Review AFL NAB Cup Round 1 autopsy - St Kilda / Sydney / Geelong

[Pure_Ownage]

The Good:

- Motlop was sensational I thought, if he can keep that up will be a lock for Varcoe's place in the first couple of rounds. Worked hard off the ball and used it really well when he's got it. Has a bit of his brother in him with the dummies and the goose steps but has got the Geelong work ethic.

- Smedts looked pretty handy off half-back, albeit didn't get a stack of ball. The ballet toes were on full display as well. Thought he was probably the best of the kids on half-back although Guthrie and the Hyphenator didn't disgrace themselves.

- Burbury had a nice cameo but Stringer and Walker were the pick of the rookies for me. Walker looks a unit, can take a grab and works hard; Stringer got a stack of ball and while his disposal was a bit awry at times I thought he was our fourth best midfielder behind Selwood, Duncan and Hogan.

The Bad:

- The Great Silence around Tom Hawkins and why he didn't play;

- Got smashed around the stoppages in the St Kilda game by a midfield that was (on paper) no stronger than ours. Still think our prospect pool is light for elite contested players.

- Stokes behind the ball. He didn't play badly but...just never again.

Yep, completely echoed my thoughts from the game from first to last sentence. Top post.

 

[you pick one]

This has been happening for far too long

Surely the coaches don't want that

My only explanation now is that:

A - Stokes is not following instructions and is running to the wrong place (we know this happens - check the last quarter of the '11 GF where SJ annihilates him for getting in the road) or

B - the opposition is successfully engineering the structure so that Stokes is the single forward option

So(A)your saying neither Thompson, Scott,Harley, Ling,or now Selwood/Bartel or any of the previous leadership groups have any control over Stokes.Or (B)the two coaches that have taken us to 4 of the last 5 Grand finals are being totally out coached.
I'd suggest he's playing exactly the role asked of him like every one else.

 

[OldStyle2007]

All I know is if the ball gets kicked to him as the single target in the forward line, we win that contest 1 out of ten times

 

[Scarlett Fever]

My guess is that the club has already decided that Guthrie and Smedts will see a lot of action this year and will need to be managed - that is why they both only played 1 game. Time will tell.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

All I know is if the ball gets kicked to him as the single target in the forward line, we win that contest 1 out of ten times

Agree OldStyle - trying to use Stokes as a marking target was one of my biggest frustrations but it largely disappeared last season. Structurally we used Menzel and sometimes Duncan for the spread / lead up forward role as they both have far superior overhead skills and seem to find space as well as Stokes does. I do recall Stokes taking a couple of great grabs on Grover 3-4 years ago so maybe he and the team remember this occasionally !

 

[CF]

it was interesting to see the up and comers out there playing last week but it meant nothing. 15 premiership players out tells you the club wasn't taking it too seriously.