Adam The God

It may me an overly simplistic view, but I believe that we are setting up at stoppages to limit damage, rather than to attack. If we end up with the ball, that's great, but our first priority seems to be damage limitation.

Fascinating. I wonder if Roos had an inkling this rule would be passed for this year? Is this how he intends to get this A+er into the club? I'd use our 2016 first rounder for Prestia if we really like someone in the draft this year.

Completely agree, mate. The Geelong win was the best I can remember. A really consistent team performance for four quarters. I've seen countless examples this season where overcommitting to a shepherd would not have been the concern. Our blokes handball and then stand still and watch their opponent chase after the guy who just received the ball. It's really so obvious.

We have been caught short this year. Matt Jones and Rohan Bail have been getting games. Terlich still hasn't cracked one. I can't believe they re-signed him, particularly given his history at the Swans with Roos. I've been a critic of Gawn and still am, but we shouldn't be looking to trade Gawn. He has all the physical attributes and talent required, we just need to get his mental side right. We do that and he'll be a real weapon. He's still young too. I just don't rate the DE stat at all and I know I'm not alone in that one. Grimes is a really poor decision maker. VFL level, IMO. I'll give you an example of the uselessness of the DE stat and the problem with Jack Grimes. There was a moment in the St Kilda game in the centre square. Grimes hand balled straight to a Melbourne player, putting him under great duress. The player subsequently turned it over, Grimes failed to win a one-on-one when the ball spilled and the St Kilda player kicked a goal, leaving Grimes with his head in his hands. Now, his hand pass would have been noted as an efficient disposal, but it resulted in a goal. I've never understood the love for Grimes anyway. He's a pretty good reader of the player when he doesn't have the ball, but with ball in hand, he is a liability and we already have enough of those, including our best defender in Tom McDonald. If you don't play key position back at Melbourne and you can't kick or make good decisions, I hope you're not on the list come 2017. The Essendon game aside, I reckon Cross has been in our top 5 players every week this season. He is still a gem. If we had two or three more of him, we'd be in a far greater position. The leadership he sets on the training track and on game day is exceptional. Not to mention: he's a beautiful overhead mark, tough at the contest, consistent, about the only Melbourne player that knows how to draw a free kick and he gets into the right positions. Okay, so he's limited by foot and his leg speed is certainly a worry, but he stays another year at least for mine. We've all been decrying the lack of leadership at Melbourne and almost placed that as the root of our inconsistency this season and our inability to win games that we should. And then people want to delist someone like Daniel Cross? The only bloke that has been in finals and won them, still provides great leadership and is clearly up for going around again. Mind-boggling. Didn't we sign him for three years at the end of last year? Furthermore, I could buy your explanation if he'd gotten a game or two here or there. He hasn't. You don't keep a player on the list, just so you can meet the cap. You go and draft someone else and give them a go. We know what Terlich offers and it's simply not good enough.

This post is incongruous. I don't want to play Terlich, because he's a turnover merchant... Pretty sure we're paying close to the full cap. I believe that it is now mandatory.

Me too, mate.

Exactly, Jack, which highlights the perpetually raised issue of the dearth of experienced leaders on our list.

Well, see this was the same problem with Grimes and Trengove being made captain. I genuinely stand by the fact that Grimes and Trengove were our only legitimate options for captaincy when Neeld arrived. When Grimes and Trengove were made captain, Jones was an ordinary player. In Grimes and Trengove's first season as captains, Jones had his best year. Its revisionism to say otherwise. Jonesy has improved every year since. And Jones does show moments of good leadership. In our wins this year, he has been an integral part of them (think the goal at the start of the 4th against Geelong), but in an ideal world, he's not your captain. He's a solid midfield contributor and someone like a Selwood (who can really impact the game and change the flow of things) is your captain. We don't have anyone that has the talent and experience to be that player right now. With good coaching and development, Hogan and someone like Brayshaw could well become that sort of leader, but as you say, mate, we're stuck at the moment. I'd actually argue he's trying to play to the team's strengths. That is keep it slow and congested, because we're so slow in the foot speed department. Your last line is spot on though. If we are intent on playing the possession game, we should be targeting blokes with high skill levels.

Every indication is that we're going backwards? Really? So five wins this year, as apposed to four wins by the end of the season is no indication of forward momentum? Righto.

