Injuries and umpires a valid excuse

[Yze_Magic 3]

I dont care what anyone else says

Injuries can be used as an excuse, and so can the umpires

Both have consipred against us in 2007

I HAVE NEVER SEEN A TEAM HIT THIS HARD BY INJURY IN MY TIME WATCHING FOOTBALL!

[godees 863]

I agree 100%

Take the 2 best midfielders, forwards and defenders (McLean, Johnstone, Neitz, Robbo, Whelan, Rivers) out of any side and they will look crap. Plus moloney, Bartram, Bell and Jones.

I thought we at least fought hard today. And anyone who bags the players should get some perspective.

And WELCOME BACK YZE!

[Jaded No More 68,922]

Injuries definitely played a major part in the loss today, especially the further loss of Jones, Bell and Whelan.

Still no excuse for playing such unaccountable footy, and having 19 players in the side who can't dispose of a football.

[Scoop Junior 3,472]

Injuries definitely played a major part in the loss today, especially the further loss of Jones, Bell and Whelan.

Still no excuse for playing such unaccountable footy, and having 19 players in the side who can't dispose of a football.

Exactly Jaded.

Our skill level and preparedness to run hard defensively are so far below AFL standard at the moment that it's actually quite funny at times.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

With a handful of our best players in the side (Neitz, Brock and Rivers for example) the story would have been VERY different. And with a half decent umpire we might have been a chance. Farmer should never umpire again. I have no doubt the umpiring so far in this season is the worst 4 rounds I've ever seen, and the worst 4 rounds for the dees I've ever seen.

I don't even want to go to the footy anymore, and we only got 16,000 there.

[diesel 420]

Our skill level and preparedness to run hard defensively are so far below AFL standard at the moment that it's actually quite funny at times.

Back to YM's original post if you realise that Fremantle had something like 30 more interchanges than us today then that is your ability to run. When it comes to legs it is not a question of skill or effort. If there is nothing there then there is nothing there

[DemonDoug 0]

Effort, given injuries today & players out already 9/10

Yze 10/10

Skill levels 2/10, many many poor turnovers, missed handballs & kicks. You cannot blame this just on lack of players, these guys should be fit enough to run out a game.

You have to feel proud of their efforts but we are still looking at a fairly dark few weeks until the team is stronger. By that time the finals will be out of the question.

[Rampaging Demons 1]

How many times can we kick the ball at bthe feet or over the head of a team mate..... seriously, we look as though we have not done any wrk on our skills.. we are the most unskilled team in the comp and will be shown up week in week out by teams that use the ball well.... brown kicking over jamar's head....

umpiring is consistently poor and inconsistent but if you are firwst to the ball then you should be rewarded.. however the hands in the back rule today was frustrating and appeared to go one way!!

[occo 2]

I dont care what anyone else says

Injuries can be used as an excuse, and so can the umpires

Both have consipred against us in 2007

I HAVE NEVER SEEN A TEAM HIT THIS HARD BY INJURY IN MY TIME WATCHING FOOTBALL!

Injuries definatly but not umps. There are decisions that go ur way and there are thoes that dont. Today there were some that went against us but others that went in our favior and none of the games we have played have been lost due to ump decisions. Injuries have stuffed us tho but it happens to teams vary raitly so i guess this is our year for bad injuries

[astrodee 0]

Injuries don't stop Adelaide.

[Rogue 585]

Injuries don't stop Adelaide.

We're not Adelaide.

Adelaide have been a consistently well-performed side in recent years, something we're not.

[Yze_Magic 3]

Injuries don't stop Adelaide.

They dont have as many injuries to key players as we do

[Bobby McKenzie 2,385]

They dont have as many injuries to key players as we do

Well said Yze Magic the key to all of this is the word KEY!

[Ash35 425]

I have no doubt the umpiring so far in this season is the worst 4 rounds I've ever seen, and the worst 4 rounds for the dees I've ever seen.

