Review AFL Round 16 post-mortem - Adelaide v Geelong

[jimmy.h]

Ablett, Bartel, Corey, Chapman and Kelly had 5 clearances between the 5 of them tonight (Selwood had 8 alone). We won't win too many games with those sort of clearance numbers amongst our midfielders.

On the whole, our good players played badly and our poorer players played badly. FWIW I believe both Jimmy and Gaz were less than 100% out there tonight.

We came of consecutive 6 day breaks and had a pretty significant pre-game distraction. I think it's the sort of loss we can simply draw a line under.

 

[Big Nasty]

- Scarlett needs to go back to playing on the Full Forwards.
- Duncan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hogan.
- Ablett should be kept in the midfield, and his teammates need to stop ignoring him.
- Blake is great around the stoppages, but it's like having one less player on the field.
- Lonergan struggles in the really tight games, i really don't want him playing in the finals.

 

[winty]

I think tonight put a lot of things into perspective.

True, we may have lost a game of football, but we came close to losing so much more than that.

Get well soon Doc.

 

[The Rusty Clam]

A lot of uncharacteristic errors tonight. The amout of times we fumbled or slipped over when it mattered most was unbelievable. I've got no doubt at all we'll bounce back though. Just a really poor night.

 

[Barnzy]

I thought it was strange that Ablett and Bartel played so much up forward. They won brownlows in the midfield. Only robbing Peter to pay Paul.

 

[Inferno]

Re: Whats wrong - Constructive criticism

Only got to watch the last quarter, we looked flat and they looked pumped up for the match. Seems to happen a lot and we need to at least match other teams intensity (ie. St Kilda, Adelaide) come finals time and not get complacent like tonight or it won't be pretty, we're lucky that the only team that can really leap frog us is Collingwood so we will end up at the G regardless of where we finish. I don't want to come across as a Lonergan hater but he simply doesn't cut it as a key defender, he is a better forward and in any case we have better forwards then him anyway.

Very poor choice by Byrnes to go for glory with the 60m kick, he should know better then that surely, he's a fairly shallow kick so not the best idea.

The poster decision cost us the momentum and possibly the game, but it really looked like we didn't deserve to win regardless so I'm not as pissed off with it as I probably should be.

Was JPod bad in the first 3 quarters? He kicked no goals so I'm assuming he played not great. It seemed the only reason I noticed him was the fact he had a bandage around his head. When will he play a good match away from Skilled Stadium???

Duncan not playing why???

Ugh and it had to be the Crows that beat us too. I really can't stand them or their supporters much, even the Pies beat them in the teeth department. A bit of hometown umpiring too it seemed.

 

[catters078]

need to be patient..

its a hard thing after an annoying loss, but you just have to bite your tongue..Were preparing for September, in 4 weeks when we hit our straps, noone will care about tonight, maybe this week is the week that slapped us in the face and got us going again.

I have one question though? with a midfield being all brilliant and all that...why do we seem to alwasy struggle with the clearances??

 

[AM]

Re: Whats wrong - Constructive criticism

Only got to watch the last quarter, we looked flat and they looked pumped up for the match. Seems to happen a lot and we need to at least match other teams intensity (ie. St Kilda, Adelaide) come finals time and not get complacent like tonight or it won't be pretty, we're lucky that the only team that can really leap frog us is Collingwood so we will end up at the G regardless of where we finish. I don't want to come across as a Lonergan hater but he simply doesn't cut it as a key defender, he is a better forward and in any case we have better forwards then him anyway. Very poor choice by Byrnes to go for glory with the 60m kick, he should know better then that surely if not for the fact that he is a fairly shallow kick. The poster decision cost us the momentum and possibly the game, but it really looked like we didn't deserve to win regardless so I'm as pissed off with it as I probably should be.

Was JPod bad in the first 3 quarters? He kicked no goals so I'm assuming he played not great. It seemed the only reason I noticed him was the fact he had a bandage around his head. When will he play a good match away from Skilled Stadium???

Duncan not playing why???

Ugh and it had to be the Crows that beat us too. I really can't stand them or their supporters much, even the Pies beat them in the teeth department. Fair bit of hometown umpiring too.

The form of Pods away from S.S hasn't been overly flash.

 

[noclashjumpers]

Bartel was poor. Corey is struggling. Ablett looked injured.

Selwood can't do it on his own.

 

[SJ]

I thought it was strange that Ablett and Bartel played so much up forward. They won brownlows in the midfield. Only robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Good call.

