Game Day North VS Port (in a meaningless game)

[Wild Bill]

We had much bigger outs. It was a bruise free run.

LDU will finish top 3 in the rising star if he stays fit.

 

[rickety]

Jeepers, imagine how boring the lovechild of Ricciuto and whatshername Underwood would sound. King, Derwayne and Healy commentating was like listening to a B grade muppet show. Footy wasn't much better. 100m penalties, pfft. Yes I know they were only 50's, but still pfft. JLT is s**t footy, bring back the Ansett Cup. Hard to judge blokes when it is hardly being taken seriously, but when a 1st year player is really the only player to stand out, imo, then why even bother, on so many levels. We have blokes who need to show something, at least to suggest an improvement, again, imo. Wood is a cat. Hrovat is a nice chap but was barely noticeable in the VFL last week. McDonald even, on his left and handballs to a right footer running to the left, uugghhh.

Actually there was a decent piece of commentary .... one of them suggested that McKay should focus on the ball a bit more and not on his opponent, or words to that effect. Why not read the play/ball and back himself in?

 

[Snake_Baker]

How bad was that ****ing commentary?!

 

[Flawed Genius]

Williams - if he's injured it raises all sorts of issues. Probably the one bloke from our defence we couldn't afford to lose. Hopefully he's ok for Rd 1 - didn't see much out of him

Higgins - in full on pre season mode. Not concerned about him in the slightest, he'll be fine once the real s**t gets going. Bizarre that I think he had an average game via the eye test but he's ended up having 29 and 2

Ziebell - two goals from 10 touches - is this enough long term? I don't think so. Needs to have more of an impact - he is an older head now. Not that our delivery was really that s**t hot. But with 6-6-6 he will have more space and needs to utilise it better

Hrovat - hasn't impacted the scoreboard. Sub 15 touches. Not doing enough. He's probably very lucky that we don't have anyone else who is banging down the door to take away his spot. He's just a limited footballers that doesn't do enough damage to justify his spot

Davies-Uniacke - starting to do those things that you only ever see elite footballers do, but doing them more often. His ability to understand where he is on the ground, in relation to the ball, and everyone else, and still gather while using his body to protect the space, then the ability to deliver to others... You can tell he will be very good in time. 16 touches and the only problem is 0 tackles. Can't have it all right away I guess. But a huge positive from the JLT. Must play Rd 1

McDonald - I mean, I remain uninspired. Can't judge him or anyone else in the backline too harshly as they're playing a new system in unfamiliar territory. I get the feeling Luke would look a lot better with Taz Maj etc down there. All we heard from his preseason was that the ball drop was better, he was doing the running etc. Hopefully his start in the real stuff will be better

Simpkin - 1 kick. As a midfielder that's not good enough. It's barely good enough as a HFF. Infinitely more talented than Hrovat but producing roughly the same output. Seems we have more players not producing enough for the position they're playing

Polec - is better than advertised. Seems to be everywhere. If he was any more outside you'd be feeding him with a slingshot but really that's what we got him to do. That goal was unreal. Knows the ground fairly well I would have guessed. Looking forward to a full season from him

Dumont - workmanlike but looks like he is still covering the ground well. Hopefully he keeps up the same form he had at the end of last season. Will be really important for us going forward

Ahern - *ing give me more. I just want to see him tear the season apart. Love it

Thompson - yeah, right, ok, shouldn't have got yourself suspended now should you? Had a few incredible brain farts and some nice defensive work. We will welcome him back I guess

Pittard - did he play? Fair enough. More grouse anonymous HBFers. Where was MacMillan?

Atley - good call to move him back. He might end up there in Rd1. Another one who want to increase his output when the real s**t kicks off

Wright - hasn't played in a preseason in forever. It shows. Shouldn't have. Didn't do much right. He will get a game in Rd1 though because he plays in the backline. Still one of our very few genuinely dual sided players.

