Autopsy NMFC vs Freo

[giantroo]

 

[ferball]

IMO this is where Ziebell just has to be better.

I get it, they're 'rookie errors' made by a genuine rookie in Simpkin, and a guy who should probably know better in Dumont, but in the late stages of a tight game is where the captain should be barking orders and setting up our structures at crucial stoppages. Instead, like you point, he's also poorly positioned, and he should certainly know better.

The last quarters last night and against the Cats have been so disappointing from Ziebell.

There is footage of that video where Hooter chases down someone in the third and Ziebell is off to the side trying to run. He looks injured - like he can't physically run properly. That was late in the third. I think he was more injured than unfit at that point, so i'm not surprised he went out of the game. i suspect he would have been subbed if we still had subs.

I'm willing to cut him some slack over that.

but aside from that he's one good game. The captain needs to lift.

 

[SpiderBurton22]

If only he took it above his head, rather than a chest mark. Would have topped it off.

 

[HongKongRoo]

Backs were very good. EVW has improved them. They did everything they could to limit the goals and provide some drive.

Mids were a bit mixed. Goldy was breaking even until he got injured. Ziebs injury didn't help. I think he might have been cramping a bit in the last. Swallow was all over it in the first half but again faded in the last although he was still bullocking in the stoppages and getting Cunners clear. Cunners was a beast. Dumont played pretty well.

Lmac and Gibbo did what they needed to do. I hope as Lmac gets more accustomed to playing up the ground he gets a few more damaging touches. Best game from Jmac in awhile. About time.

Forward were all over the place. Wood was the only one who looked dangerous. Jy was handy, as expected for a 4 game player. Hrovat was probably the best of the smalls. LT needs a spell and Turner will be feeling the pressure next week. Garner getting more confident, love his tackling and skills, just needs to to a bit more damage on the scoreboard or get some more goal assists, he's really close to turning it on.

Thought our structure broke down when Goldy got injured. That's when they pinched a few cheapies. Johnson was basically unmarked as there were no talls in our forward line and he just crept forward. Very unlucky.

Not sure about Ats, was good at times, certainly looked better when he had the ball, seems to be slow when he is chasing. Williams and LMac seem to be a step quicker when they are trying to run someone down.

 

[ozzyoslo]

Ben Jacobs

And to think the club tried to push him out....yes certainly we miss his defensive nature........and to think that Picken Jnr started as a defensive stopper.

 

[Gasometer]

And to think the club tried to push him out....yes certainly we miss his defensive nature........and to think that Picken Jnr started as a defensive stopper.

Miss?

Everyone of those losses came because of our inability to tag a gun midfielder that destroyed us.

 

[Groin guru]

I hate so many of our footballers its unhealthy.
Like a genuine sense of disgust.
How and why they continue to get away with such performances pisses me off.

Really? Some frustrate me but i don't have disgust for any. I just can't believe a supporter could have such a reaction towards one of our own.

 

[utility]

Needed another tall forward. IMO selectors ballsed it up big time.

Just about time to drop LT and Spitta.

 

[Route57]

Needed another tall forward. IMO selectors ballsed it up big time.

Just about time to drop LT and Spitta.

Exactly. Sure we had some forward entries in that 4th quarter, but brown was just getting handled and LT and Wood just couldn't do too much on the floor at about 45 meters out.

I know hindsight is a terrible thing, but it clearly was a game where Daw could have been extremely useful.

 

[The Dingrel]

Brown definitely limped off. I saw it when it happened, he was avoiding the pack then headed out. I was amazed the commentators didn't pick it up. From memory it was 3 quarter. He got strapped (i think) and ran a quick fitness test at 34 time

Yeah commentators did say

While Swallow and Thomas should, rightfully, be in the gun, and the likes of Clarke and Anderson are possible ins, that doesn't mean we haven't been "giving the kids opportunities".

• Dumont and Wood appear to have cemented spots as 'regulars'.
• Previously fringe young players, Turner and Garner, are fit and being played.
  
