That was the most embarrassing game I’ve sat through. 46 points up!

Where’s Brad Green?

A supposedly passionate Melbourne person is currently not to be seen or heard from is out there watching his club fall apart right now and is doing eff all about it.

Is paying Goodwin out a good thing? No.

Is paying Goodwin out and but changing things up a good thing and not letting us hit rock bottom especially with Tassie coming in. Yes.

Goodwin has said his picking a team to win now. What for? We aren’t winning nor are we making finals. It’s worse to pick an experienced team and lose than playing young kids and losing. At least then you could see who’s cut out for afl level or move them on at years end.

Petty over Adams? Why? Give the kid a go.

JVR over Kentfield? Why? Give the kid a go too.

6 minutes ago, praha said:

Wheatley's intro on SEN just then almost turned me into a Saints supporter. I am almost happy for them if not for the fact their joy comes at our misery.

But he made a very good point.

"That was the dumbest 8 seconds of football ever.

Why were Melbourne's midfielders all at the centre circle? They just needed to be in the square.

Why was Viney smack bang in the middle? He could have sat further down the line.

How could WM start in the middle with 8 seconds left and then still kick the winning goal?"

It is beyond comprehension. You cannot explain or coach that away. It is a career ending 8 seconds. I suspect Gawn, Viney, Petracca and Oliver, all of their days are club leaders are numbered.

agree re the 8 seconds but the main issue is we let them kick 9 goals in the last quarter. Should never happen in a team that is fully invested. Points to deep seated problems

1 minute ago, chook fowler said:

agree re the 8 seconds but the main issue is we let them kick 9 goals in the last quarter. Should never happen in a team that is fully invested. Points to deep seated problems

It happens though. You play in the moment. A draw is still better than a loss. Still hollow but at that moment scores were level. You never want to lose. My dad always says that a good team is one that still finds a way to win even when challenged, irrespective of how much of a lead they gave up. Yes we gave up 9 goals but really all we needed was 1 goal (or even a behind). I know it doesn't change anything but the final moment is symbolic of the entire disaster. It is a culmination of moments in the worst final quarter in AFL history.

Goodwin is 98% to blame. Don’t care what anyone says. Aussie Rules isn’t like cricket where the captain does the majority of tactical work. It’s very similar to football/soccer in the regard of game day tactical management.

A prime example I can think of from last season is the impact of the manager of Birmingham City in the English 2nd Division.

Tony Mowbray, the manager earned 13 points in 8 games and the team was playing really well. During the season, he became sick and left his assistants in charge.

All match preparation, tactics, and team selection decisions remained the same while they consulted with Mowbray via phone. The only difference was the in-game management. The team then went on to win 1 point from the next 7 or so games.

The best managers/coaches adapt essentially on the fly. Our centre bounce players don’t ever change, Goodwin just stood there clueless when the St Kilda avalanche was pouring in. When I saw the other week McRae shifted Josh Daicos, who hardly played on ball all season from defense while they were 6-7 goals down to almost winning, I was filled with so much envy. We have our own version in Rivers and as much of an explosive weapon that he is, we rarely use him in dangerous positions.

People also give Luke Beverage a lot of [censored], but at least Beverage tries stuff, at least he goes down swinging. He is always proactive. No one can tell me with a straight face that if we had McRae or Beverage coaching us yesterday that we would still lose and see the same result.

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by VNightCityLegend

Imagine being a player or working at the club after that loss and then having to show up to work in... Cranbourne.

Disgrace...I still can't believe we lost that game. Final 8 second not withstanding the rest of that quarter was terrible.

I just have to think that perhaps they know the AFL season is kaput and they're just putting all the energy into VFL because we can play finals. Seriously though...better selection please...and maybe just defend that 8 goal lead we had I mean how the hell do you give that up :(

11 hours ago, SadDee said:

Yep.

I’ve got zero [censored] clue why we even have him let alone play him, he’s as weak as a packet of ramen noodles.

Give Jefferson or any of the upcoming forwards MUCH NEEDED game time for them to gain experience in gameplay, and match fitness and better opponents.

To play Petty forward again is the definition of insanity. It’s proven not to work on countless occasions after working only once against Richmond.

Petty forward doesn't work and is [censored] selection. Try him again as a backman, if he's no good he should be moved on somewhere else he really hasn't been much chop for us.

7 minutes ago, Young Angus said:

Petty forward doesn't work and is [censored] selection. Try him again as a backman, if he's no good he should be moved on somewhere else he really hasn't been much chop for us.

