The glass half full version : - we won by nearly 6 goals, similar to Geelong who beat WC by 7 goals - traveling, away from Melbourne - no Walsh, no McKay, Curnow out early, Cripps and Weitering down on form for various reasons - a few players with a handful of games - a few in game injuries
The glass half empty version : - we played 2 quarters of good footy, against a team with one win, sitting last on the ladder.
I understand the need to experiment. I'm all for going full bore on experimentation once our season is out of reach. Play kids, or fringe players who may be on one last chance. Play around with structure Try players in different positions. I'm not sure in a senior match where you are still a finals chance though is the best time or place.
If it was in fact a deliberate move... We didn't gain much from changing things up, if anything... -For a start the side we put on the field (and ended up on the field) is probably well short of our best 22 so any learning opportunity only applies to those playing> -we lost an opportunity to improve on our percentage. -we may have re-inforced doubts amongst our players about our ability to play out a game. (that's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy...if they doubt... when one or two things go wrong it can get into their heads. Maybe that's what is happening already -it didn't work, and a team labelled as pathetic by their coach at quarter time is suddenly competitive. -it may work against a West Coast. Try it against a Collingwood and they'll run all over us. Different opposition-different tactics.
Understand what you're stating here, Principal Lods, and if it were a one off I'd wholeheartedly agree, especially considering our ladder position.
However... there was very little different in the way we played to most of the entire season, sheesh, to the past few years. Doesn't seem to matter who we put on the paddock or in whatever position... We deliver the same results, shoot to the top of the mountain then gradually roll down to, or near, the bottom. And I actually don't think anyone knows why.
It's almost as if we've created a unique brand: look all conquering for a while, then shizen the bed. Whatever it is, it sure aint delivering the very best version of ourselves for anything more than thirty or fourty minutes! Gameplan, between the lugholes/psychological profile, diet, burden of expectation, development, selection, clueless coaching... FIIK.
If the opposition doesn't turn up -- Cheats/Weagles 1st qtrs (and others throughout the years) -- we look a million bucks. But the moment other sides get to work, it seems we just don't know what to do other than attempt to close the game down - blokes go into their shells, become panicky, confused, discombobulated, skills evaporate, disconnected and just plain ordinary. Inconsistency reigns. A bunch of individuals once any heat comes into the game. Plus, we're really boring to watch.
I think Lemmey will get a look at some stage in the second half. He's an out of contract player at the end of the year but I think we should hang on to him a bit longer. It will be interesting to see how he goes with McMahon out of the picture and him being the main forward target in the VFL.
Yep, even in his one outing without McMahon he looked better and more engaged.
We should flog WC similar to last time, I would have taken over Ben Campo or Flynn Young rather than Durdin or Boyd and given them a taste of senior footy vs the worst team in the comp.
Couldn't agree with you more, EB1. Personally, I've given up on Durds as a small forward. His shtick is defensiveness, and we've already got one of those with Fogs. For moi, Ben C was a no brainer. Billy W should also be seriously considered along with Flynn Y.
And FFS, I hope Cinc is given more license to be offensive... a waste of genuine leg speed being just a lockdown run-with.
Firstly, a lot of fans make these comments based on watching the broadcast, but the depth perception is poor and particularly in either distant pocket players may appear a couple of meters apart on the broadcast, but easily have 5m or 10m of separation on the field.
Secondly, some KPP players will be told to leave the chasing to the Medium / Smalls, especially if we think their opposition KPP is susceptible to blowing up aerobically. You don't waste your KPPs legs if you think they have their opponent covered on a 2nd or 3rd effort...............
This is more in keeping with my thoughts. On a spectrum of plausibility, it's more plausible that Charlie is playing to instruction, and that the team is better off with him in than out, and that his KPI's are set realistically, based on injury, pre season, role within the team etc. I think it's far less likely that he is holding the club to ransom because of marketing etc.
We should offer to do a straight swap of Mr Perfect Mihochek with Charlie. I can guarantee you, we won't even have time to set our stopwatches before McRae has Brodie's bags all packed and his locker cleared.
Absobloodylutely! Talk of trading H and Charles is silly.
If there are criticisms of H and Charles not kicking big bags of goals, perhaps we should look further up the field - delivery into F50!
In the 1st qtr against cheats.com.au when our forward line was 'lively' and delivery good, Charles was dangerous, very dangerous. Then when the opposition raised the pressure, and our collective sphincters tightened, supply became erratic... again.
Agree with those who question our lack of fitness. Last night it was quite obvious we started to run out of gas about halfway through the 2Q. We then became more susceptible to pressure and started making a lot more mistakes. Gutsy win in the end, by the skin of our teeth.
I just think we lose focus, Fluffy One, once the opposition brings heat and/or something different... And that can look like fitness. If our fitness was not up to scratch, we'd have folded in the last qtr but were able to find more intensity especially from our mids.
Losing focus brings the opposition into the game. Such a brittle edge in the modern game... drop 3% and you're in the shizen. Plus I think we're 'bedding down' a much needed extra dimension to our game - better/more composed inside 50 entries, and making the ground bigger.
We won. That's good, regardless of the opposition.
However... there's how we won... impressive in some respects, but same old, same old in other respects. When the opposition brings heat or something different, we still take too long to adjust and assert. Or, perhaps more importantly, fail to bring our best, with persistence, consistently - above the shoulders. Especially after half time.
Glad to see us apply better system going forward, now to apply that for four quarters, with authority and confidence. Also glad to see us throw the aggott around more, making the ground bigger... and, again, now to apply that for four quarters, with authority and confidence.
Rapt to see HOK do well. He's a ripper. Pleasing to see Mots step up, and to see him around the goals... where he should be. Pleasing to see Cinc take care of Merrett, his defensive excellence has been sorely missed. Interesting that when Walsh and Cripps go off the boil (2nd and 3rd qtrs), so does the whole side!! Williams is a huge upgrade on Durdin (reckon Durdin just might be a potential lockdown small defender on dangerous oppo small forwards... can tackle and get over the grass quickly).
Bottom line? We're still a good ordinary side until we show otherwise - by beating top 8 sides.
Popcorn. Real butter. Feet up. Maybe a cheeky red.
Musk will be flicking through his notes on what's next to post. Trump will be working out how he can shut down X. Media re-stocking and sharpening their pencils. MAGA sycophants and Trump appointed Supreme Court Judges confused. Where do cowards hide? Lawyers licking their lips. Laughter coming from Epstein's urn. Democrats discussing opportunistic strategies, which will take about 9 years.
A dash more butter and a drop or two of more red, please.
