deespicable me

Brownlow, Norm Smith, Premiership in AFL, VFL and AFLW .

Richmond couldn't do it. Pathetic. And don't anyone start suggesting they didn't have a team in the AFLW as an excuse or I'll spew up!

If Lever is the missing piece to creating a solid defensive unit then it's a great win. If Lever is a ten year player we have done well to get him to our club. I'm not too worried about "overs" or "unders" even though I think we paid overs and got unders on our two main deals.

I'm more concerned about how Lever affects the "balance" and "harmony" of the playing group. Have we created a situation where we can't hold all our talent? Is Watts the last to leave or will others feel uneasy in their workplace and want out? Will we now show more or less desire? Does the Watts trade relay the message to the playing group that we're serious about success? Or will they all just have their hands out for more money?

I don't know. I think we are a better team going forward and maybe everyone will have got the message to at least turn up to pre-season in good shape! So yeah, a win.

Tims gone and got all High and Mighty now they've got the Safe Injecting Rooms out at Tullamarine.

In the end I will trust the coach and his side-kicks to make the call.

As a young coach you only get a couple of years to influence and change the list before the performance of the team directs whether you stay (can coach) or go.

As Goodwin heads into his second year at the helm he has decided Watts's character is not a good role model for the way he wants the team to perform.

I didn't want Jack to go but I applaude Goodwin for having a go. It's his time, it's his arse on the line and I hope like hell he's done the right thing.

I think we should try and swap Watts for Stringer. I think they have a reasonably equal value and both haven't quite delivered at their first clubs.

Will be the one most nervous of Watts being taken from us.

Demonland needs a whipping boy.

1 hour ago, A F said:

The Club's number one priority is to improve our playing list and that will be the driving force behind any decision made in this area. 

At the expense of culture, loyalty and a soul. It's not always about throwing things away when they don't quite work, sometimes you have to dig in and make the sum of what you have got work.

When Gawn came back from injury his contested marking appeared way down on early season and more-so last years form. Because of the injury it is hard to assess but maybe teams have worked out how to play him. He has a glaring weakness that he is not quick around the ground. Grundy destroyed him in the last game. I think he finished the season (on available form) as a mid tier (using the tier system) ruck.

I'm also open to a trade at top value, but if he stays (and I'm also happy with this outcome) he will need to work extremely hard over summer to improve his aerobic fitness if he is to improve on 2017.

Will he? I think so as he seems to understand he is only famous because he is a good footballer, but the high life is certainly a distraction for him as it probably was with Watts last off-season.

15 hours ago, ENYAW said:

Looking thru the half full crystal glass the following will happen 2018. Jetta plays forward,Maynard and J.Smith become mids,O.Mac wing. J.Higgins play f.p. Tyson and Kennedy goes west,how far not determined.Watts or Hogan will leave. 

That glass is chipped, cracked and leaking.

26 minutes ago, mattjm said:

i believe he built eastlink... worked his nails to the bone... Arrrrrubbbbaaaa

The penny has finally dropped. I didn't get what you were all going on about.

I might have meant Maynard, but I think you already know that. We did have a Magner on our list a few years ago I think, but really thats no excuse. I think I might just wander off into the off-season now.

I thought against Collingwood they killed us at stoppages and contested ball. I agree there is a case to suggest that is all about preparation and mind-set and nothing to do with us missing Viney but I still think we have very limited depth around the ball. Our depth players are Stretch, Kennedy, JKH, Bugg and Magner. That is with players like ANB, Harmes, Vince, Salem, Petracca and Lewis running through there, and most of those players aren't yet that good or are nearly past it.

I think the club has got too many half-back flank, almost KPF defenders on the list.

Tom McDonald

Oscar McDonald

Frost, Keilty, Smith and Garland as back up (3rd tall options)

Then Hunt, Hibberd , Jetta and Salem as the smalls with

Lewis, Vince, Brayshaw as back-up (or out there).

I know Lever is good and it would be great to get him on the list but I think our list will be weak in mid to forward areas as a result.

2 hours ago, Deeman said:

Is it just me or did anyone else think that Magner was particularly quiet yesterday?