Whilst I agree, I think we can skip putting him back. He’s proven not very good there either, we have Hore and Disco who are both better than him, and AMW coming back from injury. Plenty of defenders. Get whatever we can for him.

It was clear from early on that wanganeen Milera was the only player that could possibly win the match for them.

How we didn’t put a hard tag on him is pathetic coaching.

For three quarters, the Saints played our style of game, and in the last quarter, they played their game of switching the play to Hill and then running. We just played an all-in game at contests and allowed free players to move the ball at will, and not one coach tried to combat it by making sure their players were covered. It is just poor coaching, full stop. The finish was even more comical; to allow a player at the center bounce to run free into the forward line unopposed is just head-shaking.

I have not really supported sacking Goodwin, but I think it’s time for a change of direction. We have not progressed any young forwards, and if the truth be known, we have butchered their progress. We have had the same problem with a one-paced, lack-of-skills midfield for the last three years, and Oliver showed that yesterday with no composure, just banging it on the boot without looking. As for Petty, he has shown better form as a lead-up forward but has been ineffective as a pack-mark forward. JVR’s hand position has not been fixed and is not a pack-mark forward either, but that’s down to coaching.

And what will team selection be next week? Same players come back in; same players go out. Now is the time to try something different with the midfield: rest Viney and Oliver, and play Trac as a forward only. Just damn well try something different.

Just now, DeeZee said:

It was clear from early on that wanganeen Milera was the only player that could possibly win the match for them.

How we didn’t put a hard tag on him is pathetic coaching.

agreed. that and taking Windsor off the ground for one of our slowest, Spargo. Exactly what Ross Lyon would have wanted. they played witches hats in the last quarter. Premierships players, seasoned experienced players who were witches hats. unforgiveable.

1 hour ago, pitmaster said:

There are clearly doubts about Selwyn and the fitness program but yesterday was a mental failure.

We never put sides to the sword. How often - when we were winning - did we get on top of sides and lament the fact that a four goal win should have been by much more. Other sides know how to make the most of a chance to utterly [censored] the opposition but we don't and that's a mind set issue.

We are not, and I don't remember when we were last ruthless.

At 3/4 time the right mental setting was to absolutely bury the Saints but we didn't have it.

So yeah, by all means get rid of Selwyn, but we also need some Northey-like mongrel in the coaching personnel and the senior players.

This is not mental. Well maybe partly but it is what is coached and I think is at the bottom of the entire psyche of the club.

I have no doubt yesterday was another episode of play to hold the lead revert to stoppages stake control of the game.

When Saints kicked 3 within the first minute it tells you Simon’s tactics were well known throughout the universe. No doubt Ross knew this has wound up his players to jump us and kick start the momentum.

it also tells you we don’t have a ruthless will to win games by big marginS and when we are being challenged we don’t have the mental resilience to stop momentum - the team just gives up or doesn’t know how to respond to high pressure situations.

We are broken. The nonsense of love and connection used in preseason has back fired. We are no doubt worse off as a playing group and fractures have become gaping canyons. We are firmly , truly on the highway back to an era of irrelevance again.

4 minutes ago, SadDee said:

Whilst I agree, I think we can skip putting him back. He’s proven not very good there either, we have Hore and Disco who are both better than him, and AMW coming back from injury. Plenty of defenders. Get whatever we can for him.

This is just flatout incorrect.....yes, he isn't a forward [censored], but he is solid key back. He would be better now than in 2021 to if we hadn't wasted the last 2 years playing him out of position.

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by Brenno

Have we reached Bomberblitz meltdown levels yet? Must be close.

We should never have been in a situation where the last 8 seconds mattered.

But we were! And we failed to manage 'that moment'.

The umpire is somewhat responsible for fiasco.

There was no need for the same players to come back to the square nor be in the circle. We could have put any 4 players in the centre square, line them up as a wall at the back of the square to block any run. And the two wingman at the defensive ends of the square would give us a wall of 6 players. Marshall would have had to kick over the wall.

Even without rules awareness leaving NWM unattended was just so so stupid.

But our leaders should have known of the rules, checked the umpire when he called them back and the formation I describe should have been a set play.

I bet they don't know the rules and haven't trained that play and that is a coaching issue.

So when you got to work this morning, how many people came up to you & said don't tell me you were at the game yesterday. Then followed up with, what happened

10 minutes ago, Brenno said:

This is just flatout incorrect.....yes, he isn't a forward [censored], but he is solid key back. He would be better now than in 2021 to if we hadn't wasted the last 2 years playing him out of position.

