POSTGAME: Rd 13 vs Western Bulldogs

[Pates 9,537]

I saw the second half (sadly), firstly I’m going to give credit to Beverage. Right now if there was a coach i would have at the Dees, Bevo would be at the top of the tree. Goodwin was 100% out coached by him today. 

We looked like plodders again, and while you can say the breeze was big and all that for the dogs in the 3rd quarter we had our chances to slow the momentum and kick goals, we even had repeat inside 50s but botched all our chances. 

4th quarter we looked a bit like the old Melbourne, unsure of ourselves and no one was willing to take the ball and say “I’m going to make something happen”. Weid took big grabs but until he starts nailing big time goals he will not be anything more than a handy forward. Fritch has become one of my biggest frustrations at Melbourne, he’s got potential and shows lots of really good traits but like Weid until he starts nailing big goals his talent is going to be wasted. That miss from directly in front (yes the wind took it) was a prime example. When we needed everything to go right the old Melbourne shon through. 

Now we have a huge game to keep in touch with the 8 against St Kilda and we’re firmly entrenched in the group fighting for the 7th and 8th spot. Big loss. 

[Forest Demon 4,681]

No answers to an opposition that runs and spreads...again.

The amount of times they waltzed out of defence with limited pressure was incredibly frustrating.

[Deeoldfart 7,763]

Our small forwards killed us.  Where were the goals?  Where was the pressure from recent weeks?  I'd be resting Pickett and giving Bedford a run.

[george_on_the_outer 6,992]

Scores from turnovers:  59 to 23!!!

[Demon_spurs 1,670]

2 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

. 

Preuss was beaten by Bruce. Can we end the whole "we're good without Max" thing? We're not.

 

Bruce had 5 hit outs and 1 kick, can't see your logic here, Preuss had 31 hit outs

[My name is legion 158]

1 minute ago, Half forward flank said:

I must have missed salems contribution

He was one of our best!

[Return to Glory 7,730]

3 minutes ago, Redleg said:

You wouldn’t if you had a Coach. Beveridge sh-t all over Goody today. 

The school of thought that he's not a great match day coach certainly looked right today

 

[Die Hard Demon 1,152]

IMO there are too many melbourne players that are content with receiving their pay checks. There’s not enough hurt or desire to be a hardened, successful side. We will always be a middle of the road team with this list, with a coach that rides the highs & lows with no killer instinct. 

[drdrake 3,038]

2 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

He is a good hard tagger but is being totally wasted

Was and is are two different things

[Deesprate 1,163]

11 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Not hungry enough 

to beat good sides you have to be ready to fight

We still don’t know if Goodwin can coach against good opposition 

 

not looking good today

 

A half time lead was surrendered very meakly

He can’t 

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,217]

People thinking Goodwin’s coaching cost us really are clutching at straws or have agenda’s. That was a loss based on inadequate defensive run and not taking chances when they present. The same side did both well last week. We missed 4-6 high % goals and they made there’s. We played like an improving mid tier side who struggled with a higher level of pressure. We unsurprisingly were caught short for outside run which a lot of us had already said was a concern. Just need to reset and get the changes right next week otherwise outside run will catch us out once again.

Lost in it all will be Steven May’s game which you will struggle to find a more complete defensive game by an individual.

Edited August 22, 2020 by big_red_fire_engine

[grazman 6,480]

2 minutes ago, Half forward flank said:

I must have missed salems contribution

Obviously.  At least we both agree on Lever!

[Half forward flank 1,022]

1 minute ago, My name is legion said:

He was one of our best!

I will stand corrected but I never see him penetrate the defence.

[von 1,221]

Kind of a relief to know where we stand. That was our test for the season and we didn’t get close. Good sides have made us look fumbly, one paced and predictable consistently this year. Bulldogs had the ball fall into their lap all day which is a little bit football gods and a little bit discipline and adherence to structure, plan etc. I think we could beat the bulldogs given another go but I also think that the result is about right for our season.

[loges 6,094]

This club just can't get it done when it most needs to. Watch us go close against the Saints next week but just fail.

[jnrmac 19,045]

I said last week we had one job - tag Bontempelli.

It's as obvious as the nose on your face. Thanks Simon.

 

[Sir Why You Little 34,579]

1 minute ago, drdrake said:

Was and is are two different things

Disagree. But he is totally useless as a defender 

[KysaiahMessiah 725]

1 minute ago, Deeoldfart said:

Our small forwards killed us.  Where were the goals?  Where was the pressure from recent weeks?  I'd be resting Pickett and giving Bedford a run.

Spargo got handed a goal but Pickett did way more, unfortunately missed two in the first but laid 5 tackles as a forward to Spargos 1..  by no means our worst

[jnrmac 19,045]

1 minute ago, big_red_fire_engine said:

People thinking Goodwin’s coaching cost us really are clutching at straws or have agenda’s. That was a loss based on inadequate defensive run and not taking chances when they present. The same side did both well last week. We missed 4-6 high % goals and they made there’s. We played like an improving mid tier side who struggled with a higher level of pressure. We unsurprisingly were caught short for outside run which a lot of us had already said was a concern. Just need to reset and get the changes right next week otherwise outside run will catch us out once again.

You're the one that said we shouldn't tag Bont.

How's that looking now?

[Demon_spurs 1,670]

I'm not going to slam him, but there is something wrong with Tmac and until he gets it right, needs to be be out of the team. If he gets picked next week I will personally write to Goody and complain

[TeamPlayedFine39 8,175]

10 minutes ago, Jaded said:

When will we stop accepting this “they are a good team we can’t match them” mantra? They were below us on the ladder. They are roughly similar in age and experience. I can accept losing to much better sides but we shouldn’t accept losing to every team that is having a good day out. We should be a lot further ahead than this, two years after making a prelim. 

Saying ‘we couldn’t match them’ is not a compliment, it’s a statement of fact.  We didn’t lift our intensity to their level - therefore we lost.
They played well, we didn’t.  It’s not making excuses, it’s what happened.

[Pickett2Jackson 3,904]

2 minutes ago, Die Hard Demon said:

IMO there are too many melbourne players that are content with receiving their pay checks. 

So the same as every other year for the last 40 years?

[dazzledavey36 48,860]

1 minute ago, jnrmac said:

I said last week we had one job - tag Bontempelli.

It's as obvious as the nose on your face. Thanks Simon.

 

The best tagger in our side is currently spudding it up down back..

Coaching masterclass by Goodwin.

[Demon Dynasty 15,554]

Back to 'type' yet again.  We were a mile off it today and found out as pretenders.

Too many passengers along with a game style that just doesn't cut the mustard when the opp play a short sharp possession game and/or running game off HB.  We have no answer and part of it is the lack of virtually any pressure inside our 50 and STILL unable to cover the opp's outliers at stoppage.

Small, medium forwards and T-Mac all let us down today.  They were all pretty woeful aside from Weid and Fritta in the air.

I know it was windy but it was windy for both clubs.  When the going gets a little tough our skills go missing.  It's the sign of a very flakey team and makes us too easy to beat.  The opp know if they just pressure us hard enough, for long enough, we will eventually crack and become turnover kings for a comfortable win.

Also their defence must know they are in for a field day if they have reasonable skills and some run off HB.

We might still win a few cheapies against poor opposition but we are nowhere near a finals worthy team at this point.

Over to you Simon and brains trust.

[danielE288 596]

Flat as pancake. No desire not smart enough. Same old story and we'll be expected to front up with membership money next season, why.