pitchfork

There are many players who moved on, or were moved on in the recent past in less than perfect circumstances that often reflected poor club management. There are only a couple of cases where I feel the player acted with disrespect. Unless he sire's an absolute gun, Beamer for me ranks as the least of all those players (incl. Brock, Scully). People will crucify Frawley when he does leave, but Chip has shown that you can play and behave with a degree of professionalism even if the system has provided you with opportunities beyond the end of your current contract. Beamer couldn't bring himself to do that.

This is incredibly harsh. Barry isn't fit enough to run with Hill right now. The coaches knew that prior to the game, they gave him this role as a learning experience - I seriously doubt Roosy is asking Barry why he was 5 metres behind Hill chasing tail...It's an opportunity for Dom to see where he has to be come round 1 next year. There's no way Barry is tagging anyone right now in a game that matters. I've got to say that for the first time he really showed something. He got some touch by being around a quality opponent, and continued to chase even when he clearly had nothing in the tank.

Great news. Though a very strange way this played out. Given the result, it seems like the entire 'controversy' was probably completely outside the inner sanctum. Roosy and PJ were probably pretty relaxed to wait it out, but Roosy probably came to the conclusion that if he had to decide now, he'd stay, so may as well just get rid of the distraction.

Anyone know the rules on Jetta getting locked in? One of the next priorities. Do we just wait till draft day? Probably the most effective rookie-list season since Damien Peverill...v important to keep him around (as we saw vs freo).

Very concerned about a small-forward kicking A LOT of goals on us this week. Jetta absence seems huge.

I'm sure it would be addressed in a move, but the University Cricket Ground is well known to be inadequate for the two amateur sides playing there currently. Training can be affected in the winter months as the ground can be a total bog, and having played as a visitor on this ground in the past, it can be as unpleasant having to run over the wet, muddy, uneven turf as to be on the end of an absolute whooping by Blues or Blacks. - Have been explained by friends from Blues that this is largely a result of the relationship between the ground, the footy clubs and the cricket club. The 'club divided' narrative based on offices at the 'G and the training base made sense when the footy dep was at junction, but the continuation of this story is so overblown as to be ridiculous. I can't imagine there are many, if any, clubs where anyone at admin level, except the CEO, is able to drop in for urgent work reasons on footy department without ringing up and seeing if they have time. It takes less than five minutes to walk across the bridge - I'm sure PJ loves the fitness benefits.

Can't imagine the long term plan with Frawley is as a forward. Between Frawley, Dunn, and macdonald there's a threesome able to deal with most matchups. Frawley and Dunn provide two way play that's significant for forcing opponents to expend energy paying them attention. Required player. Shudder to think we put too much responsibility on TMac next year....talking about potentially overpriced contracts, reckon some team out there could force a big overpay for Tom (400k)...would rather have Frawley for 600k-650.

Did anyone see him at the practice match down at Princes' Park a few years back? Tackled like a maniac and caused some concern he might destroy a Blue or two. Showed a lot of promise that he was just unable to fully put together till now. Happy he's doing so well, loved him but thought it must have deluded a positive opinion of him. Great work Nev, sign him up now.

Despite contract concerns of his own, Tom McDonald has been somewhat of an elixir to Chip Frawley related anxiety. He's 21, a super-super-athlete, and is probably one of the best match ups in the league for Buddy, N Reiwoldt, or any good mobile forward. Despite this, I'm getting increasingly concerned that his flaws make him a week to week matchup-based selection in a decent side. He isn't much of a "footballer". I honestly couldn't care less that his kicking is not fantastic, over time that can be improved or hidden. It's his defensive technique and defensive decision making that is a serious concern. He is constantly found in the wrong position in marking contests that aren't vertical leads. He fails to make the right decision between watching man or ball. And he has very little ability to play as a third man. Usually being super-elite at something is enough to cover other deficiencies. Not sure if that's the case here. As we play more meaningful games coaches will just shift tommy's man to areas where they can exploit this, dumbfounded that Longmire didn't just isolate Buddy in the square when he was having a shocker against us. Maybe there's an opportunity further up the ground in the future? For mine...when Hogan is right, Chippa moves back and Tom becomes a week-to-week proposition. [assuming back line of Frawley, Garland, Dunn, Jetta, Grimes, Howe]