I get your belief, but I’ve seen so many times he’s lost one on one, he rarely wins. He’s never hit the gym, he’s got no shot against like Walker, Thilthorpe, McKay, Curnow, McStay.. the list goes on. He’s not up to it.

17 minutes ago, dees189227 said:

So when you got to work this morning, how many people came up to you & said don't tell me you were at the game yesterday. Then followed up with, what happened

Yes but replace all of that with "Hahaha how [censored] is Melbourne?"

Yes I work with imbeciles.

18 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

We should never have been in a situation where the last 8 seconds mattered.

But we were! And we failed to manage 'that moment'.

The umpire is somewhat responsible for fiasco.

There was no need for the same players to come back to the square nor be in the circle. We could have put any 4 players in the centre square, line them up as a wall at the back of the square to block any run. And the two wingman at the defensive ends of the square would give us a wall of 6 players. Marshall would have had to kick over the wall.

Even without rules awareness leaving NWM unattended was just so so stupid.

But our leaders should have known of the rules, checked the umpire when he called them back and the formation I describe should have been a set play.

I bet they don't know the rules and haven't trained that play and that is a coaching issue.

I don't think the umpires knew the rules either. The product is in a great state. No longer a game.

20 minutes ago, dees189227 said:

So when you got to work this morning, how many people came up to you & said don't tell me you were at the game yesterday. Then followed up with, what happened

I just got my normal dose of Pity which is difficult to bear

30 minutes ago, dees189227 said:

So when you got to work this morning, how many people came up to you & said don't tell me you were at the game yesterday. Then followed up with, what happened

Yep, and that [censored] has been happening all my life. Always the next embarrassing loss. A laughing stock for most of my life.

1 hour ago, praha said:

Wheatley's intro on SEN just then almost turned me into a Saints supporter. I am almost happy for them if not for the fact their joy comes at our misery.

But he made a very good point.

"That was the dumbest 8 seconds of football ever.

Why were Melbourne's midfielders all at the centre circle? They just needed to be in the square.

Why was Viney smack bang in the middle? He could have sat further down the line.

How could WM start in the middle with 8 seconds left and then still kick the winning goal?"

It is beyond comprehension. You cannot explain or coach that away. It is a career ending 8 seconds. I suspect Gawn, Viney, Petracca and Oliver, all of their days are club leaders are numbered.

Whats even more laughable is, we were penalised for having an extra in our own forward line. I could understand somewhat if it had of been an extra player in the back six with the Saints momentum, but what a [censored] up!

17 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I'm certainly not excusing our boys, as I am as livid as every other supporter, and it should not have come down to this moment in any case. However, the umpires, from memory, initially paid a free kick, Gawn and others took off to defend, then were told they had to come back and reset the field. I have never seen it before and it clearly gave Saints time to work on a set play. Credit to them for that. Gawn and Viney were clueless though. I hear the commentators saying Viney was in no man's land and it was stupid. He seemed to be confused by umpires directions, thinking that he had to start at the true wing position. Where was the St Kilda wingman? Why wasn't the mark set on the centre line? Does it get set behind the circle, or did we take the outside 5? If so, dead dumb.

It is a situation I am really unfamilar with and so were our leaders. Gawn should have huddled his side at the reset. He had no idea. How many people did before yesterday? I still want to know why we had one short in at the bounce. Who was it? Who went forward?

The morning after..

In some ways it’s even worse than the day of the event. If you’re a long term footy fan, you might get a handful of these embarrassing days in your lifetime, for us it feels like we’ve had at least 5 times as many as fans of other clubs.

New lows, new embarrassing records, you’re never far away from this as a Melbourne fan.

I don’t even know what my main thoughts are this morning. Whether it’s about the game itself, where we have found ourselves, long time club mentality, the life of a fan etc. I’ve been lost for words since the siren and am still lost for words.

