frankie_d

for those not able to be here, all we need is for some one to centre the ball, turn it over, and then co an earful from the coach. We will have then completely returned to the Neeld and Cale Morton era PJ: save us

The traditional just before half time slot on goal Missed

Brayshaw is doing ok Spargo is smart

Out the back again. Stringer. This is beyond bad.

Last 2 goals out the back. Can't see any defensive structure. Outnumbered in our forward line then. No one on defense. Hopeless

Hanan. Spargo. Goal Kids.

This stinks. It smells like they aren't playing as a team. I wonder why

Hanan Jetta good

Ugh. Still no discernible game plan

Harmed hasn't but a target yet.

The place is empty. Fair dinkum. Away strip looks good. Hard to be optimistic.

I wonder what the forward line plan was before we were forced to play TMac up front?

Roof closed. TMac having shots on goal with BF and Hoges. A while to go, but pretty empty.

Same as it ever was... same as it ever was...

2 goals in a half. I've got no complaint about effort. But there is no recognizable game plan. Reminds me of the worst days off Neeld. Dreadful. But with much better players now. It's miserable

At the Comm Games in QLD. Watched the Australian netballers (shortest priced favourites ever) get done by a single point with a penalty after the final bell. Probably less painful than being at the 'G. Son and heir texted the progress from the 'G - good to see his vocabulary expanding nicely... The only blokes I have faith in at the moment are PJ, Oliver and Max.

For how long have opposition's parked one extra back? Started against Collingwood years ago. It still screws us up. I think the list is strong enough. That leaves selection and coaching. Yeah yeah. It's only round one. But nothing's changed

Yep, but to be fair there is NOTHING that could be considered a Melbourne highlight

The worst case is that we have Neeld, Mark 2 (no pun intended). Hope to hell that's not the case

Yep - that's one of the two possibilities. Drunkn's posts have a pretty fair fact base - and we are facing either coaching staff serious error/miscalculation/poor judgement, or players are soft. I think some of the "over reaction" (guilty, as charged) is the emotional disappointment of knowing how this is going to play out with supporters, in the context of our weak mental fade out. I still haven't gotten over the last game.

I get your point - but if that's a good outcome, why didn't the coaches have that as the original plan. It seems as if there's a choice - either the playing group is soft or the coaches aren't doing a good job with planning and communication.

This. We'll be putting up with chit about Melbourne being soft. Either that's true, or the coaches are not doing a good job with their training regime. Yuk.

player leadership - that's what's it's all about. lack of. this should have been sorted out within the playing group. Not sure this sort of stuff is Jones' strong suit, and Viney is a bit young. Hodge? What was his role? I bet at Hawthorn this would have NEVER got to this disastrous stage. What a joke. How's things over in SA, Jackie boy?

Wow - deja vu all over again. I can't believe this - it seems unavoidable that i) we have a bunch of softies and/or ii) the coaches and the players can't communicate with each other and/or iii) there's no leadership (a long time lament) I wonder that PJ think... wonder what Roos thinks... How can we avoid the charge of being a joke of a club? [censored].

It's a great read - amazing detail, and has the effect of causing me to re-live various games in toxic detail. Recommended highly