Pre-Match. Magpies v. Lions. All comments.

[The Black and White Lion]

^
I thought Dean was good in the first half last week against the VFL swans but there were too many talls to cover when Eyre went down. Glover moved back but I'm not sure those two have gelled that well in the VFL defense. Dean was ok in the marking contests with Ladhams but Ladhams got out on the lead too many times and McAndrew was too tall.

Doubt McInnes, Macrae and Richards will play because their names were in media speculation. The fact that Fly talks to Macrae regularly is a problem for me. He should be open and talking with all the players. Fly's description just doesn't sit well for me.

I'm going to go hard at Fly and the coaching team here instead of the players. Yes we played a few of the group this year. No we didn't play them out of form and choice. We only played them due to injury. Naicos came in new in 2022. 4 mature recruits came in 2023. Pretty much everyone else playing seniors were there on the list in 2021. Our current coaching staff does not value young inexperienced players enough and hasn't developed them sufficiently so far. Plenty of evidence of players played out of position, players delisted and young players being overlooked when the veterans were clearly out of form or not physically up to it in 2024.
- Take the VFL for example with VFL plodders playing roles over AFL listed players (eg, Sparkes, Lane)
- Take Ash Johnson for example who clearly had some issues on field, performed badly at an AFL KPF role beyond his means and yet the coaches have hardly given any public support.
If there is a problem Fly's immediate response is a senior / veteran player. I don't think there is even a question of giving someone else a go or trying something different.
- Take Pendles, Crisp, Sidebottom, Jaicos, WHE being moved around and then the younger players are being rotated for least damage
- Take AFL fillers getting a go for one week only despite performing ok in their first game (Jiath) when others didn't perform for 4 quarters in either the North or GCS games
- Take McStay playing AFL off an ACL and a bit over a half of VFL

Fly was formerly a development coach at the Pies and Tigers and has no doubt helped many players in the past. Injuries force changes I get that but I've only seen elastic changes and as soon as senior / vet is available they are first choice despite fitness or form. But you develop players by given them a shot when the side needs it. How many times has our side needed support in the mid, off half back, on the wings and kicking into the Fwd 50 this year and how many times have we seen something different. As it stands right now, I'm struggling to see that help in 2024

[Rd10.1998_11.1#36]

Richards needs to start

As opposed to being subbed on with 30 seconds to go?

[SLORT]

Richards needs to start

As opposed to being subbed on with 30 seconds to go?

Yeah, 2nd dumbest coaching decision for the year...IQ on J.Cameron is still #1 imo.

[RudeBoy]

Who'd want to be a coach? Last year everyone was praising Fly as the greatest coach of them all and now he's being dismembered by hasty and over-the-top criticisms. Sure, Fly makes coaching mistakes, as players make mistakes, as administrators, fitness staff and medicos. I have queried some of his too-oft-repeated mantras. No-one is perfect. Overall, however, I remain incredibly impressed by the manner in which Fly has performed as our coach.

[SLORT]

Doesn't matter how many flags a coach has won, a mistake is only a mistake if it remains unacknowledged. Otherwise one stops getting better every day.

[Pete 70]

This is quite hilarious. He said home crowds influence games - tick. That was happening as far back as Lions v Christians in the coloseum. Longmire is actually a good coach, but his didn’t it happen in the nth game validates it was a free kick eg the umps missed it there we got away with it here. The deliberate decisions were a circus. Nothing to see here - but we’re Collingwood so Fky sensibly shuts it down. SCG is a shit ground, they are a good football team, we’ve got an aging midfield and two many new non-frontline additions and still they needed the yellow ducks to get over the line. Glad fly shut it down. Bring on the bears and all the other results we need

[BazBoy]

Joe Richards out
Will Parker in
Interesting emergencies are Allen & De Matia

[Take_a_Screamer]

Jeremy Howe at FF?
Schultz at CHF?
WHE at CHB?

I wish they would stop playing funny buggers...

[SLORT]

I guess Joe needed to do more with his 30 seconds.

[gurugeoff]

Pretty much telling Richards, Macrae, McInnes they are not wanted, can’t even get a game in a dead rubber. We will need to draft some more longs and bytel’s to field a side next year

[The Black and White Lion]

Gee watch Fly's presser today. Wouldn't it be great if he got as excited about our young players as he did about Petracca. Image is everything and his is on camera with his reaction for all to see. All part of the show I get it but timing is everything with the likes of Macrae, McInnes and Richards all on the open market and Fly talking up Sidey for another season. You can't help but be bewildered sometimes. If we manage to fight back in 2025 Fly will return to hero status but if we age poorly again he'll be the fool but we will suffer for longer. It's a fickle sport.

Now for this weekend, selecting Parker over Richards, we seem to be focusing on defense and needing another small in defense over a small in the forward line. Hope Richards can turn it on in our last VFL game for the year.

[Damien]

Go Will Parker! The coaches clearly can see something in him long term. A full preseason and he’ll rip it next year.

[jonmac1954]

Too funny some supporters.

Fly just missed the GF in his first year and saluted in his second year.

Forced by the AFL to play a week earlier after winning the GF.

Utterly smashed from pillar to post with injuries.

Yet the usual suspects - both on this site and at BF have the knives out - striking from the shadows as cowards always do.

[lazzadesilva]

I can say that from experience, the usual suspects will always fire shots from under their rocks without much logical thought or realistic situational awareness about other factors affecting the success of the coach. Under the circumstances, the fact that we still have a mathematical chance of making the finals is amazing. If we win the next 2 and sneak into the 8, the same usual suspects will be singing praises to the coach! Such is life and posting

[Donny]

Saturday. MCG. 4.35

Collingwood v. Brisbane.

Lets hear ya !!