Anthony has been a success story in defence for the NBs... as I mentioned previously, I reckon he could find himself rookied onto an AFL list next year as a defender.
On a rare free weekend, I got out to Cramer St to see precisely what Baggeers relates. Not much can be added. Was in the stand nattering to a seemingly well-connected gent who says just this about Anthony. He might be a ... erm ... singular character but he's experienced and knows what the game's about. Another who does is Heath Scotland who quietly went about explaining to the defence what needed to be done when and where. NB's were outgunned, so the backs were under pressure but he looks and sounds the goods and may well go some distance in this caper. That gent also said Lucas endured a period of depression along with tearing a hammy off the bone and will be back west at year's end. As he got the ball early on, someone said "he'll muck it up" and he duly did, twice in fairly quick succession. He was prone to dumb kicking. Loved watching MK throw his considerable weight around. He got more confident as the game wore on and clunked several unassailable full-stretch grabs. Jeffy did some good things, mostly from the wing but sometimes in the centre. Even got a few tackles in. McInnes still lacks almost any confidence. Perhaps a good preseason will allow him to get it back. As said above, Cripps had a better second half. By no means fast across the park and needs an engine but is quick of mind in heavy traffic and got the ball out from a few packs. Pretty classy at this level but needs more physical development. The game got pretty congested so it wasn't that it slowed to suit him. He stepped up.
No one's irreplaceable, RR, but you come closer than most. And it's more than likely that it will take several of us to match your output and analysis. Be good and come back soon.
@Swan43 Swan, you make a valid point that we do put pressure on teams in their D50 and make them work to break out. However, once they do get out and goal side of our fwd press then we are more often than not shot to pieces and our defence is left fully exposed because our mids can't or won't get back. I watch it time and time again.
The other major weakness is that we lack proper composure in defence leading to many panicky clearances and turnovers that put the opposition into dangerous attacking positions, often in the corridor right in front of goal - again, it happens all the time.
We give away a lot of goals like that, and if, as we did last night, we also squander our own hard-won chances, then it's an obvious recipe for a loss.
Fair calls, Cookie. Personally reckon that while the lack of just one more functioning KPP would make a huge difference, the glaring deficiency is in the mids.
Then I ask the Question again. Why pay out Ratts at $900k or whatever and bring in mick for $3 mill if we fundamentally can't improve the players we have. Seems like a waste of money... no?
Because Mick knows how to build a list and run a club.
If this is indeed the case (and admittedly has been proven), then 2014 is gonna be a VERY big year for Mick.....very big.
Yes indeed - this is now very very apparent and as you stated earlier Brettie, probably Mick's biggest ever challenge.
A mystery wrapped in an inigma is our team ATM. We are good enough to comprehensively win the scoring shot contest but still lose the game. We have destroyed three seasons under two coaches by having multi-consecutive-game brain fades that defy explanation, or at least have not been explained to supporters. So we are left to make guesses. No doubt MM has his work cut out addressing the mental weaknesses of the players and the team as a whole. He has to as there aren't no quick fixes any more and no demands for half the list to be chopped can change that.
From what I saw high in the northern stand last night and over recent games is that even some pretty good teams are having a hard time getting through us. The scum aren't that good but they have not been the only ones who've had players pirouetting for want of good options coming out of defence. Given that our boys can just about manage that, why are they so slow to pick up the rest of what's needed? Is it that, until this year for almost all, their only prolonged AFL experience of coaching was provided by Ratts? It might be one facet of a complex picture. Perhaps.
No doubt we need an injection of class and strength in the midfield and a couple of effective talks. But we need a better mindset at least as much.
@laj, good points especially regarding the early 90s.
Membership? Each to their own and no one should be too judgmental of the disillusioned. We've put up with a hell of a lot and the cohesion and spirit of striving for excellence we had in better days is missing. It won't return quickly or without unity and a lot of hard work. Certainly the club and the players especially need a stinging message that their stocks are dire with supporters. There may be a good way to do that. I'm sure there is some spark of realisation of that at Prinny Park. I'll be buying mine as usual next year.
