titan_uranus

I think it's reasonable to say our skills are not at the level they should be at. Having said that, I still think our list is good enough. The talent is there, but they're being asked to do things that aren't smart. So when we turn it over it's usually in the middle because we're trying to play a fast break through the middle. Which may have worked 3 years ago, but won't now.

Tigers back in front by a point. We haven't been in a game like this since Round 1.

They're getting back on top. Numbers seem to have returned to their first half ratios. One quarter of football isn't enough. As I write this, goal to Sylvia, so we're back in front. He's had a good game, which is sufficiently pleasing.

7.1 to 1.3 that quarter. We really gave it a crack, which is pleasing. Both the players and the coaches tried harder (Davey and Watts to half back, Jones to the wing dominated, Green on for Howe gave us a spark, Bennell lifted).

Petterd kicks a goal from 50. That's 7 of the last 8. 14.2.86 to 11.12.78

Goal to Jones. We're in front. Sounds like we're giving far more of a yelp this quarter. They also like the positional changes, with Davey and Watts going back and Garland going forward. But surely the effort lift is the key.

Green goals straight away. Nice. 5 goals to 1 this quarter, and unlike the last two weeks we're kicking well (12.2 to 11.11).

Green on for Howe. Goal to Martin though, which doesn't help.

Another goal, this one to Bennell for a HTB on Nahas. I'm getting excited. That's how poor we're going at the moment, that I can get excited for closing to being 3 points behind Richmond.

Goal to Watts! That's three unanswered this quarter. We're apparently catching Richmond on the hop on fast breaks from defence.

Jurrah just missed one he should have kicked. We've started this quarter well but we're still 15 points down. Need to claw this margin back soon.

Davey playing horrendously. Sylvia at least trying. Jurrah lifting. 3 goals. MFC 7.1.43 RFC 7.6.48

Fighting back. Last 3 goals. Sylvia took a screamer apparently.

Yet again, we're getting killed in the inside 50 count because we refuse, or are still totally incompetent at using a press. Richmond are pushing their entire side up to their 50 to apply pressure when we're trying to move it out of defence. In contrast, we seem to be happy to let them move the ball from defence without applying the same pressure.

Goal to Sylvia. We're starting to settle but so far Terry Wallace and Scott Lucas have made plenty of mention of our poor structures. What's new. 3.1.19 to 2.0.12.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/demons-not-at-home-at-etihad-20110814-1it33.html The thread's title says it all. I really like this article, especially the second last paragraph: For a moral, Melbourne can either dwell on how far it has fallen compared with last year's bottom team, or on how quickly it might recover. Teams, like individuals, sometimes surprise even themselves when they develop confidence.

This is the exact strategy I would employ. If I were GWS. I'd rather back our forwards in: Watts, Jurrah, Cook, Fitzpatrick.

I heard it, and I didn't think anything of it. He merely said whilst he was here to see us, he was more here to look at West Coast. In the end, for the coach of Collingwood, that makes perfect sense.

Giving up. Exactly the attitude we demand eradicated from our players. You want to give up? Fine. Then go away. Hypocrite.

My scenarios are just that. Scenarios. Sydney just lost to Richmond. Brisbane are the most competitive 4-15 side I've seen ever, probably. I'm not saying Brisbane will beat Sydney, but I am saying the option is there. Similarly, we are a good chance to lose to Richmond. But we beat them well this year already and we do play them pretty well. The options are there.

You really can be stupid sometimes. No one is suggesting we are going to make the finals. But the possibility is there. Win the last three, and Sydney either loses the last three, or we make up enough percentage on them so that they only lose two. Either of those scenarios occur and, whether we deserve it or not, which is a different debate, we will be in the finals. No, we do not deserve it, and no, we will do nothing if we make it, but the way the draw is shaped, we are a pretty strong chance to be level on points with Sydney at the conclusion of Round 23. Of course, we may lose to either Richmond or Gold Coast. But we might also beat them both.

Fair call. We have no consistency, even in games we win, from quarter to quarter. I mean, we lost a quarter to the Gold Coast in Round 4, specifically because our intensity and effort fell away after half time. What happened this year is we came in with the wrong game plan and a stubborn coach who wasn't able to change things when he needed to. The result was that we were left behind by the good clubs whose forward presses destroyed our run/carry movement off half back and who want to see us put numbers behind the ball as it plays straight into their hands. In contrast, we end up stuck in the defensive half of the ground, being pressured into oblivion by the opposition's forwards, and, whether the ball's in the hands of a skilled player or not, the fact they would invariably have no one to kick it to meant that we would turn it over and create opposition scoring opportunities. When we win, we beat sides who are not as good as employing the forward press. In those games there's less pressure and we're able to move the ball out of defence and create inside 50s. This is not to say the game plan works. It doesn't. A premiership winning side does not simply beat the bottom 6 sides and win finals that way. You have to match the best, and with the way our players have been taught to play, we cannot do that. Injuries haven't helped, of course, but to counter the injuries we've had players who have not developed like they should have. As a result, players like Morton, Bennell, Wonaeamirri, Jetta, Jurrah, Petterd, who we reasonably expected to be important to this year, haven't had the years we were hoping for. Add to that a senior core that is as bad a group of leaders as there is in the competition, and you get a year of stagnation.

Oh well. Point is, he was everyone's talking point in 2008, and now no one could care less about him, whether he's going to GWS or not. Daniel Rich falls into the exact same category, so I'm not too fussed whether Palmer's knee has held him back a lot or not at all.

If we win the last three and Sydney lose their last four, we will make it. Currently Sydney is five goals down to Richmond. Worrying signs for them. Their next two games are against St Kilda (at ANZ) and Geelong (in Geelong). They can lose both of those, IMO, and if they do, and we beat Richmond (questionable at best) and Gold Coast, then we'd be level on points going into the last round. In that round, we play Port, and even we should not be losing to Port, and they play Brisbane at the SCG. They will probably win that last game, which, assuming we can win the last three, would make it a battle of percentage. Which we won't win, given the last few weeks we've seen our percentage cop a hammering. Anyway, point is, we're still a mathematical chance, and maybe that is enough to get an effort out of our group. I mean, I'd hate to see what would happen if we didn't think we were a chance to make finals and lost any motivation that that provides our players.

The sub rule doesn't help young sides either. It's the fundamental reason why we're seeing blowouts happen more regularly than before. But to me there are far more players who haven't developed like I expected than there are players who have improved, and as a side, we should be more gelled than we are and more able to apply our game plan week in, week out.