I actually thought the umpiring in the game against Geelong favored Melbourne. And not just because the free kick count was 17 to 12. The free kick given to Brad Green for a goal in the 2nd quarter of that game was probably one of the worst decisions I can remember.

But I agree that in the other 3 games, perhaps not so much Hawthorn, but particularly Round 1 and yesterday, I can see why Demon supporters are upset with the umpires. Still, that tends to happen when a team is getting beaten. Second to the ball, undisciplined, etc etc, all that sort of stuff.

[Ash35 425]

Well said Yze Magic the key to all of this is the word KEY!

I think Melbourne definitely have more quality missing from their team.

A quick comparison :

Both Captains missing : Neitz & Ricciutto

Melb : Robertson, Bartram, Rivers, McLean, Johnstone, Moloney

Adel : McGregor, Massie, Johncock, Biglands, Hentschel, Bode, Maric

And of course this doesn't include the likes of Jones, Whelan & Bell who were injured during yesterdays game. Also, both teams have their first round draft choice [James Frawley & James Sellar] on the sidelines with injuries.

So while Melbourne are missing more key/quality players IMO, does the difference equate to one team being bottom of the ladder at 0-4 with a percentage of 67, and the other sitting 3rd at 3-1 and beating quality opposition.

[Dees 64 8]

Round 1 , not many injuries ... we lost by a better game plan

Round 2, Brock out , one player out , lost Neita in the 1st , no options left , we died

Round 3, Injuries to several players, we could not replace them, Holland and Caroll first half give me goals

set us up for silly football

Round 4, Yes Injuries, but its Comedy football , Ward, Godfrey, Wheatley, Jamar , Brown, Caroll,

etc , they are not up to it.

Terrible football

ND please ...... some young kids , they cannot do any worse

[Jaded No More 68,922]

So while Melbourne are missing more key/quality players IMO, does the difference equate to one team being bottom of the ladder at 0-4 with a percentage of 67, and the other sitting 3rd at 3-1 and beating quality opposition.

Injuries are not entirely to blame, of course not. Adelaide are a far more disciplined outfit, tactically they are superior and they also have a number of star players who perform each and every week. We don't.

But I think that we underestimate the affects of the injuries sometimes.

For example, yesterday we had 30 less interchanges than Freo (3 times less in the third quarter alone!).

We also had a few players running around in the last quarter who were not fit to play.

How can any side, in a competition that is so even, except to be their opponents when they are this depleted?

I think the injuries are exposing all the cracks in the walls, the ones we've covered up over the past 3 seasons by winning games and playing finals. But I also believe that we would have beaten Hawthorn and Freo with a full bench and a couple less injuries.

Speaking of stats, I was shocked to read that we finished the game with 74% effective disposal, exactly the same as Freo!

[deanox 9,927]

interesting comparison ash...if we were full strength and playing adelaide this week and i saw those injuries i would pick against them in a flash (exactly why i picked sydney). it just goes to show the quality of depth at adelaide compared to melbourne...

personally i didnt have too many problems with the umpiring yesterday...a couple of bad decisions but when you lose by that much the umpires aren't the difference. our biggest problem was the 8 behinds we kicked in a row in the first half. if we had of nailed half of them we might have been in the lead putting pressure on freo to play to us. headland wouldve been made more accountable. players with licenses to run around would have been forced to try and defend rather than all out attack.

the injuries have killed us thought. i don't mind that we lost, it was inevitable with the players who were picked, no offense meant. we just didnt have the cattle. and the injuries in game have probably cost us the most.

to demon doug, if you think that all players should be able to run out a game you've had you're head in the sand for the last 5 years. players dont play full games of footy anymore, not unless they are a tall KPP or a close checking defender. the midifield and the runners are rotated endlessly to allow a quick freshen up. players are told to run them selves into the ground, knowing they dont have to pace themselves as the will be rested when they need it. with no fit men on the bench, our players had to either conserve energy to last the whole game, or run as hard as their fremantle counterparts without a break, meaning they would run over us at the end.

if an afl player went back to the vfl or a lower level of footy, running out a game wouldnt be a problem, but at afl pace the players need to have their structured rest plans, its the way they are trained and conditioned as athletes...

