Cam was on radio this morning and to be honest, I could not believe what he was saying....

That we handballed too much, we were stagnant, went over the mark too many times, etc.

Then in the last quarter we went long, we played direct football and played aggressively.. backed ourselves in....

That at the G we have a good style of footy, before this year is.....

My lord, Captain Obvious!

In the words of Terry Wallets - I was going to spew up!!!

Blind freddy could have seen this - the chip chip, handball handball style was getting us into trouble.. we have not won a game with our ridiculous game plan, so lets back ourselves in.. take the game on from the first bounce!!

Spare me!!

The problem is that they have been saying that pretty much every time after a loss. Then they go on and say how they are going to stop, reverse or fix the problems. Then a week later we get told the same things over and over again.

Why should we believe them this time?

Sure long and direct is the way we play our best football (and every other team as well). yet when the ball is bounced in the first quarter, it's as if all of that goes out the window.

Something is clearly not right.

On one hand we have players saying that Daniher is not to blame, it is all the players' fault.

On the other hand, we've had about 5 or so players publicly state that the reason we are losing is because of our game-plan (over-possessing and over-handballing).

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but these two are not mutually exclusive. Daniher is in charge of the style of play, and the way we move the ball forward. The players are not happy with the way we are playing. What has gone wrong?

Either Daniher has finally conceded defeat on the run-and-carry game plan in the last quarter of Round 9, or the playing group decided that they've had enough and took the game into their own hands.

There is a fatal connection between run and carry and the crud we served up for the first three quarters.

I cant believe there is a perception that Daniher is ordering them to overuse handball, to frivolously handball to players who are under under pressure or stagnant and to just chip across ground continuously. Its as likely that he telling them to pass the ball to leading player two feet over their head or to make it bounce a meter in fron of them.

What's been rolled out by the players is a poor implementation of good football strategy. And believe it or not run and carry has not always been implemented in games this year. For example against Hawthorn, we definitely went longer trying to strtech the Hawks defence. The problem we implemented that badly as well.

At year end ND will wear the responsbility for the year as coaches do. But some of the explanation of what going on just goes beyond belief.

I cant believe there is a perception that Daniher is ordering them to overuse handball, to frivolously handball to players who are under under pressure or stagnant and to just chip across ground continuously. Its as likely that he telling them to pass the ball to leading player two feet over their head or to make it bounce a meter in fron of them.

Of course he doesn't, but they still do it, and they never have before.

This is a completely different style that we're playing, and it is the run-and-carry style... only a more crap, less skilled, utterly stupid version of it. Why we haven't stopped playing it all together I don't know, why we've started playing it at the MCG to begin with I don't know.

We're 0-9, clearly a premiership is not going to be won using this game plan.

The point is, the players hate the way we are moving the ball forward, but they still come out every week and do it, and every week they get progressively more pathetic at it. So the question has to be asked, WHY do it?

The real outcome of this interview should be to get Cam Bruce off the airwaves ASAP. Honestly, I'd rather hear Aaron Davey's nervous but honest stammers than the usual Cam Bruce hyperbole. He, White, Yze and Robertson always spew forth the same old crud when doing interviews. It drives me nuts.

By the way, the current game plan we've been seeing is not run and carry. It's the opposite, stand still and handball off as much as possible to other blokes that are standing still. There's no running or carrying, how could be called run and carry?

He, White, Yze and Robertson always spew forth the same old crud when doing interviews. It drives me nuts.

Hence why they, or more to the point, he, should never ever be appointed as captain.

If anyone heard Brock McLean's interview while injured (Round 5 I think it was), his honest assessment of where we are at, was the way a captain should speak.

The handballing, and OVER handballing is a result of practicing the run and carry game plan. We have always been a kicking side, who kicked long and direct. Now we don't. While we execute it very poorly, the idea behind quick handballing comes from the run and carry style.

Of course he doesn't, but they still do it, and they never have before.

This is a completely different style that we're playing, and it is the run-and-carry style... only a more crap, less skilled, utterly stupid version of it. Why we haven't stopped playing it all together I don't know, why we've started playing it at the MCG to begin with I don't know.

We're 0-9, clearly a premiership is not going to be won using this game plan.

The point is, the players hate the way we are moving the ball forward, but they still come out every week and do it, and every week they get progressively more pathetic at it. So the question has to be asked, WHY do it?

