DeeSpencer

The MRP have decided to ream us a new one. Pathetic.

Don't worry about the stoppage set ups and creative stuff, it's fun window dressing really. 7th man back - a valuable tactic to kill time in a quarter or game. It means you have to retain possession and also live with the ball in your back half. The game plan comes down to attack and defend: 1. Defending - zone: Forward and mids pressure is better so far this year. Defenders are working hard in the zone. Still getting caught out too often in not recognising where the help is coming from and when to close back in to a man on man. Overall though even when accounting for Carlton's impotent forward line I thought it was ok. 2. Attacking structure: We seem very keen to maintain men ahead of the ball and work on a kicking and angle changing game plan to get through or around teams then go in to numbers in the forward line. So many times a player would mark or receive the ball at half back and see Hogan or Weeds 80m away and not leading up. They would be holding ground and the other forwards would be moving and the defender would have to pick a pocket of space to kick in to. With the way the Blues guarded space across half back this was really hard. In essence our forwards are playing a zoned forward line as well and I think there has to be a choice. Either the forwards lead up more so they are in play (how many high kicks didn't even get contested by a tall) or they drag back further so there's more space for the mids and a high forward to push in to. Personally I'd like to see more leading up at the ball and an understanding that the other forwards or mids from the fat side will come in behind to be the next option. Like everything in footy though it's hard to tell where the problem is. More run from the backline and less dinky handballs and excessive switching and the forwards will naturally move more. In all worked out well in round 1.

It was a typical MCG swirling breeze but it was heavily in favour of the Punt road end. An extra defender wasn't a bad idea at all to stall momentum in the 3rd quarter. The extra man running off the back of the square is a completely different tactic and isn't all that relevant to the majority of the game but it's also something I'd like to use a little less and to try different things. Some times it works because it allows the defenders to get in more aggressive positions (the Diamond) because they don't have to rush in off the square, but if we are winning in the middle then I'd like even numbers. The other thing I'd trial is a 2nd wingmen on one side of the stoppage. One comes across defensively, the other runs in an attacking position. Gawn hits to the 2 wing side and then they use the overlap.

Unlike all those other defenders out of the side who have great skills? I'd rather Vince, Wagner and Hibberd but I think Harmes was our best option on the weekend. Now Bernie is back there's a decision to be made but Lewis out might fix that. I can't recall what his 3 turnovers were that led directly to goals. What I loved about his game was his work ethic to stick on a man (and a fast one in Armfield) and lay some tackles. Too many of our other defenders - McDonald x 2 but more so Oscar, Melksham, Lewis and often Vince don't tackle. His best position is probably on the wing in a game that can see him run in to contests and push back and forward with the flight of the ball, but I'm not against using him as part of the backline rotation

Won the contest and 420 touches with a huge difference in uncontested ball. I thought we ran all over them in the first half except instead of going forward we got sucked in bouncing from side to side. I had no problem with the physical effort in the first half. The mental effort was not good, with so many making bad decisions regarding how and when to attack or be more conservative. 3rd quarter they had the wind and we were chasing tail pretty heavily. Signs were not good in that regard. But we found the reserves for the last and ran away with it. Maybe I need to watch him off the ball but I thought Petracca was our best forward for most of the game and was routinely leading up to provide an option. For much of the 2nd term the forwards got stuck in this negative feedback loop of leading - not rewarded due to over possession from the mids, followed by then not leading because the ball wasn't coming in quickly and then barely or not even crashing a poorly chosen long bomb. With better maturity and instruction I hope they keep the unrewarded running up and help drive the team to play better, but it's such a young group I get why they fall in to the trap. Credit to the forwards for a big role in the last quarter.

Keep watching Lewis then. He turns side on to the ground ball and tries to paddle it to himself. You'll pick it up if you watch it enough. There's a reason he went to half forward then half back today. Trying to keep him away from the tight stuff. Watts and Garlett, probably fair enough. I just wonder if we are closing in on finals and then have 2 players who might melt under the pressure. Many a forward or outside player (often smalls not named Cyril, sometimes talls) have wilted in finals without the ferocious attack on the ball and these guys are probably 2 of our top 3 goal kickers as well as guys who can make things happen.

Shame there's no sub rule. He often comes in to the game late. Sadly on days like this instead of the positives that he must have a good tank I'm worried it's a negative in that he just can't move or process decisions fast enough until the game has opened up. Wouldn't mind seeing him at half forward for the first half of games more. If they both stay in the side I'd rather a more even share of midfield time between Tyson and Brayshaw.

He might've taken mark of the year if Weeds didn't grab it first as well! Couldn't see him dropped. He lifted his pressure rate and started to find the ball when the game was on the line. And if Hogan is out we'll need scoring power in the forward line. Kent has to replace one of the midfielder/half forward types I think, Gus or ANB.

Paging @stevethemanjordan I need some back up in this thread. You're all soft.

