Time to get positive. Things aren't as bad as they seem.

[Daniltchenko You Beauty]

Some of our best players this year have been formerly lesser players like Wright, Jacobs, Taz, Brown. That augers well for us if the rest of the side can get its act together and we have a better run with injury.

Our entire midfield has been poor so far - Spitta, JZ, no idea what's up with Cunners, no Wells or NDS. Waite has barely fired a shot and is capable of winning games off his own boot. JMac, Lmac injury niggles. No Hansen!!

So much upside in this squad.

 

[KangaRooster]

Good thread Marksup.

I think once we get a close to full strength side back on the park and return to playing our brand of footy with some semblence of consistency that people will get the faith back.

Hopefully sooner rather than later.

 

[Pike13]

We put ourselves under a ton of pressure by mishandling the ball, doing U-turns, floating kicks on the switch of play, missing a target 30m with an uncontested short pass which sees the pressure build. There is a level of garbage floating around in our play you don't expect to see at suburban footy from the better teams.

We are meant to be a professional football club.

Agreed once again. Nice to see the players that have stepped up, for instance Wright, but there's a lot that need to join him. Still I would've taken 50/50 at this point, so hopefully the skill level & decision making can improve.

 

[Only Forwards]

What I will concede is that at the start of the year I thought we might challenge for a flag. Whilst we may still get to Top 4 with a bit of luck, I doubt we're good enough in too many areas to really go all the way.

Marstermind I find myself reading your posts and nodding along as you express pretty much where I feel the team is at.

I think that our losses have shown us to not yet be the mature side I thought that we would be, one driven by the finals experience and ultimately the finals failure last year. That was gone in Q1 Round 1 and I have yoyo'd as to where I think we are actually headed.

It's pretty clear that we are missing some maturity on the outside, this hurts the midfield and in turn the forward line because the ball is coming in sideways.

There is a silver lining if we can get there, to cover the loss of the maturity on the outside (NDS, Wells, etc.) someone needs to step up and into and play that sort of role, if we can find someone to do that then from a longer term view the benefit is great.

I really want it to be Atley but I he's not having the best trot at the moment, I believe we will persist though, I also believe it will click for him in the back end of this year.

As to the part of your post I quoted, right now it is accurate for mine, However in 10 rounds we may have a whole side(more so the higher rated players) in some decent form with some of our mid ranked players having dragged us through our slow start to the year. That happens and who knows.

 

[Saintly31]

Things aren't all doom and gloom, but regardless of our win loss record we are not playing great footy.

Our skill level is just terrible too often, plus too many guys refuse to work hard enough.

In saying that, we can only get better so from that point of view, fingers crossed we lift and can start playing better footy.

To be a legitimate contender we have to go up a couple of gears so to speak.

 

[HBFlanker]

Were a huge chance to roll Freo at Subi, they are more than due for a loss and we did it last year.

Im confident

 

[scooby1279]

Were a huge chance to roll Freo at Subi, they are more than due for a loss and we did it last year.

Im confident

don't we play Essendon this week? Lets take it one week at a time

 

[Contra Mundum]

Yeah Nah. Had we hit this season primed as opposed to this half arsed, we start the season badly so deal with it mentality, we would at least be second and giving head to ourselves. Do we want to win the Premiership or simply make up the numbers come finals time? Sure things can turn and I hope they do but another s**t start to the season is s**t. The concern on this forum is warranted. :stern look

Yeh media hype = North Kryptonite

 

[Kimbo]

Were a huge chance to roll Freo at Subi, they are more than due for a loss and we did it last year.

Im confident

Based on "they're due for a loss"? Okay.

Based on form so far, we'll get smacked.

 

[Mr. Blonde]

These type of threads always go the same way, it is the glass-half-emptys vs the glass-half-fulls for a while before some good balanced posts bring some sanity back. The thread then goes away for a couple of weeks before bobbing up again.

As for my opinion, I think we are in a reasonable position given the draw we've had and the players we've lost to injury. If we can hang around the 6th-9th mark until the round 13 bye then the draw opens up beautifully for us, we should have guys like NDS, Wells, Grima back up and going, and we will hopefully have no new significant injuries (fingers crossed).

