Maldonboy38

Grimes would have been a lock-in for mine but for two reasons. One, he is unfortunately injury-prone. Two, his footskills produce frustration among the players and the skipper should not be producing frustration but finding ways through it or around it. Other players really lift around him, and even older players look to him when setting up in defence, but he needs a full pre-season and 22 rounds.

Trengove is emerging as the true contender for Captaincy. He has my vote.

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Great post, DrDrake. The Dees are still 2 years away from a starting 22 that can win a final which is a bit disappointing, but many thought 2013 would be most likely anyway. The great problem is 3-fold:

When we lose, we lose horribly

We haven't adapted to the 2011 game (we would match up well with a 2007 Geelong gameplan that has been mostly negated by new defensive structures)

Leadership. As a footballer, Junior was probably a player who would start on the bench but he was a magnificent leader. I thought his appointment as leader was a grasp at short straws but he proved me wrong. When he was asked to stand aside I thought it was a good decision. Again, I was wrong. Sylvia, Rivers and Moloney have provided leadership at times but Davey and Green are proven to be influential PLAYERS but not influential LEADERS.

With 11 to go, apart from our appalling under-pressure skills, kick in structure, inability against the press etc... I want to see leadership and ticker. Yes, I want wins and the win/loss ratio is important, but we will go nowhere without leadership. We have leadership at Board level, we have it in Admin, we have it in Marketing, Membership, Sponsorship but we lack it on the field.

Will the next leader(s) of the MFC please stand up.

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The Good

Sylvia - if he doesn't win the Bluey this year, something has gone seriously wrong.

Watts

Strauss

Howe

The Bad

Brad Green - especially his 2nd efforts.

Tackling.

Players not being aware of each other, bumping into each other, spoiling each other in the air, handballing to a target that was surrounded by opposition

Our chip kicking inside 50.

Jurrah. Casey beckons

Scully's field kicking (Marc Murphy's was this bad early on, by the way)

Gysberts. Was he on the ground?

The Ugly

Our disposal under pressure

Our crowded set up at stoppages that demands 5 or more dinky little handballs to get it only 10 metres away from the original contest.

Being 36 points down at the 5 minute mark of the last quarter, to lose by 88.

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6 - Sylvia

6 - My gf for giving me something to at least stare at at the game...

Very good DeezMan, made my morning.

6 . Sylvia

5 . Morton

4 . Watts

3 . MacDonald

2 . Moloney

1 . Howe

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Apart from the red looking pink-ish, it is the best alternative strip we have ever had by a long margin. It has really sharp design even though it is simple. Let's just leave it alone now and get on with footy.

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Our rollercoaster ride has changed. Even with the Lions win and Crows win, our 22 were not playing with a lot of confidence. We were playing on momentum. If we had it we played OK, if the opposirion had it we folded. When Carlton got that first goal of the 3rd quarter you could see the entire Melbourne boys body langauge change to a slump.

Our win against Essendon has changed one vital ingredient - confidence. Up until this match we have been "hoping to win with a young side". The Melbourne players now genuinely believe again, and that means anything can happen. Also, we figured out how to work our way through a press: don't handball, kick!

With the Pies arrogantly deciding to send Swan away, and with Thomas suspended we have real chance. Two important factors:

We must start well and not get more than 20 points down at any stage

We must kick well, especially into our half forward area.

For mine, head says the Pies by 40, heart says Dees by 20. I am a heart man - Dees by 20.

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I went to the St. Kilda v Pies games last night when my brother phoned saying he had an extra ticket. I sat in the members and had a graet view of the game so I took the opportunity to be a neutral observer. I thought I would share some insights. It always looked like the Sains were "just holding it together" but at any moment the Pies would break the game apart. The only reason the Pies did break it apart was because for some reason, the tags were lifted. Jones was killing Thomas but for some reason the tag was removed.

The Pies are beatable.

