FabDemon

Clearly better entry into the Forward 50 assists our Forwards. We did improve in that area , but remember we were play one of the weakest teams in the competition with a very average backline. I’ve seen Roo’s ranked 12-14 th in the competition . However, entries into the forward 50 is only part of our problems up forward. So is the form and skills of many of our Forwards. JVR is no where near the level of a key forward . We don’t have any reliable talls . Petty is sub AFL forward standard , playing only the occasional decent game. Fritsch is scoring at a 1.3 goal average and his accuracy is 46 % - his set shot accuracy is very pedestrian. These are form problems of our Forwards.

You are so right ! He’s 34 yo Is injury prone , only played 8 games last year . He’s scored 25 goals this year out of 13 games played . A couple of goals per game . A big improvement from 8 goals in 8 games last year. That doesn’t even place him in the top 30 goal scorers this year . I love the guy and he gives his all. However , the Club is in very big trouble if he is the future of our forward line. It reminds me of how we continued to rely on Ben Brown ( another great guy) for about two years when he was finished at an AFL level due to age and injury. He probably has earnt an extension to his contract , despite the above but he’s no saviour of our very real forward line problems .

Fair analysis but let’s not get too excited. We were playing one of the weakest teams in the competition. We are still 13 th and only won 7 out of the last 23 matches. This was a reasonably good performance (at least in the second half) , but nothing more than you’d expect against the Roos. How expectations have changed , from winning Premierships and winning ten games in a row; to being delighted about winning a game ( after multiple losses in a row ) to a cellar dweller. I don’t think you can take much out of this July dead rubber. At best we can hope some players get some confidence and play themselves into some form. However, it doesn’t indicate we have any solution for the deeper personnel and structural problems within the Club.

We have won 6 of our last 22 games ! That is indisputable. Who is going to accept responsibility for this clearly unacceptable situation? Who is going to accept responsibility for our appalling, competition worst goal scoring efficiency? Who is going to take responsibility for the obvious unhappiness of long contracted, key players and their form slumps? Who is going to accept responsibility for the fact that the development of many younger and mid level players is going backwards ?Who is going to accept responsibility for the fact tthat we have gone from a Premiership , competitive team in a few years to near cellar dwellers ? Clearly not Goodwin , every presser is him trying to maintain that the situation is under control, we are learning a new game plan and we’ll be right . Why would anyone have confidence in this , given what has happened to our list and team performances , particularly in the last two seasons.

The fact is JVR has not proven himself as an AFL key forward . Statistically his performances are no where near those of key forwards in more successful teams. Indeed at times this year he seems to have gone backwards in his development. His performances are very inconsistent. The most that can be said in his favour is that key forwards take time to develop. Of course this does not mean that he will develop into a key forward - he only might. Another very long contract and for an unproven player. This doesn’t excite me as much as some apparently. Especially as we can see the problems developing of putting players on very long term contracts only to see them lose interest or suffer form slumps.

Interestingly my son and I in Adelaide had an opportunity to hear Gawn and Oliver speak at a social function. There was a lot about how great the 2021 Premiership was and how he didn’t expect to kick that kick at Geelong. However, when we left the night my son turned to me and said these guys aren’t really hungry for another Premiership. It’s as if they climbed their Mountain Everest winning the 2021 Premiership after 57 years and happy to bask in the adulation. He also formed the view Gawn was too close to his teammates, defending Petty -applauding his efforts at training and saying that it is difficult for him to play out of position!

It’s time for Goodwin to go . He and a number of other Senior players seem satisfied with their 2021 Premiership win ( and Club “legend” status ) and quite frankly lack any real hunger for more premierships. He is too close to too many players and at the same time has lost the team. The two propositions may seem at first contradictory but they are not. We need someone fresh , with new ideas, hungry for a Premiership, and who can reset the relationship between players and Coach.

It’s time for Goodwin to go . He and a number of other Senior players seem satisfied with their 2021 Premiership win ( and Club “legend” status ) and quite frankly lack any real hunger for more premierships. He is too close to too many players and at the same time has lost the team. The two propositions may seem at first contradictory but they are not. We need someone fresh , with new ideas, hungry for a Premiership, and who can reset the relationship between players and Coach.

We’ve become an undisciplined rabble …a shadow of the side we were … happy with the odd moment of individual brilliance

I agree but neither Petty or JVR are playing as go to key tall forwards. Neither are close to being one at the moment unfortunately. Petty is highly unreliable at best and no AFL forward at worst .I’ve being a JVR fan but as yet he’s very lucky to hold his place in the team

You can't get stuck into a team when they play with that level of commitment…they were just more efficient in front of goals …plus they benefited from appalling umpiring (I rarely blame umpires btw) …Lack of a key tall go to forward cost us again

When you are watching it live you get a true appreciation to how substandard the skill level is , including routine short passes! The number of times kicking to opposition players!! Woeful !!

At the match , it’s even worse live. A complete and utter shambles. Woeful skills . Players who look dispirited and lost . I think Goodwin has to take responsibility for this mess.

Omg this is diabolical. Appalling skills . Kicking to the opposition. Inability to clear from centre even when winning the tap.Poor tackling. Pointless bombs to the forward line . So slow . We are playing like a bottom two side.

I thought there was a lot to like about this game , despite the loss. Petracca looked good . Our debutants performed well. We were never out of it . They are Premiership contenders and we had three top layers out viz May, Pickett and McVee

This weekend’s results are falling our way . If Port lose tonight and lose to Geelong at Geelong next week and Lions lose to Freo at Freo; a win tomorrow and we have a great chance at 2nd place. We could possibly get second on percentage even if Lions beat Freo.

The fact is we’ve just beaten Collingwood and Brisbane and just lost to Port away and in dreadful conditions. Since mid way through the Season we’ve a 5:2 win loss record , with a small loss to Geelong away and a 2 point loss to an in form GWS at Alice Springs in wet weather . Im far from despondent about that state of affairs. Seriosly some supporters would only be less than critical if we won every game by 100 points plus ! Fantasy stuff. This is AFL and opposing teams are mostly very talented, professional and hungry to win.

The Pies only beat them this year by one and two points and they should have beaten them on both occasions. They are a young side but plucky and with some very talented players like Dawson. They are far from easy beats.

We are very likely going to finish top 4 and we have shown we can beat any of the top 3 teams … Collingwood only beat Adelaide by one and two points this year and yet they are praised for their close finishes… Adelaide are a good , plucky , young team with some very talented players like Rankine. Since Round 12 ( midway point ) we have won 5 and lost 2 games. One was small loss to Geelong at the Cattery, where they hold a formidable home ground advantage . The other to an in form GWS at Alice Springs in wet conditions and only by a couple of points. All of this without one of best players , Clarrie , and more recently without last year’s best goal kicker, Fritsch. I simply can not understand the unjustified, negativity of so many so called Melbourne supporters