Ok, enough time has passed. Steve Johnson...

[iameviljez]

look at the big picture.
He was dropped do play Adelaide, they get flogged, then he trains well enough to get selected.
Comes in the next week and kicks 6.
Pretty hard to drop don't you think?

It would have made some pretty major headlines and left an awful taste in the mouth for all concerned.

 

[Sedat!]

Weird timing for this thread. If after R23 would be understandable.

Deledio was far worse than Stevie J in the PF, and at least Stevie had one contributing game in the last few weeks. Deledio should have had a line put through him for 2017 instead of being persisted with when he was so compromised physically for 8 consecutive weeks - if he was a no name rookie he would never have been selected, let alone continue to be played for 2 months despite contributing absolutely nothing.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

look at the big picture.
He was dropped do play Adelaide, they get flogged, then he trains well enough to get selected.
Comes in the next week and kicks 6.
Pretty hard to drop don't you think?

No.

Mark Williams was right in his assessment of Johnson's 6 goal game against West Coast. False economy.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Makes no sense. You got for noone? But your "other team" is St.Kilda? Weird...

I have a soft spot for the Saints, and about 8 other teams too.

Right now though, I'd probably say that my main teams are in the MBL and the NFL!

 

[LoungeLizard]

No.

Mark Williams was right in his assessment of Johnson's 6 goal game against West Coast. False economy.

OMG you are hard to please.
Question: Did he deserve to be picked to play West Coast?
Question: Did he do enough to get re-picked for the prelim?

Don't bother answering, i think i already know what you are going to say.

 

[juss]

It wasn't just Johnson.
Go have a look at Lobb squibbing a marking contest on the wing, the GWS players weren't hard enough, and there were a number of guys who went missing.

And as others have mentioned, there is NO way a player who kicks 6 goals in a semi final is ever going to be dropped.

If you have an issue with it, it should have been the West Coast game selection.

 

[Vic pokiesmon]

A coaches job is to pick best 22.Smith was injured.After 4pages nobody has provided an alternative yet?

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

A coaches job is to pick best 22.Smith was injured.After 4pages nobody has provided an alternative yet?

I thought Smith was cleared to play for both the West Coast and Richmond final? I thought he was just overlooked?

 

[Coaster2012]

Yeah more like too late. Who cares? He was horrible in the prelim.

 

[TedDougChris]

It's pretty concerning for GWS if you blame their plight on a 290 game veteran who hasn't played a good game after kicking 6 the week before. I'd be looking at the abundance of top 5 picks you've got who didn't deliver the expected work rate and effort for an AFL side in a preliminary final.

The sad thing for Giants fans is that you've got more talent than you know what to do with, but you're lacking some key fundamentals that cost you a GF appearance - work rate, effort. Richmond aren't a better side skill wise, but they just wanted it more.

It's time for a big preseason after a nasty reality check.

They were meant to get that reality check after last years PF loss, but same problems are still there

 

[demondavey]

They were meant to get that reality check after last years PF loss, but same problems are still there

I think they were less physical this year, part of the issue. I still think the positives outweigh the negatives, but the heat is on 2018 to make a GF at a minimum. With that list by 2018 if they're not there then there are serious concerns.

 

[TedDougChris]

I think they were less physical this year, part of the issue. I still think the positives outweigh the negatives, but the heat is on 2018 to make a GF at a minimum. With that list by 2018 if they're not there then there are serious concerns.

Fair comments.

 

[Vic pokiesmon]

I thought Smith was cleared to play for both the West Coast and Richmond final? I thought he was just overlooked?

Had been struggling with knee from what I know.Cleared but really hadn't been at his best because of the injury so it was also a risk to play him.Reid obviously lacks SJ's skill and Perryman the other emergency is a different type as is Kennedy.If Smith was up and playing at his best he would have played in my opinion.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

OMG you are hard to please.
Question: Did he deserve to be picked to play West Coast?
Question: Did he do enough to get re-picked for the prelim?

Don't bother answering, i think i already know what you are going to say.

It's not about 'deserved' though. It's about picking the best team. A guy that can't run, can't tackle and can't kick 30m is surely not a better option than Smith?

And history shows, it was an enormous mistake.

 

[ManOfClay]

Straight into a coaching job with the Swans too.

So there were no plans for Johnson to play his couple of years then take a coaching job with the Giants?

Seems silly really. Especially with Giants crying out for some talent in the coach’s box

 

[Brick Loosener]

Wasn't the reason why they lost but the game was close enough that 1 good performance instead of 1 terrible performance could've shifted a few things along the way and all of a sudden it's a different game.

3 big things replacing Stevie J could've done:

1. The Tigers backline looked shaky with the ball on several occasions. Houli, McIntosh, Rance et al had bad turnovers. Replace a witches hat with another chasing and pressuring player and all of a sudden those turnovers increase in numbers and become costly.

2. Then there's the times Stevie turned it over including the chances in the 3rd quarter where the Giants just needed a steadier or two as they got in the first half on multiple occasions to quieten the crowd.

3. He shirked contests by being unwilling to stand under some kicks and that stuff is contagious especially with some of the Giants players. When an experienced player doesn't want to lead the way it makes it too easy for younger guys to pick and choose too.

Nah

 

[Duskfire]

GWS are full of elite players. Blaming the aging medium forward after a smashing when the rest of the team is full of stars seems a bit unfair.

 

[Bokonon_]

GWS are full of elite players. Blaming the aging medium forward after a smashing when the rest of the team is full of stars seems a bit unfair.

On that we agree except the smashing bit. We were soundly beaten by both the grand finalists but a bit melodramatic to call either a smashing.
Given Stevie J announced his retirement pre finals, this thread gloating over the end of his outstanding career is in poor taste.

 

[RUNVS]

I recently discovered that Steve Johnson is actually a great player and has a first class tactical mind.

 

[JackFlash]

Cameron is the chief mechanic in charge of this Ferrari team and they had engine trouble all year! He's Obviously he's butted heads with Johnson and now Stevie J takes up a coaching role with the Swans? What happened here? Wasn't that one of the reasons Stevie J went up there in the first place? Lots of questions here and in one phone call to ex teammate Tom Harley he'll be coaching the Swans forwards next season, that's all we bloody well need!

 

[Bokonon_]

Cameron is the chief mechanic in charge of this Ferrari team and they had engine trouble all year! He's Obviously he's butted heads with Johnson and now Stevie J takes up a coaching role with the Swans? What happened here? Wasn't that one of the reasons Stevie J went up there in the first place? Lots of questions here and in one phone call to ex teammate Tom Harley he'll be coaching the Swans forwards next season, that's all we bloody well need!

Retired player takes up coaching role, massive conspiracy obviously.

 

[Bokonon_]

I think they were less physical this year, part of the issue. I still think the positives outweigh the negatives, but the heat is on 2018 to make a GF at a minimum. With that list by 2018 if they're not there then there are serious concerns.

Naah
The problem is you set untealistic expectations and then try and measure the team against them

 

[demondavey]

Naah
The problem is you set untealistic expectations and then try and measure the team against them

You wouldn't think a GF would be a mandatory come this time next year?

 

[ManOfClay]

You heard it here first. Unrealistic to expect GWS make a grand final in 2018.

 

[Bokonon_]

You wouldn't think a GF would be a mandatory come this time next year?

Absolutely not.
I thought we were contenders this year, we had a horrible year with injurries and made the last 4.

Next year we'll be contenders in my view. Tell me what luck we'll have with injuries, and which other clubs will rise and by how much, and I'll let you know if we'll make the GF.