Deemania since 56

Honestly believe that the MFC are currently too far out fitness-wise to impact a running Essendrug team and too slow across a game to turn outcomes around (again, at the present moment). Added to those considerations, is the shortage of key players due to injuries and recoveries from injuries, leaving us a depleted line-up for at least the next few weeks. Umpiring. This too will work against the MFC as our opponents this week are a major AFL favourite - how else could they 'get away' with their recent history? A resurgent Essendon in tight matches (even if for only on week) will have pre-ordained umpiring instructions - their fan base that attends matches is worth far more money to the AFL than that of the MFC. The only hope is that our 3rd-best team at selection will have a mind-shift to come out raging and keen to appease the season so far - yet that is somewhat unlikely. If OMac plays, we can kiss at least 6-7 goals goodbye as leakages to their forwards.

Very good mantra for Petracca to follow - he CAN do it.

That is the key to Petracca's improvement and consistency - take him aside and show him the faults, toughen him up, make him seriously want the ball so that he can use it to the team's benefit, insist on peak fitness at all times, wipe the smile off his face by telling him he is not a very convincing show pony. As he walked off the field against the Cats, he had fake tears in his eyes - seemed to be more worried about his lack of commitment and image than he was about the team result that he may well have ameliorated to some significant degree. Not working hard enough, Christian, or often enough. You are currently far short of the Dusty Martin profile that you attempt unsuccessfully to emulate. Get real - footy is not blindly generous, for long.

Not sure that one could agree on this prescription for Baker's readiness. Surely it would be a matter of pulling up well first, after his injured hamstring is more reliable. JD recommends a baptism of fire - throw him into the side and see how he dog paddles; this, perhaps, makes sense - he has had a long time in the wings of tolerant waiting. Most reports on his Casey roles have been encouraging, as well. We need pace. He may be a great handballer if kicking is sloppy. He may click. Others, better known, have not clicked and many of us are tiring of their continued selection for no improvement.

This post is absolutely correct; add Stretch and some matching-Essendrug run (Spargo) and we will be set for our first win. Frosty to CHB and TMac to FBack. Get Fritta onto the fwd line to lead out, with Hunt doing the same. Warn Jones and Clarrie not to bomb.

Someone mould us another CHFwd like Neitz, the Ox, and while you're at it, we really need an agile tall utility who can ruck assist whilst running hard, all game. A Peter Moore-type. If these cannot be manufactured, I'd settle for a Greg Wells duplicate seeing that a Tulip cannot ever occur again.

A recipe for footballing disasters.

Yes, this is an area (and has been for some time) that needs attention and it is just a one-on-one adjustment but, to be effective - as Clarrie is a relatively long kick - once in one of those types of possessions and moving forward - the forwards need a plan to lead into space to receive. Not just one avenue/corridor will suffice, however. It must be at least two-pronged and thus drawing out a couple of opposition defenders 'on the chase'. Hunt, with speed, might be a very good start as one of these receivers, as could be Lockhart or the big Preuss - coz no-one is going to get in his way on purpose. It would also assist with Brayshaw's clearances and disposal quality; the latter has shown this skill on some occasions, and of course, Melksham has done this in deeper configurations in the forward line quite regularly, to a teammate in a better position. This adjustment to entries is absolutely critical; we all can count the number of times each game that such attacking possession with limited direct intention results in negative turn-overs. Good one, Dieter and Goodwin, get onto it this Thursday night! It may even become contagious, team-wide.

OUT: OMac, ANB, Weideman, Jones, Sparrow IN: Preuss, Keilty, Stretch, Spargo, Baker

It is an insulting embarrassment that the MFC are the team who cannot do any worse this season.

WAFTAM - Waste of F Time and Money. Sums up the past 12 months.

