Round 4, 2014 v North Melbourne

[DA_Swan]

We have become even slower and more one paced than ever and not as hungry as another fourth quarter blowout shows - i wonder how slow we will be to react to this - Leigh Tudor has turned North Melbourne around defensively that's for sure

[mcs]

19 rounds to go. I understand how disappointing our performances have been, but I think it would be a slight kneejerk reaction to suggest our seasons over.

When we go 1-4 next week, it'll be an awful way back to even make the eight, let alone the 4. We would have to go on a stupendously good run of form just to try and make the 4. Do you see where that is going to come from?

[Chookbilly]

When we go 1-4 next week, it'll be an awful way back to even make the eight, let alone the 4. We would have to go on a stupendously good run of form just to try and make the 4. Do you see where that is going to come from?

LOL ok, I guess it's my fault for posting on here straight after a loss.
But you're right it's all doom and gloom then. Doubt we'll win another match for the season.

I'll leave you guys to settle down a bit.

[mcs]

We have become even slower and more one paced than ever and not as hungry as another fourth quarter blowout shows - i wonder how slow we will be to react to this - Leigh Tudor has turned North Melbourne around defensively that's for sure

It isn't hard to look good defensively though when you are playing against a team with absolutely no resemblance of a proper forward set up. Its Franklin and that's it at the moment, and he just wanders off where he wants, leaving a free man to clean up time, and time, and time, and time again.

Its like what I'd think watching a goldfish whack against a brick wall would be like - watching some stupid happen again and again and again.

Horse needs to take plenty of the blame - our tactics in the first month of the season have absolutely stunk the place out. But, as you saw, we look sooooo slow and there seems to be no hunger at all.

[Doctor J.]

Hmmm. Glad I didn't hit the send button on the premiership club upgrade. Pathetic. Up there with some of the worst performances in the last 20 years.

[DA_Swan]

It isn't hard to look good defensively though when you are playing against a team with absolutely no resemblance of a proper forward set up. Its Franklin and that's it at the moment, and he just wanders off where he wants, leaving a free man to clean up time, and time, and time, and time again.

Its like what I'd think watching a goldfish whack against a brick wall would be like - watching some stupid happen again and again and again.

Horse needs to take plenty of the blame - our tactics in the first month of the season have absolutely stunk the place out. But, as you saw, we look sooooo slow and there seems to be no hunger at all.

I was more talking about the effort and support and the smothers and all the little things that we normally do well - our defence has always been about team pressure and we seem to have lost it when the whips are cracking - hiding behind our forward setup is a cop out - what about stopping them from kicking goals if we can't ?

[Mel_C]

Horse needs to take plenty of the blame - our tactics in the first month of the season have absolutely stunk the place out. But, as you saw, we look sooooo slow and there seems to be no hunger at all.

I agree there doesn't seem to be any hunger. This is not the team I know.

[Melbourne_Blood]

After losing to GWS, Collingwoid and now Norf, how do you think we'll fare when come up against Geelong, hawthorn, Essendon ? This game was pivotal to our season, and we played like absolute @@@@. Too many passengers, midfielders down on form ( hanners is having a shocking season) players that can't dispose of the footy by hand or foot. It's just an absolute shambles at the moment

[Foreign Legion]

66 inside 50's for 6 goals - like a bloody little league score - there is our problem. Same as against Collingwood - loose player in defence killed us again.

[swans]

I cannot believe the club relied on Goodes and Tippet to play alongside Franklin this year...one has battled injury for 2 years and is retirement age...the other is clearly highly injury prone....what a lack of judgement. Now we are an embarrassment....it all falls on Lance...hardly his fault that there is now no forward system....

It about time we stop playing old player and start looking for the future this years is about gone. We,re not going to get many forwards Types going. The swans need to start building the ruck stocks are there weakest link and everyone knows it. The swans agressive on the ball players appear to have gone walkabout in the wet weather for years now. We need to pick players that can play in the wet.

