Autopsy Eagles Post Match: We’re on to the Western Bulldogs

[jackcass]

So the 50m Howe incurred with I think 8-9 left in the 4th, does anyone know what that was for? The other 50 was ridiculous, because the original free was ridiculous, and I’m afraid I do not like the ability to play on during the 50 process.

And since I’m relatively new to this, how is one judged ”holding the ball”? Tackled and ball falls out: gone, tackled, spun around to ground, lies on back for a beat, handballs away: not gone.

Umpiring aside the Eagles had the edge in scrambling the ball in the breakdown/out of contests and were always the first to it. And then we started bombing optimistic high balls to the best intercept marking team in the competition.

WC still better, and 1-2 is not the ideal start (although that’s a brutal schedule to open the year with Geeling proving good)

Howe put his arms around Ryan, delayed his ability to get back behind the mark to take his kick. It's a pretty technical free/50 and not one you'd see too often but it wasn't incorrect by the letter of the law.

 

[jackcass]

Free kicks ended up 28 to us 20 WC but at the last change they were 15 to 16.

The Phillips one was a joke, what protected area?, holding the ball? I give up, they were just a few I recall in the first three quarters.

Adams, Grundy can most definitely hold their head up high, some had moments but my biggest bug bear raised its head again tonight, why do we position ourselves so far apart from our opponents. Pendlebury more than once was telling a play to pick x up. Saw him tell Thomas three times during the game.

WC are bloody good but we certainly made it easy for them and I think that tonight was Stevo's worst game, why not kick the goal, Cox was marked.

We didn't really apply enough pressure on the ball carrier, always a metre or two behind, so many times they got through the back of us.

Out coached as well. Very disappointed and the final score did flatter us.

I still wouldn't have dropped Varcoe - Thomas would have been my choice, at three qtr time he only had 6 touches,1 tackle.

Surprised with the TOG for Greenwood 66% (85%) and Crisp 83% (87%). In brackets last weeks TOG.

View attachment 649542

And I got taken to task during the week for suggesting Thomas was poor defensively. Glad someone else sees aspects of that.

I think Greenwood started with a tagging role but had little impact so was trialled elsewhere. Still wasn't having an impact so the bench was likely the best spot for him.

 

[loki04]

I thought all three were danger games and the likely win would be Geelong while the other two were more likely losses than wins. Turns out I had the win wrong.

Not saying I didn't think or hope we could have been 3-0, but the more likely result would be that we drop 1 or 2 of the games.

The thing is although I think we have a great midfield, I don't think we have the best list in the competition. West Coast are the team to beat and the cats midfield seems to have gelled better than last year, with the new additions doing well. Richmond can't handle their injuries and Melbourne have fallen apart.

Cats and eagles are the teams to beat so far, while we aren't far behind. Its still early days and if we are the real deal we should be favourites for every match until the bye. Although I predict we drop a game or two (as all teams do) we should be well in the hunt for top 4 by then.

Fair enough don't disagree with you really. Although I thought we could beat Geelong and Richmond, WC I thought was a genuine 50/50 game but it seems we are a fair bit off them.

 

[Finn Jim]

Howe put his arms around Ryan, delayed his ability to get back behind the mark to take his kick. It's a pretty technical free/50 and not one you'd see too often but it wasn't incorrect by the letter of the law.

Oh ok thanks, didn’t see it on the broadcast and wondered what he could have possibly done in that time to merit 50m.

 

[Frank Gallagher]

Bulldogs had 24 more disposals, 15 more free kicks, 14 more clearances & 18 more inside 50s than the Suns, and lost by 5 points.

If we cant get past this mob, at the G, then its time to panic.

Lose to the Dogs it's season over IMO, I reckon we'll be right though.

 

[THATSGOLD]

Pendles needs to lift or get out of the midfield. He doesn’t influence games anymore.

 

[sr36]

Pendles needs to lift or get out of the midfield. He doesn’t influence games anymore.

I agree with Pendles out of the centre square, because he's become exploitable there, but 9 coaches votes in the richmond game makes your last sentence a bit off.

 

[Kappa]

Beams may be a good hyper-aggressive midfielder, but i dont think he's made our midfield any better at all. We're too heavily stacked with 1 way mids and now we have to force square pegs into round holes, meanwhile our tall timber continue to be average.

 

[JM#1]

Pendles needs to lift or get out of the midfield. He doesn’t influence games anymore.

Agree. Lately he hasn't really used the ball very well and misses targets.

 

[Vicky Park]

I see that the circle of grief is almost complete.

Devastation - disbelief - outrage - anger - blame - analysis - hope

I'm through the bolded, but still have some way to go...