We aren't playing great, but I think it's the new level of whole-ground pressure that every club has adopted this year that makes games look a bit scrappier. Stick with us over the next few weeks, I am still more than confident we will have a great season this year.

 

[GarnerSmash]

These type of threads always go the same way, it is the glass-half-emptys vs the glass-half-fulls for a while before some good balanced posts bring some sanity back. The thread then goes away for a couple of weeks before bobbing up again.

As for my opinion, I think we are in a reasonable position given the draw we've had and the players we've lost to injury. If we can hang around the 6th-9th mark until the round 13 bye then the draw opens up beautifully for us, we should have guys like NDS, Wells, Grima back up and going, and we will hopefully have no new significant injuries (fingers crossed).

We aren't playing great, but I think it's the new level of whole-ground pressure that every club has adopted this year that makes games look a bit scrappier. Stick with us over the next few weeks, I am still more than confident we will have a great season this year.

Balance??

A novel approach on Bigfooty.


Kudos to you good sir and good luck.

 

[Contra Mundum]

Based on "they're due for a loss"? Okay.

Based on form so far, we'll get smacked.

They are a really scarey side - got to love Pav

 

[Kimbo]

They are a really scarey side - got to love Pav

If he plays for Freo, no I don't. Two WA teams top two? Nightmare material.

 

[HBFlanker]

Based on "they're due for a loss"? Okay.

Based on form so far, we'll get smacked.

Thats very negative.

we play subiaco well. Big crowds suit our run and carry. Im confident.

Taz will stitch up pavlich and ziebes will run through Fyfe at the bounce

 

[Contra Mundum]

If he plays for Freo, no I don't. Two WA teams top two? Nightmare material.

Apologies Kimbo - Monday morning softness - by the time we play them I will hate his guts. You can take boy out of Freo etc etc. I just remember all the s**t I got for sticking with the Roos when the Weagles started and the hate floods back

 

[Kimbo]

These type of threads always go the same way, it is the glass-half-emptys vs the glass-half-fulls for a while before some good balanced posts bring some sanity back.

My glass is less full than in previous years, due in part to rising expectations and the age and experience profile of the team. I have 'lost all hope' of us being genuine contender - that is, I don't subscribe to the 'make top four and anything is possible' idea, but I do hate the polarising that goes on which puts you in one camp or the other. It's irritating.

I expected to see the belief gained from last years finals experience and another year of maturity translate into more consistency and a greater capacity to perform in high pressure situations which hasn't turned out to be the case. I'm now doubtful it will with this group, or with this coach and I've got a long record of supporting Brad and being a "glass half full" guy. I don't see the steel and/or mongrel needed. edit: or leadership.

Yes, you'll take winning ugly. Yes, there is potentially more upside to the team when injured players get back and when we find our groove. Yes, the finals are a different scenario, but I don't fancy taking on the likes of Freo or Sydney or Port away in a final. The only serious Melbourne contender are the Hawks and unless we're at home, I fear any finals campaign will be fruitless other than to say we made finals and perhaps won one (or two if we're lucky).

I'm also not enjoying the way we're playing, regardless of ladder and prospects. It's not just ugly it's unskilled and dumb.

 

[Kimbo]

Thats very negative.

we play subiaco well. Big crowds suit our run and carry. Im confident.

Taz will stitch up pavlich and ziebes will run through Fyfe at the bounce

I said 'based on form'. If you think that's 'very negative' I don't know what to say.

Jack or someone this week running through Fyfe will go a long way to helping, for sure, but if that's what we're counting on, what does that say?

 

[shintemaster]

These type of threads always go the same way, it is the glass-half-emptys vs the glass-half-fulls for a while before some good balanced posts bring some sanity back. The thread then goes away for a couple of weeks before bobbing up again.

As for my opinion, I think we are in a reasonable position given the draw we've had and the players we've lost to injury. If we can hang around the 6th-9th mark until the round 13 bye then the draw opens up beautifully for us, we should have guys like NDS, Wells, Grima back up and going, and we will hopefully have no new significant injuries (fingers crossed).

We aren't playing great, but I think it's the new level of whole-ground pressure that every club has adopted this year that makes games look a bit scrappier. Stick with us over the next few weeks, I am still more than confident we will have a great season this year.

Agree on this. Games are scrappy and I expect us to pick up a bit as the season goes on. 2014 was the latest this team had played for almost a decade.

