Review Dees v Richmond: the Good, Bad & Up the Clacker

mrmonkey

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Dec 3, 2010
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If Preuss is going to lumber around doing 3/5ths of fu** all he may as well hurt people whilst doing it - I thought that was his thing? Has he laid one big tackle all year?
I think there's a perception that he's going to be mumford out then when in reality he's non affective. He can't get near it and when there's an opportunity to lay a big tackle he fluffs it.

I thought we were ok but once it started to rain Richmond made it impossible to attack. We just couldn't get it out of their attacking 50 in the second half. Felt like we were losing all the small battles. I recall a moment in the 4th where there was a ball to be won in our half back line and I'm pretty sure we were first to the ball and all we needed was a clean possession and we were out, instead a Richmond player came in caused a spillage and then from there they won it and ended up scoring. We couldn't even lock it in and cause a stoppage we just allowed them to take it away with ease. Skill level aside we just don't have the hunger. Having said that have to give credit to Richmond they look Geelong 09 esq, they know they blew it big time last year starting to look hungry and they look like they've peeking at the right time. Certainly would prefer them winning the premiership than Geelong. Would still rather someone else.
 

Crusty Demon

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Sep 20, 2009
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Our first half showed our effort is there. Our second half showed our skills aren't anywhere near good enough to execute any gameplan we are attempting. So many simple basic errors. We were lucky not to lose by 80. Tigers weren't on luckily. We had our 1 good season, back to being an irrelevant club..
 
Our first half showed our effort is there. Our second half showed our skills aren't anywhere near good enough to execute any gameplan we are attempting. So many simple basic errors. We were lucky not to lose by 80. Tigers weren't on luckily. We had our 1 good season, back to being an irrelevant club..

First half had me worried. Dees played really well. That quick play on game is going to trouble us I think
 
Eh, both were average. Frost was his usual self - doing something amazing then following it up with something horrible. OMac had much better position on his opponent this week but gave away stupid frees and was still (not unexpectedly) beaten in the end.

Both have had better and worse days. Meh.
Very true, but the criticism is disproportionate IMO
 

markm106

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Mar 29, 2006
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Could easily have been beaten by 10 plus goals. I thought we showed some good signs at times. Some of the ball movement was decent at times. But in saying that silly handballs or kicks by players unable to execute it is what killed us.
Lewis did a good job on Grimes.
Petty was good and has a bit of pest about him.
Fritsch is a forward and needs to stay there.
We desperately need May. Omac just isn’t up to it.
I’d keep playing Baker and Dunkley for rest of games.
We didn’t stick enough tackles and need to get the storm boys over for some practice.
 

Grimesy87

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May 22, 2018
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I felt sorry for Frost and McDonald today. Both actually competed and covered ground well, and both got a LOT of spoils in given how clean Richmond were in the wet. They got the spoil, handball or kick away relatively well most of the time and then our generally reliable users like Lever, Hibberd and Salem turned it over time and time again. Hey presto, Reiwoldt and Lynch were free. But of course they will be? Their defender has just won a contest and got the ball away and into possession, meaningg they're setting up for offence when the ball comes flying back over their head. The neanderthals who comment 'HUR DUR OSCAR AND FROST' after every single game need to see this. On a day where most of the team embarrassed themselves, I thought those two had good games by their standards. And yes, they did lose the odd contest, but you have C-grade defenders against A-grade forwards. What do you think is going to happen?
OMac as always was slow to react, poor 1-on-1, gave away numerous holding frees due to his lack of strength and ability, and turned it over by foot. Got a few spoils in the wet as any player can. If we're saying well done Oscar for that then we're rooted.

I don't mind Frost, as he has some good traits that outweigh the turnovers. But OMac brings nothing.
Case in point.

He was rubbish last week, but was fair tonight. Considering we have may to replace him going forward, it's hardly worth getting upset about our depth kpd playing a fair game on the game's best forward duo.

Much more concerned about our braindead midfield who seem shitscared of contact, unable to perform basic kick, handball and possession acts and have bugger all interest in running defensively.

I love how, yet again, our midfield get smacked in the wet. Its all well and good to say we played ok in a half when it was dry, but its not like richmond had a dry footy in that second half. Collectively, a bunch of players who pick and choose whem to compete, and when not to. Worse still, when they do feel like cracking in occasionally, they make comical errors and give the ball back almost instantly in positions on the ground ready to expose our defenders.

But yeah, keep cracking in at Oscar to suit the narrative.

Ps I'm not defending Oscar as he is not up to being a first choice defender for a club in contention, but he was hardly the worst last night.
 

Grimesy87

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May 22, 2018
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Thanks mate, really feel better hearing this. How's Geelong's form going? Nice loss to Freo yesterday!
* I can't wait to see them finish 3rd and not get a home final. After all the talk. It would almost make me forget about not watching Melbourne play finals for the 12th out of 13 seasons.
 
Apr 18, 2005
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Ill keep mine focused on a more insightful focus on what Richmond so that we don’t, do it’s just the bad;

The ability of Richmond to transition from HB towards a HF is second to none. What I have found watching them is that I believe they are playing less of a ‘chaos’ ball game (to use a common footy term) due to Lynch and Riewoldt. They’ve evolved. Clever from Hardwick.