 

[jathanas]

I'm through the bolded, but still have some way to go...

I stopped feeling pissed off by Sunday morning VP. It would have been harder to accept if we had put up a good fight and come up short by less than a goal, but Saturday night's lameness was forgettable.

I don't view one or 2 changes in personnel as the catalyst we need, even though I'll agree that replacing Greenwood and Thomas with bigger contributors would have gone some way on Saturday night.

We've come across good teams and our mids have been shown up. Our trinity of Pendles-Sidey-Beams were underwhelming and Treloar had a Barry Crocker in terms of quality of disposal. Looking at the big picture, it's borderline unfair to lay too much blame on the rest when 30% of our salary cap isn't pulling its weight accordingly.

 

[Vicky Park]

I stopped feeling pissed off by Sunday morning VP. It would have been harder to accept if we had put up a good fight and come up short by less than a goal, but Saturday night's lameness was forgettable.

I don't view one or 2 changes in personnel as the catalyst we need, even though I'll agree that replacing Greenwood and Thomas with bigger contributors would have gone some way on Saturday night.

We've come across good teams and our mids have been shown up. Our trinity of Pendles-Sidey-Beams were underwhelming and Treloar had a Barry Crocker in terms of quality of disposal. Looking at the big picture, it's borderline unfair to lay too much blame on the rest when 30% of our salary cap isn't pulling its weight accordingly.

Pretty much agree with the above, but the lameness was, well, lamentable. We barely put up a fight, with some exceptions.

 

[Scodog10]

My insights for what they’re worth were that we lost that contest in 4 split seconds of football.

I doubt I’ll get the order spot on, but I believe it was Cox’s missed set shot in the 2nd Q, JDG’s missed set shot in the 3rd Q, Mihocek’s miracle kick to the corridor in the 3rd Q and Crisp’s switch kick in the last quarter. In those 4 seconds of footy we cost ourselves 22 points. Despite our mids being bullied on the outside and as slow as a wet week on the spread there were legitimately 4 moments of poor football that cost us the match against the best team in the competition.

I’m sure every single poster could name other significant moments in the match that either went our way or there’s to influence the match the unique aspect of these were that they were either gilt edged opportunities (the missed set shots) or terrible errors from stop plays. You can’t win all the big moments in a match, but to be comprehensively outplayed in so many areas and still be in that position is something to focus on.

The broader issue now though is their midfield dominating us. We’re seriously missing a Sier or Wills in the contest and some speed on the outside, but for all the doom and gloom I’d expect of this thread we really need to remember the context. A win v the Bulldogs is crucial.

 

[jackcass]

Beams may be a good hyper-aggressive midfielder, but i dont think he's made our midfield any better at all. We're too heavily stacked with 1 way mids and now we have to force square pegs into round holes, meanwhile our tall timber continue to be average.

I don't think we'll get a full appreciation of what Beams brings to the side until later in the season. It's the chemistry that's building at the moment.

 

[frizzle]

Was on a plane from Perth that arrived just before midnight our time, so missed the game live.
As I got off the plane & walked between the Virgin Australia lounges, I see the likes of Schoey, McGovern etc waiting to board their flight home.
My apologies for not knee capping them.

Anyway after watching the replay I think we are going to be pushing the proverbial uphill to beat them anywhere this year.

They have us for speed. Jetta, Schoey & Petruccelle etc. We have Stevo & not a great deal else when it comes to lightning pace.
Varcoe is quick when chasing but he just doesn't get the footy enough to have a decent impact.

They have us for hardness at the stoppages. Our so called brilliant midfield have lowered their colours to this mob at least 4 times in a row. Despite having the best ruckman on the ground.
With Adams the only one who matches their physicality on the inside. The others look for far too much outside ball & are not as defensively minded at the eagles mids either. The fact our ruckman had twice as many clearances as any of our mids says a lot about the mids performance.

They have us in the air. McGovern, Barrass etc pick us off at will down back & Kennedy & Darling are generally more dangerous than our tall forwards.

Game plan. They play the Hawthorn way. Setup defensive side of a stoppage & dish out to a loose outrider. Switch the ball & catch out a defense that pushes up too far.

To be honest I don't see how we can turn the tables on them in 2019 unless we change things up drastically. They know our brand & they they know theirs will beat it consistently. If we are going to play a game that involves just 40 odd tackles for the game each, then we will not be beating them anytime soon.
We have to make it a pressure game where they feel they are rushed, but we have been unwilling or unable to do that against them. They are too well drilled & their game plan stacks up against all comers.

