Strategy Changes: Round 7 Fremantle Dockers vs Adelaide Crows

[mike91]

What did Switta do since he’s come back? If the loss is on anyone it’s on Darcy and Serong/the midfield group.

But when a small forward is on the team for pressure then provides none of that and kicks no goals and he’s done that all season what do you expect people to say?

I expect people to blast the midfield and the backline, considering they were shocking

Was switta good? No. One of our worst? Not even close

But people love a whipping boy, so he's singled out ahead of the rest. Same rubbish, different week.

Johnson with a lazy two kicks, but hey, Switta

 

[mike91]

I lambasted Cox. I don’t know why he didn’t just play forward and swap with OMac if Petty is kicking 4.
Does Cox refuse to play forward or something?
Pearce. He struggled.

Aish doesn’t get a full game. He came in as emergency.

Wholeheartedly agree that Cox should've spent more time forward. Think we both agree we have a very, very poor coach unfortunately

 

[Channels]

Amazes me how after a game where our mids got smashed, showed zero accountability and fight and our defenders got beaten by a vfl forward line, that this board has singled out Switta. Not Cox, Pearce, Serong, Darcy, Aish, but Switta

Like clockwork around here

A whataboutism response.

Watch the vision I suggest, tell me that’s on the coach or another player. Shit slow play decision.

 

[FreoRicci]

What did Switta do since he’s come back? If the loss is on anyone it’s on Darcy and Serong/the midfield group.

But when a small forward is on the team for pressure then provides none of that and kicks no goals and he’s done that all season what do you expect people to say?

The midfield group needs more unpredictability. If it’s getting beaten, rotate Bolton earlier. As in Treacy. Hell even add Banfield who actually is hungry for the ball. Switkowski is pretty decent in centre bounces to get some run going.

What did we do? JOM/Serong/Brayshaw. It’s too easy for teams to target one of Serong and/JOM defensively.

Why wasn’t Johnson at centre bounces? What is his role if he’s not inside ? He’s struggles to get into games if he’s on the outside wing.

 

[FreoRicci]

Wholeheartedly agree that Cox should've spent more time forward. Think we both agree we have a very, very poor coach unfortunately

He’s the obvious choice. Melbourne do it to Petty and McDonald, why not Cox?
Try it differently next week. OMac back and add Cox forward as a strong marker. He’s a solid contested mark of the footy, not sure why it’s wasted mostly up forward

 

[FreoRicci]

Weren’t most of Pettys goals when he was matched up on Pearce?? Felt like every time he got it I looked up and Pearce was his matchup

Yeah he was. Melbourne had a D Grade back forward line. I’m sure OMac would’ve been okay there and add Cox for a bit of strength/stretch for forward structure

 

[EastcoastDocker]

Amazes me how after a game where our mids got smashed, showed zero accountability and fight and our defenders got beaten by a vfl forward line, that this board has singled out Switta. Not Cox, Pearce, Serong, Darcy, Aish, but Switta

Like clockwork around here

Cox and Darcy generally get a lot of criticism.

Aish has been out of the team and no one has any illusions that he is b23.

Serong and Pearce got their colours lowered. That happens. You back them in to play better next time around.

The easiest change is at the margins and that means switta. Switta has never kicked 3 goals in a game. Is he going to be a match winner next week? That would be a first. If he's not doing all the other stuff (primarily laying tackles i50) then what's the point. What exactly are we hoping for next week from switta? That he lays 3-4 tackles and kicks a goal?

 

[FreoRicci]

I expect people to blast the midfield and the backline, considering they were shocking

Was switta good? No. One of our worst? Not even close

But people love a whipping boy, so he's singled out ahead of the rest. Same rubbish, different week.

Johnson with a lazy two kicks, but hey, Switta

That’s a fair assessment. Honestly would swap Erasmus for Johnson if JOM isn’t dropped, as he probably won’t.
MJ have had chances. He needs a spell for Peel to prove his worth .

 

[Sherriff Incorporated]

Harsh on Worner, he’s done nothing to earn a demotion. The others yes

What exactly where you watching? He's decent when not playing on quick forwards only. Having both him and Aish in the same team was a liability today. Worner was on Chalmers when he kicked a goal 30metres plus away from where Worner was.

 

[mike91]

A whataboutism response.

Watch the vision I suggest, tell me that’s on the coach or another player. Shit slow play decision.

"Whataboutism response" ok champ.

I'm not interested in rewatching that trash again, already wasted 3 hours of my day watching it, not sure why anyone would want to waste another second.

You keep singling out a small forward in a game where the mids and defenders got pansted, it's brilliant reading

 

[Channels]

Champ?

Calls for the Ok Chief response.

 

[dont bowl there]

Maybe it's not just this game and it has something to do with his averages of 0.5 goals and 13 touches a game over his last 22 games. From a 28 year old "elite" small forward.

 

[The Feeder Club]

I just watched the presser, did I hear right that he said bringing Reidy in to support Darcy is something theyd definitely have to look at?
That ain't going to work. Look at something else

 

[CaseySibosadoHOF]

Kinda hilarious that people delving into Switta's pressure stats for this game (which were poor) are seemingly totally ignoring his score chain stats. 2 goal assists (equal team high), 10 score involvements (equal 2nd team high).

His pressure and contest work isn't where it should be. History tells us that will normalise. But if we're talking about just the Melbourne game, if more players used the ball as well as Switta did, we probably pinch a game that we didn't deserve to win.

