Problems......

[mrkyuss]

This is the first game I have missed all year and it is because of training the other day. Having watched us beat Melbourne in style, I went to training on Wednesday and watched a bunch of guys we were already on holiday. Then and there I said to my mate that we will not win another game for the year. I laughed and saw how all the EXPERTS picked Carlton because of a run of form.

I dont mind being at the bottom of the ladder if it is for good reason, but the fact that the guys trained like it was a recovery after a grand final is probably one of the reasons why Hawthorn is belting us today.

Watching the footy on TV, even the duck suggested maybe moving Waite to centre half back or geez lets not waste Walker on Dixon and give him a go in the middle????!!!! Na, not for Denis, even ten goals down he will keep everyone in their positions, never can do anything radical, except drag players.

And as for Bentick, he kicks up and unders at training so what chance does he have in a real match situation??? Leave Blackwell on please Dennis, and try and experiment once in a while, it cant hurt, geez Walker might get 14 touches in a quarter in the middle, he might not, but it cant hurt in seeing if some of these guys can play in any other posititions, obviously most of them arent doing there jobs in the positions they are in at the moment, so change it!!!!

 

[jj1978]

This is the first game I have missed all year and it is because of training the other day. Having watched us beat Melbourne in style, I went to training on Wednesday and watched a bunch of guys we were already on holiday. Then and there I said to my mate that we will not win another game for the year. I laughed and saw how all the EXPERTS picked Carlton because of a run of form.

I dont mind being at the bottom of the ladder if it is for good reason, but the fact that the guys trained like it was a recovery after a grand final is probably one of the reasons why Hawthorn is belting us today.

Watching the footy on TV, even the duck suggested maybe moving Waite to centre half back or geez lets not waste Walker on Dixon and give him a go in the middle????!!!! Na, not for Denis, even ten goals down he will keep everyone in their positions, never can do anything radical, except drag players.

And as for Bentick, he kicks up and unders at training so what chance does he have in a real match situation??? Leave Blackwell on please Dennis, and try and experiment once in a while, it cant hurt, geez Walker might get 14 touches in a quarter in the middle, he might not, but it cant hurt in seeing if some of these guys can play in any other posititions, obviously most of them arent doing there jobs in the positions they are in at the moment, so change it!!!!

Agree if we get to 10 goals down... if we start pegging it back let's see what happens

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Would have been a good call if you had posted it before the start of the game.

 

[Blah Blah Blue]

1.
wake up to yourself, perhaps the ''holiday'' was Players actually enjoying training after a great win. Did they get ahead of themselves, maybe, not sure you picked it [in hindsight you did!!!, maybe??]
2.
The Hawks were HOT, everything they did in the first 1/2 came off.
3.
Dennis was controlled and made the moves required, not knee jerks that the uneducated would make.
4.
will agree today was terribly disappointing however the second 1/2 comeback was exciting and augers well for next week. Will we win? Tough game, we will be competitive.
5.
a young, relatively inexperienced group will have days like today. They will learn and move forward.

 

[mrkyuss]

Ok Ill announce it before it happens then- we will not win another game for the year.

 

[Thrawn]

We will probably win against Collingwood... always have that knack even when we're ****.

That said, I did have a bad feeling about this game. We were expected to win vs Richmond and/or Sydney too because we were playing better than them at that stage. Look what happens, we let ourselves down, drop our heads, fall back to old habits.

McGrath on Franklin? Oh god... when I say that first thing that popped in my head was "tanking".

Hawthorn played well but we were no where to be seen in the first half. From beating a top 4 side to ... this.

 

[mick]

From an opposition supporters perspective I'm stunned that Blues supporters could criticise one of the greatest coaches in the modern era.

With apologies to Vince Lombardi, A great coach isn't someone who can make a thousand terrific tactical moves during a game, a great coach is one who can motiviate his players when all appears to be lost.

The Blues fought back from near on 10 goals in arrears to within three goals, without Pagan making a significant tactical move.

I'd be happy for Pagan to take on a mentoring role at Hawthorn next year if you blokes don't want him.

Ps: Fevola is a freakshow, he has to be AA and the most improved player in the comp. He has gone from being an unrealised talent to Elite in one year, I'd be giving Pagan some credit for that tranformation.

 

[Thrawn]

The reality is; we wouldn't be any different if Pagan wasn't coaching and Fevola would probably be playing for Adelaide now.

Although Pagan still has to take some of the blame. For instance putting McGrath on Franklin... he's our coach and should be responsilbe for ****house matchups like that. But we can't really blame him for players not following instructions, not putting their bodies in and playing dumb footy.

 

[as0l0]

maybe I missed something, but McGrath actually slowed Franklin down after he went on him?? At first I thought it was rediculous, but by the end I think it was a very good move...

