Autopsy 2024 Round 1 Blues hold on in yet another heartstopper

Who played well for the Blues in Round 1 vs the Tigers?


  • Total voters
    152
  • Poll closed .

Remove this Banner Ad

Agree intensity was conspicuously absent...and we were far too cute at times, but weirdly we stuck tackles as well as I have ever seen. Set the tone early on Dusty, earned ample htb frees, probably should have had another half dozen called but dropping the ball seems to be a-ok now.

The Hewett suplex on Nankervis was a particular favourite.
Newman got Shai a couple of times too.

Sent from my SM-F926B using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

Log in to remove this ad.

I thought Durdin had a few strong moments in the last qtr. Hit the ball hard and applied great pressure. Not sure if he even had a possession but he caught my eye with a few of those efforts.
Not sure if it showed on the TV, but when he came on in the start of the last q, the forwards all got around him to welcome him back. He provides some real energy in the front half - Dermie gave him a huge rap post game with his efforts in that final quarter.

He's missed a lot of footy over the past few years and had an interrupted preseason, so will only improve as the season rolls on. Him and Moir were doing some running drills after the crowd had dissipated last night obviously to get their km's up.

I know I'm biased cos I'm a massive rap for him, but I still maintain that when him and Mots gets some games together under their belt, they'll form a dangerous small forward combo.
 
Starting the season 2-0, Key players missing, a short turnaround after playing in hot conditions in QLD, I'll take it every time. No complaints here, we are winning and finding different ways to win the close ones. I'll take it over where we were a couple of years ago.
It's a long season, we will get better, I don't expect or really want us to be playing our very best football yet. Keep banking wins however they come and be primed to be at our best when it matters most.

The only thing I would ask for is some respite from the close results, don't know how many more I can take :tearsofjoy:



I thought Mitch McGovern's game was massive last night, easily in our best players for me.
 
Last edited:
Feel like Owies deserves a bit more love. 2 clutch set shots when others were missing. Some nice tackles too. All you can ask for really.

He does have the happy knack of losing his opponent and taking marks in the forward 50 - I know he kicks a goal a game on average but he does need to do more - I’m a hard marker.
 
He does have the happy knack of losing his opponent and taking marks in the forward 50 - I know he kicks a goal a game on average but he does need to do more - I’m a hard marker.

He owns the spot for now, but we can and should look for more.

1710463840004.png
 
Don't think the game was as bad as is being made out, Richmond kept the pressure up all night and when they get off the hook
their pace can be very damaging.

The team was falling into rushing decisions/disposal earlier in the game but settled and ground it out.

Things that caught my eye:

Cez, Ollie, Cunners and Orazio had quiet games.

Nick N and Zaccy: Just some awesome tackles throughout the night.

Harry: Mr everywhere and riding that 55 metre bomb in and the crowd response gave me goose bumps.

TDK's late bomb plus thought he battled well as pretty much the sole ruck all night, especially his work around the ground.

Jack Carroll: more minutes and a better game than last week, early days but reckon we have a beauty here.

Charlie: Going down back late was so important to getting the result.
 
Subjected myself to watching the replay this moring. It was not fun. Do not recommend.

The positives...
  • McKay is absolutley back. Just looks ready to tear the competition to shreds. AA/coleman form.
  • McGovern. If the AA team was picked after round he's in. Rebound immense.
  • Acres game sense is A+. Knows where to be and when. Absolutely fantastic footballer. Deserves AA consideration.
  • Cripps is in brownlow form. Great to see him running around without the mattress covering his guts.
Two concerns...
  • Tap work & clearance. I love what TDK does around the ground. Was HUGE in Q4. But I also haven't liked what I've seen to date from his tapwork and fear he's hurting our clearance game. We have lost clearances in both games this year. I'm still of the view that Pittonet has a role to play in 2024 and that they can co-exist. Statistically Pittonet is a clearance impacting monster. Ugly yet effective. I'd play both.
  • Charlie - Looks like he's playing for free kicks & it's not a great look.
Thoughts on changes for next week...
  • Ollie Hollands. Backed up a just okay performance against Brisbane with a particularly ordinary one. Looked timid over the footy. Worked off the ball a few too many times. And had the fumbles. Will greatly benefit from a few more pre-seasons. For now I have him getting squeezed out next week -- Hollands for Hollands perhaps.
  • Fantasia. Thought he got into a few good spots and looked dangerous at times vs Brisbane. But had no impact against Richmond and was rightly subbed off. I'd exepct to see him miss next week with Durdin/Motlop taking his spot.
  • Pittonet. I'm on the bandwagon. Need to get our clearance dominance back and I think he's got a role to play in that.
  • The seat warmers - Young & Kemp to go as soon as Weitering/Marchbank are fit. Not sure who goes for Walsh but its likely one of Hollands, Cunningham, Boyd or Carroll (would be very stiff).
Walsh could easily be a month or more away, indefinite with a bad back that's been reoccurring. Fogarty took 18 months to get his back right with a tailored program for it at Keiser. Looks like Walshy might need to do something similar. Hollands could be replaced by Binns who is more damaging and much better link up player who finds the footy....against a young North side is a perfect time for a debut game.
 
Not sure if it showed on the TV, but when he came on in the start of the last q, the forwards all got around him to welcome him back. He provides some real energy in the front half - Dermie gave him a huge rap post game with his efforts in that final quarter.

