Review GBF - Dees v Bears - Where is biff?

[LarryDavidNeitz]

He battles to get his words out half the time but Joel Selwood actually summed us up late in the game when he said we need to start getting the ball in the hands of Windsor. Indictment on the rest of the team and the way they've been drilled that our best bet for playing good footy is getting it to a 5-gamer because he is the only one who will break a line and try and spot up a target.

 

[Topkent]

that and what ed langdon said in 22

Oh yeah forgot about that. We're a mouthy bunch of crybabies

 

[Crusty Demon]

He battles to get his words out half the time but Joel Selwood actually summed us up late in the game when he said we need to start getting the ball in the hands of Windsor. Indictment on the rest of the team and the way they've been drilled that our best bet for playing good footy is getting it to a 5-gamer because he is the only one who will break a line and try and spot up a target.

Yep. All the talk about getting the ball to our good users preseason was utter rubbish. Viney, Trac, Oliver all still trying to be the hero. Part of the problem too though is watching us live last night, our forwardline is in complete disarray. No movement and when there is always to the pockets. Getting in the way of each other. Bad match ups, no pressure and leading patterns? What leading patterns? It's clearly a mix of both mids and forwards, but that F50 is the worst I've possibly ever seen at the club. Brown is clearly done and was 2 year ago. Fritta is icing on the cake and always looking for the cheapy over the back. Our small forward go missing way too often. Petty is a useless campaigner in the F50 and is clearly hampered by that foot and with no preseason. JVR looks promising, but he shouldn't be playing ruck and also be our main target in the F50. I said it last year, we aren't winning the fla with this forwardline.

 

[Macka1203]

Oh yeah forgot about that. We're a mouthy bunch of crybabies

yeah we sure are lippy towards a team thats had our number for the last 15 years.

 

[Pavlovs Cat]

Kosi needs a boot up the backside. You're simply not the same team when he's not in it, especially with Gus retired and Clarry struggling.

 

[dazzledavey36]

Waiting for Kate Roffey to say that we weren't cheering loud enough last night to our incredible and exciting game plan we had on show last night.

 

[Benzay]

Sparrow playing midfield managed 5 contested possessions (less than noted hard man Jack Billings

14

Jack Billings

Age

29

Ht

185cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

5.1

5star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.3

3star

D

19.7

5star

K

11.7

5star

HB

8.0

4star

M

4.7

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

2.3

4star

D

13.8

4star

K

9.2

4star

HB

4.6

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

1.6

4star

CL

0.0

1star

) and still only went at 50% effectiveness on his whopping 14 touches. He is the "pressure act" king though I'll give him that.

Yes I know all the mids were trash but can we expect more from Sparrow? Honest question because almost all Melbourne supporters I know will always defend Sparrow. Up to 80 games played now. He's a roleplayer, I get that, tackles and shit. He also wasn't the worst out there or the reason we lost. But last night we desperately needed someone to stand up and win the ball with Trac and Clarry clearly way off the pace.

Rivers would give us something in those circumstances and it took us until the last quarter to put him into the middle (from memory). He immediately got his hands on the pill and ended with the equal most centre clearances for either team, though I guess you could say Brisbane had stopped trying by then.

Hell why not put the in-form ANB into the middle? Did the coaching staff not notice how cooked the mids looked and that Gawn was single-handedly carrying the midfield? Or was it a case of "well Trac and Clarry are stuffed so the game is over, gg everyone enjoy the week off"?

 

[stEdy]

Sparrow playing midfield managed 5 contested possessions (less than noted hard man Jack Billings) and still only went at 50% effectiveness on his whopping 14 touches. He is the "pressure act" king though I'll give him that.

Yes I know all the mids were trash but can we expect more from Sparrow? Honest question because almost all Melbourne supporters I know will always defend Sparrow. Up to 80 games played now. He's a roleplayer, I get that, tackles and s**t. He also wasn't the worst out there or the reason we lost. But last night we desperately needed someone to stand up and win the ball with Trac and Clarry clearly way off the pace.

Rivers would give us something in those circumstances and it took us until the last quarter to put him into the middle (from memory). He immediately got his hands on the pill and ended with the equal most centre clearances for either team, though I guess you could say Brisbane had stopped trying by then.

Hell why not put the in-form ANB into the middle? Did the coaching staff not notice how cooked the mids looked and that Gawn was single-handedly carrying the midfield? Or was it a case of "well Trac and Clarry are stuffed so the game is over, gg everyone enjoy the week off"?

I hear what you're saying, but ANB did actually spend a bit of time in the guts.

 

[King Kunta]

Fugly: Gotta love those 15m loopy forward handballs that result in the recipient getting polaxed and the ball being handed back to the oppo.

 

[raven echo]

Fugly: Gotta love those 15m loopy forward handballs that result in the recipient getting polaxed and the ball being handed back to the oppo.

Or the short handball to a teammate who has his back turned that result in a comedy of errors and ball going back to the opposition.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[LarryDavidNeitz]

Sparrow playing midfield managed 5 contested possessions (less than noted hard man Jack Billings) and still only went at 50% effectiveness on his whopping 14 touches. He is the "pressure act" king though I'll give him that.

