Autopsy 2023 Rd 21 Last quarter blitz sees Blues in 5th spot

[Robbo's my hero]

How exhilarating were Motlop's and Acre's running goals. Both clutch and perfectly executed.

You can add another five to that list.

 

[F_therest]

Our outside players are absolutely tearing it up every week. Acres, Newman etc.

We’re not just a clearance winning team anymore, the handballing our way up the ground from half back is the best feature of our game right now.

We're literally great everything right now which is why we are so exciting and could be entering premiership calculations.

Contested possessions, clearances, pressure? Tick

Groundball gets, ball movement and transition from d50 to f50? Tick

Converting i50s into scores? Tick

Grinding down opponents over 4 quarters and outlasting them? Tick

So good to watch.

 

[Jeremias]

Had this pencilled in as a loss and at half time I looked to be on the money. Thought we started the better of the two sides but failed to put anything on the scoreboard to show for it, then St Kilda took hold of the game.

St Kilda weren't playing particularly well but, rather uncharacteristically of late, our pressure was down all game. We were struggling to overcome their negative tactics. You could see the players were frustrated. You could hear the fans certainly were.

Almost looked a different side after the main break. Pressure still wasn't at the level of prior weeks but we gained control of the match mid way through the 3rd and didn't look back.

Defensively I felt we were strong all game and very well set up. Good structures and good discipline both with and without the ball. After half time though we were sensational on both fronts.

And that 4th quarter...a thing of beauty. Down on the scoreboard at the final break but by then we had control of the game, we just needed to execute. And execute we did - our game plan, and then the Saints.

Didn't love the performance at times but the win was a very strong one and oh so satisfying. Very important too - not just for the obvious 4 points - but the manner in which we won that was very different to most of the 6 that preceded it.

We didn't blow them out of the park early. We didn't build up a massive lead at any point. This was a real arm wrestle. We were behind at every change yet didn't panic, focussed on our strengths and what has really driven this turnaround, and got the job done.

A very mature victory. And quite possibly a very significant one not just because it gets us 4 points closer to where we want to be.

If you don't believe in this team now, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[BigFrizz36]

Marshall flogged Pittonet in the first half. Pittonet was good in Q4. I would select JSOS over Pittonet at this stage for most games, with Melbourne the exception

Might become a bit easier if Harry's playing and can chop out up forward. Don't like Charlie in the ruck at all.

Bulldogs might be another where you need the two actual ruckmen. Gotta say though that pitto and TDK wore Marshall down, marshall went from influential early to non existent late.

 

[BigFrizz36]

Herald sun writer gave Newman three votes, Wilkie two (bit of a stretch) and Crouch (bloke didn't touch the ball in the last quarter when the game was there to be won) one vote.

May not have covered himself in glory there.

 

[skadoosh]

Herald sun writer gave Newman three votes, Wilkie two (bit of a stretch) and Crouch (bloke didn't touch the ball in the last quarter when the game was there to be won) one vote.

May not have covered himself in glory there.

Think they may have forgotten Wilkie only had half a Charlie to play on. The other Saint's player played on the other half of Charlie.

 

[Jeremias]

Herald sun writer gave Newman three votes, Wilkie two (bit of a stretch) and Crouch (bloke didn't touch the ball in the last quarter when the game was there to be won) one vote.

May not have covered himself in glory there.

Newman and Crouch I agree with. Crouch absolutely torched us for most of the game.

Wilkie getting 2 is a bit of a joke though. I'm a massive fan of his but it's a pretty easy role when you have a team mate or two helping you out at every single contest.

 

[FitzroyBlueBagger]

For those who are talking about trading Harry, I think yesterday showed how important he is for us to be another avenue to goal and to take pressure of Chas.

Makes things easier on both of them, they complement each other’s strengths as players and make it much more difficult for opposition teams trying to keep both of them in check…
We really missed him on the weekend…

 

[skadoosh]

Newman and Crouch I agree with. Crouch absolutely torched us for most of the game.

Wilkie getting 2 is a bit of a joke though. I'm a massive fan of his but it's a pretty easy role when you have a team mate or two helping you out at every single contest.

Could see Charlie getting pretty frustrated (rightly so given his treatment). But kudos to him for keeping his head high and pushing on the finish the game strongly.

 

[Aphrodite]

That Dow goal that put us in front and the crowd noise



*Incoming spam from my fav Twitter fan account - enjoy

 

[BigFrizz36]

Newman and Crouch I agree with. Crouch absolutely torched us for most of the game.

Wilkie getting 2 is a bit of a joke though. I'm a massive fan of his but it's a pretty easy role when you have a team mate or two helping you out at every single contest.

Crouch for me is a bigger shocker than Wilkie. He's an accumulator that doesn't hurt you much at the best of times.

But not to touch the ball in the last quarter when your team starts in front and gets overwhelmed means that you did nothing to stem the tide and to my mind at lease disqualifies you from getting votes.

Acres pretty much helped turn the game, kicked two big goals, including a ripper to seal the game, set up Charlie for another in the last, had 27 touches and was clearly in the best 3 players on the ground.

 

[Aphrodite]

 

[thylacine60]

did bt swallow the mic as blacres goal went through?

 

[Aphrodite]

 

[Aphrodite]

 

[Aphrodite]

 

[Aphrodite]

 

[Aphrodite]

 

[Aphrodite]

Sam Docherty rallies around Paddy Dow in his post-match interview!

It was a tough match at Marvel Stadium, with the Blues prevailing by 19 points over the Saints to win their seventh win in a row. Paddy Dow kicked a goal to put the Blues in front in the last quarter, just as he was about to be subbed out, and Sam Docherty expressed his […]

www.3aw.com.au

 

[Sector 7G]

Newman and Crouch I agree with. Crouch absolutely torched us for most of the game.

Wilkie getting 2 is a bit of a joke though. I'm a massive fan of his but it's a pretty easy role when you have a team mate or two helping you out at every single contest.

2 SI is not really torching us. Game is on the line in the last and he is invisible. Crouch would be lucky to be in the top 10 players on the ground IMO.

 

[4flagsin5yrs]

Herald sun writer gave Newman three votes, Wilkie two (bit of a stretch) and Crouch (bloke didn't touch the ball in the last quarter when the game was there to be won) one vote.

May not have covered himself in glory there.

that's embarrassing.

 

[Aphrodite]

 

[Aphrodite]

Dutchy!

 

[Aphrodite]

 

[Aphrodite]