Totally agree, I was really starting to question today are we coaching these kids to play like this?

I was there and I'd like to know if others saw it, but how many times did you see Wiggo, Carrots, Houlihan and Russell etc. get the ball, look up and think "shit no..... that's not the plan....." then hesitate, look inboard, give Freo time to match up then chip it 15 metres???

Seriously we didn't draft these kids because they play that way

Then again there's the options available to him and the club kk, maybe the options are play on or face a very lengthy lay-off that might only see minimal improvement.

That's an idea based on nothing, but again, perfectly possible.

Indecisive,hesitant,even confused.All day long.But we are starting to find the pill.

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All my dangerous friends

I don't know who you're talking to, but it can't be me, because I'm KK, not kk

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Given it's near the end of the season probably persist. Getting the ball is one key thing and at least Fisher's doing that. Eventually we can find someone who can teach him to use it. O'Hailpin will have the odd dirty day but he's been not too bad back there. At this point of the season, where it's not so important, keep him there and teach him.

The biggest negative is the culture of the club and its supporters. We are starting to accept mediocrity on the playing field as well as at board level.
I get sick and tired hearing supporters go through the playing list and tell me we have great potential. The majority of our players cannot be used as trade bait to any of the top 8 teams. This suggests we need to turn over a significant number of players if we are to figure in some finals action in years to come.

We got creamed in the middle today. The game was lost predominantly in the middle. We lost it to a team missing its two best midfielders in Hassleby and Josh Carr. They did not miss the services of Longmuir such was their midfield dominance.

Those of you claiming the likes of Carazzo, Bentick, Kouta as being serviceable are misguided. Despite amassing significant possession cannot hurt the opposition. Despite two goals from Kouta he was a liability. Players are aware of his lack of pace and run off him. He cannot chase and his defensive role is limited to zoning opposition kicks ins.

Carazzo is a liability despite his ability to run into space. His decision making is so slow that if there was a option free of their tagger by the time he dispoased of the ball it would not longer be the case.

Bentick is tough in the clinches but is nothing but a defensive tagger. His kicks lack penetration and does not know how to kick a goal. He executes his defensive jobs beautifully however we need him to develop an offensive game.

Stevens had a poor game today but we are trying to make him into an in and under type he is not. Has little impact as an extractor. Cannot believe how many tuimes ball was delivered to him above head height where he had to stretch for it making for an easy spoil

Luke Blackwell can be excused. Still light bodied and having the physical Troy Cook as an opponent is a tough ask.

Let's put Walker and Russell on the ball and see whether they can do a better job. At the very least they will generate some pace out of the middle for us.

Some of you may claim I am overly harsh. So I challenge you to name a team which would have any of these three midfielders in their line up.

And Pagan here's a tip. Fisher is not a foward. He can take 15 marks and not contribute to the scoreboard. He is either HBF or a winger imo. Would rather have Kennedy in the goal square who can use his frame to bring the ball down to crumbers like Eddie. Saw Waite and Fisher competing too many times forthe same ball.

Setanta you were no means disgraced. Since his first game has improved substantially and will continue to do so with greater confidence.

I hope to God we finish last because we need all the draft picks we can get to get us out of this hole. Cannot stand watching my team play so poorly.

Play the kids Pagan. Bower and Hartlett ready or not need a taste. Swap Houla with Lappin. Drop French in fact retire him.

I feel much better now.

When I left a couple of hours ago the Positives thread was on Page 2, Negative's hadn't started. Got back and the negatives are 8 posts ahead.

With regards to the skills. I'm sure the MC and Coaching Staff are aware they're falling down on match day, but its not a case of flicking a switch and they're up to the standard we'd like to see.

From all reports the skills are fine at training which means its an inability to execute under pressure that they falling down in. Again, they're not going to be able to flick a switch and have the players able to handle that.

Yes, its been the same problem we've had for 5 years, but with our draft selections we don't have the players that are capable of improving and until the good selections come through those players are what we have.