Just on the injury returns. Serious question (not necessarily for you). If Grima is back and fit does he get a game?

Balance??

A novel approach on Bigfooty.


Kudos to you good sir and good luck.

And we never saw him again...

 

[Only Forwards]

If Grima is back and fit does he get a game?

I think that you are talking about something that would be maybe 10 weeks away.

Who knows where we are at by then.

 

[shintemaster]

I think that you are talking about something that would be maybe 10 weeks away.

Who knows where we are at by then.

Yeah agree, not worried about it. Just a thought that crossed my mind. Obviously Tarrant's injury history doesn't necessarily allow us to block him in regardless of his success so far. More of a hypothetical as I was pondering Scott Thompson's form or lack thereof and wondering whether a fit Grima would get in based on a fully backline at the moment and even whether he might dislodge Scott - probably an unthinkable thought less than 12 months ago.

 

[Only Forwards]

More of a hypothetical as I was pondering Scott Thompson's form or lack thereof and wondering whether a fit Grima would get in based on a fully backline at the moment and even whether he might dislodge Scott - probably an unthinkable thought less than 12 months ago.

If all fit right now that is the move I would make.

Out Hunter
In Narni

Based purely on form

however all fit and firing and someone is unlucky.

 

[Horace]

These type of threads always go the same way, it is the glass-half-emptys vs the glass-half-fulls for a while before some good balanced posts bring some sanity back. The thread then goes away for a couple of weeks before bobbing up again.

As for my opinion, I think we are in a reasonable position given the draw we've had and the players we've lost to injury. If we can hang around the 6th-9th mark until the round 13 bye then the draw opens up beautifully for us, we should have guys like NDS, Wells, Grima back up and going, and we will hopefully have no new significant injuries (fingers crossed).

We aren't playing great, but I think it's the new level of whole-ground pressure that every club has adopted this year that makes games look a bit scrappier. Stick with us over the next few weeks, I am still more than confident we will have a great season this year.

And there it is from Mr. Blonde, a good balanced post bringing back some sanity. Thank goodness.

Much much better than one of Tas's typically negative posts. Has Tas ever posted anything remotely positive? The (North Melbourne) world is indeed a very dark dark place it seems when viewed through Tas's eyes.

 

[Horace]

I think that you are talking about something that would be maybe 10 weeks away.

Who knows where we are at by then.

Narni stated on Channel Baz on Saturday, that he is 12 weeks into a 16 to 18 week recovery program.

 

[LETSGOKANGAS]

We are playing lacklustre football.

Agree. This is why everything is not rosey.

We are playing pretty ugly "hope for a turnover" footy.

Midfield needs to lift.

 

[Ohhh Errol]

the glass is less than half full and dropping. Petrie Boomer wells Waite nds, Scott T all getting on, black, Garner and harper going going gone, (I'm now viewing Garner in the same light as other ever injured hopefuls) and the young players actually getting games are not developing as expected Bar one or two.

if you want a full glass, you need to start topping it up and you can't use that shitty carton sitting in the fridge door for the last week. picking it up and shaking the same dregs will not all of a sudden create a full carton.
higgins and nds are very decent pick ups. in my opinion, and have been saying it for 4 years like the rest of us, we need the equivalent of re drafting Boomer and wells as 18 year Olds, plus one or two more like em to upgrade on some others.


We needed everything to go right with the list and picks available. It hasn't. We've basically been handed Carlton like draft sanctions. 17 15 17 17 our first rounders, that's like missing out on the old round one for four years, during a rebuild ffs.

There is absolutely nothing to suggest a period of dominance is coming.

our best hope is a Bradbury flag which I would grab with two hands.

Question marks over Tarrants longevity, Grima is done, petrie close to the end, Waite is no centerpiece, thompson ain't what he used to be. Hansen could relapse, Nielson does the AcL durdin is a few seasons off the pace and we got a toiler in EVW.

Goldie could go down, Ben Brown has done one ACL already.

People, it is more likely it can get a lot worse fast, than a lot better. Sheer probabilities are well tipped in failures favour.

I just want to see fluent football like everyone else here, after all these years we still don't. Then u factor in the negatives...flag influencing positives are a lot harder to come by in football.