So, in the third term leak aliir was off for a substantial period and that's when we did our damage.
Orazio played his best game in navy. Might not have troubled the stats sheet but his leadership (constant direction and chatter) as well as work rate (particularly during our surge) was good. He's probably first cab out when we get motlop back but don't underestimate his value. He linked up well a couple of times and when we were blazing away he lowered his eyes and hit up targets a couple of times leading to scores. He's not winning games himself but the usual suspects are going to perform when the Indians like Boyd, fantasia, durdin cotters, acres do the basics well and just keep giving the main events of cripps, McKay, curnow, Walsh, etc the impetus to impose themselves without having to worry about the others.
Also big kudos to voss. Gws I think kicked 5 in a row in the second term and they made the call to drop curnow back when our defense was all at sea. He didn't exactly do much but take one steadying mark, but it turned the game into an arm wrestle again and killed thr gws momentum. We scored the next goal and he went forward again. It just basically made them second guess what to do and they lost momentum.
Psychologically this was extremely important particularly as he was having a bit of an off day to that point. A lot of fans around me couldn't work out why he decided to do it, but I thought it's not a bad idea. It also has the effect of opening up our forward line and pushing a ruck forward and letting Charlie have a gallop.
That 2nd qtr was frustrating. We were getting the same number of shots but they kicked goals while we missed easy shots. They did get their's much easier than they should of though. Half way through the 3rd qtr everything changed. Like falling 20pts behind woke them up. The pressure rating the 2nd half of that 3rd qtr went from 150s during the 2nd qtr to 242, which is brutal.
I like how we can cobble together a decent side still.
Just for comparison the ins and outs for this week's game compared to when we knocked off the Pies last year in Round 20: OUT Cerra Docherty McGovern Saad Dow Marchbank Martin Motlop Cunningham Cincotta Fogarty In Walsh E.Hollands Z.Williams H.McKay L.Cowan L.Young Fantasia Boyd Carroll Durdin Kennedy
Running out of choices. I'd have him in the 2s if we could.
We'll get the best out of him in the 2nd half of the year when he gets the feel properly of the game again. I'd have him in the 2s until then but we have run out of players.
Important players are hurt EB, not confident taking on GWS
They'll have Taylor and Coniglio out next week. Taylor will be a big miss with our talls up forward
One thing, the last few years, we have easily played our best footy with half the side out. Don't know why but it keeps happening. Maybe we switch on alot more.
Fantasia gives us nothing. I know we have injuries to most of our half forwards but why not play a running type like Binns. It gives us more flexibility.
Fantasia is supposed to be a specialist small forward. Why isn't he applying pressure? Why he is nowhere to be seen when the ball hits the deck?
Thinking he is still getting the feel of the game after a long time out. Think he will be good for us, just not now. I think he needs to find that touch in the twos.