Think Ablett was proppy though.

 

[OldStyle2007]

We really need to turf Byrnes. He'd been bad all night, but then he could have kicked or set up a crucial goal in the last quarter and blew it big time by kicking long to the crows player in the goal square

I want Duncan in before Shannon.

And I am kind of thinking that we need Rooke back in this side to provide some heat in and around the packs.

Mooney and Pods didn't do much but gee the kicking into the forward line is tragic

And what is with Mackie trying those inside out kicks all the time? Or falling over? He's had a really bad season, you'd all have to agree. There's no chance of All Australian for him this year

 

[rizzo]

A few points...

Blake hopeless tonight, probably not the best time to put in a shocker with Dawkins back.

Byrnes is so far out of touch it isn't funny. Doesn't have an opposite foot, needs to find one because his opponents have worked him out.

Hogan absolutely terrible. Goodbye.

As for the game, you win some, you lose some. Our inability to win the clearances and put on any pressure killed us. Onwards and upwards to next week.

 

[TheLastEmperor]

you need to put lil gaz in the middle more. not trolling just an observation. he almost singlehandedly won the game in the last quarter for you. also looks apparent that a few are underdone after missing plenty of footy i.e scarlett, ottens and corey.

 

[True Blue Cat]

Bartel was poor. Corey is struggling. Ablett looked injured.

Selwood can't do it on his own.

Bartel wasn't bad. Corey hasn't played in ages you couldn't expect him to be at his peak. I do agree on Ablett though.

 

[kanyewest]

Certainly were below our best. But as others have pointed out, Adelaide needed to win and it was at Aami. Hardly a shameful loss. Just too many passengers unfortunately.

 

[Inferno]

Re: Whats wrong - Constructive criticism

The form of Pods away from S.S hasn't been overly flash.

Particularly concerning since we generally play teams who are nowhere near being contenders down there. It's all well and good that he kicks 5 against your Melbournes and Richmonds, but he really needs to be threatening against St Kilda, Hawthorn, Collingwood etc.

 

[CatFan79]

I have one question though? with a midfield being all brilliant and all that...why do we seem to alwasy struggle with the clearances??

Its work rate.. You can be as skilled as you want but if you aren't hungry for the ball then you won't win it. Exception being Selwood tonight..

I am amazed at how many 1 on 1 contests we lost or failed to get extra numbers to.

Yeah Byrnes could have fumbled the ball a bit more..

Mackie is really getting shown up when he can't find space and his lack of defensive pressure is costing us big time.

The Blake/Mumford situation proves that ongoing club success is not always at the top of the priority list..

Why Hogan continues to get picked is beyond me.. Must be Thompson's favourite ie the new Tenace..

All that aside we looked disinterested, underdone but still got very close to a Crows team that worked as hard as Ive seen a team work all year..

 

[True Blue Cat]

Re: Whats wrong - Constructive criticism

Particularly concerning since we generally play teams who are nowhere near being contenders down there. It's all well and good that he kicks 5 against your Melbournes and Richmonds, but he really needs to be threatening against St Kilda, Hawthorn, Collingwood etc.

I said to my sister during the game that maybe we should only play Pods at skilled and drop him every other game.


Hoping Hawkins does well tomorrow in the VFL as he would be a welcome return.

 

[costanza23]

In Scott Gullan's book on the 07 & 09 premierships, he mentioned how we went through a more intense period of training during the middle of the 09 season. Could that be happening at the moment and explain our slowness? The Crows intensity and the doc's heart attack didn't help though.

In the wake of defeat, harsh calls can be made, but I think tonight's game highlighted a few things.
A fit Hawkins has to come in for Blake. He's nearly played a hundred games, had 4 touches tonight, 1 kick and doesn't offer anything around the ground. Hawkins jumping around and kicking goals as the second ruck sounds like a better option.
Hogan's had his run and needs to go back to the twos. Johnno to come back in.
And a big call needs to be made on the tall defenders. We can't play Scarlett, Taylor, Lonergan, Milburn and Mackie in the same team. Milburn should come back next week, and although Lonergan's been decent, his lack of experience might keep him out.

v Bris
IN: Hawkins, S. Johnson and Milburn
OUT: Blake, Hogan and Lonergan

I wouldn't be surprised to see players such as Bartel, Selwood and Enright get a rest game soon, as they haven't missed a game all season. Could be a few surprises at selection this week.

