Game Day North vs Bulldogs. Preseason game 1. Welcome back Maj.

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arden station

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Compared to the JLT last year, at least we look fit and will be for round 1.

However, clearly the skills need urgent attention. Interesting to see if they're better against Melbourne on the perfect couch surface at Arden St. Either way, push Marvel for training sessions there - might not be the issue but it can't hurt and it is our home ground.
 

Pykie

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Depends on your perspective...........
short term perspective .....its one game where players are rusty,new coaches, its only a practice match, opposition up and about etc etc........
long term perspective.......the re occurring theme of loose checking and poor skills continues.........

Most coaches will tell you pre-season games mean a hell of alot more now than they used to.

The old competition format of 5/4 games vs the current 2 and at best 3 means they don't treat them like glorified kick arounds anymore.

We were s**t in pre-season last year and it translated through to the start of the season.
 
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Moti

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Most coaches will tell you pre-season games mean a hell of alot more now than they used to.

The old competition format of 5/4 games vs the current 2 and at best 3 means they don't treat them like glorified kick arounds anymore.

We were s**t in pre-season last year and it translated through to the start of the pre-season.

Particularly when a fair few commentators have remarked about the high standard across the board this week. North have been singled out as the roughest looking.
 

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Passmore

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I know he's a fan favourite and all these days but..

Jasper's kickout was not the sort of reckless decision making (or execution) you want from a team leader. There was no reason to make that move at the best of times especially not when it was high odds of swinging the game's momentum.

It was a practice match but you'd want players refining their game sense in all outings. Hopefully he never pulls that stunt in the real stuff.

Jasper is as capable of a horrendous * up as anyone on the list.


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Ether

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Found the quote:

"I don't think it is a must-win, seriously, we would like to win" Jamie Macmillan

Putrid.
You are welcome to hate on JMac all you like but the context of this quote is the interviewers trying to have him reply that if we lose the next game, we're screwed. There may be legit reasons to query his leadership but this ain't one. Also worth noting that the players keep voting him into the leadership group and I expect they have a better vantage point than anyone on here.
 
Jasper is as capable of a horrendous fu** up as anyone on the list.


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Probably more so ...

Anyway, I'm hoping that we just chose not to play our hand in terms of kick-outs. Every one that I remember involved Macmillan or Jasper playing on and kicking to the same spot, being the boundary to the right hand side where a group of players had gathered. It's especially inefficient when Jasper does it, as he has to kick across his body.

Surely we will have some alternatives planned for the real stuff. I'm also hoping that we use Ahern or even Bonar to take kick-outs. If not them, it has to be someone with high level kicking skills, and good decision-making. I'd prefer it isn't Jasper or JMac.
 

GunSchwatta

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Chicken or the egg mate

Why do we draft players with horrendous skills when fatigued and under pressure?

I think has more to do with being too slow than skill level in itself.

Even perceived pressure can reduce standard of disposal considerably.
 
Most coaches will tell you pre-season games mean a hell of alot more now than they used to.

The old competition format of 5/4 games vs the current 2 and at best 3 means they don't treat them like glorified kick arounds anymore.

We were s**t in pre-season last year and it translated through to the start of the pre-season.
On the other hand, in the old days they were knockout matches with some silverware to be won, which some clubs cared about. Now it is just practice matches with heavy rotations.

What dissappointed me, apart from skills, was the lack of structure. We looked like a team from a different league in that regard.
 
You are welcome to hate on JMac all you like but the context of this quote is the interviewers trying to have him reply that if we lose the next game, we're screwed. There may be legit reasons to query his leadership but this ain't one. Also worth noting that the players keep voting him into the leadership group and I expect they have a better vantage point than anyone on here.
Yep. If he'd chosen different words for the same thing like "Do you want me to say it's season over, cue in the rack if we don't win in week 5? I'm not going to tell you that." or "This week is worth four points just like every other game and we go out to win every week," would he have been pilloried on here as much. Probably, to be honest. He was guilty of nothing more than a bad choice of words on the spot (as well as all his other imaginary failings, of course).
 
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Interesting reading peeps views now that the dust has settled on our first practice hit out for 2020.

I didn't watch the game at all and only listened to a bit on the wireless and turned that off after my right eye started twitching. Liam Pickering if he wasn't laughing at Maj he was pointing out the sparse crowd. Seriously what is wrong with that bloke- no need to answer.

Onto the game- Would Wood have helped larkey, of course Wood would. As it was only a pretend game, it wasn't a concern and it won't have done Nick any harm learning to deal with the extra attention.

JZ will be assisting our KPF's soon enough.

