Review Freo go Down to the Pies at the G

[Scham]

Darcy needs to get fitter. I don’t know what he does or doesn’t do in his spare time but he isn’t covering the ground well and drops way too many marks.

Acres played a cracker of a game.

We were spanked in the middle - time after time the pies got their game going from the middle. Fyfe would have been handy - we needed his bigger body in the middle. This would have freed up Brayshaw who was conscious of DeGoey. Brayshaw had an average game for mine a lot of those big panic handballs to no one (he had 9 turnovers).

Walker was overawed by the occasion. You could see that with that early HTB. Jordan Clark had a few brain farts as well. Chapman had a few dodgy moments. Young I thought was good.

We were too slow moving the ball forward and subsequently the final kick i50 was a big bomb.

Interesting comment re slow ball movement inside 50 and long bombing it, but at the same time praising Acres for his cracker of a game. He was the worst offender of getting it on the wing or half forward and taking an eternity to do something with it then bombing it long after all the options were covered and the Pies had got back in numbers.

He did some bloody good things too but he was shithaus at moving it into the front half!

 

[Superkoops]

Not sure if Walker recovers from that game. It wasn't the normal type of "young player struggles" game like say Chapman or Noddy. It was on a whole other level.

I think we are 3-4 years away from being contenders. Maybe we go backwards next year. But I don't see us having a proper shot until Amiss has experience and Erasmus/Johnson are where Brayshaw/Serong are now.

Crisp and De Goey killed us with their power and speed. Our two young bucks are too small to ever replicate that. I think we need to wait until Erasmus, Johnson, Chapman, Noddy can develop physically and give us more presence.

Many of the younger players struggled aside from Young. Serong had a good second half but was missing the first . Brayshaw hampered by an injury but made some average decisions. Clark had a few bad moments as well but overall was ok.

Walker, NOD, Chapman, Freddy (fumbles). They just didn’t cope well with the occasion. I’m sure that Walker will recover and improve. His progress from 2021 to 2022 has been very good. I have been one of the first to suggest he be dropped to move aside for day Griff to play his role but he has had a good season. He played tightly on his player he just got lost in the defensive maze the Pies created. He needs to work on executing skills under pressure. An early turnover and he second guesses himself.

Also Amiss looked cooked a couple of times but liked what I saw.

Seems to be a lot of trade noise but I’m sure not all of it will eventuate. Some interesting exit meetings coming up over the next week.

I have been harsh on Meek in the past but he looks like he is about to explode. If Jackson doesn’t come (which seems he most likely is) then I’d rather see us trade in a tall KPF for Lobb and have a fitter Darcy teamed with Meek most weeks. The Meek at the start of 2022 is very different to the one at the end of 2022.

 

[Superkoops]

Interesting comment re slow ball movement inside 50 and long bombing it, but at the same time praising Acres for his cracker of a game. He was the worst offender of getting it on the wing or half forward and taking an eternity to do something with it then bombing it long after all the options were covered and the Pies had got back in numbers.

He did some bloody good things too but he was shithaus at moving it into the front half!

Yes he was an offender with long bombs I’ll admit. I remember cursing a few of his entries. It really seemed that the forwards weren’t offering up shorter options. I remember thinking lower the eyes but then seeing there really was nothing on offer.

Same issue seemed to happen for our defenders trying to get the ball outside defensive 50. It was why Walker, Chapman and Clark hesitated with kicking ball. They look up see only Pies look sideways look for handball - HTB or panic handball/kick.

Ball movement was too slow, lack of forward movement resulting in high kicks i50 and lending to the slingshot ball movement from Pies.

Pies well coached and the better team. Hammered us twice regardless of the weather. Some off season learning for Longmuir.

 

[Scham]

Not sure if Walker recovers from that game. It wasn't the normal type of "young player struggles" game like say Chapman or Noddy. It was on a whole other level.

I think we are 3-4 years away from being contenders. Maybe we go backwards next year. But I don't see us having a proper shot until Amiss has experience and Erasmus/Johnson are where Brayshaw/Serong are now.

