Post match: Pies down to Dees. All comments please.

[kickit2me]

My only joy is knowing that the two sides above us on the Premiership table are below us on the Premiership ladder.

Thank heaven for small mercies.

[The_Staunton]

That was deplorable from start to finish! We didn't look interested at all and we lacked the running ability and motivation to win the ball today. Melbourne simply wanted it more than we did and to be honest we appeared flat from the first bounce.

I'm not sure what's going on but I suspect a number of factors have to be considered when analysing why we've lost six in a row and why we lost to an opponent like Melbourne who in all honesty dish up a good performance occasionally but are generally inept most of the time.

If the body language of the players is anything to go by we look mentally drained! It's as if all those close losses against good opponents has caught up with us and we've now lost our confidence and self-belief to win games. We really need to find a win sooner rather than later or else this team is going to be completely shot if it isn't already so next week's game against our arch-enemy in Carlton is important now for belief more than anything else.

Also has fatigue set in for this young group? For the second consecutive year we've dropped away badly after a strong and positive start to the season. The 2015 season is strongly resembling what we witnessed in 2014 and it's disappointing that nothing has changed here sadly. Are the players physically tired and because the pressure has dropped off in the last few weeks we've all of a sudden become a very poor team that lacks the basic skills to win games.

Credit to Melbourne they made the most of their opportunities when they were attacking us and could have easily beaten us by more had they not squandered chances in the final quarter. We had 58 inside 50s and they had 44 inside 50s yet Melbourne was very effective in clogging up our forward 50 which made it hard for us to score. Tactically, Roos out-coached Buckley in various areas including clogging up our forward line and paying plenty of attention in nullifying Pendles' influence which Melbourne did successfully.

A terribly disappointing game so bring on next week now! It's time to bring in the likes of Jonathan Marsh from the VFL and see what they can produce. It can't be any worse than what we dished up today.

Never been less passionate about "next weeks game" in my life

Admire the onwards and upwards spirit

I'm kind of done for the year myself

[Jezza]

Never been less passionate about "next weeks game" in my life

Admire the onwards and upwards spirit

I'm kind of done for the year myself

No doubt it was a deflating loss and I wouldn't be surprised if our supporters drop off in large numbers if similar performances are dished up in the near future.

I will be curious to see how many show up next Saturday against Carlton.

[Mugwump]

Poor game and now a slightly disappointing season. The signs going forward are still very good, but the inability of the team to deal with the loss of structure without Cloke has been telling.

We were very good against the top teams but were not able to win. Unfortunately, the defensive and scrappy game we needed to play to compete with them seems to have killed all fluency and offense from our game. Losing Cloke and now dropping White has made that even more difficult.

Coming into the season I saw this as a development year, so anything other than total disaster wasn't going to concern me much. What we've seen has been mostly good. The last 2-3 weeks though have not been, and there is some worry that a pattern is emerging after we did the same last year. I feel that pattern is more about youth and injury than anything else. We were quite a bit younger and more inexperienced than the Demons today, I'd imagine. I still feel we're building and that next season we should be able to run out the year more successfully.

Great post, Inkling, balanced and realistic, and it is hard to be either now.

[The_Staunton]

Never been less passionate about "next weeks game" in my life

Admire the onwards and upwards spirit

I'm kind of done for the year myself

No doubt it was a deflating loss and I wouldn't be surprised if our supporters drop off in large numbers if similar performances are dished up in the near future.

I will be curious to see how many show up next Saturday against Carlton.

37K today was pretty scary for the club

Given a Saturday afternoon and we needed a win

We've lost the casuals that's for the sure, those that jumped on in 10 and 11

Today probably finished my year - it was a genuine post, I do admire people who can get back on the horse for next week.

[Funkadelic]

Kicking was awful, decision making awful, we hardly ever use handball effectively in close to spread the congestion, when we get on any break we hardly ever run and carry just kick it to half forward or deep to a player outmatched, we have very little run and carry off the half back line, we move the ball way too slow and sideways too often out of defence.
End rant.

