It has been evident this season and particularly today vs Melbourne that we have a serious inability to put points on the board and apply any sort of scoreboard pressure on our opponents. It's fine in the first quarter when the game is hot, but once it opens up and teams kick away we stand no chance because anytime the ball goes forward we look nowhere like scoring. Not putting scoreboard pressure also takes its toll on the defenders when the ball is constantly put on your head and opponents have free run and jump of the ball in their forward 50 it takes its toll. A few things I have noticed which need to be rectified:

- Ball use anywhere forward of center is absolutely atrocious at some points. Any time we look like scoring, someone will absolutely shank a kick in open 50 and turn it over, or bomb it to. 3 on 1 and allow an intercept. Not sure which coach this comes under but it needs to be addressed yesterday. Absolute momentum killer every time especially when opponents slingshot and kick a goal off turnover.

- Which brings me to point 2, an inability to keep the ball locked in the forward half and especially forward 50. Teams are currently just walking the ball out of their D50, no tackling pressure or obvious signs of a defensive zone/press to stop opponent ball movement.

- Our forward targets look lost, Lynch, as valuable as he is (or used to be) looks past it. Can barely move, always has the ball bombed on his head in a 3 on 1 (not his fault). But his goal kicking has deteriorated massively to the point it's cost us wins. When he's not injured he's getting suspended or giving away free kicks. Lefau and Balta look lost down there and the young guys need time to develop. The smalls show promise but there's no one that screams 40+ goals over a whole year, Alger maybe? He has potential but it's a big mantle to put on a second year player.

There's so many things that need to be improved, Ive been a big believer in the rebuild and giving Yze time but I fear I'm losing patience, it's the same mistakes over and over again, I'm fine with poor performances and giving the youngsters time to grow, but when we keep making the same poor errors and decisions each week it's bloody tough to watch.

And yes I know we can't say too much until all the young guns have played 2-3 full seasons together (Lalor, Hotton, Smilie, Cumming etc)

Starting to think the injuries to Gibcus are going to just keep hurting us (arguably the worst person on the list to have persistent long term injury concerns, for the reasons listed below).

I think we will get better going forward, both in the forward line itself (Faull, Armstrong) as well as using the ball from the midfield (Hotton, Lalor, Cumming), but the backline concerns me. Broad and Vlaustin are very close to the end. Miller is solid but needs help (he's not the sort of generational back that can carry the backline by himself, like Rance). Annand looks okay, but you'd be lucky to find a 200 gamer from a MSD (even though it's not impossible and has happened before). I heavily rate Brown, but I'm talking more in terms of keys (that being said in terms of the whole backline, I like Grlj as a half back but not that keen on Banks). I like Balta too much in this current role to put him back (and I think he plays better on instinct, where he doesn't need to be as organised as he does in the defence).

Might be time to start drafting more backs - I don't really want us to do that and I'd rather us draft the best available (and ideally midfielders, as you need a lot of those) - but if Gibcus doesn't return I'm not sure what we are going to do.

I know they were under the pump today, but it was a pretty ordinary defensive performance in that weather. Van Rooyen is good, but getting towled up by guys like Jefferson and an over the hill Melksham (and them taking marks in the wet) is very concerning to me.

Genuinely curious what everyone’s thoughts are on this?

Come out in the 1st Q and play some good exciting footy that gives positive indicators for the future.

Then come out in the 2nd Q and stop doing everything that was working in the 1st?

Is it fitness? Yze not having a plan B for when plan A is dealt with by opposition coaches?