Preview Round 1 V Melbourne: The Meek Shall Inherit The Gawn

[MadMundy]

I can see us grinding out a win or losing. I've completely lost faith to be totally honest. We were told 2020 was going to be a flag assault and I'm not even confident we make finals this year.

And even if we do make finals, our list is so full of holes we will only be making up the numbers. Not to mention that there's no glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Our forward line is just woeful.

Matera, Hogan, McCarthy, Lobb, how much have we wasted trying to fix our forwardline? Only to get rid of them for nothing because our rookie coach can't pull them into line. Yet again we will have players like Banfield in the forwardline and he shouldn't even be playing anymore.


We are looking at guys like Sturt and Treacy like they are the great white hope, because we need one. Fyfe's 30 this year.


I don't really care what anyone says, now all the dust has settled and we sacked another senior member of staff that got us to a GF in 13 (and what a surprise it didn't magically fix any of the problems) there is no doubt in my mind that sacking Ross prematurely was a mistake. There is no way there wasn't some fallout from it from some of the best 22 players and it also brings into focus the fact that the club is not actually focussed on winning a premiership.

I don't think the problem is Longmuir not being able to pull them in line, but the fact that none of them wanted to change their habits and pull themselves in line. We gave them all so many chances and none of them bothered to make any effort to change, why keep trying to pull people in line who aren't going to help themselves

 

[Dockeroo]

I can see us grinding out a win or losing. I've completely lost faith to be totally honest. We were told 2020 was going to be a flag assault and I'm not even confident we make finals this year.

And even if we do make finals, our list is so full of holes we will only be making up the numbers. Not to mention that there's no glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Our forward line is just woeful.

Matera, Hogan, McCarthy, Lobb, how much have we wasted trying to fix our forwardline? Only to get rid of them for nothing because our rookie coach can't pull them into line. Yet again we will have players like Banfield in the forwardline and he shouldn't even be playing anymore.


We are looking at guys like Sturt and Treacy like they are the great white hope, because we need one. Fyfe's 30 this year.


I don't really care what anyone says, now all the dust has settled and we sacked another senior member of staff that got us to a GF in 13 (and what a surprise it didn't magically fix any of the problems) there is no doubt in my mind that sacking Ross prematurely was a mistake. There is no way there wasn't some fallout from it from some of the best 22 players and it also brings into focus the fact that the club is not actually focussed on winning a premiership.

Lobb is still at the club. We paid a moderate amount of trade capital for him - and he’s performed like the B grader that you would expect from that level of investment. No ones fault he got injured in the pre season. Your point about the other players mentioned would have validity if they were off kicking 50 goals a season at other AFL clubs.
But they are not. Matera and McCarthys AFL careers are over in their mid 20s because they didn’t have the hunger and desire to want a career badly enough, let alone a premiership winning one. Neither cost us huge draft capital though.
Hogan? He’s getting the “top draft pick” extra bonus to his career where he ends up being delisted about 3 years later than he should have been due to having shown good potential as a kid.
see Jack Watts for reference.
The biggest error the club made in the last 5 years was trading for Hogan instead of picking Ben King at the draft.
Almost every other decision has been good including getting rid of Ross who would have been 10 years at the club without a flag if he’d stayed around. In the history of the AFL - how many coaches have spent 10 years at a club without a flag? Name them - I’d say it’s a short and not very illustrious list.
Longmuir was the right choice.

 

[Alfonz]

I don't really care what anyone says, now all the dust has settled and we sacked another senior member of staff that got us to a GF in 13 (and what a surprise it didn't magically fix any of the problems) there is no doubt in my mind that sacking Ross prematurely was a mistake. There is no way there wasn't some fallout from it from some of the best 22 players and it also brings into focus the fact that the club is not actually focussed on winning a premiership.

Prematurely? The mistake was not sacking Lyon (and Webber) several years earlier. Ross should not have been given the ridiculous contract extension and should have been gone at end of 2017. Then the sexual harassment scandal in May 2018 was a perfect opportunity to tear up his contract and not pay him out. By then, it was obvious the guy was a dinosaur and we would be going nowhere while he was still the coach. Instead we waited until the end of 2019.

And it was Lyon and Rosich who were the ones not focused on a premiership, instilling a loser mentality like the Carlton/Saints/Melbourne rebuilds and giving themselves an excuse for the putrid results dished up by a side that should not have been anywhere near as bad.

 

[Joose]

With the sort of luck we are having I fully expect Tabs to go down the 1st.

 

[Johnny Dalmas]

I can see us grinding out a win or losing. I've completely lost faith to be totally honest. We were told 2020 was going to be a flag assault and I'm not even confident we make finals this year.

And even if we do make finals, our list is so full of holes we will only be making up the numbers. Not to mention that there's no glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Our forward line is just woeful.

Matera, Hogan, McCarthy, Lobb, how much have we wasted trying to fix our forwardline? Only to get rid of them for nothing because our rookie coach can't pull them into line. Yet again we will have players like Banfield in the forwardline and he shouldn't even be playing anymore.


