kev martin

Not just nuffies, but opposition players could niggle about being both mentally and physically soft, if they watched and listened to him train. If I was playing against him, would whisper, they'll make you plank if you fumble this. Every missed opportunity and its, that pain is effecting you, the track is waiting. All to distract and get in his head. Would love to see him angry and really put some pain on the opponents. He should be an enforcer and give Clarry and the lighter bodies some assistance. Hip and shoulder to the taggers, he is solid enough. Nuffies will have opinions. I take that mantle with the positive gist you may have meant.

What reason would you give for is slight form slump? Early in his career, was seen as carrying some weight. Now he has his long term contract he may fall into habits of not doing all that is necessary and a bit more. To be the best you really have to want it, as well as work hard off the field. If he hit his passes into the 50, I would be still saying he is our saviour. I question whether he is working hard enough (or has the will to do), on the track and not for sponsors and broadcasters.

Would rather they help him reach his potential. Has fallen off his high standards, on the field and perhaps off it. Early in the season he was compared with the best. Hope he can get back to that, as it will go a long way to the team being dominant again.

You can pay me to train, if you like.

As a leader, could be setting an example. Do we want the lot of them carrying on. He could be pushing himself more, not just getting through. Lead by example, train as you would play. Then take the training into game day.

No. Just would rather see a positive attitude to training, not complaining. Why not enjoy pushing your body. Develop some mental strength.

They are shuffling their feet. Going before the umps call play on. Early in the season they would get a 50. Sometimes the umps are slow to call stand.

Since seeing Tracc miked up at training, a little thing has been gnawing me. “I hate these things”, or something like that, he said when planking. I wonder why he didn't use more positive language. Such as; This will help me break through the pain walls. I'll do another minute, that way I'm sure to get the better of “add oppos stars”. I'll push through easily, then when you are under pressure Clarry, I can make skittles of your opponents. Not only that, but I can't see how the negative helps. Drains himself and others of energy. I know some of it was with humour, “I'm shaking”, but I expect our leaders to go the extra miles and drag the younger ones with them. Someone needs to take him aside and tell him about how to help push himself and others through the pain.

I can feel a panic. We should be getting better, not worse. Even the old problems are there. Not wanting to play 4 quarters, falling off in the time on periods, not converting from the numerous times we get it in the 50 arc, not getting the ball, allowing teams to go quickly through the middle, and most importantly not having a functional forward line. Hard to kill off bad habits. Hoping mental weakness doesn't come back as our label. Bathwater and getting ahead of themselves, has. They can't pick and choose when they want to go hard. Our leaders were able to change the style of game or switch the momentum during the quarters in the early part of the season, now we have to wait till the half-time rev up. It is good that they believe they can chase anyone down, but the other teams are getting full fitness and can now run out the game as well. We shouldn't get ourselves in that position. What happened to play angry? Looks like play "happy". Hoping it is just two steps backwards and we are now ready for a some improved development of our skills and game plan. Really we could be fine tuning but we are searching for answers. Panicking, because losing can be just as contagious as winning.

Don't agree, he gets plenty of looks at it. When he has a close job on his opponent, he gets the ball off them. When he has no close opponent he is still in there getting the ball. My problem with him is, the decision making. Often, he takes "them on" too much, trying to break tackles or his timing puts pressure on himself or the receiver. Needs to speed up and leave less margin for errors. Would be good if he ran or delivers to space when he has the ball (not alone in that area). A few need to be smarter when they have the ball. Agree with this. Vines can be a match winner or can turn the momentum our way when he is going. He also has a great connection with Gawn, give him time. Gawny is very flexible because of his marking ability. With a proper tall at full forward he can offer an extra tall in there, or play that defensive keep it in the attacking 50 game, or support the backline when needed. Play him everywhere. The small forward line isn’t working. We aren't smart enough to lower our eyes and kick to advantage. Bring in a stay at home tall. Not sure we have a like for like Hibbs replacement, Maynard retired. Possibly AVB, but they may be setting him as a mid.

We seem to want a wrestle before the ball goes. This keeps us close to the opponent, usually infront but with heat or the opposition read where we are trying to run to and shark it. Would like to see us run from them, so they can't get a touch on us, and when the ball goes, we push through/around the rucks and hope Max has the skill to feed us without preconceived plays. This may allow us to hit the ball with pace and also make it difficult for the opponents to read.

I can see us beating them. When we want to play, we can outrun any team. It is a shame we don't bring the grunt for the four quarters. I expect us to do that on Thursday. With a 5 day break the players won't have to dwell on our performance against GWS. Fire them up coaches. Show us we are improving and not going backwards as the season develops.

Are we getting big heads. Where was that final quarter effort in the first half? Need to play with endeavour and desperation right from the start. So many times they broke tackles. Where has our clean ball handling gone? Some passengers in the team. A confused Hunty, is he forward or back? Where were the regular small forwards? I like our game when we go fast. That should happen more during the early parts and then have tempo control. We are not playing to our strengths. Defensive structures are still working, and until the opposition works out how to pierce them, we will be there about. (Thought Petty did well, especially in the first half.) Good play Max, Langdon, Salem, Fritta, River, May, Lever, Jackson. Hoping we fix up our conversion from the inside 50's. Set shots need work.

