William

I am in the ‘maybe he wasn’t that good all along’ camp. Sam Weideman showed glimpses too on the odd occasion. JVR has not been able to hold a mark since 2023. I didn’t play football at any significant level but like riding a bicycle, does a good player actually ‘forget’ how to mark the ball? It is clear his positioning is all wrong and the defenders know how to work him under the ball in pack situations. But JVR even drops chest marks when he is not under pressure. He is also slow and cannot change directions fast enough to impact when the ball hits the ground. Often he is lost in no-person’s-land. And from today’s VFL performance, not a lot changed. He often looked ‘lost’. So the question is whether a lack of confidence leads to a total abandonment of key forward skills? I doubt it given this pattern has been around for all this season and most of last. I just don’t think he is the solution.

Can the current team and coaching strategy prepare us for another premiership? Answer: No chance. Whether the senior coach was instrumental in the final success of 2021 is moot. A plausible narrative is that he inherited a legacy from Paul Roos and a lot of maturing first-round picks and we won that flag despite the coach. But the reality is whatever the causality was then, the trajectory has been downhill since notwithstanding the two residual final appearances that followed. Last year we finished 5th last, less wins than losses and a percentage below 100. This year we have deteriorated further and are a long way from the performance I see in the top teams at present. I hear that it ‘takes time for the new plan to bed in’ story line. How long? They have had months to ‘bed it in’. Are the players that unskilled and lacking in nous that they cannot change their playing strategy after months? What I see each week from the stands is a team that lacks essential skills - kicking is often poor, marking terrible in some key situations (like JVR - our alleged key forward), missed tackles, lacking pace, etc. I see habitual mistakes in selection - last week was classic - the forward line was an embarrassment. Why did they think selecting JVR and MJ and BF and CS would kick a winning score is beyond me. None of those players are, in my view, currently up to AFL standard, yet the senior coach keeps giving them opportunities. I am also worried that the new younger players that definitely have talent will be undermined by the coaching staff in the same way that those who have gone before them have - for example, some here think that JVR is a star with massive potential. I don’t. But whatever is the fact, he is unselectable now and cannot exhibit basic skills required to play the game (like holding a mark once in a while). So even if the conjecture that is did have massive potential is valid, he is now a total liability and that must be down to the way he has been coached either in technical and/or psychological terms. So all that says to me, that it is time to rethink the football strategy - clear out the coaching ranks, delist some of the players that will not be part of the next premiership and be patient while the newcomers mature and take us up the ladder.

JVR should never be selected again and delisted/traded although I doubt we would get much from the trade. Some have said that he should be tried as a defender. The problem is that he is too lumbering and cannot change direction at the pace required. And as I have indicated before, the narrative that he is just 'out of form' or 'lacking confidence' is avoiding the issue. His running patterns are terrible, he cannot take marks and often is jogging on his own with back to play and trying to work out what is what. That is more than 'out of form'. Fritsch was again lazy and when he did actually have a chance did nothing constructive. Langford was exceptional.

Apropos of this comment, which I agree with, I noted @binman disputed my assessment in the preview for last week's game that JVR was a liability based on the official data. I haven't had much time but I quickly compiled a comparison between 3 key forwards at about the same stage in their career. Here are some relevant aggregates. They are averages after 46 games for Player A, 44 for Player B (a few years ago), and 30 games for Player C (contemporary of Player A). They are all of the same age (when the averages were calculated) and all were recruited low in the draft as key position forwards. Two of the three play(ed) for MFC. They tell the story I think. Only one with be a superstar of the game. I am sure you will be able to put names to the three players.

In his first year at Casey, JVR was considered the next big thing for MFC. Like many players who do well at that level, he has failed in the next two seasons (and 45 senior games) to replicate that reserves form. So it is no surprise that he kicked a few last week - Richmond's reserves defense are so far below AFL standard that one should not extrapolate that performance into likely AFL outcomes. You will be disappointed if you do. I am glad JVR is (currently) not playing tomorrow. He clogs the forward line with his poor running patterns, dropped marks, and slow ground level movements. I know that is not a popular view but the data over many games bears it out.

Why JVR? You want more of a player wandering around looking lost with little guile in his running patterns and regularly being pushed under the ball. I often watch him pointing to other players to doir job while he is in no-person’s land looking like he doesn’t know what day it is. And do you like selecting players who even when the ball is delivered properly to them cannot even take a chest mark? JVR should remain in the seconds until he learns to be a forward which I doubt is possible. I know it is not a popular view but I have come to the view that he is in the Sam W. mould. I think the MFC should ensure Turner is developed further as at least he can take a mark and seems to no where to run to get into viable positions. JVR cannot do that.

