OUR SEASON

[Bitter but optimistic 21,556]

Just business as usual really.

[Elegt 872]

Well at least Harmes can get his tattoo now

[The heart beats true 16,485]

You guys are so negative. 

Think of all the ‘learnings’ the club can take from the year!

[Ted Lasso 17,123]

Positives. 

The breakout year of Petracca 

the return to form of Steven May 

the inclusion of Ed Langdon

the 3 draftees all look the goods. 

 

Negatives. 

Still have a senior coach with no idea what he's doing. 

22 individuals, not a team 

horrific selections and way too many changes week to week 

little to no sign of improvement in the same areas that have been killing us for years 

Simon Goodwin hasn't been sacked yet. 

 

[Storm Boy 264]

There are positives. We finished 9th coming from 17th. We could've finished anywhere between 4th and 7th. Should've won against Brisbane and maybe against Geelong. We were favourites against Fremantle and Sydney. Big improvement with injuries as compared to last year. Two press releases today on a Sunday was not the way to finish a season. The club will have a busy few days. I miss going to the Football and I will be there for the club next year. Let's hope we have a great 2021. Stay safe to everyone here on Demonland. 

[Caligula's cohort 1,014]

Apart from not making finals, i'm disappointed by how many of our good players have dropped off. Considering we had one of the best fitness coaches in the AFL. Players like Brayshaw, Harmes, Tmac, Jetta and Melksham are meant to be leading the way and helping us into finals as the older wiser heads and they've all been atrocious. How does that happen? 

What I want to see next year is a more skilled team i.e better kicking... in particular Viney, Langdon and AVB. Enough with the constant hollywood handballs... kick the damn ball! and we still haven't learnt to keep a wider spacing around the contested ball stoppages. We are continually getting 3 or 4 players drawn onto the ball only to have the opposition win it seconds later as we give off a handball to a team mate under pressure a metre away causing a turnover. 

Goodwin drives the team. He talks of being ruthless! and yet what happened to us in the last quarter against Essendon? we completely dropped off. "No worries lads, we're 30 odd points up, we got this"....instead of putting them to the sword we come away with a narrow victory. Where is this killer instinct he speaks of? He needs to stop being their mate/father figure as many players refer too and actually dish out some tough love. 

I've put up with this nonsense for 30 years, I expect more and I demand more than just watching this team do the bare minimum to get a win. It's unacceptable.

[Hellish Inferno 992]

Sums up 2020 well I think

 

[Skuit 9,380]

Look closely at our list and games played and compare it to any other team in the league. Seriously. If you do and want to refute that as a reason why we still struggle sometimes then get back to me. You will lose the argument. We are poised for a major dynasty. Enjoy the next few months off peeps. 

Edited September 20, 2020 by Skuit

[Hellish Inferno 992]

3 minutes ago, Skuit said:

Look closely at our list and games played and compare it to any other team in the league. Seriously. If you do and want to refute that as a reason why we still struggle sometimes then get back to me. You will lose the argument. We are poised for a major dynasty. Enjoy the next few months off peeps. 

Nah, no use having a great list with a poor gameplan and system. More years will be wasted with the current football dept.

Need an urgent review - new approach, better coaching systems, accountability and ongoing monitoring.

Couple of list delistings and additions would be handy too - No. 1 being tall and small forward targets that read the play and implement a proper system No. 2 being smart midfielders that also play well to organised team system.

No more chaos ball! (Goodwin's only legacy so far)

[Skuit 9,380]

3 minutes ago, Hellish Inferno said:

Nah, no use having a great list with a poor gameplan and system. More years will be wasted with the current football dept.

Need an urgent review - new approach, better coaching systems, accountability and ongoing monitoring.

Couple of list delistings and additions would be handy too - No. 1 being tall and small forward targets that read the play and implement a proper system No. 2 being smart midfielders that also play well to organised team system.

No more chaos ball! (Goodwin's only legacy so far)

Did you have a look at our list and games played and compare it to other clubs like I suggested or are you just anti-Goodwin like everyone else? 

[bing181 8,226]

2 hours ago, DeeZone said:

we are still 4 - 6 players away from being a really good side.

All you need to know.

We finished about where we should have. Higher would have been a fluke, lower would have been under-performing.

[Hellish Inferno 992]

4 minutes ago, Skuit said:

Did you have a look at our list and games played and compare it to other clubs like I suggested or are you just anti-Goodwin like everyone else? 

Yes I am anti-Goodwin for the reasons outlined above.

