praha

Evidently, finishing last also stamps your papers, although these days you're given more time to right the ship. When was the last time a premiership winning coach also coached the team to the wooden spoon, either prior to or after they won the flag? It's really not looking good for Goodwin atm.

we've been average at the MCG since Goodwin took over. I wonder how much longer we have to put up with his stubbornness.

Injuries. Jakovich retired in like round 15. Lyon hurt his hamstring in round 6 vs North and missed like 6 games. Charles had a host of personal issues and also missed large chunks. Neitz was a backman at this stage and rarely went forward. Ox was outstanding. The problem was that we just seemed to get injuries whenever we would get on a run. And they would always be injuries to key players. Tingay as well. Lovell. Lovett. Come finals time we were peaking but much like last year, we faced a rampaging Eagles on their home turf, and we were burnt out after essentially playing 3 elimination finals (we needed to beat Sydney in round 24 to make finals). It was a brutal season from an injuries perspective. If we could have kept Jako, Charles, Lyon, Lovell, Lovett, Tingay on the field together for long periods we would have finished higher and perhaps have at least snagged a GF berth. Alas, like 1998, it just wasn't to be.

Garlett has had 10+ years to develop some sort of defensive game. Spargo at least lowers his eyes and doesn't try to be fancy. Garlett with his half-hearted spearing kicks forward, and one-arm tackle attempts can languish in the VFL for the rest of his career. Spargo plays the team game. We can't keep gifting downhill skiers like Garlett games just because he turns it up in the VFL for one week against the worst side.

Spargo.

Gawn literally said fitness wasn't an issue. Like it's one thing to start slowly like, say, the Eagles or Crows, or the Pies last year. But we are a quarter through the season, have 1 win and a % of 69%. This has nothing to do with preparation.

True. Doesn't change the fact it's an embarrassing article, written only to appease mummy and daddy supporters who want people to "stop being so negative!".

You could look at it that way. It's a highly cynical way. I see us being in this position as being gifted an opportunity to reboot and retool. Other think that "we are better than this". I think it's a reflection of how depleted our depth is. The club will never admit it but, aside from salvaging respect and getting some wins, it is already readying itself for the draft, trade period, and season 2020. And I think that's the right choice. Dump Garlett and bring back Spargo. Keep McDonald forward and make him work for his goals. Give Weideman an ultimatum. Throw support behind Frost and Oscar. We need stability and structure atm to build towards next year. Throwing Mcdonald back against Richmond simply extended the inevitable. In the process we had zero targets. It was no worse than when we had McDonald down there. On Wednesday we played to minimise the deficit. That was 2014 Roos era tactics. Goodwin has got to start looking to 2020 and beyond and develop players in positions in line with long term objectives. It also starts with getting Fritsch out of the [censored] backline and onto the wing.

100%. Not to say Lewis is immune from criticism here but he is definitely phoning it in this last year. It seriously seems like he's given up trying to be an effective leader with this mob. I'd hazard a guess the likes of Jones, Viney wouldn't have taken kindly to Lewis being brought in for "leadership" purposes. It's kind of an insult to their own capabilities, no? One moment stood out on Wednesday night. City end, defensive 50. Jones, Viney, Oliver, all goal side. Gawn wins the tap easily into space, Richmond scoops it up and has a shot on goal, albeit for a behind. At the moment I lost my [censored] because you quite literally had the leadership group all in one place (bar Oliver), and they literally handed Richmond an easy shot on goal. Some people here just don't see it. Any defensive breakdown, any structural issues: this is as much a complete and utter breakdown of leadership as it is any defensive ineptness in isolation. I don't think it's a surprise that both Oliver and Brayshaw seem to be playing such uninspiring football at the moment. The team and club has been crying out for a changing of the guard for years.

Reading this actually makes me more concerned. The whole "we don't know where we are going wrong, but we're struggling defensively" is a major concern. Obviously you're struggling defensively if the opposition is scoring against you the way they are. But this isn't a team with a 20-year-old as captain. Why do the likes of Jones, Viney, McDonald, Garlett, Petracca, Oliver and co., need to be given a lesson in defensive accountability from a kid like Spargo, who appears to be the only true two-way runner in the side? We then punish him because he doesn't get a kick or lay enough tackles, only to replace him with the defensively inept Garlett, whose throw-one-arm-out-and-then-stop-running defensive prowess feels right at home in a bottom-placed side. Does anyone find it interesting that, in the weeks we've had Spargo in the side we're league leaders in tackles inside 50, and the week we bring Garlett in we get absolutely embarrassed in this stat? Defensively accountability isn't structural, or coaching, or personnel. This team is failing harder than I think anyone could have predicted in the most important area of the sport. People attack the likes of Oscar and Frost on a weekly basis. How is it their fault the opposition is getting uncontested kicks to one-on-one contests, time and time again? Gawn even mentions this. Our engine room is winning the ball, but it reminds me of my piece of [censored] Jeep. Sure, it's getting us from point A to point B, but the ride is uncomfortable, gritty, and just unenjoyable. Once there's a bit of a climb up a hill, forget about it! But a straight road? Eassssssy sailing. I'd be okay with us finishing last if it meant defensive spuds like Garlett, ANB and Stretch languish in the VFL until they understand defensive fundamentals. Petracca and 650kei-deman can join them until they start learning how to run both ways.

