Slartibartfast

Sometimes the way people post u wouldn't know that they realized so little.

Yes, but it is for Salem just as it is for Jones. MFC don't take these stats and the blokes that do are unbiased. So it doesn't matter over a large sample.

How big an issue is it? Again here are some stats comparing Matt Jones and Chris Salem (chosen because few here would question his disposal). Matt Jones Freo: 14 disposals, 71.4 DE, 6 Clangers Foots: 18 disposals, 83.3 DE, 3 Clangers Esse: 18 disposals, 88.9 DE, 3 Clangers Chris Salem Freo: 9 disposals, 88.9 DE, 3 Clangers Foots: 24 disposals, 79.2 DE, 2 Clangers Esse: 20 disposals, 70 DE, 4 Clangers. Comparison: Salem: 53 disposals, 9 Clangers Jones: 50 disposals, 12 Clangers Not sure what you do with DE but it doesn't feel right to add together and divide by 3! Someone can probably help but I reckon (intuitively) MJ has a better DE. From those stats I'd say Matt Jones disposal issues are overstated. I think he's a lock for round 1.

Along with everyone I hope you're right. I read the same thing about Neeld with people excusing thrashings and blaming Bailey. I hope I don't see the same thing with Roos where people accept thrashings and blame Neeld. I think it's completely valid to question everyone at the club and I worry about the blind acceptance of Roos based on his past alone. Having said that, we have no option but to go the course with Roos and Goodwin. But I won't stop wondering. I agree with much of what you say but I'm not worried about us being able to defend, it's what we do with the ball when we are in possession. Our defense is acceptable, I think most agree on that. Here are some stats, I hope I have them right. Footscray had 996 disposals over their preseason going inside 50 153 times at an average of 6.5 disposals per I50 entry Carlton had 871 disposals over their preseason going inside 50 119 times at an average of 7.31 disposals per I50 entry Melbourne had 1057 disposals over our preseason going inside 50 130 times at an average of 8.13 disposals per I50 entry Footscray and Carlton are teams I think we should be competitive with and compared to. What that indicates is we don't get into scoring positions as often when we have the ball. I think that's a worry. The Footscray game is perhaps even more enlightening. We had the ball 403 times for 44 entries compared to the Dogs 239 disposals for 37 entries. 9.16 to 6.40 disposals per inside 50. We took, on average, about 50% longer (50% more possessions to get the ball into a scoring position). Even in the first half where they played like witches had and we dominated we were unable to put them away. I have no problem with teaching a sound defense. Roos has proven beyond doubt he can do that. But to be successful we need to learn to attack. Roos hasn't proved he can do that. I've seen too much blind acceptance during the Neeld and Schwab eras to now just blindly accept anything, including Roos. I watched Brisbane play the Suns and Carlton play Geelong on the weekend. I struggle to accept we have lists much worse than these two clubs but our style of play is second rate by comparison. I struggle to accept we have a list much worse than Carlton and Brisbane but we lost to a top up team and they performed well against much better credentialed opposition. I'm not suggesting Roos can't do it, I'm not suggesting for a moment his tenure should be challenged, I'm suggesting he hasn't yet proved he can teach teams how to kick goals and he's certainly not beyond examination.

I posted this elsewhere, but it's relevant here. Earlier in the preseason I was shouted down when I questioned Roos and his coaching tactics but I've seen very little in the practice games that leads me to believe Roos knows how to coach a team to kick goals. It's well documented that he reduced the scores against us last year and it's now better known that we kicked the lowest average score for years. From memory we never kicked 100 points last year and scored 6 goals or less 6 times. That's pathetic however you slice it. Like everyone I hoped that with the inclusion of Hogan and Garlett, the introduction of some new mids and a year under their belt we'd see a significant improvement in our scoring capacity. My impression is that most teams are now concentrating on fast ball movement to break zoning and the press and that this started in the middle of last year. Teams such as Richmond and Carlton who had shocking first half years in 2014 improved dramatically when they started to move the ball quicker. Brisbane punched above their weight last year to the surprise of many and they relied on fast ball movement. The most disappointing feature of our play this preseason has been the lack of any dare. We stop, look, hesitate, kick backwards and allow the opposition to zone back and make scoring difficult. So far I'd have to say that Roos has failed to teach us to kick goals even with Hogan and Garlett added to our attack. And just for the record this is not new to Roos. He won a premiership based on stoppage work and defense despite having a forward line containing Goodes, Hall, O'Laughlin, Davis and O'Keeffe. I just wonder if he is capable of changing his mind set. I can't help but believe we are much better than we are showing. One of the questions is "can Roos teach a team how to kick goals". I wondered from the day he was employed. I wondered if his time out of the game had left him behind. We'll find out this year.

