Earl Hood

Where is the midfield? MIA. 

5 hours ago, kev martin said:

 

 

The drills begun with paired kicking at which we looked a bit off. Next was short runs with sharp direction changes. A full squad ball movement of run, kicking and loud calls. Looked very good, barely a clanger. Then two groups of mids moving the ball around two defenders and delivering into a leading forward. Lastly, they used Jordan Lewis and a coach delivering into two crowded areas, defenders intercepting well and an occasional success.

 

Kev, interesting your comment on Lewis and a coach delivering high balls into two crowded areas and practicing intercept marking and I assume the designated forwards trying to mark or spoil or read the spill of the ball and crumb a goal or two; if that is what they were practicing?  I made a comment in last week’s game thread that my observations at training this year are that we simulate quick ball movement and precise passing to a leading forward or forward who has created space often because we have more designated forwards than defenders. Those drills look good but come game day and some added pressure and our forward delivery is haphazard at best with loopy running chaos kicks to forwards who are covered or the set kick high ball to the space 20 metres out from goal. With this forward delivery we need forwards who can take contested marks or bring the ball to ground and others who can crumb the ground balls. My point was I have never seen us practice reacting to the chaos balls that we create in a match. 

Maybe todays drill was trying to replicate reality, I.e train as you play? 

Forget NT. Hey Brisbane looks like it is putting an ominous side together must be about time we started selling our home games again to them for the next few years! 

2 hours ago, waynewussell said:

Haven't yet noticed any commentator, footy program or member of the MFC football dept. explain the holding the ball decision made against Max. Why is that? If it was a free kick according to the rules wouldn't an ambitious member of the (football) media want to impress the public with his/her astute reading of the rules? Its been relatively quiet on that front, while other contentious decisions from the weekend have been discussed on every program. If it was a shocker by the umpire in question, wouldn't the AFL come out and admit that a mistake was made... or vica versa? All quiet on that front as well... I have an opinion on this silent response by media and officials, but I would like to hear what others think.

I think it is because we have become irrelevant again as someone else has said. 

11 hours ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

My recollection is that he first got into "difficulties" when he had that wrist injury and MFC gave him leave to return home.

His problems ran much deeper than the odd drinking episode with MFC, if indeed that happened. His career was doomed when the Yuendumu community split just after he moved to Melbourne.  He was the first elder to play AFL and his community was in turmoil. When he was off injured in 2011 he went back home and was drawn into all the problems back there. What could have been I don’t know, he had immense talent but I suspect injuries would have always been a problem for him. 

Nothing wrong with our forward delivery on Sunday. One because we had Fritsch who could take a contested mark, all 186 cm, skinny build of him versus our usual 194 cm, 97 kg plus key forwards who can’t clunk anything. But then our forwards set shot kicking was abysmal, what 1 goal 5 in the first, that was where the game was lost. Fix the set shots at goal and we are competitive. 

Umpiring was abominable 

1 hour ago, nosoupforme said:

An Umpire who gives a free kick and 50 meters at the same time to the WCE and in front of goal which he kicks because Lever said something is giving  a gimme goal. The Umpire in question uses the number 1. His name is Chris Donlon There are two O's in DONLON and two O's in MORON.

The replay showed Lever probably letting go an expletive but to the ground in frustration, it wasn’t directed at the umpire, certainly not in his face but he gives a 50 penalty saying Lever knows what words he said. What now players have watch their words, nothing vulgar or it’s a 50? The umpiring started to even up in the second and third Quarters but again deteriorated in the last, after the 9 to 0 fiasco of the first Q. All their decisions were arbitrary all day for both sides but we got the rough end of the 50/50’s that is for sure. 

3 minutes ago, faultydet said:

An absolute plodding game by Lockhart today.

Could not believe how slow he was. Not just straight mine speed, but a bloke that size should be nimble on his feet.

Lockhart played like a 170cm Garry Lyon post back injury. Beached whale.

Lockhart needed a rest last week, let alone this week. But who would you bring in? 

BT saying the breeze has swung to favour our end for the third quarter! Can we take advantage, does our coaching staff realise this (if true). 

Umpires gave us a fair go that quarter and we kicked straightish to get back into it.

also I love how both Ryan and Rioli have flown on top of packs taking out defenders with no realistic attempt at the ball, allowing Their big forwards to Mark unopposed. OK by the umps it seems. 

So Darling gets their first shot at that end and aims left post and goals! 

3 minutes ago, praha said:

Lewis and Viney should be ashamed. Missed regulation shots while Kennedy snags them from the boundary. 

Interesting that BT said from the start that you have to aim at left post at our end and we have missed right 3 times. Nothing wrong with Lewis’s action they just can’t read the breeze. Petty misses as well. Unprofessional by our forward coaches it looks to me. 

