15 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Funny you mention the filth...

Let this sink in

 

The game being at Marvel versus Optus makes a BIG difference.

I bet my bottom dollar we don't lose to them at the G later in the year.

 

Edit: to be clear, our performance yesterday was terrible, and inexcusable. 

Edited May 19, 20241 yr by Jaded No More

3 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

Last year Collingwood lost to Hawthorn the week after Hawthorn had lost to St Kilda.

Earlier this year Sydney lost to Richmond, who have just lost by 100 in back to back weeks. 

All the past premiers of the last couple years have either lost or drawn to the Hawks. But right now to see other teams steaming ahead, while we are sputtering is very alarming. 

6 minutes ago, Kick_It_To_Pickett said:

 

The selling of a home game to Alice Springs always f…s our season. We could easily drop that to Freo. It’s basically a home game for them. 

How exactly is it basically a home game for them? 

A team from the seaside city in WA, which is further away from Alice than Melbourne. Hardly their backyard!

26 minutes ago, Clintosaurus said:

I was really angry last night but some of the terrible takes in here has me all good now. Would be nice to have some consistency in gaps between games and amazingly we have 7, 7, 8 in the next 3 weeks.

So the club can't deal with 10 day breaks, 9 day breaks, 5 day breaks. 

We need the perfect amount of breaks between games? 

We are really trying to find ways to cope with the performance of the team.

1 hour ago, Young Angus said:

Just [censored] footy, terrible sad stuff to watch as a Melbourne supporter.  Bring in Jeffo, bring in Sestan, inject a bit of youth and give guys like BBB and Billings a bit of a rest.  I like Billings, but we can't have that happening when he lines up from a good spot, looks like a deer in the headlights.  

Everyone sucked though, can't blame umps, can't blame anything, we were [censored] and it hurts.  

Harley Reid is too good...is he human?  He's huge and powerful and fast and just a kid...best player in the league already it's insane.

Could bring in any fwds you like and it wouldn’t help with only 36 inside 50s for the game, we simply couldn’t move the ball from defensive 50 to attacking 50 and when we did it didn’t stay long 

1 hour ago, MrFreeze said:

We kicked ~1.8 from turn over yesterday.

System is all over the place, our team was built for repeat stoppage and territory and we need to play to that. We got lucky that Geelong's gameplan allowed ours to work, no other team is going to give us that space. Kick mark game style is rubbish and I think we rate in the 6-12 range like Freo.

Our % keeps us in the 8 but there is 5 other teams on the same amount of wins, Saints will be hungry to knock us out of the 8.

The kick - mark game is ok at times when you need to slow play for momentum purposes to cool an oppo run on or to ice a quarter or match winning lead in red time.

To start the match (and continue it for lengthy periods throughout) playing this method is going to slowly cost you on the scoreboard both offensively and defensively.  And lose you alot of matches againat the top liners and occasionaly against lessor likes as we witnessed yesterday.

Especially as the game progresses,  fatigue starts to set in & skills drop off slowly or in some cases depending on the player and where he's at  (eg; fitness / form / coming back from injury too early ... eg; Bowsa) ... dramatically.

It also doesn't work well when forwards don't play in front a kick up the field and/or don't work hard enough (or are unable to for whatever reason) to present as the next outlet for those coming off HB or through the middle under pressure.

To see our lack of forward craft in general still persisting this far down the track post 2021 is infuriating and super frustrating.  Especially when you watch many other clubs do it better, a number of which were well behind us (in general) in their development in 2021.

To move away from the kick - mark rubbiah you would probably need to switch out a few players whose DNA is based on playing a mostly short / possession game such as Salo and Bowsa.  T-Mac has also had this side trained into him in the off season probably because he couldn't  be trusted with longer passes (say 30+ meters).

We are overweight these players now and lack serious running power off HB.  Aside from Rivers, who tends to go on a solo and hang on to the pill for too long too often and McVee, if he feels confident in working off his opponent up the field a little.

The only options i can think of to replace the likes of those two at present (via Casey) are Woey (comes in from Sub) and Moniz.

Moniz would definitely give us more running power off HB vs say Bowsa and personally i think he'd bring a better game at ground level plus a little more pressure around stoppage.

Salo is a work in progress through the middle but TBH im not sure it's a project worth persisting with at this point.

I'd much rather see Salo moved into the Billings role and use his kicking skills to try and find targets with the last kick inside 50.  He can also kick the odd goal on the run (rarely but it does happen).

