Yeah… Right up until about 4:50pm yesterday… I was pretty bullish about our list but then I saw the reality and couldn’t put my blinkers on.
I actually think we have a lot of ‘A Grade’ talent on the list… more than most clubs. I agree that the group you mentioned are all younger and very good.
That is why I am so down on the coaching… I don’t want this crop to be wasted… Guys like Howlett, Myers and Colyer should not be getting games at AFL level until they are breaking the door down in VFL… Kelly and watson needed to be rested more often to give other guys a shot. We should only ever bring a young kid up with an understanding that he has 3 games to show his wares. You can’t put them on a yoyo trying to be a superstar with every touch. Give them 3 games… give them a very specific role and then let them just do that role… that is how the top teams do it.
So yeah… I can see the optimism you speak of but I hold little hope that the bunch of used has-beens sitting on our coaches box can actually pull it together. We are actually stunting growth and sending guys backwards atm.
I’m concerned that this match has created mental scars for young players like Begley, Parrish & McGrath.
I don’t buy into this ‘good finals experience’ theory for our young players. I don’t think there is anything positive about this match. It will create more of the same culture with our young players.
Explain to me other than the grand finals they played what year they should have been premiers. Tell me which teams they should have beaten and what age Kerr and Judd were at the time…
Right… because being ‘bullish’ means I have to clap every single thing right and think that everyone at the club walks on water and is perfect and amazing…
I have repeatedly spoken about my belief in the quality of our list and the fact that, in my opinion, it is strongest list we have built since 2000.
We have quality talls in Hurley, Hooker, JD. Quality mid KPP in Ambrose and Stewart. We have got potential A-grade across the board. Zerrett, Fanta, Parish and McGrath could all be used as prime midfielders next year.
I am excited about the run and carry of McKenna and Walla adds some much needed x-factor to that forward line.
But yeah… you are the screaming poster boy for the “everything is awesome” club and that is cool with me… I don’t ever respond to your crap and I would kindly ask that you do the same.
As I’ve said before… how about you learn to post about issues rather than attack posters. I am completely OK with you thinking we are 100% on track… I disagree but that is ok… that is why we are on a forum, supposedly respectfully talking about such things.
Melbourne will mature and won’t melt and throw away games again (watch them recruit well for weaknesses like outside run), Saints will figure out their forward line post Nick, Collingwood will find a 2nd tall and improve their kicking (watch them land another talented kid) and doggies will get over their funk in the locker room.
2 to 3 will finish ahead of us next year that you can count on.
Nothing is more certain than that we’ll get a tougher draw next year. We simply must leave no stone unturned in finding some good midfielders and some outside run.
Yesterday was extremely disappointing, but it shows how far off the pace we really are.
As Mark Harvey said, just because we got into the finals this year doesn’t mean we’ll get there next year.
There is a lot to be done.
Fair point. I certainly think we had a strong enough list in 2013/14 that we should have done some real damage… fark the saga.
That midfield was slow as treacle though…
Interestingly enough… I look at those names and I do think we have more ‘talented’ players now… but they are underperforming… Hird absolutely had every player on that list playing at, or above, their expected level. ahhhhhh.
Don’t make me think about it… too sad… you are spot on… that team should have achieved much much more. Farking AFL.
Yep, not blue, not falling. We’re not top 4, we’re not going to bite the bullet like carlton and rebuild properly in the bottom 4. Just more endless mediocrity bouncing around between 7th and 12th.