Review Good/Bad vs Brisbane, R22 2023

[NSolis]

I'm glad others have started noticing this.

Laird is one the most overrated Crows players of all time. He essentially offers nothing offensively other than gathering a massive amount of junk possessions and pointless stats that have no real impact.

Matt Crouch has come back and shown that he has far more impact with his possessions and this poses the question as to whether Laird should be moved back to half back.

People keep suggesting this but I think Laird would be pretty poor at half back in today's game. The way the team is playing these days is based on fast transition from defence and the players we have in those half back roles are suited to that gameplan. Most of them also need to be able to defend at least sometimes - I think you can maybe get away with two guys back there who don't do that much, and I'd much rather have Milera/Smith/Nank/Jones in those roles over Laird. Maybe I'm underestimating Laird's adaptability, but it was a different game when he was an effective half back.

He is however a good clearance/constested ball winner. He's 5th in the AFL for centre clearances this season, despite getting 0 yesterday. Equal 11th in the AFL for total clearances, and miles ahead of everyone else on our list for average per game aside from Crouch (6.3 per game, next best are Sloane and Dawson with 3.9). With he and Crouch both in there we have two genuinely top tier ball winners, and the idea is to rely on other guys to use the ball effectively coming out of the middle. I think it would probably be better to drop him than try and re-make him into a defender, but we aren't really at the dropping him stage yet either until some of our younger midfield options are more consistent.

 

[crowsup]

It’s fair to say that the form of:

Keane
Crouch
Nankervis
Borlase

Has come as a total shock and surprise to the coaching group. Otherwise they’d all have played earlier.

They are right under their noses and it took a run of injuries to give them a sniff.

If you had picked them to play before now, would it have been because you believed they are better players than the ones they replaced, or just to give them a go and see how they went?

 

[Samcro24]

If you had picked them to play before now, would it have been because you believed they are better players than the ones they replaced, or just to give them a go and see how they went?

Keane could have come in for Butts and Murray when they missed games. Coaches preferred to go short.

The midfield has been the weak spot all year. I thought Crouch was cooked, but I’m just a nuffie supporter. The coaches see him all the time, could have brought him in for Sloane.

Nankervis by virtue of being a talented youngster could have got a look in earlier.

 

[Sanders]

I think probably Saturday night, but it would be the most Crows thing of all time to blow it against WCE.

That’s my guess too. And which of the usual suspects will be most vocal about how it’s really all ok anyway?

We should win both. But it is us we’re talking about…

 

[Danger in Texas]

So which of the next 2 eminently winnable games, that we will start clear favourites in, will we lose to kiss finals?

This whole season has been stained by inexplicable losses that have undone our progress.

It’s almost giving off a 2015 smell.

Isn’t 2016 a more apt comparison with the final round loss against WC?

 

[Hate the pear]

On a positive note- how exciting is it that Ken looks like getting another contract today. Boy oh boy, wowee. It sure is going to be fun on the port board after a straight sets exit!!

 

[FR0GGY]

Did he?

Maybe my memory is failing me but I don’t recall that

I think he actually said it recently on radio, not a quote from his coaching past.

 

[davos44]

Good:
That Matt Crouch

5

Matt Crouch

Age

29

Ht

183cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

28.4

5star

K

12.0

4star

HB

16.4

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

3.9

5star

CL

4.8

5star

D

24.9

5star

K

9.7

4star

HB

15.1

5star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.4

3star

CL

4.4

5star

D

21.2

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

10.8

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

3.4

5star

CL

2.0

4star

tackle on the outer wing right in front of the Coach.
Having these "honourable" losses isn't such a bad thing, having players in close games against top 4 opposition allows us to get better/learn, it makes bed defecating games like R1 GWS, GC in Darwin, Essendon and Richmond games more frustrating.
EVERY result went our way for the remainder of the weekend, thank you Hawthorn and Port
While we had 10 poor minutes in the 3rd, we fought back and stopped the bleeding
The Rachele handball to set up Schoenberg and his goal on the run was pure class, must never be the sub again, if that goal went through....
McAdams set shot goal kicking 10/10


Bad:
Thilthorpe needs more time in the ruck, should take way more centre clearance bounces and let ROB do it around the ground. Frustrating watching ROB tap it straight to McLuggage like he was wearing a blue jumper
Goalkicking, Laird, not acceptable to miss twice from 35 out. Also that stupid loopy nonsense handball to Milera in Q3.
The last 3 minutes was a mess, they need to have a better plan than bomb it to 38 players, no way we were going to score. A set play with Pedlar/Smith/Hinge around the 65M area?