I'd also look to bring in Kolt from here and just blood him through the middle for the rest of the season with a view to seeing IF he can play this role in place of the likes of Sparrow or Salo.  Both of whom just don't add enough value here for mine.  At least trial it for four to six weeks and go from there.

So to change the above plus try & fix some of our forward woes you are looking at...

Out:  Bowsa, Billings & Sparrow (sub), BBB, Petty

In:  Moniz, Kolt, Woe, Fullarton & JVR

Sparrow as sub, Salo into the Billings role.  Moniz takes the Bowsa role.  Kolt takes the Sparrow role and potentially Sparrow tactically subbed in.

In the first few matches you would probably need to ease Kolt into the Sparrow role by initially playing him as sub first.

The other option is to also bring in Sestan to replace Salo but probably a tad early in terms of his tank / knowing the role / second efforts.

I'd experiment with it though against the likes of the Kangas & Tigers to see what he can bring to the table playing the Billings role vs Salo and at least find out where his development (want) is at and go from there.

We also desperately need to get Clarry back to peak fitness / form but i'd say that horse has probably bolted for season 2024 now.

Bottom line though.... if we continue on this current path we'll be lucky to make the eight let alone thinking of a prelim so you may as well try / trial things to see where the list amd certain players are at in orfer to prep yourself for the trade period and off season, hopefully setting ourselves up for a tilt at 2025.

Edited May 20, 20241 yr by Demon Dynasty

Our first quarters

• WCE 4.3 to us 2.1
• Carl 5.0 to us 0.0
• Geel 2.4 to us 3.2
• Rich 1.3 to us 2.3
• Bris 4.2 to us 2.0

 

• Our percentage in the first qtr is 88%
• 2nd is 109%
• 3rd 125%
• 4th 163%

 

This is where our coach and our leaders are infuriating.

Obvious problem

We do Sweet FA about it. No come out breathing fire, no insane pressure

Same old rinse repeat. 

Our fwd line this week Petty and Brown and Fritsch barely touched it again after their stellar 1 possession first half last week

 

Stubborn Simon is back.

 

2 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

Our first quarters

• WCE 4.3 to us 2.1
• Carl 5.0 to us 0.0
• Geel 2.4 to us 3.2
• Rich 1.3 to us 2.3
• Bris 4.2 to us 2.0

 

• Our percentage in the first qtr is 88%
• 2nd is 109%
• 3rd 125%
• 4th 163%

 

This is where our coach and our leaders are infuriating.

Obvious problem

We do Sweet FA about it. No come out breathing fire, no insane pressure

Same old rinse repeat. 

Our fwd line this week Petty and Brown and Fritsch barely touched it again after their stellar 1 possession first half last week

 

Stubborn Simon is back.

 

Fritsch 1 tackle, Brown 1 tackle, Petty 4 tackles.

Jack Darling 12 tackles.

2 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Fritsch 1 tackle, Brown 1 tackle, Petty 4 tackles.

Jack Darling 12 tackles.

SAYS IT ALL!

I think it is time for some personnel change. We can't keep doing the same thing and expecting different results.

I'd like to see Woey in for full game time. He has been playing really conistent footy and deserves a good block of games in the team and not as sub.

Billings needs to go back to Casey for mine and I think it is time to give Laurie an extended run in the team as well.

Brown is cooked at AFL level. We may as well play Fullarton and at least have him second ruck so Petty can stay forward or alternatively lets see how Verrall goes.

5 minutes ago, picket fence said:

SAYS IT ALL!

It looks like skill errors but it's actually tackling and defensive pressure.

When we don't show up to tackle we get done.

The first quarter sets the tone.

.

 

Edited May 20, 20241 yr by jnrmac

I don’t think I’ve ever been as excited by a moment in football as much as Reid fending off Trac and Clarry in one go.

If anyone is tech savvy enough to make a gif, I’d appreciate it.

Also, I might have jinxed us by saying that Hawthorn’s loss was embarrassing - didn’t realise we’d have the hold my beer moment hours later

 

 

Edited May 20, 20241 yr by BW511

1 hour ago, Jaded No More said:

It's very hard to trade in top quality players when you are consistently finishing in the top 4, and have no trade currency. We paid a lot for May, Lever and Langdon, who basically secured us a flag.

We could have traded pick 7 last year, and we would have if something good was available. We went hard for Lynch and Hawkins, but would you rather one of them or Windsor? 

