POSTGAME: Rd 16 vs GWS

[Colm 1,928]

Really flat after that performance. We have no excuses. Can’t kick for goal to save our lives. Entry inside was terrible. Same old problems. I’m normally optimistic even after a loss but the penny dropped for me today, We’re not winning a flag this year😔

[RyanD 272]

Crhistian Petracca has kicked 12 goals 46 including total misses at goals. He did something similar last year. People are too scared to admit that something like that will never ever change. That is a huge sample size or atrocious kicking. He may well have a period of 5 games or even half a season where he fixes that, but fundamentally he will revert back to his mean and miss many more shots than he kicks. Clayton Oliver is similar, Jack Viney is similar and that is our engine room. They are all amazing players and I love them, but you need to admit what their flaws are.

[deejammin' 2,183]

Threw it away, three teams have beaten us this year, three times we’ve beaten ourselves. It’s so hard to watch, we dominate the play for so little return, the opposition plays for five minutes and win. This season is slipping away. Lose any of the next three and we are fighting to make the 8. So disappointing and yet so predictable, it’s the same problem as last year and selection was bizarre. Drop JVR for Brown in the wet?! I’m realigning my expectations to hoping we can make finals three times in a row for the first time in the modern era. This is not a premiership team.

[Demonland 70,251]

 

[Adam The God 29,331]

3 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

We are one of the few sides to lose to a team coming off a bye. I am not a denier of loading, but at what point do we stop using fatigue to excuse really basic fundamental errors that you don’t even see at VFL level?

And when do we start getting back to peak fitness? Because it feels like we’ve been running in cement for weeks now. 

I didn't excuse the the inability execute, but there are some on this thread, maybe many going by the shallowness of some of the analysis that are denying fatigue is playing a factor. It clear as day is. As I keep saying, we need to be better though.

[Deemania since 56 6,550]

13 minutes ago, Demonsone said:

What’s with Trac he’s kicking has gone backwards, sure wins enough of the ball but so watch if u butchering the kick.

Hunter nit much better he just continues to turnover he’s kicks. 

I actually think Hunter is well off being 'reliable' with his kicking. He just gets it to boot, is slow compared to most of his competitors and hence, usually kicks the ball just in the 'nick of time' and consequently does so inaccurately. 

[RyanD 272]

14 minutes ago, Demonsone said:

What’s with Trac he’s kicking has gone backwards, sure wins enough of the ball but so watch if u butchering the kick.

Hunter nit much better he just continues to turnover he’s kicks. 

This is factually wrong. His kicking was equally poor last year. He isn't a polished players by foot. He has a powerful kick and can do some fantastic things, but fundamentally is a poor kick. 

[von 1,493]

8 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Good grief..

If you genuinely thought that comment was personal then seriously dude, go have a spell in the shower and have a good rinse.

Sensitivity at all time high with people like you around here purely because some of us just call it as we see it.

 

Sensitivity is at an all time high. You’re right. You are calling people out left and right for seeing things differently to you. You go after people who had or have a different opinion to you when you are frustrated that the team we all love didn’t do what we wanted them to do. Everyone here is calling it as they see it. That’s kinda how this works. Turns out there’s heaps of ways to see anything.  You can be frustrated without having to call people to account as if it’s their fault we lost. 

[layzie 32,789]

1 minute ago, Colm said:

Really flat after that performance. We have no excuses. Can’t kick for goal to save our lives. Entry inside was terrible. Same old problems. I’m normally optimistic even after a loss but the penny dropped for me today, We’re not winning a flag this year😔

It's hard, damn hard to watch your team lose a game that way. 

I'm thinking the same thing, there's a little too much working against us and I think the Fritsch injury is the straw that breaks it. Not all our fault or our doing, I don't believe the club owes me a flag or anything but you really do need those planets to align and I just don't see it. 

 

[samcantstandya 1,031]

30 minutes ago, Pipefitter said:

Goodwin said he was proud of our effort today. That’s accepting mediocrity. 

I'd rather him say he's really disappointed that we didn't didn't win. I would have thought there's effort every week. Rather him say we should've won.

[dazzledavey36 52,729]

7 minutes ago, A F said:

Our inability to execute in the forward half today was simply not AFL standard. That's the 3rd or arguably 4th game we've thrown away in the last 6 with our inability to convert our hard work from contest and intercept slingshot.

Fatigue is a factor, no doubt. You can stick your head in the sand all you like, it won't change that fact. However, as Goody said in last press conference, we need to be better. We need to execute basic set shots and snaps. The other contenders are getting it down under duress as well, and we're not.

I thought Petty was better today and played a solid goalkeeper role for most of the day. Lever was solid. Viney was huge. Bowey and McVee so clean and involved. Bowey should never be out of this team again. A game high 14 intercept possessions and took his chance forward of centre when it was his time to score.

But the basic skill errors by the mids and forwards, like dropped chest marks under no pressure (the Kozzy one may well have cost us the game), and our poor goal kicking isn't going to win us many games.

