No Oppo Supporters The Melt Thread

[Fyfetheknife]

Don't worry Deboer will save our season......












Right?

No doubt.

 

[Pugz89]

Its all about mind set. Very poor. Just shows how important Sandi and Johnno are for leadership. Also, how hard it is when you dont drop down to recuit top end talent. Would love to know how many top 10 picks the dogs had playing today, as opposed to us.

Believe we had 4 top 10 picks. But we only got one of them by losing our captain who was an elite mid. Believe you had 1. We don't rely on top end picks only though. Johannisen, Picken, Wood, Morris and Matthew Boyd have all come through the rookie draft. The past two years, we haven't even had a first round pick at all. Anyway good luck to the Dockers for the rest of the year. I'm sure it's just a blip on the radar and RTB will have them up and going next week again.

 

[Righteo]

I heard a story once about how in 2006, after a poor start to the year, and before going on that winning streak that eventuated in a prelim against the swans, the players all took a trip to a farm, and spoke to each other. They had a meeting about how they were going, why they were so dissapointed about the season, what was going wrong, what they wanted out of each other, and just became closer as a group.
It resulted in Chris Connolly literally burning up their gameplan, in a bonfire, and the coaching staff telling the players to just go out there, have fun, enjoy themselves, and play the footy they want to play, with skill, flair, and as a team. We won 9 games in a row.

Today we didn't feel like a team. To me, the players minds are just so full of instructions and gameplan and structure that they aren't confident to break free and run and support and actually take the game on, just like the bulldogs did. When things break down, they panic, and they're uncertain about what to do, weary of not sticking to the plan. It's not just about 'going back to the basics', it's just playing with purpose, confidence and doing what they want to do. Yes we need a plan and a structure, but the players head's can't be so overstuffed that they have no room to move. Taberner especially. I'm not going to knock the kid, but use him as an example. It should be relatively straightforward for him. Present, mark, kick truly. But I think he's been fed so many instructions and information about what to do, where to go etc. that he's out of place and is just completely unconfident.

We have the skills. Yes, they weren't there today, but we do have them. We have the youth, we just need to have faith in them. This list can win a flag, but not with the 22 Ross picks every week, and not with whatever gameplan that was against the dogs.

I think Ross and the boy's need to go on a little trip, have a big heart to heart, clear their heads, and figure out the footy they want to play. Because that's not the fremantle I know.

I'm going to give it until the derby before really cracking the shits, if we can't get up for that I'll know something's seriously wrong, but I agree with the entirety of this.

 

[Ragtooth]

After watching the NAB I had no real expectations for the season. Top 8, maybe even top 4. Not hm else unless Bennell could ignite.
We've always had problems with quick sides with good footskills.
Exactly what WB are...

Yeah.... Personally, I see our lack of effort the most disheartening and sickening thing today. People can argue its the coach or our gameplan but all of it depends on effort. I remember games against great sides where the other team is more skilled but we've won out of pure grit and hard work. Freo CAN be like last year when we were blisteringly fast, using the corridor on lots of occasions and scoring freely! Today, for whatever reason, there was no effort at all. Bad skills or even weak game plan i can possibly take, but little to no effort, that's something else entirely. We are Freo, even if we're not skilled we show our purple heart and try like nothing else, there was none of that today. Give it to round 3 or 4 and if we are seeing the same thing as today, serious questions need to be asked. However after that "sunday stroll" display, fans and the media will be wanting blood!

Our game plan has been good enough to be the best period of our footballing history. I don't think we can adopt the 'hawks' gameplan and need to perfect ours, and it all starts with effort. If we can't bring effort than i don't know what to expect. That's what is hurting our purple passion the most right now, that's why it hurts so much.

 

[Fyfetheknife]

I'm going to give it until the derby before really cracking the shits, if we can't get up for that I'll know something's seriously wrong, but I agree with the entirety of this.

Why does it have to be rd3, and an eagles crowd too..

 

[DudleyDocker]

The problem can be summed up very simply. At quarter time Bullies were 7.1 (43) at full time we were 5.8 (38).

We will not beat the high scoring teams until we have the ability to score more. It is not a personnel issue, it is a game style issue.

When players are standing flat footed, kicking backwards into the worst possible position (back pockets) and turning the ball over consistently we become very easy to defend against, and will not score big scores. In the past I have heard our supporters (including myself) calling the Eagles flat track bullies, well I'm afraid that's what we have become. We can grind weaker teams into submission with our bigger bodies, but the good teams with pace and skill tear us a new one every time.

I just hope there is a change of game style in the wind, otherwise the next four years under Ross are going to be very long and painful.

 

[Righteo]

Why does it have to be rd3, and an eagles crowd too..

I'm just someone who needs some convincing. I'm also extremely fickle so come half time of the Gold Coast game I may be singing a different tune

Obviously I'm concerned by what I saw today but I'm still holding out hope it was an aberration. Giving up on the year after only one round is just too depressing for me.