• Hrovat is still young, and while a trade, still effectively one of the kids/new brigade.
• The 'mid range' guys (50-60 games experience), Williams, Mullett, Brown and McDonald are playing with maturity.
• We've debuted Hibberd, Mountford, Simpkin, Durdin, Preuss and now Vickers-Willis. Each of them, along with last year's debutants, Clarke and Wagner, will get more game time throughout the year, depending on their form and health.
• Of those above, Simpkin is killing it, Preuss has exceeded expectations, and Vickers-Willis showed the most of all debutants in his debut game. The others will get chances, but as we're seeing, they need not just for the senior players to 'lose their spots', but for them to 'take their spots'.

So, kids (23 and under, and under 30 games experience as at start of the year) getting regular games when available who weren't previously...

Hrovat, Dumont, Turner, Garner, Wood, Preuss, Simpkin. 7 players!
There's a good chance that Anderson and/or Clarke are included soon, and that EVW holds his spot. That's up to another 3 spots, making 10 in all. Nearly half the team!!

And this doesn't include Hibberd, Mountford, Durdin, Wagner, and Daw who have all debuted, making regular appearances (though I think all may well get a bit more of a taste of it). Also doesn't include Nielsen and McKay who may each just get a token game to debut in. If you added all these guys in, you'd be robbing the team of necessary experience.

We can quibble over a game or two, here and there, but surely all this points to the kids being phased in, rather than dumped in, in a way that supports team continuity, cohesion and without dropping down too quickly in experience.

That said, when it comes to Swallow and Thomas...

i don't disagree with you kimbo, but I do think if not for injuries garner and wood would have both played more than 50 games by now, and I don't think anyone has been gifted a game. But, my point is that if boomer was moved on to give kids opportunities, then there is no way in the world swallow can be given a game week in week out based on seniority/continuity when Clarke and Andersen are running around in the reserves.

 

[Gasometer]

Really? Some frustrate me but i don't have disgust for any. I just can't believe a supporter could have such a reaction towards one of our own.

Nekminit we have Mario from North Melbourne ringing SEN disgusted

 

[Thewlis Dish]

It was only really last year that Wood has had injuries. Before that he spent three years in the VFL until he learned to do the things the senior players don't do consistently.

 

[Groin guru]

Miss?

Everyone of those losses came because of our inability to tag a gun midfielder that destroyed us.

That is one thing that frustrates me. This head to head business doesn't work. Quite often you need to lock down on a player and negate their work. Jacobs killed shiel, hannerbury, fyfe and a few others. It was working. I get structures etc. but i still think you need to get tight on a player in certain games (dangerfield last year).

Mountford is on the cusp, did it all last year in the VFL. He learned a lot from top VFL players. Get him to take the next step in his development and have him close checking the AFL's elite. Get him spending time with jacobs during the week and teach him how to study players. I don't think jacobs is the best athlete but i think his hardwork and analysis of opposition players was top notch.

 

[Gasometer]

That is one thing that frustrates me. This head to head business doesn't work. Quite often you need to lock down on a player and negate their work. Jacobs killed shiel, hannerbury, fyfe and a few others. It was working. I get structures etc. but i still think you need to get tight on a player in certain games (dangerfield last year).

Mountford is on the cusp, did it all last year in the VFL. He learned a lot from top VFL players. Get him to take the next step in his development and have him close checking the AFL's elite. Get him spending time with jacobs during the week and teach him how to study players. I don't think jacobs is the best athlete but i think his hardwork and analysis of opposition players was top notch.

Yep...Scotts identified these gun players in the presser but is struggling as to how to do it obviously.

But we digress...blame Spitta and drop LT.

 

[Dirty_11]

I remember someone posting a collection of these on the main board in 2013. FYI everybody the 2017 edition thus far:
View attachment 361530 View attachment 361531 View attachment 361532

Vomit

 

[Dirty_11]

Needed another tall forward. IMO selectors ballsed it up big time.

Just about time to drop LT and Spitta.

I said on Thursday night that they were bizarre selections.

 

[Groin guru]

It was only really last year that Wood has had injuries. Before that he spent three years in the VFL until he learned to do the things the senior players don't do consistently.

Not true. If 2015 he started off well. Was on the cusp. Picked up a niggle or two that set him back. He's had a few seasons now where 2/3 week injuries have interupted his season and stopped him from getting any real consistency.

