Game against Roos - massive test

[iscah]

I think we have done very well to win 4 of the first 7. We now need to develop a passion to make sure that we are not overcome on home turf.

This week against the Roos is a massive game. I will remember for the next 40 years the image presented by the two playing groups at 3/4 time last year at Subi. I could see that the Roos were going to be up for the last quarter and the first 15 minutes of that quarter was unbelievable. They absolutely killed us with desperation and belief in themselves.

I know they are down at the moment and Laidley (who I rate highly given his cattle) has flogged them for all their worth as a playing group. But we have to make sure we play with more steel and one percenters then we have ever done before to overcome them. And then hopefully develop that into a run of 3 or 4 games in a row.

Whilst the last two wins against Saints and WC (that is 10 of our last 15 we have now won) were excellent, this week could do more than that. It could change the way we play football if we can out fight the roos and would set up our season if we can then adopt that attitude the rest of the year.

 

[spitlizard]

Actually we have the Roo's this week, Richmond next then Brissie. All these teams are struggling at the moment. We have seen Freo at their best this year and in that frame of mind that should be 3 wins in a row.

Only thing scaring me is if they don't. Could be some nasty humiliation if we lose to these lower teams.

 

[kanabar]

if we dont win 2 of the next 3 then kiss CC goodbye i think.

 

[wehavethepassion]

Actually we have the Roo's this week, Richmond next then Brissie. All these teams are struggling at the moment. We have seen Freo at their best this year and in that frame of mind that should be 3 wins in a row.

Only thing scaring me is if they don't. Could be some nasty humiliation if we lose to these lower teams.

Actually its kangas, lions(away - haven't been to gabba in yrs) and then Tigers here.

This will be a big game for both sides with the kangas getting flogged by the crows and looking at 2-6, they come over very hungry and confident because they have won the last two against us at subi.

WE can't afford to go 4-4 and a trip to the gabba looming the follwing week.

WE have to play the hard accountable footy we played against the Slime.

 

[kanabar]

to say its a massive test is an understatement, its a do or die match if we loose count season over if we dont win the next two if we win this one then we set our season in balance as the two after that will be tough matches also.

 

[Sailor]

I think I read an article that said we have only beaten the Roos 3 times.
Their style of play is similar to Melbourne, Hawks and Adelaide - the three teams that have beaten us, and beaten us badly, this year. The same style that we have never been able to counter.
They drop back behind the ball, break hard when they win it but have no hesitation in holding it up looking for the right pass. Unlike Freo in the same circumstances they usually hit the pass.
The game is likely to be the most boring you will see this year.
That will work against Freo in that the crowd will become restless and if our confidence is in any way fragile it might just shatter.
I will be much relieved if we can come away from this game with a win.

 

[kanabar]

trust me id be glad to take a win out of it also.

 

[pav_is_god]

The Melbourne game is the first one I've seen all season and the major thing I picked up on is that the forwards weren't providing leads for the ball carriers. Instead they were staying back deep in the forward line and forcing the midfield to kick long to a contest. Pavlich, McPharlin and Polak are all good pack/contested marks but they can't expect to grab everything. Now I don't know if this is indicative of the season so far, but it put us severely behind the eight ball, particulary in the first quarter and a half where we had the lions share of the inside 50s.

The only way we are going to beat the Roos is if the forwards present themselves when the opportunity arises, otherwise the rebound will overwhelm our young defence.

 

[dugrene]

I think I read an article that said we have only beaten the Roos 3 times.
Their style of play is similar to Melbourne, Hawks and Adelaide - the three teams that have beaten us, and beaten us badly, this year. The same style that we have never been able to counter.
They drop back behind the ball, break hard when they win it but have no hesitation in holding it up looking for the right pass. Unlike Freo in the same circumstances they usually hit the pass.
The game is likely to be the most boring you will see this year.
That will work against Freo in that the crowd will become restless and if our confidence is in any way fragile it might just shatter.
I will be much relieved if we can come away from this game with a win.

Found this nice little quote.

Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

It will be up to the crowd to bring our guys home it the going gets tough.

 

[Contra Mundum]

From a purely "train crash" point of view it will be interesting to see two of the most reactive and negative coaches in the league up against one another - if I where you I will pencil this one in Freo!

Here is match up for you: Pav v. Hay IEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

 

[kanabar]

lol pav v hay, u must be joking, pav will kill hay if he gets the right delivery but i have a feeling will be brown v Pav

hay will be on mcpharlin or jlo most likely

 

[Rob]

I wouldn't call Connolly reactive. If anything, he's not reactive enough, sometimes waiting until time on in the last quarter to make changes in parts of the ground that have been struggling all day. eg. getting killed in the clearances, so 27 minutes in to the last quarter move Pavlich into the middle.