If Fritsch is done for the season, he's the sort of player that may well cost us a shot at the flag. That's a huge potential out, when he's a guy that has kicked 6 in a GF before. He is the x factor,  more than Trac and Kozzy. But we desperately need Oliver back in our midfield, so Trac can stay forward and have bursts in the midfield. That commentary is spot on. 

The only coaching question I'd have this week is who was responsible for Nick Haynes? He had the second most intercepts on the ground with 13 (1 behind Bowey and 2 more than Lever) and IMO was close to the best man on the ground. He cut us up and was so clean behind the ball (as was Bowey mind you). No one was within coo-wee of Haynes most of the game. I'd have played a defensive forward on him. Simple as that. And if we did, who was it? Because they definitely didn't get the job done. 

Here's the thing though. Our season isn't done and we're still first in line for 4th, with the 3rd best percentage. The margin for error is growing smaller now though, and the players have to get it done, but it's right there in front of us.

How on earth is fatigue a factor? We've just come off a 10 day break on top of a 11 day break during the bye?

This fatigue excuse really is starting to get old on here.

This has been a pattern of behaviour since thr mid way point of last year. It's our inability to execute basic fundamentals during the game that is costing us.. not fatigue. 

You can factor fatigue into every game I agree, but right now it's not stopping the likes of Collingwood and Port Adelaide who are running just as hard as we are in games, but yet they're able execute their method far more successful then we do.

[Jaded No More 67,627]

6 minutes ago, A F said:

I didn't excuse the the inability execute, but there are some on this thread, maybe many going by the shallowness of some of the analysis that are denying fatigue is playing a factor. It clear as day is. As I keep saying, we need to be better though.

I am saying tho that we shouldn’t be still fatigued now. This is when we should be starting to run on top of the ground. So either we planned things badly, or we are carrying injuries we don’t want to admit. 

I’m all for looking at reasons for a loss beyond “we suck” and I’m trying hard to look past the really disappointing month we’ve had. Maybe @binman will give me some hope. 

Edited July 2, 2023 by Jaded No More

[Demonsone 1,948]

10 minutes ago, A F said:

Our inability to execute in the forward half today was simply not AFL standard. That's the 3rd or arguably 4th game we've thrown away in the last 6 with our inability to convert our hard work from contest and intercept slingshot.

Fatigue is a factor, no doubt. You can stick your head in the sand all you like, it won't change that fact. However, as Goody said in last press conference, we need to be better. We need to execute basic set shots and snaps. The other contenders are getting it down under duress as well, and we're not.

I thought Petty was better today and played a solid goalkeeper role for most of the day. Lever was solid. Viney was huge. Bowey and McVee so clean and involved. Bowey should never be out of this team again. A game high 14 intercept possessions and took his chance forward of centre when it was his time to score.

But the basic skill errors by the mids and forwards, like dropped chest marks under no pressure (the Kozzy one may well have cost us the game), and our poor goal kicking isn't going to win us many games.

If Fritsch is done for the season, he's the sort of player that may well cost us a shot at the flag. That's a huge potential out, when he's a guy that has kicked 6 in a GF before. He is the x factor,  more than Trac and Kozzy. But we desperately need Oliver back in our midfield, so Trac can stay forward and have bursts in the midfield. That commentary is spot on. 

The only coaching question I'd have this week is who was responsible for Nick Haynes? He had the second most intercepts on the ground with 13 (1 behind Bowey and 2 more than Lever) and IMO was close to the best man on the ground. He cut us up and was so clean behind the ball (as was Bowey mind you). No one was within coo-wee of Haynes most of the game. I'd have played a defensive forward on him. Simple as that. And if we did, who was it? Because they definitely didn't get the job done. 

Here's the thing though. Our season isn't done and we're still first in line for 4th, with the 3rd best percentage. The margin for error is growing smaller now though, and the players have to get it done, but it's right there in front of us.

Watch them lose to the Saints & Lions, I’m calling want make top 4 & possible just make the 8, & possibly fall off the cliff next year .. hope I’m wrong but list will have underachieved, just too many so called stars are butchering the ball each week, are they selfless as in 2021? 

[samcantstandya 1,031]

2 minutes ago, RyanD said:

This is factually wrong. His kicking was equally poor last year. He isn't a polished players by foot. He has a powerful kick and can do some fantastic things, but fundamentally is a poor kick. 

It's his ball drop he releases it from too high rather than guiding in onto his foot. He needs to really put some serious energy into his set shot routine and kick through the ball, hopefully the brains trust are proactive otherwise he'll keep missing vital chances. I want us to spend more time on our kicking set shots rather than trying bananas from the boundary for fun at ftraining.

[layzie 32,789]

Fatigue plays a part but we should still execute enough skill to win this game today. This isn't 2019 and we can't look to the contested ball and I50 count as signs of progress. We're the big boys now, we should be getting it done with those numbers every day of the week.

[bobby1554 1,230]

41 minutes ago, Sydney_Demon said:

I disagree. GWS played about as well as they are capable of today and defended brilliantly. Melbourne's opponents, almost without exception (apart from maybe the Sydney game) have been up for it. I do agree with you though about other teams taking advantage of our mistakes.

