Tas
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TheBrownDog
- Dec 23, 2002
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Sounds like not much, but in reality MCG does play very differently, especially for forwards and defenders. I reckon if we put up the same forward line as we did last week, we'll struggle to score even 6 goals.
I don't think the forward line was the issue, well, anymore than it normally is. It was the midfield without Cunnington and Thomas. We only had 34 inside 50s last week vs 60. Just didn't get the supply and a lot of the delivery inside 50 was quite poor, just 2 goal assists for the game. LDU 6 I50s, 0 GAs, Simpkin 6 I50s, 1 GA, Scott 4 I50s, 1 GA, Stephenson 3 I50s, 0 GA.
We got nothing offensive from Anderson, Dumont, McDonald and Polec. These are what is left of the mature/experienced leaders in the middle and they gave us donuts.
McDonald 14 kicks, 189m gained (13.5m), 57.1% kicking efficiency, 22.2% CP rate
Anderson 7, 171m (24.4m), 28.6%, 35.7%
Phillips 8, 182m (22.8m), 37.5%, 47.1%
Taylor 12, 238m (19.8m), 58.3%, 26.7%
Dumont 12, 266m (22.2m), 50.0%, 19.0%
Polec 11, 215m (19.5m), 90.9%, 9.1%
Stephenson 14, 252m (18.0m), 71.4%, 26.3%
Scott 9, 243m (27.0m), 44.4%, 10%
Simpkin 16, 321m (20.0m), 56.3%, 43.3%
LDU 15, 464m (30.9m), 73.3%, 46.2%
Don't have the precise data, I am assuming players even out for meters gained via handballs, but it could skew the numbers a bit.
The disappointment, for me, was the players with low contested possession rate. If you are not getting much of the contested ball and you are crabbing it with low distance kicks and keep turning it over then it is really stifling our run. Geelong is really ogod at pressuring and closing down space, but if you are an outside player... we need that offensive running.
When Cunnington is injured, we have players like Simpkin and LDU have to play much more stoppage/clearance oriented football. The stats show the quality of LDU in terms of his ability to get some distance with his disposals and kick well despite being under a lot of pressure, it is picking good options in the forward 50 that he has to improve at. Anderson didn't get as much of the ball but he was high in pressure acts, probably had been given tagging roles, he had 30 pressure acts and 7 tackles.
It is guys like McDonald, Dumont ad Polec primarily we failed to get much offensive movement from and they weren't doing a power of defensive work either. They need to do more to give us more quality inside 50 deliveries. Can't blame kids like Phillips and Scott, the other 3 are 26+ with over 100 games of experience, they need to lead, especially when someone like Cunnington comes out.