He did suffer the same fate as clarke has done a few times (travelling emergency multiple times. Scott: "has to go back and work on his fitness as he hasn't been playing games"

His biggest downfall was defensive pressure. There was a game he came in and put in a few soft events (ghosting past a pack instead of crashing it). By his own omissions he needed to work on that side of his game. Scott has always expected waite, drew, and daw to do the same and set the tone for the youth. Now look at mason, he chases, pressures, and puts in multiple efforts. Almost wish he'd dial it back considering he injured himself putting his body on the line against melb and tackling the WC player.

 

[Groin guru]

I said on Thursday night that they were bizarre selections.

I think more than a few of us assumed lachie or tarrant would swing forward. Needed another tall to drag players away from brown. Double and triple teamed at every contest on 1 peg wasn't ideal.

 

[Dirty_11]

I think more than a few of us assumed lachie or tarrant would swing forward. Needed another tall to drag players away from brown. Double and triple teamed at every contest on 1 peg wasn't ideal.

The balance wasn't right when I looked at it Thursday and it played out that way.

 

[Groin guru]

The balance wasn't right when I looked at it Thursday and it played out that way.

No questtion. If they weren't going to try something like swinging a defender forward it was always gojng to be lopsided. In saying that i thought our backs were good for 3 quarters so i wouldn't have swapped that. Wood and Brown just weren't enough. Maybe if Wood had match fitness and Brown wasn't hindered early. Who knows, but i agree with you.

 

[GMAN63]

At the absolute risk of my own personal mental health and sanity I sat down with a clear head to watch the replay this morning. This could be a long-ish post.

Firstly:

Swallow had 15 touches at 46.7% efficiency, played in multiple positions throughout the evening, including as our leading full forward. He has very clearly improved his marking if nothing else, throws himself at the footy no matter where he plays. But I feel as though I'm heading towards broken record territory stating that he is not and has never been and has never showed anything to suggest that he has anything remotely approaching the capability of an outside midfielder. Let alone a leading full forward. He should not have ever been in a position to miss that shot on goal in the first quarter. If he kicks that then we're up by a goal, then Wood kicks his and we're up by two goals, and away to the races. I know statistics don't tell you everything but the eye test is as clear as it's ever been and it's telling you, me and everyone else with a brain that not only has he gone past the end, he's doubling back for another crack at it. It's not his fault that he's in the team though.

You could tell it was going to be another bad night for Thomas when he put in a half-hearted push-in-the-back attempt instead of a full blooded tackle in our back pocket as Spurr ran out of the backline with the footy. They cut us up on the rebound, took it the length of the field and Langdon kicked their first goal. I commented at the time that I would have dropped him on the spot for that lack of effort and unfortunately it didn't get any better. At least there was a touch of trying in him. He did chase and he did get to a few tackles but it just wasn't his night. It hasn't been his season. I think he needs to be dropped to save his season and a little more dramatically, probably his career. He's obviously had a career of making it over mental hurdles to produce exceptional football but you wonder how much more a man can take. That, and he's costing us dearly on field. Simpkin is coming at a rate of knots and it might be time to see what Anderson and Wagner can do. Six touches, six clangers, three tackles and three free kicks against. Dire.

Thompson tried hard but isn't cut out for this level anymore. I thought the tall timber defensive setup actually worked quite well, but they rolled everything through SDT's man in the first quarter and then it continued for the majority of the night. Lyon is tactically astute, but that it's so obvious to Joe Public that opposition coaches have identified that SDT is the weak link and are starting to direct play through his opponent is a worry. 0 clangers in a whole game of footy from 12 touches is a positive, but defenders are supposed to defend and I thought first McCarthy was allowed to do as he pleased up on the flanks and pushing to a wing, and Kersten worked into the game as it went on.

Didn't notice any glaring errors from Gibson and the statistics back up that he had a good game clanger-wise (1 from 18 touches). He will retain his spot, but I'm officially unsure for how much longer, even though I know it will be permanently. His last three games: 20, 20 & 18. Held Hunter well last week, but last night all of Freo's winger-types (Hill, Hill, Weller) all had over 25. He has never been a massive impact player, but for some reason I feel as though he hasn't had as much impact on games as he was having last year. TOD will be in shortly to put me in my place and I'll deserve it.