Ridiculous comment IMV. The effort was there today. If they were laughing and played like they didn't care that would have been different.

Check his site after he's updated for this week and I guess you'll find out 😀

Faie enough. I hate losing games like that when every stat shows we should have won, but I guess I'd save the putrid classification for games where our effort has been below par, which it wasn't today.

Well, they didn't find a way to win against us pre-bye! 😀 Sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned that. Apparently according to a number of posts here Melbourne have been total rubbish ever since the 2021 GF!

From 73 inside 50’s we kicked 5 goals. Let me repeat, 5. We see Insta posts from the club of players kicking them out of where the sun don’t shine at training, so I’m tipping not a skill issue. Therefore, it is a mental issue. Not fully switched on, lack of care. This team is letting US down at the moment, and THEY need to do something about it. I am sick of them right now. Unwatchable trash

[Rednblueriseing 797]

1 hour ago, dl4e said:

A loss like that could be really emotionally draining for the players. How can you dominate a last quarter like that and lose. It really is mind bending.

We are wasting the best midfield this club has ever seen. Bad coaching or bad methods going i50?

19 minutes ago, Demonsone said:

What’s with Trac he’s kicking has gone backwards, sure wins enough of the ball but so watch if u butchering the kick.

Hunter nit much better he just continues to turnover he’s kicks. 

With trac It's all between the ears his almost trying to hard to be perfect he stuffs up the easy part of his game

[Superunknown 4,058]

12 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

We are one of the few sides to lose to a team coming off a bye. I am not a denier of loading, but at what point do we stop using fatigue to excuse really basic fundamental errors that you don’t even see at VFL level?

And when do we start getting back to peak fitness? Because it feels like we’ve been running in cement for weeks now. 

Clutching at straws

we’re just pooh

[darkhorse72 1,850]

Only just finished the game.  

Absolutely [censored] kicking at goal again, and it cost the match again.

 

 

[RyanD 272]

1 minute ago, samcantstandya said:

It's his ball drop he releases it from too high rather than guiding in onto his foot. He needs to really put some serious energy into his set shot routine and kick through the ball, hopefully the brains trust are proactive otherwise he'll keep missing vital chances. I want us to spend more time on our kicking set shots rather than trying bananas from the boundary for fun at ftraining.

That was his 'goal' this season was to fix his goal kicking. He and the entire forward line have been doing extra sessions. You can't fix poor kicks like him. 

[DubDee 24,328]

9 minutes ago, RyanD said:

Crhistian Petracca has kicked 12 goals 46 including total misses at goals. He did something similar last year. People are too scared to admit that something like that will never ever change. That is a huge sample size or atrocious kicking. He may well have a period of 5 games or even half a season where he fixes that, but fundamentally he will revert back to his mean and miss many more shots than he kicks. Clayton Oliver is similar, Jack Viney is similar and that is our engine room. They are all amazing players and I love them, but you need to admit what their flaws are.

Trac has 12 goals 46 this year including misses? that’s very poor. you mind providing a break down of shots, goals, behinds and misses?

[samcantstandya 1,031]

38 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Where is Kozzy at and why has he regressed aside from the odd chase down attempts & pressure attempts inside 50 where he was doing well here (2nd in the AFL on averages for tackles inside 50) up to about 2 weeks ago?  Havent checked if he's still in the mix here the last few weeks.

Just isn't playing the 101s as a small forward as you would want.

STILL going for the odd pack mark.

Still playing from behind in 1 v 1s far too often.  In the wet today was just silly.

Doesn't get front & square often enough (occasionally due to pack mark attempts) and when he does.... he usually runs straight into the bottom of the pack so he has virtually no chance of crumbing the spill or escaping if he does.

Who's mentoring / teaching him this rubbish lazy / innefective method of small forward play (offensively)?

Chandler is another post altogether.  Completely innefective the last 5 weeks.  Zero goals if i'm correct.

Don't know why Chandler is getting a game he needs to find form at Casey, try Laurie at least he is a very accurate kck.

[demon3165 2,569]

26 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Why because I disagree. I could say the same to you. 

No, not because you disagree it's a fact Flower pound for pound was one of the best players going around, could include Wells, Alves and co....

Edited July 2, 2023 by demon3165

[layzie 32,789]

Just now, demon3165 said:

No, not because you disagree it's a fact Flower pound focour pound was one of the best players going around, could include Wells, Alves and co....

Wish we had Flower today.

[Colm 1,928]

6 minutes ago, layzie said:

It's hard, damn hard to watch your team lose a game that way. 

I'm thinking the same thing, there's a little too much working against us and I think the Fritsch injury is the straw that breaks it. Not all our fault or our doing, I don't believe the club owes me a flag or anything but you really do need those planets to align and I just don't see it. 

 

Even without the Frisch injury the hard truth at the minute is that we just aren’t good enough. We’re all been making excuses hoping that things will change for a while now but we seem unable to make the changes required to improve.