Analysis Do we not understand the definition of 'being clean with the footy'?

[Danger in Texas]

It's been obvious tonight that we've just not been up to it. We won't win a flag at all, at this rate.

But why? Well the main two reasons are that we're just not hitting targets constantly (by hand or foot), like a team with a gameplan based around 'slingshot footy' and basic skill should be, and we're not getting a clean grip on the footy at all - we're dropping more marks than you can poke a stick at.

Why is this so? Is it the coaching department's fault? Is it just that the players are mentally weak? I've seen this problem in previous weeks too (albeit to a smaller extent), but nothing has been done about it whatsoever.

It's time to be concerned, we just aren't that skilled ladies and gents.

 

[dogs105]

I understand the meaning of "World peace" too.

 

[Danger in Texas]

Surprised no-one else sees this as a genuine concern

 

[MRB37]

Add "inability to play clean footy" with constant overuse of handballs and you've got a recipe for disaster.

 

[mattymac]

Its mental disintegration

They can hit targets fine at training

Bring some heat and our leaders go into hiding

The foot soldiers start seeing shadows

We must be the mentally softest team around

Complete lack of leadership

Lol at our leadership group

Walker
Betts
Lynch
Sloane
Talia

Not one of them you would want on your side in a gang fight. All nice quiet boys. Easily intimidated.

The opposition know this. Bring some heat and the crows leaders will go into their shells.

Mental disintegration will follow.

Lynch gets so scared he can't even hold a mark let alone kick

 

[TheLeftFist8]

We can't even handball 2m with accuracy most of the time...how many go behind the player, to their feet or just plain miss?

Lever and Greenwood are the only 2 mentally strong enough to lead the way towards being premiership players.

 

[cm_perfect]

For mine, this is where we lost the game last night, dropped marks, missed kicks and a serious case of the fumbles!!

Tidy that s**t up with a couple of best 22 changes and we may make the top 4 still..

 

[slice]

Very few in our team can hold marks. Puts instant pressure on the ground ball. Worse still, other teams adapt to it knowing that the ball is likely to spill from the mark.

Tex, Lynch, Jenkins, Otto are the worst culprits. The backline will be fine once we get rid of Kelly who keeps spoiling his own team.

 

[CrowBloke]

Well the main two reasons are that we're just not hitting targets constantly (by hand or foot)

Under the pressure applied by NM, Dees, Geelong and Hawthorn, you're right.
However, all of our wins have been based on very high skill levels, backed by an uncontested possession differential of up to 100 possessions. That means when we win, our handballs and short-passes find their target.
When we were 6-0 I had two thoughts, one good, one bad:
1) good: if we play like that every week, who's going to beat us this year? (answered 4 times, since).
2) bad: how are we going to improve if we're playing our best footy in the first 6 rounds? How can we get any better?

So, I disagree with this:

we just aren't that skilled ladies and gents

When we have time and create space, we play beautiful, unbeatable football. Our fitness is elite, but our skill levels fall away when challenged.
When the opposition take away our time and space with fanatical pressure and loose defenders, we have no Plan B and won't go top until we learn how to combat those aspects.