[white stallion 0]

Solid post from an intelligent post. Well done Yze Magic.

[Demon Jim 149]

I think Melbourne definitely have more quality missing from their team.

A quick comparison :

Both Captains missing : Neitz & Ricciutto

Melb : Robertson, Bartram, Rivers, McLean, Johnstone, Moloney

Adel : McGregor, Massie, Johncock, Biglands, Hentschel, Bode, Maric

And of course this doesn't include the likes of Jones, Whelan & Bell who were injured during yesterdays game. Also, both teams have their first round draft choice [James Frawley & James Sellar] on the sidelines with injuries.

So while Melbourne are missing more key/quality players IMO, does the difference equate to one team being bottom of the ladder at 0-4 with a percentage of 67, and the other sitting 3rd at 3-1 and beating quality opposition.

Well, here's the injury lists:

Demons:

Daniel Bell (concussion) - test

Nathan Brown (calf) - test

Travis Johnstone (hamstring) - test

Brent Moloney (groin) - test

David Neitz (knee) - test

Jared Rivers (hamstring) - test

Paul Wheatley (shoulder) - test

James Frawley (foot) - 2 weeks

Nathan Jones (ankle) - 2-3 weeks

Brock McLean (foot) - 2-3 weeks

Matthew Whelan (hamstring) - 2-3 weeks

Russell Robertson (knee) - 5 weeks

Clint Bartram (knee) - 5-7 weeks

Shmows:

Darren Pfeiffer (cheekbone) - available

Matthew Bode (hip) - test

Ivan Maric (hip) - test

Ken McGregor (Achilles) - test

Robert Shirley (hand) - test

Rhys Archard (hamstring) - 2 weeks

David Mackay (hamstring) - 2 weeks

Kris Massie (wrist) - 2 weeks

James Sellar (groin) - 2 weeks

Graham Johncock (ankle) - 2-3 weeks

John Meesen (knee) - 4 weeks

Nick Gill (hamstring) - indefinite

Mark Ricciuto (back) - indefinite

Rhett Biglands (knee) - season

Trent Hentschel (knee) - season

Quite a few of theirs are blokes I'e never heard of, probably haven't played much, if at all.

Young spud is the only non regular on our injured list

[QueenC 74]

They dont have as many injuries to key players as we do

Well said YM......

Its not necessarily a case of how many missing, but a case of who is actually missing.

[Nasher 33,616]

Well said YM......

Its not necessarily a case of how many missing, but a case of who is actually missing.

Exactly. I'm sure an indefinite injury to Nick Gill really hurts their premiership aspirations.

[Dee*ceiving 1,674]

You can add the tribunal to that list of co-conspirators for lack of a better term. How can a bloke be staring 6 weeks on the sidelines on Tuesday be BOG on Sunday? Its got me smashed to a million pieces.

[BrownlowBruce 1]

i think yze magic has a valid point... about the umpires....

maybe melbourne has not been spoken well enough about the rule changes... and the umpires foucs on other rules... according to all the media players and coaches and other football faces are told about the new rules and even given a DVD on the in the back rule....

now has anyone got a stat for

Free kicks resulting in goals For and against melb.... i think u will find there is a big big difference....

one that springs to mind..... round 1. holding the ball rule? worst umpired match i have even seen...

st kilda kicked about 3 goals from that alone...

st kilda couldnt kick their first goal until they were give a free kick also.

bad umpiring? or bad coaching? or lazy/careless players?

[Ash35 425]

one that springs to mind..... round 1. holding the ball rule? worst umpired match i have even seen...

st kilda kicked about 3 goals from that alone...

st kilda couldnt kick their first goal until they were give a free kick also.

bad umpiring? or bad coaching? or lazy/careless players?

I think everyone is in the same boat with that one. The rules seemed to have changed since Round 1, which tends to happen most seasons. It's almost like like bring in these new interpretations, test them in Round 1, and by about Round 3, they have sorted it out.