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61
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 3 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Last post by Baggers -
Quote from: Thryleon – on
Quote from: Baggers – on
This is not new. We've seen this movie over and over for quite some time now.

We've changed the game style, but not what is between the lugholes of our blokes. Same old, same old. You can paint stripes on a donkey and tell it to now run fast and hunt...

Bottom line: we're an embarrassment with no respect from other clubs. We have all the mental grit, resilience and strength of a turnip. But this is of our own making. How come this group is so demoralised that it can only operate when things are going their way... and easy?

Vossy admitted he's a glass half full kind of guy, looking for positives to focus on. All too often those who rely on positive thinking only do so because they're sh*t scared of negatives... reality. Fear based. Confronting fears (negatives) requires courage. Confronting the mindset of what happens to our blokes when pressure and change comes might just reveal the issue(s). We're courageous with our bodies, but not with our minds and hearts. Why?

Im torn about this.  Constructive criticism is the way of today.  Look at kingsley and the Giants.  He has gone the rant and rave, and now thats the only way to get a reaction out of his team. 

Positives are good, they reinforce good behaviours.  Negatives are fine, for the right type of player, but some of ours, wont wear it they drop their heads, and then become dissillusioned.

Sorry 3 Leos, I guess I didn't make myself clearer. I don't see negatives as bad nor would I focus on negatives to players. You're right, positives used well and properly encourage good habits. Constant berating of players doesn't work.

What I mean is that minimalizing negatives is dangerously close to avoiding fears and problems which is often disastrous... as evidenced by our wilting in games. By focussing on positives only, we've avoided facing and dealing with the very real issue and problem of wilting, which has been around for quite a long time. Hoping that a positive focus only, will solve all negative problems is a folly. Now, it cannot be ignored any longer.

There's a reason our boys revert to safe mode when under the pump. What are we failing to confront?
63
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 3 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Last post by Macca37 -
Have a look at our lists over the past ten years or more and one constant stands out - too many players who do not have the foot skills needed for the AFL.

As with our present list, these players will not risk trying to pinpoint a pass for fear of turning the ball over - and so the safe option is taken, kick down the line, kick to a contest.

With players unable to carry out the most fundamental skill, what hope does any coach have of implementing a plan?
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 3 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Last post by MickyO -
There are always going to be miskicks and dumb decisions and the umpire calling dumb frees and players injured - every team has that.  But where is our tenacity, our grit, our doggedness to get it done? Who is the group that says not on my watcg and then fights to the death to make aure it
Doesnt happen.  Used to be Crippa and we all bemoaned why it was always left
To him…  well years on and we still have no one and crippa looks over it and cant put the team on his back anymore.

So the Q is why dont the coaches implore the players to go for it, have no fear, be a mongrel do what you have to to get the W. Then do it again and again.

Ollie works his guts out and should be excused from being too harshly judged. Mcg had a decent game but again in the 4th as it was coming out of our f50 the Melb player kicked to another - mcgs opponent - and i could see when it was kicked that it was gojng to go over his head. And sure enough it did but mcg wasnt paying attention so reacted late and what shouldve been a turnover to us was swept up and taken down for a goal.  H in a paddock no pressure could stop take time and wait but no bombs it in, turnover. Carroll and kemp
Both shocking kicks direct to oppo.

So the players arent switched on, after getting a good lead and the oppo Starting to put pressure on. Who galvanises others? Why isnt something done to stem the flow?

In the first we were kicking short and low it was obvious I even said to my partner theyre lowering their eyes this is good, linking up well. Sure enough back to long bombs.

Something is crook in tootgarook and it aint those arseholes leaving - this has been going on too long. This is entrenched and needs to be reversed out of stat or we are wooden spooners.  Wc and North are better than us atm. And we only escaped losing to Tigs because they let us.

Ffs. Another crap year!
65
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 4 2026 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs North Melbourne
Last post by LP -
Quote from: Thryleon – on
The biggest concern I have is clubs are playing rope a dope against us.  Lull us into a false sense of security, and then up the intensity, and once they get on top we have no answers.
I doubt it's rope-a-dope when you go almost 10 goals down.

We had two bog standard as easy as it gets shots at goal from 35m out and b0rked both of them to let go of a 10+ goal lead! We did all the hard stuff 100% correct and f0rked up the easy finish.

