What's With All The Doubts?

[Beloved]

What is it with all these threads about us being over, and that we should get rid of half of our list? Do people not realise that this is the NAB Cup, a time to trial your clubs players? The boys have been played two weeks (used to get the fella's back to scratch) and already we're over them like butter on bread.

A lot of people are looking far too deep into last nights game, and truth be told, we had a lot of positives in the side last night. Each game is bringing out a flaw in the side, and those flaws are slowly but surely being patched up with each week.

Guys, we all need to be patient. Admitted, it is frustrating to see us lose so convincingly, but the season hasn't even started! I'm not trying to compare ourselves to Geelong, but the Cats didn't have a great Pre-Season last year and they are now bloody premiers!

 

[thylacine60]

What is it with all these threads about us being over, and that we should get rid of half of our list? Do people not realise that this is the NAB Cup, a time to trial your clubs players? The boys have been played two weeks (used to get the fella's back to scratch) and already we're over them like butter on bread.

A lot of people are looking far too deep into last nights game, and truth be told, we had a lot of positives in the side last night. Each game is bringing out a flaw in the side, and those flaws are slowly but surely being patched up with each week.

Guys, we all need to be patient. Admitted, it is frustrating to see us lose so convincingly, but the season hasn't even started! I'm not trying to compare ourselves to Geelong, but the Cats didn't have a great Pre-Season last year and they are now bloody premiers!

Your folks know you use this sort of disgusting language, Eddie?

 

[pauld]

Thing is too many of our players seem to lack even the most basic of skills (kicking,marking,hand pass,etc).
Against the Hawks how many times did the kicker miss his target ? Remember Fev going off more than once because he was in a good possie but the ball delivery sailed over him or way away from him ?
How can players get to AFL level and still not know the basics, good point seems to be Benjamin who I would love to see play but reports are he can not kick !! How can you recruit someone to an AFL club when he can not even kick properly ? I really thought the hype on him, that he was extra fast, etc was what we needed, a very fast re-bounding type player, he seems way off that.
Remember also vs Hawks the shocked look on Houlihans face when he was given a suicide hand pass in traffic..look of terror !!
Across the board our skills are down. Yes, we are a young side, but other teams kids come in and play like champs (I said the same last season on this board). Just look at Rioli, Jetta, Hawkins, etc...even Zac Dawson did well on Fev !! Most teams now are young, yet they have the potential to blitz us off the park...why ? Why can't we do that to them ? Lack of skills is why.
Other teams kids come in and do well, sometimes really well...ours come in and can not even master the basics...what is up ?
Look at M.Murphy, as a No. 1 draft pick with 2 years in the system he should be able to sometimes dominate, and often really impress, in games. At the moment his skills are woeful and he misses kicks at goal that Sunday amateurs would slot through. Just do not know the answer, we said it was the coach so Pagan went, Ratts may not do much better. Maybe it is our recruiting dept. after all. I mean if you pick a guy (Benji) who can not even kick properly then what hope is there ? Really hope I am proven wrong, but players with big doubts on their ability are too thick on the ground for us to feel comfortable (Edwards, Jacobs, Benji, Russell, etc).

 

[Smell The Glove]

It also comes down to attitude- they completely capitulated within a quarter- ugly shades of 2002-2003. Not good enough.

 

[BlueMania]

I agree with EBIAC that it is only the nab cup after all and we need to show a little patience . Wait til the real deal starts before having any doubts about the premiership season .
I was at the game last night and was impressed with Stevo , I thought he got better as the game wore on . Bryce was good , showed good clean skills and went in for the ball - anyone who suggests he is a squib or soft are tossers . Simmo got amongst it and was looking pretty good again . Eddie Betts would've been excellent if his skills we're any good , went in hard , won plenty of the ball and wass looking dangerous . Didn't think Cloke was too bad either . Waite was a good player and Ellard looks to be a gun of the future and worthy of being used as the nominated rookie position still available on our list . Wasn't too impressed with Edwards though , doesn't look quiet ready for my liking .
Overall our skills and decision making left a lot to be desired last night , BUT , being a pre season game we can learn from this and concentrate on round 1 . There were others who played well and others who didn't , got visitors so i will leave it here . Lets just stay positive and look forward to the real season and see how we look when we also get a few more regular players return .

 

[Beloved]

I was at the game last night...

Must have been a bit of a let down to make the trip and lose so convincingly?