 

[Dirty_banchez]

The problem can be summed up very simply. At quarter time Bullies were 7.1 (43) at full time we were 5.8 (38).

We will not beat the high scoring teams until we have the ability to score more. It is not a personnel issue, it is a game style issue.

When players are standing flat footed, kicking backwards into the worst possible position (back pockets) and turning the ball over consistently we become very easy to defend against, and will not score big scores. In the past I have heard our supporters (including myself) calling the Eagles flat track bullies, well I'm afraid that's what we have become. We can grind weaker teams into submission with our bigger bodies, but the good teams with pace and skill tear us a new one every time.

I just hope there is a change of game style in the wind, otherwise the next four years under Ross are going to be very long and painful.

I said it all last year. The good teams destroy you when given a chance. Freo gives you every chance to comeback and win.

 

[Mudd]

Why does it have to be rd3, and an eagles crowd too..

Because gold coast could be worse than us, we know the eagles are a top 4 team so it will be a legit test.

 

[Lach72]

The problem can be summed up very simply. At quarter time Bullies were 7.1 (43) at full time we were 5.8 (38).

We will not beat the high scoring teams until we have the ability to score more. It is not a personnel issue, it is a game style issue.

When players are standing flat footed, kicking backwards into the worst possible position (back pockets) and turning the ball over consistently we become very easy to defend against, and will not score big scores. In the past I have heard our supporters (including myself) calling the Eagles flat track bullies, well I'm afraid that's what we have become. We can grind weaker teams into submission with our bigger bodies, but the good teams with pace and skill tear us a new one every time.

I just hope there is a change of game style in the wind, otherwise the next four years under Ross are going to be very long and painful.

When you pick players who can't kick, who won't take the slightly risky option because, let's be frank, they **** up the basic options how can you play an attacking style?

 

[DudleyDocker]

Our game plan has been good enough to be the best period of our footballing history. I don't think we can adopt the 'hawks' gameplan and need to perfect ours, and it all starts with effort. If we can't bring effort than i don't know what to expect. That's what is hurting our purple passion the most right now, that's why it hurts so much.

Reality of the situation is that the AFL is trying to foster and encourage the style of game we saw today between the Eagles and Brisbane (166 - 102) and Port vs St Kilda (133 - 100).

They do not want to see grinding, hard fought wins of 82 points to 60 - it's about marketing the game in the same way as cricket is marketing T20. We are trying to play test cricket in a T20 arena and it's not going to work for us. Sure, we will win some games, we may even get to the finals, but I think you will see this year the teams that can score quickly and heavily will be the teams in the top positions. Even Sydney have gone from their traditional grinding game style to a fast, attacking style.

We can blame personnel, but I think the Eagles proved that the personnel who were absolute crap under the stodgy Worsfold game plan have become superstars under the Simpson attacking game plan. We have the personnel, we just don't yet have the plan or the confidence to achieve that yet. Maybe we need a year like Simpson's Eagles had in 2014 - if that is the case let's have it!

 

[Lach72]

For example: did you see that kick Bennell hit Sonny with against Geelong?

Maybe Sonny and Hill could hit that pass...now extrapolate that lack across the paddock and there you have our problem.

While we have guys who's KPI is miles run rather than targets hit, we're ****ed.

Weller, Langdon, Blakely, Tucker will get fitter.

Barlow, Mayne, Mzungu, Suban, Clancee, DeBoer and to a lesser extent Spurr aren't becoming better kicks.

 

[DudleyDocker]

When you pick players who can't kick, who won't take the slightly risky option because, let's be frank, they **** up the basic options how can you play an attacking style?

Lach72 look back at the Eagles of 2010 - 2014 and see how many crabs and poorly skilled players they had. Guys like Priddis, Masten, Gaff, Shuey, Shepherd. Now, amazingly they all have great skills!

The difference is that now when they are disposing of the ball they have some idea where it should go, they have players making space for them and they seem to actually be enjoying their footy. Our guys look like they are terrified the ball will come to them in case they have to make a decision.

Their guys skills have improved ours have gone backwards - see Barlow, Mayne, Ballas examples. Did their skills deteriorate or did our game plan just get so damned predictable that everything we do now is under pressure, either real or perceived?

 

[Clems Knee]

heir guys skills have improved ours have gone backwards - see Barlow, Mayne, Ballas examples. Did their skills deteriorate or did our game plan just get so damned predictable that everything we do now is under pressure, either real or perceived?

Predictable or complex / complicated?

 

[DudleyDocker]

For example: did you see that kick Bennell hit Sonny with against Geelong?

Maybe Sonny and Hill could hit that pass...now extrapolate that lack across the paddock and there you have our problem.

While we have guys who's KPI is miles run rather than targets hit, we're stuffed.

Weller, Langdon, Blakely, Tucker will get fitter.

Barlow, Mayne, Mzungu, Suban, Clancee, DeBoer and to a lesser extent Spurr aren't becoming better kicks.

Mate, we are in violent agreement, I just think it's a question of WHY our skills are so bad at the moment.