Ziebell had barely any impact on the game. It was mentioned on the telecast that he was being tagged by Blakely? If so, Z got the bath of his life. 17 touches (Blakely 24) at 52%. Yes he had the knee issue, but he came back onto the ground. If you come back on you're fit and ready and he gave us nearly nothing after that. Even before that he was in and out of it. I'm not sure it's good enough as captain. I know we love him, I certainly do, and I believe that the losses are hurting him more than he will show in front of cameras, but as the captain we need more from him. It shouldn't be Swallow leading out of the goalsquare, it should be Ziebell, especially if Brown is hurt and Z has a sore knee. Bad coaching, but equally as disappointing an effort from the leader(ship group).

It's not Brown's fault that he has to go one-out in the forward line, that the delivery is less than impressive on multiple occasions, and that he is double and triple teamed deep in the 50 because we don't have any other tall forwards that draw their defenders away from contests, but if he's injured, he shouldn't be played. If he's been struggling with the knee injury since the start of the year then I don't understand how Brad can overrule the medicos on Higgins but say to Browny "yes, go out there and enjoy the greatest fisting of all time while we put Spitta in the square and let Michael Johnson run off him to spoil you sixteen times in a game of footy". Browny tries hard and is a warrior but needs proper help. It cannot continue the way it is. Dare I say it, we miss Waite more than we think.

Goldstein was OK in patches but I thought was far too timid against Sandilands. I didn't agree with the Preuss dropping at the time, given it would have made sense to put two ruckmen up against Sandi and let Preuss learn from rucking against his father, but alas, it wasn't to be. Goldy got worked over physically and showed a significant portion of mongrel to keep at it and even to come back after the ankle injury when I thought for all money he was done, but Sandi dominated him physically and gave Mundy and Fyfe far too much of it. Weight of numbers won out in the end. Todd also isn't having the impact going forward that he was in years gone by.

It is saddening and deeply disappointing to see all the flair and dash coached out of Atley. I am of the opinion that we are ruining his career by coaching him into oblivion. He has natural gifts and we refuse to use them. I could wax on like I've already done but all I'll say is that it is sad.

Simpkin was unbelievable. Running off the checklist: [x] no footy last year, [x] barely any pre-season, [x] coming off a severely broken leg, [x] weighs barely anything wringing wet, [x] four games into his career, [x] zero penetration on his kicks due to the leg injury. And he's a star. A genuine star. I scoffed in amazement at about six things he did last night, including but not limited to the four candy shop visits in one play, the perfectly weighted leading kick to Garner after realising he didn't have the leg to make it from 45 and taking about 0.5 seconds to make his decision on where to go next, the little jab to Fyfe's guts (Simpkin is a little prick and it's glorious), and the sharp little things he does like spinning in the right direction to end up on his preferred foot. The goal was all class. The kid is a star and I don't think we fully realise yet how good he has the potential to be. I'm bloody excited to watch footy just because I know there's a chance I'll see something special from him. I understand now why Hawthorn fans are so high on Rioli and why Adelaide fans love Eddie Betts and why Carlton fans used to go to the footy to see Fevola. We've got our own version and it's going to be extraordinary to watch his next 10 years of development. It is also concerning that just four games into his career, he's easily our most exciting young prospect.

I thought Macmillan was superb. That is the prototypical game we need from him. Was extremely damaging offensively, had 26 touches at 83% and gained a shitload of metres for the team. Was also exceptionally solid defensively and didn't have any glaring errors that cost goals. His game was dripping in leadership. He appears to do things others won't. Backed his speed like Atley won't. Picks the right options like others seem incapable of doing. A very good game and would definitely be in my votes.

Dumont was excellent. Second most clearances behind clearance pig Cunnington. Played very well on Fyfe for the majority of the game. A great kick of the footy into the 50 to a leading target. He is starting to look like he belongs and we should all be very excited. For all of Brad's faults, it appears that he's finally realised that Dumont is a better option inside the square than Swallow is and Swallow is suffering because of it. I'm all for the move. Dumont is creative, dangerous and understands that he has time and space to dispose of the footy, especially around the grounds (5 clearances from stoppages vs 3 from centre bounces).

