Adam The God

Gee, Fritsch gets off lightly...

I agree with all of this, but as for the bolded part. I suspect it's because we're still trying to get our defensive mentality right that we're not as explosive and as attacking in stoppages, particularly centre stoppages. It's also pretty clear there's next to no connection between Gawn and the mids for the majority of quarters. Viney thought he was playing rugby again and constantly got lost in the defensive system in the first half. Brayshaw was taking up really good attacking and defensive positions in the first quarter and our guys failed to hit him enough, but for the rest of the night he didn't do enough. Oliver is still easily the cleanest of any of our players, but I counted at least twice he almost missed his foot with a drop punt, another two clearly off the side of the boot, and then another staggeringly poor kick from half back to a Sydney player. Okay, so maybe there's a bit of tiredness creeping in, but aren't we super fit? The only other thing it could be is inconsistency and not bringing 100% focus and work rate to every game. It's simply not good enough. Even when we did win clearance, our ball use for the most part was horrendous. We weren't helped by the fact that Weideman and Brown basically gave us no contest. Weideman was nowhere tonight. Fritsch is still super soft and plays the game on his own terms. The same could be said of Melksham. The timing of the defenders with their spoils were completely off. And I said this in the game day thread, but how many times did our defenders make good position only to drop a simple mark and then fall over, and have their opponent score against them. Happened to certainly happened to Oscar, Lever, Smith and May was terrible for the most part (probably not helped by the tweak early in the game). Langdon's two way running for four quarters was simply outstanding as you say, but his goal kicking, I'm sorry, that's a 15m kick directly in front to make the margin less than 2 kicks. It's basic stuff and speaks to a mental fragility. I think mental fragility describes our group at the moment. Jones had a chance to go back and kick a goal to stem the tide in the 2nd. Nope. Gawn had a chance to kick his goal. Nope. I've no doubt we'll bring a better intensity against Fremantle now, but it shouldn't have to come on the back of not bringing enough the previous game. Incidentally, it was pretty clear Goodwin was making moves in the coaches box. I would have preferred some of them earlier, but the Harmes move really is a shocker. As soon as he was put in the midfield in the last quarter, the first 10 minutes he was willing us towards the line. We need to tidy that up and we need to tidy up selection. I'm sure he's a lovely guy, but Smith isn't the right option down back. I hope Hibberd is ready to come back in. He has to replace Smith. Our forward structure is a nightmare too. We can't persist with so few who fail to bring consistent pressure.

How many times did our defenders get into the right position and then fumble an easy mark and then fall over, only for their direct opponent to waltz away with. Haolened 6 maybe 7 times, maybe more. It's VFL stuff.

No he won't. We're noe excuses. Guarantee you.

This game has been far far far worse than the Bulldogs game.

The lack of leadership in this team is staggering.

Langdon the only bloke that's played the first three quarters

His intensity isn't much different from Fritsch's all year, and Melksham struggles with intensity too.

How is Petracca's ball use. Lazy.

The ball use is a disgrace.

May copped q knock early but wow. What a shocking performance so far.

I thought we actually adjusted from the long bomb to the lowering of the eyes at the end of the first quarter, but we wasted too many chances in the first. The second quarter was simply pathetic. We looked tired, lazy and totally lacking structure. I really thought we'd play Smith forward and Harmes back, but incredibly we're trying Smith back again. He gets completely lost in the zone. You can see him in man's land. And when he's on someone he completely gets sucked to the ball, pushes far too high and gets done at the back. Oscar and Smith almost handed them two easy goals. Oscar did hand them on easy goal. Jones kicking into the man on the mark when we desperately needed a goal to stem the tide. If it's on by all means, but get back over your mark. Viney playing his rugby league again and being caught out in the zone a few really important times. The midfield isn't working hard enough. Oliver and Petracca, don't leave it until the fourth again before you turn up, ala Bulldogs. This game won't necessarily decide the 8, but our guys are clearly mentally weak as a group. I don't know how many times Goodwin and co have to hammer home the point of consistency, but they just don't get it. I thought we'd drop the Freo game, but I was worried about this too. Whenever we look like we're moving in the right direction, this group switch off.

