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Macca

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  1. Macca

    Depth issues

    Macca replied to Elegt's topic in Melbourne Demons

    You make some very good points TPF but in order to have better outcomes we need to recruit better than the rest. More so at the top end of the list. We can't ever be happy to be just a player in the game. We need more game-breakers and difference-makers as well as having decent depth down to about the 30th player best player on the list. In my time supporting the club we've never been the best at recruitment. I could name any number of clubs that have been though ... starting with the Tigers of the late 60's through to the Hawks of late. Our FD needs to have an attitude of never being satisfied with the list, at any time. Despite the competition from 17 other clubs, it's still quite possible to build a great list. Previously, we've been in a constant rebuilding phase after constantly bottoming out. Hopefully, those days are behind us. We're on the right path but we've still got a ways to go.
  2. Macca
    Watching all 4 finals games highlights to me the gap between the top 5 sides (Crows, Tigers, Swans, GWS & Cats) and the next lot (Port, Dons, Eagles, Demons, Dogs, Saints, Hawks & Pies) At least we're in with the next lot. We can bridge the gap but we're going to need an influx of talent to do so - and that might take a couple of off-seasons. Pace, skill, outside run, height in defence and a better structured forward line are required if we're to become a team that is capable of winning 17-19 games. We're hard at the contest and we're more than adequate at contested ball, stoppages, clearances and the like. We couldn't say that a few years ago.
  3. Macca
    A dangerous high tackle tackle is far more obvious to see though Gonzo. My idea of a dangerous high tackle is a stiff-arm belt to the head or deliberate targeting to the head/neck area ... in league & union, those types of dangerous tackles are the only ones that bring penalties. In the AFL we rarely ever see a player in distress from any of these high tackles either. We should take no notice of the inflammatory commentary either ... "He nearly took his head off" - that's just more nonsense. If I had my way, we'd see very few 'around-the-neck' adjudications at all. And that would in turn largely eradicate the problem that we have. And the issue is going to get worse as we see more and more players becoming more adept at milking high contact. I know that you believe that the umpires should be able to sort it out but I don't agree. It happens too quickly and last night's incident highlights that. Opinion is divided (a day later) so we're back to where we started from.
  4. Macca
    I agree ... but it won't stop the angst that could come Weideman's way if he doesn't make it. We've seen it happen here with Morton, Sylvia, Toumpas, Watts, Cook and various others. They turned out to be the footballers they turned out to be but many judge them by a draft pick number - under 18 form quite often doesn't measure up at league level. For many of these teenagers, they reach their peak early and never get any better. Of course, we don't know which ones can carry that form through so the draft can therefore be described as a crap-shoot.
  5. Macca
    I believe teams play 3 double-up games within their group of 6 and the other 2 double-up games allow for derbies and blockbuster clashes.
  6. Macca
    We've talked about it ad nauseum over the years here DJ ... some terrific suggestions have been put forward too. I'm in favour of lifting the age and at the same time having an Australia-wide under 20 or under 21 competition. That Australia wide competition could or would have widespread appeal too. The players would need to be paid to stave off losing those players to other sports. 8 teams would be enough. But here's the thing, what do we do about those 18 year old's who are ready to play in the big time? (Clayton Oliver) But I'm not expecting any change so the discussion is mostly academic. It's like the congestion issue in the AFL - it could be addressed but it almost certainly won't be addressed. I reckon it's too early to tell with Weideman ... he is not a natural though and will need to be taught how to play football. I feel the same way about Frost now and he's a bit older. Big blokes often take more time. Fingers crossed with the Weed.
  7. Macca
    It's what the hindsight people do here with regards to drafting. They rarely, if ever, say anything at at the time and even if they do say anything at the time, they never bother to tell us about the numerous times they get things horribly wrong. Then when things go pear-shaped they'll blame the club, the recruiter responsible, the player himself and then they start banging on about who we should have picked instead. Rinse & repeat. Where people should apportion blame is the system itself ... plucking high school age would-be talent in a numbering system that is obviously not accurate. In the USA baseball drafts kids at the same sort of age (17, 18) and it has always been known as a crap-shoot.
  8. Macca
    Just imagine if that type of free kick/non free kick that we saw in the Port/Eagles game was the deciding factor in a GF. I've got the adjudication on the Shuey incident as play-on where as with the current ruling, there will nearly always be divided opinion as to whether it should be a high contact free or holding the ball (with these types of incidents)