I watched Peel yesterday and I can assure you that Langdon and Blakely made just as many skill errors as the guys out there today, and that was at a WAFL level without the Bullies' manic pressure.

It is not JUST a personnel issue, because today I saw Stephen Hill and Sonny Walters miss easy targets too and they are as skilled as anyone in the AFL. It's about having the courage to take the game on and attack, and we just don't do that. I would be much happier to see our guys taking the game on and making mistakes rather than standing flat footed, looking around like a deer in the headlights then turning the ball over with a 20 metre lateral pass.

That to me is not lack of skill, that is lack of a working game plan. Hopefully it is fixable!

 

[meima]

Predictable or complex / complicated?

You tell me, you got all the answer, after today I don't know what kind brand of style freo want to play. All I see is a bigger body peel thunder side.

 

[DudleyDocker]

Predictable or complex / complicated?

That too Clems Knee. I watched the Eagles play and it's a simple game - get the ball, give it to a fast moving player alongside or FORWARD of you, not behind you, find the loose guys in the forward line who swoop in and kick an easy goal.

Rinse and repeat. It's just about work ethic and absolute confidence in a game plan that works.

 

[PurpleWizard]

It's instinctive football that we lack. Bullies and West Coast both today went the first fast option every time, if they had space they ran, they don't think they act. We don't.

It's also structure ahead of the ball. Yes we don't have the skills and dare to get the ball past centre forward but often there's only one person on the wing to kick to who has 3 players on him.

 

[Lach72]

Mate, we are in violent agreement, I just think it's a question of WHY our skills are so bad at the moment.

I watched Peel yesterday and I can assure you that Langdon and Blakely made just as many skill errors as the guys out there today, and that was at a WAFL level without the Bullies' manic pressure.

It is not JUST a personnel issue, because today I saw Stephen Hill and Sonny Walters miss easy targets too and they are as skilled as anyone in the AFL. It's about having the courage to take the game on and attack, and we just don't do that. I would be much happier to see our guys taking the game on and making mistakes rather than standing flat footed, looking around like a deer in the headlights then turning the ball over with a 20 metre lateral pass.

That to me is not lack of skill, that is lack of a working game plan. Hopefully it is fixable!

Maybe.
I was thinking today that Ross' contract extension was partly to keep him here (obviously) but also an acknowledgement by management that our goose is cooked and Ross is signed on for the rebuild.

That he's got the best out of what we have, that Bennell and McCarthy/Hooker/Hogan are part of the grand plan, but we're going to bottom out with the coach signed for the long haul...

 

[DudleyDocker]

Maybe.
I was thinking today that Ross' contract extension was partly to keep him here (obviously) but also an acknowledgement by management that our goose is cooked and Ross is signed on for the rebuild.

That he's got the best out of what we have, that Bennell and McCarthy/Hooker/Hogan are part of the grand plan, but we're going to bottom out with the coach signed for the long haul...

It is easy to get disheartened after an effort like today buddy, but we do still have an awful lot of high end talent on our list. Even the Hawks have shockers from time to time, so it's not all doom and gloom.

It ****ing well will be if we don't change things up a bit though

 

[Lach72]

It is easy to get disheartened after an effort like today buddy, but we do still have an awful lot of high end talent on our list. Even the Hawks have shockers from time to time, so it's not all doom and gloom.

It ******* well will be if we don't change things up a bit though

Ha if you'd watched my posting I've been crapping on like this since we beat North Melbourne last year.
Last time we played "good" footy I reckon, not just ground out wins

 

[Mudd]

Maybe.
I was thinking today that Ross' contract extension was partly to keep him here (obviously) but also an acknowledgement by management that our goose is cooked and Ross is signed on for the rebuild.

If management thought we are cooked we would have played more youth through the NAB, before today I'm sure they believed we were still challenging.

I wasn't even furious about today's result, nothing we did over the NAB showed that our style has changed, I wish I had got down to training in the off season to see what we were actually doing.

 

[electricfeel]

We played as if it was the last round and we were already cooked. We didn't seem like a team today. There was no fire or effort. Like Ross said, we went in as if it were a Sunday stroll in the park... very, very disappointing.

Game plan needs changing.
Coaching team needs to get the boys passionate again.
Old plodders need removing from the best 22.
Inject some enthusiastic, fresh and skilful (well, at least more skilful than what we've currently got) youth - Weller, Langdon, Alex Pearce, Blakely, Hughes, even Tucker all need consistent game time at some stage sooner rather than later.
More heart and effort.

 

[Banker]

It's unbelievable that even Essendon scored more than us.

I think Fyfe might have to sacrifice another potential Brownlow and become a full time forward. Otherwise a change in game plan needs to happen to help the forwards at least get the ball.

 

[Mudd]

I think Fyfe might have to sacrifice another potential Brownlow and become a full time forward. Otherwise a change in game plan needs to happen to help the forwards at least get the ball.

Fyfe seemed to be the only one out there today who could hit a target going inside 50.