Red But Mostly Blue

I hate goals like that.

We've had the ball for 20 minutes and done nothing with it. 

Get

On

Stringer

Jesus look at inside 50s, we should be 1000 points ahead.

Lol the smallest guy there marked.

Who needs a tall forward? ?

Phew, I was worried about an against the flow goal to the Bombers.

Good stuff, go Harmesy!

We're right on it, but it's one of those games so far that for all our dominance I can see a Bombers goal against the flow.

I know this is likely to be one of those 4 goal wins (I hope anyway) (for us, of course), but geez after the Pies game it would be great to smash the Bombers.

We need to come out firing and never let up, just to remind everywhere where we are, and why.

Go Dees!

4 minutes ago, dl4e said:

I think this is the correct call. 

What has happened withTMACs baby. Hope she has had it. No good going into labor at 1600 hrs on saturday.?

I am told bub arrived earlier this week, all healthy :-)

Great to see Viney back, finally!!!

We've been a man down with Weid the last few weeks (I still think he presents promise and am hoping this is the rocket he needs to fire up and perform, but also appreciate that there are many who think he has had enough rockets), so Viney and Sparrow both in really adds more pressure against the Bombers, although I think Sparrow has a lot to do to keep his spot in finals. 

TMac, Fritter, Kossie and co will need to bring the goods, and take their opportunities.

Viney will add more defensive run, and we'll need it (collectively) given the Bombers are #2 for points scored. Expecting a relatively high scoring game, so we need to take our chances, and be accountable. 

42 minutes ago, Pates said:

This is what is frustrating fans I think. We feel like we’re pulling out all the excuses that we used to for Watts. But Jack showed 10x more than what Sam has in his first 50 games. Clubs and supporters need to have patience but at some stage the patience has to be rewarded. 

@Lord Nev made the point that other statistics were down such as tackling, efficiency etc, and that is very fair, but what got me to the point that Sam has to be dropped is that there was almost no competing in aerial contests. That is a non-negotiable as a tall forward, he wasn’t alone in his poor efforts but he was the worst. 

What’s interesting is that we have recruited BBB over the off-season as someone who is clearly a lead up forward, and Sam also seems to be best as a lead up forward. So why then do our players continue to just look for where the pack is forming and go straight towards it? Spargo and Melksham are the only two players that will regularly look to put the ball into space to force the forwards to lead at. 

Yeah aerial contest is definitely a non-negotiable. I often wonder why we kick to packs when we have someone like him in the team. It's why I think Melksham has value. He doesn't gather big stats or get in an under packs, but he has great vision and will kick into space for a lead. Weideman probably plays better with people like Melsham and Spargo having a good day. Or the delivery in general being better.

24 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Some overreactions going on about Weid IMO.

Partly because he's been the new whipping boy since the start of the year, partly because footy forums/social media tend to make everyone make things black and white, but also because we had a poor loss and everyone looks for a singular blame point.

Apparently, despite being smashed in disposals, tackles, marks, hitouts, clearances, and having horrendous ball use, that's all on Weid. He was poor, no doubt, likely to be dropped now for at least a few weeks, but the hysteria about him seems over the top.

Reminds me of the 'Is Goodwin the right guy' thread where it's up and down based on that week's performance.

Weid will become just a good average serviceable player I reckon. The sooner MFC fans reconcile that and then manage to look more broadly at the circumstances, some of his own making, around his performances; the more reasonable the discussion will (hopefully) become.

I agree with this.

I'm probably in the minority, I think Weid possesses some real talent (leads up well, good set of hands, decent kick - when 'on'), but the chatter about him now almost has a self-fulfilling prophecy feel to it. It's like he's been reading these threads about his lack of contribution, and he's doubled down on that the following week!

Much like Jack Watts back in the day, Weid has had almost messianic expectations since Hogan left and TMac went off the boil. He's talented, yes, but we really just need to let him develop (a few weeks here and there won't cut it). Had TMac not re-emerged in the emphatic manner that he has, and/or we did not recruit Brown, I reckon Weid would have played better. 

But in saying all of this, I get it, we've been playing a man down for a good month+ and his position is not an inconspicuous one.

I also suspect he'll be dropped, and it's probably for the best as there will be calls for his blood if he does not perform against the Bombers, and that's not a game we can afford to lose in the run home. It's time for a reset for him as well, get his confidence up (even though he supposedly came in off the back of some blistering performances), and actually address the reasons he hasn't clicked, and develop a plan for his return.

