What's gone wrong with Melbourne in 2019?

[Headless]

Sells monorails

I hear those things are awfully good at missing finals?!

 

[Holden Hillbilly]

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

I blame Barrassi.

 

[STFU Donnie]

I can't be buggered trawling through 24 pages, so I apologise in advance if anyone has posted this or something similar already.

The real question to me appears to be: what went so inexpicably right with Melbourne in 2018?

 

[Blue1980]

Melbourne worries me for what could happen to us next year with a tougher draw and a target on our back.

Everything we are this year, is what they were talked up to be.

While anything can happen, it would seem unlikely.

Certainly not falling as far as 5 wins

 

[Blackas87]

I can't be buggered trawling through 24 pages, so I apologise in advance if anyone has posted this or something similar already.

The real question to me appears to be: what went so inexpicably right with Melbourne in 2018?

2018 Melbourne were the 2nd best contested ball side of all time, behind West Coast 2006.

 

[Toump Ass]

Losing Hogan hurt more than they thought.

How does losing an ill-disciplined party animal with a career-threatening injury hurt us?

On the other hand May is exactly what we need. Injuries derailed this season but hopefully they're not going to hamper him long term.

 

[bungalow_bill]

The Eagles game must have had a huge psychological impact - don't discount the mass subconscious mind retreating to it's comfort zone of previous years

 

[BloodRet]

Awful culture. They can start by getting rid of that Goodwin flog.

 

[IronMike]

2018 Melbourne were the 2nd best contested ball side of all time, behind West Coast 2006.

Not true, you were 3rd (contested ball differential).

Behind 2006 Eagles and 2016 Bulldogs.

 

[Blackas87]

Not true, you were 3rd (contested ball differential).

Behind 2006 Eagles and 2016 Bulldogs.

Not as good as I thought

 

[IronMike]

Not as good as I thought

You were close though.

1- 2006 Eagles +20
2- 2016 Bulldogs +16.5
3- 2018 Demons +16.4

 

[Elmer_Judd]

Re-signing a bog ordinary type like Neal-Bullen earlier this year is systematic of an inherent mediocre rot that has set into the Dees. Frankly I think Footy Ops Manager Josh Mahoney deserves as much of the criticsm as Goodwin, for some putrid list management decisions in the past 18 months.

Lack of Rising Star Nominations in the past 3 years is a worry (yes I know they have a lot in the 23 year old age bracket)

Keeping Nathan Jones on for another year is both selfish by Jones and a lack of courage by Goodwin and the list managers to have the best interests long term for the Dees.

They need to give Mahoney the flick and read Goodwin the riot act. 12 more months to turn it around, or he will get the pink slip.

They just need a collective rocket up the ass, in most facets of the club.

 

[hk89]

I can't be buggered trawling through 24 pages, so I apologise in advance if anyone has posted this or something similar already.

The real question to me appears to be: what went so inexpicably right with Melbourne in 2018?

Super easy draw, consistently put away the s**t teams, and a run of luck at the end of the year.

Up until round 22 in 2018 they had won zero games against the final set of top 8 sides. They then got on what I see as a very fortunate roll,
getting WC without Kennedy, Darling (injured in first minute), Nic Nat and Gaff, allowing them to, beat eagles in round 22. Beat GWS the next week at the MCG where GWS has almost never won, then beat a tired Geelong who barely made the 8 in the first week of finals, and then Hawthorn the following week without JOM, and Mitchell breaking his AC joint in the first quarter, making their opponent the weakest midfield in the competition.

So a team that didn't have a win against the top 8 for the first 21 rounds of the year, suddenly had 4 wins in a row against top 8 sides. The next week they came up against Eagles with Darling and Kennedy back in the side, and reverted to their form of the first 21 rounds of the season (which also included a 10 goal thumping from a less injured Hawthorn). So how did they make finals with only 2 wins against the top 8? No team played the top 8 less than Melbourne. Pies were equally as lucky, but at least managed to parlay their fortunate run into a top 4 H&A finish and GF appearance. Melbourne had 12 games against the bottom 8, and won all but one of them.

Roll on to 2019, and they've simply continued to produce a somewhat worse brand of their 2018 form prior to round 22. Have accumulated zero wins against top 8 sides this year (the only side in the competition to manage that feat this year). Got three games less against the bottom 8 this time around , which didn't help.

They have injury excuses this year (and last year too), so their list might still be salvageable into another tilt next year if everything goes right, but given they've got 2 wins against top 8 sides in the last 46 home and away rounds (44 rounds of actual home and away footy) , they'd want to get a move along if they are going to make use of all those players they accumulated with their tanking. Melbourne fans will tell you those 4 weeks of footy from round 22 to the second week of finals last year was more than just lady luck smiling on them, but looking at the last two years in context, I find that a tough argument to believe.

 

[Topkent]

Are people that surprised? Melbourne last year didn't beat a top 8 side until the last few rounds of the Home and Away season and were always scored heavily against, what saved them was their ability to score freely, once they lost Hogan their forwardline potency took a huge hit and with McDonald not reaching his ability of last year it's no wonder they've struggled to score, Weideman was never going to sustain his finals form and never showed anything like it in the VFL.

They might be able to combat that scoring potency lost if they learn how to defend but thats a big if with their current coach.

I'd say lack of a good forward marking option in conjunction with a lack of outside run and quality forward entries are the main factors at hand.

Lost hogan, T-Mac down on form and injured, Weiderman down on form, Preuss hasn't been able to offer much himself or allowed gawn to kick more goals.

Also melksham was huge for them and he hasn't played very much this year IIRC

Shouldn't have traded Hogan tbh

I'd would argue his absence was most definitely felt at the start of the season, You guys were getting a mountain of ball inside 50 but your forward line couldn't do anything with it, as the season has gone on your confidence in all aspects of the game has fallen away big time.

Early wins and the season could've gone a little differently, Having said that 1 player shouldn't change the entire season.

Here's my discussion points;

* Almost zero outside run.
* Terrible foot skills.
* Thought that T. McDonald and Weidemann could carry their forward line when they clearly couldn't.
* Paid too much for Lever (in particular) and May to shore up their defence and lost Hogan in the process.
* Huge concerns about Goodwin, firstly with his involvement at * and secondly whether he can actually coach.

Apart from that things seem to be going well.

Stuffed with injuries and I think they will be regretting losing Hogan now and a lack of mental toughness and desire
They should keep Lewis on staff for next year to try and improve that at the club
They will bounce back in 2020 if they solve the midfield issues with Oliver, Brayshaw, Jones, Viney, Harmes and Jones like others I think they need some speed and maybe one of them above is traded and with the Hogan trade they are not afraid of trading big names

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.

Definitely agree that they need to target run and spread mids who can use the ball well. Brad Hill should be priortity one

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.

Good to see who actually watches footy and who bases their opinions off TV

Hogan's 13 goals in 12 games would have really helped us out sooooo much