Autopsy Dogs fall short against Freo

[Munnez]

Lots to like. West & Freijah started awfully and looked cooked for confidence, but played big parts in the game in the end. Sanders played a semi-negative mid role quite effectively. Arty has quickly become an important player for us.

Feel we’re in danger of causing a big problem with Emmett by playing him. The damage to his confidence must be something at the moment. Dolan had a bad night.

Vandermeer was good until injury. McNeil had his moments, but was rapt for him to kick that important goal late. Coffield was on a hiding to nothing playing on Treacy. Had awful moments, had a really good quarter, but overall not good.

Bont was Bont.

Freo are consistent enough across the board to finish high, but I don’t see it when it comes to finals. Treacy is a gun, Amiss is not, and Voss could be the worst key forward in the comp. Their point of difference lies with Jackson & Bolton, but to get 3-4 wins in September, I can’t see it.

Come finals side aren't going to allow the amount of easy ball that their style thrives on. I don't think that the contest side of their midfield can get the job done when real heat comes on

 

[glenashley]

The match committee got that very wrong.
How has Baker not have more credits in the bank on his form this year.
His run and strength would have been very handy tonight.
And the Emmett selection given English was going to be underdone was ridiculous.
As most have said Smith just had to play.

Vandermeer was very good tonight, but what’s the point in ever selecting him again ?

Overall it was a pretty good effort, but this current team has too many down patches.
That 3rd quarter and early last was as bad as it gets.

A quick dodgy AI check has VDM doing his hammy 5 times mid game not counting training.

 

[Munnez]

I think we can see why it is that the MC are so willing to persist and play VDM whenever he is fit.

He gives a point of difference as a pacy hard running high half forward. It was pretty clear that we lacked run and were down a rotation when he went off and Freo's mids got on top with their spread.

It's a shame that he cannot get a clear run at it.

Because he was on pace to play the best game of his career tonight.

There. I said it.

It was noticeable how the Freo spread got going after VDM came out of the game

 

[Angak]

Right... so getting belted every week is our "true level".

We still need a coaching change but list is middle of the road.

 

[Doggy]

We still need a coaching change but list is middle of the road.

Judging it on the last 4 weeks is seriously flawed. I trust i don't need to explain why.

 

[Munnez]

Was hoping when I looked up Shai Bolton I'd see he's 33 and this ****ery won't go on much longer. The man is 27 for God's sake. One of those players who is Footscray kryptonite as it stands. So fast on the snap, Elite on ball, pace is delicious. We can't even set up our flood, he's so quick.

Gimme one! Gimme one! Gimme!

Arty might be able to be that type. Bolton started out in a very similar position initially

 

[Dogs Rule]

Kane repeated the lie often enough that the Dogs had the most talented list in the comp, and fans and media started to believe it. He is influential, I will give him that.

We had a good preseason and got a head start. Once fitness levels evened out, our true level showed.

You cannot lose the quality of Dunkley, Smith and Marra across three consecutive seasons and still remain a genuine flag contender.

The Cornes thing just gets on my nerves.

We knew it was BS, so did he, but he kept it going to pile on the pressure because of his own personal grudges.

In days gone by he would be considered a joke devoid of any credibility, but today it's all about saying any old s*** no matter how dumb or nonsensical it is and getting attention - look no further than the so called leader of the free world.

 

[Sentinel]

West is probably lucky he got on the end of a few after that complete balls up in the first quarter. Almost a droppable offence on its own, particularly after a lean run of form.

 

[geoffjennings79]

That won't happen IF Butters wants in

We have too many kids as is, we need to go land some decent mature age recruits.

Are you related to geoffjennings79

Doggy and Blewdog - lighten up, Jen is not being serious!

BT - not related that I'm aware of, but Jen posts selectively and intelligently, unlike some of my random nonsense.

 

[Redders98]

As someone who lives in Tassie, I’ve been to a game in Melbourne every year since 2022.

We’ve lost every single one.

The last time I’ve seen us win live was the 2021 elim final in Launceston ffs.

