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If you went on the team's record when they've been unable to play Neale and Andrews.If you could pick two players to remove from the team, without having to worry about who replaced them, who would you pick?
Can’t criticise Andrews or Gardiner around these parts, people don’t like their sacred cows being shown up.
I’ve been vocal about what I view as both players weaknesses for a long time.
Don't make jokes or I'll shout you down.
It is ironic isn't it though that over the years when star players from any club are out for extended periods the team can often play better. Others step up.Yes and then we saw what it looked like without dizzy and Marcus. Pretty terrible!
I've got this theory that's just my personal observation ,and it's hard to measure, that it's your worst 6 players that determine how successful you are on a given day ,not your best 6.It is ironic isn't it though that over the years when star players from any club are out for extended periods the team can often play better. Others step up.
Clarkson had no problem letting Buddy go and after that they seemed to kick a lot straighter for nearly a decade.
Many scribes said the Tigers couldn't possibly win another flag when Rance walked out. They got better.
Ablett at Geelong.
Just off the top of my head.
Berry will be handy with a big body to help handle Oliver & Petracca65% game time. He’s clearly still building his fitness but at least he’s providing a big body in the middle and throwing his weight around.
Can’t criticise Andrews or Gardiner around these parts, people don’t like their sacred cows being shown up.
I thought Neal look the sharpest he has for a while. Still a way to go but promising.Every time a player comes back from a lengthy injury, it seems that there is inevitably disappointment and criticism about how the player has performed first up. Or second up.
A few here were on J Berry's back since he came back into the side, forgetting what a valuable contributor he's been when fit and firing. Last night he was good, without being back to his best.
Also some pretty unfair comments about Lachie over the year in a season where he has had multiple injury issues.
Gardiner is easily best 22 but also seems to have come in for some criticism for making poor decisions and numerous mistakes. TBH, I thought he was OK. I'll have to have a look at a replay but from memory, I can't remember any absolute howlers that cost us on the scoreboard. Unlike Andrews, who had two terrible skill errors that cost two goals,
People sometimes have short memories about how well returning players perform when they are truly match fit.
If we are playing our best 22 coming into finals , we have to accept that it's going to take a match or two to bring them up to scratch when they come back into the side
I think you mean Lincoln?MRO didn't even comment on Lachie's high hit. Good decision - as the commentators went through at the time, there was no decision to bump.
Mihocek gets a week for running past the ball and bumping Fullarton.
No doubt.Yes and then we saw what it looked like without dizzy and Marcus. Pretty terrible!
Birchall and Oscar.If you could pick two players to remove from the team, without having to worry about who replaced them, who would you pick?
Gardiner would be in my first 6 players picked every week. Watch the work he does live at a match. Any opponent that plays on him knows they're in for a torrid day. He is exactly what I want from my defenders.
I was at Ballarat this year when we played the Dogs and it was Darcy's first game of the year. He was superb and was probably our best player at HT.
From our accepted best 22, Grant Birchall and Ryan Lester.If you could pick two players to remove from the team, without having to worry about who replaced them, who would you pick?
When Gardiner is playing as a one on one, man marking defender, he does really well. But the problem I have with Gardiner is that he gives away two or three stupid free kicks in the defensive 50 most games, often resulting in an opposition goal/s.Been said before but Tom Boyd rated Gardiner as his toughest opponent in the juniors and IIRC was the best defender from his draft year
I don’t have Lester in our best 22.From our accepted best 22, Grant Birchall and Ryan Lester.
When Gardiner is playing as a one on one, man marking defender, he does really well. But the problem I have with Gardiner is that he gives away two or three stupid free kicks in the defensive 50 most games, often resulting in an opposition goal/s.
Also, when playing our defensive zone, both Andrews and Gardiner often lose their direct opponent, especially when they are watching the ball and looking for an intercept mark, they are either to slow to recover and close the distance, especially Andrews, which often ends up with their opponent taking an uncontested mark and shot for goal.
I've noticed that with Andrews increasingly the last year or two . It's part of the package if you want him to intercept mark and spoil the way he does on most occasions.When Gardiner is playing as a one on one, man marking defender, he does really well. But the problem I have with Gardiner is that he gives away two or three stupid free kicks in the defensive 50 most games, often resulting in an opposition goal/s.
Also, when playing our defensive zone, both Andrews and Gardiner often lose their direct opponent, especially when they are watching the ball and looking for an intercept mark, they are either to slow to recover and close the distance, especially Andrews, which often ends up with their opponent taking an uncontested mark and shot for goal.
I think you are thinking of the Darcy Gardiner from 3,4 and 5 years ago.When Gardiner is playing as a one on one, man marking defender, he does really well. But the problem I have with Gardiner is that he gives away two or three stupid free kicks in the defensive 50 most games, often resulting in an opposition goal/s.
Also, when playing our defensive zone, both Andrews and Gardiner often lose their direct opponent, especially when they are watching the ball and looking for an intercept mark, they are either to slow to recover and close the distance, especially Andrews, which often ends up with their opponent taking an uncontested mark and shot for goal.
Bloody hell Darc is getting worse, trade bait?Gardiner's Free Kick Against averages over the last few years:
2021: 1.3
2020: 1.1
2019: 1.1
2018: 1.4
2017: 0.8
Sometimes a sacred cow is sacred for a reason.
I know what you mean. This will also be the first year since about 2016 that he hasn't been top 10 in the B&F. Clearly a player on the slide.Bloody hell Darc is getting worse, trade bait?