I tell you what, I'd have preferred Maynard played FOR us and not against on Monday. Played a super game. 

Not sure if we could/should pay the required $$$ for him, but the age/skill profile (with some disposal improvement) fits nicely. 

Solid replacement for Hibbo, but would be interesting if he stays. 

3 hours ago, Hopeful Demon said:

Gawn has set ridiculously high expectations. He probably hasn't been as outstanding as he was in the first 6 or so games of the season but I still think that he was among our best in our wins against the bulldogs and Brisbane. We just need to accept that he's not going to have an extremely dominant game every week.

This is true, 'flat by his standards' could be more appropriate. I still reckon he was pantsed against the Pies, but to be fair he was not alone there!! It's a tough gig being such a star, you're scrutinised a lot more!

A great start to the year!

LOVED:

- The buy-in, belief and confidence from the boys.

- The continued rise of youngsters such as Jordon, Rivers, Spargo, Jackson, Kozzie and even ANB.

- The impact and dependability of Clarry, Trac, Langdon and Salem, as well as Gus. 

- Our defensive fortress, including the leadership of May and Lever.

- The return of TMac.

- Making statements against top 8 sides.

- Some interesting coaching moves. Goody has improved, and benefited from improved company.

- Although we've been winning, we're nowhere near potential still. We're going to be scary good when we do.

DID NOT LOVE:

- Starting games slow! 

- We have not resolved our KPF issue. Is it Brown? Weid? Both? Neither???! Imagine another 2-3 goals a game! (this would have turned the Pies and Crows games)

- The dropped games against bottom 8 teams, especially the Pies (I know asking for 13-0 is a lot, but just imagine!!)

- Viney's '2-4 week' injury becoming yet another 2 month blowout. 

- Max has seemed flat for quite a number of weeks now.

Looking forward to restarting after the bye with a bang. We need a solid win against the Bombers (they have been traveling ok, we can't start flat - we assumed the win against the Pies and it cost us) and reminding the competition that they're going to have to beat us to win the flag. It'll be great to get Viney back, we miss some of that backwards run, sort out our forward structure and fix our first halves. 

Very excited! Go Dees!

1 hour ago, jnrmac said:

we have just had 10 days off.

Seriously. Oh they were tired.

Yeah I hear you mate, seriously I was pretty deflated after today's display.

I either buy into the theory that a hard fought 13 rounds have caught up with the boys, or they couldn't be stuffed, and while there may have been a few out there who might be guilty of that, I choose to believe this is a different team with a different mindset, as is evidenced by the results this year. 

It's both comforting and worrying that our only two losses have come against 16th and 12th on the ladder. In years past, those are the teams we would have flogged while failing to show up against the real deals.

Should we have won today? Absolutely. But it won't waver my belief in the team/year. As we continue to build on this new direction we'll continue to win these games. The cats and tigers of recent times had to start somewhere...

Go Dees.

Maybe the boys were gassed.

It has been a long season already, and we've done a hell of a lot.

11-2 is a great reward for that effort.

We'll be back after the bye, firing.

Reset.

1 minute ago, titan_uranus said:

Really well spoken by Lever. I encourage everyone who complains about Goodwin and players when they speak in the media to listen to this:

 

Completely agree, always a great communicator. Clear, no BS message 

That was gross.

Imagine losing to these spuds. Coached by a man who looks and talks like a potato.

The only consolation is that it should have been more.

Really disappointing, but we need to reset, come back with fire after the break.

That just about sums up our day.

I'd love to sink these spuds and wipe the grin off their faces but I honestly can't see how we're going to score. 

That was criminal.

Poor Tommy, must have the bub on the brain. 

Never in any doubt! 

Now let's start running, tackling etc!

Pies haven't been able to score all year, and here they are scoring no worries at all. We're being shown up by total spuds.

Why do we have to wait until half time to make changes? Why the hell hasn't Harmes been put on de Goey earlier?! 

We're making an art form of slow starts.

We could really have done with that TMac goal. Momentum changed after that. Plus we've been sloppy and goals might be precious.

Also, man I miss Tomlinson. Petty has been ok at times but massive liability today. Nowhere near it 

Finally, who the hell is on Mihochek?