Team first - for certain a goal

[cantstandyasam 700]

Fritsch is a great medium forward. However he has burnt 3 players that would've gotten certain goals. It could be very costly in a final. He needs to pas it off. On Sunday Spargo was in the goalsquare unattended and Fritsch ignored him and sprayed the shot.

[jnrmac 20,271]

Melksham showed that when he centred the ball to Brown rather than blaze away from the pocket

[spirit of norm smith 16,615]

I agree we left 3 or 4 goals behind on the weekend. 

Yes sometimes it’s best to take the shot.  

Other times its definitely wasteful when other players are free and available.
 

It’s about decision making.  I think we need to get back to backing ourselves. 

[Gawndy the Great 9,011]

17 minutes ago, cantstandyasam said:

Fritsch is a great medium forward. However he has burnt 3 players that would've gotten certain goals. It could be very costly in a final. He needs to pas it off. On Sunday Spargo was in the goalsquare unattended and Fritsch ignored him and sprayed the shot.

He also had Sparrow running in (square to his position) about 30m in front in a truck load of space. 

I know he was persecuted for the burn in the Lions game, however ill say that 99/100 forwards would have done the same thing. You could equally mount an argument that Trac should have provided the sheppard on Gardiner rather than just running off him as Fritta clearly didnt know he had someone on his heels.  But i get that is probably an unpopular take on it.  

The one against the Cats was the poorest of all 3. That was lazy & selfish, undefendable. 

[Demon17 5,227]

21 minutes ago, CYB said:

He also had Sparrow running in (square to his position) about 30m in front in a truck load of space. 

I know he was persecuted for the burn in the Lions game, however ill say that 99/100 forwards would have done the same thing. You could equally mount an argument that Trac should have provided the sheppard on Gardiner rather than just running off him as Fritta clearly didnt know he had someone on his heels.  But i get that is probably an unpopular take on it.  

The one against the Cats was the poorest of all 3. That was lazy & selfish, undefendable. 

But the concern for me is that after the Cats howler, he did it again yesterday, twice I think.

Big chat with him today.

He's a highly intelligent footballer (footy-wise)  so why is this problem persisting?

[one_demon 826]

According to Fox, it's a serious problem 

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/melbourne-demons/afl-news-2022-bayley-fritsch-ignoring-teammates-selfish-doesnt-kick-it-to-charlie-spargo-video-melbourne-demons-win-over-port-adelaide-power/news-story/7f2541db16c827aed12272613e82834a

 

Edited July 18, 2022 by one_demon

[Sideshow Bob 2,462]

Inside 50 and a clear shot at goal you take it every day of the week. That’s what forwards are paid for - sometimes they miss and sometimes they get caught when a quick handball would have got one. 
 

happens every game from every club. Bailey is being picked out here by the media. 
is the agenda here to make Melbourne better or is it more a tall poppy syndrome easy potshot???

[BDA 23,016]

No doubt Fritta is a great forward but too often he takes the wrong option

He didn't have an easy shot, if i recall at a 45 degree angle. Kicked it out on the full. He had a team mate in acres of space in front of goal. The percentage option was to kick it to him. Not a smart play. Coaches need to work with him and hopefully he'll assess the options better in future. I'm not convinced it's pure selfishness but it doesn't look good and needs to be addressed

[DubDee 26,298]

Spargo was in 30 metres of space running into goal, no way Fritsch did not see him. It was the most blatant burn so far.

The flow on impact of Bailey not doing the team thing could be big if not corrected. We won it last year on the ethos of selflessness, I am sure the coaches are working with him but we need to see results soon

[Young Blood 2,639]

When its glaring in the highlights that have been replayed over and over on fox for these three occasions where there was a clear pass there's not excuse. Heading to the pointy end of the year you want to be seeing the team things done consistently.

What I will point out that Kingy and others haven't is apart from these few moments he's been great at creating for others. He lead both Score Involvements (10) and Goal assists (3) on the weekend. I noted many times him giving the handball off to players in space that created shots on goal.

In key big moments you want to see it. But this narrative thats being blown up is overboard IMO.

[chookrat 4,268]

The players should stage an abduction and shave his head to get his head back in the game.

[deelusions from afar 1,870]

I might be out on my own here but this is how Fritsch plays.  I remember thinking often last year that he would often run around an opponent to get a clearer kick for goal that if he got caught it would look pretty bad - but he never really did.

I suspect the opposition have woken up to his movements.

While a number of these in recent weeks have looked awful, I fear that trying to take this out of his game might also curb his natural flare.  

