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Passengers

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Brishawk said:
The real passengers are those people who jump off our team and its players the moment a game gets hard. We have played most of our main challengers this year and are 4-1 but people carry on like we are getting belted by Carlton every week.

The reality is we probably are not going to be as good as last year but that doesn't mean we should turn on the team. It doesn't even mean we won't win the flag it's just going to be harder. Believe it or not it is possible that we can play well and not thump a team because they also play well. You got to ride the bumps with a grin or else it will be a long season of whinging ahead for all of us.
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Also the fact that these fools are using Mitchell and co as barometers for performance would suggest the majority of the league needs a spell in the 2's.
 
Yes, Lewis looks slow and I'm sure he is aware of this. He has plenty of credits in the bank so no need to rush him back to the seconds. But he hasn't had the form from last year, yet. Langford can and has been inconsistent, but provides grunt when needed. Hill, first game back, had a leg knock early so give the guy some time. Shiels? Really? One of our best last night, always around the contest, laid some great tackles as usual, and is on the improvement every game.
 

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Unlike Mitchell / Burgoyne, I can't see Lewis being an evergreen performer.

Struggling at the moment but will come good I'm sure.
 
At one stage last year we were 4-4 and dropping the close games. I'm pretty sure the same criticisms were levelled back then and look how that year unfolded.

Yes questions have to be asked about the performances of some of our key players but there is still a long way to go before we write guys off.

But I agree with the Hill assessment. Not even sighted between rounds 1-4. :rolleyes:
 
Flamin Joe said:
But I agree with the Hill assessment. Not even sighted between rounds 1-4. :rolleyes:
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And we all know he's a really big form player, give him 2 games before we scratch our heads, I thought he had some excellent moves where he just burnt players with speed
 
Upgrayedd said:
Langford still burns it kicking but wow, really? i thought his first 5 weeks have sealed his spot for at least another 5 weeks
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Agree completely. Lewis on the other hand is not getting the hard ball - or the easy ball for that matter! So many fumbles.

He is also turning it over - his ball use is smart and generally accurate - but he is slow to hand and foot - and his passes move slowly through the air.

He still has a good footy brain but IMO has lost both pace and tenacity.

He would dominate VFL where pace isn't an issue. I personally think he has CNS fatigue from overtraining and needs a new regime - prolly a month off footy with alot more yoga and stretching.

Sound unorthodox but I think its what's needed.
 
Langford and Shiels did their job. They tackled and contested hard. Langford's disposal has always been questionable and probably always will. Shiels fumbled a lot but he still looks underdone. Give him time.
Hill and Hartung get found out in tough, contested matches. They likely always will. We need to make sure we play to their advantages and use them in space. They can be damaging as the past has shown.
Lewis is still battling but his seems to have lost a step or two. His disposal is also off. I don't see how sending him back to Box Hill for a week would benefit him. He just needs to find some form at this level. If it's decided he's a liability in his current state, don't play him at Box Hill. Spend a week training, focusing on skills. He's a leader in the team, knows the structures and where Clarkson wants players to be. He's not a 'drop to vfl level' player. He's just not finding it at the moment.
 
Hartung put in some deplorable efforts last night, looked like a boy vs men.

Langford worked hard and won some hard ball, it was just a few skill errors that let him down. But you know he's going to go hard which is more than what you could say for Billy.

Lewis is in a real bad form slump. Not sure what role he is playing ATM. At the very least he needs to stop with going 3rd man up, it hasn't worked once this season and just takes him out of the contest. We can't afford carrying Lewis in this form so he needs to pull his finger out and go in hard, I noticed him constantly waiting outside the pack looking for the easy dish-off kick.
 
bhutt0 said:
The only passengers I see are those fans who can't just sit back and savour the moment. Heck we were fortunate to win these last few games and no doubt we need to improve. But everyone, including the players and yourself, are incapable of performing optimally week in week out (and often its for various reasons outside of the public light). Cut them some slack and have some faith. Some of your really need to pull your finger out..
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Is there a point to posts like this or are you just announcing yourself as a superfan?
 
