Autopsy 2019 Rd 1 vs Richmond - Improved Blues go down by 33 points

[berisha]

A lot to like and a lot that makes you pull your hair out.

Walsh, Setters and Newham all look like super recruits.

Murphy looked good. Bummer we couldn't get the win in his 250th.

McKay showed signs despite some pretty average delivery.

Dow continues to improve, just needs to work on his composure a bit.

Cuningham showed a bit too. Good to see.
Thought Weitering, Plowman and Jones did well all things considered.

3 years ago I loathed Daisy for eating up a big chunk of our salary cap for minimal output. Happy to say he's become one of my favourite players in the past 2 seasons. Always gives his all.

Charlie had an absolute stinker. Needs to pull his head out of his arse next week. More than happy to give Kerr a run if Charlie puts in efforts like that.

Garlett adds nothing to the backline, bring LOB in for me.

Still lack clean ball skills when we have the ascendancy.

 

[Funk]

Only reason to watch the first quarter is how we were completely reamed by the umpires, I was clearly watching a different game to them.

It started with Tom Lynch’s first goal where Riewoldt took out a Carlton player and landed before the ball even got there...

Lynch must wake up on the morning of a Carlton game and feel so good about himself, even when he doesn’t get near it the umps are paying him free kicks, he got a free for wind burn in the last quarter. He was so embarrassed by it he just snuck it in for a point

Spot on.

 

[gardiner stand]

Let me say this the loss last night was much better than last year and I come away feeling we’ve got a more sustainable team going fwd.
l like how the crows fans have changed their tune from pick1 to it’ll be at least pick 4. Deep down they’re shitting themselves because we could climb as high as 10th.

 

[cookie monster]

Really? They are our two fittest players so not sure how much time they are spending on the piss

Freak of nature.

But get down to Public House on any given Friday and you're likely to run into one of them.

 

[Funk]

I will trade my first born son for Patrick Cripps.

Easily my favourite player to watch outside the Saints.

32 possessions (21 contested), 7 clearances, 6 tackles.

An absolute champion.

And pleasingly a champion bloke as well.

 

[ESKIE]

I have to say, Richmond's pressure was ridiculous.

They'd regularly close out almost instantly. It's possible that I had a better view from level 2 than what I am used to and noticed it more, but I was really surprised at how quick and intense they were in applying pressure all over the ground.

I think we just weren't prepared for the initial onslaught. No sure many other teams would have stood up in that last QTR either.

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Good post ...Their pressure and filling in space...is ridiculous

And they score goals quickly

 

[Blue and Blue]

I thought our defense was pretty good.
Newman terrific.
Jonesy had them panicking.
Weiters almost ready to rip a game apart
Plow is Plow. Always mopping up mistakes from the midfield.
Garlett started to find some confidence near the end. Still like a rabbit in the spotlight but he is getting there. He just needs to believe he belongs.

Our midfield can now get the ball. Next they have to keep it and learn what to do with it.

Forwards has a lot of promise but not much understanding between them yet.
McGovern is a ripper in ways we havent had in a long long time.

 

[BlueTongue]

Ok, I really didn't want to start the year on a negative, and I realise we are only 1 game in, so I may come under fire for this but...

SPS - Needs to be traded (midyear?) Whilst he still has some currency. Abundantly clear he has skills, but only when he has a free run. Loves to run, but doesn't like even a sniff of pressure. I don't care if he goes on to another club to become a Brownlow medalist, he is doing us no favors, and needs to go before he smothers out belief in one another.

Ed Curnow - hurts me to say it but he is just not current AFL standard. Super fit, and in previous day's was a great tagger, but in today's game you just can't afford to continually turn it over, and as a senior player he's had long enough to get it sorted. Depth player at best. Give another kid his spot and don't let him near the forward line if he is in the 22.

Garlett - All the skill under the sun, but just not interested in playing to an AFL standard. Cut ASAP.

Ploughman - 50/50 at present. Too slow, makes some howlers, but does read the play well. Would do well in a tight defence, but not with us at present. We need to get some consistency around him for him to play any better.

On a positive note, Walsh is a freak, has good footskills, works super hard and can read the play. Will be better than Judd.
Harry McKay is now, and will be our best forward in the future. Athletically balanced, reads the play well, knows where to present, and has all the marking and kicking skills to be the next Buddy. Probably my favourite player after last night's effort.


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[cookie monster]

Let me say this the loss last night was much better than last year and I come away feeling we’ve got a more sustainable team going fwd.
l like how the crows fans have changed their tune from pick1 to it’ll be at least pick 4. Deep down they’re shitting themselves because we could climb as high as 10th.

Re: last night. I agree. We are seeing the foundations of damaging ball movement, albeit in patches. Lots of winners around the ground and the load seems to be getting shared much better now.

Re: Crows Supporters: they are a miserable bunch of sods. Their list manager handed over two first rounders for a 30yo, and then helped us get a player we rated as the 6th best in the draft without the net loss of a first round draft pick. Bless them, they are our favourite trading partner(target)

 

[katmanblue]

3rd we saw a bit more from Charlie and sps and the rest worked hard.

**** me Harry could be anything, hope he continues to develop.

I reckon Harry will go past Charlie.

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[ESKIE]

We need our best kicks, kicking th ball into the forward line, not Ed

 

[Blue and Blue]

Agree with Ed , bloody stupid idea to plonk him fwd where he has little value, can’t really be relied on to kick goals and too slow off the mark to pressure tackle. We lacked spread last night and when he went on the ball he changed that for us. Also Cotchin would’ve been relieved at the first bounce to have Ed 50 metres away from him.
The coaches have some thinking to do the Ed move fwd and the Garlett move back didn’t work in the preseason and it carried through.