But are we surprised, quite a few of us mentioned the inability to the pull the trigger in the pre-game thread. it's a headspace issue not a fitness or skill issue. Some of the same people missing easy shots from 30/35m dobbed goals from 50m.

How do we get the squad in the right headspace, somebody must see this mindset developing because it stands out like proverbials to the fans?
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 3 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Last post by LP -
Quote from: shawny – on
young kemp o hollands harry florent chesser  HOK Carroll is over 1/4 of the team that is on the park and are all absolute numbnuts with the ball in hand.
I seriously doubt OH was a problem this week, in fact he was probably up there in our best, had a heap of footy, intercepts, score involvements and I can only recall one obvious clanger that was more about being left high and dry by those around him than an individual error, although he will have to wear it because of the end result.
68
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 3 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Last post by shawny -
young kemp o hollands harry florent chesser  HOK Carroll is over 1/4 of the team that is on the park and are all absolute numbnuts with the ball in hand.

They make the simple look difficult. They all have a dip but decision making and execution is not even close to the required standard. The amount of times they back into trouble when clear, miss teammates with what should be a simple pass, make dumb decisions amd zero awareness.


Way too many of these sorts to have on the field and expect to get a result.

Lead by a coach who has NFI how to coach the modern game and its no wonder we are bottom 4.
69
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 3 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Last post by laj -
Quote from: Lods – on
Quote from: Gointocarlton – on
Respectfully Micky, how do we know the coaches did nothing to curb the momentum? I know what the players didnt do because that as plain as the nose on my face to see. I saw the player opposed to Kosi at the centre ball up lose touch with him far too easily because he gave him way too much space. I would much rather he gave away the frees for holding than let him stream out. I saw lots of attention to detail by the players missing when the game ramped up. I saw no leadership from the senior players. I  saw players man and ball watching. The above costs you games and careers. The coach also mentioned in the presser about not sticking to roles.

It's a circular argument though isn't it.
Players v Coach

If the players aren't following instructions.
If they're failing to man up.
If the leadership is lacking.
If players aren't sticking to their roles.
Does that not point to a disconnect between players and coach.
What are the consequences?

Does Voss make a statement and drop a couple of high profile players.
What are the consequences of that especially given the increasing pressure that multiple fade-outs have placed on the club?

Maybe best to go down fighting...play the players who show the fight and a bit of mongrel.
So that would be Byrne, Evans and .... ???
Lord was probably missed but wouldn't have made a huge difference.

It seems to me we have a number of players clearly out of form.
I thought Kemp was terrible yesterday...but he has missed a year of football.
A spell in the VFL may be what he needs just at the moment.
Get him to make a case there for reinstatement.
He's not impacting either forward or back and is a bit in no-man's land in terms of his career.

Cripps is being 'passed by' because of the way the game is being played at present. He looks frustrated. That may resolve if the game settles down as the year progresses, but that doesn't seem to be the case anytime soon.

Young cops plenty of criticism, but he seems to always draw the better forwards...the thinking is probably to free Weitering up as an interceptor but Young suffers in comparison. Young copped it again yesterday and made a couple of poor decisions but also did some good things especially with his marking. It was a mixed bag.
Ideally I'd like to see him play forward and provide the second ruck option. Both O'Keefe and Reidy are not impacting enough. The problem is Harry Dean seemed to hurt himself and Haynes reportedly suffered an injury in the VFL so it might be Lewis stays and stays as a backman.

McKay is getting plenty of ball...but not plenty of goals.
Flynn Young on the other hand, is among the goals in the VFL so maybe gets a game next week.

In short, too many players playing half a game or well below their best football.

Harry plays his best footy when he gets a run on the ball, like Levi did. His confidence rises. HOK will do ok for us but is still a young tall developing, as many take time, in probably before he is ready, and needs another year in the twos. Reidy I thought would have been better. Gov has been doing well up forward as a 2nd tall. One of the few positive things for us. Hayward and Ainsworth must have wondered what they have walked in to.

Vossy can't evolve as the game evolves and the style of game needed theses days is foreign to how he likes it. He'll can't match the best coaches with the modern game. Unfortunately, the players know that too and their performance and attitude reflects that. Attitude is everything, as we found mid year 2023. It can change in a week.

If we could play 4 qtrs, even 3, like we play the first qtr, no-one beats us, but we can't and look like a rabble after the first 30 min.