The players are so low in confidence they are playing safe football. They would rather spot a man up 15 metres sideways to try and keep possesion than run the ball forward to a contest. There is no way ND is telling them to play that way. They don't leave their man and run forward for the play on hand ball in case of a turnover therefore it comes in way too slow to the forwards. The one player who at least runs forward to try to create is Nathan Brown and all he gets is bagged!!!! They just need to keep the same team on the park for a few weeks in a row (which hasn't happened all year) crack it for a win and the confidence and run on football will start to happen.

There is a fatal connection between run and carry and the crud we served up for the first three quarters.

I cant believe there is a perception that Daniher is ordering them to overuse handball, to frivolously handball to players who are under under pressure or stagnant and to just chip across ground continuously. Its as likely that he telling them to pass the ball to leading player two feet over their head or to make it bounce a meter in fron of them.

What's been rolled out by the players is a poor implementation of good football strategy. And believe it or not run and carry has not always been implemented in games this year. For example against Hawthorn, we definitely went longer trying to strtech the Hawks defence. The problem we implemented that badly as well.

At year end ND will wear the responsbility for the year as coaches do. But some of the explanation of what going on just goes beyond belief.

Rhino, Rhino, Rhino.

I agree that the implementation of these two game styles has been poor. But the reason for all the overuse of handball etc. is purely based around ONE thing.

DON'T DELIVER THE BALL TO A CONTESTED SITUATION.

As far as I can see the problem lies far deeper than poor implementation. I'll explain.

Since last season a largely successful game plan that saw us create a real 'home ground advantage' was 'thrown out the window' in favour of one touted as being the cure for our inept attempts at winning on the bigger grounds (Subiaco and Football Park).

Unfortunately there appears to have been minimal thought put into the decision to change.

Firstly, we only play on those grounds 3 times throughout the home and away season, not nearly enough to warrant any change in my mind. So the decision must have be made on the assumption that we will finish in a position where we are likely to have to play finals on these grounds. I am sure you will agree that, that is an arrogant, over confident assumption.

Secondly, in the past, over several years, we have recruited specifically to fill a void in our team, in the area of 'big bodied, tough, inside midfielders (Bell, Sylvia, McClean, Moloney, Jones, Bartram). These players were recruited specifically because of their size and strength and their ability to win the ball in a contested situation. They were NOT recruited because of their speed, endurance or athleticism which are attributes desired for the run and carry game style. Consequently, over the pre-season these players have had their most valuable attributes 'striped' from them in the name of 'speed and endurance' and a largely non-contested game plan.

When you add this diabolical decision to the one to switch our defensive coach to our offensive one and vice versa a trend starts to emerge.

Hindsight has shown these decisions to be poor very, very poor ones.

The main thing that irks me about this season is that 5 of our 6 genuine match winners (Neitz, White, Yze, Robertson, Johnstone) have effectively lost a season!! That is, they have copped one more years wear and tear FOR WHAT, NOTHING. On the flip side, the only positive from this season so far is that our other match winner (Davey), and his younger team mates have gained a bit of experience.

Taking all this into consideration I think that it is only FAIR and REASONABLE that the person responsible is held accountable.

Especially since he is yet to accept responsibility!!

FWIW I think that the injuries we have suffered and the close game last weekend (after playing so poorly for three quarters and the Kangaroos kicking so poorly for goal) have helped to deflect attention from the REAL problem with this season.

Of course he doesn't, but they still do it, and they never have before.

This is a completely different style that we're playing, and it is the run-and-carry style... only a more crap, less skilled, utterly stupid version of it. Why we haven't stopped playing it all together I don't know, why we've started playing it at the MCG to begin with I don't know.

We're 0-9, clearly a premiership is not going to be won using this game plan.

The point is, the players hate the way we are moving the ball forward, but they still come out every week and do it, and every week they get progressively more pathetic at it. So the question has to be asked, WHY do it?

We playing a crud style based on being smashed in the clearances not having our best team on the park and players not having the confidence to back themselves in pressured situations. The impact of one loss feeds on another and we are not playing any style.

We could have played any style you wanted Jaded in the past six weeks but we still would not have won because of the same skills errors, lack of leadership, acceptance of half hearted contests and the persistence of players lacking confidence to give the ball off to players in worse positions than themselves.

