In fairness to Jamo, he joined our seniors at the start of Ratten. Back then, Fev used to drag us into games by himself.
So it probably was the worst loss he has played in.
On the flipside its not the worst loss we have seen since 2006. I do recall back when the MCG was being redeveloped we played Melbourne on a saturday or sunday afternoon, and the damage was that bad, we left by half time.
I would have done the same yesterday but I kep waiting for something to get better. I should have just gone home at half time.
I thought Jamos comments on where the side is at were encouraging and what you would hope from a leader.
I think Ratten lolled us into a false sense of where we were at: he managed to get an ordinary team with 1 champion into the finals and play with esprit de corps. Of course, he was not going to win a premiership with that squad and they screwed him up no end. However, decisions were made on the basis of those results. Now those decisions look pretty ordinary, but very few of us will claim to prescient. I definitely am not. Otherwise I'd win tattslotto and put my employment issues far behind me.
So, our list needs a complete overhaul. It isn't all that needs an overhaul. Our whole development structure and off field leadership needs work. But, be that as it may, we have issues that we must address now. [1] It looks like we need to do a St. Kilda and sacrifice some players for young talent. [2] We need to blood some kids.
This week, against Melbourne, is the perfect time to start. I wouldn't sacrifice a lot of kids, but 2 would be a decent start. Cripps and Giles? Graham? Whatever. We need to introduce some kids and this is the best place to start. I would not play Docherty for another couple of weeks yet: he needs time to get his match fitness back. I don't know if Holman is ready yet either, but he won't be far away.
I'd be thinking of dropping Tuohy. He is struggling at the moment and being beaten one on one. That is not like him at all. I am not sure he is 100 % fit, but if he is he needs to get his confidence back. I'd also play him in the middle in the VFL: get him into the game and give him the chance to really attack.
Garlett: I know the Prince offers a fair bit of defensive effort across the forward line, but he is also struggling. He hasn't run anyone down for a while, nor taken any marks (which he certainly can). he has lost faith with must of his kicking and just needs to get his confidence up. Replacing him is an issue I am not sure of the solution as yet. Yazz?
Cameron Wood (and I still can't believe I am writing this) has probably done enough to earn a call up. He has dominate the ruck and taken marks around the ground. Warnock just hasn't managed that.
I am not sure what to do about Daisy Thomas either. He is along way from his best form and fitness and probably won't be back to that until next year. That is going to make the decision to recruit him a questionable one. he doesn't lack endeavor, but he is not getting to contests or managing to win as many one on ones as we require.
Scotland has probably done enough to get in.
Balanced and fair.
Sam D. isn't ready yet. There were glimpses of his obvious class yesterday but he also made some howlers that would only be because of lack of match fitness. Another game or two and yep, bring him in.
Scotland should replace White or Zackery. You're right, CRASH, Zackery is struggling and Scotto was just great yesterday... play and leadership wise.
I would definitely reward Cripps with a gig. Probably to replace Bell or Robbo.
No brainer for Wood or Meat to replace Warnock... Levi showed real endeavour yesterday and took at least a half dozen strong contested grabs. Like Meat, Wood marked around the ground and read the play really well.
Don't know how Temay made the best players... must have been his 4 goals. One was a pearl. The rest were from great work from team mates... too slow.
Graham should also be a monty as he got plenty of the aggott yesterday, but must learn to go in harder and dispose better.
The outs should be: White, Bell, Robinson & Warnock. Ins from Scotland, Cripps, Wood, Casboult, Giles, Graham, Armfield & Reynolds. Watson at the outside if the Dees have a slow tall forward. Lucas did not play yesterday and McLean didn't appear in the 2nd half after a poor first half - reckon he's carrying an injury.
I don't mean to offend anyone, particularly given its so soon after such a deflating loss, but how anyone can come up with the conclusion that we have the personnel required to be a genuine finals contender, but for poor coaching, is misguided IMO. What we have is the core of side that has reached its potential, and for which that potential is now being shown up as not up to the level of the serious contenders. We can't keep rating our potential on the basis of what it was 3 years ago, That potential was simply that -potential, but its come to its fruition and its simply not adequate to compete with some sides. Doesn't matter who the coach is.
Don't think you offended anyone. We are seeing the fruits of years of poor decisions in most areas of our club right in front of us now.
Ran around without an opponent all night, and did feck all to influence the team.
You want Daisy money put in Daisy effort. The bloke ran himself into the ground, and attacked each contest like life depended on it.
Agree on Gibbs although he wasnt our worst....Daisy is playing like a man who thinks he made a mistake leaving Collingwood. He is a class player but having to do some of the monkey work in the packs isnt his go and I hope his body holds up.
Funny but I thought the same thing and commented as such during the game. If I was Daisy I'd be thinking 'of all the places I could have gone, how the hell did I end up with this rabble?'
Before any call on any coach gets made that board needs to turn the blowtorch onto themselves and start honestly appraising where they are at, because THEY are responsible for why we are this way today.
So true, sacking a club great off the back of an injury riddled season to bring in this old fool is worse than the Pagan job.
Time you stopped living in the past. Ratts failed, club great or not. Sticks has failed as a President, club great or not.
We've not had a successful Senior Coach at the CFC since Parkin. And so far this season, that fact seems unlikely to change.
Without wanting to sound like a complete defeatist... I said to someone I was with today that we really do look to have recruited some beauts - what a pity it will be that our coaching group will be let loose on them.
You mean our head coach's hand picked coaching group.
Problem is that MM has kept on too many who've presided over abject failure for years! And a couple of the blokes he tried to get wouldn't come! If you could have heard some of the things that the coach of the NBs was saying to the players today you'd have just shook your head in disbelief... yet they still got up and won (which was a very good effort from a few really bright lights).
