Post match v Dorkers...all comments here

[woe_is_me]

In the pre-match thread I stated I had picked the Dockers this week and this would be our "bottoming out". Also said not to worry as I haven't tipped 8 winners in a round for two years.

Of course I picked 8 this week....

We will win next week. Lock it in. Don't ask why/how. Just know it!

[Cam]

It's simple really - we are not playing ahead of the ball any more, our running has halved and thus we are not opening up multiple scoring opportunities forward. The 'confidence' MM speaks of is that, wherein the first 11 rounds we ran and risked since the Melbourne pummeling we have been content to sit back and guard our men, negating our team-based gameplan which demands space and speed, and instead we are relying upon beating our opponents one-on-one which we are not skilled enough/hard enough to do. As a team we are top 4, on paper we are 7th or 8th or even lower.

Dane Swan has gone out injured as Chris Johnson but come back as Dane Swan circa 2005. O'Bree, Johnson, Davis, Lonie, Lockyer have all stopped doing what made them damaging as a unit in the first semester - harassing, tackling, running and risking. Lica is looking tired, well spent really and the sad part for Bucks is that of the guys he has shared the journey with (Davis, Lockyer, Johnson, Lonie, Wakelin, Clement, Presti, J Cloke, Licuria, Burns, Didak, Holland, Rocca, Tarrant, Fraser, O'Bree, Rhyce) only a few can be depended upon for maximum effort to impact the game every week. The so-called 2nd tier that led our early season revival have become D & E Graders again instead of pressing for Cs & Bs.

One training run this week we need to play games of soccer, to get our desire and sense to run forward again.

[WKB]

we haven't lost our abilities or the skills that had as the most free scoring team in the AFL. What I saw today, and something that can be fixed easily, was laziness.

Yeah sounds simple but we played some lazy football, not following opponents down the ground, not creating space or running to space to create an option to kick to, not getting to contests to support a teammate who is outnumbered. Lazy, we had moments where we ran and supported and sheparded and we were able to get some (though momentary) momentum. It just didn't happen enough and it was lazy football.

[doriswilgus]

Oh God,what can you say about a performance like that?That has to be our most depressing loss of the year so far.I said to myself during the week that if we didn't beat Fremantle then our season would be over,and now unfortunately it looks as if that's the case.I can't see us getting out of this mess now.For weeks now our critics have been saying that we're soft and can't handle physical pressure.I didn't want to believe them at first but after watching Collingwood for the past few weeks you would have to agree with them.We do look soft and we don't seem to have any appetite for a contest anymore.Watching the replay on channel 9 this afternoon i was struck by the lack of urgency and desperation from our players.Even half way through the last quarter when we were only 12 points down the players just seemed to be going through the motions.There was no desperation from anyone even though the game was still very winnable at that stage.The only bright spot was provided by Pendlebury.I think this kid can really play.It's always a good sign when a young player can be one of your best players while the rest of the team is falling apart around them.

[Johnson#26]

Is Brodie HOlland really that vital a part of the team???

It seems so. Dutchy at least provides us with hardness at the ball, underneatht he packs and the dash of mongrel which has been missing since round ten. We really need him back, and quickly. Both he and Maxy added spine to the side, and without them, without being the difference, leave us fragile. Caracella's injury robs us of class.

We will be lucky to play finals, we should mathematically have enough wins though.

Certainly. On that evidence, we'll get flogged comprehensively by any side in the top eight. Pre-season, I tipped us to finish in either 6th or 7th. At the moment, that looks about right. Go hard or go home, Pies, and hold it together.

We have lost the plot totally. How can a team play so good for 9 wins and then play so badly? Did we play above ourselves? I think so. I know its not the end of the season just yet, but we are in a HUGE slump, and i cannot see us turning it around next week vs WCE. If we cant beat the shockers then who knows whats going to unfold next week.

Agree with most, but you cannot play above yourselves. You can only play to your capacity. We are in a massive slump, and it is getting harder and harder to dig ourselves out.

Yep, we should let Taz off the hook as long as he looks to be trying, doesnt matter if he misses the unmissable goals

He was better this week, you have to admit, and when at rock bottom, you can only improve. With better delivery he'd be better off.

We were cleanly smashed in the ruck today. Sandilands killed us.

Spot on, we were burnt in the ruck. Fraser tries, but is not a mainstream ruckman, and is better off as a second stringer, and when used more as a third tall flaoting forward, ruck-rover or wingman. Fanning was overawed today, but, fair go, it was his first outing in the seniors this year. We are missing Richards, he did add class and some promise to the rucking ranks. I wish they would properly disclose the extent of his injury.

Is it time for Paul Licuria to have a rest? He has been very average for most of the year and below par the last few weeks. Kicking cost us today, not just at goal but kicking into the forward 50, not sure what teh solution to that is though.

Perhaps it is, Licca was very quiet today, and lacked the oomph of the Licuria of old.

