Interesting game.
Clearly some improvement. There was more cohesion at times and the kicks across the back line were working better. Plus, it was quite noticeable that players were kicking to team mates who were on the move. Sometimes it looked to me like our players were deliberately kicking to where the receiving player should have been going, which I like because we too often kick to a player who is not moving and the pass gets intercepted.
Far better cohesion for most of the game.
We were holding on in the third quarter and just remained ahead at 3/4 time but the last quarter was a bit of a quandary. I thought we were getting smacked badly in clearances but looking at the stats we have more inside 50s in the last than they did and the same number of scoring shots.
Yes, we should have been further ahead earlier in the game but we were playing one of the premiership favourites and we are not at that level. Missing some very gettable shots does suck the life out of momentum, as does cheap turnovers leading to opposition goals. We have a lot of work to do there. Some bloody goal kicking practice wouldn't go astray.
Cotchin was good in spurts, looks like he just can't do it for the whole game any more.
Martin is a huge worry. Showed a couple of signs but really does not look like he wants to impose himself, not sure what is wrong there but attitude and hunger do look to be a problem.
Samson Ryan clearly took a step forward tonight. He was always going to be a slow burn but is improving.
I thought Miller was ok, he was competing in the ruck, needs some marking practice (not alone there) but was ok.
Taking Miller off for Hugo was a disastrous move. Completely unbalanced the side and Van Rooyen took full advantage. Young needs an apology for that. Plus, just on a team structure point of view, let alone talent the way it looks at the moment, why the F**ck did we not draft Van Rooyen? It makes so little sense, even if you thought Brown was better, we simply didn't need another player like that and we have been staring down the barrel of retiring key forwards for a number of years. Completely baffling decision.
What was with taking Balta out of defence, If there's one thing we should have learned is that Balta can be very good in defence, just don't send him elsewhere. He thinks too slowly and does not have footy IQ. Defence is the only place for him.
I really can't see it with Hugo and Mansell, depth or delist material from what I can see. They both need a lot of improvement to justify their places on the list.
Melbourne played the way good teams do, they stayed close enough and turned it on when they needed to win. The fact we got called "plucky' in the media is a huge worry, you get described as plucky when no-one expected you to get close.
Time to put a rocket under a few players, that includes you Shai, time to farewell some premiership heroes at the end of the year, and time to keep giving the youngsters experience. This season is not a write off, we play like that against Footscray, Carlton and even Sydney we would have won at least 2 of those games.
Need to back up a much improved performance with a decent win against Gold Coast at Chernobyl next week.
DS