 

 

We offered three first rounders for Reid

Just now, jnrmac said:

We offered three first rounders for Reid

three first rounders and then if you believe the reports we tried to sweeten it with a couple of second rounders and meth coke STILL said no... justifiably

reid is an absolute freak of a first year footballer

44 minutes ago, ElDiablo14 said:

So the club can't deal with 10 day breaks, 9 day breaks, 5 day breaks. 

We need the perfect amount of breaks between games? 

We are really trying to find ways to cope with the performance of the team.

Not so much coping. I do think (with no knowledge) that Selwyn is probably increasing training loads earlier this season given the number of 10+ day breaks. We have had 3 maybe already? Would expect the team to be in top shape late in the season.

7 minutes ago, Clintosaurus said:

Not so much coping. I do think (with no knowledge) that Selwyn is probably increasing training loads earlier this season given the number of 10+ day breaks. We have had 3 maybe already? Would expect the team to be in top shape late in the season.

So we'll be better placed to beat the Eagles in Rd 17? 

The day after losses like these are the worst.

Think I had nightmares of Reid pushing over/fending off our lightweight, once vaunted midfield brigade, turning on the jets and scoring a ripper goal in front of our noses. There was also us getting outmarked everywhere, and just flopping about, unable to make or stick tackles. 

I honestly don't mind losing. Can't win 'em all. BUT only if we turn up, respecting our opponents, having a dip for 4 qtrs. None of that happened. We turned up expecting a win, and got OWNED by a bottom 4 team. 

A true nightmare. 

32 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

I think it is time for some personnel change. We can't keep doing the same thing and expecting different results.

I'd like to see Woey in for full game time. He has been playing really conistent footy and deserves a good block of games in the team and not as sub.

Billings needs to go back to Casey for mine and I think it is time to give Laurie an extended run in the team as well.

Brown is cooked at AFL level. We may as well play Fullarton and at least have him second ruck so Petty can stay forward or alternatively lets see how Verrall goes.

Laurie still turning the ball over too often through the middle at VFL level.  Sometimes under very little pressure too.  Hits the panic button and clangers it straight back to the oppo.

Has some serious work to do here before you'd reconsider bringing him back in imho.

If we were going to trial anyone from Casey i'd rather Kolt for a block of matches before Laurie (at this point). 

The guy at least has some wheels,  white line fever and hits in hard once the ball bounces.

49 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Fritsch 1 tackle, Brown 1 tackle, Petty 4 tackles.

Jack Darling 12 tackles.

22 tackles I50 for the Eagles too. 

They wanted it more. 

42 minutes ago, DistrACTION Jackson said:

I think it is time for some personnel change. We can't keep doing the same thing and expecting different results.

I'd like to see Woey in for full game time. He has been playing really conistent footy and deserves a good block of games in the team and not as sub.

Billings needs to go back to Casey for mine and I think it is time to give Laurie an extended run in the team as well.

Brown is cooked at AFL level. We may as well play Fullarton and at least have him second ruck so Petty can stay forward or alternatively lets see how Verrall goes.

I love BBB but as I said in the match thread he only got a game cos JvR, Turner, Melksham and He who cant be named were out.

The reality with BBB is he's a cherry on top player - he can still play a role but needs good delivery and needs others to do some of the hardwork to cover him. 

When we're a little bit off our game or dysfunctional it's not going to go well for BBB.

Imagine Fullarton gets a gig soon to see what he can offer.

40 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

We offered three first rounders for Reid

And it would've been worth every penny.

4 hours ago, manny100 said:

We lost Brayshaw who is a gun and Smith who was  handy player.

This game we lost JVR and Langdon. Lever subbed off early.

We have a lot of inexperienced players in the team. The list is being refreshed.

The scene was set early for a WCE win.

We have our core of guns still playing well. We need to lure another gun tall off-season.

 

Please!!!! The Eagles were missing their best player this year in Yeo, and their captain and best player Oscar Allen. Stop using injuries as an excuse.

Our core of guns are NOT paying well. 

We seemed very lethargic all over the ground and just had no run. Just hope it was a once off and we get back a bit of a spark against the Saints. What really concerns me though is we seem to be a team of plodders like a Melb Cup field with no Blue Diamond runners. Other than Kozzie we just have no X factor and speed to break lines.

AND the worst thing about yesterday was, after the Port fluke win, I had all of my tips correct and said to the other half how's good is this I'm going to get a clean sweep. My Demons changed that !!. Only 8 correct.

 

Absolutely no intent. Pathetic between the ears as per.