This is what a lot of people are also combing over. We're not last, 1-6, with a decent % in the 75%+ range. We are last with another 8-9 goal loss away from being sub-60%. Our % atm is a massive concern, and a true reflection of where we are at. Anyone thinking we can bounce back is delusional. We absolutely must start looking towards 2020 now.

Kidding yourself. First 6 rounds aren't an outlier. It's a theme. We saw this a few times last year vs Hawthorn, Richmond, St Kilda, Collingwood, and then the Eagles in finals. The faster we realise we need to do a mini rebuild and reboot, the faster we will rise. This whole "we're better than this" narrative is arrogant af. You're not better than this. You may be some weeks but overall you're not. We need to accept this.

As I mentioned in another thread. Lewis, Jones, Viney, Gawn, in particular, Hibberd, Jetta and TMac should be embarrassed. I think what we are seeing now is a trend. Dating back to the Prelim. 8 weeks now of garbage. That tells me we are looking at a bottom 4 finish, potentially last. Very harsh reality. Does this mean the Roos rebuild was a failure? What does it mean of Goodwin? We absolutely need to start looking at 2020 and beyond rather than salvaging this year as fans. We will surely win some games but it's astonishing how far we have fallen. I've said it once and I'll say it again: so long as we have players from the Geelong 186 era on our list, we will disappoint and falter. Perennial losers.

Last is very much a possibility. We have no prise or passion. North played with a point to prove last night and at least they have a genuine forward. We undoubtedly deserve to be last atm because we are the worst team in the league.

Nah the season is gone. Realistically you only want a maximum of 8 losses to assure a spot. That means 3 more losses for the season. We are more likely to finish last than to make finals.

The results of this round have pushed us to last. Better?

6 rounds in and we are clear last on the ladder. Let that sink in. Nathan Jones, Max Gawn, Jack Viney, Jordan Lewis, Tom Mcdonald, Nev Jetta, and Hibberd should be embarrassed. What a massive indictment on everything Roos and Jackson achieved. What a massive insult to the fans and what they've had to put up with. What a [censored] disgrace.

Maybe it's because Roos doesn't value or weigh speed as all that important a factor? Like, is speed really what's killing us right now? It didn't hurt as against Geelong last year despite Dangerfield and Ablett both playing. We consistently gave midfields a right old pasting. Everyone says "the game has changed" whenever we find ourselves in a slump. It's such [censored]. The same fundamentals and philosophies are still relevant. Last year when it mattered (for the most part) we played like a champion team. To start the year we are playing like a team of wannabe champions, Hollywood-esque kicks and handballs, cute marking and disposal attempts that put teammates under pressure. Maybe we need to start looking at the likes of Jones, Viney, Gawn etc., the "older" brigade that was around during the Neeld eras, and now leads the team. We aren't just in a slump right now: we are witnessing a colossal breakdown. Who remembers Carlton in the early 2000s? Going into I think it was 2003, or maybe 2002, they'd come from a finals campaign and looked set to really challenge for a flag. They finished last and started more than a decade of mediocrity that is still underway. IMO, we look more like that Carlton team, than we do Geelong of 2006, or Richmond of 2016. If anyone really thinks our lack of speed is what is causing such a colossal breakdown, you need to look at the bigger picture. We have perennial losers still leading this team. Once the going gets tough, FORGET ABOUT IT!

What is yesterday, is today, and what is today, shall be tomorrow.

which is strange because poor form and stinkers from a kick out go together at Melbourne like crackers and cheese. I don't think Richmond kicked a goal from a kick in turnover. Get Simon on the phone! We found more positivity!

More people should learn about Phil Jackson's coaching philosophy. He knew how to play the media, kept his cards close to his chest, and could stare you down from 1000 miles. Never said much, would occasionally show emotion, but he was called "The Zen" for a reason.

We beat St Kilda.

"We didn't see it coming"

Spargo brings more, chases, and continues to chase even when it's lost. I cannot fathom why people want the gold medalist of downhill skiers in the team.

Why are we playing a high defensive zone in the last quarter of a season defying game when we've kicked 1 goal for 2 quarters? This is actually the most frustrating of all the games this year.