Past #4: Shaun Higgins - Higgo traded to Geelong for 2020 #30 - 2x Syds/108 NM gms/96 NM gls - thx Higgo

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Nov 17, 2011
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Here's a quick 30 second video showing five instances where David Mundy completely embarrassed Shaun Higgins for an easy centre clearance. If it felt like we were a man down in the middle, then this is why. Brad needs to seriously consider moving him to a wing or half-forward if this is the effort he is going to bring.
 
Dec 27, 2017
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Here's a quick 30 second video showing five instances where David Mundy completely embarrassed Shaun Higgins for an easy centre clearance. If it felt like we were a man down in the middle, then this is why. Brad needs to seriously consider moving him to a wing or half-forward if this is the effort he is going to bring.

There was a bit of play in the first quarter on the HFF that could’ve resulted in a goal, instead Higgins tried to get the give and go when it was obvious his teammate was in a better position- result, Freo goal
 
Nov 17, 2011
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Currently the least of our problems.

I strongly disagree.

We were comprehensively beaten at the clearances by an inferior midfield for two reasons:

1) We didn't have an answer for Fyfe who dominated Dumont.

2) Higgins allowing too many easy clearances trying to receive an easy handball out the back.


It was one of the weakest performances ever from our midfield and Shaun Higgins deserves the majority of the blame.
 
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Nov 29, 2007
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I strongly disagree.

We were comprehensively beaten at the clearances by an inferior midfield for two reasons:

1) We didn't have an answer for Fyfe who dominated Dumont.

2) Higgins allowing too many easy clearances trying to receive an easy handball out the back.


It was one of the weakest performances ever from our midfield and Shaun Higgins deserves the majority of the blame.

He broke from the stoppage after Dumont got clean possession, can't blame him for a messy handball opening us up the other way.
 

shimaburnsgrieg

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Apr 1, 2017
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Higgo was very quiet in the jLt - everyone said ..its just the jLt - he is getting himself set for round 1. He looked disinterested just went through the motions on Sunday.

Something is not right with him - from such a dominant player last year to the video above. There is no injury that I am aware of.

Sure it is just one match but he has been Mr Professional since he arrived at North - something is wrong here and we need an answer quickly.
 
I strongly disagree.

We were comprehensively beaten at the clearances by an inferior midfield for two reasons:

1) We didn't have an answer for Fyfe who dominated Dumont.

2) Higgins allowing too many easy clearances trying to receive an easy handball out the back.


It was one of the weakest performances ever from our midfield and Shaun Higgins deserves the majority of the blame.

That one is on Dumont. Higgins makes that play regularly. Also in the play before this he did make at least one tackle and multiple "pressure acts'.

Although he's never been the most defensive player. Its his first game, he's over 30 and he's got a young kid. And was tagged very well. Hopefully once he has some match fitness and a bit of touch/familiarity he'll be back to his best. If he's being targeted we need someone like Hall and hopefully LDU and Ahern to receive then deliver the ball as well.
 
Nov 17, 2011
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He broke from the stoppage after Dumont got clean possession, can't blame him for a messy handball opening us up the other way.

Looking back on it, that passage of play is certainly defensible in isolation. If it wasn't for the work Mundy did on him in the centre and our overall lack of effort defensively it never would have been highlighted.

I mainly wanted to highlight it so that there's now six examples of clearances by Higgins' direct opponent.
 
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Looking back on it, that passage of play is certainly defensible in isolation. If it wasn't for the work Mundy did on him in the centre and our overall lack of effort defensively it never would have been highlighted.

I mainly wanted to highlight it so that there's now six examples of clearances by Higgins direct opponent.

Fair enough. Its a reasonable criticism of him (and I've actually made it before, not last year from memory but the year before when he first won the Syd.) Hopefully he has enough professional pride that he see's those in his match review and goes out of his way to make up for it.
 
Nov 29, 2007
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Looking back on it, that passage of play is certainly defensible in isolation. If it wasn't for the work Mundy did on him in the centre and our overall lack of effort defensively it never would have been highlighted.

I mainly wanted to highlight it so that there's now six examples of clearances by Higgins' direct opponent.

Even a couple of the examples above I thought were a bit harsh. Goldy slipping over, Dumont and LDU trailing Fyfe, Cunners with a stinky turnover.

He was All Australian last year for a reason, need to get our midfield mix right. It's where we miss the likes of Jacobs/Anderson the most doing the defensive grunt work at stoppages.
 
He was All Australian last year for a reason, need to get our midfield mix right. It's where we miss the likes of Jacobs/Anderson the most doing the defensive grunt work at stoppages.

We do, massively. If I'm being brutally honest though a team structure that relies on a defensive mid that has played 50% of games in 3 years and another that has shown one good season of form isn't the most reliable of structures. Other players (and the setups) simply must be able to cope with not having these guys available every now and again.

FWIW I would have tasked Aaron Hall with that defensive mid role once we knew both weren't available. Has the pace and a mature body and could attack if opportunity was there. Just give him the task as an initiation into the club and release him later on. Could do with some defensive encouragement anyway.
 
Our mids generally don't run both ways, it's a problem.

Yep. 100%. In our team the reality is that Cunnington phsyically can't play a strong defensive role in wide spaces, he brings a hell of a lot else to the table. Not sure we should ever be structuring up in a way that allows much more than that one single concession as a rule. When things got out of hand on Sunday IMO Higgins and Hall in particular as those mature mids with pace should have taken it on themselves (or been tasked with) the job of locking down defensively around the centre and stoppages.
 
Nov 29, 2007
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Yeah I completely agree with you there. There were periods of the game where our mids should have gone complete lock down and forced some repeat stoppages, literally anything to try and stop the momentum.
 
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