Essentially they do either one of two things; move really quickly from half back with overlapping runners then look to the wings and find a target at CHF, or, if they get held up they wait and hold then look for a ‘breaker’ someone who finds Space and receives the 20 metre pass. They thread the ball through the zone and then get the space.

When that little kick is made, someone often gets into a position for a switch. That’s how they pick up momentum and that’s what I guess is called ‘tempo’ footy. You can only do this with decent skills, a desire to use the switch and the wings and then have a very direct kick to your CHF position.

What we DONT do is switch the ball. Right now for us being a poorly skilled and slow side, if we were to start to get caught into this ‘thread the needle type game’ all we would do is turn it over. Let’s get a kick over the top to a wing and bring in the runner; ideally Salem, Harmes or Hunt, then ensure Fritsch stays as a traditional CHF and doesn’t get caught up in this offensive press (which is essentially not required as a forward).

A lot can be said for a traditional stay at home forward. And right now until we recruit more highly skilled users, we have to use what pace we have. It amazes me we simply won’t use the wings of the G to our advantage. The switch gives you an extra 2-4 seconds to break away and look to hit your CHF. And if we get worked out then we can revert to a straight kick through the corridor.

Goodwin and co haven’t identified this due to being stubbornly determined to play a junkyard dog inside game relying totally on a Max Gawn tap to advantage.
 
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I was actually pretty impressed with how Goody coached in the first half.. We came with a plan to negate Richmond’s strength of setting up so well behind the ball & attacked them with quick ball movement.. it gave us some really good opportunities upfront & allowed us to get through their press.. Once it rained thou they destroyed us..
Thought Petty was pretty good up front until he had to kick, but Pruess was absolutely useless.. our front half is so terrible at the moment with Pruess & petty as the keys, an underdone melk (got better as the game went), Dunkley (will be good but can see his lack of fitness) Lewis (did a job) & Wagner (gets to the right spot so often but then either fumbles or turns it over).. Fritsch & melk are the only 2 that have any forward craft at all..

On why we are no good at the g, it’s seriously because of our inability/lack of desire to spread & use the vast spaces of the ground.. so often when we have the ball there’s no movement at all which means we’re not providing any easy options & we’re not creating any space for our own team mates.. compare that to Richmond who spread in every direction as soon as they have the ball allowing them to consistently overlap & release teammates into space.. this also makes their skills look so much better because so often their disposing without pressure..
We should be seriously only after outside mids & small forwards this off season


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Oct 11, 2018
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fu** I can't wait to see them finish 3rd and not get a home final. After all the talk. It would almost make me forget about not watching Melbourne play finals for the 12th out of 13 seasons.
Or still finish 2nd but play Collingwood or Richmond at the MCG, which are very likely scenarios. Or even still finish 1st but play either of those two teams at the MCG. Eerily like in 2017 v Tigers.
 
Oct 11, 2018
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I haven't watched that many of our games this year thankfully, but the first half was surprisingly good. We matched them for a lot of it, even with a decimated forward line and back line. Lynch won't always bomb a goal from outside 50 on the boundary on the wrong side for a right footer (very similar spot v us when we played GC a few yrs back!) and Soldo basically tripped over the rubbish boundary throw in that went in as a goal. They were all in the first half or early 3rd I'm pretty sure. We were matching them in the air too, especially Gawny and Petty.
But as soon as the rain came down, we changed nothing. The Tigers are built for wet weather. Normally rain makes it more even, but the Tigers just loved it. It makes it easier to turn over and lock a ball in.
Overall, I'm not too disappointed with that effort. On paper we should've lost that game by 80 points.
 
Apr 18, 2005
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Or still finish 2nd but play Collingwood or Richmond at the MCG, which are very likely scenarios. Or even still finish 1st but play either of those two teams at the MCG. Eerily like in 2017 v Tigers.
They’ll respond against North, drop Brisbane and probably beat Carlton so I reckon top is where they’ll be. Will most likely get Richmond. Brisbane should hold third and the Eagles second.

It’ll be brutal if they lose to Richmond, brutal. This place will see more suspensions of Richmond fans that the MB will be bearable.
 
Apr 12, 2014
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They’ll respond against North, drop Brisbane and probably beat Carlton so I reckon top is where they’ll be. Will most likely get Richmond. Brisbane should hold third and the Eagles second.

It’ll be brutal if they lose to Richmond, brutal. This place will see more suspensions of Richmond fans that the MB will be bearable.

If Geelong lose to Brisbane they are a fair chance of dropping to 3rd.
 
Apr 12, 2014
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Even if they beat North and Carlton? They are all equal up there aren’t they? Just thought they’d probably be ok if they win a few more.

Have you looked at the ladder? If they drop one game they'll likely go below the Eagles and even the Lions if Brisbane can knock Richmond off at the MCG (Richmond are still a win and % behind the Cats).
 

Grimesy87

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No, you’re filling me in. Cheers.
Put simply, we would be banking on north upsetting Geelong at skilled/kardinia/gmhba/taxpayerfunded stadium as well as them losing one of Brisbane or Carlton. That percentage is too much to make up for Brisbane or west coast.

But honestly, so keen to ride Geelong home to third.
 
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