Very promising is Joel, rather than possessing '...a massive upside...' but we can all imagine that with him in the side how much stronger we may well have performed against both Port and the Cats. Preuss is needed as a prop and leading *straight line* forward whilst TMac is thrown back to fullback for a few weeks until May is fitter. Put May into the fwd line for a few runs, Petracca out on a wing and Hibberd on the other in a utility role to penetrate the forward entries. Drop OMac. Coaches, get to work and translate that thought into monosyllables that the players can understand.

We have taken one step forward and three steps backward in the last 12 months ... coaching, strategies and creative efforts!

This is one of our greatest problems at the moment. The ball certainly is getting in there, but leakages down back and non-competitiveness aligned to a complete lack of creative play alternatives in the forward line rob us of around 60% of clearance/possession returns. Coaching and team integration .... undeveloped. The lack of speed compounds these faults.

The FD suffers from short-sightedness. The FD learns nothing and cannot be advised. The FD has too many obvious favourites amongst the playing group and does little to develop younger players to a plan. The concept of 'team' has disappeared completely as a result.

...Davey to Neitz, MCG ... so long ago that I cannot remember the year.

That is not an interpreted statistic, that is an absolute fact and it just is not good enough so therefore, the overriding methods being applied by the team leadership and the coaching staff upon the rest of the team are absolutely faulty. Well stated, praha!

For the entire game, the Cats found space - just enough to beat the [censored] out of us repeatedly. That is no overestimation.

Those acres of space you correctly mention are ignored by our forwards - as if these areas were minefields. Everyone wants to take a speccy; no-one (except the Melk and Hannan - and yes, the latter draws me to confess it is a longer-term observation) goes looking for a spot in which to receive the ball. We also have two leaky 'experiments' now: OMac the Classic WAFTAM and Weed, a one mark/one goal 'talent'. ANB, Hunt, Jones, Lewis, Petracca all need to work at Casey to get some semblance of their game back. We could toss in several more, most likely. The gameplan is readable, ingrained and risky. No single player is going to save the day. This is a team-wide virus and there needs to be some serious thinking completed and applied. It was obvious that this belting at the Cattery was going to happen and despite all good intent for the Club, it is not about to happen. Our thought fairies have deserted the cause for the time being.

How about putting aside the money we might be expected to separate with for another player, using it for some intense and specialist coaching for those to whom we have issued jumpers and large salaries? There are many skills to be learned, many deficiencies to overcome, many candidates for such a process from the backline to the forward line.

Ken Oath!

Tick. Correct, again.

I would have hoped that the Weed would be on a performance-based contract - he is there to kick goals and he ain't got none, yet. He is not worth that amount. Preuss could do it all for him and then some with a little practice. Weid is not in the league of Jacovich, Lyon, Schwarta, Bennett or even Whacko Jacko who in relative terms did bigger things for lesser amounts, more often. I, for one, don't think we need him that much if we could settle our game style and use the current crop of players more wisely at selection.

Leoncelli and Rigoni - a footballing dream co-operative. Davey and Doggie - one hand fed the other. Then the Mac brothers, at different times/seasons, and their contributions. LIke 'em all in the team, now.

Nearly walked into AVB outside the Ponsford Stand before the game against Port. Side-stepped as a courtesy to let him pass unrestricted. In actual fact, side-stepped as described for my own safety! The guy looks really fit, super healthy, he is enormous from the top of his head to his feet - far bigger, wider, stronger, muscularly deeper, agile and charming - than he looks in the statistics book and on the field. He is a mountain. You wouldn't know by his gait and bearing (very impressive, at that) that he was injured at present awaiting a recall when 'things' are right again. As a greeting, I told him that we cannot win games without him, wishing him well with the 'recovery', and he smiled, pleasantly saying he'd be back ASAP and that it would hopefully be very soon. I felt like I did years ago, running into another giant (Barry Round of 'Doggies fame) by accident in a doorway who was equally reserved, polite, with that perfect 'big-man' humility and respect for his team's fans. Gee whizz - AVB is impressive - and we may indeed struggle without his unique input to our charge for the finals.