[Big T]

It's simple really - we are not playing ahead of the ball any more, our running has halved and thus we are not opening up multiple scoring opportunities forward. The 'confidence' MM speaks of is that, wherein the first 11 rounds we ran and risked since the Melbourne pummeling we have been content to sit back and guard our men, negating our team-based gameplan which demands space and speed, and instead we are relying upon beating our opponents one-on-one which we are not skilled enough/hard enough to do. As a team we are top 4, on paper we are 7th or 8th or even lower.

Dane Swan has gone out injured as Chris Johnson but come back as Dane Swan circa 2005. O'Bree, Johnson, Davis, Lonie, Lockyer have all stopped doing what made them damaging as a unit in the first semester - harassing, tackling, running and risking. Lica is looking tired, well spent really and the sad part for Bucks is that of the guys he has shared the journey with (Davis, Lockyer, Johnson, Lonie, Wakelin, Clement, Presti, J Cloke, Licuria, Burns, Didak, Holland, Rocca, Tarrant, Fraser, O'Bree, Rhyce) only a few can be depended upon for maximum effort to impact the game every week. The so-called 2nd tier that led our early season revival have become D & E Graders again instead of pressing for Cs & Bs.

One training run this week we need to play games of soccer, to get our desire and sense to run forward again.

Radio (NIRS) gave Swan 1 vote today and said he was "superb". Only heard the first half today, no radio or TV coverage after 4pm on free to air or payTV . Wonder why I waste my money, we get stuff all Pies games live up here, so much for the "mega drawing" high ratings team, doesn't translate to live games for the fans on any forum.

Personally I think Fanning, no offence, is a big waste of time, he aint got it, he has never had it, he just will never cut the mustard as even a back up third string ruckman and I challenge anyone to give any evidence to the contrary. He has no awareness of the game, no footy brain, is soft, just not made for AFL football. And really how many years have fans collectively been lamenting the lack of recruiting of a decent ruckman? Jason Cloke comes back in, beats Pavlich and gets THE SAME AMOUNT OF HITOUTS as Fanning.

And people make excuses for Fanning and will probably persecute C1 at the earliest opportunity. Go figure.

All this aside, I personally believe we are only 1 win away from a comeback to the finals, will finish 6th and be in good form by finals time.

Remember 2002??? Remember the month before the finals???

Remember the finals???

I'm sure we can do that again this year.

[westernpie]

A few people have commented on J cloke performance today,and I believe that MM has to play the guy in our remaining games.
Regardless off who we are playing-rain hail or sunshine,let him have a fair crack at AFL level.
He showed today he is worth persisting with,people can argue that he is to slow and cant kick,but his attack on the ball today sets an example to the other players.
To many soft - cant hold tackles players in the side at the moment.

[big kev]

ordinary.....ordinary.....ordinary
M M has had his time or the players have....
how many times or excuses are they allowed to have.....
very ordinary performance..
every year there are excuses
MMhas got to go now...
can take afew with him...
morrinson,rocca does not perform ditto tarrent magic ...
turn overs shocking....

[Johnson#26]

[Albow]

Dane Swan has gone out injured as Chris Johnson but come back as Dane Swan circa 2005.

Come on mate 2 games back from a hamstring and wasnt the worst today.

[Culprit]

So much for Arizona, next time send them to falls creek

[Johnson#26]

You look at the '02 and '03 seasons, we were the best tackling team in the competition, not the most talented or the most exciting nor did we have a dominating part of the field, we had 22 wanting contributors.

Tackling means pressure and pressure means coughing the ball up.

In the past month we havent been tackling, applying pressure therefore its just far too easy and the opposition has a ball gliding through packs and out of defence.

Spot on. We've lacked the pressure in a big way. I can't think of who can help in this regard (Holland and Maxwell aside). Davies? Maybe. Stanley? He has a big body and hits to hurt. Yakka? Possibly.

[Johnson#26]

Oh God,what can you say about a performance like that?That has to be our most depressing loss of the year so far.

By far and away. It has been said that Melbourne was an abberviation. Richmond was poor, but wet weather. St.Kilda were just too good for us.

Freo, the MCG, a cold day? Surely not?! Unheard of, it was so similar to 2005.

Remember 2002??? Remember the month before the finals???

Remember the finals???

I'm sure we can do that again this year.

Worth remembering, although we'll need to win another four or five to have a real show.

[Magpiefan3]

At least there is some good for us.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0 ... 01,00.html

[Cam]

Dane Swan has gone out injured as Chris Johnson but come back as Dane Swan circa 2005.

Come on mate 2 games back from a hamstring and wasnt the worst today.

Yeah in 2005 he was solid, like he was today - but before he was injured he was AA, just ask anyone who had him in their dreamteams/fantasy teams. I not knocking him insomuch as I'm saying he hasn't come back at the same level. Better than good players can return like there hasn't been any injury at all.