I'm neither for or against MM as coach. The fact is he is the coach and yet the same deadcrape players we have keep putting in the same lame performances. The players should take the bulk of the blame for this game.
How the f**k could we have thumped this mob by 98 odd pts 3 years ago and then simply watched them go past us?
Look no further than the bloke mentioned in your first paragraph.
BJ raises a very good point re how can cheats.com.au waltz past us, and many other clubs have too. It is just too simplistic to hang this all on the senior coach alone... there are endemic issues in coaching, development and recruiting which have been eroding the place for year and tonight cheats.com.au did us a favour and showed the world how far we are from being a finals side, let alone a top 4 side. If it was only the senior coach then you just replace him and everything is hunky dory. Nuh. MM has kept too many of the 'old' coaching staff on. And he really must now ask himself if he has the energy to do what must be done. We're not far from tear it all down and start again.
Our first blow-out under MM. And it was embarrassing to watch.
There can be no avoiding the questions with trite responses, MM. No use talking about the season being a marathon and not a sprint. We've not started yet and the rest of the field is under way.
At present the CFC and Melbourne FC are the two worst clubs in the competition... how fitting they meet this week. One of them will finally be a winner. And if us, it will be a very hollow victory.
Without wanting to sound like a complete defeatist... I said to someone I was with today that we really do look to have recruited some beauts - what a pity it will be that our coaching group will be let loose on them.
Been a long time since I have seen a CFC side so insipid; so confused and clueless that I have actually found myself laughing at what I am witnessing. Glad I chose the NBs game to watch today.
Just got back from the game. Terrific come back by the NBs after trailing by 6 gls at one stage - mainly due to silly erros. Little too much finessing at times which led to turnovers. Couple of howlers gave Willy easy goals.
No Lucas.
Beyond me why Heath Scotland is kicking the due off. An on-field General all day.
Blaine Johnson seems raw as raw but did some really good, strong things. Hard at it. McLean didn't appear after half time. Until half time had done SFA. Must be carrying an injury. Watson looked okay when the ball came to him, but was led to the aggott too often. Yep, rolling out the 'too slow' line again. For a bloke with KPP asperations at senior level, just didn't do enough against good but not very good opposition. Holman was busy and knows how to hit the contest hard, but disposal needs heaps of work. Looks likely. McInness was the usual terrific negator, but did little else. Has bulked up considerably. Needs another dimension to his game. Wood. Liked his game. Does this really novel thing at Princes Park when you're a really tall ruckman - marks the ball around the ground!! Couple of really good saves in defence. Tap work needs work - hits it to the feet of the mids too often. Wouldn't have hurt his chances of coming of the Rookie list. Reynolds. Really liked what I saw. Has dash and gets where the aggott is. Will be keen to monitor his progress. Looks and thinks like a 'real' footballer. Graham got plenty of the ball and was really busy. Ball magnet. Only negative was I saw him take half steps on two occasions to avoid a big bump - made the crowd moan. Gotta clean this up. Maybe that's why he hasn't had a call up yet. Levi was a bloody ripper. Kicking for goal still a bit wonky but I'd love to know how many contested grabs he took around the ground. Played in the ruck and high forward. Some terrific saves. Good ruck work. Best big man on the ground for mine. Boots tried his heart out and did some good things; good defensive things. But spoilt some of his good work with some dumb decisions and at times just roosting the aggott out of defence without looking where to kick it... and the result was predictable - the ball whistled back over his head. Cripps was the highlight for me. Started slowly (on the ball) but once he picked up the pace - wow. Now I don't want to overstate something here, but I really did see something we haven't seen at BlueBagger Land for a while. Someone who can grab a game by the cods and change the direction. We were 6 goals down and this kid just decided to impose himself on the contest and on the game. He got us back into it with great disposal, great tackles and 1st class reading of the play. I actually don't give a flying fig what his stats were. It was how he influenced this game, almost single-handedly. He, Graham, Levi & Scotland got us over the line. Sheehan is one powerful unit. Still getting used to the tempo and skills, but something really fearless and dangerous about this dude. Will take a while, bit like Zackery, but I reckon it's there. Armfield was busy and provided some much needed grunt and leadership when needed. Not sure he'd get a recall on this effort though. Giles, unless something goes very wrong, looks the goods. Another one who got himself into the game and contest and looked right at home. Moves really well and thinks like a footballer (I know its the 2nd time I've mentioned this but it really seems our altered approach to recruiting has improved the quality of dudes coming into the place. Looking forward to seeing more of this cat. Cachia was serviceable and did a good blanketing/run-with job. Nothing outstanding though. Docherty was clearly underdone, but showed some terrific dash. Kicked the goal of the day after breaking loose through the guts, a bounce and let fly from just outside 50. Like a few others he was pretty knackered at the end (Cripps could hardly walk in the last 5 minutes but still worked his dot off). Temay did some neat things but is just too slow and seems to give up too easily when the contest doesn't go his way. Nothing special.
Of the Preston boys... Joel Wilkinson is a beaut, got caught a couple of times but has real dash. Tyson Thomas was good without being a match winning. Made a couple of bad mistakes but it is only the first game. Was given a lot of time on the HBF.
Don't know what the NBs were thinking getting Jack Anthony. Kicked a couple of goals but, gee, for a bloke his size he was easily out muscled on a number of occasions. Left the field in the final qtr with a leg injury.
Well done NBs on the 4 pt win. They'll be better for the run.
Only negative would be that too much was left to 'name' players to get them over the line. Not nearly enough team cohesion.