I don’t think I’ll bother anymore, and I hate saying that, but there just doesn’t seem to be any incentive.

I sat there last night when Bont kicked that goal and thought maybe, just maybe this will be different.

It’s the hope that kills you.

 

[lachy]

I don’t see Smith as a second ruck, he doesn’t have the agility up forward of Croft but yes would be a better option than Emmett in competing in ruck but would have been blown away around the ground.

Timmy was obviously underdone hopefully he pulls up ok and runs game out better next week

Its not a second ruck role at the moment it is part 1st ruck due to English being both underdone and a better option up forward than Emmett or Croft.

This argument only holds water IF Darcy and Lobb our only AFL quality 2nd rucks are available. They are not so trying to get 2 way underdone players no where near it yet is actually madness

 

[TheScriptorWL]

We have to remember that we are more banged up than the Medical Room report.

Two observations can be true simultaneously. Brilliant effort from our lot in the first half, but a disgusting mental loss once again for a 7 minute period was the game. And we all knew that was the case as it was occurring.

The Flaws and scenarios are consistent. Senior players like Kennedy handing 3 opposition majors. The lack of any semblance of a defensive structure in the last Minute of every quarter.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Matt Kennedy needs to cop some heat, in that Freo run on he coughed up the ball for 3 goals, and he can't keep up with oppo mids with a moderate amount of pace. He is lucky we are so thin in the middle as he was shocking last week as well.

I agree with his ball use but he's doing a role in a physical head-to-head stuff against other elite mids and preventing them from winning the ball. Brayshaw and Serong are in theory top 10 mids in the league that have gone for 30+ touches and won games from Freo from the inside across recent years. Kennedy beating them to the ball, laying tackles when he doesn't, is a difference even when his ball use is poor.

I agree he deserves some heat but at the same time we have to understand what his primary job is - to be a less heralded player who also goes head-to-head at stoppages against other heralded midfielders from other teams.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

AFL Match Stats

AFL Match Stats

www.wheeloratings.com

Always a good website to use to look at the stats sheet to replace the old-fashioned printout in the newspapers that nobody reads anymore.

I also think it presents information in a better way than the old to see how the game actually played out in the sense of us discussing. For example, we can take the win hitout/is it to advantage or first possession logic here:



We can then look at the value of winning those clearances with "xChainScore stoppage" ie what's the scoreboard worth of establishing those 1st possessions. Then compare to the actual points they scored from those chains (ie, how much better they/we were from actually turning the fact that you won possession from a clearance into the scoreboard)



It's obviously not a perfect way to analysing these things because you have to consider all context. But it provides an example to put a number to the fact that Freo were the better team in the ruck, and what that "cost us".

There are different ways to use the stats too.

 

[Optimistic Dog]

Arty might be able to be that type. Bolton started out in a very similar position initially

Yeap all for Arty having run on ball. The need for more speed is compelling. Except for Ed nobody has the speed to break from congestion. We do get some breaks other than Ed but only if we can get a handball into the open.

 

[Anja_Nees]

Not sure what Dolan is bringing to the game at the moment. I don’t watch the VFL, is he killing it at that level? I find it hard to believe with how he plays at this level. I really hope Cody is ready to play again soon. Great to see Arty back and he makes a big difference with his pressure and forward half play. Dolan provides virtually nothing. A real shame that VDM can’t stay healthy. I think Baker should have held his spot also, definitely over Dolan and probably Davidson also.

Arty makes a contest in the air and has very sticky hands when the ball is below his knees.

I’ve seen Dolan play very creatively etc but those uncompetitive efforts late snuffed out any chance we had. Miles off it at the moment.

 

[Philthy1]

That won't happen IF Butters wants in

We will even if Butters comes, but they will be 2nd and 3rd round picks which may net us role players.

Picks in the 40s got us Williams, Daniel, Dale. All will not be lost on Butters.

 

[Jen Geoffings]

Are you related to geoffjennings79

Its complicated, but it does seem we share a sense of humor

 

[TiAn_]

Its not a second ruck role at the moment it is part 1st ruck due to English being both underdone and a better option up forward than Emmett or Croft.