I’ve said this 3 times already and I apologise in advance for saying it again:

Yesterday was never ever going to be a game where I stressed, yelled too much, got the heart rate high and so on. We’re in the butt end of the season with no hope for finals, no first round pick to tank for, very few kids to get a good look at. Out of all the teams in our position this year, we have next to no reason as fans to waste our time on these games other than to hopefully win or get some kind of hope. Whether we were going to win comfortably or close or lose comfortably or close, my stress level was not going to get out of first gear…

Until there was an embarrassing 30 year old record that nobody wants on the line. I for the life of me cannot believe in a game like this, the thing that got me out of my seat screaming was the possibility of an impossible, ugly, smelly, grotesque record falling and being on the wrong side of it yet again. What football fan is regularly in a position where they have to worry about some bizarre thing like this happening? Not many can manage it as often as us. You can take it as a deranged positive that at least something motivated us fans but I am just so angry right now about that. It really shows the life inside an MFC fan’s head and it is the saddest thing ever. I can’t see any other club’s fans getting as nervous as us when those first 4 goals were kicked.

If any of you feel the same way please reach out because I feel like I’m banging my head against a wall here. I don’t know why this had to be the case.

Some home truths about the game itself:

Loved the way we looked for 3 quarters, ball movement as good as it had been all year. Can we just acknowledge how easy the Saints made this for us though? Their movement was slow to a halt and they tried to play the kick mark game. You couldn’t wish for better conditions to get our style going against. The moment they put speed on the ball we were like frightened little rabbits watching a scary movie, instead of matching the running level we were in the cinema clutching the person next to us and telling them to hold us. It was a real ordeal and maybe some counselling is required.

The players get no free pass whatsoever. We have lacked the killer instinct mentality and execution for a long time now, this is not a one-off but more of a culmination. Now that it has ended in ultimate humiliation for the world to see it will be firmly in spotlight. I can point to at least 6 games this year where the chance to wrestle back or gain momentum has been completely fluffed by bad execution in the moment or stupid behaviours leading to free kicks, 50s and more. That Port game to me was just like this last quarter when you had Oliver 30 metres out try to snap and not make the distance and then Viney on the wing with 5 seconds left give away a free and then a 50. The only reason this wasn’t plastered over every single place you can think of is because we lost that game convincingly in average and forgetful fashion.

Small details matter, there is never a reason to give away a goal with the ball on the wing with 5 seconds left just like there is never a reason to give up 2 goals in the last minute of a game when the ball was at a stoppage in your forward line with 80 seconds to go. Poor execution, psychology in big moments, ill-discipline and not knowing what the hell we are doing when setting up for big plays is destroying this team. Talent doesn’t even come into it.

Everyone deserves blame after yesterday, the players are the top of the list for me but coaching was sub-par at crucial times. Our rotations in that last quarter were nothing short of a joke, taking Kozzie out at 21 minutes into the quarter, even taking Fritsch off in the first quarter when he was shooting the lights out. The rotations guy needs blame and if it is Goodwin he needs blame.

Sending Bayley Fritsch down back to defend the single spark of hope they had, playing Petty wherever the hell they were playing him. Actually playing Petty at all in place of Jefferson. Then the tragic 6-6-6 debacle. Of course you can’t do much as coach in that moment… Hello? Do we need reminding that Simon Goodwin coaches from the boundary? Nothing we want to yell out to anyone in that moment?

I still haven’t heard a good explanation of why we approached that last bounce how we did. From my understanding we had too few players in the square. Why? Were they back defensive side? What was the reasoning for this? Were our players actually so scared to lose that we wanted to drop guys back? Why was one of our best contested bulls lining up on a wing? Is our team mentality that shot that we didn’t want to back our premiership ball winning machines at a centre bounce? Loser mentality.

We’re always bemoaning our poor inaccuracy and then following it up with how there is no time to practice extra goalkicking at training because they have a million meetings during the week. So out of all those meetings there apparently isn’t one where they could a) Go over the 6-6-6 rule and b) Drill it in what we would do in that situation? If we’re going to cop out with the goal kicking excuse and use the excuse that footy clubs spend more time studying now than practicing, then bloody well practice what you preach and learn your jobs.

If you claim to be a reasonable side, there is never a reason to go goalless in a quarter of footy. Let alone concede 9 goals and in the last quarter. All teams have blooper days but if you can’t achieve these check boxes then you aren’t even close to a finals team.

It’s all mental. You don’t go from 9.4 at half time to 13.12 without it being mental, you don’t concede 23 x I50s for the first 3 quarters then finish with 43 without it being mental, you don’t concede umpteen marks inside 50 in the last quarter without it being mental. The way that game finished was like a video game where the other player dropped the controller and walked off. That last play was the equivalent of a soccer game where a 1 in 100 quick free kick was taken and they scored.

That’s pretty much it, it is exhausting doing this. I’m sorry you all had to go through it as well.