What's gone wrong with Melbourne in 2019?

[Gysberts2Bate]

I'll take your word for it regarding Petracca. But IMO whilst 18 touches and a goal per game is decent return he could offer so much more.

He should be turned into a quality midfielder with his abilities, where he can provide that dynamism your midfield is currently lacking.

Get him a lot fitter and that possession count will go up by another 7/8 naturally. I feel there's a GAJ like big leap for him if he pulls his finger out like GAJ did over the '06 break.

Hopefully Darren Burgess does a number on him. Certainly worked for Robbie Gray in 2014, went from 17 possessions and .75 goals per game to 25 possessions and 1.68 goals per game

 

[dumdum]

have to agree with what Leigh Matthews says here https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/leig...iled-to-keep-up-with-footy-evolution-c-405400

 

[Damon_3388]

I'll take your word for it regarding Petracca. But IMO whilst 18 touches and a goal per game is decent return he could offer so much more.

He should be turned into a quality midfielder with his abilities, where he can provide that dynamism your midfield is currently lacking.

Get him a lot fitter and that possession count will go up by another 7/8 naturally. I feel there's a GAJ like big leap for him if he pulls his finger out like GAJ did over the '06 break.

Hopefully Darren Burgess does a number on him. Certainly worked for Robbie Gray in 2014, went from 17 possessions and .75 goals per game to 25 possessions and 1.68 goals per game

Petracca is listed at 186cm and 96kg. He's not one of these 6'3"-6'4" big-bodied mids with natural key position size. He just carries more body size than he actually needs. He could and should drop 10kg, and become a much more effective footballer. He wouldn't lose his power, but it would probably allow for many more repeat efforts.

He should be going to the coaching and fitness staff and saying "I want to be a full-time midfielder in 2020", and kicking off his pre-season on Monday, November 4, giving himself a solid six months to transform his body and career trajectory. If his teammates aren't injured or having off-season surgeries, they should be following suit.

 

[Toump Ass]

Reminds me of this thread that I started a while back - Who Has the Better Collection of Young Talent - Collingwood or Melbourne? (09/10/2009, with team lists updated as of 08/05/2010).

Interesting thread.

TBH I think Melbourne's younger list stacked up pretty well. From the under 23's (apologies if I missed a few):
Melbourne: Scully, Trengove, Watts, Jurrah, Frawley, Nathan Jones, Gawn, Stef Martin, Jack Grimes, Wonna, Dunn, Garland

Collingwood: Beams, N. Brown, Cloke, Dawes, McCarthy, Macaffer, Lumumba, Pendlebury, Reid, Sidebottom, Goldsack, Dale Thomas, Wellingham, Alan Toovey.

Impossible to say if Wonaeamerri and Jurrah could have successfully transitioned as AFL players at a better resourced club, or know if Grimes and Trengove could have had actual careers if they were under a different medical team.

On the other hand I'm fairly certain Melbourne's development could have successfully derailed at least a few of those Collingwood players careers.

"Talent" doesn't guarantee success. You still need to coach and develop the players.

 

[footyfan1978]

They got rid of the Red Fox

 

[Toump Ass]

Players turning up out of shape for the off season
Off season surgeries to key players, some cases multiple surgeries
Giving up pick 6 for May and Kolodjashnij, KK may never play again with his concussion history and May was arguably the worst offender in terms of being under prepared physically.
Trading Hogan without really rectifying the loss with another key forward
Injuries to key players in 2019, particularly Widerman and Tom McDonald.

We won two finals without Hogan (who was missing from our best wins), but without a decent backman we were slaughtered by Darling and Kennedy in the prelim.

Our forward line with a fit Tom McDonald and Jake Melksham (32 goals, 33 goal assists last season) will help next year, and hopefully Weideman can cement his spot too.

Agree that Brad Hill would help, but in any case our problems are coaching more than personnel.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Petracca is listed at 186cm and 96kg. He's not one of these 6'3"-6'4" big-bodied mids with natural key position size. He just carries more body size than he actually needs. He could and should drop 10kg, and become a much more effective footballer. He wouldn't lose his power, but it would probably allow for many more repeat efforts.

He should be going to the coaching and fitness staff and saying "I want to be a full-time midfielder in 2020", and kicking off his pre-season on Monday, November 4, giving himself a solid six months to transform his body and career trajectory. If his teammates aren't injured or having off-season surgeries, they should be following suit.

That's what I'm saying. I 100% agree.

 

[Black Child]

Melbourne when Roos took over were coming off a 17th place finish.
This was in 2013.
Fast forward six years and they've finished the 2019 season in 17th place.

Roos was hailed as the messiah by all and sundry.
The media were all giving him credit saying he fixed Melbourne.
Did he really fix them though given their current predicament?

 

[captain blood 17]

Check out Roos smart arse, smarmy speech at the Melbourne 2016 B & F. It’s a cracker.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Roos protects his brand

Consultant coach refusing to take responsibilty.

Sells monorails

 

[captain blood 17]

Roos protects his brand

Consultant coach refusing to take responsibilty.

Sells monorails

Actually a great way to put it.

 

[beta_condition]

TBF Roos really can't help it if his successor cant coach for s**t

 

[RobbieK]

Roos took over a total basket case of a club with no culture. He oversaw a pretty comprehensive rebuild, it took some time but each season they won more games than the season before. He handed over to his assistant with the team on the brink of making finals again and the team continued to track on their projected progression and made a Preliminary Final. It looked pretty clearly like things had turned around and most people were tipping them for a top 4 finish this season. It certainly looked like he had fixed them.

Fast forward 12 months and they are a rabble again. What's going on?