 

He was our top possession getter in the first qtr and kicked a goal from a stoppage.

Went missing with everyone else in the 2nd though. Still learning and will be better after another pre-season, only his second so far.

Watching todays game I was impressed with Stretch's game. He has developed his inside game well over the second half of the year at VFL level. He can still make it. JKH and Spencer were woeful unfortunately. I will be surprised if JKH gets another senior game. Magner has had a good year too and if he keeps developing as he should will get his chance next year. Bugg can still offer something but will probably only ever be about top 26, not top 22. Still you need a top 33 to have genuine depth.

I was surprised by Richmonds depth. It's always hard to beat a VFL side that is still alive in the AFL as all the seconds players still hold hope to get a game in the seniors.

They had Conca, Lloyd, Griffiths, Miles and a couple of others. That Morris is a dog. His only skill is smashing into blokes trying to injure them. Sheedy would recall him to his Grand Final side just to go head-hunting.

I don't think we're that good.

Carrying on about missing out on finals and how we will improve naturally next year is in no way a given.

Goodwin said we will be where we deserve to be at the end of round 23.

There are 4 teams that finished below us that will expect to finish above us next year, namely Collingwood, Hawthorn, St Kilda and Footscray. Brisbane will look forward to playing us again as will North and even Carlton who either didn't lose by much or beat us.

Our contested ball without Viney is poor and if Max doesn't improve or adapt we have a midfield ranked maybe even lower than where we finished this year.

When Petracca can play long midfield minutes we will improve and Clarry and Viney have a lot of upside but our mid range players are either hit and miss or getting old. Lewis has been great the last 3 or so weeks, we can't expect that next year.

We have a lot of work to do just to maintain the level we achieved this year. I think they went well overall with a dramaticly disappointing final game. I look forward to next year.

4 minutes ago, Wiseblood said:

I saw Clayton Oliver enjoying a coffee and a croissant earlier today.  How dare he.  I expected to see him eating weeds from his front lawn instead after yesterday.

 

I reckon that albino bloke doing all that self-flagellation on the Da Vinci code might go alright off a back flank.

Although they won't admit it, they must have one eye on a finals campaign that may go for more than one week. Consequently they won't be using anyone else apart from the core group that have performed over the year.

That means JKH, Trengove and Maynard are probably out of contention.

The players that are in contention would obviously be Salem, Frost, Watts and Bugg. For mine I thought Frost was good in the twos, Bugg was industrious but wasteful and Watts was O.k in conditions that didn't suit.

I agree that Wagner is making too many mistakes that end up in turn-overs so must be relegated and I also think Stretch is not best 22. Both these players should be kept ticking over and ready for any injuries but there is no point playing them this week.

I think Goody saw something in Frosts game against the Swans and GWS that under pressure he can do extraordinary acts of madness and try to take on a bit much. He was good in the twos and I think he needs to come back in if he is going to be a part of the finals as we need to get used to how the 3 talls in the back-line works.

I also think Watts needs to come back in if he is to play finals but now we are way tall. Maybe its Pedo and Watts isn't best 22. Crazy to even think that but balance is important and Goody likes a running team. Pedo's work in the last two weeks getting around the ground has been enormous. Reminds me of Brown for Collingwood in the 90 Grand Final. Had a massive bum but got super fit and was a great player for them. It would be a sad state of affairs if Watts missed our final team (if we make it). I think everyone wants him in the team so how it is orchestrated (if at all) will be interesting.

Salem is a must and I'd like to see Bugg in but he may be put into the bracket of next cab with Stretch and Wagner.

Overall I'd be happy if all of Watts, Frost, Salem and Bugg got a run this week but apart from Stretch and Wagner everyone else has done enough over the last two weeks to hold their spots.

Tough week for selection.

I can't watch this umpiring. We reckon we were hard done by last week, this is as bad as it gets. The AFL have a real problem.

It's unwatchable.

6 hours ago, jnrmac said:

Have a look at what Chris Scott, Hardwick or Buckley and numerous other coaches do when a player is reported. They support their player through the media and push to try and get the best result - regardless of the players actions. Richmond even went as far as getting references from Wally Aly and tried to manufacture one from the Prime Minister. We did nothing except throw him to the wolves.

