We played terribly, they played terribly for three quarters. That’s what comparatively good (passable… decent…) teams do.
We played shamefully badly last week, but nobody really cares, do they?
Dees have their fair share of important mids i
On the wrong side of 29 - Vince, Lewis, Jones
There were a couple where they should have attacked the ball instead of waiting for it to bounce. Lav’s really stood out.
The happy clappers don’t.
But again, I think we’re going to have to agree to disagree on the just how bad the Melbourne game was.
There’s a chance that the kids we haven’t played are all useless. We’re just 12 months behind on finding that out for sure.
The 7 goals straight we put on Sydney was awesome.
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Well, I think you’re right that it’s as bad as we’ve played all year, but also I would point out there’s got to be a worst game you play for the year.
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Agree entirely.
It’s a travesty we haven’t debuted Mutch, Begely, Ridley and even Clarke for a game. The could all be like Laverde and dominate the twos and struggle in the ones, or they could walk in like Hurley, Hepp and Parish and we would know we have another one. Now unfortunately we have to draft and trade under an assumption.
The Melbourne game was bad but remembering how it played out, every time the side got some momentum (and if ever there is a side that relies on periods of momentum to hit the scoreboard its us) it ended up with Joe who kicked a point. It really sapped the energy of the mids. I remember noting it at the game.
If Joe had kicked like he is now then that game would have been close.
I was very deflated leaving that match also, we really played below ourselves and Melbourne were not great that day either.
Who are out 2 best midfielders this year?
I actually foundvit a hard question to answer Zerret + who?
Goddard? Heppell? Both have been great a few times and consistent for most of the rest.
Zaka?? Up and down.
Parish, Jobe, Myers impacts have probably averaged a similar level, however with Parish improving as the season went on.
Walla has only been a pinch hitter as a mid.
Said that exact thing a number of times. Just seemed like one of those nights when the barstard just seemed to never bounce the right way for us. Weird how it can happen like that.
Zerrett and Zaharakis.
Zaharakis hasn’t been up and down. He was down for the first month or so… Then he’s been up for the rest of the year.
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Agreed. And if parish played there more he’d be 3rd. But coaches conspire against us
Over that period we played one of our forwards as an extra in the midfield. It’s one of the reasons why our midfield performed better over that period and why our forward performed badly.
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Looking at this year in isolation, I am as disappointed as anyone that we have only had one debut for the year, however I think the club had an obligation to give the returning players a good crack though, even if it may have compromised our season or player development a tad.
From a pure football perspective we have made bad team selections and bad pick ups (some of the returning players would probably not been on a list this year if they had not been banned).
But from a humanity, real-life perspective I can live with a club that tries to right its wrongs. There is more to life than football for all involved.
This year has exceeded my expectations, its been the best year since 2012, we have objectively improved on 2015 and 2016 and I believe we will continue to improve in 2018.
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I guess I’m a ‘happy clapper’ - and I care a lot.
It’s just not life & death to me.
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I really don’t think we’re as far away as some people think.
Midfield pace and particularly defensive running is clearly the main issue with our team.
As hard as it is to say, Jobe’s departure will help significantly with that. Even if you leave in the other slow blokes, those guys aren’t anywhere near as slow as Jobe.
But we’re left with the following guys who need replacing:
Myers
Howlett
BJ
(I’m not counting Kelly because he’s not playing midfield)
I could live with one of them staying in the team and to be honest I’d prefer it to be Myers.
Howlett will be delisted and hopefully BJ gets less games next year.
I think we’ll be at least as good next year even if we don’t trade anyone in and we have to rely on 4 or 5 youngsters rotating through those last couple of midfield spots.
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This post is spot on, Ivan. Aside from the colyer bit (age doesn’t save him).
■■■■■ me that Worsfold and co think that players can develop into AFL standard by playing 2nds for the whole year. If anything, the skills and match fitness of guys like Francis are probably going backwards at an alarming rate by constantly playing magoos. Why do we suffer repeated coaches who have no interest in giving kids a chance? Most of the top 8 are killing us in this regard, while beating us on the ladder too
Hysterical. And incorrect. Very incorrect.
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You’re well more restrained than I L2.
I would have said something entirely different.
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Seems that quite a few posters on here don’t understand what the word “exciting” means. Why does every thread turn into a whinge fest? You lot must be soooo much fun to party with.
If you can’t see that we are building a good team and have played some great footy this year whilst dealing with the end of the farking saga and the return of the 12 then why do you even bother watching or supporting?
Please, one of you whinging ■■■■■■ needs to come at me with that old chestnut, “It is that sort of attitude that is the reason why we have been so ■■■■ for so long…”.
As Woosha said, “toughen up”.
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