Autopsy Roast & Toast - Round 1 vs Carlton & changes for Pies Round 2

[tugga]

Anyone else think our crowd was dead quiet last night?
Apart from when Lynch kicked the first goal, our crowd was unusually dead.
Blues fans had good voice.

 

[Zoom]

I’m not making it on one game. The latter part of 2018 and the prelim showed pretty clearly what many had feared and that is a midfield lacking depth, exposed by a terrific Collingwood midfield which is better again now.
As for the forward line it’s going to take time, it was always going to take time. Lynch alone is badly underdone and as a unit it’ll take a little while to work.
I’m not up in arms about it, it’s just the way it is.
Reality.

Then you’re still being dramatic if you’re basing it on the back of a final (which was a complete aberration and not indicative of where we were at as a team) and a few games at the tail end of the home and away season (where we most likely were in self preservation mode and trying to get through unscathed in the lead up to finals). I also recall Prestia, Cotchin and Lambert all missing games late last season and we still won - all of them - even when we had top spot sewn up and had absolutely nothing to play for.

You seem to be disregarding our dominant home and away season and the fact we won a premiership with this midfield. It’s probably stronger now than what it was in 2017 given that Graham is maturing and we have added Higgins to our rotations. I’m also starting to think Caddy will spend a lot more time in there as well with his presence up forward less required due to the addition of Lynch.

How many teams can you confidently state have a better starting five than Cotchin, Martin, Prestia, Edwards and Lambert? I would say two - Melbourne and Collingwood. Perhaps GWS, but they frequently get bullied by the stronger midfields and their ruck options at the moment are extremely thin.

Our depth is fine. Graham, Higgins, Caddy, Grigg, McIntosh, Weller and Rioli can all run through there while we have Ross and Collier-Dawkins developing. Collingwood’s midfield is outstanding and it would make any midfield in the competition appear to lack depth.

Agree with your comments regarding the forward line. It will take a while for it to reach its potential.

 

[smurfin]

I've read a few opinions on replacing Rance for the year and I like a lot of them.
Garth is the obvious one, but given he's coming off injury, I'd wait until he's had a bit of VFL match fitness rather than rushing him in.
I'm not sure where Miller is up to? More of an Astbury stopping type than a Rance anyway and not really what we need?
Chol has probably looked better back than he has as a forward but is he reliable enough to get a shot ?
And Balta has always reminded me more of Rance than any other player but I think it's more important for the long term that he develops in his current forward/ruck role rather than getting thrown back.

Personally I like the idea of Grimes, Broad or Vlastuin playing taller, K-Mac offering defensive support & Ellis, Bolton, Menadue, Markov, Naish or someone being added to the team. Astbury can take Cox next week, what other tall spuds really need minding?
Then rethink for any teams with 3 genuine tall forwards and choose the most inform tall backman to add for that game.

 

[Muddiemoose]

Interestingly enough with Lambo lining up at the back of the square and sprinting in he was our 2nd highest ball winner behind Cotch with 31 than lambo and dusty on 30

 

[tigs2010]

Anyone else think our crowd was dead quiet last night?
Apart from when Lynch kicked the first goal, our crowd was unusually dead.
Blues fans had good voice.

Wasnt much to get excited about outside of that Lynch mark and goal.

 

[DontArgue4]

Wasnt much to get excited about outside of that Lynch mark and goal.

his running goal was sick too

also mavs soccer off the deck was sweet

and jacks screamer

and curnow being shit

 

[Ralll]

Agree with Dimma, about a 4/10.
A great 1st qtr followed by 2 poor qrts and then raised the effort for the last.
I recall we started the second qtr well, but continued to break down across half forward with poor skill level, and that stopped our momentum allowing Carlton back in.
I was never worried about the result, we were always going to win, but that break down across half forward is something that has stopped us from taking that next step into the Geel 07-12, Bris 00-03 level. I'm not sure what we can do about it, we have alot of battlers making up the numbers that although they bring their own unique skills, a high level of finishing isnt one of them, and the chain of play gets broken too often, especially as the ground narrows going forward.

Liked having the tall forwards playing together, suits our need to get the ball to the hotspot without trying to finesse too much and although Lynch was dropping everything as the game wore on I'm glad we played him as he desperately needs the match fitness and practice after so long out.

Other than that it's the first game, so cobwebs and all that, take the 4 points and move on, will be interesting against Coll next week.

 

[tigs2010]

his running goal was sick too

also mavs soccer off the deck was sweet

and jacks screamer

and curnow being shit

Fell asleep by the time that shit happened. Yawn fest

 

[DontArgue4]

Fell asleep by the time that shit happened. Yawn fest

you fell asleep before qtr time?

good man

 

[roacheee]

Then why did you put your finger up my bum??

it wasn't his finger

 

[Bazzar]

Rusty Lynch and Jack trying to find his feet for the first time as our "second key forward" will take a month or so to gell. When they do with the addition of George and Caddy will make us almost unstoppable.

 

[This Is Anfield]

Agree with Dimma, about a 4/10.


Other than that it's the first game, so cobwebs and all that, take the 4 pints and move on, will be interesting against Coll next week.

I'll always take the 4 pints... Cheers!

