AFL Autopsy R20: Smashed by the Saints, and the season is cooked.

[The Dustbin]

Have to win one of Sydney at MRVL or Brisbane at the Gabba but only if we win the next two.

Gotta reset, make some hard calls and go again while it is still in our hands.

Season is definitely not officially cooked as the title would suggest, even if it doesn't feel like it.

If we can't get up then we should aim to at least finish the season on a better note. If we can then I will consider it an improvement on last year.

Mate, it’s cooked. See you in 2035.

 

[Squeaky]

We drop our heads. Mentally weak.

Forget USA in the off season, send them off to SAS training with 30kg packs and limited water. Soft as butter.

We all know they'll be in Spain.
Life is too short to train or improve (or try)
What a life.

 

[Zach Package]

Worst loss of probably the last couple of seasons. Saints flat out stink, their one wood is skinny anaemic runners who hate contact going absolutely hog wild, the only way they win is if you let them do it.

And **** oath did we let them do it.

It would seem this post has really popped off with opposition supporters.

Joke is on them, I wanted Scott’s head on a pike long before this shamozzle.

Also NWM, Hill, Bonner and Sinclair, by my count it’s 93 disposals with 13 contested.

 

[JayJ20]

Atrocious. I think I’m done for the year unless they win a final which is just not happening.

In fact, I’m probably done until they win a final. Couldn’t care less about watching shit like this every year. The players don’t care so I don’t care.

 

[brutus76]

Send 'em to Puckapunyal for boot camp - STUFF THE USA

 

[Mercurial89]

I have done this a few times .

Tsatas - they where keen to play him early despite him not being physically developed enough for midfield so he got some games on a wing but his kicking is not good enough . He is not physically developed enough to play inside midfield and he still has some work to do on his defense but basically he is not physically ready to play the position he can play.

Hobbs . In the side until he got injured . Did not do a lot of running early in his rehab and did need the 3 VFL games. There was a good argument to play him this week.

Hayes . You could argue he should have got a look in by now . Is still developing physically.

Bryan . Another who could have played a few more games but is as physical around the ground as Peter Wright . Tom Hird ran him off the line of the ball in a marking contest when we played Port Melb.

Baldwin injured.

Caddy getting some games.

Reid lasted 1/2 a game.

A Davey . Another who has got some games but is also not physically ready for week i and week out AFL footy. Should get a couple more games to finish off the season.

Lual . 100% not ready physically or performance wise.

J Davey . Has improved as the season has gone on but his effort has not always been where it needs to be and his pressure has been in the range of okay to totally non existent . Will be interested in tomorrow as his last game was somewhere near where it needed to be.

Roberts . Should have played by now but is not a player ready to be a week in and week out selection. Has had some issues with defensive transition.

Visentini - Simply not ready.

Wanganeen - missed most of pre season again.

hunter injured.

There really are only three guys who could have got more of a look in . Hayes . Bryan . Roberts. Of these 3 Hayes and Roberts would not be able to sustain the physical efforts needed for multiple games in a row.
So yes he could have played some young bloke. Yes he should before the season ends but it is not like there have been 6 or 7 players banging the door down and not getting a look in.
Some selections have been crap but there has been limited pressure from underneath .
Should have played Hobbs before Parish this week.

What is this post?
Is it a rebuttal?
You have listed a bunch of names, for many you have noted they should have got a look in.
They didn't.
That's the point.
I don't give two shits if they can't play more than 3 games in a row, have you seen this team? They can't play half a season.
They haven't played good football all year, even when we were winning it looked like shit.
But we didn't make changes? Why? Because you can't make changes to a winning side apparently, they lost sight of the goal.
We have achieved average when we should have been shit.

Perkins, dumb as a box of hammers. Why was he extended?
Why was Menzie offered an extension? What is he aside from average.
Why did we play Goldstein instead of Bryan? What has it achieved?
What's the structure we want to run with? Is it this absurdly tall team? Maybe we should try a different setup? Nope, same all year.

