Well, we were just @@@@.
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Well, we were just @@@@.
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Wild speculation, unsubstantiated rumours, silly jokes and opposition delight in another's failures is what makes an internet forum fun.
Blessed are the cracked for they are the ones who let in the light.
Flying South is right. I cannot remember Stewy, Kirk or Jude ever not putting in 100%, game after game. When we were down, they went even harder. They were just so intense. That was part of the never say die attitude that allowed us to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat so often. Now, when the game is on the line, we just fold.
Hanners is the one in the last few years that gave us those inspirational moments that set the standard for hardness and commitment. That's been missing this year and it has spread like a virus through the team. We desperately need him to stand up and be counted.
We may need to bring Zak Jones in the side sooner than usual, just because he brings the kind of commitment, like his brother, that sets the standard for the rest.
Although I am not a fan of Terry Wallace, he now has written off Sydney this year because it seems to him like the group has lost the hunger. I think he's right this time.
Longmire seems reluctant to change his tactics during a game, even when it is blantantly obvious that they aren't working. Surely a coach should devise tactics for the team we are playing rather than have a one-size-fits-all approach?
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke
I wonder if the players are losing confidence in 'the game plan'? But I think it might 'just' be a confluence of a whole host of little things. Senior players coming back in who are way short of match practice and other players who had interrupted preseasons. The personalities of Buddy and in the back line Shaw who throw their weight around a bit so there are too many 'voices'. The inability of the forward line and mids to get any match time together before the season started. KT coming in may solve some forward problems or add to the confusion.
As has been noted, there is also the poor form of Hanners, and maybe Jack is playing with an injury. Macca by all reports had a fantastic preseason but for whatever reason has no way been playing at his best. Mitchell has had so many injuries since he has been at our club, knee, hamstring and now ankle, it is a wonder he can still run at all. Evidently he excels as an in and under mid and so far is no good as a small forward. Parker seems to have usurped his spot and Parker is also effective in the forward line. ROK sadly is grinding to a halt. It will probably take Gary all this season to regain confidence and be anywhere near his best. I could go on!
Hopefully by the 2nd half of the season most of these things will be sorted out! Then scraping into the top 8 will be our big challenge.
Longmire Quote; "we over handballed early when it was wet and then we kicked long but still did it when it cleared up." Who's fault is that? Dear John you are the coach, please start taking some responsibility for our losses. Stop blaming everything on the players by innuendo. I couldn't see this game as I was in Adelaide for a wedding but from what I have heard from friends, we played like a bunch of WWI veterans and all of them are dead.
But I am getting sick and tired of listening to the mandatory press conference and hearing the coach blame the players but take absolutely no responsibility himself. Gary Lyon is right, Horse is coaching badly at the moment. The problem is that I don't believe Horse can think on his feet like a Clarkson, Chris or Brad Scott, Bomber or Ross Lyon.
Horse has two game plans 1) short kick to position and create the loose man to incorporate sling shot, hard running footy kick to leading forward. 2) If (1) is not working kick the hell out of the pill & try to get as much distance as possible. Never to our advantage of course. That's it. He can't seem to counter opposition moves and he has been terrible at letting the opposition get one up (see Pies, GWS games with loose men back). I think Tudor was the man linking back & forward play and pointing out the problems. Now he is with North. The stoppages have been a problem too and that is because George Stone is asst at Melbourne not here. The people who have taken their roles are not doing very well. I like Marty but he had absolutely no experience at any level wit coaching. It might be better to get Josh Francou to take the stoppages role, after all he was an SANFL coach and played midfield.
The club is looking at 1/4 and a style of footy that is just not good enough. The other thing is that the team is old and looks it. This was one of my beefs the first week and hasn't changed. ROK & LRT, sad to say, are looking finished. Derrickx is not good enough. I am sad that Horse saw fit not to play Toby or Big Sammy N. We need to mix it up and find a list of strategies to counter every side we play. Not only that we need a list of strategies that can exploit their weaknesses, every team even the Hawks have them. We have none of those things it seems.
We should play more games at ANZ. At least that ground suits our game style. And we win more out there.
I'll give Longmire the benefit of the doubt for now. The guy won a premiership in 2012 with a team who were very ordinary on paper at the time, so I assume he knows a bit about football... particularly when he served as an apprentice to the great Paul Roos. Problem is like others mentioned, he lost a few good assistants this year and I think it's showing. We need to find some good off-field talent as opposed to on-field talent.
Note: If it rains again, I expect us to get thrashed by 100 on the weekend.
Those who have the greatest power to hurt us are those we love.
But what has happened to our goal scoring midfield?
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