Review Good, Bad and Ugly vs NM (Preseason Edition)

[Elite Crow]

I think that's fair comment and certainly in his presser, PW clearly referred to his dissatisfaction.

I'm sure it won't be glossed over internally

I don't think he will have either, just some on here have.

 

[hey shorty]

So did Lowden play today or not ?? If not, why so

 

[Doctor B]

THE GOOD
Playing a mix of experience and youth
Trying out a new coaches ideas in round 1 NAB
Taking a lot of the experienced players off at three quarter time.

THE BAD
The kids getting out played in the last quarter.

THE UGLY
The amount of panic and doom on this board.

 

[Elite Crow]

FFS there's panic and doom? Would you just prefer a wank fest?

 

[Elite Crow]

So did Lowden play today or not ?? If not, why so

No rotations

 

[crow1980]

Do you think we intended to nearly give up a 50 point lead?

Hi everyone. Long time reader first time poster.
I watched and listened to the game there was a HUGE amount to like about the first 3 quarters. So the 4th wasn't great but we played c grade mids and we weren't about to give everything away game 1 of nab cup.. elite standards isn't something you can just switch on after the poor game plans and the under achieving seasons we have had. its a process and I believe the process is working.. we are building a winning culture it will happen have faith.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Walsh's PC http://www.afl.com.au/video/2015-03-01/walsh-unhappy-with-crows-fourthterm-fadeout-

Better questions than the pre-game presser.

Overall, it appears Walshy is happy with things...

 

[lunacy]

I think Walsh gave them the impression that it was job done at 3qtr time, so in the last quarter players were just trying to not get injured. This was walsh's first game as head coach, he's got a lot of learning to do about what kind of an impact his words can have to the group in game breaks. These are the games where he is allowed to make mistakes.

We don't know what was said at half time. I think that's a bit presumptuous.

I think our young mids/defenders really tired in that last quarter. Our midfield rotations were B.Crouch, Lyons, VB, Wright, Grigg & Kerridge vs Harvey, Dal Santo, Cunnington, Ziebell, Bastinac, Higgins and Wells (first half).
North's midfield probably had a games average of 150 compared to about 75 games for us. Plus our O'Brien would have been pretty spent. Our defense in last quarter included Siggins, Kelly, Wigg.
I'm not making excuses because I want us to be a team like Hawthorn where it doesn't matter who is playing, the team still rolls on.

 

[Doctor B]

FFS there's panic and doom? Would you just prefer a wank fest?

Bit of an over reaction there mate. I'm just saying let's keep a bit of perspective. Round 1 NAB, new coach, played mostly raw kids in the last quarter. While the last quarter was ugly we won it's not that bad.

 

[Elite Crow]

Bit of an over reaction there mate. I'm just saying let's keep a bit of perspective. Round 1 NAB, new coach, played mostly raw kids in the last quarter. While the last quarter was ugly we won it's not that bad.

Actually thought your post was an over reaction. No one suggested panic or doom.

 

[Matman23]

Biggest highlight for me today was O'Brien, Ramsey and Kelly. I know it's early days but all three looked very promising. Hats off to our recruiters for getting these blokes in the rookie draft. Looking forward to seeing McGovern and Dear on Thursday night.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Biggest highlight for me today was O'Brien, Ramsey and Kelly. I know it's early days but all three looked very promising. Hats off to our recruiters for getting these blokes in the rookie draft. Looking forward to seeing McGovern and Dear on Thursday night.

Given the long-term injury to Otten & uncertainty over Reilly's return, there is a real opportunity for a rookie (or 2) if they perform.

Will get a good idea who impressed Walshy, as he mentioned they would get another game & I expect many changes for the next game as most of our key players return (so there will be a squeeze for positions).

 

[NikkiNoo]

I thought you guys were impressive in the middle with the pressure put on the player who got possession of the ball and the pressure put on the player receiving the second possession, it made it difficult to string together consecutive possessions and get some good ball movement fluency.

We haven't even had an intra club so this was our first proper scratch match since September, the players who didn't play in September (Higgins and Waite) who trained for about a month longer than the rest of the group seem to have been better prepared.

Thankfully there were no serious injuries, am a bit worried about how often Lynch is getting hurt though.

Hope that luck holds out for the rest of the pre-season and look forward to our round one clash.

From watching a number of other of the NAB games, this was the one with a decent standard of skills from both sides. The other games have had some shocking skill errors that happened repeatedly. So I count that as a plus for us and you guys, knowing there was some decent pressure going on out there.

 

[Houston]

Biggest highlight for me today was O'Brien, Ramsey and Kelly. I know it's early days but all three looked very promising. Hats off to our recruiters for getting these blokes in the rookie draft. Looking forward to seeing McGovern and Dear on Thursday night.

are they confirmed to be playing?

 

[NikkiNoo]

Surely "in the field of play" is the crucial part. Since when is a goal umpire in the field of play?
To hit the goal umpire, surely the ball has crossed the line, so it must be a goal?

No the ball must completely cross over the line. A goal umpire in order to judge that correctly has to straddle the line, hence be part the way in the field of play.

 

[spenze]

FFS there's panic and doom? Would you just prefer a wank fest?

Well I do have a packet of Sao biscuits...

 

[Matman23]

are they confirmed to be playing?

Walsh said something about some playing two and some playing three. I would expect those are the type of players he would want to see in action. So no not confirmed but alluded to by Walsh.

 

[dylan123]

Great to have footy back!!

