Autopsy Cats lose by 1 point to Hawks in another Easter Monday classic

[Mr Meow]

Yeah, he was marginally better than he has been, but his impact on the game was negligible imo.

I haven't compared him to anyone else, though I have seen the discussion re: Clark etc.

I'm purely interested in whether or not the club can get him back to somewhere near his best because he's well off it for mine.

I didn't say Close was good. He had 5 bits of play where we ended up scoring (Clark averages 2 this season), which is closer to his 2025 level.

I don't have him in our best team, but think it's bizarre people are selecting it as his worst game of 2026. He was a complete ghost in the other 2 games.

 

[joe444]

I think we tend to overestimate the volume of Holmes terrible disposals in non grand final games.

He turned the ball over 6 times but had 3 goal assists and 6 score involvements. So it's a mixed bag sort of disposal day from his 24 touches (I thought his ball handling was the worse bit).

Humphries and Cameron combined for 14 turnovers and had just 6 score involvements, no goal assists between them! Two of our "premium" ball users.

Miers twice as many turnovers as score involvements, no goal assists.

Smith was great, but had 11 turnovers to himself.

There's different kinds of turnovers, surely? Smith didn't strike me as an issue in the way that Humphries was.

I mean, I bet the centering ball to OHenry that was spoiled and gathered by Ginnivan counts as a turnover to Champion Data, but seriously ...

 

[year of the cat]

I think we tend to overestimate the volume of Holmes terrible disposals in non grand final games.

He turned the ball over 6 times but had 3 goal assists and 6 score involvements. So it's a mixed bag sort of disposal day from his 24 touches (I thought his ball handling was the worse bit).

Humphries and Cameron combined for 14 turnovers and had just 6 score involvements, no goal assists between them! Two of our "premium" ball users.

Miers twice as many turnovers as score involvements, no goal assists.

Smith was great, but had 11 turnovers to himself.

Doesn’t make great reading. If you read that and didn’t know the score you’d think we’d have lost by 10 goals.

 

[Generalissimo]

Smirking Jack, still punchable.
Same as Scott on cameron : He's got years left ahead of him, very early in the season, not concerned.
They're never going to reel off a list of duds today, that's up to us.

Scotty and Bucks aren't about to berate players publicly. But I guarantee in the clubrooms some pretty tough things are being said.

 

[thegerman]

Alright. Intervention time and again I'm someone who is only Wiltshire-curious, no more.

But this "he doesn't tackle" shit is based purely on today's game and one poster's sheer tenacity to keep raising it.

Last year in the VFL we're talking about a guy who in the final stages of the season was laying 2-3 tackles most games, laid 4 in VFL r1 against Essendon and then 2 when called up last week.

Ease up, guys. There are real reasons to doubt his viability, let's not just make one up

The thing, stats are unfortunately a thing right, a measurement of performance.

The times today where he’s really pushed aside wasn’t just a few occasions. It’s been the same for his 3-4 games.

No strength at all.

This also extends to Close, Miers, Henry etc.

However, some of those above have something else on the table.

I don’t see anything that Wiltshire provides, that can’t be done by anyone else on the list. Whilst Clark can go missing at times, he tackles far better, has better foot skills also can kick the one or two goals that Wiltshire has kicked over the same timespan.

I’ll be glad if proven otherwise, however I don’t see why we are wasting time with him to be honest.

 

[MacStradbroke]

Scotty and Bucks aren't about to berate players publicly. But I guarantee in the clubrooms some pretty tough things are being said.

Scott sorta did. When he commented on Macdonald getting the ball late he had to be talking about the blind Humphries kick that lacked any resemblance of composure.

 

[year of the cat]

Humphries turnover from half forward was an absolute howler. He had a short option clear 20 metres away. We just needed to slow the game down at that point. Horrible decision without even looking at his execution.

 

[Play it Sam]

Scotty and Bucks aren't about to berate players publicly. But I guarantee in the clubrooms some pretty tough things are being said.

That's what i said. Never have, never will. That's why Scott surprised me defending ousting Close.
We'll just wait for the ins and outs next week.

 

[year of the cat]

The thing, stats are unfortunately a thing right, a measurement of performance.

The times today where he’s really pushed aside wasn’t just a few occasions. It’s been the same for his 3-4 games.

No strength at all.

This also extends to Close, Miers, Henry etc.

However, some of those above have something else on the table.

I don’t see anything that Wiltshire provides, that can’t be done by anyone else on the list. Whilst Clark can go missing at times, he tackles far better, has better foot skills also can kick the one or two goals that Wiltshire has kicked over the same timespan.

I’ll be glad if proven otherwise, however I don’t see why we are wasting time with him to be honest.

Clark never should have been dropped for Close. If nothing else at least he’d have tackled with intent.

 

[Mr Meow]

There's different kinds of turnovers, surely? Smith didn't strike me as an issue in the way that Humphries was.

I mean, I bet the centering ball to OHenry that was spoiled and gathered by Ginnivan counts as a turnover to Champion Data, but seriously ...

Holmes has a bit of that Dangerfield feel about him, where his memorable spray kick is still in the back of your mind 20 minutes later. I'm not disputing that he has too many of them, but we kind of turn a blind eye to the effective stuff (such as the 3 goal assists and 18 non turnover possessions today). On a day where almost everyone kicked poorly, picking Holmes out definitely seems agenda driven - I know it's going to take a lot for some to forgive his 2025 GF display.