I think it is too early to tell. Maybe this year is an aberration and they are back in the mix next year? If it isn't, though, you would have to believe that whatever it looked like Roos had achieved wasn't a solid enough foundation for the club to maintain without him.

Surely, though, this current situation should speak a lot more about those who ARE still at the club than those who aren't?

 

[Toump Ass]

The media were all giving him credit saying he fixed Melbourne.

It wasn't just the media who were fooled.. there plenty of flogs on bigfooty who thought Melbourne were premiership contenders last year. I mean check out this thread some numpty started:

Was 2018 Melbourne's one shot at a flag?

I know they're expected to bounce back next year. However it's likely that 2018 was their one and only shot at a flag. Their list is the second oldest behind Adelaide and apart from Oliver, there isn't much coming through in the way of young stars. Pick 2 in this year's draft might help get them...

www.bigfooty.com

Oh wait, that was numpty was you!

Obsessed much?

 

[HTPunter]

Scarily bad skill wise.

Pieces are there, in terms of having a number of players who have extremely good strengths. Think Oliver/Viney/Harmes inside ball winning, Max Gawn, they've got an extremely athletic/endurance key forward in Tom McDonald, got some decent medium goalsneaks in Melksham/Fritsch, some solid defenders (Hibberd peaked as AA, Lever, Jetta AA squad, May decent too).

The issue is, the side has some insane weaknesses too. Namely, defensive structure, forward 50 entries, a tendency to turn and bomb it no matter the location on field, poor execution of basic 20 meter passes/short handballs.

The trick a good coach will have is that a weakness is turned around. Think Hardwick with Riewoldt and no other good talls in 2017. A big weakness. Somehow turned it into a strength.

Somehow they need to find a way to utilise what they can do (win the ball at will, contested marking strength, good running forwards) and minimise the impact of turning over short kicks to the center of the ground or in defensive 50.

 

[HTPunter]

I think Melbourne does not suit Preuss either. Gawn did well as a forward today but the small chop out from Preuss to allow him 20-25% forward isn't that beneficial. Preuss slows them down, isn't skillful, and his biggest strength (a big body around stoppages) is something they already have plenty of. Gawn and a genuine forward is their best way forward I think. Jenkins for chook scraps could be a decent get it they think their window is open in 2020 - takes some pressure off Tom McDonald (and Weideman who shouldn't be rushed) executes well in front of goal, and is a more true chop out ruck - plus he could spread from stoppages better than Preuss as he hardly loves the rough and tumble.

 

[Black Child]

It wasn't just the media who were fooled.. there plenty of flogs on bigfooty who thought Melbourne were premiership contenders last year.

They had one shot at a flag and missed it.
Does it mean Roos fixed them and Goodwin is ruining the good work Roos did?

 

[Daemon]

Any suggestion Paul Roos has some responsibility for our current position is utterly laughable.

 

[Daemon]

Scarily bad skill wise.

Pieces are there, in terms of having a number of players who have extremely good strengths. Think Oliver/Viney/Harmes inside ball winning, Max Gawn, they've got an extremely athletic/endurance key forward in Tom McDonald, got some decent medium goalsneaks in Melksham/Fritsch, some solid defenders (Hibberd peaked as AA, Lever, Jetta AA squad, May decent too).

The issue is, the side has some insane weaknesses too. Namely, defensive structure, forward 50 entries, a tendency to turn and bomb it no matter the location on field, poor execution of basic 20 meter passes/short handballs.

The trick a good coach will have is that a weakness is turned around. Think Hardwick with Riewoldt and no other good talls in 2017. A big weakness. Somehow turned it into a strength.

Somehow they need to find a way to utilise what they can do (win the ball at will, contested marking strength, good running forwards) and minimise the impact of turning over short kicks to the center of the ground or in defensive 50.

Good analysis. Using a gaming analogy we are a glass cannon, a one trick pony. We need to add balance to our game plan and as you say, play to our strengths and reframe our weaknesses.

 

[Black Child]

Any suggestion Paul Roos has some responsibility for our current position is utterly laughable.

Is Goodwin ruining the work Roos did?

 

[Gypsy King]

Any suggestion Paul Roos has some responsibility for our current position is utterly laughable.

He appointed Goodwin who is useless.

 

[Daemon]

He appointed Goodwin who is useless.

Pretty sure the board did.

 

[mehow2g]

Seeing alot of Petracca talk here, been saying it for years, yes he has the physique and athletic attributes to be a gun mid the problem is he does not how to be one and never will.

Bookmark it it's never going to happen, it's just some media driven wet dream why this is still discussed.

 

[Anja_Nees]

I know this year was worse but it does remind me a little of Geelong in ‘06, Richmond ‘16 and Dogs ‘07. All sides that rose up into finals, got ahead of themselves and crashed out but got back quickly.

As the year rolled on things got worse but early in the season they were winning in the middle and just not converting entries. That’s something a side can fix.

I think the media are giving them the benefit of the doubt for one year. A repeat of this next year will end in bloodshed.

 

[Juddernaut08]

I think Melbourne does not suit Preuss either. Gawn did well as a forward today but the small chop out from Preuss to allow him 20-25% forward isn't that beneficial. Preuss slows them down, isn't skillful, and his biggest strength (a big body around stoppages) is something they already have plenty of. Gawn and a genuine forward is their best way forward I think. Jenkins for chook scraps could be a decent get it they think their window is open in 2020 - takes some pressure off Tom McDonald (and Weideman who shouldn't be rushed) executes well in front of goal, and is a more true chop out ruck - plus he could spread from stoppages better than Preuss as he hardly loves the rough and tumble.

Weidemann is 5th year next year. Sure still young but Id hardly call that rushing.

The new rules have meant its valuable to have multiple big key forwards again. Losing Hogan hurt more than they thought.