Mega Thread General MFC Discussion Part III

[Topkent]

Absolutely the best use of them. Grundy is actually doing ok as a stoppage ruck and should only get better as he sheds his rust.

Gawn spending more time behind the ball makes more sense too, if we're sticking with only two genuine KPDs


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Instead they both run deep forward and contest the same footy making Fritsch useless. It's bizarre

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Been saying it for ages, the taller we go in the forward line the more the dumb campaigners in the midfield just bomb it into F50, completely counter productive.

 

[Daemon]

It's amazing how many good ideas this forum comes up with yet the coaches don't have any of the same ideas. They seem to prefer doing the same thing over and over for the same result.

 

[pjfairbairn]

Grundy & Gawn are not the problem.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Gawn should spend all his time a kick behind the ball, let Grundy go with the ball, neither bloke goes inside forward 50. Drop McDonald and give the space to Roo, Fritch and Pickett. Both ends fixed. Brayshaw only plays half back or wherever he wants for Casey.

 

[The Dr]

Grundy & Gawn are not the problem.

They're not THE problem but they're indicative of the talent of our players not being maximised collectively.


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[A11dAtP0w3R]

Gawn should spend all his time a kick behind the ball, let Grundy go with the ball, neither bloke goes inside forward 50. Drop McDonald and give the space to Roo, Fritch and Pickett. Both ends fixed. Brayshaw only plays half back or wherever he wants for Casey.

You should coach Melbourne imo.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

You should coach Melbourne imo.

****ing wild watching the game yesterday. We get a festival of JVR playing in packs with TMac (who offers no protection at all because he's selfish AF) and whoever else having no run at the ball for 3/4 of the game. Fritch looked dangerous as **** the 4 times he had more than a phone booth of space. What's his name was scared shitless of manning Kozi. It's just a madly stupidly organised team.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

******* wild watching the game yesterday. We get a festival of JVR playing in packs with TMac (who offers no protection at all because he's selfish AF) and whoever else having no run at the ball for 3/4 of the game. Fritch looked dangerous as * the 4 times he had more than a phone booth of space. What's his name was scared shitless of manning Kozi. It's just a madly stupidly organised team.

Ive seen Auskick teams with a better forward structure.

 

[PerfectFooty]

I thought late in the game Grundy was better and was hitting taps to avantage. I love Gawn, but we should have left Grundy in the ruck in the last

 

[lukeo87]

Hi all wasn’t sure where to ask this question. And it’s probably a silly one lol.
I bought my partner two 3 game general admission memberships for Christmas. So far this season we have scanned into one game and have upgraded to reserved seats for two games. Just wondering if that means we have used up the 3 games already. Or are we able to scan into two more games? Thanks.


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[schmuttt]

Hi all wasn’t sure where to ask this question. And it’s probably a silly one lol.
I bought my partner two 3 game general admission memberships for Christmas. So far this season we have scanned into one game and have upgraded to reserved seats for two games. Just wondering if that means we have used up the 3 games already. Or are we able to scan into two more games? Thanks.


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I’d ring the club to be sure mate, they’d know more than anyone here on this.

 

[booshboy]

anyone miss out on a Kings Birthday ticket? Won't be using my membership as I'll be sitting in AFL members would rather a Dees fan take it rather than it go to waste.

 

[TheBettingMan]

Hey guys. I come in peace.

Recently wrote this piece on the Demons. Would you as a fan base agree or do you think I'm an idiot?

The Melbourne Demons Are Starting To Smell Like The Gates of Hell! - The Mock Sports

There is a stench around the Demons currently and one could argue that the blueprint is there regarding how to beat them. After round nine of last season, the Demons were 9-0 and looked near unbeatable before ending the season with a 16-6 record. Since round nine of last year, the Demons have a...

themocksports.com.au

 

[Johnny Karate]

Hey guys. I come in peace.

Recently wrote this piece on the Demons. Would you as a fan base agree or do you think I'm an idiot?

The Melbourne Demons Are Starting To Smell Like The Gates of Hell! - The Mock Sports

There is a stench around the Demons currently and one could argue that the blueprint is there regarding how to beat them. After round nine of last season, the Demons were 9-0 and looked near unbeatable before ending the season with a 16-6 record. Since round nine of last year, the Demons have a...

themocksports.com.au

A pretty reasonable article with a few debatable arguments.

Steven May’s ‘horrible’ form is overstated - he’s not playing as well as his AA years but is hardly spudding it up.

In isolation losing clearances and cp means sweet fa, plenty of successful teams have been ‘poor’ in these areas.

Downhill skiing is just rhetorical flourish without much substance. There’s seldom few games that we haven’t been balls deep in over the past 3 years so I don’t get how that stacks up.

Most posters on here are tearing their hair out about Tom McDonald being selected in the senior side so he isn’t a player we’ll miss in retirement.