 

[Roksman]

OUT Rance Weller
IN Caddy Castagna

Balta up back to replace Rance. Only like for like athlete on our list. You don't replace Rance with slow Garthwaite who is barely pushing 192cm. He is a third tall defender not a key post aka slow Grimes.

Caddy to replace Balta up forward. Thought we were slightly too tall. Balta barely got on the field given this. Castagna is a much better player than Weller.

Heard it all now.

 

[CaptchaProofBot]

why doesn't anyone have a drink named Wise ?

so you get free promo everytime they do the DrinkWise score review..

 

[roacheee]

Oh ok Brent, just like it was impossible for West Coast to win the flag without Nic Nat or the dogs without Bob Murphy.

Gee i love people under rating us.

or us without deledio or vickery

 

[rmcq]

I reckon a loss early that reveals some things does more good than harm. Agree with you that it's not a bad thing.

Look, I think the fact that we played essentially half a game and won by 5 goals is indicative of a bloody good side. Shows our skill and ability. But it does worry me that we haven't had a game in a while where we've played the game out - yet that shows we're good enough to coast when we need to. It is nitpicking but the fact that we hadn't really been pushed at all last year in the back end contributed to our loss in the prelim - we had coasted for months and I reckon it affected our ability to dig in and work hard.

I am super impressed we did not panic in the last quarter. Would've been easy with Rance down and the Blues' charge. As you said we had a calm and measured response.

You may not have noticed the “Telstra Tracker” which showed that the top 4 for distance were Carlton players. Same happened in JLT2, Hawthorn playing a flood defence which is very aerobically expensive with 6-6-6.

Tiggies are playing a far more efficient style so we have far fewer possessions and rely on our quality defence rather than flooding.

 

[DontArgue4]

Heard it all now.

also lol at him saying garth is a third tall

hes over 195cms now

 

[captain blood 17]

I don't even want to talk about this game. **** Collingwood. Bring them on.

 

[NimFromSudan]

Garthwaite is the long term solution for Rance, there's no doubt in my mind.

But I think we should try Broad in a more defensive role and bring in Ellis or Markov as an extra runner for the next couple weeks. With Garth underdone there's no better time to at least try that structure and keep it in the back pocket for certain opponents later in the season.

 

[Wooden Robot]

Then you’re still being dramatic if you’re basing it on the back of a final (which was a complete aberration and not indicative of where we were at as a team) and a few games at the tail end of the home and away season (where we most likely were in self preservation mode and trying to get through unscathed in the lead up to finals). I also recall Prestia, Cotchin and Lambert all missing games late last season and we still won - all of them - even when we had top spot sewn up and had absolutely nothing to play for.

You seem to be disregarding our dominant home and away season and the fact we won a premiership with this midfield. It’s probably stronger now than what it was in 2017 given that Graham is maturing and we have added Higgins to our rotations. I’m also starting to think Caddy will spend a lot more time in there as well with his presence up forward less required due to the addition of Lynch.

How many teams can you confidently state have a better starting five than Cotchin, Martin, Prestia, Edwards and Lambert? I would say two - Melbourne and Collingwood. Perhaps GWS, but they frequently get bullied by the stronger midfields and their ruck options at the moment are extremely thin.

Our depth is fine. Graham, Higgins, Caddy, Grigg, McIntosh, Weller and Rioli can all run through there while we have Ross and Collier-Dawkins developing. Collingwood’s midfield is outstanding and it would make any midfield in the competition appear to lack depth.

Agree with your comments regarding the forward line. It will take a while for it to reach its potential.

Our premiership was 18 months ago ……. seems a stretch still basing things on that.
I'm with Rodney Dangerfield, the signs were there late in the season. The final v Collingwood was not an aberration, there were warning signs late in the season in wins against Geelong, Essendon and the Bulldogs that we were not as dominant as once thought!

 

[Rodney Dangerfield]

Our premiership was 18 months ago ……. seems a stretch still basing things on that.
I'm with Rodney Dangerfield, the signs were there late in the season. The final v Collingwood was not an aberration, there were warning signs late in the season in wins against Geelong, Essendon and the Bulldogs that we were not as dominant as once thought!

Exactly. It’s not like I’m saying we are gone or anything dramatic either, just think we are in the mix with a few other teams, have weaknesses that are being exposed and strengths we utilize. We were very rusty last night and will get slaughtered if we front up like that next week.

 

[Shazza_]

Anyone else think our crowd was dead quiet last night?
Apart from when Lynch kicked the first goal, our crowd was unusually dead.
Blues fans had good voice.

blockbuster fatigue vs winning the spoon every year and inferiority complex

 

[captain blood 17]

Exactly. It’s not like I’m saying we are gone or anything dramatic either, just think we are in the mix with a few other teams, have weaknesses that are being exposed and strengths we utilize. We were very rusty last night and will get slaughtered if we front up like that next week.

Dunno Rod, Pies haven't played yet. Let's not put the cart before the horse.

 

[captain blood 17]

Just imagine if the pies lose to a Ranceless Richmond. Oh my.......

 

[Rodney Dangerfield]

Dunno Rod, Pies haven't played yet. Let's not put the cart before the horse.

That’s true but I’m expecting them to hit the ground running.