Geelong has been infected by our goal kicking yips. Missed 3 in a row from inside 30m almost dead in front! Then misses a fourth on the run from 30. 

What’s the go with Bedford? He looks pretty sharp at training, moves well and has clean hands but his stats in games are not good. Just can’t get his hands on the ball any reasons? 

17 minutes ago, dees189227 said:

I think the story is Brisbane are sitting 2nd on the ladder. Fagan has done a great job with this team. 

Gee how about the freo swans game. currently scores level at the 23 minute mark. 

They just showed the last 3 minutes on Fox to review the umpiring and it was exemplary, the umps let it flow and Freo got up by a point. In total contrast to the Brisbane effort. Yes there were a number of technical frees that could have been paid but none where a player was definitely infringed to put them out of a contest so it was play on. That is how umpiring should be executed, especially in the last 15 minutes of a tight contest. 

9 minutes ago, GCDee said:

I thought Maxys free against was the worst free kick of the year...

But that one against Thompson really takes the cake. Yet another green maggot ruining a great game of footy by being completely incapeable of doing their job. 

Go get [censored] AFL you're a joke of a league

The umpiring is a total mess. That second last free against Thompson just sums it up. I nudge the biggest bloke in the side, not the back, take the mark and get pinged, really for in the back, umpires please note about 10 other examples of a similar nudge in the same match that were deemed legal, but no that’s quibbling. 

The stats say our problems are up forward. The midfield is still winning contests and clearances but conversion inside 50 is woefull. We know delivery has been haphazard for much of the season, just bombing it long to a pack and hoping for a mark from TMac, Weid or Max if he is there. For 90% of those bombs the ball has spilled to ground and come straight back out and shown up our lack of two way running. Time and time again I have asked where are our crumpers, goal sneaks, they don’t seem to exist unfortunately. 

Now it has occurred to me that the 20 or so times I have attended training this year I have never seen us simulate what is happening every game day, that is having our small forwards roving off packs to shark the spilled ball and kick a goal. All our game simulation has us moving the ball quickly and finding a forward target. Great practice but it is not happening game day and our small forwards are not learning or practicing to crumb off a pack.

Just an observation, we are not practicing like we are playing up forward. 

2 minutes ago, demonstone said:

That was the first time I'd ever heard him speak.  Does he always sound like he's spent the arvo in the pub?

Yes! 

3 hours ago, daisycutter said:

kero wilson claims we are exaggerating injuries and other clubs have had it worse than us this year

i'd like to see an updated games-lost-this-year-to-best-22 (make it best 25 to make choice easier)

Yes DC I watched Footy Classified where she labelled our injury excuses pathetic, although I don’t know that the club has officially been claiming that as the main issue, others in the media have but there was the Misson injury analysis given to the board that got out I suppose. But then Caro just 10 minutes later was defending the GWS’s drop off in performance listing their injuries over the past 3 years! I mean injuries do make a difference and if any team could cover injuries it should be GWS with their extensive list of high draft picks, surely. Injuries don’t fully explain our fall from grace but they are part of the equation and I was not aware of Goodwin going on and on about them. 

30 minutes ago, Salems Lot said:

don't forget Newman

You have to shake your head with the Fossil, Sam. At one point he lists the various days celebrating minorities like the indigenous or same sex people and then asks as a WASP male when is it my time!

Sam when it has never been your time you dolt! Look at your life, private school education, 300 games of elite sport, millions earned in the media as a so called footy expert and character, come sporting legend. Sam it has always been about you! For a guy who achieved so much he has the IQ of a peanut. 

1 hour ago, D4Life said:

It was one of the great days at the footy, he kicked something like 11-8, he was spectacular.

i like the suggestion to stick Petracca in the goalsquare and just go for it! Would be fantastic if he could deliver half what Jakovich did in that purple patch!

But it wouldn’t happen today, Jako would have 4 blokes on him and 3 in the hole in front as well. 

Did they have any other insights? We know Gus is down on form but that doesn’t explain the fall down the ladder. I heard Plough say we have a good best 22 but lack depth so injuries hurt. I had to be somewhere so couldn’t hear Dermie and the rest. But there is more to it than the midfield as the stats say we still win clearances and contested ball but it all turns to rubbish when we go forward and then rebounds back the other way. 

Hannan left early with the other Casey guys so suspect he is out and Wagner in and JKH in the squad, also T Smith in the mix for a recall. 

13 minutes ago, picket fence said:

I'll call this thread the "Peter Pan" thread

Fanciful and delusional!

When is the last time we have had a father son pick that has been ANY GOOD!!

Come to our club???

Won't happen and time to think Logically

Remember 

This is MFC!

 

Viney?