Hawk_francais said:
It has been good to have three wins in three weeks, but there has been so little in these games that we need to be realistic about our team's performance - we could be 1-4 easily. I think there have been some repeatedly poor efforts from some midfielders like:

Jordan Lewis
Bradley Hill
Billy Hartung
Liam Shiels
Will Langford

Some of these assessments may seem harsh due to injury and some good single-quarter efforts, but have you noticed these players shirking the challenge a bit in recent weeks?
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Anyone who thinks Langford is a passenger doesn't deserve any further response.
 

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We're not playing well but still winning with some big outs and underdone players.

Agree that Lewis & Hartung have been particularly poor. We are over possessing and not being clean with handball. Our decision making is also questionable at times.

Anyone calling Langford a passenger is on another planet. His disposal isn't perfect or even good but neither is Fyfe's or Dangerfield's.
 
Move P said:
Unlike Mitchell / Burgoyne, I can't see Lewis being an evergreen performer.

Struggling at the moment but will come good I'm sure.
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I think Jordan's work rate has been quite low, isn't influencing the contest and seems content to get contact on the opposition rather than win the clearance himself.
 
Hawk_francais said:
It has been good to have three wins in three weeks, but there has been so little in these games that we need to be realistic about our team's performance - we could be 1-4 easily. I think there have been some repeatedly poor efforts from some midfielders like:

Jordan Lewis
Bradley Hill
Billy Hartung
Liam Shiels
Will Langford

Some of these assessments may seem harsh due to injury and some good single-quarter efforts, but have you noticed these players shirking the challenge a bit in recent weeks?
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Harsh on Langford and Shiels. Shiels laid 12 tackles and Langford just got it out of the contest and fought really well. Been quite happy with Langfords performances. Shiels is laying tackles like he gets a free lunch for each tackle he lays. Hartung just handballing too much when he needs to run and kick the ball. He is laying a few good tackles but he is also letting a few go.
Hill just isn't playing well.
Lewis is alright. He is still playing decently although he is slightly down on form
 
Lewis hasn't been great but I'm with the "don't drop to VFL" school of thought.
Speaking from experience, having a new baby in the house can be tough. Sleep deprivation really takes its toll! Maybe he should invest in a night nurse to look after the kid
 

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Most of the team was shit last night and a few better watch their backs because there are some players at Box Hill who want to play senior footy.

The runners in particular have been poor for the past few weeks.
 
I think it's really harsh on Shiels, Langford and Hill.
Hill is just back from injury and was playing really well before he took a knock.
Shiels and Langford are in decent form and without them at the moment we'd be getting about 5 clearances a game. Shiels probably needs to fumble a bit less, but he contributes massive defensively, particularly at ball ups and throwins around the ground. Langford is a barometer for the team - his disposal is iffy, but when he's in 'berserker mode', generally we're dominating the clearances and the moving the ball forward.

Lewis and Hartung are not playing well and I wouldn't be surprised to see either of them make way for one of Lovell/Hardwick/Howe/O'Rourke. I back them both to be in the team come finals time, but gee wiz, if Lovell comes in for Jordie and plays well.....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The odd thing is Hartung was really good our first 3 games and ultamately nothing has changed, but his tackling is deplorable last year was no where near as bad. He runs hard both ways which is more than you can say for other wingers in the AFL but he needs to hold his tackles one thing letting Walker push you off another thing letting Atkins push you off leaving us open through the middle. Needs to fix that as Willsmore is dominating in the VFL with run and im sure he will get a game sooner or later.

Also we badly need another tall defender. Gibson is then 3rd man up with Birchall & Duryea which makes our defense tick it will be fine against Freo, WC, Bulldogs etc with very few tall targets but we cant have Gibson on Tippett, Lobb, Jenkins, Stanley etc Brand has been great in the VFL dont know what else he can do when he is locking down forwards and intercept marking and Spangher is returning
 
89Adopter said:
View attachment 238777 Ripping track, probably their best in my opinion. Reminds me so much of my last year of school back in '99.

Oh wait, this is a thread about taking the axe to players after we've recently beaten two sides that are like top 4 contenders while not playing near our best?

Honestly before throwing the baby out with the bath water - and I admit some players aren't at their best - let's remember our 4-4 start last year with losses to 2015 juggernauts Port Adelaide, GWS and Essendrugs. Our start to last year was alarmingly avwrage. We're in much better shape this year I feel. And Roughie is a massive out for us - his return will have a huge impact.

Perspective people.
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The song has been stuck in my head all morning.
 

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