dpositive

I'm over in Adelaide. Hosted by an Essendon supporter friend who threw down the challenge but included tickets to the Sydney Pies game (from a private Box (thank you Thomas Foods))where the mainly Port supporters were ambivalent about the result. We were all impressed by some aspects of both teams and disappointed with much of it. Personally and my Essendon friend agreed the fact that both teams would easily beat ours. WE are looking for a good game tonight, both probably hoping that our team wins easily. We both agree that on paper Melbourne has more, better players than Essendon. "Stop Merret and they have no other player" he says, He accepts that we will win but would understand with much derision why we lose. Communication has diminished, tension is rising. GO DEES

I think this does show the stength of our list. These players should be used to provide a rest for our prime player , expose these younger bodies to the prime level , rotate them against appropriate opponents. By that I mean our prime players against Brisbane rest some of them against Richmond Essendon. etc

only changes i would make to your side is I would have Petty as sub. he can play forward or back and JVR on interchange, would prefer he only play forward but as i/C can give Max or forward a chop out.Id get Viney to tag and tell Trac Kozzie Oliver Langford and Sparrow to go to work. River to rotate with Sestan and mid

You posted this while I was typing. Have to say i agree with your portrayal

Like most things in life its not simple but the coach does bear the responsibility. Players act or react to the coach. They may love goody and are therefore doing what he is telling them . so guarding space and not covering opponents just allows space for players to run into between the robots marking space. By leaving opponents unmanned they are late to contests which means the tackles do not stick and opponents have plenty of time to get balanced and deliver to many options who have run into the unguarded spaces between the robots. Our forward structures seem to be built on all forwards abandoning space to gather together. Easy to defend and run off as an opponent. This is the bang it forward delivery system outcome. Last night the umpiring was appalling. Our players were called to play on almost as soon as they went one or two steps back or off the line. They did not have time to reset structures , find space , or get balanced for delivery. Geelong were rarely called play on and had time to reset structures , find space between the robots. Also when called to play on our player on the mark did not move towards the player allowing them even more time to balance and deliver. Geelong players closed down our players . How many smothers did they effect, especially early. WE still missed some easily gettable shots at critical times. Danger nails his shot when were challenging. There are so many issues I cannot believe. If I were Green Id be saying to Goody. You are the coach. What you are doing is not working. You must change something and we must see greater intensity and belief. Get the players ( and we have a good list) to perform against opponents , Kick better and think. WE will again point to the AFL that we are playing against the crowd who do influence umpiring performance We will arrange for AFL umpires to came and assist at training to explain how players are moving off lines or tackling poorly and why we dont get free kicks when tackled above the shoulders. They will also explain why opposition players can crowd our players out and we are penalised for similar tactics, (that maybe just a Geelong ground ruling). You can then coach the players to react to those learnings. Oh and we are doing something about facilities Goshs is not ideal but combined with Casey we have some great facilities maybe we need to use them differently. I like the idea of the boys playing with soccer balls but maybe they need to understand how a football bounces so they can react a little more quickly to bad bounces and maybe handball more precisely. Tracs pick up on the run was delightful and does indicate that we do have some elite sjills, more players need to apply those skills more often, its space and structures that affect that as well Rant over .

Id have TMac for Petty with Petty as sub for Melksham. Im a little compromised with my desire to have players return only after coming through the 2's compromise for Kossie and Lever.

maybe im just an old sentimental batard but i hope Trac and Clarry (premiership players for MFC) remain until they both retire (with 4 premiership each). Kozzie can join them for as long as he wants but do hope he leaves with the dignity we gave ANB They can form the transition leadership from Max and JAck and pass on to Langford, Lindsay, Colt and Duke who continue the premiership standard. Its up to the coach to get the right structures, patterns and match ups to use those stars and surround them with the Rivers, Fritchs Jeffo, Lingers ,Chin, Bowey, .etc who will all participate in finals in their time at the club. The defenders Maysie, Lever,Salem will hand on to Petty, Howes AMW, as we concentrate on a consistent structure to reduce opposition scores.

yeah I agree as i noticed the repetition as well and the impact that the left menu has on compressing the screen BUT What a great site this is and what a great job you guys do. Im an old fogey as well and just had seamless uptake on the PC I use for Dland. I only use PC and try not to mess with alternative s and dont insert links etc so wont be testing. Thank you, thank you ,thank you.

its about controlling the narrative. There should be a quick response to any issue raised in the media. or there can be a comment to initiate an issue. In either case you must control the story with clear consistent communication.