At the very least our club could have come out and said "Bugg has apologised", "it was a reflex action", "Mills initiated contact first" etc Instead  they came out and said  "it's clearly not how we want to be seen as a footy club" "we'll cop what we get" etc. The Club's advocate Ian Findlay basically threw himself at the mercy of the MRP and basically didn't try to argue a case for getting a suspension no longer than Houli's. The hearing lasted 9 minuts. He said "He comes here tonight not to try to get the charge downgraded, not to waste your time." The fact that the incident happened the week after Houli meant their was a frenzy of media coverage about Bugg.  At the very least they should have been saying "Its no worse than Bacher Houli" It may not have worked but he deserved that possibility.  Instead he was left to front the media by himself with no club representative there when he made his statement to the media.

Hung out to dry.

 

Rubbish. Bugg was made to take responsibility for his actions. He basically king hit a bloke.

He has shown remorse, stayed out of the media, kept his head down and trained hard to try to prove that those actions were not representative of how he or the club would like to play the game. He's done his time and I look forward to seeing a BETTER player out there which I think he will be, because he has been handled well.

Hung out to dry? I think you're a drama addict.

Oscar

If you asked this question Monday I would have howled you down as a poor excuse for our last two weeks.

It's now Wednesday and I'm nearly accepting of where we are and what we still have to achieve. It's hump day.....maybe

By Friday I'll be very happy with the team and thinking really if we can beat the Saints,,,,and we can definitely do that..... then we could come roaring into the finals full of confidence and spunk!

But at the moment my words still feel hollow .....but maybe by Friday

4 hours ago, Bay Riffin said:

except for West Coast who gave up a lead to secure a spot in the 8, and Hawthorn who beat Sydney last week and were very bad against Richmond yesterday.

lets keep things in perspective. Its how we are going to bounce back that will count.

Yes, I did say pretty much though and all those games they lost were against other contenders. West Coast are probably the most disappointing side in the league for potential versus return. If we lose the next two weeks I think unfortunately any gains will be lost and we will be on a par with West Coast for the team that is showing the most unrealized potential.

That puts everyone under pressure and sets us up for a poor off-season. We are not a destination club, supporters start eating their own, the coach starts getting criticized and other teams and their supporters reckon you're a soft touch. 

We absolutely must win 2 of the next 3. I reckon we might lose all 3. My mate reckons I'm an idiot. I am looking forward to this game against St Kilda. Both teams should be hungry. No excuses. It's our Grand Final.

The thing upsetting me the most is that pretty much every other team in contention is fighting hard and winning games they have to, quite often coming from behind.

Two weeks ago against North half way through the 3rd qtr we were still just in front of North who had the wind and we had the last qtr to come home with it. Meanwhile in Perth GWS were 15 points down against Freo. I'm thinking wow next week we may be playing GWS for a top 4 spot. Oh the possibilities!

Instead GWS manage to get over the line, we manage to do what we've done for the last ten years and capitulate and then we back it up a week later with a further poor performance just to prove to the football world "No we weren't kidding, we are crap. You want a win, you need a win, come and see us. We'll roll over for you."

They've got to be hungrier. The main problem with Jack Watts is I think he becomes pleased with himself too easily just when he should be looking to further improve his game. Good teams improve into the season, they become focussed. Melbourne are scattered to the winds.

2 hours ago, willmoy said:

Getting to that  Stage, 5 weeks before Finals, if the AFL does not get the MRP and the whole Umpiring, mistake ridden, repetitive, changing rules during the course of the game, antics, someone is going to be seriously injured through lack of control in those inevitable tight situations.......

and that's just the supporters....

Both Hibberd and Melksham had great games yesterday.

Hibberd was sensational. Robbie Grey and Wingard hardly got a possession. He's fast, heavy and he closes space so well, then his tackles stick.

Port were badly outcoached letting Hibberd roam free like that. We used him so effectively coming out of defence. I think he'll get tagged more often.

Just now, Ouch! said:

I reckon Smith stays in and they play him against one of the talls like Westhoff, Garlett out due to personal reasons.
 

Oh yeah, 3 definite outs.