 

[CF]

Fatigue - they were flat as a tack all night
slips - the soggy ground was disgusting
Pods - seriously needs a break, he was hopeless tonight. He looked second rate.
Gazza - play him in the middle Bomber
Selwood, Taylor, Varcoe, Enright, Stokes, - kept us in the game.
Adelaide played well, they wanted the ball more.
Chapman, Ablett, Bartel, Ling, Corey, & Kelly - well down all night.

Well done to Adelaide, but I think any half decent team would have beaten us tonight.

We will lose top spot this week. But no use crying over spilt milk. Just got to get on with it.

next week:

In: Hawkins, Johnson, Milburn,
Out: Pods, Hogan, and whoever needs a rest from injury

 

[spudmaster]

Re: Whats wrong - Constructive criticism

The form of Pods away from S.S hasn't been overly flash.

Perhaps an absurd suggestion but how about rotating pods and hawkins depending on where the games are played?

Pods is an absolute gun at SS and seems to know the ground like the back of his hand, but as you mentioned he doesn't seem to have quite the same confidence away from home (fair enough too, probably hasn't played at most of them given it's his first year in the afl). The occasional rest surely couldn't hurt either?

Or do people view Tommahawk as an auto selection when he's fit?

Then there's the issue of finals that are most likely at the G SS+MCG(and Etihad?) perhaps for Pods?

The Sunday->Saturday->Friday night trifecta is an absolute killer too fellas, one 6 day break is tough but manageable, but the double whammy+ the travel as well surely has to have played at least a part, especially after a 4 quarter effort last week. I remember the hawks were shot in the first 5 minutes when they met the pies after two 6 day breaks.

 

[ninjacat]

We're the hunted again. Teams know how to beat us - go for broke playing high pressure football and don't allow us to link around the back of clearances. Just keep pressuring the ball carriers so that our handballs will eventually get turned over. Even an average team can play above themselves and grind out a win. Just play Saints footy!

Comes with the territory of being champions. Anyway, I'd prefer not to wear the mantle of "premiership definites".

But yeah, what they said - Ablett in the guts, even if he is leaving, may we please have him contribute to one more flag please Bomber??

We had to win this match - Collingwood or Saints would have won it. They'll surpass us. Hopefully we can do a Brisbane and still win one more flag even after not dominating the ladder. Oh well, been a nice ride these last 3 years! Gonna be hard adjusting to a period of sustained uncertainty.

Oh, and can we stop that stupid zone defense? I preferred it when we just manned up in the opposition F50 and made it really hard for them to get it out of our scoring zone from a kick-in. Now we zone up and they chip it around and out of our defense. And when WE try to kick it out from the oppositions's F50, they flood their forward line.

 

[BarryG]

Why Adelaide, why?? The 2 worst teams for me personally to have Geelong lose to are Adelaide and Carlton. Thank you Geelong, you have done both for me nicely this year so my Adelaide and Carlton mates can give me heaps.

 

[SJ]

Interesting.

Just had a look at the stats.

We had 10 less kicks but 38 more handpasses. More disposals overall but nothing significant.

Our disposal efficiency was 77.3% to Adelaide's 74.6%.

We laid 59 tackles to 42 (interestingly, my perception was that Adelaide's tackling was much better than ours).

We won the hit outs 37 to 22.

We had 44 clangers to 46 from Adelaide.

However, we lost the clearances 35 to 28 and inside 50s 50 to 42.

Food for thought.

 

[Inferno]

Re: Whats wrong - Constructive criticism

Perhaps an absurd suggestion but how about rotating pods and hawkins depending on where the games are played?

Pods is an absolute gun at SS and seems to know the ground like the back of his hand, but as you mentioned he doesn't seem to have quite the same confidence away from home (fair enough too, probably hasn't played at most of them given it's his first year in the afl). The occasional rest surely couldn't hurt either?

Or do people view Tommahawk as an auto selection when he's fit?

Then there's the issue of finals that are most likely at the G SS+MCG(and Etihad?) perhaps for Pods?

The Sunday->Saturday->Friday night trifecta is an absolute killer too fellas, one 6 day break is tough but manageable, but the double whammy+ the travel as well surely has to have played at least a part, especially after a 4 quarter effort last week. I remember the hawks were shot in the first 5 minutes when they met the pies after two 6 day breaks.

If Hawkins is coming in then Blake is surely the player he replaces, not Pods.