Review AFL Round 12 - Melbourne defeats Geelong by 24 points

[Hello Kitty]

It may not be your point but it is mine. Do not drop players to bring in inferior players just to send a message. We are not a club that just rolls over, dropping veterans on mass is doing just that, it's waving the white flag... "We've given up on finals"

Ffs we're 6-6, not 2-10. Save that blooding players on mass for when it's physically not possible.

Blease is crap. There I said it, I've been skirting around it for weeks. One way runner with ordinary foot skills.

Jansen I'd like to see get a crack, we need more ball winners give him a go but at Luxford's expense, he's not ready.

Smedts apparently played well on his return but is one game back after what would be 6-8 off enough to justify an immediate recall. Especially given Bartel shouldn't be too far away.

Bobby isn't saying to drop players for the hell of it, just let them know that everyone selected is in the team because they've earned their spot. We're in an inimitable position atm because we have so many injured players + no depth to choose from! The complacency of some players - veterans - to playing lower ladder teams is so irritating! As Heckler said, they've lost their pride!
"I don't believe we play at out best every week
Choosing when to play your best is the malaise of the mediocre
I believe what made Geelong great was out commitment to 100% effort
Their remarkable winning ratio was due to commitment and pride.
They performed against the best and against the weak teams
This is the missing / hidden part of our iceberg.
Our stars are not just old and tired. They lack a realistic challenge.
They are allowed to coast along week to week."

Give the veterans a challenge, IF they're not performing then they play VFL + we get more games into the Kittens.

Of course it's not possible now because of our injuries, but we've seen their malaise!

 

[Hello Kitty]

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Only boring people get bored



According to my Mum.

 

[Hello Kitty]

What? And rob Fred of his daily intellectual exercise.

Sadly the bully boys lack intellect + I can think of far more entertaining ways for Fred to get in his daily mental gymnastics

 

[Teriyakicat]

Agree with you whole-heartedly Bobby! SJ gets suspended for losing it with Crowley or Ballantyne, or whomever + is rewarded by sitting in the coaches' box! So SJ is having a few beers on Sunday night, but Motlop was dropped for drinking on Good Friday. It seems the premiership players are untouchable! Put them in the VFL team, which would be terrific experience for our Kittens + make them earn their spot in the team. Hawks do it all the time! Keep all the players hungry for a game!

The players are allowed to sink a few ales during their bye round Kitty, AFAIK.

 

[Hello Kitty]

The players are allowed to sink a few ales during their bye round Kitty, AFAIK.

Not after that performance on Sunday!!! It'd be training at 5am until 9pm with Sgt Maj Kitty

 

[rocker_oz33]

The players are allowed to sink a few ales during their bye round Kitty, AFAIK.

SJ says yes!!.
steve johnson ‏@Steviejohnson20 6m6 minutes ago

How good is the @TheOlsenHotel in South Yarra.. Great place to spend a few nights away!!

 

[JUBJUB]

SJ says yes!!.
steve johnson ‏@Steviejohnson20 6m6 minutes ago

How good is the @TheOlsenHotel in South Yarra.. Great place to spend a few nights away!!

I didn't know Stevie J was a fan of Full House.He must be rapt it's coming back,although sad his obvious favourite character won't be on it.

 

[evolutionbaby]

Think that no one in the team was thinking the game was a walk over but they weren't prepared for the constant ferocious contested approach by the D's and by time they did, didn't have the critical mass of contested possession players to compete.

Although I agree that JJ hasn't done enough to be selected, this was precisely the sort of situation (a game largely decided on contested possession) that would have been good to throw in JJ (probably from the sub) to see if he could make any difference.

With Smedts returning (with some apparent form least in VFL games either side of injury) he is probably the next in queue to come up (ie. prior to Bartel and Kelly returns) but do think we have to give games to JJ and Blease to see if any reason to keep on the list. Suspect that this may not happen.

Blease probably deserves a go if the club is prepared to concede the finals won't happen this year. The Stanley injury is an absolute killer.....don't think in my wildest dreams I would have said that at season's start! When he and Blitz are in tandem the whole side looks completely different.

 

[Chinacats]

Geelong thought it would be a soft win and had their pants pulled down! Physically bullied around the ball. I thought Melbourne looked physically stronger. Stanley out for the year, no Clarke, no confidence in Simpson, no McIntosh, no Vardy. Not looking good.

 

[Partridge]

It may not be your point but it is mine. Do not drop players to bring in inferior players just to send a message. We are not a club that just rolls over, dropping veterans on mass is doing just that, it's waving the white flag... "We've given up on finals"

You mean like Hawthorn dropping Brad Sewell after the Qualifying Final last year? A game that they won? That seemed to work out ok for them as I recall.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

You mean like Hawthorn dropping Brad Sewell after the Qualifying Final last year? A game that they won? That seemed to work out ok for them as I recall.

Well done give yourself a pat on the back. You cherry picked 1 instance. Oh and btw what was their injury list like at the time??? As bad as ours is now???

Didn't think so.

We have about 5-6 players playing VFL (two of which are rookie rucks), then there's Blease who at afl level would play on the outside, ditto Cocky, then there's the yet to debut Jansen and lastly Simpson but sure drop SJ for some stupid reason. Maybe we can drop Caddy because of his dancing in front of a mirror being a sign of an ego. Ditto Guthrie for changing his jumper at HT.

God this board is cuckoo atm.

 

[catempire]

You mean like Hawthorn dropping Brad Sewell after the Qualifying Final last year? A game that they won? That seemed to work out ok for them as I recall.

Wasn't "just to send a message". It was to bring in Suckling - clearly a best 22 player.