If St. Kilda had a half forward line (Reiwoldt can't do it on his own)they may have won the game. St. Kilda got into thier half forward line with ease. But they paid no respect to Shaw and O'Brien. Shaw is a worry but I would play him on-on-one. He gets a lot of loose ball and looks good but wins very little contested ball. His tagger should focus on him and not on the ball. Maybe Nicholson or Jones (maybe lacking pace though). O'Brien has attacking strength but can be run down if you get him in the first 3 or 4 steps or so. If we place someone super quick off the mark on him, he will resort to long bombing without thought. He resorts to this under pressure amd players should be 60m upfield of him ready for it. I would play Morton on O'Brien and keep him accountable but I am unsure if Morton is quick enough off the mark. This persono needs to tackle really well. Howe maybe?

St. Kilda looked dreadfully slow bringin the ball back in after a point to the Pies but I soon realised that it was a successful tactic. Del Santo would hold the ball for as long as the umpire let him and then would do one of two things. 1. Bomb it long to wing/half back where McEvoy or other would knock it straight over the boundary line. St. Kilda would then set up a set play and move it to their half-forward line. The Pies rarely managed to handle this tactic. Only Shaw and O'Brien being left unattended, and the Saints being Reiwoldt-happy, meant the Saints could not get through. 2. As everyone moved to the boundary to stop the "inevitable" short kick into the back pocket Del Santo would hit up a target straight up the middle about 30m away.

Players like Thomas, Didak and O'Brien do a heap of gut running. I thought they may vomit at times after three of four very long sprints trying to offer something. Saints were very static at times but the Pies designated runners, run all night. Our fitness will be tested. I reckom Howe, Evans, Strauss and Nicho may find this constant running difficult to cope with so our rotations are vital. May need to complete 120 rotations in order to stay in the game.

The stoppages were even for much of the night and I reckon our young midfielders could worry them with pace. Pendlebury is a gun and gets a heap of it, but usually forward of the ball. If a defender plays him by playing goal-side it will diminish his effectiveness. Moloney, Sylvia, Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, etc.. can 90% match it but need to concentrate. maybe Gysberts run with Pendlebury all night - come on with him, rotate when he rotates.

The main worry is Cloke and Dawes. These two are very strong overhead, helped by a lot of off-the-ball blocking. Rivers and MacDonald need to do a lot of third man up spoiling and then get up for 3rd and 4th efforts. Both Cloke and Dawes are hopeless at their feet. Although Cloke marked well early, and Dawson looked out of his league, he annoyed the carp out of Cloke by spoiling marks Cloke thought he had. These two players can be beaten through team play.

If the Dees can be intense at stoppages, account for Shaw and O'Brien, we can stay in the game. St. Kilda showed that you can get the ball into the half forward area easily, but it can come out just as easily. Our half forward line is the key for mine. I would have Watts, Jurrah and Evans through this zone. Especially, play Watts on or near Maxwell. Watt's pace will kill him as will his aerobic capacity. Maxwell HATES playing one-on-one and does not like to run too much. Nicho on Shaw, Morton on O'Brien and then take the game on. Our weakness is in covering Cloke and Dawes.

Thoughts?

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Maximum GAWWWWNNNN!!!!

Utah, that was priceless! It is years since I have seen that sketch and I have tears coming out my eyes. GAAAAWWWWNNN. Very woody sounding name, don't you think?

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Green - a captain emerging

Jones - sets an example

Watts - Class and run

Gysberts - clearance brilliance displayed

Bennell - attack from defence

Frawley - not his best

Trengove - class, class, class

Morton - pace, poise, skill

Sylvia - not another injury?

McKenzie - heat seeking missile

Moloney - passion with effectiveness

Jurrah - excellent and horrible

Rivers - Perfect backman's game

MacDonald - tough and creative

Scully - makes us better

Martin - genuine ruckman emerging

Gawn - good first game

Howe - intelligent and skilled

Jetta - Mathew Whelan cloned!

Strauss - solid with errors

Nicholson - strong and focused

Evans - great gut running

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6 . McKenzie

5 . Rivers (are we beginning to see his Rising Star form again?)