Crisp and De Goey killed us with their power and speed. Our two young bucks are too small to ever replicate that. I think we need to wait until Erasmus, Johnson, Chapman, Noddy can develop physically and give us more presence.

Spot on on all comments except I'm really not sure any of our youngsters ever get to Crisp and De Goey types. We'll need to find that level of pace, footy smarts and aggression in the midfield via a trade or draft.

 

[s_wd6]

Acres does his rainbow kicks when forwards aren't leading. I think it was in the dogs game round 21 where he had some bullet passes where he lowered the eyes, because dogs had no key defenders and our forwards were leading properly.

 

[Scham]

Yes he was an offender with long bombs I’ll admit. I remember cursing a few of his entries. It really seemed that the forwards weren’t offering up shorter options. I remember thinking lower the eyes but then seeing there really was nothing on offer.

Ball movement was too slow, lack of forward movement resulting in high kicks i50 and lending to the slingshot ball movement from Pies.

Pies well coached and the better team. Hammered us twice regardless of the weather. Some off season learning for Longmuir.

Nah, he had options short and or long if he went straight away but he hesitated (not alone I know) and waited until it was too late.

 

[Wray27]

Not going to comment on the game - most of it has already been covered.

Ditto the positive season and the potential our players have shown - again, it's already been covered, and it's stating the obvious.

What I WILL say however is the enormous value of getting that much finals experience into the best young players in our side at such a young age.

Keeping Walker in was the right call. Play him out of position after half time and that first quarter would have played on his mind for weeks if not months, much like THAT fumble and turnover against Hawthorne in the GF. Let him play out the game however gave him an opportunity to play past it and improve. It also meant he wasn't singled out for not performing in a big game where almost everyone was frankly a bit off. They played together, they fell short together, and they'll feel the disappointment and the push to do better together... No singling out any scapegoats thanks.

I don't mind the loss, and I don't mind the first three quarters of us being outplayed... Ours was still a young side, and we were outclassed everywhere on the day - why single out Walker?

What I'm most pleased about this year (on top of all the obvious) was the epic comeback in the first final match, and the effort of the team in the 4th quarter of this one, despite being so far behind, and playing so poorly for three quarters... It showed serious fight, and the guys will walk away from that fuming that they didn't do better, or try harder, and want to do better next time.

Sooner or later, maybe next year or the year or two after, we will be utterly overjoyed that THAT many of our youngest and most promising players got some solid early finals experience at the same time.

Call me crazy but I feel that getting such solid finals experience together EARLY (at the very start of a golden generation's careers) could be part of the making of sustained success for the next decade to come.

Go Freo!

My vote for “Best post game post”

 

[Cobbler]

I don't think we'll peak for another 3-4, but I don't think that means we can't win it before then.

100%.

We were a win away from 2nd on the ladder. I don’t see any team that has the sort of growth we have remaining… possibly Swans.

The trade period shapes as fascinating as it always will but we have some serious question marks on some key positions.

I’m very much in the bracket of Luke Jackson will improve us significantly.

 

[Mogumber]

Crisp was good on the counter.
He must've been largest metres gained on the ground.
We didn't have many that penetrated like that

 

[BStaff17]

I don't think we'll peak for another 3-4, but I don't think that means we can't win it before then.

Should be aiming for Top 6 spot at a minimum again next year. There is no need for our squad to regress.

Top 4 hopefully though.

 

[Joao]

Should be aiming for Top 6 spot at a minimum again next year. There is no need for our squad to regress.

Top 4 hopefully though.

I think we can repeat if we have another good run with injuries. We'll see how good the depth is if 6-8 players miss at once. That never happened this year.

 

[BStaff17]

I think we can repeat if we have another good run with injuries. We'll see how good the depth is if 6-8 players miss at once. That never happened this year.

True but we were due luck with injuries.

We also lost 4 games at home this year.

When we are flying we should be looking at winning 10 from 12 at home in reality. While breaking even with the away games.

