Autopsy Freo go down to St Kilda

[Frank J Moose]

The longer the season gets the more i realise how much Sandilands and Fyfe carried the team the last two seasons.

Twice in 5 minutes i see Riewoldt take contested marks on the long outlet kick to about the 55 out. When Sandilands is in the pack he is outmarked twice in 10 rounds! And it's been happening every game.

 

[PapaJ]

The longer the season gets the more i realise how much Sandilands and Fyfe carried the team the last two seasons.

Twice in 5 minutes i see Riewoldt take contested marks on the long outlet kick to about the 55 out. When Sandilands is in the pack he is outmarked twice in 10 rounds! And it's been happening every game.

We've got lots of things not quite working, but this is one that RTB has been notably annoyed about. He's not quite said it literally, but he's come close. Our rucks are not getting into the spots often enough and, overall, not contesting on both ends at that all important 'clearing kick'. The Derby was particularly poor - it's been slightly better since then.

Fyfe was also used a lot in this way. He'd take his midfielder/tagger into space where his magnificent aerial ability would be used one out were possible and it would turn our defensive 50 possession into attack. Yeah, you're right we've missed them in that role no doubt.

I posted earlier that Griff is putting in, he's doing OK the last few weeks, but on his own he can't sustain it and Clarke (at AFL level) has been soooooo out of form and/or broken that he's almost as much a liability as a help. Not sure what the solution is except hope that Griff keeps on getting better?

 

[Taylor]

We've got lots of things not quite working, but this is one that RTB has been notably annoyed about. He's not quite said it literally, but he's come close. Our rucks are not getting into the spots often enough and, overall, not contesting on both ends at that all important 'clearing kick'. The Derby was particularly poor - it's been slightly better since then.

Fyfe was also used a lot in this way. He'd take his midfielder/tagger into space where his magnificent aerial ability would be used one out were possible and it would turn our defensive 50 possession into attack. Yeah, you're right we've missed them in that role no doubt.

I posted earlier that Griff is putting in, he's doing OK the last few weeks, but on his own he can't sustain it and Clarke (at AFL level) has been soooooo out of form and/or broken that he's almost as much a liability as a help. Not sure what the solution is except hope that Griff keeps on getting better?

He mentioned at half time in one of our early games than he was disappointed the talls weren't impacting on transition.

We don't have the marking power above 190cm.

 

[PapaJ]

He mentioned at half time in one of our early games than he was disappointed the talls weren't impacting on transition.

We don't have the marking power above 190cm.

Watching Saints talls taking marks around the ground made me cry. We just don't have anywhere near that sort of areal ability. (Though I thought Tabs did his bit, that put a smile on my face). It's not heaps either, but 4-5 contested or near contested marks a game from a couple of bigger players can bring control to a game that is getting out of hand.

 

[ydraw]

Yeah, we severely miss Fyfe and Sandi as long options down the line. It's a big part of the reason we've had trouble getting the ball outside defensive 50.

 

[Caldera]

Yeah, we severely miss Fyfe and Sandi as long options down the line. It's a big part of the reason we've had trouble getting the ball outside defensive 50.

I think our over reliance on this in the past is costing us now. We never moved the ball effectively; kick long to a contest - Fyfe/Sandi mark or force a stoppage - reset structures and grind forward. Now with Plan A not working, we are being brutally exposed.

 

[ydraw]

Sometimes you have no other choice. All teams do it. It's just that before it was a much better choice for us when we had 2 of the best contested marks in the league down there for it. Now we don't, and we're suffering for it.

 

[freoextra]

I think our over reliance on this in the past is costing us now. We never moved the ball effectively; kick long to a contest - Fyfe/Sandi mark or force a stoppage - reset structures and grind forward. Now with Plan A not working, we are being brutally exposed.

Our plan in the past was give the ball to Duffield, he is an elite kick, I miss his kicking and so does our backline. But I did see a little bit from Crozier that reminded me of the old Duffman days - promising.

 

[dockerfemme]

Our plan in the past was give the ball to Duffield, he is an elite kick, I miss his kicking and so does our backline. But I did see a little bit from Crozier that reminded me of the old Duffman days - promising.

I completely agree with you. I would just to like to point out that Duffield was also a good decision maker, with good vision, and calm under pressure. All things that Croz seems to display at least a little.

 

[DMan 11]

Can't compare Crozier to Duffield - he's completely one sided where Duffield was excellent off both feet.
Like Suban, those one sided lefties quickly get worked out by opposition teams, especially if his role morphs into a distributor off HB.

 

[freoextra]

Can't compare Crozier to Duffield - he's completely one sided where Duffield was excellent off both feet.
Like Suban, those one sided lefties quickly get worked out by opposition teams, especially if his role morphs into a distributor off HB.

A little harsh DMan! I agree that he certainly has a long way to go before even being compared with the distribution that Duffman provided. I have, however, not noticed Crozier being caught with the ball because he is left footed (like Suban and a few others have). So I presume that he either has a reasonable right or he is well balanced and evasive enough to get away with being one sided. I really don't think he has the Suban type issues, he is a pretty smart footballer when he has the ball in hand.

