rjay

Funnily enough I went down to see Weid's first training session. As I walked across the parkland to the oval the first thing I saw was that very same kick. I thought...oh no, what have we got here. I think he relaxes mentally at times...that kick is an example. He needs to stay on his game... Time at Casey, I'm not so sure it will help. He's still young and has shown he can do it at the level. Leave him there and try and sort out the ball movement and forward structure. It's appalling. I think plugger would of ironed out his coaches at training if they suggested this was the way to play...

Agree re depth 'Nasher', have always believed depth to be over rated. ...but let me add something. Whilst our important structural players aren't playing well I would also suggest they don't have a solid structure to work too. I would also suggest we don't have enough important structural players. If we had an injury free team our spine would still be missing key forwards and we don't have enough class off half back or around the middle...that's not to mention no soldiers creating serious forward pressure.

This is where Pert will earn his money, there's a review coming. Maybe Gubby connection from the Fitzroy days... I think Mahoney will move on to develop his skills in business management after this season anyway.

We can't afford that any longer...

When PJ came in one of the things he said was that we needed some experience at the club. The FD at the time was very young in football terms. Roos came in with George Stone for starters... Unfortunately the balance has gone back, we lack real experience. I think if Goodwin is to stay on then it's time for Mahoney to move on. We need a Balme/Walsh figure at the club to overview and make sure we're making the right calls. I don't think either of those 2 are going anywhere, so who is around? Gubby? hate the suggestion but he is a good operator. We need to get nasty and he might just be the man for the job...

He has been a pleasant surprise. Watching him in preseason & the first game against Port he didn't look anywhere near it. Has settled and looks composed. With good players around him (May, Lever) he will only get better.

As I posted elsewhere. Hindsight is a wonderful thing for us fans. ...but we do expect foresight from the professionals. Our professionals seem to struggle with that...

Would seriously consider it, I think Cerra has a huge upside & Langdon gives us some real run & carry... I worry about the concussions with Gus.

If Fremantle came with Langdon & Cerra for Brayshaw would you take the deal? As good as Brayshaw is I don't think he has the upside of Oliver & I always fear he's one big hit away from being finished...

In the first Q we used the ball forward quite well & it showed on the scoreboard. Part of that was due to Melksham playing up the ground, he is our best field kick. Also the forwards moved and created targets, this is a bit of a catch 22 though. After that it was everyman for himself... We bombed the ball in & played right into the Tiges hands... Either the coaching is terrible or they can't get their message across which in effect means the coaching is terrible. While we're talking coaching, there's some stuff that used to be taught when I was playing at primary school that we don't do. Maybe it's old fashioned but surely when you take a set shot at goal you have a tall in the square to try and stop the opposition from touching the ball on the line. Happened a couple of times, cost us one maybe two goals. ...and why do we have multiple players flying for the same ball. This is football 101...and we don't get it. 4 players up against 1 = 3 opposition players scouting the pack waiting for an easy goal...

That's 6 games plus 2 preseason games & the Prelim now & not much has changed. Big review at the end of this season... New look football department ...and we're going to have to trade hard & smart to get back in the game. There's only 2 players I wouldn't put on the table. Gawn & Oliver, the rest are up for grabs... I guess we will have to keep May & Lever, but hey if a good offer came.

Viney - Learn team footy Time & again Jack gets in the way of teammates &/or kicks blindly when he should have given off to a player in a better position. He does my head in. Cost us both their goals in the 3rd...

Come on 'Wise'... Give me a break, both teams played on the same ground with the same ball. One team played smart team football the other was a rabble...

Lewis - Keep your feet Seriously, that's the first sign the game has passed you by. It's time mate, get out now while you can...the only redemption is looking back on a great career. You just don't have it to redeem yourself on the field any more...

McDonald can't catch the ball in defence what makes you think he can do it forward...

...and Viney burned him that Q... Cost us 2 goals the skipper. Needs to learn what team is...