Port regularly pants us in preseason regardless of how many MFC hopefuls we play. I think you're in for a long afternoon KC.

This is the big issue of the season to me. Earlier in the preseason I was shouted down when I questioned Roos and his coaching tactics but I've seen very little in the practice games that leads me to believe Roos knows how to coach a team to kick goals. It's well documented that he reduced the scores against us last year and it's now better known that we kicked the lowest average score for years. From memory we never kicked 100 points last year and scored 6 goals or less 6 times. That's pathetic however you slice it. Like everyone I hoped that with the inclusion of Hogan and Garlett, the introduction of some new mids and a year under their belt we'd see a significant improvement in our scoring capacity. My impression is that most teams are now concentrating on fast ball movement to break zoning and the press and that this started in the middle of last year. Teams such as Richmond and Carlton who had shocking first half years in 2014 improved dramatically when they started to move the ball quicker. Brisbane punched above their weight last year to the surprise of many and they relied on fast ball movement. The most disappointing feature of our play this preseason has been the lack of any dare. We stop, look, hesitate, kick backwards and allow the opposition to zone back and make scoring difficult. So far I'd have to say that Roos has failed to teach us to kick goals even with Hogan and Garlett added to our attack. And just for the record this is not new to Roos. He won a premiership based on stoppage work and defense despite having a forward line containing Goodes, Hall, O'Laughlin, Davis and O'Keeffe. I just wonder if he is capable of changing his mind set. I can't help but believe we are much better than we are showing. Just some random other comments: 1. I think many are over rating Vandenbergs game. It was ok but a long way from good. 2. I think people are underestimating Grimes game who was good all night but very good in the first half. 3. I was particularly disappointed in Newtons game. I held hopes - now I have doubts. 4. On viewing I thought Tyson was poor last week because despite his ability to find the ball his disposals have little impact. I then looked at the stats and saw he had an 81% DE and dismissed my thought. But for a bloke that gets it so well he does so little with it. 5. I'm struggling with the concept of Frost as our second ruck resting forward. 6. We seemed completely unable to find any space with the ball. We were outnumbered all night. Poor workrate I would have thought and a lack of desire to win. Strange given our history and the fact that there are alternatives to most players in the team. 7. At least the first half of last year we could make it difficult for the opposition to score but last night Essendon got goal side of us regularly and their forwards found space and provided options. That was a worry. 8. I think we miss Bernie Vince a lot. He has the ability to get on the outside and dispose well. He has a bit of flare which is something we are very short of. All in all it was a thoroughly disappointing performance from a team that has some very well credentialed people working with it. I agree with Webber who made the point that what we saw last night is what we are. Preseason or not, we are not going to suddenly stop experimenting against the Suns and magically play much better footy as a result. The fear of another long cold winter is starting to settle on my psyche.

Mystery injury of the week: JKH.

Yes, did the full session as did Pig Dog.

All trained.

Frost is there.

Frost and Hunt not here that I can see.

Vince and Howe with main group.

You've made this point repetitively along with Steve and others for weeks. You don't have to respond every time someone disagrees with you.

Thought Colin played well on Saturday, particularly in the first half. Accordingly I find the proposition of "how long do we persevere with him" to make a false presumption.

Did any of the mystery players play with the Casey 2nds?

Thought he was much better last week and was quite ordinary yesterday. Looks to me like he's a natural defender and being played as a forward. That run and speed would be devastating from defence. When he and o Mac were recruited I thought they were key defenders. Interesting both played forward yesterday. Key forwards are obviously seen as a greater weakness than key defenders.

Reminded me of American Pie the moment I read it. Don't know why I bothered posting that....

Oh dear, it's started already.

Thanks Yoss, I'll give it a go. I'm not great with this sort of thing...

Same.

I've just joined up to AFL live pass so I can watch todays game. Does anyone know if it can be chromecast to the TV? I assume that I can watch it on my computer and I don't have to have a mobile or tablet to see it. Thanks for any help.

Well I'm glad we've sorted that out.

Why did we appear to make little if any effort to keep him? I suspect there is much more to this than meets the eye. At this stage I'm backing Roos but I'm angry and disappointed.

Didn't work for me in IE but did in Chrome.