Review Good/Bad vs West Coast, R24 2023

[Gtowncrow]

Hit the nail on the head. Our goal kicking on the face of it looks pretty good - as below. But when you factor in all shots taken (at least 10 shots in the season to get a ranking, 304 players currently ranked) we only have 3 players in the top 100

Tex 76.34. (53)
Rankine 36.27. (170)
Fog 34.23. (109)
Peds 25.15. (149)
Thilthorpe 18.9. (74)
Murphy 12.8 (208)
McAdam 12.4. (12)

And then - hard to believe Dawson is bottom 12 in the comp for goal kicking accuracy (including misses)

Keays 22.19. (177)
Rach 23.25. (229)
Dawson 6.15. (292)
Laird 3.10. (301)

And it is infectious. We had plenty of games where we kicked well for goal - but when we didn’t, it was usually really bad



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This is great data.
Sobering for our players and coaches.
I wonder what the forwards will be doing this summer?

 

[CrowBloke]

Good technique as important as natural skill.
Some of our players need to work hard this summer learning a reliable set shot technique.
Keays, Murphy, Rankine, Pedlar all look to have undisciplined and lackadaisical method with set shots. Rach has had the yips lately but has a better technique.

Execution of a uncontested skill (golf, tennis serve, gymnastic routine, AFL set shots for examples) can be fine tuned to become a reliable and repeatable skill.

I'm hoping this is a strong off season focus.

This. I love your phrase "execution of an uncontested skill".

Poor goalkicking is the single most-fixable 2023 Crows problem that has resulted in losses that should have been wins.
Every time Nicks denies that it's a trend, or something that needs addressing, I cringe because it's a sure way not to fix it ie "If we pretend it's not there, it will go away".

Nicksy, it's there. It won't go away. Losing games on the back of poor goalkicking is more dispiriting than being beaten by a better side on the day.

 

[Gtowncrow]

Crouch’s use by hand was very, very good.

Surrounded by the right team mates, Crouch plays his role well.
I've bagged him earlier but with the likes of Dawson, Smith, Hinge and Soligo running past, he's filling a need and using his strengths. Refreshing too compared the "hack kick" days.

Sorry for my previous contempt Matt. Hope you stay.

 

[Geoffa32]

And one of the collingwood loses

Should have beaten Collingwood twice.

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[Geoffa32]

Surrounded by the right team mates, Crouch plays his role well.
I've bagged him earlier but with the likes of Dawson, Smith, Hinge and Soligo running past, he's filling a need and using his strengths. Refreshing too compared the "hack kick" days.

Sorry for my previous contempt Matt. Hope you stay.

He changed his game. A credit to him.

No longer looks backwards for a first option. He was a crab.


Lots of handball last night, I can't recall any negative handball.

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[CrowBloke]

Number 1 attack.

How? We kick like s**t every week.

+

Imagine if we kicked straighter..we would be miles ahead of the next best side

It's weird isn't it?
Highest-scoring team, but 1) lost 5 games by a single kick and 2) didn't make the Top 8.
Obvious soultions:
1) work hard on what Gtowncrow calls "execution of an uncontested skill" ie accurate goalkicking, and
2) work hard on eliminating defensive errors.

Both were on full show last night (5.10 @ half-time, defensive kicks and handballs straight to oppo players for goals).

 

[MsTopG]

Knew it wouldn't take long to start bashing Crouch ag

He was a beast inside again last night. I think he's playing even better than 2017 which is hard to believe.

Laird was also pretty good.

Crouch playing at that level with Dawson and laird is a better midfield than we've had for a while. Same problem as always though in that it's one paced. Much more rotation from Pedlar, Rachele, Soligo and Rankine next year is required.

Pedlar and Soligo need to be full time mids next year. Pedlar can rest up forward when Rankine rotates through. Rachele should be in their 50% as well. I would like to see Dawson, Soligo, Pedlar with Laird, Rachele, Rankine rotating through. Hopefully we pick up a gun mid at pick 9 that can rotate through as well. Play Laird 50% in there like Rachele. Laird down back should help to stiffen up our backline when down there.

 

[adelaidecrows]

My impression of the game was it took some players too long to get into the game. Not surprising really. Once we flicked another gear we really showed we have another gear.

However to me it was a nothing game and frankly i struggled to build up a care factor about anything.

Umpires clearly were inconsistent this game though. Smacked of them trying to umpire strictly to the interpretation guidelines so they get into the finals squad.

Oh I do have an ugly though.

Our incessant over use of the handball. What the hell was that!