4 . Martin

3 . Gysberts

2 . Trengove

1 . Green (He is starting to LEAD. Growing into captaincy at last)

Huge apologies to Watts, Scully and MacDonald

Smaller apologies to Howe, Jetta, Jones and Bennell.

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Yep - I agree. He made a few mistakes at times but he set up well, attacked his opponent well and ran hard when Essendon had the ball. I just hope they leave him there for a few weeks and let him learn. His awareness is good but his excellent kicking gets a bit shakey at the moments in the bustle of contested footy. I remember Moloney when he was forst with us - it was either a 60 metre bomb to no-one or a clanger. Strauss will develop. He looks the goods to me. Most importantly, when his disposal improves, he will be a better option coming out of defence than Bartram (who we will probably also need for his closing down and negating role). this will be an interesting space to watch over the remainder of 2011.

The Good

The newbies : Howe, Gawn, Nicho, Evans, Strauss (yes he made a few mistakes but he earned his place and was excellent on occasion)

Green's captain's speech before 3rd quarter when all the players were in a circle.

Green's captain's goal in the last quarter

Jones 3rd and 4th efforts in the back pocket

Jurrah beginning to tackle

Jordie McKenzie

Stef Martin

Our future midfield on display together

Our backline : special mention to Rivers

Bennell, Morton courage running back into packs

Beaner's goal

Watts' aerobic capacity burning off his opponents time and time again.

How I feel this morning....

The bad

Not enough TV footage of Hird after the loss.

Gawn's miss - did you see the look of total unbelief on his face? - priceless!

Not enough TV footage of Hird after the loss.

Jurrah sometimes deciding not to go for the ball

Did I mention Not enough TV footage of Hird after the loss?

The Ugly

Hird's face when he knew the camera was on him and he knew they had lost.

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What can you say about this bloke? His attack on the ball in any contest is frightening.

If anyone else can remember back that far, I am reminded very much of Bobby Skilton and Kevin Murray. I am not saying he is going to reach those heights, but like Skilton and Murray he locks his eyes on the ball like some heat-seeking missile and nothing - NOTHING - makes him change his focus or attack. His second and third efforts after being gang tackled are inspiring and the demons fans roar when he does it. Great stuff.

I better stop now - blood is running to a place it shouldn't and I have to get up from the computer soon.

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He is a lot bigger than when I last saw him during preseason. I was very impressed with his intensity and attack (on both ball and player) and he has a physicality like Moloney. I'n not going to make huge statements but he looks so strong. If I compare him to Dunn or Petterd etc... at the least his attack on the contest tonight was very impressive.

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Evans is playing like he belongs at AFL level. In the 3rd or 4th quarter he took on the man on the mark and ran around him. There is a confidence in him and he is a genuine team player. He will have his ups and downs and may be dropped here and there, but he is establishing a place for himself.

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Watts is now consistent and efficient. His work rate is up there with Scully and Moloney. We now await the step up to brilliance. QB maybe? Yep - serious man love emerging.

Trengove will eclipse Sylvia next year as our best player. What a great mark for his size and he is developing that but of mongrel and nastiness that we lack too often.

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Isn't it great to see this young team up and ready to have a go!! Can't wait to see how they gel together. There could be some out-of-position, some being-bumped-off-the-ball easily, and some tired legs late in the 3rd quarter but we get to see our list on display, and hopefully they can take the game on.

And please, Dean Bailey, do NOT start the game with a spare man in defence, and play Watts in the forward half of the ground.

Jurrah for the sub - I hope. This could be a wake up call for him PLUS he could wreak havoc with fresh legs in the last quarter.

I really want to see Strauss get a chance to show his foot skill.

I really want to see Howe play his naturally attacking game.

I really want to see Gawn making life difficult for Ryder and Bellchambers.

I get to see Scully running again.

And Trenners returns with his skill nad poise.

I feel like Big Kev. I'm excited!!