I am informed by the stark contrast in the way the forward line players worked on Saturday compared to the last several games. I was at the game watching their running patterns closely, which is something you can do from the stands that is not possible watching on TV. Tom Fullerton displayed solid running patterns - getting to where the ball was or was coming and using height to advantage the smaller players. He can also actually take a mark, a capacity that JVR seems to be unable to demonstrate. JVR’s running patterns are also poor and he cannot be considered now for whatever reason (form and confidence, or, alternatively, that he is simply not good enough per se - I am in the latter camp). If it is poor coaching causing his lack of development then how does that actually work given he has been exhibiting these poor patterns for the whole of this 45 game career to date? Further, Fritsch is a selfish player who does not defend much. Dropping both immediately introduced players who elevated the pressure that was brought to bear and gave us higher probabilities of scoring after an inside 50 attack. We all could see that on Saturday and the causality was undeniable. Hanging on to the ‘JVR superstar in the making’ narrative or the ‘Fritsch is a gun’ narrative has cost of us games. Last Saturday demonstrated in rather clear terms the flawed nature of both narratives. They should stay in the reserves team. Every game counts now if we are to improve our ladder position by the end of the season. We don’t have the luxury of carrying those two players.

Sounds like PR for the Board and Coaching Staff. The ‘club‘s deepest weaknesses’ are: 5 out of the last 20 games with increasing losing margins. Resistance to dropping players who are clearly not up to it - either terminally or temporarily. Rigid tactics during games when it is obvious the opposing coach has worked the ‘plan’ out and has adapted. Repeated destructive kicking to nowhere. A key forwards who is touted as superstar in the making displaying virtually zero skills that define a star forward - the comments by the great forwards in recent weeks about this players footwork, positioning, inability to mark even when the ball is delivered to him properly, and total failure to lead are very damaging. Ridiculous repetitive press statements from the president and coach. A board full of the in-crowd Melbourne money cohort that behaves as if we are still a premiership contender. All of those things speak to major changes being necessary at both the board level and in the football department area. In most sports, a 5/20 output would demand a change of coach. It isn’t just a temporary problem - the trend started at least in 2023.

I know many on this discussion board dislike the media and conjecture that it is systematically 'out to get us' (US = MFC). The reality is that the media is commercially focused and the MFC (admin, plauyers, coach etc) keeps giving the journalists material upon which to make sales. Having said that, the Guardian's newsletter 'From the Pocket' , which comes out each Wednesday made some good observations today about the MFC situation. The summary of today's newsletter - https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/apr/16/from-the-pocket-afl-newsletter-melbourne-demons-simon-goodwin-max-gawn carried the title 'Love and optimism turns to despair as Melbourne reach end of an era' and is in my view quite balanced and insightful. Two excerpts capture my sentiment on the current state: The lunatics who abuse them after games (and film themselves doing so) always accuse them of lacking effort. But if anything, they’re a team that’s trying too hard. If anything, they’re too committed to Goodwin’s rigid way of playing. Everything – from the way they win the ball, to the way they move it, to the way they explain themselves afterwards – is laboured. Their senior players are down on form, but most are trying their guts out. And: Compared to most sports around the world, the modern AFL coach gets a lot of time and a lot of leeway. Goodwin has been at the club for more than a decade and is contracted until the end of next year. But the era of “contest and dee-fence” is over. The game has moved on and Goodwin’s side hasn’t moved with it. If they lose to the Dockers this Saturday, they should shake hands with the coach, handle it with dignity and look for a replacement. That's what should happen - shake hands, maintain dignity for all and move on.

Go to https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_player_compare?playerStatus1=A&tid1=12&playerStatus2=A&tid2=8&type=A&pid1=6962&pid2=6946&fid1=C&fid2=C Comparing JVR with Sam Darcy - almost the same age and the latter has played less games. The difference in performance is significant and there has been no improvement (the opposite) in the MFC forward since his debut. Sure WB have Naughton to help Darcy. But then we have Fritsch and Petty was there last season. When you have studied that comparison, do another with JVR and Sam Weideman - very similar at the same stage of their careers.

Goodwin game plan - bomb into the forward line so that JVR, that superstar in the making, can drop it, fumble it or some other display that demonstrates he has never been up to AFL standard. Or pacey not! Spargo handballs to an opposition player. Or Fritsch fumbles. Either way the ball soon ends up in the opposition defence and they attack and end up scoring a goal at the other end. If that isn’t the plan then why is the coach continuing to play these players? Either way - senior coach should be gone by the end of the weekend.

I keep reading that the senior coach "took us to a premiership". Well, in one sense, that is obviously factually correct. But correlation is not causation. Where is the evidence that it was down to his innate ability and capacity as a coach that made the difference between us beating the WB that day (via a massive third quarter only) or not? An alternative and plausible narrative is that we won in 2021 despite the senior coach. And as the synergy of that year has faded - with injuries, age, poor recruiting etc - the capacities of the senior coach are manifesting to our discontent. I go to most games. I frequently see very poor coaching decisions (or rather lack of decisions) and the opposition making changes that are successful within game and with selections. And tomorrow we have Spargo, JVR, Petty, Fritsch, Viney - all either well past their prime or not up to AFL standard in the first place - being selected ahead of a guy like Turner who at least can take a mark and get hold of the ball and kick goals. All these players who keep getting games without justification are seemingly pets of the senior coach. I also saw comment that comparing JVR to Sam Weideman is a travesty of justice (my words). I urge those who refute that comparison, and, instead, believe JVR is the next big thing to go to the statistics and do a like for like at the same career point. Haunting. Time will tell but in the meantime JVR just keeps getting a game despite delivering outcomes that would not justify selection. And is a liability to our probability of success. best wishes bill

