Opinion Is this rock bottom?

[Gasometer]

I hear ya, but my main concern is this:

Over the last few years, the club has brought in guys like Atu, Mahony, Spicer, Edwards, Tucker, Howe, Biggy, D Stephens, J Crocker, J Archer, Will Phillips, Jed Anderson, Bonar, Hansen Jr, CCJ & re-signed Turner.

Now, the persons(B Rawlings)/people who thought these guys could add something to our list, are STILL there!!!!! What confidence can you have in our future, when the powers that be, honestly believed the above mentioned players will improve our list? You can't. You just can't.

Sure, we've landed Sheezel, Dursma, Wardlaw & McKercher, but so we should!!! They're Top 5 draft picks FFS.

If we're going to rely on top 5 draft picks to get our club into finals, it'll be 2032 & Sheezel, Wardlaw & co. will be well & truly past their best!!! And probably no longer at the club in the search of success.

Feel free to allay my concerns.

We’re going to the Top 10 Draft pick again this year…could be Top 5

 

[ferball]

We still lost to a team we defeated this time last year. No amount of spin or hope changes that.

If we select the likes of Comben. Why haven’t we?

After failing to really play well as a forward Comben is being trained up to play on the backline. The best place to do that is the VFL while we have players who have experience on the backline who can cover for him. Hopefully he showed enough yesterday that he can come in on Friday cos we'll need his size and attitude against McKay.

Why was Shiels sub?
Why TF was Ford sub and CCJ playing a whole match?

CCJ is obviously being given the chance to secure a spot in the side. With Comben playing on the backline there is no one who deserved a game up forward yesterday. After Sellers performance we have someone who has shown they have the ability and form to replace him but its only one game against a very poor VFL side.

Why wouldn't Shiels be sub?

Ford kicked a goal and had 10 touches last week. It wasn't the best game he's played so subbing him isn't necessarily a bad choice. I'd have brought him on early in the third tho.

I want to be as optimistic as you are, but after 6 years of dross and a coaching/team selection panel that isn’t addressing some fundamental issues, unfortunately I’m not. Yet.

I want to be wrong about this.

Since 2019 we've had 2 games of relative stability (and maybe small patches late in 2021 and late last year.) They've happened this year. It sucks but that's the situation we are in.

People are saying "Its the same old errors" but it isn't. Our skills are better, our fitness is better but we are still learning one plan so it will be a struggle to adjust.

 

[Zondor]

I hear ya, but my main concern is this:

Over the last few years, the club has brought in guys like Atu, Mahony, Spicer, Edwards, Tucker, Howe, Biggy, D Stephens, J Crocker, J Archer, Will Phillips, Jed Anderson, Bonar, Hansen Jr, CCJ & re-signed Turner.

Now, the persons(B Rawlings)/people who thought these guys could add something to our list, are STILL there!!!!! What confidence can you have in our future, when the powers that be, honestly believed the above mentioned players will improve our list? You can't. You just can't.

Sure, we've landed Sheezel, Dursma, Wardlaw & McKercher, but so we should!!! They're Top 5 draft picks FFS.

If we're going to rely on top 5 draft picks to get our club into finals, it'll be 2032 & Sheezel, Wardlaw & co. will be well & truly past their best!!! And probably no longer at the club in the search of success.

Feel free to allay my concerns.

So you’re not excited? Fascinating. :stern look

 

[Spud11]

After failing to really play well as a forward Comben is being trained up to play on the backline. The best place to do that is the VFL while we have players who have experience on the backline who can cover for him. Hopefully he showed enough yesterday that he can come in on Friday cos we'll need his size and attitude against McKay.



CCJ is obviously being given the chance to secure a spot in the side. With Comben playing on the backline there is no one who deserved a game up forward yesterday. After Sellers performance we have someone who has shown they have the ability and form to replace him but its only one game against a very poor VFL side.

Why wouldn't Shiels be sub?