 

[Partridge]

Well done give yourself a pat on the back. You cherry picked 1 instance. Oh and btw what was their injury list like at the time??? As bad as ours is now???

Didn't think so.

Wrong. You made a definite claim and I provided clear evidence to the contrary. You can either acknowledge it or throw a tantrum. Not surprisingly you've adopted the latter posture. It's the ultimate counter to anyone who says you can never drop veterans. They did it during a finals campaign, and won the premiership. Much like another team did in 2011 who did something similar in fact.

 

[Partridge]

Wasn't "just to send a message". It was to bring in Suckling - clearly a best 22 player.

The point is the same though CE. For those who claim you can't drop veterans it's pretty clear evidence that you can. He was just as decorated at Hawthorn as someone like Bartel or Kelly would be at Geelong. Didn't stop Clarkson though.

 

[catempire]

The point is the same though CE. For those who claim you can't drop veterans it's pretty clear evidence that you can. He was just as decorated at Hawthorn as someone like Bartel or Kelly would be at Geelong. Didn't stop Clarkson though.

I don't think anyone is saying you can't drop veterans, are they?

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Wrong. You made a definite claim and I provided clear evidence to the contrary. You can either acknowledge it or throw a tantrum. Not surprisingly you've adopted the latter posture. It's the ultimate counter to anyone who says you can never drop veterans. They did it during a finals campaign, and won the premiership. Much like another team did in 2011 who did something similar in fact.

And Sewell was dropped for a best 22 player. Mooney was replaced by Hawkins.

What star are we replacing SJ with? Blease? - pass I'll stick with SJ... Cocky - pass his form in the VFL hasn't been good, unlike Mooney for example whose VFL form was still solid.

And what has he done wrong apart from underperforming somewhat? If that's reason enough to drop him we might as well drop the captain. This nonsense about SJ and Caddy and Guthrie etc having ego problems is just that, nonsense.

Not to mention the person this initial discussion was with has a penchant for dropping anyone who has an age which just so happens to start with a 3 instead of a 2 or 1

So I'll clarify my claim as its apparent it wasn't made clear what I meant. You don't drop experienced best 22 players (ala Johnson) when we have experienced midfielders in Kelly and Bartel out of the side. Especially not for the bare bones, spare parts we have in the VFL atm.

 

[Partridge]

And Sewell was dropped for a best 22 player. Mooney was replaced by Hawkins.

That's right. And there's no way Hawkins was a proven better player than Mooney at the time either. After the late season loss to the Swans plenty wanted him gone for good. The Collingwood thumping was the following week.

 

[dazbroncos]

I think the point being made is that vets can be dropped successfully from a team when replaced by a player in better form irrespective of experience.
I'd suggest at the moment there is very few players available to replace veteran players, let alone ones performing consistently at a high enough level.

Maybe Blease, Simpson, Smedts can come up... Maybe...
Go Catters

 

[Partridge]

I think the point being made is that vets can be dropped successfully from a team when replaced by a player in better form irrespective of experience.
I'd suggest at the moment there is very few players available to replace veteran players, let alone ones performing consistently at a high enough level.

Maybe Blease, Simpson, Smedts can come up... Maybe...
Go Catters

I'd say Smedts could be a strong chance for inclusion. Surely with yesterday's news Simpson must be.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

That's right. And there's no way Hawkins was a proven better player than Mooney at the time either. After the late season loss to the Swans plenty wanted him gone for good. The Collingwood thumping was the following week.

I'll tell you what, fitness permitting, i'll bet my last dollar SJ will be in our next team v Adelaide. For a start id say that Luxford would be dropped first and then a tall/medium defender as we played with one too many last start. SJ is going nowhere any time soon.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

That's right. And there's no way Hawkins was a proven better player than Mooney at the time either. After the late season loss to the Swans plenty wanted him gone for good. The Collingwood thumping was the following week.

Okay we agree on that but relevance to now? He's not getting dropped for anyone we have playing in the VFL atm...

 

[Partridge]

Okay we agree on that but relevance to now? He's not getting dropped for anyone we have playing in the VFL atm...

I never said that. My point is far more that every player should be able to be dropped. No matter who they are. It differs from most and most will disagree.

In any case, as you say, we're so thin on the ground for fit players everyone who has seen the inside of the locker room at Geelong will be lacing up their boots soon.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I never said that. My point is far more that every player should be able to be dropped. No matter who they are. It differs from most and most will disagree.

In any case, as you say, we're so thin on the ground for fit players everyone who has seen the inside of the locker room at Geelong will be lacing up their boots soon.

Yes and this is where we seem to have got the wires crossed, I was responding to bob who appeared to be advocating dropping him now, regardless.

I was positing but missed one key part of the sentence that we do not drop senior players, but forgot to add given the state of our injury list and the quality of those below at present (and/or their respective current form)

 

[Partridge]

Yes and this is where we seem to have got the wires crossed, I was responding to bob who appeared to be advocating dropping him now, regardless.

I was positing but missed one key part of the sentence that we do not drop senior players, but forgot to add given the state of our injury list and the quality of those below at present (and/or their respective current form)

Yep we seem to have. Completely agree with you there. I'm far from thrilled with some of the things Johnson has done in recent years, and I would have dropped him for a week or so in recent seasons for discipline. But it won't happen right now.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Yep we seem to have. Completely agree with you there. I'm far from thrilled with some of the things Johnson has done in recent years, and I would have dropped him for a week or so in recent seasons for discipline. But it won't happen right now.

And he appears to be better in that regard this season, one late bump on Mitchell, which was soft and rightfully didn't get suspended for but since Round 1 he iirc hasn't snapped once.