However, I broadly agree with concerns about midfield depth, that we aren’t seeing the best of Lever, Fritsch and Pickett as well as the form line particularly against top 8 sides being pretty poor over a prolonged period.

 

[Lord Nev]

Hey guys. I come in peace.

Recently wrote this piece on the Demons. Would you as a fan base agree or do you think I'm an idiot?

The Melbourne Demons Are Starting To Smell Like The Gates of Hell! - The Mock Sports

There is a stench around the Demons currently and one could argue that the blueprint is there regarding how to beat them. After round nine of last season, the Demons were 9-0 and looked near unbeatable before ending the season with a 16-6 record. Since round nine of last year, the Demons have a...

themocksports.com.au

Firstly, well done writing that much about a team I assume you don't support - I certainly wouldn't be able to put that much together about a team other than the Dees.

I think the crux of the Dees' form being a bit concerning would be agreed upon by most of the fanbase, but tbh I would prefer a bit more meat on the bones in an article analysing my team. Just kinda reads a bit 'I think this' and 'this thing is a problem' - would love to see details around the why for those things. The whole record since mid-2022 thing has been done to death too.

Clearances - The issue missed there is we setup with less numbers at clearances and base the game on turnovers (number 1 in the league for turnover differential). Last I heard Melbourne were number 1 in the league for scores from turnovers, but wouldn't be surprised to see we were also the worst for opposition scores from stoppages. Dees are 2nd in the league for hitout differential, but 14th for clearance differential, what's happening there? Goodwin has talked about mixing up the midfield more, yet he's done that less and less - Pickett had 0 CBAs against Freo despite averaging 4.4 this year (inc the Freo game), how come? Grundy and Gawn have reversed their percentages for time in the ruck, is Grundy struggling?

Contested Possies - Dees are 4th for differential. Not sure that's a huge issue tbh and I think it's better to look at differential rather than just average numbers as every game is different.

Defence - The thing not addressed there is the change from 3 talls to 2. This has clearly impacted Lever's form, maybe May as well but he's come back from injury and hasn't looked right. Ironically, ground balls inside defensive 50 are a big issue, as is score launches from defensive 50, that seems weird playing less talls right? May is going at 50% of his career average for ground ball gets, is he playing injured?

Forwards - For all the talk of the lack of connection, the Dees are 3rd in the league for marks inside 50 differential, the problem is Ben Brown is the number 1 for that stat, with no other key forward until Tom McDonald at 5th. Should Brown be playing in that case?

Pressure - This is the key to the game plan yet the Dees are 15th for pressure act differential, and 5th for tackle differential. This is what could backup your 'downhill skiers' comment. Maybe you can back it up with something like that? Otherwise it's just a bit of a cliche.

Anyways, that's just me, I really appreciate getting lots of stats and info in articles about my team, particularly around analysis of why the form is what it is.

 

[TheBettingMan]

Firstly, well done writing that much about a team I assume you don't support - I certainly wouldn't be able to put that much together about a team other than the Dees.

I think the crux of the Dees' form being a bit concerning would be agreed upon by most of the fanbase, but tbh I would prefer a bit more meat on the bones in an article analysing my team. Just kinda reads a bit 'I think this' and 'this thing is a problem' - would love to see details around the why for those things. The whole record since mid-2022 thing has been done to death too.

Clearances - The issue missed there is we setup with less numbers at clearances and base the game on turnovers (number 1 in the league for turnover differential). Last I heard Melbourne were number 1 in the league for scores from turnovers, but wouldn't be surprised to see we were also the worst for opposition scores from stoppages. Dees are 2nd in the league for hitout differential, but 14th for clearance differential, what's happening there? Goodwin has talked about mixing up the midfield more, yet he's done that less and less - Pickett had 0 CBAs against Freo despite averaging 4.4 this year (inc the Freo game), how come? Grundy and Gawn have reversed their percentages for time in the ruck, is Grundy struggling?

Contested Possies - Dees are 4th for differential. Not sure that's a huge issue tbh and I think it's better to look at differential rather than just average numbers as every game is different.

Defence - The thing not addressed there is the change from 3 talls to 2. This has clearly impacted Lever's form, maybe May as well but he's come back from injury and hasn't looked right. Ironically, ground balls inside defensive 50 are a big issue, as is score launches from defensive 50, that seems weird playing less talls right? May is going at 50% of his career average for ground ball gets, is he playing injured?

Forwards - For all the talk of the lack of connection, the Dees are 3rd in the league for marks inside 50 differential, the problem is Ben Brown is the number 1 for that stat, with no other key forward until Tom McDonald at 5th. Should Brown be playing in that case?

Pressure - This is the key to the game plan yet the Dees are 15th for pressure act differential, and 5th for tackle differential. This is what could backup your 'downhill skiers' comment. Maybe you can back it up with something like that? Otherwise it's just a bit of a cliche.

Anyways, that's just me, I really appreciate getting lots of stats and info in articles about my team, particularly around analysis of why the form is what it is.

