Lord Nev

Please don't use that 'f' word when talking about an upcoming game against St Kilda...

Who says they didn't?

Just sick of us having to have a horrible game, cop a whack and then be pressured into reaching the minimum level again. To me, it's symptomatic of the example the coach sets with selection.

What?

Not a fan, but if he's earned it then why not? About time we started selected players based on form and performance rather than name.

Moving McDonald back doesn't change his physical situation, so don't see the point. The bloke is playing physically hampered. It's both frustrating and sad to watch at the same time.

Yep agree, but that's what I'm saying about the leadership, Viney is one of those effort type leaders but we rarely see him organizing the midfield or instructing/directing. Then we have Preuss, Oliver, Petracca and Brayshaw, none of whom are leaders. Forward line only TMac I would consider any kind of genuine leader but he's too busy concentrating on his own game. I don't know what the answer is. Perhaps if we had a coach who communicated better and was a stronger leader it wouldn't be something that hurt us so much.

Yeah, nearly put in that disclaimer tbh. Both those guys do it, but that's it from what I can see, which is why I put "not enough" (should have clarified). We need it in the middle.

I'm sure there would have been some, hard to tell when watching just on tv these days, but from the somewhat limited view we get there didn't seem to be much communication out there. We really seemed to lack leadership on and off field yesterday. We still don't have very strong leadership in the organizational sense IMO. We have the effort types, but not enough that can sense what is happening and instruct our players on the field.

Melksham had plenty of warning, not sure what you're talking about. You can clearly hear the umpire yelling "hold" to him but he kept moving forward. Obvious 50.

Sure, that might be one example, but I just watched a replay of a whole bunch of the ruck contests and Preuss was horrible. First half he either tapped it straight to a Dogs player or blindly behind him to at best an even contest. There were a few examples where he had a Melbourne player directly in front of him with no one on them yet he still tapped it sideways or backwards to a Dogs player. This is basic stuff, so Goodwin talking about cohesion after the match is an absolute cop out. In the second half they obviously decided hitting it to one of ours was too hard so Preuss just hit the ball straight to the ground. This plays right into our 'bees to the honeypot' problem that has been talked about for 3 years and once the ball got on the outside it was game over. Not letting the mids off the hook of course, there were problems everywhere yesterday, but geez this stuff isn't complicated.

You're right, he probably won't drop him, and then he'll wonder why our efforts are inconsistent and our forward pressure so poor. Then he'll drop Spargo or Hannan, maybe even Kozzy, and the cycle will continue unchanged.

Would probably help if we had a proper goal kicking coach to instruct him. Doesn't matter how long you practice for otherwise.

I've been a big fan of Melksham but he has absolutely lost me this year. Lazy and selfish. To see him named stand-in captain was both baffling and eye opening. You'd say maybe Hannan, ANB and Hunt are the similar kind of players to Melksham. Melksham is behind all of them for tackles, tackles inside 50, one percenters (although ahead of ANB), contested marks and pressure acts (although just ahead of Hunt). He's a 'Goody's boy' though, so while others who don't apply enough pressure get dropped after 1 game, he's made captain. No wonder our team is inconsistent, they're following the example of their coach.

In the backline he is sure, but he's played his best footy in the middle.

From what I've heard, they're aiming for the Freo game for his return, could be back for the Sydney one though. Just part of his management.

I like where you're going, but not sure classifying 1 goal as a 'fast start' makes it a great analysis (by your usual lofty standards).

IN: Jones (or Jordon if Jones isn't right), Bedford, Hunt, Rivers, Gawn OUT: Sparrow (inj), Melksham, vandenBerg, Hannan, Preuss Move Harmes into Sparrow's role. Also feel it's time to change up the forward mix, get more run in there and less midsized forwards who don't tackle. Wouldn't be against Brown for TMac either. We all love vanders, but 5 turnovers and 2 clangers from 11 disposals and 1 tackle is not helping us.

Guessing it's to do with game time % or something, but not sure.

With Sparrow out, why not move Harmes into that midfield rotation spot now?

This group just don't want it. They'll run hard when it's easy to do so against weak opposition, but when they actually have to work hard they give up. A great coach could sort them out, but there's very few of them around and we have a talented but stubborn and boring one. We'll hear the same messages, see the same underperforming players picked and the cycle continues.

Reality check of were we're at today. Indictment on the coach that we still have to have games like today to re-learn things.

Bevo: Sets the theme of the game, has the players up and about, makes moves that give them huge momentum. Goody: Corporate speak and crossed arms.

He's not far away. Will be back for the Freo game, potentially the Swans one.

Can Preuss stop tapping it straight to the Dogs?!