[58pie]

Just drop Toovey and we will go forward now that Blair & White are gone. Reid and Patrick K to come in if they get through tomorrow. Must continue to play our youth.

[thompsoc]

Kicking was awful, decision making awful, we hardly ever use handball effectively in close to spread the congestion, when we get on any break we hardly ever run and carry just kick it to half forward or deep to a player outmatched, we have very little run and carry off the half back line, we move the ball way too slow and sideways too often out of defence.
End rant.

Do you think the Club agrees with this analysis?
I agree with it but hey I don't count.

[jackcass]

Calling this effort, insipid, hopeless, gutless etc... is a massive overreaction. The effort was there all day as it has been all season. That has been one of the positive signs.

We got enough of the ball, but operating with an undersized and underused forward setup we struggled to generate enough offense. The lack of targets made ball use even more difficult.

Melbourne were actually pretty good today. We however beat them pretty comfortably out of the middle. The scoring power just wasn't there and made it easy for their counter attacks. They tried a similar strategy against us earlier in the year. It worked at times and they got some easy goals, but with Cloke and White in the side there were far less easy rebounds. Cloke kicking 7.0 of course helped as well.

Well said. Got laughed at for suggesting it was a 50/50 game and that there isn't that much between teams outside the top couple and as the Hawks showed even they're not invincible. Think we've hit our inexperience tipping point, 11 guys <50 and 16 <100 just too much to carry for too few.

The good...
Shaz debut. Didn't do much but looked poised and used it well.
Swanny the evergreen.
Williams keeps getting better.
Faz battled manfully, missed a couple of get table set shots but just kept working.
Greenwood improved.
More senior exposure for De Goey, Maynard, Moore, Witts Grundy, Langdon, Crisp and Adams.
Elliott back.
Adams back.
Varcoe. How good has he been this year.

The bad...
Seedsman again failed to take his opportunity.
Sidebottom - with so few senior players we need the ones we have to be far less error ridden.
Moore back to earth with a thud. Great experience for the kid.
Disposal and decision making.
Lack of confidence.

Be interesting to see who puts their hands up at Willi tomorrow.

[Dave The Man]

^^^

Moore was far from Bad. Put in 100% and gave pressure

[Bucks2014]

^^^

Moore was far from Bad. Put in 100% and gave pressure

Dave you really need to stop with the bias. Let me put it this way, if Jesse had 6 disposals for the day at 33 percent efficiency what would you say?

Didn't enjoy being at th G at all today. Positives thought shazza did pretty well for his debut. Reads it well and used it pretty well. Hope he gets another go next week.

I don't know who is available on the open market, but we need a big power forward who firstly can mark it and secondly kick straight. We had plenty of inside 50's but faz looked the only dangerous small forward. Our rucks take minimal contested marks.

[ANNODAM]

If we lose to the Scum all hell will break loose, you mark my words!

Didn't you say that last week?

Nah, I said this place will have a meltdown...


Same, same but different!

[Dave The Man]

^^^

Moore was far from Bad. Put in 100% and gave pressure

Dave you really need to stop with the bias. Let me put it this way, if Jesse had 6 disposals for the day at 33 percent efficiency what would you say?

Didn't enjoy being at th G at all today. Positives thought shazza did pretty well for his debut. Reads it well and used it pretty well. Hope he gets another go next week.

I don't know who is available on the open market, but we need a big power forward who firstly can mark it and secondly kick straight. We had plenty of inside 50's but faz looked the only dangerous small forward. Our rucks take minimal contested marks.

So the Pressure the Moore Gave and the 2nd and 3rd Efforts are Pointless.

White never give that up.

We might as well then try Nathan Brown at FF

[Bucks2014]

Yes Dave he tried, but we need him to kick goals. Went to ground to much for my liking today. Don't get me wrong, I think he will be a star. But unfortunately it will take time.

We have tried Nathan as a forward in the past but maybe he should be given another go. I thought he was pretty good again today. Now I've had time to settle down from the disappointment I realise we are still struggling for personnel. Seedy is definitely not in the best 22 and the game has passed Sammy by.

[Peponi]

Pathetic. Just insipid. Worst game since 1999.