Yes I know all the mids were trash but can we expect more from Sparrow? Honest question because almost all Melbourne supporters I know will always defend Sparrow. Up to 80 games played now. He's a roleplayer, I get that, tackles and s**t. He also wasn't the worst out there or the reason we lost. But last night we desperately needed someone to stand up and win the ball with Trac and Clarry clearly way off the pace.

Rivers would give us something in those circumstances and it took us until the last quarter to put him into the middle (from memory). He immediately got his hands on the pill and ended with the equal most centre clearances for either team, though I guess you could say Brisbane had stopped trying by then.

Hell why not put the in-form ANB into the middle? Did the coaching staff not notice how cooked the mids looked and that Gawn was single-handedly carrying the midfield? Or was it a case of "well Trac and Clarry are stuffed so the game is over, gg everyone enjoy the week off"?

Sparrow is the 14 possession specialist. I swear he gets 14 possessions 3 out of every 4 games. Wouldn't even be shocked if somebody told me it was his career high. Some midfielder.

 

[twhowler]

From an oppo point of view...

Pickett was a huge loss. Adds so much to the forward line.

As others have said the forward line seems top heavy. BBB does the odd thing but should probably go back to break glass. JVR seems to thrive on having more space without him. Between JVR, Fritsch, Petty, Pickett and ANB i can see a decent forward line if not top shelf.

Gawn still at his best but there was a stat about his taps being sharked at some sort of record level (can't remember the stat). Seems pretty obvious that Oliver being way off his best would affect this - usually it's Gawn feeding Oliver feeding Petracca. IF he can get back to his best it changes the dynamic in a big way.

Never as bad as it seems, never as good as it seems, as i remind myself when we have a bad loss or good win.

From the oppo performance point of view that's probably as well as we have ever tackled and bought in to a game plan. And your mob just looked quite flat from the get-go. 4-2 is a decent spot pre bye, richmond hit with injuries - not a bad position to be in at all.

 

[Benzay]

I hear what you're saying, but ANB did actually spend a bit of time in the guts.

Honestly can't tell who is in there sometimes from up on level 4 haha

Pretty sure I saw Kolstrup in for a centre bounce once? Before even trying Rivers which is, interesting to say the least. Though again I only noticed Rivers in there when I saw Oliver (very easily spotted for obvious reasons) in the back line last quarter.

 

[Benzay]

Sparrow is the 14 possession specialist. I swear he gets 14 possessions 3 out of every 4 games. Wouldn't even be shocked if somebody told me it was his career high. Some midfielder.

He definitely leads the league in getting tackled over the boundary line as well. Swear this happens 8 times a game.

 

[Topkent]

Sparrow is the 14 possession specialist. I swear he gets 14 possessions 3 out of every 4 games. Wouldn't even be shocked if somebody told me it was his career high. Some midfielder.

As of typing his career disposal average is 14

 

[mrmonkey]

I don't think we can expect much more from Sparrow. If our best midfielders struggle as was the case last night, I don't think Sparrow can step up. I thought he was okay last night but he really needs the team to go well to see a good game from him.

 

[melbun]

Awful.
I'm sure Melbourne does this from time to time just to test my loyalty.

Defence is excused. When there are unpressured ball carriers streaming out of the centre and kicking to a leading space, there is not much you can do. Having said that, Howes needs to improve.
Defending the fast break is never easy.

The lack of foot speed in the middle was a problem. No pressure.

BBB & JHF & Oliver & Petty should be banished to the VFL until some form is showing.

Tholstrup looks like he is one to keep.

Max giving the Loins first use of the ball was not helpful.

 

[Topkent]

Awful.


BBB & JHF & Oliver & Petty should be banished to the VFL until some form is showing.

Jason Horne France getting dropped was not one I saw coming

 

[melbun]

Jason Horne France getting dropped was not one I saw coming

oops, JVR

 

[mrmonkey]

Jason Horne France getting dropped was not one I saw coming

I would drop swallow first

 

[Topkent]

I would drop swallow first

Toumpas and Omac out please.

 

[Biffinator]

Bloody Biff, where are you?

Be well.

Sorry guys, I am getting old, I just forgot.

Thanks for your concern. Boot Hill aint got my bonets.

Transmissin has resumed

 

[Jamurp]

I was totally back on us after the two wins in Adelaide, but Thursday night was absolute slop. You’d just hope it was a really off night, but man, lot of the same problems of the past two seasons were present.

Need to obviously beat Richmond and go 1-1 against Carlton/Geelong at worst, otherwise I don’t reckon we’re a genuine chance.

 

[melbun]

I was totally back on us after the two wins in Adelaide, but Thursday night was absolute slop. You’d just hope it was a really off night, but man, lot of the same problems of the past two seasons were present.

Need to obviously beat Richmond and go 1-1 against Carlton/Geelong at worst, otherwise I don’t reckon we’re a genuine chance.

3-0 is required. And crush them.

"What is best in life Conan?"

"Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of the women!"

 

[Toump Ass]

Really grinded the gears last year when we'd put in a howler, then come out the week after all guns blazing for some back-to-the-wall victory... only to phone it in the very next week.

Brisbane absolutely whipped us, I get we had 3 games in 13 days or whatever and a few injuries but that shit was embarrassing. I need a nice solid stretch of decent form before I give a shit again.