Why not play players in positions that they excel at? Nope we will burn their individual games in the name of flexibility.

The team isn't good enough, the talent isn't good enough. So be not good enough and play the youth so we can move on from the past "leaders".
There is literally no downside to playing the youth en masse. We either stink and get access to better talent, some of the youth puts good things on tape and we trade them for something decent, or they show something and we move on.
They had opportunities to play youth, you admitted it yourself.
They have badly mismanaged the year, if it's a long term process which I believe it is, do it properly.

 

[jmoo wan]

The second quarter was close to bruise free footy and was behind Merritt when he was running forward so could see what he was looking at, and not one Essendon player was screaming for it.

yeah, they don’t really want the ball coming forward because then they might have to “gasp” find a target going forward or “GASP” have to kick for goal!!

much safer to run backwards to get an easy give and go handball so it’s Merret’s problem again

 

[southern_crusher]

Years of poor drafting and development coming to bite. We are not a young team.

We've totally ****ed with Perkins. Horribly out of confidence, should of been playing full VFL games about 5 weeks ago. Instead we've learned nothing with the weidman situation last year and kept playing a player horribly out of form and getting nothing from him. The sub call is extremely perplexing.

We continually go tall. B.Scott has an obsession with it. Even against all weather conditions hes proven he has a certain structure he prefers.

Heppell is well past it and if thinks hes still good enough to play on he needs a serious reality check. The only way i'd play him from here on out is a retirement game. The fact he gets refers as the heart and soul of this team is very fitting considering his performance. Least accountable role in football, moved out of the midfield cos he was a liability and now hes a defensive liability.

Plenty more I could go on but I'd rather take a few more days to digest.

Yeah we are screwed for a long long time yet, No light at the end of this tunnel coming anytime soon.

 

[ant555]

What is this post?
Is it a rebuttal?
You have listed a bunch of names, for many you have noted they should have got a look in.
They didn't.
That's the point.
I don't give two shits if they can't play more than 3 games in a row, have you seen this team? They can't play half a season.
They haven't played good football all year, even when we were winning it looked like shit.
But we didn't make changes? Why? Because you can't make changes to a winning side apparently, they lost sight of the goal.
We have achieved average when we should have been shit.

Perkins, dumb as a box of hammers. Why was he extended?
Why was Menzie offered an extension? What is he aside from average.
Why did we play Goldstein instead of Bryan? What has it achieved?
What's the structure we want to run with? Is it this absurdly tall team? Maybe we should try a different setup? Nope, same all year.

Why not play players in positions that they excel at? Nope we will burn their individual games in the name of flexibility.

The team isn't good enough, the talent isn't good enough. So be not good enough and play the youth so we can move on from the past "leaders".
There is literally no downside to playing the youth en masse. We either stink and get access to better talent, some of the youth puts good things on tape and we trade them for something decent, or they show something and we move on.
They had opportunities to play youth, you admitted it yourself.
They have badly mismanaged the year, if it's a long term process which I believe it is, do it properly.

"Play the inexperienced kids, turf out your average players when you can."

This is what you said. I basically pointed out that most of the inexperienced kids are not actually ready for AFL footy or have been injured.
The downside to playing kids early is injury. There is plenty of downside. Reid. Cox . Davey did a shoulder last year.
I listed 3 guys who could have played but all 3 have deficiencies as well.

Menzie getting 1 year when we have limited draft picks to fill a lot of gaps is neither here or there.

Parish . Well I got crap for suggesting we trade him 2 years ago but yes that is on the coach. He wanted him.

Goldstein over Bryan . Well Bryan had a chance to get the number 1 spot with Draper injured but Goldy took him to the cleaners in the summer match sim. As for last week . Bryan pulled up sore after the last Casey game and was not in the picture for selection. Then there is the fact he is worse than both Goldy and Wright in the physical strength department around the ground.

Perkins is as dumb as shit. Did you ask to trade him ?

The problem is most of the youth is either not physically ready or not good enough.