The added bonus (especially to the Duffman haters out there) is that he always goes hard at the contest and tackling for a pretty slim bloke.

 

[Scham]

A little harsh DMan! I agree that he certainly has a long way to go before even being compared with the distribution that Duffman provided. I have, however, not noticed Crozier being caught with the ball because he is left footed (like Suban and a few others have). So I presume that he either has a reasonable right or he is well balanced and evasive enough to get away with being one sided. I really don't think he has the Suban type issues, he is a pretty smart footballer when he has the ball in hand.

The added bonus (especially to the Duffman haters out there) is that he always goes hard at the contest and tackling for a pretty slim bloke.

I think DMans point is valid though. If he starts to become effective distributing off half back, the opposition will put more time into studying his weaknesses and will play a defensive forward on him. We've seen it with Duff and Sheridan where they get away with it for so long and then they're shut down and become less effective. At this stage Croz would only just be coming on to the radar of the opposition scouts.

 

[Lach72]

Lachie Neale the only one to get coaches votes with 3

 

[electricfeel]

The replay is on fox right now. 1St quarter just ended. Might rewatch the second and third quarter and turn it off after the Taberner goal.

 

[PapaJ]

Lachie Neale the only one to get coaches votes with 3

Haven't seen the full list (where do you get it?) but it's probably about right. When it comes to 4 quarter impact there aren't many on our side of the ledger to look at.

Having said that, Connor was probably a touch unlucky not to get the rising star award, Port's Byrne-Jones picked it up. Didn't watch the game, but his numbers are comparable.

 

[yyou]

Hi folks,

I was at the game with a Freo mate & besides agreeing that the umps murdered you I thought I'd add something I saw.
Pearce had the ball near the centre & was looking for targets forward.
All of the forwards led towards the player, while he was motioning to kick long.
He did kick long & you didn't get the ball.
To fix this, maybe the forwards need to lead into different directions (like exploding fireworks as a visual) to provide different targets OR he kicks to the lead, sooner, so they can re-set & do it again.
When Hill was run down he was trying to break the lines & needed support, even if it was just verbal.
Liked Crozier's mix of defence & attack.
I prefer Sutcliffe over Sheridan despite his ripper goal.
Taberner is growing as a player.
Weller & Blakely look like very good prospects.

 

[PurpleReign95]

New episode of The Purple Reign
Fremantle vs St. Kilda
Subscribe, Rate and Review
http://www.podcastgarden.com/episode/round-10-freo-v-saints_79343
https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/the-purple-reign/id1086537671?mt=2

 

[estibador]

I was at the game with a Freo mate & besides agreeing that the umps murdered you I thought I'd add something I saw.
Pearce had the ball near the centre & was looking for targets forward.
All of the forwards led towards the player, while he was motioning to kick long.
He did kick long & you didn't get the ball.
To fix this, maybe the forwards need to lead into different directions (like exploding fireworks as a visual) to provide different targets OR he kicks to the lead, sooner, so they can re-set & do it again.

Kicking to the advantage of a lead seems to be a concept many of our players struggle with.

 

[Lach72]

Tabs second goal, Blakely stops and props, see Tabs and bangs it long but slightly to his left so he was able to push his opponent away from the drop of the ball

 

[scon]

Always admired Simon Black's vision and ability to pinpoint delivery to the forward's advantage;whether honouring a lead or letting the ball placement tell the forward where to lead to their advantage.
Blakely seems very driven to get the utmost out of himself.Ceiling's bloody high with this bloke IMHO.
Early reservations about his pace and kicking seem exaggerated but of course he's improving rapidly so it doesn't really matter.

 

[MadDocker]

Was on a boat at the Abrolhos Islands fishing and drinking and didn't catch any of the game. Don't feel like I missed much.

 

[dockerfemme]

Was on a boat at the Abrolhos Islands fishing and drinking and didn't catch any of the game. Don't feel like I missed much.

I actually think you missed quite a lot. We looked like a football team for 2 quarters, and quite an exciting one. Tabs looked like a centre half forward for a lot of the time, and quite an exciting one. Connor Blakely looked like he'd been playing good quality AFL football for years. Croz showed what he can do with ball in hand, and indeed with ball in the air. And finally Michael Barlow showed what he can do if you play him in the guts - I have every expectation that the coaching group will have missed that bit, just like you.

 

[MadDocker]

Ok then, you've twisted my arm. I will watch the replay.

 

[dockerfemme]

Ok then, you've twisted my arm. I will watch the replay.

Just the second and third quarters.

 

[Caldera]

I actually think you missed quite a lot. We looked like a football team for 2 quarters, and quite an exciting one. Tabs looked like a centre half forward for a lot of the time, and quite an exciting one. Connor Blakely looked like he'd been playing good quality AFL football for years. Croz showed what he can do with ball in hand, and indeed with ball in the air. And finally Michael Barlow showed what he can do if you play him in the guts - I have every expectation that the coaching group will have missed that bit, just like you.

It's never been a more exciting time to be a Freo fan We're all about growth and opportunity.