Essendon great Matthew Lloyd says he is getting close to putting a line through Melbourne‘s premiership chances after a disappointing collapse against the Bulldogs.
Despite leading by as many as 27 points, Melbourne was overrun in the final quarter, with the Bulldogs kicking five of the game’s last six goals.
Speaking on Nine’s AFL Sunday Footy Show, Lloyd highlighted a number of examples where Melbourne players were dragging their heels defensively in the final term.
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“Melbourne has now lost five of its past eight, I’m very concerned about them, I have been for weeks,” he said.
“These are the little things they were doing well last year that they’re not currently doing well at the moment.
“I think they’re off and they’re not doing things well enough and that’s why Geelong’s on top and flying … and Melbourne aren’t.
“For me, it’s why teams don’t go back-to-back, you don’t do the things well enough, you get ahead of yourself, some guys get comfortable.
“On the ground they’re not doing things anywhere near as well (as last year).”
One of the examples of footage Lloyd used showed last year’s leading goal-kicker Bayley Fritsch not tracking his man on a transition play which resulted in a set shot for Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.
“Bayley Fritsch, that’s cheating,” he said.
“You’ve got to get forward of your man when the opposition win the footy. He doesn’t really want to go (and says), ‘Oh I have to go now’, so Buku Khamis taps the ball on, another player has to come up. How much does Salem want to defend this ball here?”
Another example showed star midfielder Angus Brayshaw not defending in a play that resulted in a late goal to Riley Garcia that gave the Bulldogs the lead.
“Let’s look at Brayshaw, he’s only caring about winning a handball receive, that’s how he plays, you wonder why Garcia kicks a goal late in the game,” Lloyd said.
“The ball is in dispute, you’ve got to have your man, you’ve got to be defensive, he wasn’t, and Garcia goes and kicks the goal.”
Despite the loss, Melbourne still remains in second position on the ladder, but now trails ladder-leaders Geelong by a full game.
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