Ugly:
My brain cells trying to compute that we have to rely on teams like Collingwood, Melbourne and Carlton to bother rocking up in round 24 if their spot is secure. This has 2008 St Kilda vs Essendon last game of the year annihilation top 4 spot vibes if we beat the Swans.

 

[Sanders]

Isn’t 2016 a more apt comparison with the final round loss against WC?

Whoops. My bad

You’re right, I was thinking 2016

 

[Sanders]

I think he actually said it recently on radio, not a quote from his coaching past.

Not sure that lands the same

 

[Mutineer]

I think he actually said it recently on radio, not a quote from his coaching past.

Correct on the radio when talking to one of the players.

 

[Bearded Clam]

We all know this club will make the ridiculous decision to keep Sloane and get rid of Crouch.

According to those who attended the clubs pre game function in brisbane on saturday.. the decision has already been made..

Crouch is gone and Sloane will be re-signed, possibly this week.

They would be ecstatic with Crouch’s revival..

Why?… because it gives them a huge excuse to keep sloane..

How?.. because they wont fight to keep crouch and when he goes they will say;

“see, these last couple of months have shown we need to keep these senior players around… “unfortunately” we’ve lost Crouch but luckily we’ve still got Sloaney to be that senior on field hard body”

Thats how these dikheads will sell it.. not that they have to try too hard as the appricot slice brigade are still fapping over Sloane constantly on facebook.. the ignorant morons still think he’s amazing.

Whats gonna be interesting is, when Sloane puts together another garbage season like this season (and lets not forget that the dicks at this club actually think he’s been fantastic this year) what excuse they are gonna use to re-sign him for 2025..

This has the same “Mookay” re-signings for the next 3 years written all over it..

And he will NOT be playing in the SANFL any of you deluded fools who try to claim that he will…

 

[FR0GGY]

I posted this in the goal kicking autopsy thread but in 8 out of our 11 losses we have kicked more points than goals.
8.5 times out of our 10 wins we have kicked more goals than points. (Second showdown goals and points were even)
Kick straight and we win games.

 

[Bearded Clam]

People keep suggesting this but I think Laird would be pretty poor at half back in today's game. The way the team is playing these days is based on fast transition from defence and the players we have in those half back roles are suited to that gameplan. Most of them also need to be able to defend at least sometimes - I think you can maybe get away with two guys back there who don't do that much, and I'd much rather have Milera/Smith/Nank/Jones in those roles over Laird. Maybe I'm underestimating Laird's adaptability, but it was a different game when he was an effective half back.

He is however a good clearance/constested ball winner. He's 5th in the AFL for centre clearances this season, despite getting 0 yesterday. Equal 11th in the AFL for total clearances, and miles ahead of everyone else on our list for average per game aside from Crouch (6.3 per game, next best are Sloane and Dawson with 3.9). With he and Crouch both in there we have two genuinely top tier ball winners, and the idea is to rely on other guys to use the ball effectively coming out of the middle. I think it would probably be better to drop him than try and re-make him into a defender, but we aren't really at the dropping him stage yet either until some of our younger midfield options are more consistent.

Laird is nowhere near top tier..

Sure.. Laird is a good clearance winner.. in numbers..

But nowhere near one in quality of clearance..

Many of his clearances are nothing more than him jamming it on the boot without looking.. many of these go via the moon before they get to their destination.

He has poor skills and lacks composure.

 

[relapse]

That’s my guess too. And which of the usual suspects will be most vocal about how it’s really all ok anyway?

