layzie

I'm tiring of it too. All the docos, candid interviews, revenge tours. It's like we want to be public enemy no.1 in the 'us against the world' mold. I get that we need to communicate with media and I also get that Goody probably made an error on Sunday speaking about Max but can we just ease up on the proclamations for a few weeks at very least while we get the football stuff back on track?

Exactly, which raises other questions.

This is what I don't understand with us. They spoke about the young guys we brought in and how most of them were up forward so cohesion was low. I don't get how the whole forward group wasn't drilling in movement patterns all summer, no matter who it was in there. "You move out there, I move out here and back inwards" etc. Forward line movement has been lacking for so long and I don't know why.

I don't doubt that the players love him and have the utmost respect for him. I do wonder if the message is getting through as strongly as it used to. When you hear the coach come out and say that what we saw was nothing like what we've trained for it raises eyebrows. I don't think I've heard a coach of ours say something like this since Neeld after the Rd 1 Port loss. The difference is that they are not the same, one of them can definitely coach and you'd be a fool to argue it. But you wouldn't be a fool to question it. Why would they train a whole pre season doing one thing and then do the opposite in Rd 2? Yes, old habits die hard especially when you're under pressure but at some point you need to adapt or die. If the players can't follow the directive then they shouldn't be in there.

Wouldn't help.

I'm as annoyed at the club right now as the next person. The players and to a lesser extent the coach. But I can't go in on Goodwin right now and demand his head, not after Rd 2. Sorry but after renewing for another year at high prices I want something to go to the G and watch for the next couple of months at very least without having to deal with a new coach and media circuses that follow it. I'll be damned if we're going to dismiss a guy after Rd 2, may as well go to Hawaii for the year. He's got at least half the season to show that this club and gameplan is going somewhere. Big game this week against the Suns and a win with encouraging signs could be the start of the tide turning, a loss and no signs of evolvement and the water will get hotter. We can only wait and see.

Agree. Alternative talk is like trying to come up with a system at the casino to cheat at blackjack.

The morning after: Aside from Freo last year, I don't think I've felt this sick feeling after a loss since the infamous COVID game against Port. We can talk about gameplans, coaching, style, tactics, anything you fricken want. We can't go anywhere without basic fundamental execution of the football, you need to hit a target 20 metres away more often than not. Not sometimes hit it. You also cannot be sticking 1 in 5 tackles. I don't need any explanation for why centre clearances aren't important in our gameplan or any rhetoric. The game was slipping away and we were 3 goals down at 3QT. Regardless of the gameplan, you need a clearance! To see the ball come out 4 straight times for majors was just awful. As was the marks conceded inside 50. At our best we averaged about 8 of these a game and maybe 2 or 3 dead in front. In this game we conceded 12 but it felt like at least half dead in front. Yes we had personnel missing but that is still no-where near good enough. I also can't cop being completely rinsed on score from stoppage and in particular centre clearance. I simply can't. We're not a quick side, we're not one of the more skilful sides, we really need to be breaking even in this area until we develop some kind of innovative ball movement from the back half. Have to give the plaudits to Xerri, I really hope this isn't the changing of the guard moment but he was sensational. Hearing the 'backstory' comments about Max sounds a bit unnecessary and now the media will go in hard on it, but maybe it needed to be said. I don't know. I'm not going in on the coach yet, it's still too early for panic buttons but the panic radar is heating up. We have spent the entire off-season trying to implement a new approach and avenue to goal, we come up against an apparent bottom 4 side with a good opportunity to really test this baby out and we go long and wide, deep into 50, the same old jargon. As mentioned I won't go into alarm bell mode but they're on the right track for it. Next week's game against GC is a genuine 50-50.

This. The game was slipping away as it was, 3 goals down at 3QT and we started the 4th quarter by giving up 4 straight centre clearances for goals. We wilted to a team that wanted it more and it was really disheartening.

We're supposed to be evolving the gameplan and the ball movement. So why, oh why, did we pick a game against an apparent bottom 4 team on a small ground under the roof to go back to long and wide kicking? Skills and execution were awful but surely these tactics didn't help. I also heard several times on the replay the commentators referring to the hard game last week and fatigue. It was a gruelling game but I can't remember a time where the effects of a tough Rd 1 game were mentioned so much the week after. How are you supposed to sell hope to the fans if the team is knackered after Rd 1?

6. Chandler 5. Oliver 4. Lindsay No-one else

Yeah I don't think 'soft' calls would be too far wide of the mark today and it really pains me to say it because I don't think anyone who plays the game is a fairy. But gee how many missed tackles were there? Not just a few here and there. I'd say we probably stuck 18% of the tackles we attempted.

You'll never have a hope in hell playing that game style and executing skills at sub-par levels. Call it for what it is, that was a dog's breakfast.

Thanks for coming.

Massive step backwards today

No More marks

When was the last time Melbourne: - Conceded this many marks in defensive 50 - Conceded this many scores from centre clearance.

Doesnt look like we're gonna kick another goal this decade at this rate

Will hand it to North. Theyre on the up and we're on the down. Real hungry

4 centre clearances to start the 4th quarter. Absolutely pitiful

Stick a fork in it

When it's not your day it's not your day

Absolutely unmatchable that quarter. To think with basic fundamentals we'd probably be even.

How can we look so gassed at Rd 2?

The skills are absolutely [censored]