 

[Mr Meow]

Doesn’t make great reading. If you read that and didn’t know the score you’d think we’d have lost by 10 goals.

I would be shocked if we've won any game where we are getting almost 20 turnovers but only 6 score involvements from Cameron + Miers + Humphries. That is the soccer equivalent of own goaling from 3 guys we hope to get a high degree of skill from.

 

[year of the cat]

I would be shocked if we've won any game where we are getting almost 20 turnovers but only 6 score involvements from Cameron + Miers + Humphries. That is the soccer equivalent of own goaling from 3 guys we hope to get a high degree of skill from.

I don’t think you need to try look that up. No way we would have.

 

[halfback dasher]

We MAKE the Easter round and have done so for a very longtime .

Well played again guys .
Who’d want to barrack for anyone else !!

 

[strauchnyy]

Everyone is distracted by close over Clark (yes it was wrong call) , Humphries bad form etc. but the issue is far worse.

We are now a ‘proud team’, but a declining team. A team reliant on individual brilliance but struggles on system. A team easy to play against and one that struggles to execute. So many holes across the ground.

The game plan is meh, we lack gun mids in prime.

Our best mid Holmes, is a terrible executer with poor possession. The exact opposite of a Selwood of Bartel under pressure. It’s a hollow feeling that we rely on players like this, compared to the privilege we have seen.

The current team are piss weak under pressure. A shell. So many passengers it’s hard to single them out.

I really am concerned at the signs I’m seeing and what the medium / short term looks like. Especially with TAs coming in. I feel it won’t be pretty.

Getting some draft picks in now might be a good idea.

 

[TomsBulgingDisc]

Anyone at the ground see what was going on with the Mannagh Impey match up? (If indeed they were opposed)

Just felt like we got completely belted there. Mannagh is a fun but when he goes missing he does it properly. Is there something he was doing poorly, or do certain game styles find him wanting a bit?

Not sure, but Impey tore us a new one around HB. I'd expect he would make quite a few appearances during the review.

 

[Munich]

Scotty and Bucks aren't about to berate players publicly. But I guarantee in the clubrooms some pretty tough things are being said.

Revolt and the other guy (name escapes me) were saying Jez can do whatever he wants and why are we letting him. Bucks was pretty firm that we told Jez where to go and he doesn't have licence to go wherever.

 

[Play it Sam]

I would be shocked if we've won any game where we are getting almost 20 turnovers but only 6 score involvements from Cameron + Miers + Humphries. That is the soccer equivalent of own goaling from 3 guys we hope to get a high degree of skill from.

Which makes me wonder how we would've reacted if we had won.
It really was a pressure pot game, bit of a scramble, and lost by a point when all is said and done.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Clark never should have been dropped for Close. If nothing else at least he’d have tackled with intent.

And the glazing continues.
Do people not see that to date Clark has been objectively average as an AFL player and appears to be nowhere near value for his pick.

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

We MAKE the Easter round and have done so for a very longtime .

Well played again guys .
Who’d want to barrack for anyone else !!

Could’ve gone either way, both teams kept gifting possession back to one another in the final term. TBH you guys were probably due to win a close one as we’ve won a good chunk of them over the years.

 

[year of the cat]

And the glazing continues.
Do people not see that to date Clark has been objectively average as an AFL player and appears to be nowhere near value for his pick.

As does your defending of Close. Give up. You were proven wrong.

 

[TomsBulgingDisc]

Would put my house on Guthrie carrying an injury and Cameron is still visibly sore in his arm. I think we're carrying senior players because there just aren't replacements ready/fit at the next level.

Agreed. Cameron looks like he's pulled through a bush backwards. It's not just his arm, he looks hampered all over.

I thought Zuthrie was poor form, but he looks physically incapable at the moment. Let's hope his physical drop off isn't as rapid as Cam's.

 

[Mr Meow]

Which makes me wonder how we would've reacted if we had won.
It really was a pressure pot game, bit of a scramble, and lost by a point when all is said and done.

An off day for sure. Would've been nice to steal it, which we absolutely had the chances to.

I'm expecting quite a firm review, and all is forgiven if we beat the Eagles (should) + Dogs (tough test).

4-2 after a tough run of fixtures would be a bonus, given GF teams often start the next season poorly. It's clear that our game is a bit off right now, but motoring in the middle to latter part of the season is more crucial. Until then, win home games and beat the poor teams. Get the kids some confidence and time to develop chemistry together. All isn't lost.

 

[Play it Sam]

And the glazing continues.
Do people not see that to date Clark has been objectively average as an AFL player and appears to be nowhere near value for his pick.

Plenty of value, patience grasshopper.

 

[rocker_oz33]

Clark never should have been dropped for Close. If nothing else at least he’d have tackled with intent.

True.

Clark been having a dip lately.

Close should of spend a month in the VFL.
I dont might Close.
But hes been poor for a while now.

 

[Mr Meow]

As does your defending of Close. Give up. You were proven wrong.

It's sort of a pointless debate. With our best senior team, Clark is kicking to Close in the 2s while Danger kicks to Stengle in the real stuff. Our 23rd player isn't deciding results or showing much difference between them until then.