Review R8: The Good, Bad and the Ugly vs. Carlton

[1970crow]

I’m more than happy for him to play but it’s certainly affecting curtins output imo, maybe it’s a good thing that he gets to play while not being heavily relied upon.
It’s still early in the season for Tex, he was top 5 in goal kicking early on, is he fading, who knows.

There’s zero doubt that Tex will need resting to remain at a high level. I worry that 300 is a more important goal than him being cherry ripe for September. And if September isn’t the most important thing, then might as well have retired. This holding other players hands is garbage, what makes players better is opportunity. When 95% of forward deliveries are going to 4 players, there’s little opportunity. Running around maintaining shape just develops more Murphies.

 

[CrowBloke]

He started the season pretty well, then he got hurt.

He played through, to his detriment

I'm not dark with Crouch for putting his hand up to play, nor that it was to his detriment (loss of form, pain etc).

It was to the detriment of the team.

I'm dark with Nicks and Burgess for not seeing how much he was hampered and making a decisive call on him to be replaced, rested and rehabilitated.
The silver lining is our midfield combo has fired twice without him, which is bad news for him now.
We can't play him anywhere else.

 

[1970crow]

I don’t even know why I’m arguing it, it’s not my position just offering an alternative view.
What’s the % of forward entries that we go to him?
Having attended our home games this year (except yesterday) there’s been plenty of times when Curtin has been in a great position and we don’t go to him.

Something like 92% go through Tex, Fog, TT and Keays. Tex was highest at 40 something %. That was about 2 weeks ago though.

 

[Greenfinger]

Sam Berry is not as slow as people think.

 

[Cromulant]

I'm not dark with Crouch for putting his hand up to play, nor that it was to his detriment (loss of form, pain etc).

It was to the detriment of the team.

I'm dark with Nicks and Burgess for not seeing how much he was hampered and making a decisive call on him to be replaced, rested and rehabilitated.
The silver lining is our midfield combo has fired twice without him, which is bad news for him now.
We can't play him anywhere else.

It's both.

Of course it hurts the team first and foremost, but he looked a different player in R1 and 2. Covered the ground much better and was proactive. He would have known that, so instead of putting his hand up he waited until this week and now he faces over a month away

 

[beartoo]

Excited by the progress of Taylor and Curtin. I was worried about Curtin early in the year. Both of these blokes have high footy IQ. Both will be future stars.

 

[Captain Furious]

Sam Berry is not as slow as people think.

I think I’d look quick against the Blues mids - they ran out the game worse than Tex.

But not sure that’s the knock on Berry - more that he fumbles under pressure, has average disposal and makes questionable decisions. He looked good out there today but was about as low a pressure rating as you’ll get in AFL footy in that last quarter.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

We have a hell of a lot of half back flankers though. Hinge, Milera, Laird, Nank, Cumming.

Cumming is tidy player. Hard to fault what he is doing and he oozes class. He just doesn't have the impact we are paying him for:

2023 Jones: 17.4 disposals, 2.5 I50's, .5 Goal Assists, .4 goals, 72.4% DE, 2.1 clangers, 2.2 clearances, 3 rebound 50's, 338.9 metres gained, 3.4 turnovers, 4.1 intercepts, 2.7 tackles

2025 Cumming: 15.1 disposals, 2.5 I50's, 1 Goal Assist, .2 goals, 74.2% DE, 1.2 clangers, .9 clearances, 1.2 R50's, 271 metres gained, 2.4 turnovers, 3.4 intercepts, 1.8 tackles.

We effectively paid 800k to make a 1% upgrade to keep a top 10 pick in the SANFL.




I am not patient or optimistic about Nicks. I would sack him immediately.

But - sitting at 5-3 in an even year across the competition with the list we have, our injury situation and our run home - I am on board going for broke.

Said this before , don’t count Cumming’s stats but if get a chance to watch live watch what he does offence and defence

 

[thebirdman 24]

Its like - I dont know I cant put my finger on it but its like someone took an injury break and I dont know - we got a whole lot better without them

I just cant put my finger on who

Our midfield looks better without an injured or uninjured Crouch.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

How'd they go last week?

Laird went very well against freo

Milera didn’t but wasn’t alone

 

[ABAB]

Only real concern would be Soligo, same as last year starting hot and now probably in our bottom 5 on form. Don't mind Rachele in the midfield, you can guarantee he was in the coaches ear asking for mid clock.

Liked Butts game, cant explain how Borlase was ahead of him.

Berry has played the sub role well over the past year, don't think hes the answer as a core mid rotation though.

Only 64% TOG for 19 disposals, maybe Nicks took the opportunity to rest him in the 4th quarter???