I have been unconvinced about JVR since he debuted with all the hype that he was to become a superstar and solve all our forward issues. His poor performances have been rationalised as ‘he is young’ ‘he has a young body’ etc etc ‘give him time’. Well he is 21 years old. He has played 45 games and really never shown any signs of being the solution. Yes, he kicked some goals in 2023 and 2024 but so what. Someone had to kick some goals. He drops marks continually and rarely leads. Jason Dunstall, who was a great forward, analysed JVR last night and was highly critical - no forward craft was the conclusion. And for the ‘he is only young’ narrative, Sam Darcy has played only 21 games is a bit taller and is the same age and is becoming a great asset for his team. Who would you prefer JVR or Sam Darcy? No contest. And, then there is the ‘at least he busts packs even if he cannot mark’ narrative. Last night, the opposition were smarter than us. JVR drops marks and Geelong scout the ‘busted pack’ and away it went again. So, in addition to not being able to mark our forward thrusts he actually sets the opposition up for their own forward thrusts. I counted several occasions where that happened last night. There was another incident where the ball was in our forward pocket and there was a scrimmage and JVR was standing looking the other way with his hands on his back and then suddenly realised the man that was on him had the ball and away it went up the ground. Conclusion: total liability and should be dropped. I do not believe he is up to AFL standard. And the responsibility for continually playing him and Spargo and Fritsch etc who contribute nothing is on the senior coach. That is why he should resign immediately. This situation has been a long time coming - at least one and a half seasons. Since May 2024 we have won just 5 out of 19 games played. That is the performance of a bottom four team. And the reasonable assessment is that despite all the hype about changing game plans etc, the team has steadily demonstrated an increasing level of incompetence. And our kicking is appalling now. Do players suddenly lose their ability to kick? Probably not. It is probably the fact they are so tied up in a plan that they cannot execute that they just let go. Time for calmness. Best wishes Bill Ps: I had trouble logging in last week and the Admin set up a new account name for me (thanks). My old account name was Billyboy (same E-Mail address) and it would be great if the two accounts could be linked or rationalised.

The problem with these discussions is that you have to criticise players who are people and have feelings. But then they are on high pay relative to the rest of the workforce and should be accountable. The senior coach should never have been renewed. He is inflexible in his thinking and after we won the premiership, rival teams started working us out, which is why it has been downhill since until now when we have reached near rock bottom (two 10 goal losses to teams that were below us - particularly North). He also picks favourites. He kept playing Spargo who cannot kick further than 30 metres and is slow off the mark and the consequence of that is we lost Jordan and Bedford to other clubs and they have become very good players, much better than Spargo. If Spargo had not been injured, the coach would not have played Chandler who at least can mark and tackles well. So he probably would have been lost. On the marking issue - the coach keeps playing JVR who has a marking to attempt ratio of close to zero and that is not because Viney bombs it in all the time. He just cannot hold marks and is often out of position anyway. He is similar to Sam Weideman - high draft pick but ultimately not up to it. And he has been around long enough to demonstrate his hyped super talent. We were lucky to have Ben Brown in 2021 but he became injury prone and aged and so that bright spot didn’t last long. And then there is the most selfish player in the team Fritsch who should be delisted. How can the coach keep playing these poor performers and hope to improve our prospects. The reason is that the depth below them has been hollowed out by players leaving and poor recruitment. But surely the senior coach has to ultimately take the responsibility for the decisions of the football department. He should resign gracefully and be known as a premiership coach.

He is nearly 22 years old and debuted in Round 2, 2023. He has played 44 games which hardly makes him a new recruit nor that 'young'. Other players who have played as many games and came into the system with high expectations are doing much better (for example, Sheezel at North). JVR has also not been playing the number 1 forward exclusively - there have always been at least one other tall player down there. And lately, his performance has been so poor that Max Gawn regularly drops down there. Further, have you watched him closely? HIs running patterns are ridiculous. Also while I agree the forward line is not helped by the 'bombers' like Viney and almost everyone else further up the field, there have been many times he has received delivery that any other skilled player would mark, and he drops it. He cannot even stick chest marks when the delivery is perfect. And the back line players know they can easily nudge him under the ball when it is one on one. I have lost count of how many times that happens every game. A plausible proposition is he has been poorly coached and was originally a defender anyway (before coming to MFC). Under that scenario, it might be desirable to take the pressure off him and give him playing time and skill development at Casey. But we have been through that haven't we? A more plausible proposition is that he is similar to Sam Weideman - a good VFL player who can kick well but not really up to AFL standard. I am in that camp and think we should drop him and eventually see what picks we can get in the trading season. Turner is much better player than he is yet is not the first choice (down to poor coaching decisions).