jnrmac

You're not listening. Goodwin says that the players ignore history and are trying to create their own "narrative". I get that to a certain extent but clubs are made up of lots of history. One of the tragedies about Melbourne's past 54 years is that we have dumped a lot of that history - and I mean the good players and people who have been the fabric of the club - through a failed merger and multiple dumped administrations. To the point that there is hardly anyone at Melbourne now in any senior capacity that has lived through the 'history' of Melbourne. I get why lots have had to go but if you ignore history completely there is a void that supporter feel acutely but the club, players and administration don't.

This is the big issue and it has been ignored. What kind of leadership and communication do we have when players go running off the AFLPA? Imagine Jono Brown or Luke Hodge finding out that the players had gone around them to the AFLPA. And the fact that communication was not able to be had with the coach who said he was 'blindsided' by the move. This is the crux. Communication and leadership. Two big voids.

Thanks for the report. We did a lot of this training in the pre season but we don't seem to use it much in games. Teams that beat us do it a lot.

We have failed every test against the top 8. We are mentally weak. Goodwin doesn't appear to have the skills to fix it. And how was that motivation in rd 23 last year? No tackles in the first 15mins. No probs. Leave it to the players, They'll be fired up.

Don't forget the 23 - 2 at half time a few years ago. Can't remember the year but that was clearly the low point.

It just doesn't 'come together'. That's like Bailey saying we just need 50-100 games into the players like Maric, Morton, Petterd etc Someone needs to fire up and stand up. My fear is that Goodwin sends them to sleep with his monotone delivery. Petracca is one that could do it. Brayshaw and Harmes could do it. TMac Clarrie and Max can do it and have done it but who else? 6/7 weeks of good football and reputations will be made for the next decade.

Just the company line...

Essendon beat them by loading the back line and controlling the football. We're [censored].

If Petracca wants to be a "Hall of Famer" there is no better place to start than the next 2 weeks. Stand up. Rip the game apart. Create some fear in our opponents. Lead your team mates. The next 6/7 weeks is where reputations are made. Do it.

8 out of 18 make it every year. It's not that hard. aside from Max Clarrie an TMac we don't have anyone that has stood up and dragged this team over the line like Viney did last year over west coast. a lot of players need to pull their fingers out and rip the game apart. It's where Goodwin needs better motivational skills.

What's with wagner being named? Is there someone in the backline that might be injured? Or if Hibberd won't get up?

We definitely need someone to shadow McGovern. Just like Aliir......

Plus the upfront payments. Players like Fritsch for example who would be on base pay of say $100k for 2 years, you might say we'll pay you $200k this year and nothing for the next year.

I know 4 changes would be too many but I agree with the above and would add Bugg for Garlett. I want players that are playing for their careers and will fight to the death. Garlett has been next to useless and puts no physical pressure on. His kicking for goal is no worse than Buggs IMO. ANB is just lucky there will be too many changes but he is next on my list after his appalling game on the weekend. Not a Kent fan but when he came back last time his physical pressure was good. Its also his hometown/WA crowd and he will want to do very well there - if for no other reason than he may request a trade there next year!

He must have kicked about 6 of those this year, TMac....

He was abysmal v the Swans. You have nailed it.

Is fast becoming one of our most frustrating players. Made 3 terrible errors in the first 5 minutes against Sydney. Does some really good things and has talent to burn. His one-step high balls that he kicks makes me want to scream. FFS man go back from the mark and kick it long and low.

Salem is great with ball in hand but I worry about him when we don't. His defensive play on Papley was appalling as showed by 'On the Couch' or one of the other footy shows I can't recall. Our zoning I think has a lot to do with it. Lack of accountability for one on one play....

West Coast are the best side for converting inside 50s. We are the 4th worst side for defending them. Plus they usually get at least 12 free kicks more than us. Who can forget the 23 frees to 2 at half time a few years back..... Will be interesting and if we win we will have earned it.

I understood it to be he wanted to coach his own team again. Clarkson said that when they were reviewing assitants again later in the year and if Ratten couldn't get a coaching gig that he might be back at the Hawks.

Kyle Cheney

Hmm but everyone keeps saying we are on track and the game plan is all good. (pssst we can't defend)

Just like we did years ago we paid some contracts in advance which clears up space in future.

I have never called for that. BUt I do believe he has his head in the sand on certain issues where we keep repeating the same thing over and over. On Saturday they were 2 down. It doesn't take a genious to work out their strategy is to play keepings off as they can control the tempo and hence how tired they get running. Exactly what our strategy should have been. Added to that was the blind kicking to Aliir and being one man down in the fwd line at centre bounces. Now Goodwin is not telling them to kick to Aliir but we kept doing it and he needs to do something to change that. Ditto with Heeney running riot by himself in the last. Goodwin has shown he can change things up at half time as he has done a number if times this year. But our stock game plan doesn't work against good sides that defend well and put pressure on us..I have said for a long time that our game won't stack up in finals so whats the point. We all want a sustainable solution that will hold us in good stead when it matters. Not when we are playing the 5 bottom sides. I think its pretty clear we need a better balance between attack and defence. We have kicked something like 30 goals more than the next team. And we may miss finals. Its maddening when Goodwin won't or can't effect change.

Really? The game plan is working? Was it the game plan to: - to let Sydney score 7 goals in a row? Or 6 goals each in the 2nd and 3rd quarters? - or let Sydney with 2 men down control the ball and smash us in uncontested marks because we were too lazy to close them down or control the ball ourselves? - continually kick the ball to Aliir? - let Heeney sit unattended in the backline during the last quarter and clean up every ball that came his way? - let Geelong score 80 points in the first half of round 1 with 20 scoring shots from 24 entries into their fwd 50? - win the i50 count against Hawthorn and lose by 63pts? - get 5 i50s against the Tigers in the 2nd qtr and turn a 12 pt lead into a 20 pt deficit? - let an average player like Mason Cox kick 5 goals? - to win the i50 count against Port by 30. Yes 30! And still lose the game? - to smash St Kilda by 12 in the i50s yet lose the game? - to smash Geelong in the i50 count by 12 and lose the game? As I said. It is irrefutable that the game plan doesn't work against the top sides. Bombing the ball inside 50 to win the i50 count is fools gold. Great you are happy with it but I find it infuriating because we will never go anywhere when we can't defend or stop teams getting a run on. 5 games lost by 10 points or less will be held up high by some as proof we are doing things right ('oh that's what happened to the Tigers last year'). That stat hides a huge amount of rubbish football where we let teams get run ons and kick 5, 6 or 7 goals in a row. The game plan sucks. You can find excuses for every one of the games we have lost against top sides. But they are just that, excuses. We repeat the same stupid mistakes time and time again when under pressure.