Random notes on some individuals/team -

Crouch - Was looking in strong form, a lot on here had talked about hopefully seeing him run and carry it more this season, of course it's only one game in but he didn't really show that other than one play and it was looking good but he had to handball it off. He gets quite a bit of the ball in situations where he has to quickly flick it off.

Betts - So quick and clean, BOG for mine, love having him at the Crows.

Grigg - Was lining up on the wing for much of the match, everyone got their wish with that. Had a ripper of a kick inside 50 (forget who to) and some nice solid tackles.

Wright - Thought he was doing well early, being able to roam up the ground more given we were missing a few others.

Ellis-Yolmen - His disposal leaves a lot to be desired, be interested to see whether we can find a role for him in the side or not. I wouldn't think so but he really did get active in the 3rd.

Pods - Full time defender, with the way the game was played, didn't really get to see how he competed 1v1.

Brown - Some nice 1%er plays that stopped a goal or two.

Kerridge - Was a little disappointed to see him play all the game as a HFF without getting a run in the midfield.


As how we played as a team, I didn't notice a hell of a lot different from last year although you wouldn't expect massive changes either for that matter, especially not in a pre season game with some of your stars not playing. We looked to be playing on and moving the ball as quickly as possible. I was pretty annoyed with our kick ins after North kicked points though. I can't recall if we did this or not last year but it seems either Talia/Pods would set a screen in the goal square that would let Jaensch play on and kick it to the trusty right side 9/10, much like last year. Was rather predictable watching it and most of the kicks didn't go to our advantage at all, and more to Norths rather than being even a neutral contest. Pods took a couple as well and I hope we won't see too much of that in the actual season...

Be interesting to see how the positions change up when some of the other best 22 come back into the side. For example we saw Martin and Grigg on the wing (Van Berlo a little as well for memory). With guys like Mackay to come in, it'll be interesting to see who holds that spot and who is then trialed in other positions.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

are they confirmed to be playing?

Bit early to say, as squad not yet announced.

I wouldn't assume both Dear & McGovern will play the next game v Cats as it is expected most of the senior players will come back in.

Ruck is interesting, given Sauce's injury - will we have a look at Lowden? I get the feeling Dear is off the pace at the moment.

Hope to see McGovern in at least 1 NAB game.

 

[Tas]

Always good to have your thought on board Tas!

Walsh has been working on pressuring the opposition, so hopefully this will be an area for improvement in 2015... as opposed to leaving free outside runners

Good luck for 2015 - I have the Roos finishing top-4.

I hope we finish top 4, however, there is really not a huge margin for error. Swans, Hawks, Geelong and Freo were worthy top 4 teams last year. Port, us and Essendon weren't that far off, it is the consistency of the present top 4 teams which sees them in the box seat.

Teams going down all the way to Gold Coast at 12th last year could all push for top 8, I don't think the margin between the top 4 and the top 12 is that great in terms of talent and list composition, the top 4 just work better as a team.

Crows have got a very good midfield group now and I think compares rather well against the best 22 of any team in the top 8, what it has lacked over recent years is the depth imo. Good midfields need to be hard at it and it need to bat deep more than it needs to have exceptional individuals. Collingwood had Pendlebury, Swan & Beams and finished 11th. The problem was their depth, Swan struggled a bit with a niggle and Ball was done so they just had kids to fill in, even talented kids struggle for consistency, struggle with the physical requirement.

I believe Crows and Suns should make the push into the top 8 this year, should be another very interesting top 8 battle, I have a gut feel the top 4 will come back to the field a bit, all four were able to win a bit too easily when they were playing mediocre footy at times last year, I think they will find it a bit harder this year but they are in the box seat to remain in the top 4 imo.

Best of luck for 2015, hope to see you make the finals this season.

 

[Hank93]

Interesting at how many differences Brad Scott noticed of our game compared to 2014, and the tactics that were implemented during a trial game.


He didn't mention any specifics, but he was pretty clear on how different he saw us play.

 

[NikkiNoo]

Better questions than the pre-game presser.

Overall, it appears Walshy is happy with things...

Walshy really liked one of those questions too. I think because he won't give them anything for their normal quote grabbing lackadaisical questions, they actually have to think of good questions to ask him. I was pretty impressed with the questions asked in this presser.

 

[Tas]

From watching a number of other of the NAB games, this was the one with a decent standard of skills from both sides. The other games have had some shocking skill errors that happened repeatedly. So I count that as a plus for us and you guys, knowing there was some decent pressure going on out there.

Yeah, I posted in our matchday thread on our board that the one thing I wanted to see above all was the skill level be at a good standard for this time of the year. The wind was a bit tricky, and apart from the players who aren't best 22, I thought the skill level was to a good standard.

You can lift intensity from a practice match to the home & away to the finals as is needed, but if your skills are way off it can take a long time to address it, the only thing that helps improve skill level is repetition under duress, you do not have a lot of opportunity do that during the season. In seasons where our skill level was woeful during the pre-season our season started s**t and ended in disappointment falling short of the mark.

 

[Infra Ted]

Yep, i'm sure round 1 of NAB challenge is so important

We were 50 points up at 3 quarter time! Job done for week 1

Is that you Sando?

We need to develop a winning culture. The puck doesn't stop with the AFC staff and players but we, as supporters, need to expect and demand a win. No matter how insignificant the game is.

"We were 50 points up at 3 quarter time!" Isn't going to cut it for me and nor should it.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dylan123]

No the ball must completely cross over the line. A goal umpire in order to judge that correctly has to straddle the line, hence be part the way in the field of play.

Surely a bit of common sense can be used in a situation such as that though...