John Crow Batty

“That was an un-Melbourne like performance. I was ok with the losses to Brisbane and West Coast, because the competition is so even and we were just beaten by a team that played significantly better on the day, and we at least managed to win back some momentum at times.“ The WC game was disturbing to watch live. We were basically witches hats the entire game. Gifted them a 4 points training drill. WC are still a mediocre team and we made them look like premiership material. A precursor of things to come. Freo game result looks worse because they are a better team than WC.

Goodwin kept mentioning “inconsistency” but leaves out the elephant in the room. It hasn’t been just playing bad games, more like being completely uncompetitive in every department. We have been dishing up wooden spoon stuff in between solid performances. Something wrong upstairs, too much self satisfaction, arrogance and lack of respect for lesser clubs. D

Biggest loss since round 23 in 2016. 111 points against Geelong.

I was hoping the game against WC was an aberration. It was not. Last weeks win was against a disinterested SK which papered over cracks. We haven’t been anywhere this bad since the early Roos days.

Worst first half since 2018 prelim. 3rd grossly uncompetitive display this season. WTF is going on?

Can Demonland make Darcy’s humping of Maynard video of the week please.

But we still see too many fumbled pickups, smothered and errant handballs all under pressure when players could easily have knocked the ball out earlier to a teammate before the opposition can apply maximum pressure.

One thing that has puzzled me is why too many players try to take possession of the ball in heavy traffic when the first smart option whilst they still have time is to tap, knock or soccer the ball to a team mate in an advantageous position to clear congestion. Too many players seem conditioned to make a play with their own possession rather than move the ball on expediently for their sides advantage. Every one praises a player when he makes a clever tap on to advantage but it does not happen often enough. Perhaps if stats were credited for these acts they might be encouraged to do them more often. The holding/dropping the ball problem would significantly reduce and the play flow better with this mindset.

So true, I can’t remember the last time a key power forward who was dominant in his first couple of seasons. Maybe Jack Darling. JVR is on the right track nicely.

This feels like kind of a watershed game for us. Win and we maintain our top four contention. Lose and we are looking at deep poo.

Seeing him at Collingwood is bloody tough but it is best to take a coaching apprenticeship at another club in which he has a role in its success. Hopefully one day he comes back to us with an impressive resume but no more filth premierships please.

28-21 record since then and arguably our worst loss last round in that time frame.

We were 9-0 and they were 1-8 and we were playing for our 17th consecutive win. Though North were a terrible side they physically monstered us and we got injuries. We looked very tired and flat despite the win. Not an auspicious debut for the Narrm moniker. A slow steady decline since then.

Unfortunately a second rate Clarry is still better than anyone at Casey. If Brayshaw was still around there would be a window open to put pressure on him or even drop him but now he has to keep playing unless new behaviour issues or injuries crop up. At nowhere near his best he is still good.

Time to play a dedicated 2nd ruck to chip out for Max. Allows VDR and Petty to play forward without interruptions and hopefully aid their development. None of these two are Luke Jackson types who is Amore capable on ball player.

Yeah, the self satisfaction and self congratulating was evident after the Gather Round and Geelong win.

Our season has been solid so far except two games where we have been inexplicably uncompetitive against current bottom 8 sides. To me we are fog bound by too much hubris after some great wins in Adelaide and against the cats. And yesterday it was clear we were mentally unprepared for a switched on and hungry WC. We are being overtaken by hungrier sides that are not necessarily better. Top four is achievable but lack of hunger and killer instinct will likely be our nemeses again.

Watching the game live was disturbing. They played like energiser bunnies or us like the Coyote trying to chase the road runner. They spread and ran everywhere taking uncontested and marks with ease with not a demon within cooee. We were slow playing the pass and turnover game in contrast. Again our midfield was pathetic. The defence was uncharacteristically disorganised. The forward line consequently was neutered. This game was worse live than watching on TV could ever be. This season so far we have played our worst 2 games for the past for 3-4 seasons.

Low energy and premiership window rattling.

And they kick the clutch goals also. Rarely do they miss a go ahead shot at goal at the end of games.

Cheer squads were very fit also. It was hard work waving those massive floggers.

Satisfying seeing the cats play somewhere completely out of their comfort zone in the heat and humidity and reduced to steamed dim sims.

Collingwood tactic.

We beat St Kilda, West Coast and North in rounds 8,9 and 10 in 2022 and then fell in a hole we haven’t yet quite fully extracted ourselves. Let’s hope same happens to them. .

I have been worrying about what seems lack of resilience to complete a season out at our best or even manage short breaks between games. Two lame straight sets finals exits and generally underwhelming performances after short breaks book ending excellent and consistent performances the rest of the time kind of shows a pattern we are limited for maintaining high standards. As for last night and against Brisbane it was clearly not fitness or tiredness. Somehow the players equilibrium seems off with abnormal routines for big games.