Our skills were down I read, well as TOD alluded to, recognising an issue and fixing said issue isn't the same thing. It will take time to replace those guys that are suspect disposers of the ball, or of course for them to improve enough to be considered premiership type footballers.

I think we would all agree that we're drafting footballers now with better rounded skills.

Maj- was great he got through and am sure he'll take a lot of confidence from that fact. I'm always been of the opinion he isn't ready for rd 1 and had this been a game for 4 points I highly doubt he'd have been picked.

Xerri seems to have gone from being gone around here to someone who showed a bit- exactly what this type of game should be for.

Mahony- getting a game so early on shows that we really rate him.

Off the top of my head, Brown, Tarrant, JZ & Higgins will make a world of difference to our side. Would love to add Hall and LDU but yeah am not prepared to say they'll be it and a bit in 2020, certainly imo they have the ability.

Ahern is one with good skills, but has apparently only recently started training with more intent.
 

Passmore

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Interesting reading peeps views now that the dust has settled on our first practice hit out for 2020.

I didn't watch the game at all and only listened to a bit on the wireless and turned that off after my right eye started twitching. Liam Pickering if he wasn't laughing at Maj he was pointing out the sparse crowd. Seriously what is wrong with that bloke- no need to answer.

Onto the game- Would Wood have helped larkey, of course Wood would. As it was only a pretend game, it wasn't a concern and it won't have done Nick any harm learning to deal with the extra attention.

JZ will be assisting our KPF's soon enough.

Our skills were down I read, well as TOD alluded to, recognising an issue and fixing said issue isn't the same thing. It will take time to replace those guys that are suspect disposers of the ball, or of course for them to improve enough to be considered premiership type footballers.

I think we would all agree that we're drafting footballers now with better rounded skills.

Maj- was great he got through and am sure he'll take a lot of confidence from that fact. I'm always been of the opinion he isn't ready for rd 1 and had this been a game for 4 points I highly doubt he'd have been picked.

Xerri seems to have gone from being gone around here to someone who showed a bit- exactly what this type of game should be for.

Mahony- getting a game so early on shows that we really rate him.

Off the top of my head, Brown, Tarrant, JZ & Higgins will make a world of difference to our side. Would love to add Hall and LDU but yeah am not prepared to say they'll be it and a bit in 2020, certainly imo they have the ability.

Ahern is one with good skills, but has apparently only recently started training with more intent.
What is going through Ahern's head? Anything?

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Heaps of fun

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What is going through Ahern's head? Anything?

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After the last 18 months I'm starting to think he's just happy to play a bit of footy and put a deposit down on a house. Would truly love to be proven wrong.
 

Long Live the King

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On the other hand, in the old days they were knockout matches with some silverware to be won, which some clubs cared about. Now it is just practice matches with heavy rotations.

What dissappointed me, apart from skills, was the lack of structure. We looked like a team from a different league in that regard.
You have to wonder how much of the lack of structure can be attributed to the turnover of coaching staff
 

kaboom kid

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Genuinely lools like he doesn't enjoy his footy. I like him but his body language is abysmal.
Has good vision and good disposal and can find the ball but that's not enough at the elite level these days. Brad McKenzie was an elite kick but still a major liability at half back. Ahern's major problem is that we can only carry one or 2 at most midfielders that can't spread and can't defend. He's essentially competing with Cunners and he's not winning that one.
 
Yep
Terrible body language , agree
Without having a clue ...I reckon he thinks he should be The Man in the middle, but is pissed off with this new half back role which might be very new and foreign to him
I hope he clicks because he’s potential ( and skill level) is enormous


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You are welcome to hate on JMac all you like but the context of this quote is the interviewers trying to have him reply that if we lose the next game, we're screwed. There may be legit reasons to query his leadership but this ain't one. Also worth noting that the players keep voting him into the leadership group and I expect they have a better vantage point than anyone on here.

Is it a must win game whilst sitting at 0-3?

******* oath it is. It points to a complete lack of killer instinct.

He’s in the leadership group because he’s able to define everyone’s role and apparently be an on field general.
 
Apr 1, 2008
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Don't want to see Jasper kicking in at any stage, Marley either, my preferred options would be Tarrant, Murphy, or Ahern, such a critical opportunity to begin an attacking chain to entrust to someone with dodgy kicking efficiency.

Torpedo up the middle.

Every time.
 
Yep
Terrible body language , agree
Without having a clue ...I reckon he thinks he should be The Man in the middle, but is pissed off with this new half back role which might be very new and foreign to him
I hope he clicks because he’s potential ( and skill level) is enormous


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
He's much happier under Rhys, regardless of position.
 

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