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The ins and outs for this week are a breath of fresh air. There has been so much depressing, frustrating guff from we Demonlanders over the past week (me included) and to see the 22 with all these inclusions will be great.

Gawn : I don't expect too much from him. Remember he is up against a lot of experience

Howe : I am really looking forward to his debut, and have been for a number of weeks. Not so much for his reputation to take speccies, but his attack on the ball and his skills on both side of his body demonstrate great potential.

Trenners : We have badly missed his skill, positioning, decision making and poise.

Scully : I reckon many of us have forgotten how good this kid is. His speed could be instrumental.

Strauss : Here is his chance and it is a big chance. Bartram is an established member of our backline who does a lot of hard work but his skills and decision making have us shaddering at times, or peeeking through our fingers in fear. If Strauss can show some intensity along with his footskills he may create a definite place in the back 6.

I feel really sorry for Maric and think he should have been given one more week.

Bate was borderline for mine and I just hope we don't miss his body strength. His output hasn't been great but hjis effort and kicking has. Weighing it up, it is probably time to try some young kids in his place.

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None of us expect players to be hung out to dry. But if they go to the trouble of publishing (and that means for public display and comment) they should be more honest. No, we don't want stuff like "Newton is a [censored] and we are sorry we kept him on our list" even though that's what many of us think. Those honest appraisals are for internal review and conversation.

But to sum up Morton's game like that, or Bennell's, or in particular Petterd's "physicality was good" - give us a break, we are not total fools. These benign, empty, superficial and often highly inaccurate summations of a players performance are like handing out counterfeit cash: empty and meaningless. They should not be published.

If they are designed to give the howling masses some crumbs - they fail. They incite speculation. Devoted fans get really angry because there is a consensus that we who attended the game and saw a very different performance than the "official player review." Being fed this nonsense really gets under our skins because it has been produced for the sake of saying something - not to really review players.

I would rather them say "our reviews happen internally" and give us nothing, as hard as that would be to handle, than recieve that rubbish on the website.

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I really like Paul Roos and respect him as a player, coach and special comments man. And most of what he said is probably spot on. But to highlight Sylvia as an example of our current poor attitude demonstrates a lack of observation and insight. When watching gaems, because we have been playing so poorly I haven't benn "caught up in it" very much and so have focused on individual players.

Newton was both really good and horrible dreadful against the Blues.

Watching Watts lead and lead and lead again - often not honoured

Watching Dunn make horrible decisions this year

Watching Stef Martin improve at stoppages.

Last 2 games I have watched live, I have concentrated on Sylvia a fair bit because he seems to be the one player running, trying to break tackles and set up team mates, gut-running back into defence after one of his team mate's turnovers. Last Friday night both my daughter and I commented "look at Sylvia - out on his feet - exhausted while watching team mates with no defensive grunt" (Jurrah, Morton, Bennell). He waqs heaving the breath in and out over on the far flank at the Punt Rd end. Perhaps the reason he was 5m off Judd was because he was absolutely stuffed and couldn't get out onto the bench becausue of how/where the play was.

Paul Roos got this one wrong - badly wrong.

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You might like to learn English. It's just that I'm guessing you have English characters on your keyboard, so it might be easier to learn the language.

Your post said that 7 - 8 players out is an excuse. You meant to say it's a reason, nit an excuse.

No need to call people [censored].

Agree 100% Choko. Deemort, keep the "[censored]" word off your keyboard or go and join a Collingwood or Port Adelaide forum where foul abuse is acceptable. Some people on this forum may have children with disabilities. You might be passionate about the Dees and your opinions and that is great, but there is line that should not be crossed. You crossed it.

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Sorry to disagree but Bailey has to stay until 2011 is over. Any change now would cause more lack of confidence in our huge list of young footballers. His foundation principle has been to get games into your players and re-draft a new team. What he has to prove now is can he coach on game day and yes, he is failing in this KPI. His biggest error is that his basic game plan is faulty. Based on transition only with no structure or power in the forward 50. But if we get rid of him and "play the kids" we will be playing the same footballers we are playing now because we have so many injuries, and some dreadful mid-range footballers in poor form like Morton, Petterd, Newton etc...