This argument only holds water IF Darcy and Lobb our only AFL quality 2nd rucks are available. They are not so trying to get 2 way underdone players no where near it yet is actually madness

No, it’s a backup ruck role. Which almost every team fills with a player that is capable in other roles. Smith isn’t.

It makes no sense to select a limited player like Smith just so he can only play the 25% game time when English is on the bench. It’s a waste of a bench spot.

Smith got well beaten around the ground in the VFL by a pot bellied Brayden Crossley again today. 16 disposals and 7 marks for Crossley to 11 and 0 for Smith.

Until he adds some strings to his bow, including how to mark the ball, Smith is only injury cover for English.

 

[Munnez]

Vanders might hold the record for being taken off with injury. His body just can’t hack senior football.

Happy with the effort, disappointing that we still can’t stick tackles.

Huge number of incomplete tackles that Freo just walked through

 

[Snarls Barkley]

No, it’s a backup ruck role. Which almost every team fills with a player that is capable in other roles. Smith isn’t.

It makes no sense to select a limited player like Smith just so he can only play the 25% game time when English is on the bench. It’s a waste of a bench spot.

Smith got well beaten around the ground in the VFL by a pot bellied Brayden Crossley again today. 16 disposals and 7 marks for Crossley to 11 and 0 for Smith.

Until he adds some strings to his bow, including how to mark the ball, Smith is only injury cover for English.

I can agree that he is limited but I just don't understand how he isn't offering more than Emmett regardless. Emmett was in 30 ruck contests and won 2 hitouts (nearly all of them against Cox who was in 28 RC and had 25 HO's), he had two possessions for the game. He's going to be better in the ruck and he can't possibly offer any less around the ground. Emmett probably turns into a good player down the track but there is absolutely no way he should be near the team

Once Lobb returns from injury he needs to be playing Darcy's role as the forward/ruck so hopefully we only have to get through a few more weeks

 

[1961grandfinal]

No, it’s a backup ruck role. Which almost every team fills with a player that is capable in other roles. Smith isn’t.

It makes no sense to select a limited player like Smith just so he can only play the 25% game time when English is on the bench. It’s a waste of a bench spot.

Smith got well beaten around the ground in the VFL by a pot bellied Brayden Crossley again today. 16 disposals and 7 marks for Crossley to 11 and 0 for Smith.

Until he adds some strings to his bow, including how to mark the ball, Smith is only injury cover for English.

Thx for expounding the Bevo mantra, rucks don’t matter unless you can offer more than competing in a contest. Much prefer to have Croft and Emmett in there for the 25% or more that English is off the ground. We have been doing so well with one ruck for the last 5 seasons. Stubborn to the point of stupidity applies, would have hoped that an MBA would allow the development of flexibility of ideas.

 

[Munnez]

Maybe when we miss finals we won't be r*ped in next years FIXture

How did that work out this year

 

[Blewdog]

Emmett has shown nothing. I don't get the optimism. He is minimum 4 years away from doing anything.

 

[TiAn_]

I can agree that he is limited but I just don't understand how he isn't offering more than Emmett regardless. Emmett was in 30 ruck contests and won 2 hitouts (nearly all of them against Cox who was in 28 RC and had 25 HO's), he had two possessions for the game. He's going to be better in the ruck and he can't possibly offer any less around the ground. Emmett probably turns into a good player down the track but there is absolutely no way he should be near the team

Once Lobb returns from injury he needs to be playing Darcy's role as the forward/ruck so hopefully we only have to get through a few more weeks

Emmett wouldn’t be playing if Croft were playing well. But Croft has had two ordinary VFL games.

Smith is a poor leaper and would have been slaughtered by Cox in the ruck as well, like he has been against Reeves in the VFL, who had a career high 55 hit outs against Smith in the VFL prelim last year. One or the other wouldn’t have made a lick of difference last night. But at least in a pinch Emmett can plausibly be asked to play a role at either end that requires a modicum of aerial presence.

Agree that it likely needs to Lobb, but hopefully Croft turns a corner shortly.