Larkey - anonymous

Tyson - meh

McKay - Lord where to begin. Just kick it long Ben. Got flogged today. Don't know if he will be as good a defender under 6-6-6 rules. Just comes in too quick, he would want to learn quick smart. Still plays Rd1 because he has to

Thomas - my first time really seeing him properly. He looks the Goodes. Pun intended. Loves tackling so I love him. He will be very good, can't wait for him to get midfield time

Turner - haaaarghh. I want him to be just a touch better so badly. You know what you're going to get for 20 minutes at a time once every so often. He just needs to be more consistent. Does he do enough? Do any of Hrovat, Simpkin or Turner do enough

Scott - Rd1. On a wing. Fk yeah. Get on board

Wood - hhuge cocktease. We should've traded him when we had the chance


EVW - love him, he's probably going to be a bit underdone in Rd 1, but he will be dependable all year. Would like to see him get a full year under the belt

Campbell - he's awful, his timing is terrible and he offers nothing around the ground. Long live Goldy

Hall - can see he will be good. Going at half rat power

Zurhaar - meh. It wasn't a throw

Brown - bring on the proper stuff

 

[Mixed Results]

Tactics are the biggest concern for me. In two games we haven’t really shown a fluid game plan.

Main issues for me would be:

1. At just about every opportunity we were looking to kick backwards across half back. Why are we just trying to fluff around with posession there?

2. Overuse of the handball. Way too many players looking to handball as the first option. In certain scenarios this okay, but it looks as though 90% of our players have been told to use their hands as the first option.

3. Lack of tackles. Defensive effort seems poor these first few games.

4. Break down across half forward. No hits up along half forward, too often bombing long to a crowded forward line.

We have ALOT to work on before round 1.

I'm hoping that a lot of this came down to the fact that we weren't working as hard as we should have to create options for players.

I think this was most notable with Ben Brown who was rarely sighted outside of the forward 50 in either game. If it was a proper game then he would be running 16km up and down the wing the entire game to create an option for our defenders and to create space in the forward line. The same goes for Jack Ziebell and to a lesser extent Mason Wood.

The end result was that we kept relying on too many chip kicks and handballs to get the ball forward when we don't have the skills to do this effectively. If this is by design than that's a major concern, but I think come round one this hopefully won't be an issue.

 

[R00StaR]

Our master plan to lull Freo into a false sense of security is working perfectly.

 

[Snake_Baker]

We rotated a lot harder than Port today.

Port kept 15 of their best 22 out on the park for 80%+ GT.

We kept 8 out there for 80%+ GT.

GT% unders

Polec - 74
Ahern - 63
Scott - 58
Tyson- 62
Hall - 76
Dumont - 78
Wright - 66
LDU - 65
Wood - 68

 

[Grogg]

Our handball to stationary blokes is killing us. We need to kick more, as I pointed out with the HB to K ratio stuff last year.

Yeah, with you on that.

The stagnant ball movement will prevent us from exploiting the 666 rule and the space it creates, not to mention the increased number of 50/50s that will arise.

We're going to need to be a little more daring, even at the risk of getting burnt back the other way.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Where was MacMillan?

Injured

 

[Snake_Baker]

Yeah, with you on that.

The stagnant ball movement will prevent us from exploiting the 666 rule and the space it creates, not to mention the increased number of 50/50s that will arise.

We're going to need to be a little more daring, even at the risk of getting burnt back the other way.

We were flying when we were bold. Port changed up the tempo and it stalled.

 

[Gibson LP]

Our master plan to lull Freo into a false sense of security is working perfectly.

I think my problem is that we are lulling Freo into a true sense of security.

 

[rickety]

Yeah, I'm thinking I'll get a thread going on it.

Going to watch the replay again first.

Tackles aren't an issue for me, as Port play that mindless keeping's off s**t a lot, and I don't want any more blokes injured.

Our handball to stationary blokes is killing us. We need to kick more, as I pointed out with the HB to K ratio stuff last year.

Yep almost entirely, but, the bloke giving the handball should then move to receive the ball again. I know football is not played in a perfect world, but Boomer did it, and messers Ablett and co do it, and I know that not everyone is of the same calibre, but it is junior stuff ..... don't just stand there once you've handballed it, run past and get it again.