I will say it again. Playing 3 guys for 3 to 5 games over the season is hardly a game breaker.

 

[Bombermania]

The Blitz is saying Rama on the ABC said the players didn't react well to be given a baking during the week and that might explain today's attitude.

 

[MiguelM]

I still think total lack of leadership depth is a factor. Look at McGrath and Redman . Two leaders that have fallen off a cliff and are making as many bone head dumb decisions as Heppell or Kelly . Who is after that ? Durham is young . Parish has enough on his plate keeping his head around what he needs to do defensively . Langford ? form has gone to the dogs. Caldwell stepping up. It is pretty thin.

Yeah I think there is something in that. I want our leaders to be leaders ON the field not just nice blokes off it.

Caldwell and Dursma fit that bill.

 

[windyhill]

The Blitz is saying Rama on the ABC said the players didn't react well to be given a baking during the week and that might explain today's attitude.

Poor mollycoddled darlings.

 

[MiguelM]

"Play the inexperienced kids, turf out your average players when you can."

This is what you said. I basically pointed out that most of the inexperienced kids are not actually ready for AFL footy or have been injured.
The downside to playing kids early is injury. There is plenty of downside. Reid. Cox . Davey did a shoulder last year.
I listed 3 guys who could have played but all 3 have deficiencies as well.

Recruiting could play a part in selecting strong body types too.

Hopefully the Davey's & co get the strength training they need.

 

[MiguelM]

The Blitz is saying Rama on the ABC said the players didn't react well to be given a baking during the week and that might explain today's attitude.

They are going to hate this week then!

That comes down to leadership. Something we lack.

 

[The Airing of Grievances]

Don't agree with the season done tag in the title with 4 games to go. Poor form and fairweather. I get the frustration but leave that to

I have done this a few times .

Tsatas - they where keen to play him early despite him not being physically developed enough for midfield so he got some games on a wing but his kicking is not good enough . He is not physically developed enough to play inside midfield and he still has some work to do on his defense but basically he is not physically ready to play the position he can play.

Hobbs . In the side until he got injured . Did not do a lot of running early in his rehab and did need the 3 VFL games. There was a good argument to play him this week.

Hayes . You could argue he should have got a look in by now . Is still developing physically.

Bryan . Another who could have played a few more games but is as physical around the ground as Peter Wright . Tom Hird ran him off the line of the ball in a marking contest when we played Port Melb.

Baldwin injured.

Caddy getting some games.

Reid lasted 1/2 a game.

A Davey . Another who has got some games but is also not physically ready for week i and week out AFL footy. Should get a couple more games to finish off the season.

Lual . 100% not ready physically or performance wise.

J Davey . Has improved as the season has gone on but his effort has not always been where it needs to be and his pressure has been in the range of okay to totally non existent . Will be interested in tomorrow as his last game was somewhere near where it needed to be.

Roberts . Should have played by now but is not a player ready to be a week in and week out selection. Has had some issues with defensive transition.

Visentini - Simply not ready.

Wanganeen - missed most of pre season again.

hunter injured.

There really are only three guys who could have got more of a look in . Hayes . Bryan . Roberts. Of these 3 Hayes and Roberts would not be able to sustain the physical efforts needed for multiple games in a row.
So yes he could have played some young bloke. Yes he should before the season ends but it is not like there have been 6 or 7 players banging the door down and not getting a look in.
Some selections have been crap but there has been limited pressure from underneath .
Should have played Hobbs before Parish this week.

I have great respect for your knowledge of the strengths/weaknesses of our playing group. But given the abysmal level of the kicking skills of most in our current 'best 22' , I wonder if Tsatsas' disposal issues are really a reason not to see what other attributes he might show at the higher level. I mean, can he have had less impact this week than , say, Parish?

 

[ant555]

The Blitz is saying Rama on the ABC said the players didn't react well to be given a baking during the week and that might explain today's attitude.

Well surprise surprise .

 

[The Dustbin]

The Blitz is saying Rama on the ABC said the players didn't react well to be given a baking during the week and that might explain today's attitude.

