Game Day West Coast v Port Adelaide Preseason Training Drill @ Lathlain 4.40pm

[idmfts]

Thought the boys looked noticeably lighter and conditioning looks improved. Looked far too heavy last year. Will be interesting to see how we run out games this year.

 

[Bender_]

Running out the game well helps when you can rotate the entire available squad though. Regardless we did look much fitter - I was surprised by how much game time players like Allen, Chesser, Cole, Sheed and Duggan played considering they were mentioned as going to have a conservative approach to their returns - and upon reflection I assume that this was probably the first big chance for them to get some real game fitness up when compared to players like McGovern and Culley who only played a half.

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

View attachment 1615340

How tf did it go up?

 

[Farang83150]

We did the same thing to Jetta for the better part of his first 2 seasons which was even more unforgivable given his insane disposal.

Don't remember Jets in a headband at the swans!

 

[Farang83150]

Kelly with more time in the fwd line looks good.

 

[Deplorable trumpster]

k

Kelly with more time in the fwd line looks good.

As poor as he has been in the last few years Kelly is now our best midfielder. And our midfield is very, very thin. I don't think we can afford to be playing him in the forward line or anywhere other than in the midfield. Especially with doubts about the durability of Yeo and Shuey and how many games they will play and how much time they will be able to spend in the midfield.

 

[amazingjoshy]

Practise game and all so grain of salt but you'd hope this mix looks different come the season proper

 

[boondy]

Some further thoughts from a tactical perspective on this match:

I keep hearing about new game plan, but to be honest I saw little different being showcased to what was there during the second half of 2022.

Whilst the intent to move possession faster was there, many of the same mistakes from last year remained apparent. Exit kicks from defence to a contest in the corridor 55-60m from your own goal is an invitation to be annihilated by any team setup towards forward half turnover ball. Port were truly awful on turnover conversion tonight. We can't expect such charitable opposition as the season gets into gear.

The team remains guilty of hesitating far too much at the initiation of a counterattacking opportunity and allow the opposition plenty of time to set up effectively, causing possessions to be channelled out wide to the wings. Much of this is because the club doesn't appear to prioritise the creation of an outnumber in the centre square area, so the player in possession is wasting time looking for an option, rather than just going, knowing that an option will be there due to how the team is set up.

Both teams were incredibly static and conservative in their approaches. I get that it is a "simulation" game and nobody wants to give their secrets away, but Port played more than half the match with a defensive spare and the West Coast response was to use Gaff as a sweeper - certainly nothing innovative on show in this area tonight.

There appeared to be little to suggest that the recurrent problem relating to post-stoppage contested possession will be addressed.

The diagonal kick to "change lanes" in the middle of the ground caught out the defence too easily on too many occasions for my liking.

Forward half pressure and possession recycling was definitely improved. Kennedy's retirement remains a massive loss, but the forward line does appear more agile and defensively cohesive to prevent the ball trampolining back out of attack now.

Considering the two Grand Finalists of 2022 built much of their functionality (and resultant success) around using the ruck to free up intercept marking defenders as a launchpad for their own counterattacking moves, it was surprising (and disappointing) to see a match featuring three of the competition's elite interceptors in McGovern, Barrass and Aliir show no signs of that tactical avenue being explored.

Too much thought put into this one Dylan it's a shock to meet tough opposition 1st time this year with a years hardening of bodies missing from our players . Let them get fit first .

 

[Farang83150]

Too much thought put into this one Dylan it's a shock to meet tough opposition 1st time this year with a years hardening of bodies missing from our players . Let them get fit first .

Match fit

 

[timeforanother22]

Too much thought put into this one Dylan it's a shock to meet tough opposition 1st time this year with a years hardening of bodies missing from our players . Let them get fit first .

TBF there were quite a few players out there for WC that haven’t played a game in a year. considering, I thought they did well against a team I expect to play finals.

 

[Yeahnahmate]

…. I assume that this was probably the first big chance for them to get some real game fitness up when compared to players like McGovern and Culley who only played a half.

I thought Culley was said to have played the whole thing plus the additional periods. Pretty crazy if true. Also might be some reason why he was perhaps not quite so prominent possession wise each period. Might have been a planned thing that he wanted to work on match fitness by doing the whole thing but not at 100% intensity?

 

[Bleedblueandgold]

Practise game and all so grain of salt but you'd hope this mix looks different come the season proper

It will be different.
Gaff will be over 50% by then.

 

[tigger_ferret]

How tf did it go up?

I’m assuming because guys like Sheezel and Pou also played and looked good, so more money went on them???

Still remember that time Brander kicked like 4 goals in a preseason scratch match

 

[InTheWings]

View attachment 1615201

View attachment 1615198

Thought I'd get onboard.

 

[Keys]

Anyone stay around for the last 2 quarters that weren't televised? How did Burqiel/Hewett/Culley/L Edwards look?

Definite drop in intensity for the second match - they played 4x 12-13 minute quarters with no time on and with (I think) 16 a side

Lot of Eagles WAFL players involved with about 3 or 4 filling in for Port as well

Burgiel played half back and didn’t get a lot of footy but used it very well when he did. Not sure we’ll see much of him in the seniors this year but once he finds his feet he should prove a very handy pick up

Hewett played mainly forward and did some nice things without being dominant. Took a nice hanger

Luke Edwards played wing and was tidy again without being dominant

Culley ran through the middle and was good

Waterman was the most damaging player on the ground with 4 goals and set Petch up for another

TBF there were quite a few players out there for WC that haven’t played a game in a year. considering, I thought they did well against a team I expect to play finals.

