Staggered why Boyd didn't get a game, ditto Carroll, Binns is a good runner too. I don't ascribe to the cupboard being totally bare theory - but the players that are there need a rapid turn around in attitude and form, and I'm not confident going by what I've seen over the past month, and last ten games of 2024.
I would have played Boyd vs the magpie smalls in the wet. He would have been a good opponent for Schultz. Carroll and Binns are players I would integrate into the team but not too many newbies at once.. Our kids are small, lightweights rather than well built impact types who can hold their own straight away and we need to be careful not to over do it.
re: Motlop.......probably a second or third small forward you run behind someone else who is A grade who can make the big plays. He will kick the joe the goose type expected goals but wont be doing any Eddie Betts miracle stuff very often if at all.
Game went to script, Collingwood did what they had to do and were able to control TDK, Charlie and Cripps with Cameron again playing well. They dont do anything spectacular its just solid football enhanced by the conditions, thought we battled on and had a few out of form players get their hands on the footy which might bode well for our next game. There is nothing in the VFL that will turn this team around and its more about giving young VFL players in the main a taste than expecting them to win you a game. The bomb it in game plan is born out of panic and lack of players who can break the lines and deliver well and again enhanced by the wet conditions.
Watch old mate Membrey kick 4 tonight. Dines out on us.
And there smalls will cut us up again.
Needed a fit healthy and inform list to get over them - not happening tonight
Pies comfortably 25 plus
Elliot smashes us most times. Sidebottom will run around all night on his own and will gather 35-40 possessions.
If we get belted by the traditional enemy then a few dominoes might start falling to reignite the club and start some off field changes. Id rather we fight it out and try and win but its a tough ask looking at both teams selected...
Good small forwards work in a team and get enjoyment out of creating for each other. Ginnivan has learnt to do that at Hawthorn and I couldn't see Mitchell tolerating Motlop burning other smalls and be tearing him into him
What happened: - Changed HP guy - training is clearly different, is it better or worse? Too early to tell but right now, we aren't running out games, last year we finished games like trains. Is this fatigue in the second half affecting ball use and decision making?
- Lost 30-40 goals - Between Owies, Martin (when not injured) and Kennedy, we have lost some fire power up forward.
- We need Curnow and McKay in the same side preferably both firing or at least causing headaches for defenders.
They are the main items for me.
How about the recruiting?....sold the farm for Smith, and recruited numpties like Evans and Haynes and gave away two competent players in Owies and Kennedy. And now we have to watch some of these younger teams move ahead of us like Hawthorn have done.
Think we are being kind to the list management crew and absolving them from blame when in IMHO they are clearly under the microscope and changes need to be made. Its a list of a few Chiefs who all need to be happy and firing every week, not just taking it in turns and then a long line of Indians who tail away badly after the first few. You throw that in with Voss not being the best match day tactical coach and that gives him less levers to pull and we are scarily on the edge of another total rebuild. No point sacking the coach, recruiters or saying everything is fixed with a win vs the Pies either and its going to be a long tedious season until we can review the season properly when its over but there has to be a point where the club have to tell the supporters we have failed in rebuilding this club and will need to go again.
Blues vs Pies games don't get decided by ladder position form, recent history and I still give us a chance to win the game. Pies will be favourites and probably feeling a bit cocky and good about their chances but it usually isn't pretty footy and if we can catch them off guard there will be an upset imo.
Last 20 LLLLL WLWLL LLLWL LLWLL Our record against these pricks is very poor.
Blues vs Pies games don't get decided by ladder position form, recent history and I still give us a chance to win the game. Pies will be favourites and probably feeling a bit cocky and good about their chances but it usually isn't pretty footy and if we can catch them off guard there will be an upset imo.
Id play Moir in the seniors regardless of form and use it as education to fast track him, be doing the same with Lemmey and not rushing Harry back out of desperation. Don't expect any thing more than effort and I'd be doing the same with other young players but not all at once or we will get carved up.
Well we might win one or two more after we lose this one and go into the mid season bye with 9 losses and 3 wins.... then what?
Absolutely must win this match.
Whilst this match looks as a must win match, we need to look beyond that point somewhat. This season is looming as a loser for a multitude of reasons, but currently we need to focus less on results and more about method, organisation and the fundamentals tied to future success.
I've often wondered about our team brand of football, and this is the season to focus on it with so many star players completely out of form (or completely out of the team) and get the systems to stack up for next season.
I'm sick of being a team that relies on a pool of 5 to 10 players to play good footy and would prefer our 20 odd top enders stand up.
Yep relying on too you few to win games is a problem, our Indians are low quality and we keep adding more . We are getting to the stage of a rebuild based around the Campo's, Smith, Cody Walker, Harry Dean etc, think we have missed the boat with list management and need a list manager who can pick the right support players and backups for our star players some of whom have faded with over work imo.
Was Cripp's effectiveness affected by that heavy landing on his 'coccyx' during the game. Taking a form line through the Bulldogs with a little more efficiency and a similar effort we are a chance.
had 5 kicks for the game. Suspect the knock was a contributing factor but 21 disposals handball heavy and 8 tackles suggests he's carrying something.
Been carrying an entire team..hope we haven't Judded him and can he keep playing at such a high level.
Think we tried hard but don't have the extra talent once other teams reestablish themselves in the game. At half time I knew we were in trouble as they were mounting a comeback and we struggle when teams fightback and we capitulate eventually. Kemp was probably a positive in a game where goals were hard to get, and Cripps, TDk plugged away with Weitering and Jack containing Darcy and Naughton. Sad to see Kennedy in a Dogs outfit and our mate Liam Jones would have been handy too, still got no idea why Evans and Haynes were recruited....
I cannot believe how underdone we look. Some of the other teams are playing out of their brains, while we try to remember how to play footy again.
What are we not doing over summer?
Someone will be able to confirm for sure, but i seem to remember that we were focussing on power this off-season. It seems to be at the expense of our endurance.
I think when you are a slow team and you tire the endurance angle gets magnified, not sure our players have over powered anyone yet either apart from TDK who looks to have got stronger.