 

[Z_K]

Fear not my purple friends.

We are rubbish.

 

[freo heave ho]

Fear not my purple friends.

We are rubbish.

Don't go turning this into a game Freo should win comfortably!

We know what happens next

 

[kanabar]

Don't go turning this into a game Freo should win comfortably!

We know what happens next

especially after the articles ive been reading in the victorian papers trying to rave up the roos body contests etc

 

[Z_K]

Don't go turning this into a game Freo should win comfortably!

We know what happens next

I am not saying anything other than the fact that we are rubbish. What you do with that information is entirely up to you.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Originally Posted by Sailor
I think I read an article that said we have only beaten the Roos 3 times.
Their style of play is similar to Melbourne, Hawks and Adelaide - the three teams that have beaten us, and beaten us badly, this year. The same style that we have never been able to counter.
They drop back behind the ball, break hard when they win it but have no hesitation in holding it up looking for the right pass. Unlike Freo in the same circumstances they usually hit the pass.The game is likely to be the most boring you will see this year.
That will work against Freo in that the crowd will become restless and if our confidence is in any way fragile it might just shatter.
I will be much relieved if we can come away from this game with a win.

Our gamestyle (something we're still trying to workout ourselves) IS similar to Melbourne, not similar to the Hawks (that was just for the game against them) and absolutely not like the Crows, who play a grid patterned rolling flood...............made to counter teams like us.

We also do NOT hit the passes you mention Sailor (check our board and it's the biggest gripe of us all), and it is the primary reason we've been so disappointing three times this year. Our kicking skills are laughable.........seriously! We turn the ball over like it's on a spit at a BBQ.

Laid's does seem obsessed with playing ONE loose man back but it's so transparent and easily countered that it irritates us constantly.

Our greatest and most obvious weakness was shown up by the Crows last week.............our confidence in our skills and gameplan when coming out of defence. Believe me, you have nothing to fear there.

I don't think you guys are montys to win but you deserve favouritism, without question.

The wildcards are:

-We travel well

-We'll certainly be desperate

-Can you guys win a game you're expected to win?

-Can we make the most of what should be a dominance in clearances or can you guys cause turnovers following our clearances as Adelaide did?

This game will be VERY interesting.

T'toes

 

[Moo]

Our gamestyle (something we're still trying to workout ourselves) IS similar to Melbourne, not similar to the Hawks (that was just for the game against them) and absolutely not like the Crows, who play a grid patterned rolling flood...............made to counter teams like us.

We also do NOT hit the passes you mention Sailor (check our board and it's the biggest gripe of us all), and it is the primary reason we've been so disappointing three times this year. Our kicking skills are laughable.........seriously! We turn the ball over like it's on a spit at a BBQ.

Laid's does seem obsessed with playing ONE loose man back but it's so transparent and easily countered that it irritates us constantly.

Our greatest and most obvious weakness was shown up by the Crows last week.............our confidence in our skills and gameplan when coming out of defence. Believe me, you have nothing to fear there.

I don't think you guys are montys to win but you deserve favouritism, without question.

The wildcards are:

-We travel well

-We'll certainly be desperate

-Can you guys win a game you're expected to win?

-Can we make the most of what should be a dominance in clearances or can you guys cause turnovers following our clearances as Adelaide did?

This game will be VERY interesting.

T'toes

Good post.

It will come down to class vs class and trier vs trier.

Both teams have their stars and their plodders.

Pav is a massive match up issue but so is Thompson.

Midfields are evenly matched .....home ground advantage should see it through.

 

[kanabar]

Good post.

It will come down to class vs class and trier vs trier.

Both teams have their stars and their plodders.

Pav is a massive match up issue but so is Thompson.

Midfields are evenly matched .....home ground advantage should see it through.

i think thomo can be stopped with our defence the question is can we stop their midfielders kicking goals thats been our weaknes letting their midfielders kick goals.

our attack is more devastating i think.

 

[Lidge]

As NorthBhoy said. We are rubbish.

My tip. Freo to dominate for 100 minute, and Daniel Wells to pinch it again in the last 15.

 

[Moo]

i think thomo can be stopped with our defence the question is can we stop their midfielders kicking goals thats been our weaknes letting their midfielders kick goals.

our attack is more devastating i think.

But previously they have had no one to kick it to, Thommo is a threat.

I have faith in our backline. I think our MF has more depth and I think/hope CC will cover the little goal kicking buggers.

Freo by 25.

 

[malpaso]

lol pav v hay, u must be joking, pav will kill hay if he gets the right delivery but i have a feeling will be brown v Pav

hay will be on mcpharlin or jlo most likely

If CC wants to win games, he better put McPharlin back at CHB and put Murphy at FF.