Observations from Power Game

[DJ75]

I made the treck to AAMI stadium on Sunday to see how the crows were going and made the following observations (comments anybody):

1. Burton has the worst vision in the history of the game. The number of times he was running free with the ball, had a free player inside short (usually Johncock) and instead kicked long to the boudary and a 3 on 1 situation was unbelievable. I actually ran out fingers to count with in the first quarter.

2. Biglands ranks a close second to Burton.

3. Bock was either sick, injured or mentally beaten. His body language in the first few minutes clearly said that he didn't want to be on Tredders. His game went to the schizenhousen from that point on.

4. Rutten IS our future full back. He did want to stand Tredders and did a good job on him. Excellent!

5. Neil Craig has a history with elite athletes. Lets hope that over the summer he spends more time teaching them to kick than how to run olympic standard times. How many times did we kick to a leading smaller player (Jericho, Ladhams) and put it above their heads when they had a taller player (Bishop) on them?

6. Jericho needs to hit the weights. I don't remember seeing a single tackle he attempted that actually stuck. Conversely, I don't remember too many Port tackles being easily brushed aside.

7. We are a LONG way from being a serious contender, but we do appear to have some good youngsters coming through.

8. As poorly as we played and as many opportunities as we granted Port, we can take solace in the fact that Port were also pretty ordinary. On that form, there is no way they will be able to compete with St. Kilda in Melbourne or Brisbane anywhere. Thank God for small mercy's!!

 

[mymansyd]

Excellent post. Especially with regards to Burton!

That was very nearly the worst game he's ever played. Mind you, Goodwin and a few others need to work on their disposal over summer. Even Roo made some blunders yesterday!

Biggest plus was Rutten.

 

[Mad Dog]

I made the treck to AAMI stadium on Sunday to see how the crows were going and made the following observations (comments anybody):

1. Burton has the worst vision in the history of the game. The number of times he was running free with the ball, had a free player inside short (usually Johncock) and instead kicked long to the boudary and a 3 on 1 situation was unbelievable. I actually ran out fingers to count with in the first quarter.

2. Biglands ranks a close second to Burton.

3. Bock was either sick, injured or mentally beaten. His body language in the first few minutes clearly said that he didn't want to be on Tredders. His game went to the schizenhousen from that point on.

4. Rutten IS our future full back. He did want to stand Tredders and did a good job on him. Excellent!

5. Neil Craig has a history with elite athletes. Lets hope that over the summer he spends more time teaching them to kick than how to run olympic standard times. How many times did we kick to a leading smaller player (Jericho, Ladhams) and put it above their heads when they had a taller player (Bishop) on them?

6. Jericho needs to hit the weights. I don't remember seeing a single tackle he attempted that actually stuck. Conversely, I don't remember too many Port tackles being easily brushed aside.

7. We are a LONG way from being a serious contender, but we do appear to have some good youngsters coming through.

8. As poorly as we played and as many opportunities as we granted Port, we can take solace in the fact that Port were also pretty ordinary. On that form, there is no way they will be able to compete with St. Kilda in Melbourne or Brisbane anywhere. Thank God for small mercy's!!

Agreed except for point 7 - I think you can turn it around pretty quickly these days because of the dynamics of other team's lists
As for Burton's vision - those guide dogs do a wonderful job....I thort Stiffy was going to take off at one stage flapping his arms around

 

[DJ75]

Probably should have added another point:

Eat raw meat for the next 6 months. We need a bit of aggro and some people who refuse to be pushed around. Yesterday was the perfect opportunity to make a point that we will not be intimidated (after all the Port players wouldn't want to throw one back at us would they? Finals! ) Lets recruit young guns in the draft and trade for some serious strength and intimidation factor!

 

[Tyson20]

I think our skill level in general by the majority of our players was woeful! the amount of targets we DIDN'T hit was terrbile. Tyson Edwards normally has exceptional skills, but two or three times yesterday, with no pressure, coughed the ball up. It doesnt matter who your playing, you're not going to win a game of footy if you constantly turn the ball over.

With a few players it may well be their decision making, but on what i saw yesterday, with most players its actually their ability to execute the skills thats most alarming.

Our young players have shown enough for us to think that we will be ok soon enough, however i think i agree with Craigy in that it will take most of (if not all) his tenure to get the AFC back up where it belongs!

 

[Stiffy_18]

Some good observations. If we had a better skill level it could have been a bit different.

I think this thing can be fixed up over the pre-season. I still think that our disposal and decision making under pressure has been poor because we haven't had any competative training in match like conditions during the pre-season.

I think the pre-season training needs some big fine tuning and redesigning. I am sure Craig is smart enough to figure out the best way to go with the pre-season training. He will get some good input from Schwerdty and Charlie Walsh on the fitness side of thing.