Jeff was great. Watts' final quarter was instrumental. Lewis came in to the game and made some well timed interventions in the last. That's not the point. The point is to debate what to do about players routinely making bad errors. Watts - we live with it as we have been for YEARS. Goodwin's threatened to drop him preseason for not attacking contests in the air. His mark on the wing in the last was a beauty. Jeffy - ground ball training practice, but if it continues he has a holiday if his form drops just like it did last year when his whole game went off Lewis - the hardest one of the lot to deal with. You don't bring a premiership player over to avoid picking the ball up under pressure. Turning side on a flopping around like a blow up doll. Nath Jones needs to let him know we aren't paying him as a coach just yet and he needs to bleed red and blue.

Ground balls are my problem with Jeffy. If the bloke doesn't want to stand under a mark I can get that, he did a great job winning that one on one deep. He's a speedy small who doesn't want every footy on the deck, that's not great. Lewis spent several games last year doing the same thing he did today where he slips and slide and doesn't open his body up to get the ball from the deck. If others don't see it that's fine, they will soon unless he changes it. I'm glad he was average and Vince was missing and we still won.

The most obvious (of a few) was the last quarter ball bouncing towards him in the middle of the ground, goes straight through. Clean bowled. Wasn't a crumb situation which can happen.

Brayshaw struggled in the half forward death valley zone with our mids overusing it. I'm judging Gus on his game last week where he saw a lot more midfield time and was really important after quarter time.

Clarry tried a few high risk options, I can live with that. Aside from missing each targets under minimal pressure (Brayshaw, Jones both inside 50) he routinely bombed the ball from a clearance to a Carlton player with no demon around. I've never seen Clarry kick blindly. Viney does it, but he has speed around the ball and burst in his game to help balance the midfield.

Message to demon coaches: Please please teach the kid to left hand handball. 100 handballs on his left after every training. Combine that with a couple more preseasons and watch out.

Nope. The team balance is better without him especially on the quick Etihad deck and his kicking was horrendous. 5 clangers to Harmes' 1. 0 contested possessions, 1 tackle. We can do far better than him. He's bruise free.

Hard to be satisfied with the grand total of 0 flags I've seen. No finals for a decade +. This thread isn't about the short term. The short term answer to my question is very simple - keep playing Garlett, Watts and Lewis as they are all good players. I want to know what others think about the long term standards when the coach has stated repeatedly he wants to play a contested brand of footy.

The combination of Lewis, Brayshaw and Salem gave us far better balance and quality around the stoppages than Dom - holding the ball/turnover Tyson. Don't get fooled by his stats. He blasted to no one repeatedly, is slow to defend at the stoppages and his field kicking is disgusting. He had a big last quarter but he needed to because he'd cost us about 5 goals by that time.

Yep mate. Played 300 games. Me and Neita the only one for the MFC. FFS. It's a footy forum. We criticize players for their kicking, their handballs, their speed, their tackles, missing goals. I wouldn't be capable of any of that. But 19 (or 18, I gave Milkshake a pardon today) players put their body on the line at all times today. Watts - chest marks. Garlett - ground balls. Lewis - ground balls under pressure. All prioritised their bodies over the team today. All good players. What do we do about it?

Lewis goes to ground as soon there's a ball to be won on the deck. Happened 3 or 4 times today. It's gutless. Very similar to the moment Clarko surely knew it was over for Jordie at the Hawks.

Agree. Harmes doesn't have the ceiling of Melksham but overall he provides more grunt and spirit. Neither are great back flankers but give me the one who tackle and win the pill over the one who floats around. Hannan's not going anywhere. Bit of a dirty day 2nd up but hardly a surprise the half forward's struggled on a day when the backs and mids moved the ball around in circles all day. Credit to the way Hannan, Braysh and ANB at least stopped Docherty and Simpson carving us up on the rebound. Hannan's first game was top shelf, if you didn't rate it as a very good game then you've got rocks in your head. A quiet effort in his 2nd game isn't a reason to drop him, especially given when the game was on the line he went out and did something about it, very good last quarter.

Personally I'd accept some slow plays over the headless chook stuff the rest of the defenders go with. He's got a lovely step and hits his targets when moving. Doesn't rack up the ball or spread quickly but a few others could be far more patient.

Jack Watts: Looks behind him when leading, cops one in the head and then proceeds to attempt chest marks on his next 3 marks, getting them all spoiled. Finally held one in the last in the hands. Unacceptable to be doing that in the AFL, especially when they are your bread and butter as a leading forward. Jeff Garlett: Shortest bloke on the field, repeatedly skips over bouncing ground balls in fear of being tackled. Under 10's stuff. Jordan Lewis: Loves the physical stuff, courageous in the air, but any time there's a ground ball to be won under pressure he looks like he's on ice skates and he gingerly chases it. Obviously doesn't want to hurt his media career by getting the bald spot exposed. 3 very skilled and important players but they are all guilty of having 'Pedersen' moments today and it's not the first time for any of them. How are we meant to set the standard to the young players if three experienced guys are afraid of contact? Goodwin's stated he wants to build from the contest out and these guys do not show that mentality.

How many weeks for Dom Tyson for his hospital kick on Brayshaw? Carless, high contact, medium force?

Open palm for Lewis. Fine at worst. Hogan will go despite the obvious lack of force or intent. Hopefully just 1.