This is clearly not being taught, because it happens every bloody week. Not just Watts, just about every player in the 22 fails to shepherd. Our midfielders rarely block for each other either, because they're so focused on getting the ball or preventing their man from getting it. I just wonder what it is with some of these guys. It has to be a couple of blokes continually setting bad examples for the rest of the younger players, because things like shepherding and blocking should come naturally. That's a work rate issue and a lack of understanding in the game style, I believe. As a coach myself, I'd be doing my best to isolate him inside 50 as much as possible. Collingwood managed this a couple of times against us last time with Cloke. It's about quick, instinctive ball movement. It rarely gives the defenders any chance. Unfortunately, our blokes don't play instinctively, they play reactively, particularly blokes like Nathan Jones (even though I love him). It was the instinctive ball movement that won us the game down in Geelong. I cannot believe we're not modelling our game on that win every week. Our lack of pace across the ground was perhaps most evident against St Kilda, but we come unstuck against GWS every time because of it as well. We need a lot more pace than just Jeffy, Frost and Kent. Hopefully that will be added this off season too. I think Jack actually played it too cleverly. He tried to keep the ball in his area and inside our attacking 50 with a dinky kick, but unfortunately this made it look a little bit like he'd been dispossessed. Of course, had the umpire been watching properly, he would have seen exactly what I saw and called play on, but he was a little man, with the power of a whistle. I'm just avoiding it altogether. If he could kick he'd be in AA form, but alas his kicking really lets him down. His old man never really improved his kicking either and it always held him back. I'm hoping our coaches can teach Jack to play to his strengths. If he does this, he'll be an absolute beauty. You realise how important he is when he's not playing.

Yeah, seemed like a brain-fade at the time too. Nothing has changed, in fact, as you imply, it looks even worse now.

I'm intrigued by this comment, Nash. Please elaborate. What's changed? Personally, I'd be delisting/trading/letting FA take its course with Jamar, McKenzie, Terlich, Bail, Matt Jones, Garland and Howe. I'd consider dropping Harmes back to the rookie list, but I guess I'd wait until the end of the season to see what else he can deliver. I'd also put the feelers out for Toumpas in terms of a trade. I wouldn't be adversed to losing Riley either. I prefer Grimes gone, but given he's contracted, he's safe for a year and will provide depth. For me though, it's really about getting rid of as many of those players who 1) don't know how to win and 2) continue to make the same errors over and over again. Grimes and Garland are in that category, but so is Nathan Jones. He obviously stays, but he desperately needs support in the leadership stakes and in the midfield. Someone like Prestia would fit the bill nicely, despite being younger. He is the VC at the Suns afterall.

Our percentage was so high, because we'd beat up on interstate teams on the 'G.

Treloar isn't a big bodied mid. But he is a great accumulator and has a bit of x-factor with his goal kicking and speed.

Apparently, I need to re-read it. Apologies and apologies to Redleg too. Yeah, apologies, mate.

Yes, we kicked straight, but that day was more about great midfield ball movement. We managed to isolate defenders one on one and that day, we really played for each other. It's the best I can remember seeing a Melbourne team play. I've watched us for many years and go every week. Perhaps, I've forgotten the Daniher era, but it was toughly contested, we exhibited strong skills, good decision-making and a desire to win at all costs. It was a very focused performance in the wake of the St Kilda 41 second debacle. If ever we were gonna win our next game though, it'd be this week against Collingwood.

Sorry, why is everyone telling Olisik to grow up? Redleg's comment about 'war dance' in regards to Bennell was completely irrelevant to his footballing ability and should have been called out.

Because he likes a challenge. Would also play to his ego. I think you're worrying for worrying sake, BB. We'll get there. The tables will turn soon.

Love Peter Jackson.

I thought we'd beat the Bombers, but I also thought we'd lose some games this season that we should win and vice versa (see the Geelong win). Unfortunately, this is our situation. We're a young side that is inconsistent and lacks senior leadership. I thought we'd win between 6-8 games this season. We're still very much on track to do that. I think we'll get 7 wins. I get bloody annoyed though on game day and struggle to control my temper, when I see that many of our blokes are making 101 mistakes and generally using the ball like a bunch of unskilled twelve year olds.

I think that's a great post. Completely agree. We've certainly seen individual performances improve, but we still don't play as a team. We don't run for each other, we don't shepherd for each other, we don't kick to the advantage of each other, we don't handball to the advantage of each other. We just focus on our individual games and it is killing the team.

I actually didn't think it was such a bad move early on. Riewoldt grew into the game and ended up being a large part of the difference between the two sides, but I'm not going to get on the coach's shoulder for that one. Felt we needed McDonald forward this week, but I probably would have made the change in the third quarter. We also didn't start manning up their spare defender until half way through the last quarter. I wonder whether that was simply Jetta doing that of his own purgative or whether he was actually sent there.

I'm with you though, mate. Frustrated as hell, but agreed with your 'fourthly' paragraph.

Try week in week out for the last 9 years of rubbish.

Who's to say Goodwin isn't already basically the main man? I know they've said they'll give him more responsibility for the rest of the season, but who's to say that Roos isn't simply covering for Goodwin while he learns? Maybe too conspiratory, but I wouldn't imagine the game plan Roos has outlined would be vastly different from Goodwin's otherwise he wouldn't have chosen him as his successor. Would he?