And I agree with you we (mostly) have a very talented and young list

But your point is irrelevant as it is talent that will be wasted further if we don't make change IMO. This expectation that things will just work out as they become more experienced is false

Edited September 20, 2020 by Hellish Inferno

[Skuit 9,380]

8 minutes ago, Hellish Inferno said:

Nah, no use having a great list with a poor gameplan and system. More years will be wasted with the current football dept.

Need an urgent review - new approach, better coaching systems, accountability and ongoing monitoring.

Couple of list delistings and additions would be handy too - No. 1 being tall and small forward targets that read the play and implement a proper system No. 2 being smart midfielders that also play well to organised team system.

No more chaos ball! (Goodwin's only legacy so far)

B&f hasn't happened yet. But when it does compare our top six in experience with that of Geelong or Richmond or Port. With the worth of experience heightened this year.

[bing181 8,226]

The lack of a strong KPF target - yes, Tom Mac, looking at you - is the single biggest factor in why we haven't gone further. We haven't been able to replace his 53 goals from 2018.

Next biggie for me is the falling away of Nev Jetta. He was close to AA in 2018. While May, Lever etc have managed to keep the big boys quiet, we don't have a solution to cover opposition small forwards.

Apart from that, improving 8 places, getting a few decent wins against top 8 sides, and never really being annihilated by anyone are all positives to build on. Let's not forget we were close to wooden-spooners last year, and never really looked like it.

[Skuit 9,380]

1 minute ago, bing181 said:

The lack of a strong KPF target - yes, Tom Mac, looking at you - is the single biggest factor in why we haven't gone further. We haven't been able to replace his 53 goals from 2018.

Next biggie for me is the falling away of Nev Jetta. He was close to AA in 2018. While May, Lever etc have managed to keep the big boys quiet, we don't have a solution to cover opposition small forwards.

Apart from that, improving 8 places, getting a few decent wins against top 8 sides, and never really being annihilated by anyone are all positives to build on. Let's not forget we were close to wooden-spooners last year, and never really looked like it.

I agree with you that TMac's poor form is our single biggest issue this year. We built a forward-line around a faulty spine. Add Melksham to that. No fault of anyone but just bad luck. They are both spent. Our form changed when Weid stepped up and regressed again when he slumped. 

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,588]

To me the Bulldogs winning tonight thus ending our season makes little difference.  Had we made finals, we would have just been making up the numbers with the form we were in and the lack of ability to beat the good sides with any regularly.

That said, I don't think we are really that far off any of those teams that finished in positions 6 - 8, being Collingwood, St Kilda or the Bulldogs, so finishing 9th is more or less as good as finishing 6th to me.  About the only thing to be said about making finals is that we could have got a bit more 'finals experience' into a few players.

Until we build the kind of system, confidence and maturity to consistently win enough games to beat all comers, embed ourselves in the top 8 early in the season and lock in a top 4 ladder position, we are setting ourselves up for failure yet again.

I do think we have a solid core of players that could take that next step in years to come though, so it's not all bad.

The good performers and big improvers for the season to me (in rough order of merit) were:

Trac

Clarry

May

Langdon 

Gawn

Viney

Salem

Hibbard

Weid

Fristch 

Lever, Brayshaw

Jackson, Rivers, Kossie, Spargo, Hunt, ANB, AVB

Lockhart, Tomlinson, Brown, Preuss, Smith, Bennell, Harmes, Melksham

Appologies to any of the better performers I've forgotten about.

 

Unfortunately, there was also a bunch of players who had uninspiring seasons and I can't help but think their drop offs from what they are respectively capable of was part of the reason we didn't really take the next step.  Not going to name them, we all know who they are and I'm hopeful that at least a few of them can turn around their fortunes and that of the team with them next season.

Edited September 20, 2020 by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,588]

I also can't help thinking that the whole COVID situation, draw and fixturing didn't help our cause much this season.

When you look at a number of the teams that have finished near the top, Port, Brisbane West Coast, they all had fairly substantial home ground advantages over Victorian sides this season, particularly Brisbane and to some extent West Coast who always seem to get a substantial home ground advantage (particularly from umpire assistance).  West Coast were actually so good at home and so bad away from it, that you wounder if they would actually have made finals had they not been able to play in WA.

Playing a bunch of games off 4 - 5 day breaks in hot and tropical conditions in Alice, followed by Cairns in shocking conditions really didn't help our cause.  Neither did missing the Essendon COVID positive game and the subsequent lack of bye round (actually more like a normal 7 day break that most clubs got but we didn't).