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Good

Tex put together a legendary season, sad he doesn’t get a chance to play finals this year

Soligo is the future - class moments all night and showed a bit more zip and agility than I thought he had

Rachele finished season strong

Gollant has a future and is AFL , can also pinch hit in ruck

Bad

ROB was poor in his 100th, not handballing to Rankine was the last straw

Still trying to work out why/how the selectors dropped Nank then brought in Parnell and not Nank , real head scratcher

Some of our inaccuracy is fatigue , some of it is being selfish at times and not finding best option . It needs fixing as priority or we will cough up more games

Fogarty had a shocker last 3 games and looked devoid of confidence again , unable to break shackles and run to present to good spots . Hopefully can play a full season next year ; comp for spots will be high

Am sure Nank still needed to play one more SANFL game to qualify for finals.

 

[whitey_1975]

For all of us who have played any footy in their lives you would know that inaccurate kicking is directly related to fatigue. So unless U practise under conditions of fatigue and get a bit fitter it will be hard to fix.

 

[FR0GGY]

Should have beaten Collingwood twice.

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I was being conservative given the ride we got in the first match.

 

[MsTopG]

For all of us who have played any footy in their lives you would know that inaccurate kicking is directly related to fatigue. So unless U practise under conditions of fatigue and get a bit fitter it will be hard to fix.

A lot of our problems are mental and technique. Most of our players also don't run straight at goals. Some of our misses on the run are players taking on too much dnd being selfish at times instead of finding a free player.

 

[whitey_1975]

A lot of our problems are mental and technique. Most of our players also don't run straight at goals.

Mental fatigue definitely part of it. The running straight at goal I haven't really noticed so much on tv, maybe it's something U see more live.

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

For all of us who have played any footy in their lives you would know that inaccurate kicking is directly related to fatigue. So unless U practise under conditions of fatigue and get a bit fitter it will be hard to fix.

Well that last miss by Tex was definitely fatigue.

I was at the game down our scoring end during the last quarter and the big fella was running up and down on the same spot for the last 10 minutes.

He also didn’t take his usual rotation in the last quarter so was on the ground the whole time playing deep forward.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

For all of us who have played any footy in their lives you would know that inaccurate kicking is directly related to fatigue. So unless U practise under conditions of fatigue and get a bit fitter it will be hard to fix.

Yep it’s not surprising that some of the culprits are some of our best kicks that need work on their endurance running still

Eg Rachele and Pedlar

The others missing easy shots either lack kicking skill ( there aren’t too many of these) but Murphy is one , Laird etc

Or have lost confidence but are generally good kicks at goal eg Thilthorpe

Rankine and Dawson are the outliers -

Rankine who tends to kick the impossible but miss easier ones , hopefully he can kick straight next year as could kick 50 goals if he does , Dawson it could be fatigue re the knocks he’s getting as an inside mid as was deadly as a winger and for swans in front of goals

 

[Gtowncrow]

+

It's weird isn't it?
Highest-scoring team, but 1) lost 5 games by a single kick and 2) didn't make the Top 8.
Obvious soultions:
1) work hard on what Gtowncrow calls "execution of an uncontested skill" ie accurate goalkicking, and
2) work hard on eliminating defensive errors.

Both were on full show last night (5.10 @ half-time, defensive kicks and handballs straight to oppo players for goals).

I posted this a few months ago. It's a psychological technique used by sports psychologists to help remove the player who is trying to execute an "uncontested skill" from the situation and environment. i.e pressure goal or hostile crowd etc

I'm sorry to repeat this but I really feel we look psychologically immature up forward at times.


Agree that adrenaline is helpful in gaining a previously unknown high level of performance. Swimming a PB at the Olympics is a great example of this.

However, adrenaline, I would suggest is an enemy of goal kicking and particularly, set shots.

Goal kicking requires calmness, focus and where possible, lower heart rates. Think about Roger Federer on match point (for or against). I bet you can't tell the difference by his demeanor. He maintains this because he has trained for big moments and his ability to quieten his mind and focus on playing tennis allows him to somewhat remove himself from the scoreboard. He just wants to win THIS point.

An excellent technique which I have seen work many time is using a Diminishing Focus of Attention (DFA). This is used commonly in golf but the principles of a set shot on goal and a golf shot are identical. Therefore, DFA involves looking at the broader picture first. In footy, this might involve standing at the top of your run up and observe the goals, the wind and any other macro factors which will affect the shot. Next, the player should visualise the ball in flight allowing for the factors previously observed. Once this picture is embedded, the player can then choose a very specific target. This should be a fixed point such as the goal umpire or someone in the crowd. Whatever is chosen, the target should be small and definitely smaller than simply between the goal posts. Once the aiming is precise and fixed in your head (can you still see it if you closed your eyes? If not, you're not focused yet) you begin your approach with the PRACTISED precision of fast bowlers run up. This run up must never change, especially in practice. After one last look at the target with a couple of steps before impact, lower your eyes and concentrate PURELY on making solid contact with the ball. Feel the ball on the boot and concentrate on getting that same feeling on all PRACTICED shots.

