Just thinking about Petracca and how he got off the leash. Charlie should've gone to him in the last late in the last quarter, he was in the backline anyway, he's athletic enough and strong enough to impede Petracca's influence, only has to break even.
Not sure about Charlie in that role - I think Newman might have been the best available option after McGovern was toasted a couple of times. If Cincotta hadn't been so much on top of Pickett, he might have been worth a try.
Needs to learn to get more possessions and be more involved because he seems to be one of the better players at kicking to the advantage of our tall forwards in the AFL team.
[4] Free Kicks: My God, we were crucified. I don't want to go through all of them, but there were so many after half time! Without them, Melbourne wouldn't have got close. But that big tackle on Petracca near siren time: absolute Gold!
I didn't agree with all of the frees but I could see why the vast majority were paid and I thought the umpires consistently gave the player with the ball every opportunity to dispose of it legally - sometimes too much of an opportunity - and consistently awarded an 'incorrect disposal' free when the player lost control of the ball in the tackle if he had had a prior opportunity.
Ollie on the other hand seems a yard off and light frame is under attack constantly. I worry he's going to snap. His lack of awareness of the tackler cost us 3 or so times. His effort and gut running is unquestionable. What's the plan for Ollie's development?
We seemed to lose a lot of drive when Cerra went off.
Probably Ollie's best game for the season - despite the lack of awareness that saw him caught with the ball several times - the pressure on the ball carrier seemed off the scale in this match but he seems to be showing some Paddy Dow traits; i.e. frequently caught if he tried to run with the ball because he thought he was faster than he actually was - should be correctable with the right coaching
We recognise the advantages of one ruck in terms of the extra run. On the weekend we saw the advantages of two rucks. Will either option work every week? I doubt it will. Two rucks may not even work next week. One thing we can be sure of is, that having seen how Pittonet and TDK operated on the weekend, opposition clubs will devote a bit of time as to how they combat that combination.
When we play 2 rucks, Pitto needs to spend most of his time on the ball (especially early in the game) to allow TDK to provide relief when the opposition ruckman tires (especially late in games), which allows for Pitto to be subbed out if there are no injuries.
This means that one of the 3 tall forwards needs to consistently present on the wing (or in the midfield) to provide marking power; create space in the front half; and to run forward without being closely marked. They all have sufficient mobility to perform this role.
Charlie frustrates and should've had at least 3 goals at half time and sometimes looks like he needs to work a lot harder....but seems to be able to hit the scoreboard nearly every week.
Charlie has the athleticism to do much more but he doesn't chase hard after an opponent with the ball anywhere near as hard as he chases a loose ball that he thinks he can possess.
There’s nothing wrong with playing two rucks, provided that they can do more than take part in ruck contests.
A very important proviso but one that seems even more likely if the umpires continue to adjudicate centre ruck contests in the current manner, which allows Pitto to push his opponents around in a way that tended to get him penalized in previous seasons..
Lemmey is still very much a work in progress. He wasn't bad as a defender, but he doesn't have the attack on the ball that I want to see.
Dom Akuei is cooked.
Akuei has speed and a big leap plus the skinniest calves in the VFL but I have yet to see much in the way of football talent.
Lemmey has a decent pair of hands if he has a clear run at the ball and doesn't have to manoeuvre; he also seems somewhat lacking beneath his knees - despite the commentators remarks, I have not yet been impressed.
Only if he earns one by forcing his way into the team. Having said that, I thought he was better in attacking the contested ball in today's match than I have seen previously - even if he did go missing for a significant part of the second half.