 

[HBF]

Let's face it guys, Hawthorn are going to be a top 4 team this year, and we'll hopefully finish somewhere between 9th - 12th. Yes Hawthorn were missing some players, and rested Franklin for the second half, however, you put Judd, Walker, Fisher and O'hailpin into that side, and I reckon we would have been a bit more competitive in that 1st half.

It's not all doom and gloom.

 

[BlueMania]

Must have been a bit of a let down to make the trip and lose so convincingly?

Yeah , wasn't too pleased about it at quarter time EB . then to see the rot start in the second was disheartening . A late second quarter rally was encouraging . The third was a much better quarter though we still missed plenty of chances to close the margin by heaps more . the last quarter was obviously neither here nor there being even by both sides . The boys just need to be up on their toes come the 1st bounce so as to not start by playing catch up footy , a big ask against quality opposition .

Let's face it guys, Hawthorn are going to be a top 4 team this year, and we'll hopefully finish somewhere between 9th - 12th. Yes Hawthorn were missing some players, and rested Franklin for the second half, however, you put Judd, Walker, Fisher and O'hailpin into that side, and I reckon we would have been a bit more competitive in that 1st half.

It's not all doom and gloom.

Exactly HBF , not to forget T-bird also played the 1st 1/2 up forward too . I think a lot more positives can come from last night than some people may realise .

 

[Beloved]

Yeah , wasn't too pleased...

We might have to catch up at a Blues game sometime in the near future.

 

[BlueMania]

We might have to catch up at a Blues game sometime in the near future.

Yeah no probs EB . Been thinking if I go to a game and leave the youngest of my kids at home , I should PM you so i could offer a lift .

 

[dukester95]

I'm not worried....yet. There was a lot to like in the second half of the game..but we just don't seem to have any tactics when going forward. Do we even use set plays any more?

General kicking for goal needs improvement (Murph I'm looking at you).
It might be pre-season nerves or it could be something more serious.

It seems whenever we get thrashed the opposition is right on top of us. If we get the ball there is always an opposition player nearby...yet when the opposition gets the ball they spread out across the field and seem to have plenty of room to work in. This indicates to me that we don't switch play nearly enough and probably don't run hard enough in patches.

Can't stand it when a player marks the ball and then handballs almost immediately to a running player (without putting any thought into it)...may work for Geelong...for us it means a turnover...just kick the bloody thing.
Don't think we have the skill level yet to be playing a possession game.

On the up side I think we have a lot more depth in talent than in previous years.

 

[Pamam]

yeah i dont know why supporters are so worried

can people remember the aim of the club at the moment is???

ITS ROUND 1

ratts has said it all along and he is trying to find the best structure at the moment before round 1 starts. he is playing people is different positions, giving players different roles

but in the end, ROUND 1 is the aim to make sure we have a 22 player team that will be carving up richmond and making sure we get off to a good start for the year!!!

ROUND 1 PEOPLE!!!!!

 

[The Real Deal]

There's a worrying trend in the first 3 games- Fade-outs. 3rd quarter against Freo, 1st quarter vs Port, 1st quarter and a half against Hawks. The way we've played when we're up and going has been pretty good but on the other hand when we're down, we're TERRIBLE. This seemed to happen a bit last season too.

If we play 4 quarters and lose there's no complaints- we weren't good enough on the day. I hope this problem gets addressed in the next couple of weeks.

 

[thylacine60]

I don't remember the last time we played 4 quarters of footy. I really don't.

 

[BlueMania]

It seems whenever we get thrashed the opposition is right on top of us. If we get the ball there is always an opposition player nearby...yet when the opposition gets the ball they spread out across the field and seem to have plenty of room to work in. This indicates to me that we don't switch play nearly enough and probably don't run hard enough in patches.
quote]
This is something I was complaining about last night . Very frustrating to see this happen over and over . Hopefully , the boys are on to it and learn quickly .

As Pamam said ; ITS ROUND 1

 

[BlueMania]

I don't remember the last time we played 4 quarters of footy. I really don't.

It has been a while . Kids have a bad habit of fade outs , however , our time will come !

 

[_RT_]

Let's face it guys, Hawthorn are going to be a top 4 team this year, and we'll hopefully finish somewhere between 9th - 12th. Yes Hawthorn were missing some players, and rested Franklin for the second half, however, you put Judd, Walker, Fisher and O'hailpin into that side, and I reckon we would have been a bit more competitive in that 1st half.

It's not all doom and gloom.

yeah i dont know why supporters are so worried

can people remember the aim of the club at the moment is???