The purpose of this DFA is that because you concentrated so hard on big things and then smaller things and eventually on yourself as you try to focus on a few square cm's of your foot, you've forgotten about the scoreboard, the crowd noise, whether you will win or lose. It's all about one kick and hopefully, my mind was removed from the pressure of the game and became still and calm as I tried to REPRODUCE the technique I have full confidence in. I have this confidence because I've PRACTICED this exact routine to the point it's now intrinsic.

This one technique but I've found it very effective on many occasions where reproducing a repetitive action is required. Think tennis serving, golf, basketball free throw, AFL full forward. They all require the same state of mind. This technique seeks to remove the EXTERNAL pressure from the situation and empower the athlete by focusing INTERALLY. There are other athletes which conversely, embrace the pressure. But I don't like them as much. Roger was my sporting psychological hero.

I'm sure he would have had an excellent accuracy % in front of goal.

 

[MRB37]

Not even a surprise

And it doesn't matter how well Sam Taylor does, you can guarantee the umps will give Curnow 2 goals at least.

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Question for those that attend our AO matches - does Tex tend to play the deep forward role usually? Or more CHF?

 

[Gtowncrow]

For all of us who have played any footy in their lives you would know that inaccurate kicking is directly related to fatigue. So unless U practise under conditions of fatigue and get a bit fitter it will be hard to fix.

Maybe???
I would have said that inaccuracy is caused by failing to execute a trained technique. Fatigue exacerbates or amplifies a dodgy technique more than a solid technique.

** There are two distinct athletic traits at play in AFL. First is the reflex driven athlete such as Izak and Eddie...and Steve Smith. The other type is a methodical type who can reproduce technique like a machine such as Dunstall, Lockett and Marnus Labuschagne.

PPS...I rated Eddies set shot techique greatly. Very reliable

 

[azza77]

The Bad.

Playing Parnell ahead of Nankervis. Why is Nick in love with these type of players (see Sholl)

Given it was a dead rubber not giving Dowling a taste of AFL football

Perfect opportunity to play Dowling. It's baffling isnt it. Over the last few years when we've been near the bottom and out of finals, we refuser to give untried youngsters even 1-2 game to get a taste, so they can go away and have a whole pre-seaosn to work on lessons learnt from their game.

It's not like his SANFL form hasnt warranted at least some consideration, he's been great over the past few weeks. Unless he's grossly unfit in terms of running out a full game of AFL, I've never understood this sheer ignorance and stubbornness from the club.

 

[dylan123]

Soligo good

Our young defenders had some good moments

Gollant and Thilthorpe as a ruck duo. Who cares about the hit outs, they can be weapons around the ground playing against lumberers

Has Gollant done much rucking at SANFL level? Only listed at 191cm but loved his work once the ball hit the ground, so agile.

Hope he gets more of a crack next year but it feels like it will be difficult to do unless we make Thilthorpe #1 ruckman.

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Has Gollant done much rucking at SANFL level? Only listed at 191cm but loved his work once the ball hit the ground, so agile.

Hope he gets more of a crack next year but it feels like it will be difficult to do unless we make Thilthorpe #1 ruckman.

AFC site has him at 193cm

 

[Jirkago75]

Should probably finish on the fourth highest percentage if GWS gets up tomorrow so it's highly unusual to miss finals. Bad umpiring, one of the hardest draws in the league, poor kicking for goal, coming up against some teams that played considerably better than their average performance, losing key defenders (two to acl's) and finishing 9th in scores against has led to us missing finals. I feel we are a better team than
3-4 teams in the top 8 so it's a bitter pill to swallow. We need to improve in the ruck, midfield and defence.

Good
Soligo Walker Dawson Rachele Hinge

Bad
Goal kicking at times.
Borlase and Parnell dont seem up to it.
ROB. Terrible ruck. Would trade him out and go for pretty much anyone that's better.

Ugly
The AFL. Corrupt pricks.

I think we have the making of a great defence. So many different type of players but all with height which will eventually result in a lot more intercepts.
Sure are right about our midfield but may only be 1 or 2 players short of a great midfield. We need an elite star to make the difference in finals.



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[ams4crows]

And if Sydney don’t beat Melbourne we would have been 7th. First up final against the Saints.

What a ******* waste of a year!

And if we won that final most likely would have played Port week 2 of the finals at Adelaide oval....

 

[Eagleboy2011]

NOTE... Only in one of these games do we score more goals than points.
Our sometimes selfish shot selection and our frequent set shot flaws have contributed towards our missing finals.

One of the stats that doesn't show is the missed frees. Against the Lions Daniher (I think) got a free in the goal square when he kneed Borlase in the head while Borlase was trying to pick the ball up. Or the Lauchie Sholl mark and play-on then holding the ball I think against Collingwood earlier in the season.

At the 42 minute mark here.

Match Replay: Brisbane v Adelaide

The Lions and Crows clash in round 22 of the 2023 Toyota AFL Premiership Season

www.afl.com.au