Thanks for the feedback mate. I will take this on board for future pieces.

I made a mistake with the downhill skier comment. Won't do it again and it is lazy journalism.

It is interesting you note how you set up with less around the clearances and base the game on turnover. This is what the Tigers did through their brilliant patch but in the last couple of seasons I think clubs have worked out how to stop it (most of the time by either carrying and linking up handballs or hitting up short kicks). I think this might be something that needs to change. The good teams aren't going to just turn over the footy under pressure or bomb it long anymore. They are now instructed to do the complete opposite in order to take intercept defenders out of the game.

Regarding Gawn and Grundy - I put this down to Grundy being a better option up forward. We didn't really get to see Grundy as a forward option at Collingwood but the biggest amount of goals Gawn has kicked in a season was sixteen when he had Jackson helping him in the ruck. Grundy is on track for that number this season and considering he played as the sole ruck between rounds 3-5 I think he could have added a few more to the tally. His last five games have netted him seven goals which are better than anything Gawn has done over a similar timeline.

Don't think there is any substance to that?

 

[Lord Nev]

Thanks for the feedback mate. I will take this on board for future pieces.

I made a mistake with the downhill skier comment. Won't do it again and it is lazy journalism.

It is interesting you note how you set up with less around the clearances and base the game on turnover. This is what the Tigers did through their brilliant patch but in the last couple of seasons I think clubs have worked out how to stop it (most of the time by either carrying and linking up handballs or hitting up short kicks). I think this might be something that needs to change. The good teams aren't going to just turn over the footy under pressure or bomb it long anymore. They are now instructed to do the complete opposite in order to take intercept defenders out of the game.

Regarding Gawn and Grundy - I put this down to Grundy being a better option up forward. We didn't really get to see Grundy as a forward option at Collingwood but the biggest amount of goals Gawn has kicked in a season was sixteen when he had Jackson helping him in the ruck. Grundy is on track for that number this season and considering he played as the sole ruck between rounds 3-5 I think he could have added a few more to the tally. His last five games have netted him seven goals which are better than anything Gawn has done over a similar timeline.

Don't think there is any substance to that?

I actually don't think you're miles off with the downhill skier comment in the context of the current form and the lack of pressure in their game. Just reckon you could have put why you think that.

Spot on that teams have found a way around that turnover game plan, May is getting dragged miles up the ground leaving Lever one out given we're not playing a 3rd tall, and it's costing us.

I'm not sure on the Grundy as forward thing. Gawn spent the offseason working on his goalkicking and telling everyone he was playing forward, and that's how it mostly panned out at the start of the year, it was Grundy 60% ruck v Gawn 40%, but it's reversed over the last few weeks. Gawn also has Grundy (only very marginally) covered for average goals this year too. The forward role was always going to be a new thing for Gawn, so not sure how much we can take out of his record in that regard - remember he quite often floated back instead of forward the last few years.

Here's the comparison though - Since round 6, Gawn is averaging 86% time on ground (and looks like he's playing hampered) which is around his career average, in that same time Grundy is averaging 70%. Grundy has averaged around 85% over his career before this year. Obviously both will be impacted by the 2 ruck setup, but I think it's worth looking at if either Grundy hasn't got the fitness base back yet to play the Melbourne style, or if we're getting back for our buck out of the setup.

 

[pjfairbairn]

Firstly, well done writing that much about a team I assume you don't support - I certainly wouldn't be able to put that much together about a team other than the Dees.

I think the crux of the Dees' form being a bit concerning would be agreed upon by most of the fanbase, but tbh I would prefer a bit more meat on the bones in an article analysing my team. Just kinda reads a bit 'I think this' and 'this thing is a problem' - would love to see details around the why for those things. The whole record since mid-2022 thing has been done to death too.

Shit this reads as condascending mate. Are you a Uni lecturer or teacher perchance?

 

[The Dr]

s**t this reads as condascending mate. Are you a Uni lecturer or teacher perchance?

I thought it was great honest feedback! I'm an ex-editor and that's exactly the type of feedback journos should seek.


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[Bluelegs]

s**t this reads as condascending mate. Are you a Uni lecturer or teacher perchance?

He was asking for feedback.

 

[schmuttt]

s**t this reads as condascending mate. Are you a Uni lecturer or teacher perchance?

soft

 

[pjfairbairn]

Fair enough. As you were.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Was going to post it in Headless thread but not really the thread for it so will ask it here instead, why do we have more all time greats in their prime than every team going around currently and struggle to beat top 8 teams? These should be glory days, and its probably why Trac, Oliver and Gawn dont get the kudos they deserve from this board

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Is the coach that bad? Is our leadership that bad? Is our list management and recruiting overrated? Is there too big of a drop off from our top tier to the next? Do our best players actually make the team better or they far too concerned about their own game rather than the big picture and elevating others around them?