We are looking at guys like Sturt and Treacy like they are the great white hope, because we need one. Fyfe's 30 this year.


I don't really care what anyone says, now all the dust has settled and we sacked another senior member of staff that got us to a GF in 13 (and what a surprise it didn't magically fix any of the problems) there is no doubt in my mind that sacking Ross prematurely was a mistake. There is no way there wasn't some fallout from it from some of the best 22 players and it also brings into focus the fact that the club is not actually focussed on winning a premiership.

Yeah let's blame the rookie coach instead of the guys who recruited these flawed players.

Matera, Hogan, McCarthy ... no-one else wanted. That might tell us all we need to know.

WCE were interested in Lobb at least. He is decent ... as a ruck. But the opportunity cost was huge.

Our list is very flawed but the recruiting team headed by Lloyd and later Bell is the main reason not the coaches.

 

[Johnny Dalmas]

Prematurely? The mistake was not sacking Lyon (and Webber) several years earlier. Ross should not have been given the ridiculous contract extension and should have been gone at end of 2017. Then the sexual harassment scandal in May 2018 was a perfect opportunity to tear up his contract and not pay him out. By then, it was obvious the guy was a dinosaur and we would be going nowhere while he was still the coach. Instead we waited until the end of 2019.

And it was Lyon and Rosich who were the ones not focused on a premiership, instilling a loser mentality like the Carlton/Saints/Melbourne rebuilds and giving themselves an excuse for the putrid results dished up by a side that should not have been anywhere near as bad.

Wish I could give this double likes

 

[Johnny Dalmas]

With the sort of luck we are having I fully expect Tabs to go down the 1st.

Tabs is going to roll his ankle getting a flat white Friday morning

 

[Joao]

JFC, there are plenty of blokes you can point a finger at around Freo way for various things, but trying to attribute players who can't sort their own **** out as the coaches problem is just ridiculous.

It's not JL's, Bell's, Rosich's, Walls' etc fault that some players just won't do what it takes. It is the player. Literally 100% of the decision is the player. Sure you can try and influence them, "hit them between" the eyes or whatever other motivational cliche you like but if they don't want it, they wont get it.

You can (as I do) apportion blame to anyone that was involved in repeatedly recruiting this type of personality but if you want to point fingers as to the reason why those players didn't make it, point it at them.

 

[Bring back Drum]

I can see us grinding out a win or losing. I've completely lost faith to be totally honest. We were told 2020 was going to be a flag assault and I'm not even confident we make finals this year.

And even if we do make finals, our list is so full of holes we will only be making up the numbers. Not to mention that there's no glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Our forward line is just woeful.

Matera, Hogan, McCarthy, Lobb, how much have we wasted trying to fix our forwardline? Only to get rid of them for nothing because our rookie coach can't pull them into line. Yet again we will have players like Banfield in the forwardline and he shouldn't even be playing anymore.


We are looking at guys like Sturt and Treacy like they are the great white hope, because we need one. Fyfe's 30 this year.


I don't really care what anyone says, now all the dust has settled and we sacked another senior member of staff that got us to a GF in 13 (and what a surprise it didn't magically fix any of the problems) there is no doubt in my mind that sacking Ross prematurely was a mistake. There is no way there wasn't some fallout from it from some of the best 22 players and it also brings into focus the fact that the club is not actually focussed on winning a premiership.

Lyon had lost most of the players & virtually all of the staff & as mentioned above should have gone before he did.

Weber despised him because he overruled his injury management decisions to key players, he could care less about fringe players. A lot of people in the industry think Weber was harshly dealt with because he wasn’t allowed to do his job properly.

The only advantage of Lyon going on a year longer, it enabled Longmuir another year of development.

 

[schmuttt]

All set up for Freos kids to run over the hapless Dees who kick 4.20

 

[theGav56]

Lyon had lost most of the players & virtually all of the staff & as mentioned above should have gone before he did.

Weber despised him because he overruled his injury management decisions to key players, he could care less about fringe players. A lot of people in the industry think Weber was harshly dealt with because he wasn’t allowed to do his job properly.

The only advantage of Lyon going on a year longer, it enabled Longmuir another year of development.

You’re saying Bell allowed the coach to overrule injury management decisions?

Weber managed to stick around for all of Lyon’s tenure while despising things. Very stoic.

 

[wayToGo_]

All set up for Freos kids to run over the hapless Dees who kick 4.20

It is highly likely this weekend's AFLW game between the same two clubs will have a bigger scoreline than Melb v Freo in Rd 1.

 

[Bring back Drum]

You’re saying Bell allowed the coach to overrule injury management decisions?

Someone was.

 

[theGav56]

Someone was.

Bell should be gone if that was the case. It opens the club up to all manner of issues, including litigation. Ultimately it is Bell’s mandate.

 

[CapitalA]

All set up for Freos kids to run over the hapless Dees who kick 4.20

Blaze it.