Ford kicked a goal and had 10 touches last week. It wasn't the best game he's played so subbing him isn't necessarily a bad choice. I'd have brought him on early in the third tho.



Since 2019 we've had 2 games of relative stability (and maybe small patches late in 2021 and late last year.) They've happened this year. It sucks but that's the situation we are in.

People are saying "Its the same old errors" but it isn't. Our skills are better, our fitness is better but we are still learning one plan so it will be a struggle to adjust.

I feel we’re past “rock bottom”, I’d hope that we never plumb the depths of Noble’s second year ever again.

However, geez it was disappointing to tune in just before half time yesterday and watch the inevitable unfold yet again. A team, I must reiterate, that we defeated at this time last year methodically took us apart as if in slow motion.
I’m not having it.

 

[Devil Fish]

We’re going to the Top 10 Draft pick again this year…could be Top 5

Guaranteed Top 5. It's exciting.

 

[Roosurgence]

I hear ya, but my main concern is this:

Over the last few years, the club has brought in guys like Atu, Mahony, Spicer, Edwards, Tucker, Howe, Biggy, D Stephens, J Crocker, J Archer, Will Phillips, Jed Anderson, Bonar, Hansen Jr, CCJ & re-signed Turner.

Now, the persons(B Rawlings)/people who thought these guys could add something to our list, are STILL there!!!!! What confidence can you have in our future, when the powers that be, honestly believed the above mentioned players will improve our list? You can't. You just can't.

Sure, we've landed Sheezel, Dursma, Wardlaw & McKercher, but so we should!!! They're Top 5 draft picks FFS.

If we're going to rely on top 5 draft picks to get our club into finals, it'll be 2032 & Sheezel, Wardlaw & co. will be well & truly past their best!!! And probably no longer at the club in the search of success.

Feel free to allay my concerns.

No one can crystal ball how it all pans out, but if these kids keep developing there will be less and less opportunity for journeymen.

A lot of those guys were recruited because we hardly had any talent on the list that could play at the level, so they were filling gaps with journeymen that are below average.

There’s still a lot of holes in the list still to fill, but I think people are being totally unrealistic to think kids as talented as they are with less than 50 games experience can just step in and we will win.

You saw a glimpse of what this side is capable of, it was one bad quarter that turned a win into a loss. That with guys that won’t be part of the club when we start challenging. As these players play more together and get experience that bad quarter will become a bad 15 mins and then a bad 10 mins and eventually they will learn how to shut the game down and arrest momentum.

I was at the game and we actually dominated 3 of the 4 quarters. We had them in the 4th as well but the gap allowed Freo to shut the game down and we didn’t take our chances to put on scoreboard pressure.

I get everyone is frustrated, so am I. As a Melbourne member we have rarely seen a win, the Eagles win last year wasn’t much of a win either. But people need to temper expectation, we are a bottom 4 side and it won’t change this year. What will change is how competitive we are in game and hopefully the improvement as the year progresses to have less and less bad periods through a game.

It’s going to be a frustrating ride. But if you stop looking at the win/loss column and start looking for the wins within a game, you might feel better about it all.

We aren’t going to be playing finals, so other than that sugar hit at the end of a game, long term it’s all about building a list, game plan and brand of footy that can win finals and give us an opportunity at winning it all.

I think someone said it earlier. Do we want to play for the now and get 6-8 wins a year but never really be a chance at the ultimate or take the pain for what is hopefully the ultimate gain?

 

[Cool Kangas]

Would you actually rather be in the vortex like the Brad Scott years? I hate the losing and the last few years have been horrible but at least we have finally recruited some real talent. I have faith.

 

[Roosurgence]

I feel we’re past “rock bottom”, I’d hope that we never plumb the depths of Noble’s second year ever again.

However, geez it was disappointing to tune in just before half time yesterday and watch the inevitable unfold yet again. A team, I must reiterate, that we defeated at this time last year methodically took us apart as if in slow motion.
I’m not having it.