In the end when we only missed finals by one game, I don't think these factors can be discounted as to why we missed finals, but as stated in my previous post, it probably wasn't enough of a difference as to why we weren't a genuine contender either.

Edited September 20, 2020 by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

[Dr.D 1,771]

Doctors diagnosis

The end is now upon us. And whilst I have drawn criticism for being excessively critical of the team and coach I believe now is a good time to reflect on the positives and negatives of the year as well as something to look forward to for 2021.

I will start with the positives:

- Injuries and the recruitment of Burgess. Burgess has done his part for the club. He got us fit and got us through the season unscathed. A big tick.

- Draftees: Rivers, Jackson and Pickett. They have all got valuable senior experience. Jackson will spend another 6 months getting big in the gym and Pickett will hopefully be taught how to slow down and get some composure when the ball is in his hands. Rivers will hopefully continue along his natural trajectory.

- Langdon: We've now found a young player that suits our needs. A great find.

- May: An AA calibre season.  Takes some of the pain away from not having King. Needs to hit 2021 on good shape again.

- Trade period: Even though Mahoney is criticised a lot for some of his decisions he doesn't get the credit he deserves for the things he does right. He is proactive during trade week and he will be proactive again. With many deficiencies and no first round draft pick we need someone who can be proactive during trade week. 

Negatives:

- Game style and structure: Our consistent loss of clearances despite having elite clearance winners and an elite ruck is a worry. Consistently our inside midfielders not understanding the concept of space at a stoppage and getting beaten easily and often without being able to stop the flow.

-  Accountability: This is across the board. Oscar McDonald starting a game against Brisbane not even on his opponent highlighted our lack of defensive mindset.  This was confirmed with our stoppage structure at vital stages of matches like against GWS with 15 seconds to go and no-one manning Josh Kelly.  We need to lift in this area and putting Harmes in as a tagger helps with setting the defensive tone of the entire midfield.

-Lack of Speed. Our lack of speed compounds the issue of defensive accountability. Even if the desire is there we have too many one paced players. Significant speed needs to be brought into the club. Probably over 2 national drafts.

Next year we will be playing on the mcg. A much bigger ground. We will be exposed even more if we don't make this a heavy focus.

- Goodwin: He continues to frustrate fans. He seems slow to react on game day as well as being slow to make correct selections. He ultimately hasn't been able to address our lack of defensive accountability since 2018. We are still far too easy to score against.

- Tom Mcdonald: His decline has coincided with our decline and put a lot of pressure on Weideman to be the man.

- Players who have gone backwards: Brayshaw, Harmes, Melksham, Fritsch and Hunt. We need to see improvement from at least 3 of these guys next season.

[58er 5,670]

3 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Comparing to the 2019 debacle is clutching at straws.

And a depressing assessment of our season to use wins over bottom of the ladder teams to find positives and suggesting games we lost were positives because we nearly won them.  A more balanced view would acknowledge we nearly lost to Carlton, Giants and Saints. 

Its great that 2 or 3 players have improved and that we have a handful of excellent players but hardly a ringing endorsement of our list or performance.

A few positives yes, but the season was a Fail.  Simples.

My half glass Milk (empty) has suddenly gone sour!!! 
What about our % ! Gone  from 78 to Nearly 108 !!!
suddenly the Milk has turned back again!!!

 

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,588]

Most consistently good player of the season would have to go to Ed Langdon in my book.  I think I can recall him playing maybe one mediocre game all season, but I couldn't tell you which one it was.

Really liked what he bought to the team.  Absolutely genius move recruiting him and I hope he enjoys the wide open spaces of the MCG next season.

[Skuit 9,380]

6 minutes ago, Dr.D said:

Doctors diagnosis

The end is now upon us. And whilst I have drawn criticism for being excessively critical of the team and coach I believe now is a good time to reflect on the positives and negatives of the year as well as something to look forward to for 2021.

I will start with the positives:

- Injuries and the recruitment of Burgess. Burgess has done his part for the club. He got us fit and got us through the season unscathed. A big tick.

- Draftees: Rivers, Jackson and Pickett. They have all got valuable senior experience. Jackson will spend another 6 months getting big in the gym and Pickett will hopefully be taught how to slow down and get some composure when the ball is in his hands. Rivers will hopefully continue along his natural trajectory.

- Langdon: We've now found a young player that suits our needs. A great find.

- May: An AA calibre season.  Takes some of the pain away from not having King. Needs to hit 2021 on good shape again.

- Trade period: Even though Mahoney is criticised a lot for some of his decisions he doesn't get the credit he deserves for the things he does right. He is proactive during trade week and he will be proactive again. With many deficiencies and no first round draft pick we need someone who can be proactive during trade week. 