When our stars get the ball, nothing gets going. They have to cause an impact, ending with goals. We need to make more opportunities and the forwards have to convert. Petty getting better. Hunt, Langdon and Salem doing alright. Max and Jackson playing well. Oliver and Tracc need to lift. ANB and Saprgs ok, where is Pickett. Hope the smiles are gone and we come out with fire. Win clearances make the turnovers. Go Dees.

I am expecting a quick, out of the block start. It has been something we have not done well for a while. We cannot give them a sniff, as confidence and a run on will give GWS a chance to take the lollies. Can they play the MCG? My guess is they learnt a lot from the loss last week there. They will be better for the run even with their disruptive build up. We have to hit them early. Hoping for accuracy and efficiency. We are bringing effort and fight to our matches, and have a smart approach when we don't have the ball. Hoping for some beautiful ball movement and connection with our forwards. Really feel it is time for a dominant performance. I want to us gel and play some outstanding footy. Make a statement about our skill, fitness, fight, and cohesion to the oppositions. Show them they will need luck, hardness and work, to even get close. Put the fear into them all. Go Dees.

Wow, no changes. There is stability in the team. This equates to cohesion. Unfortunately, they are are not rewarding players doing well for Casey or performing badly for MFC team. There is pressure for positions, but the selection committee is indicating that once in the side you have to do alot wrong to be omitted. This should be the time for some experiments as the end of the season is coming quickly and that is when we need to know our best 22, the match ups, and different role players abilities. Missed an opportunity, I reckon.

We got it done, scraped and fought. First quarter nerves again. Inaccurate and unable to get a good score from inside 50 and the dominant amount of time in forward half. They hurt us on there efficiency in the first. Thought they were going to beat us playing through the central corridors but we did something to fix it up in the 2nd half. Maxy taking marks early. Hunty working his defensive skill, creating links and run was a big improver. Some of Sparrows handballs to break lines and ability to stand up in tackles was beautiful. His kicking continues to improve, on the way to being elite. Viney improves our ability to win clearances. Oliver has a great footy brain. Knows where everyone is. A little cute at times but his steps into space and a couple of stab passes, wow. Always in the heat of the action. Salem and Langdon are back to their best after their injury lay offs. May and Lever, courageous and determined. Nulified so many of their prime players. Though a couple got plenty of ball. Plenty of runners swarming, helping out our defence and stretching their defenders. Good coaching. Would like to see BBB out there. When our Hollywood comes off we look great, though when it doesn't, ooof. Would rather it stay simple. Our defensive structures really seem to throw the opponents off. Very difficult to move the ball quickly and they can't bomb it.

When we become ruthless, it will give opposition teams some nightmares the night before we play them. Till then, they will think play our best and the Dees are beatable. I want ruthlessness, without it we can't get the cup.

We really are too nice a team. Our game against Collingwood shows it. We give a fairy tale to Bucks. Where was our mongrel? Why didn't the Weed run through some of them? He is playing for his spot and with minimal disposal and impact it would be the least he could do. Bucks showed us his new game plan, pushing us onto the boundary and moving the ball in the central area. Hope we had lots of “learning's”. Including, not allowing the opposition to mark. Until we become hard nuts, we will be seen as pretenders. Essendon has a tough team culture. Will we stand up to them? We need off the ball pressure and to be able to fight them for the advantageous position. Not only do we need anger to retaliate (within the rules), we need to get the ball or suffocate it when we don't have it. C'mon Gawny lead us and the MFC, to put the fear into the opposition. Angry, ruthless, hit them hard. Time to be the perpetrators and not the victim. Go Dees.

I am stuck in Thailand and waiting for the borders to open. I don’t want quarantine, unsafe putting well people near possibly infected, the associated cost and being stuck in a room. Also waiting for airfares to drop in price, which will only happen when the borders are opened. I am missing lots about Melbourne and MFC, including my regular walks down to Gosch's for a squizz. Hoping to be back for preseason 2022.

Your out are you, or taking your own advice and sitting down. He wasn't calling you a troll, I think he was referring to deefiant. Geeze, "literati", that's a laugh in itself. Mate, stop ostracising. Your closed group is not what you imagine. Anyone can join and your constant put downs cannot change that. You know me because you had the same run in with 007 and who. Could be about your superiority complex and the need to close the open door so you feel safe from opinions you don't agree with. There you go, telling people to leave "your" group alone again. Wow, you want only your kind to make any noise. Who is we? Is that the inner circle, group think people.

There it is again. Hidden behind your humour is some truth you wish to impart. You don't what my kind on board. I've been told to "sit down", to be blocked, that I must be new (no right to express my view). Why are my views so unpalatable? Supported by another, @Left Foot Snap. I can understand boring, but not welcome! You poor, insular, delicates.

If you feel that way, why did you support the statement, "Sit down"? That is someone saying your views aren't welcome.

He is asking what type of person, not don't post. Also asking for something that is human nature of jumping on board disappointing results and wondering if deefiant can swim against the current. Gee stuck on an issue, and trying to embarrass someone with a different view to you. Faulty never expressed anything about freedom of speech anyway. That is my issue.