 

[Joao]

True but we were due luck with injuries.

We also lost 4 games at home this year.

When we are flying we should be looking at winning 10 from 12 at home in reality. While breaking even with the away games.

I think that will be the difference once we mature. Still grab those 6-8 on the road but turn Optus into a fortress where we win 10-12 every year.

 

[BStaff17]

Looking at next year or two of our opposition who poses the most threat.

Geelong should fall away once they win a flag.

Hawkins and selwood can't hold father time forever.

Sydney are a threat they have genuine top quality youth.

Melbourne are a funny one they have an excellent midfield but fwd line is a worry. Gawn may have peaked.

Brisbane Lions well not sure they are a lottery atm. Depending on next 2 weeks how they go next year.

Collingwood still are more battle hardened with a lot players still there from 2018 GF squad but Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Elliott are in the 30s their window has reopened but maybe for just 2 years.

Carlton are the smokey if they get hot but are also mentally fragile.

Richmond are done still will provide nuisance value.

 

[G Mus]

O’driscolls wing killed us all night, couldn’t get near an opponent

 

[blue shark]

Looking at next year or two of our opposition who poses the most threat.

Geelong should fall away once they win a flag.

Hawkins and selwood can't hold father time forever.

Sydney are a threat they have genuine top quality youth.

Melbourne are a funny one they have an excellent midfield but fwd line is a worry. Gawn may have peaked.

Brisbane Lions well not sure they are a lottery atm. Depending on next 2 weeks how they go next year.

Collingwood still are more battle hardened with a lot players still there from 2018 GF squad but Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Elliott are in the 30s their window has reopened but maybe for just 2 years.

Carlton are the smokey if they get hot but are also mentally fragile.

Richmond are done still will provide nuisance value.

Lions pretty much getting the number one pick, father son.
Tigers are into Taranto and Hopper.
Bulldogs have a great spine developing, a Logue or Lobb away from
Topping up.

 

[estibador]

We needed to kick the first goal

That's why I was so furious at Lobb for missing that first shot at goal... 25m out practically straight in front and he misses. It wouldn't have been the first goal but it would have put us level at 1-1 and settled the nerves. Those are the sort of chances you just have to take early in front of a hostile crowd.

And it was so predictable too, I knew he'd miss as soon as he got the ball. I've joked before that I'd give Lobb about a 5% chance of kicking a game winning goal from the top of the square in a GF. That persistent mental weakness in his game is why I'm not going to be overly sorry to see him go.

 

[Joao]

Looking at next year or two of our opposition who poses the most threat.

Geelong should fall away once they win a flag.

Hawkins and selwood can't hold father time forever.

Sydney are a threat they have genuine top quality youth.

Melbourne are a funny one they have an excellent midfield but fwd line is a worry. Gawn may have peaked.

Brisbane Lions well not sure they are a lottery atm. Depending on next 2 weeks how they go next year.

Collingwood still are more battle hardened with a lot players still there from 2018 GF squad but Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Elliott are in the 30s their window has reopened but maybe for just 2 years.

Carlton are the smokey if they get hot but are also mentally fragile.

Richmond are done still will provide nuisance value.

It's really hard to predict though. Geelong winning I think could see the fire burn out for many of their players. Hopefully we get them twice next year if that happens.

Sydney do have quality youth, but also many aging players in their core. I mean, Buddy kicked 50 this year which is nuts.

Dees will be up for it if they find a way to score. Watching them bomb it to the pocket must be nauseating for their supports given their dominance around the ground.

I don't think much changes for the Lions. 1-6th

Pies, who knows.

Carlton, absolutely could do anything from flag (given the talent) to bottom 8.

Tigers feels a bit Hawks 2016-2019 to me. They're just good enough that they think a couple of quality ins can do it, but the magic is gone.

Plus teams from the bottom half can come from nowhere.

There's a reason ladder predictors are virtually impossible to nail.

 

[WaywardSonSon]

Looking at next year or two of our opposition who poses the most threat.

Geelong should fall away once they win a flag.