  9. Macca
    It nearly always looks like a free kick so why would we expect the umpires to be able to sort it out. As previously stated, if we only ever paid high contact for a dangerous high tackle, it wouldn't be such an issue. Was the tackle on Shuey dangerous? In my opinion, obviously not. It should be play on and if he doesn't dispose of the ball properly, he should get pinged. That might seem harsh but is it? I don't have a dog in this fight either - neither team holds any interest whatsoever to me.
  10. Macca
    I've been saying for over 30 years that the high tackle free kick should only ever be paid for a dangerous high tackle. Otherwise, the grey area of the high tackle ruling will remain forever. In league, union and even in soccer, incidental high contact is simply ignored and play just goes on (unless a player is hurt/incapacitated from incidental contact) It's becoming more of a blight on the game as there are now numerous players who are able to milk high contact.
  11. Macca
    Sydney should be too professional and the small ground allows them to keep the game in-close and played on their terms. Picking a margin is always tricky though ... games can blow-out late. But there again, I thought that GWS would take it right up to the Crows with Sloane missing. The Tigers are the story so far ... their 2-way running, pressure acts and 2nd, 3rd & 4th efforts was a complete departure from how they've played their footy in previous years. And they're good on the outside too (that's where we need to get a lot better)
  12. Macca
    I don't watch a lot of the sport in the season proper but when I do tune in it's for the contest, tribalism, rivalries & combative nature of the sport. I'm sure others watch for gambling or dreamteam/supercoach reasons. Aesthetically, the sport is often very messy which also means the game is almost impossible to umpire properly. Nothing short of reducing the amount of players on the ground and/or reducing the interchange numbers drastically will help alleviate the problem.
  13. Macca
    Hang in there mate ... I started barracking for the club in the mid 60's and like a number of others, had to wait 23 long years before experiencing finals of any description. There are quite a few here who have the same exact story to tell. We are nothing but a resilient bunch. I totally get the angst & disappointment but if we really take a close look at our list, we're a ways off. It's always about building a great list combined with top-level coaching and excellent admin. All the great teams have those strengths.
  14. Macca
    I reckon the Tigers played better than the Crows did last night but Adelaide didn't really have an opponent and they cruised through the 2nd half. If anything, Adelaide needed a tougher game in terms of real preparation. I'm reckoning their next opponent will be Sydney and that won't be easy. Right now, it's hard to see the Tigers losing to either GWS, Port or the Eagles.
  15. Macca
    I thought we might have made the finals Saber but I also believe that we're not that good either. I see holes in the list but there again, I'm a harsh judge on lists. I'd like to see us have a list that is capable of winning 18 or 19 games in the season proper - we do that and my expectations are through the roof.
  16. Macca
    To make the finals we had to beat Collingwood ... if we'd done that we would have almost certainly been up against Sydney. You're looking at the last thing that happened (Crows possibly winning against the Eagles) more than what we actually had to do. Anyway, there's no good any of us crying over spilled milk ... what's done is done. We need to get a lot better so that these line-ball outcomes are therefore taken out of the equation.
  17. Macca
    Unless the Dons provide a big upset, it will be Geelong vs Sydney next week. If that happens, my money is on Sydney. Cats out in straight sets. They're too reliant on 2 players where as teams win finals.
  18. Macca
    Yet we had their measure until Jake went down. Strange days indeed bub.
  19. Macca
    Hardwick has reinvented himself as a coach ... maybe it's the Balme influence but credit where it's due. They've played great.
  20. Macca
    Yeah it's anyone's game now ... ignoring the umpiring & the game not being an open affair, it's a terrific contest. What we're seeing is what footy is now.
  21. Macca

    NFL

    Macca replied to Dappa Dan's topic in Other Sports

    Ended up watching extended highlights and the Chiefs were great. Alex Smith's best game? Kareem Hunt had some sort of game too.
  22. Macca
    The Tigers are playing as well as the Crows last night It's difficult to judge the Crows performance all the same ... it's not often that a team gets to exercise a training run disguised as a top of the table qualifying final. GWS were insipid.
  23. Macca

    NFL

    Macca replied to Dappa Dan's topic in Other Sports

    I listened to the game (on & off) but that is an impressive win. They were saying that the Pats have only lost 6 home games in 10 years and only 1 of those 6 was an AFC team.
  24. Macca
    GWS play the winner of Port/WC The winner of that game plays the winner of Cats/Tigers in a prelim. A lot to play for tomorrow night as the loser will almost certainly have to front up against Sydney and then the winner of that games faces up to Adelaide.
  25. Macca
    This one is done ... put a fork in it.
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