For a pick 105, Williams should probably be leading our B&F. Slaughtered Walters. We haven't had a genuine lockdown defender like him since... Christ, I dunno, Makepeace? At just 23 he has another ten years of footy ahead of him and if they're all as stingy as this one is panning out to be, he'll be our best value pickup for a very long time. At 83% efficiency he didn't succumb to the crap disposal that he is rumoured to come with. This was definitely one of his better games.

If we ever move McDonald back to the back 50 again I'll vomit. Makes us a better side with ball in hand forward of centre. Starting to develop into a genuine animal now. That pass to Turner in the first was elite vision and ability. Has mongrel in spades. Wants to hurt and be hurt for the footy club. Never ever drop him again, never ever put him anywhere near a back pocket again. We're sorted down there, because...

...Mullett has taken McDonald's spot in the back pocket and is better at it than he is. I still would like to see how he goes on a wing, but he was great last night and kept their smaller forwards (Crozier etc) very quiet for huge patches. I sleep a little easier knowing he's bringing it out of kick-ins. I will give him a great deal of credit; I thought his career was over and his resurgence so far this season has been a massive part of why there is a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.

Garner is a genuinely exciting footballer. I feel as though perspective is necessary when looking at Garns' career - last night was his 20th game of AFL football. Was also the second time in his career he's played more than three games consecutively, and only the first time he's played more than three games in a row without being subbed off. And he produced MOTY, could've won us the game, monstered Fyfe in a tackle and generally looked as though he belonged on a HFF for the next ten years. Backed up a career high possession total last week with 17 again. Him finding more of the footy is just a good thing for this football side and he needs to be backed in to continue his good form.

It is relaxing to know that EVW is in the backline. All the Melbourne Grammar and hyphenated surname jokes are great about how he's bred to be a big nerd, but I'll take a big nerd in the team if he's going to play like that every week. Sensible, mature decision making, with the ability to back it up. That kick in the last quarter when he came out to Atley on the broadcast wing was a 45m dart (that if Brad Hill had any semblance of self awareness, he would've intercepted) that took huge nuts to attempt, let alone pull off. Would've been nice for him to kick his goal, but a 15d/5m game in a high-pressure environment from a first gamer is one that I'll take every day of the week. I hope he is not dropped.

Nice to see Wood back, and that he is still our best young forward. Some great marks and him wheeling around onto his left just makes me happy. Hansen was OK and certainly less of a problem than others, but he still makes some baffling decisions - case in point the two metre dribble kick when we were hemmed into the back pocket in the first quarter and some questionable handballs thereafter. But he definitely wasn't our worst. Turner might need a rest, virtually invisible all night (9 touches - time to see what Wagner can do in his role); Tarrant was solid without starring; Cunnington was excellent without breaking the game open and had some uncharacteristic fumbles; and I thought Hrovat had a good game which is a nice way to respond to almost being dropped.

Now...

We are obviously doing the right thing by getting into positions where we are five goals up. You don't lead teams by five goals without playing good footy. I don't understand, however, where the mental lapse once we get to that stage has come from, and why it infects our entire team. Not just one player or our midfielders or our defenders individually, but the entire team. Why does our game style change? Why do we go into our shells? Why does Brad feel as though a 30-point lead is safe when history suggests that it is actually far more detrimental for us to be leading by five goals at any point during the game? Why not try to double that lead?

Goldstein kicked his goal just before half time. After halftime, Crozier missed a goal, Brown missed one, then Dumont kicked one and by all rights, we should have been safe. From the 8 minute mark of the third quarter, we scored 2.2 for the rest of the game. For the rest of the game.
- From the 14 minute mark of the first quarter (Turner's goal from the 50m penalty) to the 20 minute mark of the first quarter (Wood's goal), we scored 2.1
- From the 1.30 minute mark of the second quarter (Cunnington's goal) to the 11 minute mark of the second quarter (Simpkin's goal), we scored 2.0
- From the 28 minute mark of the second quarter (Atley's goal) to the 31 minute mark of the second quarter (Goldstein's goal), we scored 2.0

There is absolutely zero excuse to only score 2.2 in a quarter and a half. Not when you're 29 points up. You shouldn't be defending your lead from that far out, you should be attempting to increase it. We went into our shells and we got reamed for it. It didn't help that Goldstein went off injured at the most crucial part of the game and they scored two goals while he was off. It didn't help that we had no second key forward and our first one was injured. It didn't help that we had a key midfielder struggling with a knee injury. But we should not have switched into the bizarre, defensively minded, kick backwards and chip and hope game style so far from home. It just doesn't make sense to be so risk averse so early. I can't get my head around it.

We lacked leadership in the last quarter, that is for sure. Cunnington does not and has never struck me as a "follow me boys" type. Swallow isn't. Dumont doesn't have the credits to be that player. The responsibilites, once Higgins wasn't playing, fall squarely with Ziebell both as the captain and the most natural leader on our list. And when he can't go, then we have diddly squat to replace him. There was no on-field direction to throw a player (Ziebell? Dumont? Bueller?) behind the ball when it was clear Freo were coming home stronger. There was certainly nothing obvious from the coaches box. We were probably down a tall (God strike me) that we can put behind the ball to nullify long strong I50s. How handy would Preuss have been to have sitting in the hole in the last quarter last night?

We got beaten because we went into our shells and tried not to lose, instead of trying to win. Combined with a lack of onfield leadership, an injury to our one ruckman that could literally not have been timed worse, and the lack of an extra tall to throw into the defensive 50 in the last quarter to plug a hole, we probably lost this one half on Thursday night and half because of everything that didn't happen after Dumont's great goal in the third quarter.

How do we change it? Who knows. Swallow has to be out. Thomas should be out. Goldstein will probably be a forced out. Thompson on Peter Wright gives me conniptions just thinking about it, but it's nice to know that Brandon Matera will be handled, and our smaller defensive stocks will negate their mosquito fleet. Tarrant will have a good match-up on Lynch, May will get Brown.. I can see us five goals up in the third quarter, and then it is genuinely an unknown as to what happens from there.

I just don't know. This one hurt, but there's enough positives from the younger players to not have me running a hot bath with the Gillette just yet. Simpkin, Garner, Vickers-Willis, Dumont, Cunnington, Hrovat, Williams, Mullett, McDonald, Macmillan - look to these examples of positivity in trying times. It hurts, but footy is supposed to. Anyone who tells you otherwise or attempts to dissuade you with the "it's just a game" line should not be taken seriously. We love this club and what it stands for and even though sometimes I question why, I will front up next week looking for some brilliance from Simpkin, a tackle to hurt from Garner, McDonald almost bursting someone's eardrum in a celebration in a crucial moment, the staunch defensive effort from Williams, or Macmillan's cool head.

Kudos to you if you read this far.

Brilliant summary FG. Agree with everything you said. Can you forward this to the coach....

 

[ferball]

No questtion. If they weren't going to try something like swinging a defender forward it was always gojng to be lopsided. In saying that i thought our backs were good for 3 quarters so i wouldn't have swapped that. Wood and Brown just weren't enough. Maybe if Wood had match fitness and Brown wasn't hindered early. Who knows, but i agree with you.

Wood was at his best in the first, quiet in the second, better in the third and quiet in the fourth so maybe with real match fitness he and brown might be enough on their own. Garner plays tall and has always marked well so if he stays on the park that's some good support for them in the air if necessary.

 

[Tas]

Now...

We are obviously doing the right thing by getting into positions where we are five goals up. You don't lead teams by five goals without playing good footy. I don't understand, however, where the mental lapse once we get to that stage has come from, and why it infects our entire team. Not just one player or our midfielders or our defenders individually, but the entire team. Why does our game style change? Why do we go into our shells? Why does Brad feel as though a 30-point lead is safe when history suggests that it is actually far more detrimental for us to be leading by five goals at any point during the game? Why not try to double that lead?

The defensive intensity isn't there in the last quarters, where the opposition doesn't have time to dispose and is under the pump all of a sudden players are sagging off and giving their opponents the space and time to hit and receive uncontested possession.

Then we have monumental brain fades where we give up soft free kicks, 50m penalties and ultimately goals which swings momentum and we fail to capitalise on opportunities and the pressure intensifies.

It doesn't matter how good or how bad your skills are, whatever they are they decline in reliability with pressure or fatigue. Someone with great skills has their skill level drop to average when they are both fatigued and under pressure. Players who have mediocre skills at best crumble when they are hit by fatigue and pressure.

We are seeing the problems where players who generally don't have a great skill level to begin with are tiring playing Scott's high intensity game plan and once the pressure is on in the last quarter our execution is really poor. When you look at what we have been able to produce in last quarters to date, it is exceptionally poor by any standard.

We aren't getting the most out of our hard work and we cough up too many soft goals.

The sad part is we could be significantly better.

The team that should have fronted Fremantle should have been:

FB: Williams Tarrant Mullett
HB: EVW Durdin Hansen
C: Macmillan Dumont McDonald
HF: Wood Brown Higgins
FF: Garner Daw Simpkin
Fol: Preuss Cunnington Ziebell
I: Goldstein Clarke Gibson Hrovat

Someone like Daw should be used to play very close to the goal square, Brown and Wood lead out and take the bulk of the defenders to the 40-50m range from goal, if they are not out in space then the kick should go high to 20m out of goal where Daw can take a few loping steps and jump for a mark. We had no go-to option up forward, Brown was out of position 90% of the time.

Preuss should have rucked against Sandi, much like he took on Mumford, he is much better suited for the bigger stronger physical ruckmen, Goldy has always struggled against Sandi. Once Preuss softens him up, bring Goldy on and he should run him all over the park and push aggressively forward. When Goldy is tired, Preuss comes back on and hits him hard. We just gifted them first use of the ball with Sandi palming it to Fyfe and co and had no options.

We just aren't getting enough out of Atley, Thompson, Swallow, Thomas and Turner is a bit too inconsistent still.

If the doctors clear a player to play, then play them. If you do not trust the doctor, sack them and get a doctor you trust. How cautious can we be when we send Ziebell and Goldy back on despite significant injury concerns during the game.

It is not like we are harbouring brownlow medallists in the reserves, but if someone's form is no good, put them down to the VFL to get some form. Players who have form, or play with confidence and aggression are the types you want in your side, you want to encourage that mindset being a requirement. It sends a bad message when you have a number of players in the side just not having the required impact. We have 5 guys in the side that we will know will give us limited impact. It is not about punishment and reward but picking what is the best side.

The guys I mentioned as inclusions might have had bad or worse games than the guys we had in the side, that is the risk you take. But you can't keep going with guys that compromise the structure of the side. I want those guys i mentioned to do the hard yards and play like champions in the VFL and to come back when they have some form. It is insulting to the club and to supporters to keep playing guys who aren't performing atm.

 

[Pep Fraudiola]

Really? Some frustrate me but i don't have disgust for any. I just can't believe a supporter could have such a reaction towards one of our own.

You don't get football then.

Thomas, Swallow & Gibson are 3 worst professional sportsmen on the planet.

I find their continued selection an insult to us as fans and to Boomer.

The fact that these 3 ******* pathetic excuses for AFL footballers are contracted and Boomer isn't is so beyond ****ed, I don't even know what to say.

How does Lindsay have 2 have this? He was cooked in 2014. Same for Swallow. Gibson should never have even played 1 game, every one of his games has been a waste.


People talk about being able to ice games, it's a bit hard for blokes like Wood,Dumont etc who have been stuck behind these s**t campaigners for 5 years, which is why they are 23 and played less than 20 games.

Hate isnt strong enough for me, I ******* despise them.

Hansen and Thompson too.

Near enough is not good enough, mediocre is not good. I want to lose every game playing the round 1 2018 team from now on and anything less than this objective is selfishness and fraudulence, two things absolutely synonymous with this club during Brad's tenure.

 

[The Other Dean]

^ No offence, but were you crying when you typed that?

Certainly sounds like it.