Please. I’ve heard it all now.

 

[ant555]

I have great respect for your knowledge of the strengths/weaknesses of our playing group. But given the abysmal level of the kicking skills of most in our current 'best 22' , I wonder if Tsatsas' disposal issues are really a reason not to see what other attributes he might show at the higher level. I mean, can he have had less impact this week than , say, Parish?

You want to see 30% kicking efficiency ?
It is also not just his kicking. He has had a lot of injuries in the last 3 years that have stalled his physical development and was also had some serious issues with his defensive game and transition. He would 1000% have had less impact than Parish.
Hobbs should have played and Parish should have started in the VFL tomorrow.

 

[BomberTime]

The Blitz is saying Rama on the ABC said the players didn't react well to be given a baking during the week and that might explain today's attitude.

If this is true, then it’s as we suspected and all the talk about setting high standards and being a professional organization was complete bullshit.

Have been a player driven club for so long and that will continue for a while yet.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

The Blitz is saying Rama on the ABC said the players didn't react well to be given a baking during the week and that might explain today's attitude.

No surprises. They've been treated like Kings since the saga. Epitomised by Doise and his leadership.

 

[ant555]

If this is true, then it’s as we suspected and all the talk about setting high standards and being a professional organization was complete bullshit.

Have been a player driven club for so long and that will continue for a while yet.

Yep.

 

[Phone]

The Blitz is saying Rama on the ABC said the players didn't react well to be given a baking during the week and that might explain today's attitude.

this is one of things when the match result dictates how the players reacted. that is, if we had won, the story would be that the players reacted well, just like how back when we were winning in the first half of the season, the players doing their own pre-season trip explained why we were winning. presumably that was actually bad now that we're losing.

things aren't as simple as that. well, one thing is that simple: we're not a good team. the stories and narratives around wins and loses flow on from that

 

[The Airing of Grievances]

I still think total lack of leadership depth is a factor. Look at McGrath and Redman . Two leaders that have fallen off a cliff and are making as many bone head dumb decisions as Heppell or Kelly . Who is after that ? Durham is young . Parish has enough on his plate keeping his head around what he needs to do defensively . Langford ? form has gone to the dogs. Caldwell stepping up. It is pretty thin.

Isn't this the nitty gritty of our problems? A long term lack of a powerful leadership group who set uncompromising standards at training as well as during games. It's easy to lay rhe blame on recruiting, but even the most incompetent recruiting can't explain the consistent failings in defensive smarts, disposal skill and general footy IQ that have been prevalent in our club over many years and multiple coaches.
Of course it's easier to state the problems than the solutions. But other basket case clubs, eg Melbourne, Brisbane and ,egh, Carlton, have found answers. At least one involves getting 1 or more elite level players from top 3 in the draft. Given we can't manage that, another seems to be bringing in a player or 2 who have been involved in significant roles at an elite club( think Geelong, Sydney, even Collingwood) to instil standards. Wr tried it with BJ, but truth telling wasn't what many in our club wanted to hear.

 

[ant555]

Isn't this the nitty gritty of our problems? A long term lack of a powerful leadership group who set uncompromising standards at training as well as during games. It's easy to lay rhe blame on recruiting, but even the most incompetent recruiting can't explain the consistent failings in defensive smarts, disposal skill and general footy IQ that have been prevalent in our club over many years and multiple coaches.
Of course it's easier to state the problems than the solutions. But other basket case clubs, eg Melbourne, Brisbane and ,egh, Carlton, have found answers. At least one involves getting 1 or more elite level players from top 3 in the draft. Given we can't manage that, another seems to be bringing in a player or 2 who have been involved in significant roles at an elite club( think Geelong, Sydney, even Collingwood) to instil standards. Wr tried it with BJ, but truth telling wasn't what many in our club wanted to hear.

I would say you have summed up one of our biggest issues.

 

[Mootsy]

Perhaps a more rotational system of bringing players back through the VFL might be worth trying here.