Kerridge - one of our best - yet how many times did his disposal kill us?

Simmo - all heart - but seriously, how mnay times did his disposals hurt us?
Ed, all heart buttoo many times his disposables do not hurt the opposition (and sometimes they help them).

Thomas senior player - good season bnut poor game and when he did get the ball he butchered a lot of it.

Rowe, good game, but when he gets the ball....

O'Shea - just kills us when he gets the ball.


5 players to lead the kids - no wonder the kids panic when they have a chance to use the ball - their mind are filled with the efforts of th senior blokes.


Add Cripps playing hurt

seriously, I can see where we are going but until those 5 are not on the park for us we will win very few games because whenever we start to get momentum we invariably gift a goal (through those 5) to the opposition.

Its not a coach thing - its a lack of those older, more mature bodies and heads that can help the side when its in trouble - our senior bvlokes usually plonk us right into trouble!

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

If you don't think picking a team, playing a certain way, continual skill errors and knowing what each of your players is capable of is a coaching aspect of your team, then please enjoy our teams non growth and frustration.
First few weeks it was our young list.
Last couple of weeks it was lack of mid 20 year olds.
This week it's our seniors and their lack of leadership.
Lack of skill but our youngsters are still young, trades are fillers, too many injuries, too offensive, too defensive, specific individuals from week to week, fmd
look at the way we play, how we defend, how we attack
it's a team structure and game plan we lack
We're not going to make the finals let them enjoy their footy and play footy.
He's playing the wrong players in the wrong positions and killing the team, not to mention cripps

After watching our performance last night, I am more confused as to where we are heading

There in no system to the way we play. Going sideways and backwards will not cut it

Close to three years into our 'proper' rebuild and I thought we would be further advanced

Although, injuries have made an impact, I still believe we would be bottom two with those players in the side

In being that far behind the rest of the competition and with senior players being phased out, I really can't see how we make true inroads for another 5 years.

The big unknown is whether we can attract some good FAs. That may make a significant difference.

We don't lack a structure/game plan at all. We play a defensive structure and game plan to basically limit the damage because the players available at the moment aren't skilled or experienced enough to play high scoring attacking footy.
Our good young players are playing and learning in the roles we want them to and our older players will still butcher the ball no matter what role they play.
As for Crippa, he's thriving in the engine and having his best year yet. Show me any other inside mid and leader who doesn't get banged up. He loves it.

Seriously...are we really that far behind the competition?
Put aside the losses (which I know is contradiction to my argument) but Rich, Geel, Syd, WC and Adel were gettable games with ALL the injuries, ALL the clangers, ALL the youngsters, ALL the poor efforts from the senior players, ALL the players played injured, prematurely or lacking match practice (Kennedy, Marchbank, Kruezer, Byrne, Lang, Kerr, McKay, O'Brien etc.), ALL the kids down on form (Silvagni, Weitering and SPS), ALL the gameplan tinkering etc

And yes I understand the old coulda shoulda ifs and buts argument.

But really, did we just fluke those competitive (dare I say winnable) games against the 5 premier teams above?

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If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

I agree Rexy we will be able to play a better game style when our kids develop further -really disappointing part of this year is that 3 of our promising backline macreadie Marchbank and Williamson have hardly or not played compare them to Rowe and OShea and how backline performed last year as opposed to this year
Moreover I think we miss more than dochertys obvious skill and class but his leadership as well not just in the backline but on the whole team

We do come unstuck by the ball butcherers and we have plenty mostly those in the 24 -30 age group and also Thomas and Simpson -these guys generally do it because they are limited footballers and ordinary skills
Our younger playersturn it over due to lack of experience but on the whole have much better skills

Also disappointing that Pickett after last year hasn't played a game don't have anyone who is a decent crumbed or got that elite pace to run guys down in our forward line

Would add seriously to our forward line

Injuries to Murphy Kennedy Lang Levi for multiple games has also hurt us

Yes we do lack structure and a proper game plan.
When you don't play the right players in position you deliberately go out to lose.
When you play a slow defensive possession game that telegraphs your attack isn't a game plan.
If you draft/trade unskilful slow dumb players you will never improve or set an example.
When your young players are stifled from growing when played out of position or get into bad habits their potential will be curtailed.
We don't have a proper avenue to goal.
Our young players always look to give off the ball regardless if they are in a better position or not because they haven't been given the authority to attack or take the game on. We haven't used the !@#$% corridor for 10 !@#$ years, nothing has changed.
We play a defensive game to lessen the damage but we play injured players until we grind them into the ground.
Yes we will improve over the next couple of years but if we continue with these preposterous methods don't bet on grand final tickets until after our next rebuild.

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All my dangerous friends

If we recognize our skills are shit, WTF do we insist on taking the ball from the wing, to the half-back flank, to the back pocket, out to the back flank, across centre half back then back to the wing where we turn it over, they rush it down and kick a goal?

Someone, please explain why it isn't better to go long to a forward structure where we might have half a chance.

And FFS, man up!

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end of message

We do go long Duke, we just go long to the advantage of the defenders or to midgets surrounded by kd.
It's not up to the coaching department to address at the moment as it's only bad skill from particular age groups and mindset because of particular age groups and bad skilled leaders.
In three years time they will address that issue but not before hand as it's part of the journey we have to take and the youngsters will magically improve their skill immediately after the current late 20's to 30's have left, but not before hand.

your right, we should be killing teams with our youth, drop all the older players, play the kids, tell them to use the corridor, lead well and win every game. Easy peasy.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

We're not that far away given we can most of the time keep the margin to around 5 goals even with our deplorable skills and composure.

We improve our skill and composure through natural growth and the attacking game style and scoring become relevant. Won't have to wait much longer IMHO.

Oh and I'm sure the AFL will implement measures that will allow for a more free flowing game as well which will help our growth.

.

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I just want my old club back.

Will you stop regurgitating the same crap over, over and over again.!!
You do not have any idea what we are doing, and have never coached / managed anything in your life time and have no idea how to create a positive atmosphere in any organisation let alone your own. GO AWAY !!

We had 3 lead up forwards in the side yesterday and decided to play Wright mostly forward .....our mids won the ball and had to stop, wait and kick back or sideways due to no forward in front of them......yep it’s not structure, it’s injuries and young bodies!!

Baa Baa
What's the score?

We are on track with the plan set before the start of the season (won't be measured on wins and losses). We are aiming for a finish in the top 18. This KPI is on track to being met 100%. Go Blues!!!

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It is not as bad as you are lead to believe.......it is %$#^& worse!!!

As you say "FFS", our key forwards are currently 19 and 21. Playing against All Australian defenders. We're trying to create space and draw extra defenders out to give them half a chance.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Really?
Tackling without conviction and intent.
Turning back....running into tackle...

I think you're letting some players off lightly....senior players!!

Dumb decisions and clangers it seemed obvious at the ground it was player mistakes, not lowering eyes etc

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue