Opinion Lessons learnt from the past five weeks

[Partridge]

Agree with this. Again I wasn't blaming Simpson, but I thought maybe with all of his injuries and limited preseason, he may be out of puff giving other ruckman a sniff, but then again he was very good the other 3 weeks he didn't slow down..

The rest of your post is spot on though. As much as I like Bitz, I think another tap ruckman is the way to go for finals.

Yep. And looking at the big picture, it's great for 2014 to have Blicavs with anywhere between 15-20 games' experience. He might end up as a winger, who knows? He'll have had a good taste of senior footy and not been overawed. He's only going to be better next year.

Scott will open his spreadsheet of all the young guys, and when he sees how many games they'll have by the end of September (whatever happens), it's going to bring a smile to his face. And ours.

It's pretty clear the difference it makes going from 0-30 games, and then again from 31-60. Look at Duncan and how he's just that little bit more consistent that Smedts or Murdoch or Stringer. Look at Guthrie and how even in his last 4-5 games he's started to look more comfortable (although he always did really).

If the magic mark is between say 30-60 games, we're going to have a lot of players cross that threshold at once next year. Very, very positive sign when that occurs.

 

[sk8er_in_town]

lesson learnt from the past five weeks, Sydney are a serious force.

 

[Seeds]

Stop picking sides with players we hope will play well. Fair enough TV needs game time. But to attempt to carry him with Stringer and Smedts doing #### all while Murdoch (who had finally hit some form) watched from the bench while GHS who had played very well watched from interstate is just not smart.

Oh and SJ needs/needed a club sanction or at least an indication that what he's doing is wrong and will no longer be tolerated. As opposed to ignorant head in the sand bull shit.

Your argument is completely destroyed by using Murdoch as an example of players who deserve a go. He was hopeless in his last full game again and did nothing when he came on against Adelaide despite having a massive advantage.

 

[Seeds]

lesson learnt from the past five weeks, Sydney are a serious force.

Didn't they get done by Port Adelaide by far more then our two combined losses?

 

[Seeds]

Although I agree I think a few other clubs have that over us, Tigers and Roos for a start

No ours are far worst. Do you imagine how many supporters would be going nuts if we were sitting around 8th to 10th

 

[Seeds]

Magic 30- 60 marks. Is this what we are reduced too? Historical mumbo jumbo.

 

[Seeds]

Lesson learnt from last 5 weeks. Simpson is our starting ruckman and Caddy is in the best 22.

 

[Partridge]

Magic 30- 60 marks. Is this what we are reduced too? Historical mumbo jumbo.

Really? Why are Duncan and Christensen clearly more consistent and better than Smedts or Murdoch or Stringer or Vardy? Just luck? Or a bit of extra knowledge earned the hard way through the intensity of games?

Besides, it wasn't a statement, it was a question.

 

[Scottland2007]

That Pods and 'Arry are lefties

 

[sk8er_in_town]

Didn't they get done by Port Adelaide by far more then our two combined losses?

True, shows most teams can get rolled by almost anyone on a bad day.

I'd have their best as best though.

 

[Claude Balls]

We have the most over-reactive supporters in the AFL.

One week we're inked in as premiers, next week can't make the finals.

Other teams must laugh at us the way some of us carry on when we're 14-3. Most clubs would give anything to have that record.

Have you read all the relevant autopsy reports?

 

[Claude Balls]

No ours are far worst. Do you imagine how many supporters would be going nuts if we were sitting around 8th to 10th

I can imagine. Less than go nuts currently. The more you have the more you have to lose - like a top two spot, for example.

 

[Seeds]

I can imagine. Less than go nuts currently. The more you have the more you have to lose - like a top two spot, for example.

Talk about illogical.

 

[Seeds]

True, shows most teams can get rolled by almost anyone on a bad day.

I'd have their best as best though.

They have been beaten convincingly by Geelong, absolutely thrashed by Hawthorn and tied against Freemantle. What best are you talking about? It could of only been against ordinary sides. They come up short against the best. Would much rather be in our shoes a million times over.

 

[Seeds]

Really? Why are Duncan and Christensen clearly more consistent and better than Smedts or Murdoch or Stringer or Vardy? Just luck? Or a bit of extra knowledge earned the hard way through the intensity of games?

Besides, it wasn't a statement, it was a question.

More talented for starters. Playing more games doesn't make you necessarily better. If Christensen and Duncan played there first 50 games in the VFL and Stringer and Murdoch played there first 50 games in the AFL, Christensen and Duncan would still be far better players. Your so called theory is destroyed by the likes of Harry Taylor, Pods, Blicavs and Barlow who come straight in and play good football immediately etc. Your theory also does a lot of damage as it makes people think that all we have to do to get the likes of Mitch Brown and Stringer to become good footballers is play them in the firsts.

 

[Cosmic Energy]

My main concern this year is probably more a vibe thing, might not have a great deal of evidence but there have been a few moments this year when there is still tension in games and we've failed to take enough "care" at the right times which has left the door open, including games we've won. Just little things like giving away lazy free kicks, being lazy with the footy, missing goals or taking risks that don't need to be taken. On the weekend for example things that come to mind were Pods giving away some frees (stats show 6 against for Pods), Motlop kicking out on the full, Kelly blazing away when short options were on and forwards failing to stop Adelaide marking in our D50 (forgetting about the guys missing goals at the end).

Football has obviously always been about momentum, but it seems more than ever it's hard to stop teams on a run, so it's how do you stop giving the opposition any momentum at all. The Freo game was pretty close in that regard. It's hard to give that physical effort all game, but taking care with the small things like limiting the number of careless tackles etc can make it easier.

All that really matters from here I suppose is getting to the top 4 in a reasonably healthy state and hopefully avoiding an interstate trip. Then we can beat anyone.

 

[sk8er_in_town]

They have been beaten convincingly by Geelong, absolutely thrashed by Hawthorn and tied against Freemantle. What best are you talking about? It could of only been against ordinary sides. They come up short against the best. Would much rather be in our shoes a million times over.

That was early on, they've been gradually building throughout the year and have someone absolute stars to come back in. Best midfield in the comp by far. They are gonna be tough to beat.

 

[Seeds]

That was early on, they've been gradually building throughout the year and have someone absolute stars to come back in. Best midfield in the comp by far. They are gonna be tough to beat.

They are ok but I think you may be overrating them a bit. Its fine to do well against the lower sides but its a completely different story to do it against the best. Judgement reserved for now.

 

[dazbroncos]

put the lid on, and keep it there. Talk of anything else is idle fantasy and should be shit canned until end of round 23....

Go Catters

 

[FromDawn2Dark]

I don't put it down too much to personnel, although still a lot of young and inexperienced players in the side. It's more a matter of how much focus the players put in. We're good but we aren't as good as 2011, which I've said before. And the majority of teams are better than then too. So all it takes is us to relax for a quarter or through patches of a game and we can lose, to most teams. When we knuckle down though like we did against Freo, Sydney and Hawks, we can beat anyone. That's been the problem for most of the year, we haven't been focused and intense enough for long enough. We have been like that before in 2009 and 2011, but those years we won the first 13 games so it's a bit more understandable to slacken off a little at times when you have a top 2 spot already sewn up by then. But this year we haven't done that so to switch off so often has to be a concern. We can't afford to get ahead of ourselves. Top 2 is a priority and not a given after the loss on the weekend.

I do like the fact that CS and the MC are giving games to the younger guys while we still can. If we need to lean on them come finals time because of injury, they will be more capable because of the fact. But by about round 22 against the Swans, we need to get our best 22 out there and stick with them. There is a premiership up for grabs and we need to take the opportunity while we can. Hawthorn don't worry me but the Swans look like they will be strong again this year, (probably the only team that could beat us IMO as they have a knack for firing at the right time) and long term. Plus it won't be long before GC and GWS will be extremely hard to beat once their kids get enough fitness and experience.

I expect a good response this week. If we don't fire after a loss like that, then I'll start to worry and wonder if we have enough drive anymore.

 

[The Casey Cat]

Your argument is completely destroyed by using Murdoch as an example of players who deserve a go. He was hopeless in his last full game again and did nothing when he came on against Adelaide despite having a massive advantage.

Not saying he necessarily deserves a go. I have been sick to death of him getting games ahead of others despite poor AFL form and so so VFL form. But after a good game against the Hawks and then howling conditions against the Demons I thought he deserved to start ahead of Smedts and Stringer that's all. No guarantee he would have made much impact (I am no where near sold on him) but him leading our F50 tackles in the previous 3 weeks suggests he may have given at least a little of what we lacked so badly last Sunday. But selecting any of them ahead of GHS (after a solid AFL performance) is just ####ing ludicrous. Specially when we were down a tagger and ball winning/contested mid in SJ.

 

[Hoffy95]

But selecting any of them ahead of GHS (after a solid AFL performance) is just ####ing ludicrous. Specially when we were down a tagger and ball winning/contested mid in SJ.

The most bewildering part of all was Chris Scott saying it was difficult to drop GHS after being in their top 5 players last week.

Why did you then Chris!? Why would ANY coach drop who they've acknowledged as one of their best, especially when there were forced outs (SJ & Taylor Hunt). Kid must be scratching his head wondering what he has to do.

 

[footscore]

The most bewildering part of all was Chris Scott saying it was difficult to drop GHS after being in their top 5 players last week.

Why did you then Chris!? Why would ANY coach drop who they've acknowledged as one of their best, especially when there were forced outs (SJ & Taylor Hunt). Kid must be scratching his head wondering what he has to do.

psychological incentive or merely tactical?

Hyphen was given his go after two extremely productive matches early on but unfortunately, he didn't make the most of his opportunities.
I think if he gets another crack this week or next, we may not see him dip in form for the remainder of the year.
Kinda like what Caddy is doing now where this weekends game will be like a final for him as he has a genuine chance to build toward cementing a spot in our best 22.

 

[BotsMaster]

Didn't they get done by Port Adelaide by far more then our two combined losses?

Yeah but their belting of GWS rectified that.

 

[Partridge]

psychological incentive or merely tactical?

Hyphen was given his go after two extremely productive matches early on but unfortunately, he didn't make the most of his opportunities.
I think if he gets another crack this week or next, we may not see him dip in form for the remainder of the year.
Kinda like what Caddy is doing now where this weekends game will be like a final for him as he has a genuine chance to build toward cementing a spot in our best 22.

That's probably because he got injured against Collingwood. If you mean the Melbourne match he got given votes by the coaches. Why would you pick him out of 22 players to recognise for their efforts, then say again he was in your best 5, then drop him?