We should have played the Tasmanian ruckman Toby he is a mummy type ruckman with real footballer skills. It also about time tim membrey gets a game we need real forward skills in the wet to kick goals. ?? big time. Seven goals to north is a sign players need to be dropped in wet weather games. match committee you made the same mistakes for years now. Pick players that can play in the wet weather are different to dry weather players do your job think. Not happy this game was lost before we even started. We need to Play a wet weather practices match and see what player can handle the wet weather easy. The swans need a wet weather playering list before the game start not just pick team the won the week before.
Come on match committee playing Two tall ruckman was a joke right.

Fanklin is also reported I think??
Looking good to get mashed next week.

Very unlike Sydney .
Walking though goals
No forwards again
We need a bigger backman.

Magic wand anyone??

This years draft please pick a key backman.
Forwards please pick Tim his a natural forward. And better then other Players are not forwards stop picking centre players in the forward line there too small, we have the player just pick them. Current player are too weak in the forward link.

[On-Baller]

What a baffling performance, and the stats make it even more so, killed them in inside 50's and in contested possesion (largely thanks to Joey Kennedy). ROK has to be done, Shaw cant be too far behind and Hanners needs a run in the ressies in my opinion. Also how far off is Naismith as Derriyx is not AFL standard. Towers,Bird and B.Jack worth giving a go for mine, need to send a message to a few players that no-one is guaranteed a game.

[billyboob]

Kennedy and Smith were amazing today. Add McGlynn if you thought Roo was ever a threat. He was a hard little nut when he was let off the leash in the last. Liked Laidler early. What's clear from today is that I should have stuck to my Justified marathon. Is it too late to recruit Boyd Crowder? That man knows how to blow .... up.

[mcs]

LOL ok, I guess it's my fault for posting on here straight after a loss.
But you're right it's all doom and gloom then. Doubt we'll win another match for the season.

I'll leave you guys to settle down a bit.

Before you dismiss my comment as pure 'hysteria', consider my rough stats I've just put together for seasons since 2000.

Since 2000, teams that were 1-4 or worse after Rd 5, after the final rd of the season, the best placed team was:
2000: Port Adelaide (14th)
2001: North Melbourne (13th).
2002: Carlton (last) . St Kilda were 1-1-3, and ended up 2nd last.
2003: Geelong (12th)
2004: Geelong (4th). Note there were 6 teams that year on 1-4.
2005: Hawthorn (14th)
2006: Brisbane (13th).
2007: Carlton (15th) * Note there was no team on 1-4 after 5 rounds, Carlton and Richmond were winless. Geelong were 2-3, but then lost only once more to end up finishing top with 18-4
2008: Port Adelaide (13th)
2009: Richmond (14th)
2010: Hawthorn (7th)
2011: Richmond (12th)
2012: Richmond (10th)
2013: North Melbourne (10th)

I know its only crude analysis, and generally the teams down the bottom, even during the early part of the season will mainly be the teams that end up there - but I think you can see why some of us are concerned that the season is already slipping away. Especially when you consider we still have to play Hawthorn twice, Port twice, Essendon twice, plus all the other leading contenders.

At this stage, it is looking like a long year unless they really pull their finger out, starting next week against Freo. But I'm not sure that if you don't have fitness or skills at a suitable level by rd 5, that you are easily going to fix it in time to save your season.

[Pmcc2911]

I really hope you are right, apart from 1or 2 ok performances, you can trace this form line back to the end of last year.
I think most supporters were prepared give them the benefit of the doubt last year with injuries etc but there has been no improvement so far this year.
The scary thing is that apart from Tippett, Reid and maybe Goodes (meaning if we get to see him play) who is going to come in and make a difference?

[mcs]

I was more talking about the effort and support and the smothers and all the little things that we normally do well - our defence has always been about team pressure and we seem to have lost it when the whips are cracking - hiding behind our forward setup is a cop out - what about stopping them from kicking goals if we can't ?

That's a fair point too - but 66 inside 50's for a grand total of 6 goals (even allowing for the rain) tells me that we have awful problems up forward. I certainly agree that the effort and smothers etc is missing - the desire just is not there it seems.