ITS ROUND 1

ratts has said it all along and he is trying to find the best structure at the moment before round 1 starts. he is playing people is different positions, giving players different roles

but in the end, ROUND 1 is the aim to make sure we have a 22 player team that will be carving up richmond and making sure we get off to a good start for the year!!!

ROUND 1 PEOPLE!!!!!

Last week when Tigers supporters made these sorts of posts they were treated as deluded fools by all and sundry. Yet a week later and the Carlton folk are using the exact some sort of lines.

Anyone who takes any notice of these preseason results is kidding themselves. Most of us know that both Richmond and Carlton have been focusing on Round 1 since the draw was announced. Neither Carlton or Richmond are as bad as they showed in the last 2 weeks. Looking forward to seeing how the 2 sides front up when it matters in 4 weeks time. Hopefully both will be as close to full strength as possible so that there are no excuses from the losing side.

Anyway good luck for the 08 season here's hoping neither of our sides are again part of the bottom 4.

 

[Miss_Hawk_Fan]

We at the hawks hope to be a top 4 side, reality is though on any given day any team can win (injurys, suspension and attitude)to many x and y factors to point out.

The good thing ithe AFL has developed through the drafting system is the diffrence between first and Last is no longer as large as it once was.

Given the worst position the blues could finish is 16th, whats the best position you could finish? Assuming all runs smoothly for you and looking at your list and development of your players through out the year, you could pinch a spot in the 8. You have a blend of youth and seniors better to aim high, than to aim low.

Let's face it guys, Hawthorn are going to be a top 4 team this year, and we'll hopefully finish somewhere between 9th - 12th. Yes Hawthorn were missing some players, and rested Franklin for the second half, however, you put Judd, Walker, Fisher and O'hailpin into that side, and I reckon we would have been a bit more competitive in that 1st half.

It's not all doom and gloom.

 

[Lukesta63]

FWIW my thoughts are spare yourselves some grief and don't take anything from last night.The skill level was crap,the players looked very casual bar a couple.
You can't overlook the fact Hawthorn took the foot off the pedal,otherwise .....I shudder to think.
Hawthorn seemed to play a sort of midfield flood and we didn't react to it,plus way too much hand ball IMO.
One BIG plus,how good was Matty Kreuzer!!!!
Also Gibbs seems to be settling very well.
Oh well reset the computer and look to Round 1

 

[dukester95]

I just hope that yesterdays game was the result of Ratts and co tinkering with the game plan, combined with the lack of experience/form of more than a few Blues players. Early days yet but there were a lot of good signs from the Hawks game. Murph was better than most posters give credit for. Gibbs was great in the second half. Grigg made some stuff ups early but showed he has the talent to make it. Impressed with Ellard, his agility, decision making and disposal have been good...may not have had many disposals but works well when he has the ball.

I'm not going to take every loss to heart this year, however bad. It's about the new guys gaining experience and honing the skills of the senior players.
Our window for success will be in 2010 - 2015. Seems a long way off but it comes sooner than you think. How long ago does 1995 seem...to me it's like yesterday.

 

[BlueMania]

I just hope that yesterdays game was the result of Ratts and co tinkering with the game plan, combined with the lack of experience/form of more than a few Blues players. Early days yet but there were a lot of good signs from the Hawks game. Murph was better than most posters give credit for. Gibbs was great in the second half. Grigg made some stuff ups early but showed he has the talent to make it. Impressed with Ellard, his agility, decision making and disposal have been good...may not have had many disposals but works well when he has the ball.

I'm not going to take every loss to heart this year, however bad. It's about the new guys gaining experience and honing the skills of the senior players.
Our window for success will be in 2010 - 2015. Seems a long way off but it comes sooner than you think. How long ago does 1995 seem...to me it's like yesterday.

12 long years and 5 long months ago !

 

[Beloved]

12 long years and 5 long months ago !

I was hardly walking, let alone watching and remembering footy games.

I remember watching a few game throughout 1994 and maybe '95 and shouting "Harry!" as in Justin Madden.

 

[BlueMania]

I was hardly walking, let alone watching and remembering footy games.

I remember watching a few game throughout 1994 and maybe '95 and shouting "Harry!" as in Justin Madden.

I don't remember much after 1/2 time other than lots of yelling and cheering . Would've been a good moment to add to a drunk thread . still looking to redeem myself by not getting pissed during the game . That day is coming , i can almost smell it....carna blues .