 

[Leviathan Pie]

It was simply a carbon copy of the grand final except we didn't take our chances as well when we were on top.

It's not so much that West coast is a bogey team as much as we simply don't line up well against them.

We didn't correct any of our weaknesses in the off season, and their tall players out marked ours time and time again when they were on top.

Not the end of the world, we still played fairly well so it wasn't a Geelong style loss. 1-2 was where I had us when looking at our draw, so hopefully we can turn it around as the season progresses.

I agree, must admit bringing in Beams and not addressing a key issue (QUALITY TALLS) might rear its ugly head on multiple occasions this year.

 

[PhiloBeddoe]

I don't think we'll get a full appreciation of what Beams brings to the side until later in the season. It's the chemistry that's building at the moment.

Since many in here were screaming for us to throw the kitchen sink at Clarkson, it’s interesting to note what he said about new players to a club. They need time to adjust to the *insert club name* way. Beams may well have been one of the best mids in the comp while playing the Brisbane way but that’s not necessarily immediately transferable to his new club. It also depends on the type of mid a player is.

 

[Piestration]

Likely to struggle vs Hawks too, similar setups and Buckley has traditionally struggled to overcome Clarksons gameplans (which is what Simpson has WC play a modified hawks gameplan).

Don't underestimate the fact Mitchell was the Weagles Mid coach for a couple of years. Very telling at the centre setups. We desperately need better planning and setups in the middle. We have one of the best midfields in the comp and need to take advantage. Grundy is overworked which detracts from his tap work. He can't dominate the centre clearances for an extended period because he's not big or aggressive enough. I'd like to see Grundy forward more with Cox spending more time in the middle.

 

[Maggie5]

My insights for what they’re worth were that we lost that contest in 4 split seconds of football.

I doubt I’ll get the order spot on, but I believe it was Cox’s missed set shot in the 2nd Q, JDG’s missed set shot in the 3rd Q, Mihocek’s miracle kick to the corridor in the 3rd Q and Crisp’s switch kick in the last quarter. In those 4 seconds of footy we cost ourselves 22 points. Despite our mids being bullied on the outside and as slow as a wet week on the spread there were legitimately 4 moments of poor football that cost us the match against the best team in the competition.

I’m sure every single poster could name other significant moments in the match that either went our way or there’s to influence the match the unique aspect of these were that they were either gilt edged opportunities (the missed set shots) or terrible errors from stop plays. You can’t win all the big moments in a match, but to be comprehensively outplayed in so many areas and still be in that position is something to focus on.

The broader issue now though is their midfield dominating us. We’re seriously missing a Sier or Wills in the contest and some speed on the outside, but for all the doom and gloom I’d expect of this thread we really need to remember the context. A win v the Bulldogs is crucial.

I would add one more. Stephenson's handball to Cox in the goal square. Should have just kicked it himself.

 

[Piestration]

They need to swap De Goey and Stevo for a game. See how they go.

Degoey is our only consistent forward and an absolute threat to the opposition. If Stevo can't play another position in the team then bring someone in who can. I would suggest his current spot could be covered better with Brown, Daicos, even Goldsack.
Stevo needs to step back a step now and build a more sustainable trick bag and build his body before we kill the kid.

 

[hasbean9]

I think we'll get them next time, might be hard if in Perth though.

Sure will be hard.For Interstate Games the home crowd shouting and booing for free kicks all day usually means 50-50 Umpiring decisions can work in favour of the home team.We appeared to not have had that advantage Saturday night and hopefully there will be non biased umpiring for the return bout in WA.

 

[Scodog10]

I would add one more. Stephenson's handball to Cox in the goal square. Should have just kicked it himself.

For me that fell into the Phillips free kick and JDG shank as a rush of blood play, but it was another in a long list of little moments we lost that accumulated on the night. WC are a damn good team, the best in it, so I really think the focus needs to be on tightening these moments and not being bullied around the ball against them. The tide will turn!

 

[soreplums]

Anyone else notice how much west coast were tunneling in marking contests? Is it common with most teams?

 

[unplugged]

Anyone else notice how much west coast were tunneling in marking contests? Is it common with most teams?

They did two really bad ones within a few minutes. I was under the impression that intentional tunnels were reportable, but anyway.

 

[unplugged]

Just thinking back on the game, without having seen a replay or any highlights, etc. but I remember thinking during the game that I hadn't really noticed Crisp. I actually checked the stats to make sure he wasn't a late out at one stage.

Anyone who watched the game, particularly live, notice any tactics employed by the WCE that may have curtailed his influence or ability to rebound? Any defensive forwards, etc.?