Denis said that he put McGrath on Franklin because Franklin isn't noted for taking a lot of contested marks, but was killing us with his crumbing. Makes sense...

 

[Silvagnis]

But why can we beat or push a top 5 side and not a bottom four side?

Who is responsible for that fact and the slow starts?

It's been happening all year and we only turn it on when the game is over.

Pathetic.

I can only assume they took it too easily after last week's upset and expected to win just by showing up. Pagan is responsible for getting them up and motivated, but he can't do it until it's too late.

 

[Corrosion]

Our main problem is our lack of concentration. This is like the 10th time this year that we've shown up at half-time. We need to get this out of our system.

 

[stokesy]

We were hopeless in the first half, we needed a target at CHF.

 

[Lance]

Pagan said in his Press Conference, that they were back to their old habits, not playing the 4 quarters, and it's not good enough IMO. It's the coach's fault if he can't get the message through to the players to compete for the full 4 quarters. Last week against Melbourne we did it, but this week, maybe 2 1/2 quarters at best. Maybe they are tired of him? (Pagan) I was particulary disappointed with our lack of desire in the 1st quarter and a half, especially because we had to win to get off the bottom of the ladder. I thought we had more to play for, yet Hawthorn showed us the way. Also disappointed in some players.. Bentick, Carrazzo, Russell, Waite,Houlihan for not doing the hard things. French played a shocker, struggled up against their No. 2 ruckman, MUST try and draft a promising ruckman in draft. And Pagan, why did he put McGrath on Franklin? Why not try a similar sized player in Waite? He wasn't exactly setting the world on fire in the forward line? I don't think Pagan's coaching was very good today, or the players are just not listening to his instructions? If it wasn't for Fev, we would have been humiliated? Must draft a quality tall Key Defender, a midfielder, and a tall according to Pagan, and how right this is?

 

[as0l0]

^ did you notice Denis was half smiling in the press conference? He knows that this was a valuable lesson that the boys had to learn. Step 1 learn how to win, Step 2, learn what to do the next week.

 

[BlueBelle]

It's time the players had a long hard look at themselves. They only have themselves to blame for today's loss. IMO, I think the boys actually believe they are better than they really are and it is disappointing! They thought today would be an easy win and were never in the contest.

If the rumour is true and training this week was half hearted then I laugh at them cause they copped what they deserve.

SHAMEFUL and DISAPPOINTING!

 

[Jimthegreat]

From an opposition supporters perspective I'm stunned that Blues supporters could criticise one of the greatest coaches in the modern era.

With apologies to Vince Lombardi, A great coach isn't someone who can make a thousand terrific tactical moves during a game, a great coach is one who can motiviate his players when all appears to be lost.

The Blues fought back from near on 10 goals in arrears to within three goals, without Pagan making a significant tactical move.

I'd be happy for Pagan to take on a mentoring role at Hawthorn next year if you blokes don't want him.

Ps: Fevola is a freakshow, he has to be AA and the most improved player in the comp. He has gone from being an unrealised talent to Elite in one year, I'd be giving Pagan some credit for that tranformation.

Well mate, you're welcome to him. Please take him!! Pagan is absolutely incapable of motivating the players. Have a look at the results he's got here together with some of the corresponding efforts. Our 3 wins this year.......round 1, Kouta's 250th, the other two when Sticks gave inspiring speeches. Don't care what he did last century with the 'Roos he's lost it now. Anyway, good win by your team.

 

[Thrawn]

^ did you notice Denis was half smiling in the press conference? He knows that this was a valuable lesson that the boys had to learn. Step 1 learn how to win, Step 2, learn what to do the next week.

Lesson? A lesson that has been taught a lot of times over the past few years at that.

Pfft, valuable lesson. Similar thing happened at the start of the year. The players know we're not that good, so how the hell would they have the mindset of just "turning up" to ensure a win?

It doesn't make any sense. A lot of our players are just - dumb. Yes, dumb.

 

[MeeSo]

It doesn't make any sense. A lot of our players are just - dumb. Yes, dumb.

People will blame Pagan for being unable to motivate the players but I think the players need to have a good look at themselves.

 

[as0l0]

Pfft, valuable lesson. Similar thing happened at the start of the year. The players know we're not that good, so how the hell would they have the mindset of just "turning up" to ensure a win?.

because they are good and they know they are good. they just beat a top 4 team the week before and they were still celebrating when they walked onto the MCG this week.

 

[Thrawn]

because they are good and they know they are good. they just beat a top 4 team the week before and they were still celebrating when they walked onto the MCG this week.

We've won 3 games this year. Our potential is great but atm they are just bursts.

We get pummeled by middle of the road sides and sturggle against the 3rd last team for a half of football. THAT tells me we're not good... yet.

