Have you watched him in the 2's? My impression from the broadcast last week was that he ran out of puff. Maybe needs to build his tank. His footy smarts and skills make it look like he has time to size things up. Loads of potential but areas needing attention I expect.
Rankine started a bit like that as well. The really gifted players often shine in the junior ranks based on their supreme skills, and because of that they haven't really needed to buckle down and develop their aerobic capacity. The big question is whether or not he has the drive to address his fitness.
Don't mind replacing Fantasia, but Moir is still a fair way off. He will be given plenty of time to develop before being paraded out a la Binns. With one or two exceptions, we are right into development and ensuring young players have served a comprehensive apprenticeship.
I know it's early days, but Moir has a bit of Izak Rankine about him.... we can only hope!
Agree on Hewett - the reason Walsh got so many clearances from the centre bounce (apart from Crippa of course) was the Rolls-Royce service he received from Hewett feeding the ball out.
Game in a nutshell for me - we had 19 tackles in the first half, and were basically playing basketball with them. Ended up on 52 tackles - not a huge increment I know, but it was the way we tackled, with big intent - like when Himmelberg got nailed by our own Harry, ending in a simple goal to Charlie, the effect on the whole GWS team was clear from that point on.
In the first half, the Orange boys were hand- and foot-passing with unpressured precision, but in the second half, you could see the extra heat made them rush what they were doing, and the turnovers started coming.
As has been said many time, when we are the hunters. we can beat anyone.
Hate to say it, but can't see how we can win this. We struggle with fast-running sides, and GWS have that in buckets.
The one glint of optimism is Harry and Charlie with no Sam Taylor. But then again, I thought they would kick big bags against Freo and Adelaide for similar reasons......
Binns running power is outstanding he is perfect runner for transition play like Cottrell. He finds plenty of the ball through pure work rate. But what impresses me more is that work rate he also adds tackles and clearances to his game. 25 touches, 4 tackles 3 clearances from the young fella is fantastic for a wingman.
I've watched plenty of Binns in the past 12 months. Great runner and ball user. He didn't make VFL team of the year for nothing......
Personnel. Yes, we have injuries but we had injuries in games and our best missing when we were flying last year and found a way to win, and win well. If there is a mitigation it would be our forward line, a 2 star reliance. Too many small forwards just not delivering. Specifically, Fantasia & small Durds. And let's not get started on our glaring need for a third taller forward. Despite the injuries I hope our selection this week is not conservative... a shake-up is needed. Fingers crossed there are a few shining lights in today's Magoos. And those who suggest TDK might be a worthwhile experiment in defense... I agree.
We really need a mobile third marking option in the forward line, because banging it long to McKay and Curnow remains ultra predictable, and good teams can dry up our scoring very easily. Martin kind of covered that last year, but Owies and the other smalls are not quite up to it or strong enough overhead. I mean someone like a Fritsch, Hayward, Henry, Zac Bailey.
Maybe once we a full compliment of defenders available, we should try Brodie Kemp there?
I'd be shocked if we let the same thing happen again but you never know. Ben Keys had a day out, that won't happen again. They do have fwd line that can prove troublesome. If it was at the G we'd be a certainty.
Last year was in front of 40,000+ baying Crows fans at the Adelaide Oval for the first ever Gather game. I'd like to think the shoe is on the other foot this time.......
If I hear that we were 'lucky' again, I'll tear off my own ears! If you want to talk 'lucky', how about Freo getting 66% of their goals from frees... some there, some not. The end.
I'm disappointed that they keep referring to the 'touched' mark. It wasn't, it was a mark. There must be 5-10 marks in every game that are 'touched' but paid as marks - most pack marks have multiple hands on them, and as for smothering off the boot, umpires are always looking for hands doing that, not triceps. They sure as hell are not allowed to look at slow-motion enhanced video from 3 different angles.
And the free that followed - Freo can own that completely.
So we weren't the thieves - just the club that is smart enough to play until the final siren rings and take its chances along the way.