Negatives:

- Game style and structure: Our consistent loss of clearances despite having elite clearance winners and an elite ruck is a worry. Consistently our inside midfielders not understanding the concept of space at a stoppage and getting beaten easily and often without being able to stop the flow.

-  Accountability: This is across the board. Oscar McDonald starting a game against Brisbane not even on his opponent highlighted our lack of defensive mindset.  This was confirmed with our stoppage structure at vital stages of matches like against GWS with 15 seconds to go and no-one manning Josh Kelly.  We need to lift in this area and putting Harmes in as a tagger helps with setting the defensive tone of the entire midfield.

-Lack of Speed. Our lack of speed compounds the issue of defensive accountability. Even if the desire is there we have too many one paced players. Significant speed needs to be brought into the club. Probably over 2 national drafts.

Next year we will be playing on the mcg. A much bigger ground. We will be exposed even more if we don't make this a heavy focus.

- Goodwin: He continues to frustrate fans. He seems slow to react on game day as well as being slow to make correct selections. He ultimately hasn't been able to address our lack of defensive accountability since 2018. We are still far too easy to score against.

- Tom Mcdonald: His decline has coincided with our decline and put a lot of pressure on Weideman to be the man.

- Players who have gone backwards: Brayshaw, Harmes, Melksham, Fritsch and Hunt. We need to see improvement from at least 3 of these guys next season.

Wow. I agree with the Doctor. Not sure where to go from here. 

[nosoupforme 3,085]

We will improve again in 2021 an l don't write off 2020 for the adversities that most of the clubs went through except for the  Power,

Lions,  and Eagles. Talk about advantages. We beat some good sides and lost to the  mediocre one's. We couldn't keep with the very good sides because personally we weren't good enough.

Petty will be a welcome addition to playing next year ,I rate him. and Marty Hore  as well.

.Marty or Petty would have been a better proposition than playing Joel Smith unfortunately  both were injured.

         
 We must get rid of the deadbeats  empty the cupboard and chuck them in the trash. Let's hope they chase a Key forward  if not   draft a couple of young ones and hope that one at least comes good. 

The other alternative is to get back  Jesse  Hogan  he will compliment our forward structure regardless.

I hope the FD have something cooking in the coming Trade period anything that can help. 

 

Edited September 20, 2020 by nosoupforme

[Uncle Fester 2,840]

We blew it. Sure it was a screwball season, but we blew it. Oh well we’d have got smashed next week anyway 

[Skuit 9,380]

Had a demonstrably [censored] draw compared to other teams around our mark. 

Complained about the usual stuff but also addressed some things. 

Remember when we all hated five defenders going up for the spoil together? 

And when we just endlessly bombed it long into our forward line? 

Don't think I've heard one complaint about either of those issues yesterday. 

Simon never tries anything. Well actually he does and you complain about that too. 

We're in a good place right now and any rattling will be detrimental to our progress. 

I'll spell it out one more time. These are our players between 90 and 130 games:

Viney
Gawn
Salem
Petracca
Oliver
Brayshaw
Lever
Bennell
Harmes
Langdon

Add in May (130+) and Fritsch and Hunt and Weid on between 40 and 70 games and then Rivers, Koz and Jackson and this is close to the best first 18 talent-wise ever assembled in the AFL. I'm serious. Give it one or two more years and we should own the league for the following five or more.

Baker has played 11 games. Hunt kicked four yesterday. Preuss can step in when needed. We have decent depth and will add to that over the off-season, like we did last year in identifying our weaknesses and picking up Langdon and drafting Pickett. Saad will be first18 as well, and our senior dead-wood will be gone.   

Top four next year and I won't shy away from that call. Trac and Oliver will run the game. Two out and out stars of our sport, fed by the league's best ever ruckman. Fritsch neds to fix his yips (could have kicked seven by my count yesterday) and Weid needs to perform, but otherwise we need another KPF and then go. 

Sack Goodwin or Mahoney and all this unravels. 

[dee-tox 4,829]

Would have been nice to beat the Cats and Lions.

Should have beaten Swans and Dockers.

Had good attacking wins over Hawks, Roos and Pies.

Good defensive win over Saints.

Crap against Power, Tigers and Dogs.

It's a fine line. Wins against Cats, Lions, Swans and Dockers would have made it an excellent season.

The good were Petracca, May, Oliver, Langdon, Max, Viney and Lever.

The three draftees all showed plenty. 

The concerns were TMac, Harmes, OMac, Smith, Hannan, and Melksham.