I also think our younger players need to hit the gym. Our weight program that we changed to last year has been workingin impressively. Another year or 2 on that program will make sure we have a team of gorillas

It will take time but I am patient

 

[spindoctor]

Some good observations. If we had a better skill level it could have been a bit different.

I think this thing can be fixed up over the pre-season. I still think that our disposal and decision making under pressure has been poor because we haven't had any competative training in match like conditions during the pre-season.

I think the pre-season training needs some big fine tuning and redesigning. I am sure Craig is smart enough to figure out the best way to go with the pre-season training. He will get some good input from Schwerdty and Charlie Walsh on the fitness side of thing.

I also think our younger players need to hit the gym. Our weight program that we changed to last year has been workingin impressively. Another year or 2 on that program will make sure we have a team of gorillas

It will take time but I am patient

I am not. I want results now. I want finals and premierships now. Craig delivers a premiership next year, or he is not the right man for the job and should be chucked into Bass Strait to learn a lesson.

*end transmission*

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I made the treck to AAMI stadium on Sunday to see how the crows were going and made the following observations (comments anybody):

1. Burton has the worst vision in the history of the game. The number of times he was running free with the ball, had a free player inside short (usually Johncock) and instead kicked long to the boudary and a 3 on 1 situation was unbelievable. I actually ran out fingers to count with in the first quarter.

2. Biglands ranks a close second to Burton.

3. Bock was either sick, injured or mentally beaten. His body language in the first few minutes clearly said that he didn't want to be on Tredders. His game went to the schizenhousen from that point on.

4. Rutten IS our future full back. He did want to stand Tredders and did a good job on him. Excellent!

5. Neil Craig has a history with elite athletes. Lets hope that over the summer he spends more time teaching them to kick than how to run olympic standard times. How many times did we kick to a leading smaller player (Jericho, Ladhams) and put it above their heads when they had a taller player (Bishop) on them?

6. Jericho needs to hit the weights. I don't remember seeing a single tackle he attempted that actually stuck. Conversely, I don't remember too many Port tackles being easily brushed aside.

7. We are a LONG way from being a serious contender, but we do appear to have some good youngsters coming through.

8. As poorly as we played and as many opportunities as we granted Port, we can take solace in the fact that Port were also pretty ordinary. On that form, there is no way they will be able to compete with St. Kilda in Melbourne or Brisbane anywhere. Thank God for small mercy's!!

Excellent post.

On Burton, you know he will stuff up if he has too much time to dispose of the ball & he is actually better with his decision making of he does his 1st instinctual disposal.

Rutten has an excellent temperament & footy brain & we need more youngsters like him. I wouldn't be against trading Bock &/or Jericho if the right deal came around (though would not be delisting them by any means)/

 

[jc67]

I am not. I want results now. I want finals and premierships now. Craig delivers a premiership next year, or he is not the right man for the job and should be chucked into Bass Strait to learn a lesson.

*end transmission*

Four almost witty posts on 4 threads, Have you been at the pub all day spinny?

 

[spindoctor]

Four almost witty posts on 4 threads, Have you been at the pub all day spinny?

Nah, the northern weather is making me jolly. Not sure why.

 

[jc67]

Nah, the northern weather is making me jolly. Not sure why.

Keep it up

 

[macca23]

Really good post DJ75.

The comments on Burton, Jericho and Rutten being the most significant IMO.

Burton is a bloody liability with that disposal problem and bad choice of option IMO. Sensibly he must be traded for a youngster with good disposal.

Jericho is a talent who won't make it unless he toughens up. Has all the attributes but isn't strong enough and isn't going in hard enough. We should see a bigger and better Jericho next year.

Rutten is a source of surprise and joy. Never shirks the task, will take on any player, good disposal and has a footy brain. He has improved both pace and agility, but still needs a bit more improvement in that area. Great footy smarts though.

Once again, very good post.

 

[lacrow]

Hate to say "I told you so", but I've been screaming for Rutten's inclusion in the side for the entire year (albeit as a forward).

Go Big Ben, Go!

 

[spindoctor]

Hate to say "I told you so", but I've been screaming for Rutten's inclusion in the side for the entire year (albeit as a forward).

Go Big Ben, Go!

As have I!

Great to see he's taken to full-back like a duck to water. Takes every challenge head on...I like it.

 

[jmorg1]

As have I!

Errr yeah yeah me too! I said that too!

 

[MrMeaner]

On Jericho. In the members' on Sunday, a Crow supporter behind me said something like, 'Jericho started well but really hasn't come along as I'd hoped.'

I thought that it was his first season. Am I wrong? Anyway, I thought that that person was being a bit harsh.

As has been mentioned above, I think that he just needs to develop a more mature body. Certainly, he has the requisite footy brain to be out there.

 

[Fergus]

On Jericho. In the members' on Sunday, a Crow supporter behind me said something like, 'Jericho started well but really hasn't come along as I'd hoped.'