We should win both. But it is us we’re talking about…

Yep I said it a couple of weeks ago, that West Coast game has red flags all over it.

To me if we're playing the make the finals and we go over there with everything to play for and lose there will be no excuses that can justify it.

 

[Southerntakeover]

Whoops. My bad

You’re right, I was thinking 2016

See, I actually went the other way and thought 2014.

8th place on the ladder after round 20, we play at home in a must win match against other 8th spot contender Richmond. We're favoured to win, and return to finals.

Except, of course, we don't. Dustin Martin kicks the winner in what was foreshadowing of things to come.

We then back it up by losing again the next week. The result: we miss the finals by 4 points despite having a better percentage than two of the teams that made it.

 

[NSolis]

Laird is nowhere near top tier..

Sure.. Laird is a good clearance winner.. in numbers..

But nowhere near one in quality of clearance..

Many of his clearances are nothing more than him jamming it on the boot without looking.. many of these go via the moon before they get to their destination.

He has poor skills and lacks composure.

Have to win the ball before you can use it. Laird is good at winning the ball. Yes I agree he is not a particularly refined ball user, which is another reason why half back really isn't where I want to see him playing.

 

[BRL121]

Yep I said it a couple of weeks ago, that West Coast game has red flags all over it.

To me if we're playing the make the finals and we go over there with everything to play for and lose there will be no excuses that can justify it.

I'm as pessimistic as anyone, but there is no way we will lose to WC, especially after just beating the swans. It just won't happen.

The main thing that needs worrying about is whether we will bring everything to the table for the swans.

 

[Owen_AFC97]

See, I actually went the other way and thought 2014.

8th place on the ladder after round 20, we play at home in a must win match against other 8th spot contender Richmond. We're favoured to win, and return to finals.

Except, of course, we don't. Dustin Martin kicks the winner in what was foreshadowing of things to come.

We then back it up by losing again the next week. The result: we miss the finals by 4 points despite having a better percentage than two of the teams that made it.

We make it and Sanderson never would have been sacked.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I posted this in the goal kicking autopsy thread but in 8 out of our 11 losses we have kicked more points than goals.
8.5 times out of our 10 wins we have kicked more goals than points. (Second showdown goals and points were even)
Kick straight and we win games.

And if it's not the goalkicking itself, the point remains the same. Kick better or generate shots from higher percentage areas

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Yep I said it a couple of weeks ago, that West Coast game has red flags all over it.

To me if we're playing the make the finals and we go over there with everything to play for and lose there will be no excuses that can justify it.

The only thing going in our favour against WC is they will be tanking for pick 1.

We really need North to lose their last two games. If they happen to beat Richmond or GCS (both results known before we hit the park against WC), then WC will come out with a free hit against us.

 

[BRL121]

And if it's not the goalkicking itself, the point remains the same. Kick better or generate shots from higher percentage areas

AND, (3), become activated to dish off for every case where we know the shot is not going to be successful. For example, never let Laird take the shot, have Tex run past. Also when Rankine has a set shot from 40+.

 

[AndrewJo]

Sloane wasn’t it?

Maybe Patrick Parnell?

 

[relapse]

I'm as pessimistic as anyone, but there is no way we will lose to WC, especially after just beating the swans. It just won't happen.

The main thing that needs worrying about is whether we will bring everything to the table for the swans.

I remember us going over to Perth back in 2001 needing to beat Freo to get a home final.

Up until that game Freo were 1-20, it was once again "a game that we'd never lose" and we ended up getting beaten by 7-8 goals and played like garbage.

We have form with this sort of stuff.

 

[BRL121]

I remember us going over to Perth back in 2001 needing to beat Freo to get a home final.

Up until that game Freo were 1-20, it was once again "a game that we'd never lose" and we ended up getting beaten by 7-8 goals and played like garbage.

We have form with this sort of stuff.

Irrelevant, as present players/coaches not associated with that.

Don't worry: if we were playing anyone else away, I would not be confident at all.