At 0 and 9, we aere evidence of team that cant muster the capacity to implement any constructive game plan.

The player hate losing. They hate going into a game without their better players and losing 1 or 2 more before the game and carrying 1 or 2 others (like Neitz, Sylvia and Moloney) who clearly arent fit. All this belts their confidence and the ability to back themselves to perform at AFL level in any game plan.

And good point Nasher.

Hence why they, or more to the point, he, should never ever be appointed as captain.

If anyone heard Brock McLean's interview while injured (Round 5 I think it was), his honest assessment of where we are at, was the way a captain should speak.

The handballing, and OVER handballing is a result of practicing the run and carry game plan. We have always been a kicking side, who kicked long and direct. Now we don't. While we execute it very poorly, the idea behind quick handballing comes from the run and carry style.

Jaded, I agree that Brock is a good talker and would make an excellent captain one day. But he has only played 50 games. Neitz is captain(not Yze, Bruce or Robbo) and is a good speaker. The way a captain should speak!

stuff what a captain SAYS !! people follow what a captain DOES !!!

DON'T DELIVER THE BALL TO A CONTESTED SITUATION.

what you want to see boring uncontested footy...

a contest proves who is better its better to watch its entertaining...

the nature of playing well is to feed to advantage ( something we can only dimly remember ! ) playing the ball into a contest by choice.. is not clever footy !!

your right it may not be clever... but if the opposite team always mans up 1 0n 1 you have no choice do you ???

There's nothing wrong with a run and carry gameplan, except that it requires the right type of players to use it. WC use it (which is the most recent Premiership side we've stolen a gameplan from) because they lack dominant key forwards and have break away ball winners like Cousins, Judd and Kerr, not to mention quality runners in every line that they can get the ball to to use it properly.

We don't this. We can have four strong marking forwards and the best defensive forward in the game. Move it quick and give them a chance. That's called playing to OUR strengths, not trying to emulate another team whose strengths rest in completely different areas.

Playing one quarter of footy the "2006 way" for three of the last four weeks has gotten us within a goal of three victories. The players saying at the end of each game that that's what they want to see from us next week is evidence that they are unhappy with the "2007 way" of playing.

Injuries or not it would have hurt us this year because its such a fundamental departure from playing to our strengths.

You'd have to have your head in the sand or placed firmly up somewhere else if you can't see that.

...

well said Hards, spot on

well said Hards, spot on

I second that.

Jaded, I agree that Brock is a good talker and would make an excellent captain one day. But he has only played 50 games. Neitz is captain(not Yze, Bruce or Robbo) and is a good speaker. The way a captain should speak!

Come to think of it, I haven't heard much from Neitz in the media lately...

Anyway, how would people react if Daniher came out and said

'Yeah, we've been trying to add some extra elements to our game, it's a good idea but there's been some problems implementing it. We have real issues with turnover in our assistant coaching staff and I've been having some trouble trying to manage everything from the top. Stuff it, I'm going to West Coast to get the same kind of salary working as an assistant coach, while eight other guys give minute detailed attention to every aspect of training, teamwork and skills development.'

Bah. If we wanted the cash we would've merged with Hawthorn. I'd rather take a crack at it and maybe one day win as Melbourne, rather than have a good shot every year as the Demawks.

What happened in the last quarter against the Kangas was pretty obvious. We lead to the ball aggressively and took some chances rather than waiting to see what happened and then reacting on the back foot.

I second that.

Ditto. Playstyle needs to be adopted to suit the team we have, not the team we'd like to have.

You need to play to your strengths - that said the injuries and form we've had has been ordinary whatever you're trying to do.

The thing that must be remembered is that this season is not the first time Melbourne have played this "crud" football.

We saw it against the Kangaroos last year, against Adelaide last year and in the second half against St Kilda (the first game) last year just to name a few. Before injuries were a major concern.

agree with a earlier post

"where has our captain been? i havent heard one word from him since the season started."

agree with a earlier post

"where has our captain been? i havent heard one word from him since the season started."

Who cares. Theres nothing he can say that hasn't already been said or written. Just glad hes back on the park kickin sausage rolls!

wrong!

the captain should be the one on the ground screaming at the players, taking control and making sure we win these close games

and off the ground the captain should be the one to try and talk up the teams chances and try and get the fans to the game.

the captain should be the face of the club over others ie robbo, green, bruce etc etc

just give us something!