AFL Autopsy Smashed by port

[fpm84]

Flogging a dead horse I know but if we ask for a priority pick the AFL will just say "you turned down three first rounders because you were absolutely certain you were flag bound".

Welsh is the one that needs to be sacked. One of the dumbest decisions in sporting history.

And the worst part is that people defend it!!! "Oh it wasn't 12 consecutive number one picks so it wasn't good enough to justify getting rid of a 30 year old player who no longer gives a stuff."

As an outsider I have enormous respect for Essendon for turning the offer down.

None of those picks would have remotely moved the needle for you.

The onus was on Hawthorn to stump up a ready made player and they refused to do it (just like my team did with Curnow, and we missed out too).

 

[Blind Turn]

Merrett is elite in our team but a fair way off the best in the comp. Looked disinterested at times and won't push through walls for us this year.

Should have never offered him a new contract this early.

I don’t agree with the proposed contract offer. That’s a different story altogether.

There’s no doubt we’ve got ourselves into a political/cultural knot that seems almost impossible to unravel without discarding the rope and starting again. Do we stick with the rope we have, as red and black as it is, or do we go a seismic shift and reimagine the club? A brand new red and black rope might work better at this point. I can’t even make a hangman’s noose out of the dirty old frayed rope we currently have. The strands in the cable are self-incriminating.

 

[southern_crusher]

Only 6 pages after a humiliating loss like that speaks volumes. Most are beyond caring anymore.

 

[BrewSmackerVeiny]

I went to the game, Port were very far from impressive, and they did us by 10 goals easily.
We are in big trouble.

 

[Happyskeret]

It’s annoying that our most winnable games are early because hopefully we will be far better as the season ends.

Can’t be much worse in terms of effort/application than we were today.

It’s a good point you make. I think what the AFL has chosen is that they will punish bad skill teams. We all know we turn the ball over more than a bad bush footy team. We were right in the hawks game until we got tired. Didn’t execute and I guess if you can’t execute and you make a lot of skill errors you deserve to be punished! I’m tired of watching this team that can’t defined and why is our forward line constantly outnumbered compared to the opposition?

It’s annoying that our most winnable games are early because hopefully we will be far better as the season ends.

Can’t be much worse in terms of effort/application than we were today.

thats what I thought last week! But hopefully week 3 they will show something

 

[FootyGuru]

One positive is kondgiannis, kako, Johnson and caddy were all amongst our best players. First and second year players. Our senior guys suck and have taken us no where.

 

[ant555]

Captain and coach don’t scream inspiration to me. Either does a forward who cannot mark.

Not going to say you are wrong. There is a lot wrong with Essendon at the moment.

 

[BomberManU]

We all know we turn the ball over more than a bad bush footy team.

This was at half time...

 

[FootyGuru]

This was at half time...View attachment 2559115

The modern game is a kicking competition. Who can run hard enough to get in a dangerous position to receive kicks. Who can effectively take the most aggressive kicks without mistakes. We can’t kick and we don’t have guys who have done enough pre seasons to run hard enough offensively to create or defensively to cover our mistakes.

 

[BomberManU]

The modern game is a kicking competition. Who can run hard enough to get in a dangerous position to receive kicks. Who can effectively take the most aggressive kicks without mistakes. We can’t kick and we don’t have guys who have done enough pre seasons to run hard enough offensively to create or defensively to cover our mistakes.

There's the 'physical' aspect - poor skills, not fit enough etc, but we also run to the wrong spots. Some very confused looking players out there, at times.

 

[Cup_o_Jobe]

I didn't jump on the hysteria last week as hawks are a likely top 6 side and it could have been an off week. But this was really grim. No discernable game plan and a lot of kids look lost. It is one thing to say wait for the kids to develop, but they need to have a clear system and the right support or that development may never come to pass or be stunted.

Scott needs to turn things around or he could be in strife. They'll give him time but if we get to say 0-10 (looks likely at this rate) knives will come out.

As an aside, seen a lot of "should have let Merrett" go takes, and I still don't get that stance. The late picks offered wouldn't move the needle for our rebuild (and for this past draft, may have gone to waste...at best we maybe draft dovaston instead of HEA). Having a bloke that knows how to get and stay fit run around at training (even if that's all he contributes this year) will do right by me.

 

[srobbo]

Only 6 pages after a humiliating loss like that speaks volumes. Most are beyond caring anymore.

Yeah supporters emotions pretty much mirroring that of the players.

 

[brutus76]

I'm not gonna pledge to stay here in the USA until we win a game. I don't have that much leave on the books (been here for almost 6 weeks).

Sorry y'all!

 

[BratPack]

Only 6 pages after a humiliating loss like that speaks volumes. Most are beyond caring anymore.

What is there to say? I'm not even joking, like what even can you say after that? 2/3rd's of the list clearly don't care so why should we?

 

[eDPS]

Comparing backlines

Port Adelaide 97 Kicks 16 Handballs
Aliir 21 Kicks 0 Handballs
Evans 18 Kicks 4 Handballs
Farrell 15 kicks 2 Handballs
Marshall 15 Kicks 0 Handballs
Mead 11 Kicks 5 Handballs
Ratugolea 10 Kicks 2 Handballs
Bergman 7 Kicks 3 Handballs

Essendon 57 Kicks 60 Handballs
Johnson 17 Kicks 9 Handballs
Reid 8 Kicks 6 Handballs
McGrath 7 Kicks 14 Handballs
McKay 3 Kicks 3 Handballs
Kondogiannis 4 Kicks 8 Handballs
Nguyen 0 Kicks 14 Handballs
Redman 4 Kicks 0 Handballs
Prior 14 Kicks 6 Handballs

 

[MiguelM]

One thing that is frustrating is we bang on about moving the ball faster only to handball incessantly then kick to a contest down the line, where we cannot take a contested mark.

We never look to pass it back through the corridoor. The risk is higher but that is how the best teams are playing.

Martin was about the only player who would regularly attempted this.

 

[MalooElCamino]

It seems like all the injured players who have come back have been told to take it "easy" or decided to on their on accord...
Id rather our ferrari striped spuds, get dropped / or moved on. Looking at you parish & Caldwell

 

[windyhill]

I think we’re at priority pick/afl help stage. What an absolute shit show this has become.

 

[brutus76]

If I didn't have the Melbourne Storm to counter our last 20 years of ineptness I'd be locked up in a looney bin somewhere.

 

[madrigal]

The modern game is a kicking competition.

What year did kicking become vitally important?

 

[ant555]

One thing that is frustrating is we bang on about moving the ball faster only to handball incessantly then kick to a contest down the line, where we cannot take a contested mark.

We never look to pass it back through the corridoor. The risk is higher but that is how the best teams are playing.

Martin was about the only player who would regularly attempted this.

Good sides have players with the foot skills to do it.

 

[FootyGuru]

What year did kicking become vitally important?

Always been important, but since the stand rule it’s the number 1 skill to have.

 

[carloss]

On The Couch makes it look even worse

 

[Nifft]

It’s annoying that our most winnable games are early because hopefully we will be far better as the season ends.

Can’t be much worse in terms of effort/application than we were today.

Based on our performance over recent years we don't get better towards the end of the season, which doesn't bode well.

 

[MiguelM]

Good sides have players with the foot skills to do it.

Foot skills (both feet) should be a non negotiable when recruiting. Called Football for a reason.

I bet not 1 soccer player gets close to the premier league without good foot skills. Bloody Dodoro

Team was fuul of skilled players in the 80s...Hawker, Mercs, Bewick...etc,etc