I’m not sure why people keep referring to last years result. It has no bearing on the team we faced yesterday.

They took apart an inexperienced and young side. It’s going to happen and it will happen a lot this year. You can’t magically inject experience into a playing group this young and inexperienced.

Fast forward a few years and you would hopefully be watching a side that turned that first half into a match winning lead and cruised to a 10 goal win.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

So you’re not excited? Fascinating. :stern look

Your chronic state of pessimism is endlessly fascinating to me, Z. :stern sook

 

[Zondor]

Your chronic state of pessimism is endlessly fascinating to me, Z. :stern sook

LOL. Thanks for that Mr Brightside. :stern look

 

[Spud11]

I’m not sure why people keep referring to last years result. It has no bearing on the team we faced yesterday.

They took apart an inexperienced and young side. It’s going to happen and it will happen a lot this year. You can’t magically inject experience into a playing group this young and inexperienced.

Fast forward a few years and you would hopefully be watching a side that turned that first half into a match winning lead and cruised to a 10 goal win.

Yep, hopefully.

 

[Devil Fish]

So you’re not excited? Fascinating. :stern

I was at the game and we actually dominated 3 of the 4 quarters. We had them in the 4th as well but the gap allowed Freo to shut the game down and we didn’t take our chances to put on scoreboard pressure.

We dominated for 3 of the 4 quarters???? I was there too boss. We dominated for 1 and a half quarters. We had 136 disposals to 88 midway through the 2nd. Thats where the domination ended.
And keep in mind, Freo will be bottom 8 & it was on our home deck.

Just like how winning in round 24 last year against the Suns was great for the list. It was so exciting to watch. It set up a winning culture apparently.

 

[Roosurgence]

We dominated for 3 of the 4 quarters???? I was there too boss. We dominated for 1 and a half quarters. We had 136 disposals to 88 midway through the 2nd. Thats where the domination ended.
And keep in mind, Freo will be bottom 8 & it was on our home deck.

Just like how winning in round 24 last year against the Suns was great for the list. It was so exciting to watch. It set up a winning culture apparently.

The last quarter was played mostly in our half.

So what if Freo are botton 8, we are a bottom 4 side.

I just don’t get why people think we were a walk up start for a win yesterday?

It’s Round 2 and the sky is falling and people are jumping off left right and centre. I fear for these people when we cop a smashing this year, which will happen.

People complaining about yesterday are victims of their own unrealistic expectations.

I went to the game hoping we would win, but I didn’t expect it. We aren’t in that phase of our development where we turn up expecting a win.

 

[Spud11]

We’ve been Stockholm-syndromed into believing we’re a lowly organisation that doesn’t deserve success, whose rebuild must take more than 5 years.

Don’t expect anything, guys.

Meanwhile, GWS and all their friends turn their club around and become contenders in less than a year.
That’s not for us.
We are not allowed.
Cabbage water and stale bread forever.

 

[Roosurgence]

We’ve been Stockholm-syndromed into believing we’re a lowly organisation that doesn’t deserve success, whose rebuild must take more than 5 years.

Don’t expect anything, guys.

Meanwhile, GWS and all their friends turn their club around and become contenders in less than a year.
That’s not for us.
We are not allowed.
Cabbage water and stale bread forever.

Are you serious?

Look at the list profile of GWS. With their talent and age/games experience profile they should be contending.

Don’t let their results under Leon Cameron who was a total spud of a coach fool you. That list was underperforming because the man in charge was a massive dud, not because of them being a s**t list.

We are coming from a long way back and it won’t happen overnight.

 

[Spud11]

Are you serious?

Look at the list profile of GWS. With their talent and age/games experience profile they should be contending.

Don’t let their results under Leon Cameron who was a total spud of a coach fool you. That list was underperforming because the man in charge was a massive dud, not because of them being a s**t list.

We are coming from a long way back and it won’t happen overnight.