He's missed a lot of footy over the past few years and had an interrupted preseason, so will only improve as the season rolls on. Him and Moir were doing some running drills after the crowd had dissipated last night obviously to get their km's up.

I know I'm biased cos I'm a massive rap for him, but I still maintain that when him and Mots gets some games together under their belt, they'll form a dangerous small forward combo.
They didn't talk about it but they did have it on screen. It seemed that Durds might have been telling the group a joke or something as well
 
New Merch from the Club :tearsofjoy:


GIq2rNGbcAEL6WR
 
I doubts if we make that many changes after a win

I think Weiters and Martin would be given another week - so RD4 - to be sure to be sure

O Hollands will be persisted with

In: E Hollands, Motlop

Out: Fantasia, Kennedy

No need for Kennedy to go out, reckon Cunners might get swapped out for Hollands and maybe Orazio for Mots. Weiters if ready for Youngy
 
The resultant I50 didn't amount to anything (extra I50 pressure and pace would have helped..) but Carroll had a lovely roving clearance from the tap at pace, something we usually only see Crippa or Walsh capable of doing.

He's apparently not very quick but he surprised me at times last night. I suppose he's just very good at positioning and keeping on the move, because he looked pretty quick at times.
I think he’s a touch quicker than what people think, definitely looks smart quick & calm of mind within and amongst the action…
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

It's really interesting - I actually though the opposite at the game. I thought our intensity/effort/pressure was really good.

To win disposals +33 and yet still be ahead in tackles by 15 is a very good effort. Thought we generally also stuck our tackles far better than we have in the past. Really just thought our execution was poor and our f50 entries were far too predictable.

I think when it was good it was great but it was very sporadic. For example they clearly out hustled us from the 10th minute of the first to early in the second. We responded very well but once again in the third their pressure and harrassment was better.
 
Love Curnow and part of what makes him great is that he does play on instinct, but geez...did anyone else get flashbacks to the R23 Collingwood game from 2022...

Team is up in a close game, just go back and take your 30 at the very least.
On the bright side, I would rather he learn that lesson at the start of the season and not finals and luckily it didn’t cost us the game. Hopefully the whole team take note.
 
Walsh could easily be a month or more away, indefinite with a bad back that's been reoccurring. Fogarty took 18 months to get his back right with a tailored program for it at Keiser. Looks like Walshy might need to do something similar. Hollands could be replaced by Binns who is more damaging and much better link up player who finds the footy....against a young North side is a perfect time for a debut game.
I wouldn't be dropping Hollands, he had some nice moments, it might be a bit much to expect him to be dominant at this stage. I'd rather Binns gets plenty of development into him in the twos. It wouldn't worry me if we didn't see him in the seniors until 2025.
We burnt quite a few young players by rushing them into the team in the past, we are now in a place where that is not necessary.

The Bye will be good for a few of our players at this stage, it's a chance to catch a breath and reset.
 
On the bright side, I would rather he learn that lesson at the start of the season and not finals and luckily it didn’t cost us the game. Hopefully the whole team take note.
Must instil team rule... mark inside the square and are not too behind on the scoreboard with enough time on the clock... take your 30, go back and kick the goal.
 
Tom is a nice guy and his ruck coach is a nice guy.

I love “ball players” not blokes relying on finding a physical edge to be competitive. But, absolutely get your point about “making them earn it”

Tom remains a developing ruck. It has been a slow process for him with some injury impact as well as Covid and perhaps his laid back nature. He will learn, a few years of cheap shops from opponents does that to you. He brings heaps to the table and still has another couple of layers to add.

Rejoicing that he stood up when he was needed. We have a good one.

Tom will be fine, he came up against a seasoned big bodied ruckman in big nank. the only way to improve his combative in game ruck work is to keep playing. He offers so much more around the ground than Pitto.

As to whether we play two ruckman, that should be a game to game basis, and be an option to hold up our sleeves.
 
Very fortunate to be 2-0.
Who takes Larkey this week?
This guy is the #1 forward in the game, 71 goals in a team that was 17th says it all.
JW might not be back and if he is it's not ideal preparation.
Could Kemp play on him? What about Lemmey?....not confident in Young at all.
 
Very fortunate to be 2-0.
Who takes Larkey this week?
This guy is the #1 forward in the game, 71 goals in a team that was 17th says it all.
JW might not be back and if he is it's not ideal preparation.
Could Kemp play on him? What about Lemmey?....not confident in Young at all.
Weitering
 
Very fortunate to be 2-0.
Who takes Larkey this week?
This guy is the #1 forward in the game, 71 goals in a team that was 17th says it all.
JW might not be back and if he is it's not ideal preparation.
Could Kemp play on him? What about Lemmey?....not confident in Young at all.
got two weeks before next game, so weiters will be back, fingers crossed.
 
Jack Carroll. Equal 2nd most prolific mid for us with 20 touches. Has a touch of class and poise around the ball. Is growing and growing with each game under his belt. From the footage in the rooms after the game you can see Cripps has taken Carroll under his wing and loves him.
Almost plays like a mini Cerra. Extremely good by foot, strong through the hips, attacks the ball hard. Needs to get into the rough stuff a bit more - one tackle in a match in which we laid 69 is leaving a bit much to everyone else - but there's plenty to like.
 
Back
Top