I look at it this way. Ed was always going to be overrun as talent came in the door. Its clear the coaches see this also and that why he is shifted out of the centre pretty much. But we need 18 on the field and he is last years Kerridge now. A favourite son that will find it tough to stay in there by this time next year. Footy can be cruel.

 

[ESKIE]

Fishers tackle on Martin

 

[cookie monster]

Fishers tackle on Martin

Plowman's was better I reckon!

 

[katmanblue]

A few things:

1. Still not match fit enough
2. Still failing to make the most of our opportunities
3. Richmond moving the ball from defence too quickly
4. Richmond always seemed to have an extra man behind or in front of the ball slowing our ball movement

Point 4 directly related to point 1,

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[smashbox gill]

Garlett is not a half back and is not best 22.

How he got a game over O’Brien I will never know

 

[Blues_fest]

Pretty happy this morning.

Even with Charlie playing a stinker, players spoiling each other and a few in front misses we gave the minor premiers a real scare at end of the third.

That miss and rebound really changed momentum.

I wish we drafted luk.... said nobody ever

Is that the best debut of all time? I can’t think of one more impressive!

Newman was immense, weiterbot great, Cripps was Cripps.

I agree with poster above for someone with such elite speed really shits me seeing Dow spread defensively. So many times his opponent had a pressure free kick cause he didn’t just create that little more pressure. ( but I guess the great man was a little guilty of that too).. but still

Great signs bluebaggers!!


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[Soapy V]

Plow is way underrated by most people.

I’ve never been 100% comfortable with Plowman as a defender. Don’t think it’s his go. I see him more as a mid/hf. I watch him train and he moves well and uses it nicely. Has a good engine. Also like to see him impose himself more. When he got a bit physical he looked a better player

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Ok, I really didn't want to start the year on a negative, and I realise we are only 1 game in, so I may come under fire for this but...

SPS - Needs to be traded (midyear?) Whilst he still has some currency. Abundantly clear he has skills, but only when he has a free run. Loves to run, but doesn't like even a sniff of pressure. I don't care if he goes on to another club to become a Brownlow medalist, he is doing us no favors, and needs to go before he smothers out belief in one another.

Ed Curnow - hurts me to say it but he is just not current AFL standard. Super fit, and in previous day's was a great tagger, but in today's game you just can't afford to continually turn it over, and as a senior player he's had long enough to get it sorted. Depth player at best. Give another kid his spot and don't let him near the forward line if he is in the 22.

Garlett - All the skill under the sun, but just not interested in playing to an AFL standard. Cut ASAP.

Ploughman - 50/50 at present. Too slow, makes some howlers, but does read the play well. Would do well in a tight defence, but not with us at present. We need to get some consistency around him for him to play any better.

On a positive note, Walsh is a freak, has good footskills, works super hard and can read the play. Will be better than Judd.
Harry McKay is now, and will be our best forward in the future. Athletically balanced, reads the play well, knows where to present, and has all the marking and kicking skills to be the next Buddy. Probably my favourite player after last night's effort.


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I think you need to wait a little while before coming off the long run. I’m not sure players deserve this type of criticism after one match.

 

[Limestone]

Also, I really really miss Tom Williamson

You just reminded me, it was great to see Andy Walker at the game tonight with his family. Had plenty of time for photos with the fans.

 

[NewDarkNavyBlues]

My initial thoughts.

Richmond's wave running and speed was the main difference. But they are the best in the business in this area and have played together for far longer than us. It's very easy to pick out the negatives and let the scoreline along with the disappointing pieces of play dominate one's thinking. However, we have to remember 13 players less than 50 games. Even Cripps has just played 82. 6 debutants on the biggest stage. A shocking start to the game with some questionable umpiring working against us. I'm finding solace in the fact that we persisted and showed genuine fight in quarter 2 and 3. Had we have cleaned up some plays we may have hit the front.

The idea of Ed Curnow forward is baffling to say the least. Had he have ran with Trent Cotchin this game may have played out very differently.

I'll post again at another point about the players I was impressed with but overall it was a loss due to competing against a more experienced team with greater synergy, running capacity and speed. This won't be resolved over night. Add in Williamson, Docherty and find ourselves a couple of pressure smalls (fwd and back) and we will be holding that cup aloft in the next 5 years.

Stick with us Blues fans. We are getting closer.

 

[Curnivore]

One thing that we have to be proud of is that nearly all our new recruits showed they are AFL worthy
Gov snagged one and worked his way into the game
Walsh pulled 24 possesses on debut
Fosolo although rusty started the comeback (probably the weakest showing of the new recruits)
Newman was fantastic
Setters with 24 in his what fourth game of AFL
Gibbons with good pressure and 11 disposals, a valid debut game.

Also Daisy Thomas, with 27 disposals, a goal, while playing hard football was brilliant to see. The underrated story of the night. Loved him

 

[Soapy V]

We need our best kicks, kicking th ball into the forward line, not Ed

I also noticed our forward line getting in the way of each other a lot. Everytime a mid looked up the forwards weren’t demanding the ball. You could see the hesitation. New group needs time to gel. Charlie was just awful

 

[Soapy V]

Garlett is not a half back and is not best 22.

How he got a game over O’Brien I will never know

Because O’Brien isn’t ready and not a defender

 

[Soapy V]

He did play his role Soapy but with such a young midfield we need a ruckman that can do more than just try to get the hitouts. We would have been better off with Cas in the ruck tonight playing a Mumford style basher and crasher in the middle.

He was okay and will get better. Do people forget when we played Casboult as a sole ruck last year? No thanks