 

[FreoRicci]

I just watched the presser, did I hear right that he said bringing Reidy in to support Darcy is something theyd definitely have to look at?
That ain't going to work. Look at something else

Thought of that during the game.
Darcy needs support. Reidy has to be that, not OMac. It’s not ideal but a second ruck will have to do for now, once Jackson comes back.
It’s another hard assignment for Darcy- it’s Obrien next Friday night. Would drop one of Banfield, Aish and add in Reidy. OMac goes forward full time- in the Voss role. We miss that forward line structure today.

 

[The Feeder Club]

Thought of that during the game.
Darcy needs support. Reidy has to be that, not OMac. It’s not ideal but a second ruck will have to do for now, once Jackson comes back.
It’s another hard assignment for Darcy- it’s Obrien next Friday night. Would drop one of Banfield, Aish and add in Reidy. OMac goes forward full time- in the Voss role. We miss that forward line structure today.

But think of what we're losing if we play both of them.
OBrien is no Gawn. He's very average.. If Darcy plus a part timer can't handle OBrien then Darcy isn't much chop.

 

[FreoRicci]

But think of what we're losing if we play both of them.
OBrien is no Gawn. He's very average.. If Darcy plus a part timer can't handle OBrien then Darcy isn't much chop.

What do we gain by only playing Darcy and OMac? Hardly much else.
OMac stays forward, 3 talls stretches the defence. Reidy can battle with Thilthrope.
Banfield is a need is he? The way he’s going, might as well try Reidy on the bench to rotate with Darcy.

 

[apuchar]

JOM for Ras/Narkle as the forced change
Chapman and Wagner for Worner and Aish (Worner hasn't even been that bad, but I don't wanna see more 8+ defender lineups)

OMac played well enough, but as well as all the other areas, we got outran. Harsh to attribute that to 1 player, but the 3 tall structure works best when you got mobility in those 3 talls. Didn't get it done in the ruck. Wouldn't mind 1 of him or Banners (based on performance) dropped.

Our mids and small forwards were out run. Don't think dropping Oscar is going to fix that.

 

[apuchar]

Are we too tall in the backline. I love Draper but these zippy small forwards need someone a little quicker. Missed Walker today.

Personally, I am of the opinion that we are quite useless when the ball hits the ground in our backline whether Walker plays or not. Wagner seems to be the exception at times ( but as is the way with Freo, not always). I imagine Walker couldn't have hurt. I had actually hoped after watching our last couple of wins that we had improved in that area, but it seems not. Pickett killed us in the midfield as much as anywhere.

 

[apuchar]

The midfield group needs more unpredictability. If it’s getting beaten, rotate Bolton earlier. As in Treacy. Hell even add Banfield who actually is hungry for the ball. Switkowski is pretty decent in centre bounces to get some run going.

What did we do? JOM/Serong/Brayshaw. It’s too easy for teams to target one of Serong and/JOM defensively.

Why wasn’t Johnson at centre bounces? What is his role if he’s not inside ? He’s struggles to get into games if he’s on the outside wing.

They put Johnson on Pickett in the midfield. Didn't do anything. Maybe Switta would have beey a better option. I 100% agree with you about keeping the same 3 in there for most of the game no matter what. Annoys the sweet bejesus out of me.

 

[FreoRicci]

They put Johnson on Pickett in the midfield. Didn't do anything. Maybe Switta would have beey a better option. I 100% agree with you about keeping the same 3 in there for most of the game no matter what. Annoys the sweet bejesus out of me.

Changed it in the second quarter v Bulldogs. Lo and behold 7 goals for the quarter.

Midfield has always been an issue in these close losses. No exception today. Serong was selfish in the way he went about it. Young is building but still struggled.
Just really need a Fyfe type player. A big smash and run player. Jackson would be perfect tbh. Would play Voss and Jackson with Darcy, and just have Luke around the centre bounces. Unpredictable.

 

[FreoRicci]

JOM for Ras/Narkle as the forced change
Chapman and Wagner for Worner and Aish (Worner hasn't even been that bad, but I don't wanna see more 8+ defender lineups)

OMac played well enough, but as well as all the other areas, we got outran. Harsh to attribute that to 1 player, but the 3 tall structure works best when you got mobility in those 3 talls. Didn't get it done in the ruck. Wouldn't mind 1 of him or Banners (based on performance) dropped.

Thought OMac was pretty mobile. He was hardly the culprit.
Switta 0 tackles
Reid 2 tackles
Fredrick 4
Bolton 0
Dudley 0.

The small forwards were garbage today with their pressure.
Melbourne has 27 Inside 50 tackles. Fremantle had 4. That’s horrendous.

 

[Farrand]

While I don't think Switta is the worst of the team by far today, that missed opportunity to either hand it to Brayshaw, or kick it with Serong alone running into the 50 is pretty telling of mentality. Instead he goes back and across the field to Worner, who kicks to Sharp, who kicks to Worner, who bombs it in. A team unwilling to take risks. Instead, we wait, we bomb, we turn over, and we get hurt by faster teams who want to take the game on.

And skills are terrible at times. Whoever whinged at me saying that even the best team have poor skills at time need to watch the Pies/Lions game. The best teams are more consistent in their skills.

Changes:

Out: Worner, JOM, Banfield
In: Brodie, Erasmus, Chapman

 

[Feathercap]

Wonder if Jackson is a chance - but assuming not:

Erasmus > JOM
Chapman > Aish
Wagner > Worner
Narkle>Banfield

Johnson getting close to a spell in the 2s for me. Played one decent game this year.

 

[theGav56]

I 100% agree with you about keeping the same 3 in there for most of the game no matter what. Annoys the sweet bejesus out of me.

It is such a conservative move that it is radical.

Especially once it was exposed. Do the unexpected, and change nothing.