[david_neitz_is_my_dad 4,084]

Im not really worried about that, its the missed kicks into the F50 and guys running infront of someone leading (Sparrow infront of Kozzie)

Edited July 18, 2022 by david_neitz_is_my_dad

[Wrecker46 3,067]

The footage looks bad and Fritch should have hanballed when he got caught metres out from goal.

I have thought for a while our philosophy has changed and we no longer centre the ball or pass to a player in a better position.

If you have a shot and miss we can set up our zone. If you try and pass and miss the opposition are off to the races 

It's not a good look sometimes but it is more effective.

 

 

 

[Ollie fan 3,624]

 

Isn’t it possible that he has been instructed, as a key goalkicking forward, that he should be the one taking the shot whenever he has a realistic chance? Rather than passing the ball and taking the risk of it being over used?

 

Also, with one of the opportunities against Geelong, he was clearly the closest person to goal, and I don’t think he even saw that there was another Melbourne player who he could pass to; I think he was entitled to take the shot.

[Swooper1987 3,322]

More decision making than selfishness.  He's a good forward and he's a good team player.  He's made some decisions that he'd like back but I don't think that makes him selfish.  Getting a bit tired of the Fox BS.

[Clintosaurus 7,926]

Leave Fritta alone. 95 goals in 2021 and 2022 indicates he's doing his job.

I think he may have a spacial awareness issue that would explain the Trac one at the least. That mark he took then played on with 2 Port defenders within a metre was one that I cold not work out.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, chookrat said:

The players should stage an abduction and shave his head to get his head back in the game.

Noooooooooooo!!!

What if he’s like Samson?
(Haircut = loss of strength)????

If it was to happen, your abduction plan is the only way to get it done, though. He’s not gonna willingly do it. Recently he told his mum, “ I can’t get it cut, it’s my signature… my thing” 😁

[58er 6,809]

1 hour ago, david_neitz_is_my_dad said:

Im not really worried about that, its the missed kicks into the F50 and guys running infront of someone leading (Sparrow infront of Kozzie)

Better two leading than No one. So far your worry has occurred ONCE and Fritta's  selfishness FOUR times and they are certain goals!

In Your example a goal still had to be kicked correctly from 40/50 metres out. 

Yes our connecting is still a work in progress but great that Kossie stood up yesterday when it counted. 

 

[deegirl 1,584]

Fritsch is a hard player to love and this is one of the big reasons why.  And yes, I'm well aware of how valuable he is, but he's never going to be a favourite of mine.

[deelusions from afar 1,870]

I think this is a tough thing to balance... if some of Kozzie's shots on goal didn't go through yesterday would we be saying the same thing?  I think it is important to have players who want to take the responsibility and kick the goal (even if they miss sometimes).  But if they continue to miss (and are burning team mates in the process) then they lose their licence to take their shots.  I think Fritsch has enough runs on the board at the moment.

Edited July 18, 2022 by deelusions from afar
spelling

[deespicable me 1,550]

I'm a leave him alone fan.

Some people on here just have it in for him. Last year it was he has to be dropped because he doesn't chase or tackle.

Now it's he's too selfish.

I say f### all the nay sayers. It's in his genes. It's why he got to be a player who kicked SIX in a GF. He loves kicking goals. You people that want to change him are #######. ANB clears a path for Trac so Trac can be the best player for our club.

You give Bailey the ball and he's going to kick a goal. For the team. That's how he works. 

Embrace him. He's a gun. Stop criticizing him you f####.

 

[John Crow Batty 8,880]

Fritsch’s lot is always one bad decision away from being a whipping boy. Tmac being absent doesn’t help.

[BW511 2,724]

I watched yesterday's game with two mates who support other teams.

Fair to say they didn't respect him much

The Spargo one was more of a non-decision, than a strong decision. He went halfway between having a shot and passing.

[jnrmac 20,271]

1 hour ago, deelusions from afar said:

I think this is a tough thing to balance... if some of Kozzie's shots on goal didn't go through yesterday would we be saying the same thing?  I think it is important to have players who want to take the responsibility and kick the goal (even if they miss sometimes).  But if they continue to miss (and are burning team mates in the process) then they lose their licence to take their shots.  I think Fritsch has enough runs on the board at the moment.

Kozzie is a team player. His running and pressure are first rate. The goals weren't coming for him until yesterday 

The club knows through its GPS numbers who is doing the team things and Kozzie is among the best.

I am not sure you can say the same abut Fritsch. I think Fritsch picks and chooses IMO but I am sure the coaches know and will be pressuring him to be more selfless. His goal output earlier this year was below his best and maybe that pressure to kick goals has led to some of these moments.