 

[wakojako]

All set up for Freos kids to run over the hapless Dees who kick 4.20

This is going to be one ugly game. Both teams without a fowardline. Maybe we can determine the winner with an arm wrestle between the two captains?

 

[Monument Hills]

If OUT: Treacy and Tucker

IN: Houghton and Duffy

 

[Wigarus]

Prematurely? The mistake was not sacking Lyon (and Webber) several years earlier. Ross should not have been given the ridiculous contract extension and should have been gone at end of 2017. Then the sexual harassment scandal in May 2018 was a perfect opportunity to tear up his contract and not pay him out. By then, it was obvious the guy was a dinosaur and we would be going nowhere while he was still the coach. Instead we waited until the end of 2019.

And it was Lyon and Rosich who were the ones not focused on a premiership, instilling a loser mentality like the Carlton/Saints/Melbourne rebuilds and giving themselves an excuse for the putrid results dished up by a side that should not have been anywhere near as bad.

Yeah let's blame the rookie coach instead of the guys who recruited these flawed players.

Matera, Hogan, McCarthy ... no-one else wanted. That might tell us all we need to know.

WCE were interested in Lobb at least. He is decent ... as a ruck. But the opportunity cost was huge.

Our list is very flawed but the recruiting team headed by Lloyd and later Bell is the main reason not the coaches.

Lobb is still at the club. We paid a moderate amount of trade capital for him - and he’s performed like the B grader that you would expect from that level of investment. No ones fault he got injured in the pre season. Your point about the other players mentioned would have validity if they were off kicking 50 goals a season at other AFL clubs.
But they are not. Matera and McCarthys AFL careers are over in their mid 20s because they didn’t have the hunger and desire to want a career badly enough, let alone a premiership winning one. Neither cost us huge draft capital though.
Hogan? He’s getting the “top draft pick” extra bonus to his career where he ends up being delisted about 3 years later than he should have been due to having shown good potential as a kid.
see Jack Watts for reference.
The biggest error the club made in the last 5 years was trading for Hogan instead of picking Ben King at the draft.
Almost every other decision has been good including getting rid of Ross who would have been 10 years at the club without a flag if he’d stayed around. In the history of the AFL - how many coaches have spent 10 years at a club without a flag? Name them - I’d say it’s a short and not very illustrious list.
Longmuir was the right choice.

Lyon had lost most of the players & virtually all of the staff & as mentioned above should have gone before he did.

Weber despised him because he overruled his injury management decisions to key players, he could care less about fringe players. A lot of people in the industry think Weber was harshly dealt with because he wasn’t allowed to do his job properly.

The only advantage of Lyon going on a year longer, it enabled Longmuir another year of development.

I'm not here to convince anyone. It's just my opinion. I like to get it down in writing before the games start so I can have a look at it later on vs what happened in reality. I don't even care about the mechanics re: those players, lyon and why they aren't here. The fact they aren't here means they were all failed investments. From a club with a history of failed investments.

And I've said it heaps of times, THE WAY that JL was appointed was the problem. I don't believe he got the job on merit because it wasn't a merit-based selection process. That doesn't mean he isn't the greatest coach in the world but it does mean it's a fluke if he is. and if that's how we choose a SENIOR COACH how lackadaisically do we appoint other members of staff?

The results will determine it anyway. Not us.

 

[Funbeanman]

Fyfe would win it hands down

This is going to be one ugly game. Both teams without a fowardline. Maybe we can determine the winner with an arm wrestle between the two captains?

On SM-A205YN using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Monument Hills]

nah, Gawn would make Fyfe laugh and throw it.

 

[bingers]

Demons supporter here. Looking forward to attending the Clash of the Titans.

Sportsbet offering juicy odds on Freo @ $2.73. It's a geniune 50/50 match. I've popped a few of my hard earneds on your mob. Too good to go past.

Hopefully I lose my money !!!

I don't think that either team is going to do much damage in 2021 .... except to their supporters.

 

[eastfreo75]

Anyone else remember Mundy streaming out from goal to be on the receiving end of a Neale pass? Siren sounds. Mundy kicks the goal for a come from behind win against the Demons at the G.
Substitute Neale with Serong or Cerra and that is what Mundy can do when stationed in the square. Ultra-smart footballer who will lead to the right spot every time.

We were behind 10 rows behind the goals. Almost the direct line of the ball.

Great memories.

 

[Retzlaff]

With the sort of luck we are having I fully expect Tabs to go down the 1st.

Concussion from a rebound off the post from a shot 5m out directly in front

 

[DragoDelph]

Concussion from a rebound off the post from a shot 5m out directly in front

Only if Hodor plays

 

[E Shed]

Everything I saw from us last year suggests Longmuir knows how to get them playing competitive footy.
If we had Walters, Sturt and Freddy I'd say we would win this. As it is there are too many unknowns.
Hoping Henry plays and I'd like to see Chapman given a run at half forward. Guys that can play like him don't need to play 2's, just develop him in the big time. He's a natural.