Sometimes I think we assume rectifing problems is as easy as idendifing them.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Stevens has had a poor season.

Full stop.

And saying we're trying to turn him into an in-and-under player I don't think sums it up.

He has little impact at all, let alone as an extractor.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Put Stevens and Houlihan onthe wings.Play Simmo,Walker in the middle.I actually thought Bentick's kicking was ok today. Rucking is a major concern particularly from the middle. French was great in the third quarter for about 15 minutes but is running out of puff.

Its disappointing but you know we have improved.Last year we would have lost this game by 10 goals.

The one thing I am thinking of is Stevens and houlihan.They must be played less in the guts. Too slow and unaccountable.

Some great points here. Especially re Fisher. He clearly is not a forward. Does not want to kick for goal - full stop!!! We cannot have a guy taking up a sport in the forward line who has no confidence in kicking for goal - well we already have one in Waite so two is just not on!! Fish's marking is sensational and he must be in our 18 - there has to be another position for him. I understand that DP wants some pressure off Fev - well that task should be given to Waite and Kennedy.

The problem as i see it is the skills of our "skilled" players are deteriorating. I would be quite happy to sit back and wait for the evolution of this team and for skilled players we recruit through the draft to replace the battlers, but when I see players who should, and previously could, dispose of the ball properly - Stevens, Houla, Kouta, Whitnall - miss targets on a more and more regular basis, then I start having issues with it.

Thats an entirely different issue again. Kouta's skills arent a huge concern as he's close to the end and won't be around when it counts anyway. Whitnall is playing better than he has for 5 years, if not ever, but has always been an inconsistent kick. The other two I think fall under the pressure category. There's more pressure on them than ever as teams are sitting on them and they end up rushing kicks as a result.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

I think that's the problem though TBB - pressure. Most of our players cannot dispose of the ball properly, let alone under pressure. It's been a problem for a long long time, today was the last straw for me.

And I won't even start on our kicking for goal........(Fev excluded of course)

hasnt been mentioned in the thread yet - but apprarently today was the lowest crowd at telstra dome all year - its ok though, no doubt the board budgeted for a full house!

Negatives:

Houla - the No. 1 bandit of the CFC. A thief, cheat call it what you like. An incident in the 4th qtr (?) had me aghast. The ball was in his reach and he sat back and positively watched the play go by. The Ants for this bloke until he can find the form he had circa 99-00.

Stevens - Bandit No. 2. $500,000 a year pfft. I don't need to hear about not being able to tag or he's been tagged or there are no rotations. FFS show some ticker, bust a gut and do something.

I'm totally convinced Pagan is struggling. He cannot find a solution and he has seriously lost the players. How much was it to get rid of him?

The biggest disappointment today was Stevens. For supposedly one of our better players his disposal is ordinary, he has no defensive skills, he is medium paced, he does not kick enough goals, can not lay a tackle and is just not desperate enough. I think I repeated myself here, but you get the idea.

Our midfield is a disgrace. We need a new coach to teach these guys how the play the damn game before Pagan destroys the kids. Guys like Blackwell, Russell and Bentick shouldn't be taught that standing around doing nothing is tolerated in AFL footy.

If I was made senior coach the one prime team rule I'd put in place would be very simple:

"RUN BITCH RUN!"

That's the one thing our players could do that would turn our fortunes around dramatically. Run to recieve, run to pressure, run the provide options, run to help out our defense, run to help out our forwards, run to protect our play makers with the ball. Run, Run Run!

Absolutely 4th. Just as they had budgeted for more sponsors, more Friday night games, etc. Now where were those fantastic graphs of the big sell again?

Agree. He'd been a massive disappointment all year.

It kills me to say this, but I can see him turning into Camporeale mk II if we're not careful.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Stevens is not an extractor
Stevens should be freed up on the wings
Stevens is injured
Stevens is not in his best shape as he wasn't able to train properly in the pre season.
He gets the best tagger every weekâ„¢

Pity.

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Congratulations CK95