 

[BrissyCrow]

I didnt expect the Crows to beat the baggers especially after their performance last week and how badly we played in the west. There were lots of positives which is great but one in particular that impressed me was Taylor. His ability to sidestep to evade and create space really caught my eye. Great result for the club. Next week should be another win.

 

[Crowstar]

I didnt expect the Crows to beat the baggers especially after their performance last week and how badly we played in the west. There were lots of positives which is great but one in particular that impressed me was Taylor. His ability to sidestep to evade and create space really caught my eye. Great result for the club. Next week should be another win.

That's the frustration for me.
The expectation is we win, the reality is that we generally don't show up when we are expected to win.
I have very little trust in the group.
We are just as likely to get pumped next week.
I now go into every game with zero expectations of how we are likely to perform

 

[ams4crows]

I'd be putting a 5 year extension in front of Worrell today! He was so bloody good that every Vic club will be calling his manager about wanting to return to Vic for a million bucks.

 

[ams4crows]

Excited by the progress of Taylor and Curtin. I was worried about Curtin early in the year. Both of these blokes have high footy IQ. Both will be future stars.

Taylor is playing Murphys role and has already surpassed his usual out put, plus has some class with ball in hand.

 

[ftmch]

That's twice this year that Matt Crouch

5

Matt Crouch

Age

30

Ht

181cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

28.4

5star

K

12.0

4star

HB

16.4

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

3.9

5star

CL

4.8

5star

D

24.9

5star

K

9.7

4star

HB

15.1

5star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.4

3star

CL

4.4

5star

D

21.2

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

10.8

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

3.4

5star

CL

2.0

4star

has come out of the side, twice that JP has been given a more prominent role in the midfield, and twice that we've had a much more dynamic and effective midfield mix.

You'd hope the selectors see what we're seeing

 

[ABAB]

I think I’d look quick against the Blues mids - they ran out the game worse than Tex.

But not sure that’s the knock on Berry - more that he fumbles under pressure, has average disposal and makes questionable decisions. He looked good out there today but was about as low a pressure rating as you’ll get in AFL footy in that last quarter.

Look like his 2022 form but it's only 1 game.

 

[Mutineer]

Sam Berry is not as slow as people think.

I've been trying to tell people that ever since we drafted him, he's also got terrific hops which we haven't seen very often, can really elevate.

Ran. 3.02 20m at the draft combine and also tested well for endurance. 3.02 is is pretty decent pace wise.

 

[arsene wenger1]

Been calling for butts to get back in the team for a while. IMO he evens out the defence. There’s been too many similar types, Keane, worrel, Murray. Sometimes you just need the big pillar defender to just lock down on the opposition key forward and just kill contest after contest. He doesn’t need to complicate it. No need for him to get the ball, just kill the contest

 

[MsTopG]

Good
Dawson Rankine Max Worrrell ANB Rachele

Bad
Nicks

Ugly
Dwyane and Roo at times.

With a quality coach and a view free agents we could be dangerous.

 

[MsTopG]

Sam Berry is not as slow as people think.

He's never been slow. Just a poor kick which he seems to have improved.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

I see the vision with Crouch out, but I’m not really sure how Tex/Laird going out makes us better

Both having good seasons. Tex in allows Curtin to play a seemingly more comfy role up the ground, too

Perfect role in a development year for Curtin

 

[feenix67]

He started the season pretty well, then he got hurt.

He played through, to his detriment

Really? You do realise the job of a midfielder is more than to accumulate 30 crappy disposals right?

Our midfield mix was so much more dynamic yesterday. Reminded me of the mix and output of early 2023. You know, before Nicks shat the bed and injected Sloane and Crouch back into the mix along with Laird...

That said, we match up extremely well against Carlton. Our uncontested possessions were off the charts, whereas they've been under average the past few weeks. Carlton have no quality outside and had no answer to our spread. Let's see how we match Port and Collingwood mids in the next fortnight.

It was great to see fast ball movement, overlap running, use of angles and quick spread. It's the most dynamic and dangerous we've looked all year. Let's see if Nicks holds his nerve against better opposition.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Who was suggesting Nank play wing and ahead of the ball though? The discussion was Nank v Milera off half back. If you don’t understand that, then why would anyone bother discussing with you. Nank has been poor, but he’s being deployed to a role very few wanted him playing.

Yep

Nank is going about as well as milera would go on the wing ie not that well

It’s a different kettle of fish to half back where they’re both suited better

 

[Coopers]

Berry was excellent when he came on.

He got two free kicks in the center during that 4 goal red time period in the last 5 minutes of the 3rd quarter.

Also a number of posessions in that period, and then quite a good 4th quarter, burst out of stoppages and hit leading forwards.

Quite an impressive little patch of the game from him, and I didn't expect it but super happy to see.