As far as other coaches goes, having Viney sounds good, but there is no clear evidence of him being a hard coach at all. Actually he comes across as really mild-mannered and I will scream blue murder if we replace Bailey with another Balme/Daniher/Bailey type who cannot INSPIRE. I don't care how they played their footy - I care about how they coach. Can they build confidence? Can they produce skill under pressure in the players? Can they make the players want to kill for the jumper? Hird was a gentleman footballer but his players are playing kamakaze football with run, fire and intensity. I want a coach that can produce similar.

Our assistant coaches team is a dilemma. I reckon West is doing a good job because when we have Sylvia, Moloney, Jones, Trengove, Scully, Gysberts, Bail, McKenzie with Jamar, and Martin is coming on im leaps and bounds, they set up and play OK. I am unsure about Royal, unsure about Mahoney, unsure about O'Donnell (he has no runs on the board at all) and very unsure about Dunbar. If we do get a new coach in 2012 I hope their assistant coaches have better resumes and evidence of success than our current lot.

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Agree ...season is over, people wearing horns, pres trying to sing with Olivia, commentators talking about other teams half way through the third quarter, the third quarter, a million injuries, byes, sling tackles, a substitute player, Kevin Bartlett, Carlton, Watts in the backline, the backward press, Jurrah passing to Rivers, Jamar, Grimes, Green Captain, James Hird a successful coach after 9 rounds, or was that 9 mins, Collingwood playing matches for 20 mins and winning by 40 points, Geelong undefeated, players being umpires, West Coast being an improving team......yup... its time to play the kids and look to the future.

This is an accurate, damning and frightening post Wadda. We are being left behind in so many departments. I don't mind Robbo having a sing but when Olivia and Jimmy do a duet, they provide stupid flashing horns (which I didn't take btw), and our players are being pushed into every corner of the media - it is all a smoke screen to hide the fact that 2011 is basically over. Post round 12 when players start coming back and we have close to our best 22, things might change, but many players will be out of form taking some weeks to find match fitness and awareness again.

The clearest indicator for me is the absolute stupidity of playing Watts in the midfield or backline. This suggestes that getting him - and others - matured is more important than winning winnable games. I am all for giving players experience and think Bailey has been excellent and focused on this. But in individual games our mids look up to kick into the forward 50 and Jurrah is runnig wide near the wing/flank, Petterd is looking disintertested and Watts is expected to run forward when he has just worked his backside off down back.

Other teams are finding ways to get games into players AND have a winning game plan and strategy. We are not.

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The Good

Most of the team had a crack

Sylvia. His crash and bash was outstanding. Loved it also when he ran with Garlett the length of the wing and troubled him just enough to make him score only a point.

Jones

Our defensive game in the first half

Jetta got into the game a bit

We would have lost by 15 goals if not for Rivers being 3rd man up all night.

The Bad

Umpires - for both Blues and Dees. How about the soft 50m penalty to Watts. Ridiculous.

Clearances - we were absolutely smashed

Warnock's dropped marks, out-on-the-fulls, indecisiveness

Frawley's fumbling

Kicking into the forward 50

The Ugly

Morton (again)

Petterd (again)

Game plan set up to defend rather than win.

Missed free kick to Jordie when he had his head caved in by 2-3 Blues boys right in front of the umpire but - play on!

Coming back on after half time we did not cheer our boys back onto the ground - Carlton did. Bad form from us. My three kids and I did and it stood out like dogs b..ls.

The game was dead boring.

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Nicholson was OK, but I reckon he will be replaced by Trengove next week. Newton and Morton are the two who deserve to be dropped but they will not be due to Essendon's height and Morton being highly favoured for some inexplicable reason. I wasn't aware of his tackling stats but I still reckon he will be the bunny.

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