rufus

At least 15 shoves on the opponent though...which is good because it looks like we're getting back to the Frawley/Rivers days of elbowing our opponents in the back before the opening bounce...only to go bruise free once the game starts.

The Nathan Jones effort to grab the Tom McDonald kick across the backline, albeit a crap kick, really is a great example of where we are at. Didn't seem to care about getting the ball...was more focused on giving McDonald a stare down.

We look a bit scared again. Don't want contact and crapping ourselves and going to ground constantly. Hate to say it but we've reverted to type this season...back to the bruise free Demons. Last year was an aberration on the physicality front (even then it wavered at times).

The point about our inability to defend in one on ones is spot on. It goes back to the Paul Roos days. We never learnt how to defend properly...just a modern flood. Obviously right now we need to get more numbers back...all teams still get numbers back. However, realistically we aren't winning anything meaningful with defenders who can't win, or even neutralize a contest. Our defenders just aren't very good. May and Lever will hopefully help. The FD must know how bad our talls are down back, evidenced by the price we were willing to pay in getting May last year.

Thankyou Zac Clarke. We have finally found someone in the AFL that Oscar Mac can match up on. Seriously though, regardless of which way this one goes, surely we cannot play him again. Enough is enough. The one on one beat downs are one thing...but I'm sure our defensive coaches teach these guys how to try to make their opponent lead into spots they don't necessarily want to lead into...I've never seen a player stand on the side of their opponent that basically invites them into the most giant open space in the direction of the ball carrier...

This x 1000. We pulled a half 186 in our last game...in a prelim no less. Undid a lot of good work in 60 minutes. This club still has a long way to go to gain respect...it would be staggering if they entered this season complacent.

I don't hate Collingwood like most seem to. I quite admire the way they display pride in the club and give unconditional effort. My favourite thing in sport i seeing seemingly outclassed teams beat their opponents on effort. Collingwood have been doing that for many years.

Maybe because of this there was no shame in being beaten by WCE. By why did we shirk it? We undid a lot of the gains yesterday. The first two finals might have started to put to bed the notion that things just get too hard for this club. Yesterday was an out and out disgrace.

We could have had wayne carey and gary ablett snr in out forward line yesterday and still would have got pantsed. If the team is prone to shirking the hard stuff your forwards will never be the difference makers.

The issue wasn't that we were in Perth. The issue was that every club in the league knows we're gettable through physicality and that we will roll over easily. If we'd have played collingwood at the G today the result would have been the same or worse. Did the players think a preliminary final might be played with the intensity of an AFLX game? I still feel for Goodwin. Reckon he's an excellent coach and must scratch his head at whatever it is about this club that just doesn't get what it takes to be successful. 34 tackles. [censored] me. How about we let the game be decided purely on talent? If the Eagles were the better team then so be it. We didn't even go close to making talent the deciding factor. We let it be decided by hunger and once it was MFC left wanting.

Collingwood turned up to Perth like a gang looking for a fight. We turned up to Perth like schoolkids on an excursion. We may not have won today anyway, but it's a perfect description of the difference between these 2 clubs. One wants to fight...one is ok with being pushed around.

Up there with 186 and 148 for embarrassment levels. We just spoiled a preliminary final for all neutrals. 34 tackles and Eagles players were at times literally walking around with the ball...bizarre. This club is still broken in my opinion.

Goes without saying that we mustn't get blown out early...if we can be within striking distance at half time our contested ability may wear them down at the pointy end. Huge test for our tall defenders. Would be a very nice day to have Lever but what can you do. 80 tackles and we play in a Grand Final.

Has anyone else noticed how well this game has been umpired? Just about the perfectly umpired game of AFL footy. Please let them umpire this way tomorrow so we can fairly and squarely work out who deserves the big dance.

What I would like to see happen, but obviously can't for logistical reasons, is for the MFC to be allowed to have an 'amnesty' of sorts. We should be exempt from the limit of players that can be turned over. We should once and for all interview each and every player to determine those that have some kind of issue with the club and don't really want to be there anymore. Every one of them should be put up for trade to find a mutually beneficial outcome, or delisted if none can be found, so that once and for all the supporters may have a chance of seeing a group take the field that seem to give a $ hit. I would not exclude any player from the process. If our best young players don't like it at MFC they will soon be producung the apathetic, sooky performances that have become so prevalent and expected at the MFC. This would be their chance to speak up and fark off. We would need to be granted more draft picks because from what we see there must be a large number who fit in the category of having some kind of problem with the MFC.

I agree with the sentiments here and wish we had a football media with some decency that would raise points like these. Unfortunately the idea of a guy being loyal and giving back to the supporters is not as appealing to them as a guy looking for a "fresh start". I personally can't fathom how someone could walk out on a club that has afforded them such great opportunities before they have given much back. Whilst I accept what some are saying in that he may have been put under some unfair scrutiny by his coach and perhaps the previous admin, what I'd love to see is Jack to be one stands up and says 'I want to be part of the group that turns the culture of this club', instead of being another who walks out on it. I've heard stuff first hand from former players about their disgruntlement at various aspects of the MFC and I've always thought well why not be someone who does everything they can to change it??? If some players don't like the coach well so what. The coaches position will be sorted soon enough if he's no good. It's the players who are long term custodians of the club and it's up to them to own the improvement. I read somewhere (may have been here on Demonland) that Watts might be frustrated with the fact that he gets booed by his own supporters. I will say that I think it's a disgrace to boo your own players, but might add that if he ended up going to Carlton he might find a supporter group that can be even less appreciative if they feel they aren't getting 100% effort.