I thought that it was his first season. Am I wrong? Anyway, I thought that that person was being a bit harsh.

As has been mentioned above, I think that he just needs to develop a more mature body. Certainly, he has the requisite footy brain to be out there.

Jericho played the majority of last season in West Adelaide's reserves and only made his debut for the Crows this year. He has the talent to be a long term AFL footballer but at this stage lacks a lot of hardness. As macca23 said below he definitely does not go in hard enough which could prove the difference between making it and not making it.

 

[Jars458]

Jericho played the majority of last season in West Adelaide's reserves and only made his debut for the Crows this year. He has the talent to be a long term AFL footballer but at this stage lacks a lot of hardness. As macca23 said below he definitely does not go in hard enough which could prove the difference between making it and not making it.

We should not expect miracles from Jericho Bock Schuback etc etc

Two more solid years of AFL football will stand them in good stead.

Realistically we may win less games next year than we have this year but we just need to develop players and rebuild the list.

A solid pre-season should help all of our youngsters.

 

[DJ75]

The problem is that by allowing the younger players to proceed and get games without fully attacking the ball, you are setting a standard for the team that is hard to break. Whether it is Roo, Stinger, Macca or Jericho, it doesn't matter....if you pull out of a contest you sit on the pine.
Brisbane begun this tradition when Matthews first took over the club. They now have a very clear policy....."when it is your turn to go, you GO!" This is why it took Caracella so long to make it into the team and why he keeps on getting dropped.
We need to make a statement from the start of next season, where the coaches draw a line in the sand and say "no matter how many times you have done it before, even if it is in the same game, if you don't go 100% at the next contest you won't be in our team"
It's a simple but very effective method of producing a commited and competitive team. Jericho may not have the strength yet, but even he can attack the ball and the man!

 

[noddy]

The problem is that by allowing the younger players to proceed and get games without fully attacking the ball, you are setting a standard for the team that is hard to break. Whether it is Roo, Stinger, Macca or Jericho, it doesn't matter....if you pull out of a contest you sit on the pine.
Brisbane begun this tradition when Matthews first took over the club. They now have a very clear policy....."when it is your turn to go, you GO!" This is why it took Caracella so long to make it into the team and why he keeps on getting dropped.
We need to make a statement from the start of next season, where the coaches draw a line in the sand and say "no matter how many times you have done it before, even if it is in the same game, if you don't go 100% at the next contest you won't be in our team"
It's a simple but very effective method of producing a commited and competitive team. Jericho may not have the strength yet, but even he can attack the ball and the man!

DJ75 you haven't been a member of this board for too long but you certainly make a lot of sense when you post.

Have not been impressed with young Jericho so far & he seems to lack any sort of urgency in his play & gives the impression of wanting the ball served up to him on a silver platter.

I would be prepared to put him up for trade this year while he still has some value maybe for a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick.

 

[DJ75]

Thanks for the compliment Noddy!
I'm not sure if I would trade yet, I would like to see what he could do after a summer of weights and getting in his ear telling him what's required. He still has the skills and attributes for other teams to look at after his second season if he doesn't come on and then you would probably get a 2nd or 3rd round pick.
On the other hand, if it helps you get a seriously good/tough player as part of a trade, then perhaps it would be worth looking at!

 

[Blue Red and Gold]

DJ75 you haven't been a member of this board for too long but you certainly make a lot of sense when you post.

Have not been impressed with young Jericho so far & he seems to lack any sort of urgency in his play & gives the impression of wanting the ball served up to him on a silver platter.

I would be prepared to put him up for trade this year while he still has some value maybe for a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick.

I think its a bit early to be putting Jericho up for trade ATM I dont think we would get too much for him so why bother? Remember he started the year playing reserves at Westies so his improvement already has been incredible.
Give him a solid Pre season in the weight room and see how he goes next year. I think he has the ability to make it at this level and I think this year has been a real eye opener for him and it could of only been good for him.

 

[Mad Dog]

I must admit I'm concerned with Jericho...he doesn't have that instinctive ability and first give mentality. He is a reasonable mark and looks good when 5 metres in the clear - but in close he doesn't like the physical contact and panics under pressure. I'm happy to put this down to being 19/20 but while I was an early fan - the marginal improvement that we've seen from Bock/Rutten/Reilly/Henschel/Skippy hasn't come through in Jericho. It goes back to trying to turn an athelete into a decent footballer - (see Burton, B.)
I'd give him another year but if someone comes knocking in the next few weeks.....I'd be listening to their deal !

 

[Skippy_14]

I believe I said quite a while back that we should bring Ben in.

 

[macca23]

I believe I said quite a while back that we should bring Ben in.

Yeah, but YOU said Ben Marsh!!

That's why we all started throwing bricks at you!!