 

[Horizons_00]

We never really do that well with pre season games

 

[Grogg]

We were flying when we were bold. Port changed up the tempo and it stalled.

I'm gonna have to watch the replay.

Tactically we've been ordinary, but that could just be us keeping the powder dry.

Got my doubts on that a bit, but ask me again after Round 4 as the sample size should be big enough by then.

 

[domiroo]

I'm rarely negative on here, although I think Turner needs some time in the VFL.

He hasn't improved since he joined the AFL and I don't think he deserves to be in the seniors. Effort can only get you so far.

Along with MacDonald and Mackay .

 

[Snake_Baker]

Yep almost entirely, but, the bloke giving the handball should then move to receive the ball again. I know football is not played in a perfect world, but Boomer did it, and messers Ablett and co do it, and I know that not everyone is of the same calibre, but it is junior stuff ..... don't just stand there once you've handballed it, run past and get it again.

Particularly when Port set up against us so well from that perspective.

Their game plan is basically 1) run & gun if they winn the ball, 2) stand 5 metres off your opponent if we don't have it, 3)then chip, chip, chip all the time coming out of the backline.

Points 2 & 3 work well because 2) we actually DO handball a lot to bloke without forward momentum, and 3) Port don't put themselves in our position because they are kicking and marking the thing.

I will say one thing that must sit on the heads of the skills department & TACTICIANS, our deft kicking skills are without doubt the very WORST in the competition. I mean, THEY ARE PUTRID!

My view is if they can't train them to execute the skill THEN SHELVE THE ****ING THING ALTOGETHER AND GO LONG!

In my opinion, THIS, is the major enduring tactical flaw in Brads game plan.

 

[remfan101]

anyone know when the AFL live pass replay goes up?

 

[R00StaR]

I think my problem is that we are lulling Freo into a true sense of security.

Haha, that exactly what we want. They'll believe they can walk through our tackles and despite recruiting runners they know we wont have space while they have paddocks. Plus Ben McKay has really suckered them in, lol they'll be thinking theres 10 goals there and another 5 in turnovers.

 

[Val Keating]

Along with MacDonald and Mackay .

I thought LMac was pretty good today. BMac will be fine. He’s barely played any footy and he’s having to fill Taz’s spot. Pretty tough gig.

 

[Dan]

Still looking very blue collar.

Lot's of kicking the ball down the boundary line or to a contest. Players up the field not working hard enough or don't know what to do to find space. We have good players who can do good things on their own but collectively we struggle with moving the footy. Moving the ball out of defence was a mess too.

There's nothing special about Port...yet they can find & hit targets up the field and inside 50.

The club boasted about getting 12 wins last year...we'll be lucky to win 7 on exposed form leading into the season fixture.

 

[Snake_Baker]

.we'll be lucky to win 7 on exposed form leading into the season fixture.

Happy to give you 3/1 for a 10 grand wager.

 

[the flying ham]

Still looking very blue collar.

Lot's of kicking the ball down the boundary line or to a contest. Players up the field not working hard enough or don't know what to do to find space. We have good players who can do good things on their own but collectively we struggle with moving the footy. Moving the ball out of defence was a mess too.

There's nothing special about Port...yet they can find & hit targets up the field and inside 50.

The club boasted about getting 12 wins last year...we'll be lucky to win 7 on exposed form leading into the season fixture.

Again, there is ZERO correlation between JLT and the season proper

On SM-G950F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Dan]

Happy to give you 3/1 for a 10 grand wager.

Odds on ever seeing that money?

Again, there is ZERO correlation between JLT and the season proper

On SM-G950F using BigFooty.com mobile app

3 practice games against AFL teams and numerous match simulations.....zero correlation? Not even the last practice game going into round 1?

 

[Moti]

So the alternative is to piss fart around and turn it over, that will do wonders for the team.

No, that is why though they don't have confidence to just kick it long and why they pi$$ fart around.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

What was the point of getting a mature-age goalsneak in Wilkinson and then not giving him a practice match when Kayne and Cam got two chances each and even bloody Hrovat got a game?

Because, favourites.