Young Blood

Yup we were beaten around the ball due to Collingwoods positioning and body use. So many times I saw their players shepherding the ground ball for one of their best mids to swoop in and more the ball on quickly. They held, obstructed and pushed away so effectively like the best teams do and we weren't able to counter it.

What do you rate our performance out of 10 to this point? Why? 7.5/10 - This team is still learning. We have finally been able to put away weaker sides with confidence. There is more belief and trust in the group then I've seen since Roos started. We just need to get more comfortable when we play the better sides in dealing with the pressure and getting it back on our own terms. Which player has impressed you the most? Angus Brayshaw - I always knew he could play to this standard but I'm just so glad he finally got the chance. Which draftee has made the biggest impact? Has to be Bailey. His spacial awareness and reading of the ball/play comes so easily to him. Can't wait to see him develop his body/tank more which can only give him more confidence. What has been our best win to date? Most enjoyable would have to be Adelaide Which player(s) needs to improve in the second half of the year? Tyson needs to learn to play a different role which I believe he can do so successfully. Hunt and Garlett obviously as well. What has been our most disappointing performance? Hawthorn. The other three losses against good sides were because we didn't cope well with the pressure. The effort was there. Against Hawthorn we fell away with our effort. Where do you see us finishing? Give a win/loss and finishing position I think we are a top 8 side. I see us hopefully finishing around 6/7th. @Wiseblood Good thread. Would be keen to see how you think we're going with your answers.

I like this thread. Quite happy for the expectations to come back down to where they should be. To be a top four side you need to perform in the big games against better teams which we are yet to achieve this season. Aim should be to make the eight until we can start winning some big games.

I really doubt the FD are going to replace Lewis or his role before the end of the season. I agree he looked off the pace yesterday and the style of game did not suit him one bit. His weaknesses were exposed by Collingwood but this was a result of our inability to slow them down. He wasn't given any time or space due to the lack of pressure applied by our midfield. I listened to Lyon this morning say that Lewis has played well when Melbourne has been able to dictate the flow of the game. Same must be said for Vince. When we are in control they are key in controlling our ball movement across the backline/wing. When the opposition are going blitz attack like yesterday they are caught out of position with little leg speed to make up ground. I guess my point is I think the FD are going to continue to take this risk. I think there are other teams that take the risk and rely on their best pressure backman (eg Jetta/Hibberd) to work hard around the contest and feed the ball to the best disposal players in Lewis/Vince/Salem. The conversation will need to be had at seasons end who can step up into the Vince/Lewis roles. Right now there's no one with the combination of both the ball use/decision making and pace to put pressure on. Wagner is the only one close for mine. Would like to see Tyson and Hung clean up their disposal to become possible options down the line also.

I at least want to see us deal with the pressure better. We haven't faced an in form side like this since Richmond and its showing.

bummer

They're much more proactive then we are. They're hedging ie. running forward of the ball in numbers before it even gets there. They're also preempting all our inside ball movement from stoppages, cutting off every handball. Thats going to require a lot of energy to maintain throughout the rest of the game.

We should be dead in the water. But we're not

There were no defenders on the inside. Still very slick hands by Collingwood at the moment. They're far better then us around the ball. We only look dangerous when they turn it over and we can get out. NEED TO START WORKING HARDER AROUND THE CONTEST!

Nice one. Keep it coming Mick

i f'n love James Harmes. Just kindly got the collingwood defender out of the way to boot the goal Need see more bully in this game from the dees

Tommy boy oh boy did we need that one.

Out structures are completly flustered. Collingwood filling all the space and not letting us get an open handball out

Need to possess the ball a bit and take some of collingwoods sting out of the game.

Since he's been coach I haven't minded Bucks. Good to see the black and white out in force wearing the blue beanies. Still do not like Collingwood at all.

Starting to get nervous. Please let us be the cleaner team with disposal to start the game. I'm predicting a pretty scrappy start with both teams going hard with all the build up.

Oscar Baker or McDonald?

Why do we always judge players before they've had a chance to prove themselves? For starters his stats across his 28 games are average on paper yes. But from what I remember he was developing nicely as a third tall option who could also provide good pressure on the opposition backline. He's an above average tackler with solid inside 50 numbers. He's not too quick but like a few of our talls can run all day with midfield experience. He's a solid mark with good size and I can't see why he couldn't add to our depth. Yes Spargo, Fritsch and Hannan are ahead of him. Because those three have played football and proven themselves this year. If Vanders built some form in the VFL why wouldn't you contemplate it for next year? It's how Pederson and Tim Smith were able to break into the side. Two very similarly average footballers to begin with who worked on their games and found a role. I think its a step backwards to write off players without seeing them have a go after some awful luck with injuries.

I'm expecting there to be an emphasis on low direct kicks inside forward 50 and across half forward to limit Jeremy's marking.

I definitely think Hibberd will be the loose man. He predominantly played that role last year no? He commits to each contest better then any other player on the team and impacts pretty much every contest in the air when he gets to it. It won't be the same intercepting style as Lever, it will look a littler more different and perhaps a bit more frantic but it should do alright. Need someone to play this role well so not to expose Oscar or whoever else takes a tall forward.

Like: Dees home game on QB Dislike: Eddie (Gross Human being) McGuire That is all I have to say about that.

Give him three years? He'll be 31 and by that stage and if his body is still holding up (boy its taken a beating) he'll sign on for however many he can play after that. I want Nev to play forever!

I'm really glad a lot of posters on here are keeping a level head in valuing Dom as a player for MFC. Yes he's out of the team, his form has been down and the teams standards have certainly lifted. The current Midfield core of Oliver, Viney, Brayshaw and Jones are ahead of him in form and performing what he does best, better. I think its obvious the FD are trying to develop Dom into a more dynamic player. We know he can play really well as an inside or link up mid. He didn't perform well when he was played further off the ball on a wing. I really hope he can develop into a rebounding half back. At the moment his disposal would not have him well placed to replace a Vince or Lewis type role. But that doesn't mean he can't work his way into that role. Some examples off the top of my head: ANB - Drafted as an inside mid. Battled away for Casey until he changed to a pressure forward Nev - Obviously couldn't perform as a half forward/wing so Roos developed him into the best small backman in the comp Other less distinctive examples would be: Melksham and bugg as players with clear talent that weren't performing as mids but developed into definitive roles as forwards. Definitely think Dom is a talented player who not only gives us midfield depth but the opportunity to add to depth in other areas as we've done with other players.

I still think it will be Wagner. It seems like the coaching staff have more trust in him then Frost and Smith. Wagner had a pretty solid start to the season but was squeezed out due to midfield depth pushing the likes of Bernie and Lewis back. At 189cm he competes well in the air and I think we'll continue to be valuing ball use across the back line which we have done so well in the last 5-6 games. He kicks really well and his pressure across most of the first games of the season was great (good tackle numbers also). Frost can break the lines but its that first kick out to the corridor or halfback that has been opening games up for us which Wagner has the ability to do. Oscar to look after Cox, Hibberd to play loose role with Nev and Wagner pressure/rebounding defenders.

Yeah I remember him comment on the podcast maybe that he's not a very long kick. You don't see him kick from 50m often. Hopefully something that he can work on now that he seems to have his action more consistent.