While I get the sense that nutbean is the kind of bloke who fails to flush a toilet after he uses it, got to support this 100%. Talking to a friend who asked what it was like to watch such negative footy, I realised: when it's my own team I'm so invested that game style means little in regards to my enjoyment of the game. A 30 point loss 120-90 would have been as painful as the one we got this week. Wouldn't care at all if we were routinely winning games in the 10 goal range. Roosy was clear that he's looking for a better balance in the long run, but right now it's about establishing a defensive foundation that we can build from.

If there's a stage this year that we win a few games in a row, or even a couple of back to backs, I'll be very satisfied with the performances this year and the platform that they've established. It is dissapointing to have been on the wrong side of every one of those 4 'winnable' games - most of all GC because an avg performance probably would have won us the lollies. (Port are a fifth, but despite the fact we should have won and should be disappointed we didn't have a 120 min performance, the reality is good teams can steal games...we used to do that sometimes.) It's not the worst thing though. Given the way AFL fixturing is now done, over performing can be a harsh reality the next season. Two more wins would feel right me thinks, but it's about building sustainable and improving success...not being the Toiges. After half a season I think it's fair to suggest that it would be dissapointing to not be competing for the top 8 In 2015. coming off the last six years, 2014 is about achieving self-respect and hunger.

It's important to evaluate the players correctly. There's a small bunch of people who have long been adamant that Jetta had the ability to play in a good side. The majority of posters were putt off by his relative lack of quickness and limited game. But, Jetta showed a Swiss-army like versatility that a good side could use. It's no use putting guys into b,c,d categories...rather consider a simple binary...can they contribute to a good side over a season? Yes/no. Most good teams need +30 contributors over a year. Jetta is a clear yes for most now, Evans is a bit of a poor man's M. Jones but still a yes. A guy like Tapscott will probably be better in a lot of ways then Evans, but not totally sure could contribute to a good side. Nicholson - no

And you've clearly managed not watch a game of football since 1985. Seriously, If every player did that, then we'd be worse off. But AG isn't a great kick, better he's risk averse then turns it over for a goal. The team is considerably better at manufacturing forward movement this year, so patience isn't as much of a problem. Think how many goals have been conceded via Terlich and McDonald turnovers on rebounds. When you're playing a brand of footy that puts defence at a premium (10-15 goals to win), you can't risk those cheap goals.

It's damning for a professional footballer to seem so insipid in the face of internal scrutiny. He really didn't face too much on field adversity in his time at the club, and when he did, he opted to display his dissatisfaction rather than work to overcome it. Robbo (and others) was able to say – I disagree with the club, I still think I have something to give – Even if he was wrong, he didn't burn bridges on the way. Heck, even Brucey managed a difficult exit without staining his legacy. Plays every game like he's trying to prove something to anybody but himself. It was all about Beamer, always.

Ok...I concede I won't win this one. I'd love to start another thread on this, but too ashamed. Are people aware that Nathan Jones is so tough he had a wrestler named and modelled after him? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Jones_(wrestler)

Luke Molan, Nick Smith, Lucas Cook...etc. Bad outcomes, but the pick is not quite as outrageous as that. Imagine if that was taken today.

We've made some pretty shocking picks in our past, but nothing tops this for worst ever first round pick. Stumbled upon this, though I'd share it. ------ Pick #9 1995. * This player missed the previous season due to serious career threatening injury. * Was 27 years old at the time. For the Footscra(z)y Bulldogs, Allen Jakovich. He was taken from us far too soon, but I can't think of a comparable example. - Was there any contemporaneous criticism of the pick? Too young at the time to be anything but disappointed by seeing Allen in another teams jumper.

