.... one week/word at a time

And the week after will be Deesertion

Buck stops with the Coach ... a new fitness coach world class, drafted outside run players Langdon & Tomlinson who cant get a game?? Healthy list vs 2019! What’s he’s excuse??? Understanding hubs has affected all teams, but the team is playing the same as 2019 with poor skill level , turnovers, cant capitalise fwd 50 entries, our kicking skills have been deplorable all season from our so called star mids, excuses , excuses the DNA of the Mfc.. 50 year supporter & the misery continues , my 22 yo son walked out last nite saying wtf did u make me follow a loser team for, all my mates follow clubs that have won flags!

13 minutes ago, Hogan2014 said:

Buck stops with the Coach ... a new fitness coach world class, drafted outside run players Langdon & Tomlinson who cant get a game?? Healthy list vs 2019! What’s he’s excuse??? Understanding hubs has affected all teams, but the team is playing the same as 2019 with poor skill level , turnovers, cant capitalise fwd 50 entries, our kicking skills have been deplorable all season from our so called star mids, excuses , excuses the DNA of the Mfc.. 50 year supporter & the misery continues , my 22 yo son walked out last nite saying wtf did u make me follow a loser team for, all my mates follow clubs that have won flags!

And you had nuthin.... ?

I'm usually over the horrendous performances pretty soon after games finish these days. I should be because they have been so regular over my lifetime. But this one is still sitting with me.

Just thinking back to some of the 'efforts' we put forward is still getting my goat. The lack of intensity to tackle and kill the ball close to Port's goal was insulting.

I keep giving up on this club and just joining in with everyone I talk to about football in just laughing at what the MFC is. Then you occasionally see for a week or two that they can play with intensity and some pride and you think that maybe we have turned a corner and this just might be thee group to deliver something of value to their supporters...and then you get fooled again. 

 

18 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Did you expect us to lose by 10 goals? Did you expect us to kick 1 goal in almost 3 quarters?

Once i saw the first 10 mins yes.

You can't watch a game and see the difference in ball use and execution?

We played like we did against the tigers which was poor. Once i saw that the result wasnt surprising.

How hard is that to understand?

7 hours ago, pinkshark said:

God pharking save me!!!!

We need more than devine intervention right now haha.

Not sure even god can save our ball use and decsion naking under pressure right now.

 

29 minutes ago, Unleash Hell said:

We need more than devine intervention right now haha.

Not sure even god can save our ball use and decsion naking under pressure right now.

 

Yeah you righted my ship Unleash.  I need to not make rash statements when completely furious. I [censored] laughed though at your message when I got 'back' on 1 hour after I left forever.  Funny stuff.

I am a lifer.  There's just nothing else to it. I have no choice.   Bearing all that in mind I whacked on my MFC cap today with pride when I went for a walk this evening.  

1 hour ago, Hogan2014 said:

Buck stops with the Coach ... a new fitness coach world class, drafted outside run players Langdon & Tomlinson who cant get a game?? Healthy list vs 2019! What’s he’s excuse??? Understanding hubs has affected all teams, but the team is playing the same as 2019 with poor skill level , turnovers, cant capitalise fwd 50 entries, our kicking skills have been deplorable all season from our so called star mids, excuses , excuses the DNA of the Mfc.. 50 year supporter & the misery continues , my 22 yo son walked out last nite saying wtf did u make me follow a loser team for, all my mates follow clubs that have won flags!

Haha I messaged my dad this morning saying why the hell did you make me support this ****house [censored] club

I envisioned my kids sending a similar message to me in 30 years time

45 minutes ago, Unleash Hell said:

Once i saw the first 10 mins yes.

You can't watch a game and see the difference in ball use and execution?

We played like we did against the tigers which was poor. Once i saw that the result wasnt surprising.

How hard is that to understand?

If you went into the game expecting that performance I can't help you.

6 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Can't imagine life in the hub is much fun right now...

...no way to get away from the horror show.

They should be in a dungeon. But I feel like the old man in the 'Life of Brian' shackled to the wall. "You lucky, lucky bastard(s), I was only put the right way up yesterday! That's bloody favouritism that is!"

32 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Haha I messaged my dad this morning saying why the hell did you make me support this ****house [censored] club

I envisioned my kids sending a similar message to me in 30 years time

I tell my old man this all the time and he apologises profusely. My wife is pregnant and we've had an agreement for years that our children will support Melbourne, not her Hawthorn. So I'm sure it will be a cyclical event unless we finally win a flag.

44 minutes ago, pinkshark said:

Yeah you righted my ship Unleash.  I need to not make rash statements when completely furious. I [censored] laughed though at your message when I got 'back' on 1 hour after I left forever.  Funny stuff.

I am a lifer.  There's just nothing else to it. I have no choice.   Bearing all that in mind I whacked on my MFC cap today with pride when I went for a walk this evening.  

I do feel your pain...

As did i. had the new jacket on today... f the haters

39 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

If you went into the game expecting that performance I can't help you.

Are you ranting or just deliberately choosing not to read what i said.

I said once i saw the first 10 minutes i knew what type of night we were in for.... Poor ball use, poor decision making and getting beaten at the contest.

once you see the signs of a bad night i don't get as upset as some muppets on here.

I really don't care are about what your expectations are before, after or during the game. Dont get upset with my comments if you don't like them, go be upset elswhere.

When does Josh Mahoney ever get held accountable???what he said after getting free agent Tomlinson... 

“We’re very excited to add Adam to our list as a free agent – he fills a very important need for our team,” General Manager of Football Operations Josh Mahoney told Melbourne Media.

“He’s played a number of different roles for the Giants, but predominantly what we’re looking for is someone who can run up and down the MCG on the wing. 

“Adam is an elite runner and at 194cm, he has the versatility to provide us with a number of options, either forward or back.

“With 140 games experience, including the last four finals series, Adam complements the age and games profile of our list and we think he can have an immediate impact.”

1 hour ago, Dame Gaga said:

They should be in a dungeon. But I feel like the old man in the 'Life of Brian' shackled to the wall. "You lucky, lucky bastard(s), I was only put the right way up yesterday! That's bloody favouritism that is!"

“You saw him spit in my face...”

”oh i dream at night of being spat at in the face...”

1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

“You saw him spit in my face...”

”oh i dream at night of being spat at in the face...”

"Nail 'em up I say! Nail some sense into them!" ?

1 minute ago, Dame Gaga said:

"Nail 'em up I say! Nail some sense into them!" ?

Haha ? 

can see it now

The great Sir Michael Palin