You can't tell me we are good based on our ladder position and %. The players have to find it in themselves that they can put these sorts of bursts on the park more - they have to realise that they CAN be better than what they are now.

You can point to close losses to decent sides, but that doesn't mask the fact that we've been pretty ordinary, more often than not. Hence, why would the players turn up and expect a win when they are in danger of finishing on the bottom? You can't be serious?

 

[jj1978]

I feel sick... FULL STOP.

So we have a win here and there... the boys can't feel they're hot shish!

We won last week by 7 points to an under-manned Melbourne.

We have not won a game by a decent margin for years, and when we win there are times during the game when we feel like we're about to lose.

These boys need to be worked hard, very hard this next 3 weeks. They are a blight on all of us.... we respect them enough to watch them week in week out and buy our memberships. They can have the respect to us and come to play for 4 quarters.. I can accept a loss if we lose by playing but today not one member of the team should be patted on the back for all of them played like crud the first half.

 

[avid blue supporter]

We will probably win against Collingwood... always have that knack even when we're ****.

That said, I did have a bad feeling about this game. We were expected to win vs Richmond and/or Sydney too because we were playing better than them at that stage. Look what happens, we let ourselves down, drop our heads, fall back to old habits.

McGrath on Franklin? Oh god... when I say that first thing that popped in my head was "tanking".

Hawthorn played well but we were no where to be seen in the first half. From beating a top 4 side to ... this.

Hawthorn were lucky that Carlton didn't turn up until after the first qtr, because if the Blues had decided to play the whole game the way they did last week, then I don't think they would have got within 4 goals of us. But, as the old saying goes if you don't turn 100% switched on and ready to play don't bother turning up at all.

Forget the crap about an inspired fightback, where was the leadership from Kouta, Stevens, Whitnall, Fev and the other so called Leadership group to help the young blokes cope with what Hawthorn threw at them in the first qtr and a bit. They were pathetic and put in the worst performance I have seen for 18 months, I nearly went home at 1/4 time.

It was a bloody disgraceful load of crap. The sooner they realise that winning is about turning up everyweek then we all might be able to celebrate. Let's hope Pagan gives them a nice old workout on the track this week to drive home the point!

On the point of Kouta, don't anyone tell me that he is worth anything more than what is now being offered. The only way I would pay him more is on a performance basis and. if he doesn't like that, let's farewell him gracefully against Coillingwood, let him ride off into the sunset with our thanks and let us get on building a side that can win a flag.

 

[as0l0]

We've won 3 games this year. Our potential is great but atm they are just bursts.

We get pummeled by middle of the road sides and sturggle against the 3rd last team for a half of football. THAT tells me we're not good... yet.

You can't tell me we are good based on our ladder position and %. The players have to find it in themselves that they can put these sorts of bursts on the park more - they have to realise that they CAN be better than what they are now.

You can point to close losses to decent sides, but that doesn't mask the fact that we've been pretty ordinary, more often than not. Hence, why would the players turn up and expect a win when they are in danger of finishing on the bottom? You can't be serious?

based on ladder position and % you could never say that we are good. Based on what we have seen this year, we have seen probably 75% good play (not great) and 25% utter crap. Now last year the numbers were reversed.

Even moreso, I think individuals have moved forward 2 and 3 steps, while the team as a whole has only moved forward 1 or 2 steps.

If a 3 or 4 things had happened differently today, we would have won and everyone would be on the bandwagon. They didn't go that way and so everyone has jumped off (unlike during the week).

I do think we are good and I made that point before the game and I'm happy to make it again after the game.

I expect a much better return from our side next year. I think we might sneak into the finals.

 

[ShlomoGlickstein]

The last Dawks v Cartlon game was the last one I went to this year. I knew then we were a bottom four team and we're even worse now! I guess we improved over our last loss by 9 points. Thats a pretty good workrate by our current Pagan-era statistical-standards.

Where were the shleppers Waite and Fisher today, and our hardy-midfield? Pagan was praising the development of Houlihan today on MMM!

 

[AlecDuncan]

Where were the shleppers Waite and Fisher today, and our hardy-midfield? Pagan was praising the development of Houlihan today on MMM!

"Hardy" or "Hardly"? Our midfield will continue to be our achilles heel until we get an A-grade ruckman, and two more A-grade on-ballers. Fact of life chums.

Hawthon always had a big midfield edge on paper, and today they brought it to the ground - we don't have one midfielder (well, Murphy is, but he's not playing) as good as Hodge or Mitchell. When Blackwell, Russell, Bentick and Houlihan get 30 possessions between them we're gonna get caned. Disgraceful effort from those individuals.

Oh, and I'm tipping that Fev won't be bragging about "The Glove" next time he's on The Footy Show.