Completely serious. I woke up one morning and realised that we’ve been drinking the bathwater of the football community that wants us to believe we’re the little battler for about 20 years.

We’ve fallen for it.

Now we have good people going to the footy expecting very little. Enjoy.

 

[Roosurgence]

Completely serious. I woke up one morning and realised that we’ve been drinking the bathwater of the football community that wants us to believe we’re the little battler for about 20 years.

We’ve fallen for it.

Now we have good people going to the footy expecting very little. Enjoy.

Drinking what bath water? We have been s**t for many years and trying to turn it around.

The ones that are proclaiming the sky is falling are the ones that drank the preaseason bathwater.

Most people with realistic expectations would expect another bottom 4 finish again this year, with games like yesterday. Performances where we have patches of good and bad.

 

[tricknologist]

GWS had a brief downturn because Leon Cameron

Leon Cameron

Age

51

Ht

185cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.2

4star

K

12.4

5star

HB

4.7

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.9

3star

No current season stats available

D

20.8

5star

K

14.4

5star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.8

3star

was cooked. They had one of the best lists in the competition and rebounded as one would expect. We've never had one of the best lists in the competition at any point this century. The level of institutional rot we have takes years to clean out. That's why well run clubs don't get into these positions in the first place.

 

[Gasometer]

Would you actually rather be in the vortex like the Brad Scott years? I hate the losing and the last few years have been horrible but at least we have finally recruited some real talent. I have faith.

The vortex of easy fixes, real estate and rebuild yes no yes no maybe I resign?

 

[amaz199]

Now we are comparing ourselves to GWS lol.

Are we serious? We have every right to be unhappy with yesterday but GWS has vastly superior senior experience and talent compared to ours.

Everyone is forgetting that last year, the young players were leading the way out there and it will be the same this year.

Our senior crop are not good enough.

 

[Spud11]

Drinking what bath water? We have been s**t for many years and trying to turn it around.

The ones that are proclaiming the sky is falling are the ones that drank the preaseason bathwater.

Most people with realistic expectations would expect another bottom 4 finish again this year, with games like yesterday. Performances where we have patches of good and bad.

Sky ain’t falling, it’s more like a grey Bucharest 1980’s smog that everyone just seems to accept

 

[Roosurgence]

Sky ain’t falling, it’s more like a grey Bucharest 1980’s smog that everyone just seems to accept

Well don’t watch then?

If you are expecting some miracle when we just start winning all the time, then you might be better off not tuning in this year?

 

[hilly]

The last quarter was played mostly in our half.

So what if Freo are botton 8, we are a bottom 4 side.

I just don’t get why people think we were a walk up start for a win yesterday?

It’s Round 2 and the sky is falling and people are jumping off left right and centre. I fear for these people when we cop a smashing this year, which will happen.

People complaining about yesterday are victims of their own unrealistic expectations.

I went to the game hoping we would win, but I didn’t expect it. We aren’t in that phase of our development where we turn up expecting a win.

Dominated Q4 turn it up, we kicked 2.5 to their 3.2.

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[hilly]

The last quarter was played mostly in our half.

So what if Freo are botton 8, we are a bottom 4 side.

I just don’t get why people think we were a walk up start for a win yesterday?

It’s Round 2 and the sky is falling and people are jumping off left right and centre. I fear for these people when we cop a smashing this year, which will happen.

People complaining about yesterday are victims of their own unrealistic expectations.

I went to the game hoping we would win, but I didn’t expect it. We aren’t in that phase of our development where we turn up expecting a win.

I think expecting to win from 32 or so points in front was fair. I suspect we will rue this.

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Spud11]

Well don’t watch then?

If you are expecting some miracle when we just start winning all the time, then you might be better off not tuning in this year?

I’ll probably take that advice. This is not the same organisation that I began supporting. Hasn’t been for two decades.

*edit: it’s not a miracle to expect better than, what was it..? 12 goals in a row against us? A team we defeated last year, it’s worth repeating.