Not opposed to soccer as part of variation of training but our ball skills were so poor on the weekend that i would hope there is agreater mphais on this. Also perhaps playing soccer with a football to improve the reading of the bounce which seemed to go against us so many times. TAckling was poor for us and excellent for North so hope theres some consideration of rugby concentrating on making and sticking tackles. Talking with a mate the structure and method we have of guarding space was more obvious at the ground. We leave too much space for opponents to run into and we are then trying to tackle when we are running at an opponent. only able to throw an arm out to tackle. They brush through that method, I reckon we need some real coaching changes to techniques and structures.

Waiting eagerly for Caulfield progress. Talk of alternatives is obviously a waste of time.

I was happy to select TMac in last week with Jeffo and AJ forward. I had Petty as emergency and reckon this is an ideal situation as he can cover either defender or forward

perhaps see if shes interested in dancing and point out she could participate in the Jimma Jig

I hope that they are used to give the newer bodies the relief that they will need. These players will be part of the full squad that can be used for appropriate match ups. I like the idea of playing the new blokes against GWS but am now concerned that the weather may impact.

You blokes are still the greatest. Thanks for all your efforts.

So many great goals. So many players i love/d to watch. So many disappointments not there fortunately, the easy shots missed, the captains goals missed. I hope this years team is shown this and inspired to put them through the middle.

see my previous Ill wait for Picket Fence appraisal but Jeffo looks like the ideal replacement.

I know you are Jeffos biggest fan and I agree that he needs the opportunity. Selected him in my side. My concern is that the few times I have seen him he seems to play a similar style to FRitsch and I perhaps think that is a going to be his role, to give Fritta a chop out. Perhaps Disco is also in the opportunistic forward style. Im not sure Jeffo can replace JVR who is a more crash through style. Perhaps AJ is the like for like cover for him.

But maybe some validity or is it just time to be crazy

Yeah but i think worth a punt to give em a taste of the big time. Johnson and Jefferson are both very different styles. if both fail Petty can be bought on to replace one of them. the other would be rotated off the bench. Sharp, Langford and Lindsay would play limited time through mid and HF rotations. All have shown a bit through practise games and have been training well. We can reward them and find out their capacity. Probably these guys will move in and out of the ones and maybe not all play together often. Kozzie of course will come in to the side so we might not get a chance to do such a good comparison.

Why cant we have both?I'd like the traditional (current)MFC logoon the right breast and the Flaming demon (or similar) on the left. Sponsors logos can go beneath them in a balanced layout. Retain the tradition and appeal to the next generation. I have always thought that the Carlton logo CFC in the middle of the jumper has always made players look more solid and balanced so would be pleased to see the MFC in the middle of the jumper.

I've put him as sub as he can play forward or back. theres some he could replace automatically if injury and can also allow team to be shuffled around to accommodate him. Ie could replace Jefferson or Johnson if they dont get up . He can also replace Gawn if injured

OK I've considered the practise matches and looked very uncertainly at comments and GWS proposed team. Havent read this thread yet just ready to put my thoughts here. Theres a lot of unfortunate missesbut Im wlling to give a bit of a blend with the tried and true and the new boys. Happy to receive condemnation or answer any relevant comments. B: Salem - May - Lever HB Sestan T MAc- Rivers C Langdon Petracca - - Windsor HF: Fritsch - Turner Chandler FF: Johnson van Rooyen - Jefferson Foll: Gawn Mids- Oliver - Viney Int: - Langford - Lindsay - Sharp - Sparrow Sub: Petty

TMac has been consistent in training apparently and was the best defender at Arden st match. I am moving to have Petty as the big man interchange as he can fill in both defence or Forward providing a difficult match up for opposition.

Wouldnt agree with you. The first half of the game today they had far better structures for the wind. Their ruckman Cerra?? easily beat opponents and their midfield ran through us often. It was only our good defence Lever Tmac especially who kept them out and there was a lot of desperate smothering and desperate handball that limited their scoring. They had some good performers Larkings? and Darling who were good in their forward half in one quarter and their attack on the ball was good. Their tackling all over the field was good and the only demon they couldnt tackle was kossie who was great. They ran out of energy and ideas it seemed in the last stanza when we really dominated with good players finding space and running all over the ground. As I have said the wind was flukey and it really made any cogent observation irrelevant but for the fact that all players were playing in the same conditions. North were better at keeping the ball low with accurate passes and using the wind to get better distance when needed . We seemed to try and handpass around before bombing on most occassions but really didnt read the wind. T Mac was one obvious example.