We're doing pretty much what every other club in the league does at kick ins...and like most things, when we do them badly, we do them very badly. There's not many variables they can tinker with – not like our plan is bad – but we definitely should ensure that Dean Terlich NEVER kicks in. Kick ins too often turn into goals off Terlich's Kick ins, and they're usually his fault...see q3, GWS. Once this occurs over the course of a couple of weeks, you'd think they'd find an alternative.

Does anyone have a report from a training run this week? It's a week and a bit since Hogan started running again, right? If he has suddenly stopped his running, LET'S ALL PANIC!!!!, or at least have an informed reason to think things are regressing. but this would be far better informed if someone can let us know if he has or hasn't been out on the grass at Gosch's facts on the ground...anyone? This is even less informed than the average thread...if a tree doesn't fall in a forest, and no one is there to hear it not fall, it could have fallen. Not saying I have any information on his injury, but given Misson gives an injury UPDATE, perhaps there was nothing to update.

Good round up Oracle. I don't get all the outrage. It was a particularly poor outing by the boys, and it is right to be disappointed. But we lost by 8 points (as opposed to the deserved 8 goals) partly because GCS kicked poorly [but we did force a number of difficult shots] and also partly because the 22 playing is considerably better at football then we were 12 months ago. It's a good sign that we're able to hang on even when we're playing poorly...goals can still be manufactured where we would have simply been demonstrably pathetic. * we won 3 quarters, and played terrible football in one quarter. If we played excellent football in just one of those 3, we'd probably have a sneaky and undeserved W. At this stage it'd be surprising if we won games where we played this poorly, Let's not write this off as a backward step.

Was against it till I saw it. Simply caused no feelings of illness and made me think, "why didn't they do it before?" The font and size seem to be very well chosen Really doesn't take anything away and will barely be noticed. Kids may enjoy it.

This is as faithfully quoted as possible, on the run: As noted, Tyson had 25 possessions, 10 clearances.This was 6 more clearances than any other Melbourne player. Only Treloar and Cognilio had more and they were roving to Mumford who was outstanding. Neil Cordys best: M Jones, Howe, Frawley, Watts, Jones. It's easy to pile on the unsuccessful club, but this is just a nonsense. Tyson not included in the best either demonstrates a failure to understand the game, or an attempt to colour a pretty poorly thought out article.

100% agree. There's a lot of false narrative out there, but this is one that a media type just shouldn't be so silly to enter into. No idea how good Salem might be, but that was a real value trade and could be seen as lopsided one day (Kelly and Tyson both look to be guns, Salem who knows?). On the lack of midfield speed, doesn't Salem have a fair yard of pace?

Hopefully we'll start getting back the quality we are missing. Unfortunately I feel like the time is coming for Dean Terlich to be dropped. He deserved to be high in our b&f last year, but there's a reason he didn't cut it at Sydney. Observable on-field attitude is top-notch, however he isn't an AFL level player, and doesn't appear to have much of a ceiling. We need smart decision makers, and safe hands. He lacks vision, times his forward attacks poorly, and gets caught in tight situations looking to break lines when he should be finding a teammate by hand. This kind of stuff turns into goals down the other end. Terlich's game really isn't too far off a guy like Heath Shaw. Shaw is constantly attacking efficiently and in doing so he forces the opposition to attempt to negate him and therefore play more defensively from the forward line. Terlich's opponents pay scant regard for his attacks confident of a rebound falling in their lap.

100% on board with the analysis of the action but differ on the conclusion. As noted, we had our fair share of bad luck - something we couldn't afford given the team that went out on the park. provided the upgraded personnel actually shop up in the next few weeks, there seems to be a real platform to improve and actually play some good footy. Almost certainly not winning more games than we lose - that would be a miracle - but beyond Hawthorn and Freo, I think we'll be in games unlike the past few years. plus: we may just have a unique talent turning into a unique and good footballer.