I'm not so keen on outside runners...in the draft. Pace that can get there own ball is handy though. We probably screwed ourselves in the Hogan trade...a pick for May and something in the deal that brought Langdon would have been handy. We paid overs for Lever. Then the drafting of Spargo and Petty is a bit hard to understand. So I think we've wasted opportunities to add class to the list.

I have doubts either of these player will make it...Bedford a better chance than Baker but the odds are still slim...

Hardwick was a terrible game day coach... Buckley not much better... Both were inflexible, stuck to game plans that didn't seem conducive to good football. They were not versatile. Time on the job, experience and the right people around them has been key to their success as coaches. I hope we have the right person in Goodwin, time will tell. He's certainly making a lot of rookie errors at the moment.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing for the supporter... ...but we should expect an amount of foresight from the professionals at the club. Doesn't look like we pulled the right lever here.

I would prefer Tommy Mac...Lynch will be too strong in the air for Frost. Although the way Tommy is playing he would kick 10... That leaves Frost for Riewoldt...a smart footballer and that's not Frost's strength. Hibberd and Hore can share Caddy. Smith might also rotate through the midfield, so that's another string to his bow. He does run at times as a mid at Casey. I Know he's your brother 'Drunkn' but I think Keilty is one of those in between players...not quite a ruck, back or forward. A bit of a football bits and pieces man, competent at his role but not excelling at any...probably not his fault, be better if allowed to establish himself as a back. For your sake and his I hope he gets a game, if we don't turn the corner soon his time will come. Bit of a double edge sword there. The way Tommy has been playing a spot may open up sooner rather than later..

Neville Jetta | Knee – 10-12 “Nev had an issue with his lateral meniscus. There was an incident in the second quarter that exacerbated that. He pulled up really sore after the game and after some consultation with our doc’s and surgeon, we decided to go down the surgical track.” So Nev's injury was not a new one according to Misson...it just got worse. Go figure. We know that all players carry injuries into games but to me Nev looked sore before the 2nd Q incident. We're not handling these things well at the moment.

I just hope we try something different tomorrow. Tommy Mac back to Lynch. Fritsch forward. Viney forward/Salem in the middle. Hunt back or to a wing... Melk to HB, best field kick we have. Lewis forward, use his so called experience to sort out that mess... Brayshaw & Trac interchanging through the middle. Weid the only really tall forward giving Max the odd chop out. Be unpredictable, at the moment we are just so predictable... Unfortunately, I'm not sure we're that inventive. If we try something we could give it a shake ...the Tiges are men down and have been playing above themselves. The Rance/Kotch loss has to take effect at some stage, with luck it will be this game. Our luck hasn't been so good so it will probably be next week.

...but it wasn't the issue last year in the prelim. ...and if implementation of the game plan was an issue in the prelim why are the same players on the list. The only best 22 player we moved on was Hogan and he didn't play in the prelim. The same problems raised their heads in the pre season games and that tells me the problem is with the FD... Time for a good look... 'old dee', I don't know whether Goodwin can coach or not. I think unless a review turned up that he was a hopeless coach, which I doubt it would have then 3 years was probably ok. edit: or if Clarkson became available...then. A review might have turned up a need for change in the FD and those he has around him though. I think this is an issue... I do know that he is an inexperienced coach and shouldn't be calling the shots about the the personal in the FD. I think Mahoney is still an inexperienced head of football...I don't like that blend. With an inexperienced coach we need an experienced head. It's not Pert's fault re the review, it's just plain bad luck that the changeover happened when we couldn't really afford it. He was in no position to call a review and is probably doing what any good CEO should do, having a good look at how things work before stamping his authority/brand...

'Wise', sometimes you tow the company line like your mate 'sat'... I truly think the changeover period from Jackson to Pert left a vacuum. That performance, following like performances during the season should have set alarm bells ringing and a full review should have been done. Not just the game but of the list and entire FD. Now we've wasted a year and you can guarantee that review will take place at the end of this season if not before.