This is about the 16th thread you've posted this same gif in now mate lol. Can we try another gif soon?

Just on this. Let's say we get Gunston, who goes out of the side? It'd have to be one of Melksham or Fritsch if that was the case. I know you're well connected mate, so I'm sure you're onto something here, but I wouldn't have thought a player that isn't a true KPF, another third tall if you like, would be in our sights.

I was loving the first part of this post mate and then you mentioned throw Tom McDonald down back. I double-took, I must admit. He's a turn over merchant. I don't think we can afford to even have him rucking in the defensive 50, let alone playing there permanently. That crumble against the Bulldogs at the stoppage was almost laughable, Jack Fitzpatrick-like. Would love Saad though. That's his go. He's an intercept marker. I'd be playing him back.

I'd say so. He's had enough time to cement a spot and hasn't.

Tomlinson took Oscar's place in those games. We clearly want to use Tomlinson up the ground to give us run and cover through the midfield. We need two gut-running wingers to support our centre mids and forwards. Oscar was fine last week. He stays in because the defence was really solid and playing the third tall gives Lever and May flexibility to peel off or in May's case, play small.

Haha, thought you'd be happy with Smith's inclusion. I worry about missing Hibberd's run and carry off half back. Smith, not being a natural footballer IMV, concerns me too. Unless of course we play him forward and play Harmes off half back, which could be the go too.

I realise I do have biases towards and against certain players, but I've found the more I've engaged in this thread, the more I've been calmer on game day (comparatively) and the more time I have for multiple players that I didn't in the past. For example, Nathan Jones can play in this system and his experienced body and tank is actually important. His lack of pace does not actually stand against him if we can the play the game on our terms. I actually think he's worked well in this new system. As for Oscar, I feel I've been pretty patient with him over the year, but I felt last year was a bit of a straw breaking the camel's back situation when he was still being outmuscled. That said, this year he's proved he can be stronger in the contest, but he still has some limitations and I'd prefer him to be stronger. AVB is another one I've grown on this year simply because I saw the hardness and tempo he brought to the team. (Yes, I know he's been dropped haha). I agree RE: Tomlinson, he's not the strongest overhead mark or even that strong in the contest, but he's a solid meat and potatoes player that is highly flexible and I think will be the perfect addition going forward to plug holes where needed. Also, looking forward to he and Langdon powering down the MCG wings.

Shaw very much strikes me as an interim coach. Another Brendan Bolton. Lose so many games that you can build from the draft and then get fired, only for a better coach to take over.

I'd agree that he's not meant to be Steven May, but I would like my last defender to be adequate in a 1v1. I'm still yet to be convinced on Oscar in that respect. He's certainly not quick enough on a lead. He seems a bit stronger in the contest this season, but I think that's off a low base. I like Tomlinson as the third back. I think he's an equally reliable kick, but I'd prefer we played him up the ground, so the rest of the year will be about who can cement that deepest tall defender role. Otherwise, we may look to the trade market. Anyway, maybe this particular point is a bit of a digression.

Yeah, that one was Marshall's goal. It's very rare we get done out the back, but if the ball comes in quickly from the centre clearance, we have been done out the back a couple of times that way. We probably wouldn't get done this way if it weren't for 6-6-6.

I'd be keen to hear what people think of how we should have defended that fast break from Sinclair out of the middle at the end of the second. Oscar and May were both sucked up to 20m from goal and they got that easy goal out the back. If the defenders didn't go with their opponents, the forwards would have had an uncontested mark, so they had to go. Is it just a case of poor defending from Petracca at the centre stoppage that enable Sinclair to run and good early movement from the Saints forwards or was there another way our defenders could have played this given we'd lost the centre clearance so convincingly?

It's like if Elegt, ET and GNF had a lovechild, minus the lols and riddles.

Well, fair enough then.