Yeah, I suspect that what we as supporters wanted to get out of the game may have been different to what the club was looking for

We got valuable game time into several players who have missed a lot of footy over the last 12-18 months. Someone like Chesser last played significant game time in early/mid 2021

The game was as much about conditioning as it was the result or the way we played

When you consider in the corresponding game last year against Freo we lost 3 players to long term injuries in the first quarter on the way to getting pumped by near 100 points, last night was a good hitout

 

[Bender_]

I thought Culley was said to have played the whole thing plus the additional periods. Pretty crazy if true. Also might be some reason why he was perhaps not quite so prominent possession wise each period. Might have been a planned thing that he wanted to work on match fitness by doing the whole thing but not at 100% intensity?

He was on the ground for the first half of the game, then sat in the bench for all of the second half - that much is for sure. How much he played in the following match I'm unaware of though.

 

[Yeahnahmate]

That makes more sense, thanks. I remembered where I saw that last night and the source is sketchy!

 

[LittleFires]

Great summary, thanks.

Man that is frustrating to read about Rotham! He's got speed and good kick, take the friggin game on. How the hell has no one coached him to say you've got a license to attack of half back? It's so obvious, he's got all the tools but never ever uses them. Reading what you wrote for Witherden is what I want to see for Rotham.

It really is frustrating, because by all reports (and from what I’ve noticed too) he’s been really taking the game on at training with his running and ball use.

It was a shame to see him go into his shell a bit yesterday. Every time he got the ball in his hands I was imploring him to take the attacking option but he rarely did unfortunately.

I reckon it’s a confidence thing. If he was being coached to take the safe option every time he wouldn’t have gotten dropped as much as he did last year

 

[Farang83150]

Looks like they're going to be red hot on HTB this season.

 

[LittleFires]

He was on the ground for the first half of the game, then sat in the bench for all of the second half - that much is for sure. How much he played in the following match I'm unaware of though.

Ah right, didn’t realise he sat out the third and fourth periods. I remember him spending a lot of time on the bench in that time but didn’t notice he wasn’t out there at all.

They didn’t have any interchange bench in the final four periods, which is why they were only 12 mins long. Culley definitely played all of that.

It’s interesting management though, we could’ve easily just played him in the full four quarters and then finished him up like everyone else. Wonder what the reason behind it was.

 

[Astro7]

Some things have changed, some things never change (certain players and bad habits/poor disposal)
Could see faster ball movement, sometimes in a hurry to go nowhere.
Could see SPS's King Poodle haircut with blonde pom-pom.(can't be serious?) ((;
A new kid comes on and does in a pack what a multi-million dollar midfielder never does?
Had same thoughts as another poster here -if Hewett is that good, how good is Ginbey?
Hunt. Chesser. Hewett. Culley.
Oscar all class. And a class kick from Waterman.
TK needs to provide more, a goalkicking mid-forward 'aint bad.
Is Gaff still Gaff or is there a new improved Gaff trying to get out?
Everyone going through the motions, getting match conditioned and applying their roles and structures etc.
Can't take too much out of it.
Yeo's back. And Ryan.
Yep, a few mids will be playing WAFL if they don't pull their sox up. Correct me if wrong, but Xon has no stand out skills, he's just there amongst the pack? -with any luck he might become a Redden blue collar type? Has the build to be a bull..if he survives?
Overall we look fit, improved. We usually get thumped in these scratchies then go on to have a good season, so don't know what this means for the season?
Might be jumping the gun, but get the feeling when it all comes together, we'll be invested in the weekly rounds again!
Next week more telling.
Cant wait to see round 1 selections.

 

[garlic munchers]

The first bolded section is due to the fact that we are screwed at stoppages without Nic Nat, and the second bolded section is completely wrong and the reason for the first bolded.

Lycett smashed both of them. They did slightly better against Teakle (who has been on the port list all of 6 months).

Both of them are terrible at the moment. Jamo may improve in time but Williams just doesn’t have it.

Nic Nat goes down and we are ****ed.

Bit disappointed that our old second string ruckman who struggled to put foot to ball and we let go, dominated Williams.

 

[Dark Sharks]

That makes more sense, thanks. I remembered where I saw that last night and the source is sketchy!
View attachment 1615473

The post says 8 "quarters" of footy, but he sat out the whole 2nd half of the first game, and the second game was reduced minutes with no time on.

Equates to, maybe one whole game of actual football I guess.

Not complaining about it, although I'm disappointed with his impact in the proper first half when he did play.

Think we're going to to temper those expectationstm back a bit after all the fluff with him burning up the track and being the pre season standout. He's a mid season rookie pick who has plenty of limitations in his game.

 

[Priddis Is Done]

I struggled to make out most players in the telecast.

Shame

 

[Keys]

The post says 8 "quarters" of footy, but he sat out the whole 2nd half of the first game, and the second game was reduced minutes with no time on.

Equates to, maybe one whole game of actual football I guess.

Not complaining about it, although I'm disappointed with his impact in the proper first half when he did play.

Think we're going to to temper those expectationstm back a bit after all the fluff with him burning up the track and being the pre season standout. He's a mid season rookie pick who has plenty of limitations in his game.

He’s 20 years old and has played 4 games of AFL, of course we need to temper expectations

Doesn’t mean he hasn’t been training well or that he can’t be a very good player in due course