Hawkins and selwood can't hold father time forever.

Sydney are a threat they have genuine top quality youth.

Melbourne are a funny one they have an excellent midfield but fwd line is a worry. Gawn may have peaked.

Brisbane Lions well not sure they are a lottery atm. Depending on next 2 weeks how they go next year.

Collingwood still are more battle hardened with a lot players still there from 2018 GF squad but Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Elliott are in the 30s their window has reopened but maybe for just 2 years.

Carlton are the smokey if they get hot but are also mentally fragile.

Richmond are done still will provide nuisance value.

Sydney are by far the biggest threat to our premiership aspirations I feel.

 

[estibador]

Had a look at him towards the tailend of the season a few weeks back to compare his first half of the year to the back end.


Updated for the rest of the season, remembering he had a 5 mark, one goal game against 1 1/2 Nic Nats.

​

Sean Darcy

Rd 1-11:
29 marks from 8 games (Avg 3.6 per game)
7 goals from 8 games (Avg 0.9 per game)


Rd 12-Semi Final:
22 marks from 13 games (Avg 1.7 per game)
3 goals from 13 games (Avg 0.2 per game)

​

Perhaps this supports the value of getting Jackson to lighten the load on Darcy as the season goes on? He's carrying a big workload at the moment as a still-young ruck.

Everyone is focused on Jackson the forward, but the biggest benefit might be keeping Darcy fresh and firing over a whole season.

 

[malpaso]

Yes he was an offender with long bombs I’ll admit. I remember cursing a few of his entries. It really seemed that the forwards weren’t offering up shorter options. I remember thinking lower the eyes but then seeing there really was nothing on offer.

Same issue seemed to happen for our defenders trying to get the ball outside defensive 50. It was why Walker, Chapman and Clark hesitated with kicking ball. They look up see only Pies look sideways look for handball - HTB or panic handball/kick.

Ball movement was too slow, lack of forward movement resulting in high kicks i50 and lending to the slingshot ball movement from Pies.

Pies well coached and the better team. Hammered us twice regardless of the weather. Some off season learning for Longmuir.

Our forwards are too close together, need to spread the 50 regardless of where the ball is coming from..

 

[gungho]

That was not a typical 20 point loss ladies and gents - we were absolutely spanked. Made to look respectable by the pies kicking 8 points in a row, and us getting a few goals when the pressure went off. (Inside 50s to 3 quarter time give you a better indication of the game.).
Walker had a shocker but not sure if it was worse than Noddy and Freddy (until the last 5 minutes of the game) being virtually unsighted. Chappy, Walters, brayshaw (panicked and turned it over a lot) aish, Switta, and Brodie, did not rise to the Occassion. You can’t win a game of football with that many players down. Last night was probably the most disappointed I have been watching a game in the last few years.
On a positive- good season by a very young and inexperienced team.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

One of the best post on this forum I’ve read in ages.
I have long worried that this ticky tacky handballing will simply not work under intense pressure and we saw the evidence tonight.
Longmuir has done so much right, but the simplistic knock the ball forward at all costs gameplan will always be superior to our current approach.
Manic pressure will force the turnover as it did tonight.

Yes and no for mine, not every club plays the way Collingwood do, Geelong and Sydney strike a good balance. It’s the experience that will make the biggest difference. We probably do handpass a bit too much but that will develop over time as we can deal with pressure better

 

[malpaso]

Perhaps this supports the value of getting Jackson to lighten the load on Darcy as the season goes on? He's carrying a big workload at the moment as a still-young ruck.

Everyone is focused on Jackson the forward, but the biggest benefit might be keeping Darcy fresh and firing over a whole season.

100% - I've said it before Jackson makes our 4 quarter ruck position ELITE.

 

[Descent]

Our forwards are too close together, need to spread the 50 regardless of where the ball is coming from..

100% Frederick is incredibly dangerous when he has a bit of space, but most of the time when the ball comes near him within 60m of goal he’s got Lobb and Logue doing an impression of the Titanic hitting an iceberg.