Our Starts

[Partridge]

and credit needs to be given to North Melbourne, they really aren't that far away from becoming a top line team, just lack depth and quality of ourselves and a few other teams.

What needs to be highlighted though, we had 5 players who have played less than 30 senior matches, Blicavs, Caddy, Motlop, Smedts, Brown while West is still building his match fitness.
There will be a bit of inconsistency with so many youngsters so makes these kind of wins even more fantastic.

It does. But what has become common is for errors of young players to be highlighted while those of senior players get overlooked. They were both there in abundance in the first half today.

Very glad to see Caddy nail that set shot. Smedts and Motlop now are the ones who really need to improve their conversion.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

I don't understand - we've got all out VETERANS playing. Aren't they all still great? Isn't it 2008 still?

Corey - FINISHED. Chapman - not a midfielder anymore. Kelly - try kicking it to Hawkins big chest instead of 10 metres in front of his feet. Bartel - you're not up to it in the midfield anymore.

There's some uncomfortable home truths that no one wants to face.

lol what a stupid overreaction of a post... All of those guys got us over the line AGAIN!!

 

[Partridge]

lol what a stupid overreaction of a post... All of those guys got us over the line AGAIN!!

It's not an overreaction. It was a statement of how we looked at half time, and how much our midfield was getting annihilated at the time. We wouldn't have had to come from behind (in your own words - AGAIN!!!) if they hadn't been so badly beaten in the first place.

 

[iameviljez]

Correct me if I'm wrong, was North playing Hawthorn's style of precision kicking?

No, you weren't at all. They were trying to do what in soccer is referred to as 'playing out from the back' - meaning spread the ball wide to your attack-minded defenders on the flanks who then take risks with it. They did it well, too.

 

[Senatorguesty]

It's not an overreaction. It was a statement of how we looked at half time, and how much our midfield was getting annihilated at the time. We wouldn't have had to come from behind (in your own words - AGAIN!!!) if they hadn't been so badly beaten in the first place.

I actually agree.
In the first half your observation was correct, its just the fact they are absolute champions and turned it around in the second that is causing some back fire.

 

[CatAttack84]

Lost my voice at the game today, lost a lot of heart too, so this is all I'm contributing right this second:

Oh, and once we hit the lead I did start the Geelong chant up on the 3rd level on the city side. Had only a dozen or so supporters that helped.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

It's not an overreaction. It was a statement of how we looked at half time, and how much our midfield was getting annihilated at the time. We wouldn't have had to come from behind (in your own words - AGAIN!!!) if they hadn't been so badly beaten in the first place.

Yeah we started coming back with Kelly and Corey in the mids and Chappy and Selwood lifting. Changes in gameplan.

So who would you replace all our stars with? Just give me your team with the Veterans out.

 

[RegHickeyStand]

Scott specifically trains the team differently to get good starts. Heaving training blocks sees the team sluggish at the start. Wait and see. Also the Hawthorn game would have taken it out of them.

 

[Senatorguesty]

Scott specifically trains the team differently to get good starts. Heaving training blocks sees the team sluggish at the start. Wait and see. Also the Hawthorn game would have taken it out of them.

Yeah agreed.
I reckon we might start slowly for the first 4-6 weeks due to short breaks.
The thing is our extreme will to not lose will get us over the line during the hard weeks.
Of course it could still be an issue even giving them the above and of course I'd prefer if it was us kicking 7-8 goals in the first quarter.

 

[Partridge]

Yeah we started coming back with Kelly and Corey in the mids and Chappy and Selwood lifting. Changes in gameplan.

So who would you replace all our stars with? Just give me your team with the Veterans out.

You need to read what I wrote. I said we can't play all of them at once in the midfield. And I absolutely stand by that. Chapman should be up forward, he immediately looked more dangerous. Bartel looks far better to me directing the game from the half back flank now. Kelly was good - brilliant in the second half. I don't know if Corey can last 4 quarters playing on the ball. He inexplicably was tried in defence and to no one's surprise it didn't work.

 

[Partridge]

Yeah we started coming back with Kelly and Corey in the mids and Chappy and Selwood lifting. Changes in gameplan.

So who would you replace all our stars with? Just give me your team with the Veterans out.

Also never said I'd replace them all either. I'd be playing some of them elsewhere.

And I'd swap Corey for Horlin-Smith. Straight forward enough?

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

You need to read what I wrote. I said we can't play all of them at once in the midfield. And I absolutely stand by that. Chapman should be up forward, he immediately looked more dangerous. Bartel looks far better to me directing the game from the half back flank now. Kelly was good - brilliant in the second half. I don't know if Corey can last 4 quarters playing on the ball. He inexplicably was tried in defence and to no one's surprise it didn't work.

Mate you need to read what you wrote "I don't understand - we've got all out VETERANS playing." Said nothing about the mids.

Then you went on to state the veterans that weren't living up to your standards. Corey was our 3rd best mid 2012 and Kelly was our Second. No kid is near them, in clearance work or contested possessions. Which is stuff we are struggling with.

Unfortunately the truth is, our kids aren't good enough to win the clearances on there own, otherwise Scott would play them all there wouldn't he?

Guess what? Another Veteran will come into the mids next week in Johnson. So you must be devastated.

Glad you are not coach, because we are 2-0. You carry on like we lost them both or something. Yes there is danger signs but we are still inexperienced with lots of kids under 50 games. I'm guessing Hmac will go so way to fixing the clearances that if he gets fit and in form.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Also never said I'd replace them all either. I'd be playing some of them elsewhere.

And I'd swap Corey for Horlin-Smith. Straight forward enough?

GHS has played 3 senior games for us. How can you think it's a strait swap?

 

[sarah.13]

Our forwards werent the issue I felt, watching the game we got SMASHED in the clearances. Their midfielders were hitting the ball ups at pace and Goldstein would hit to advantage more than not which equal an easy clearance and uncontested run inside 50. Our mids were standing around flat fooded and being reactive to the north runners.
We changed that in the second half where we stopped their run and started to create it ourselves, aswell as shark from Goldstein instead of looking to West to win the taps.
The inside 50 count was huge yes, but I would look to the wayward entries and the kicks into contests in the pocket, aswell as north putting numbers back as the reason why we only won by 4 points. Of course norths unbelievable conversion for goal counted alot for the numbers mismatch.

It takes our mids 1/2 a game to learn how to shark opposition taps, then we win the clearances and the game.
West still needs match fitness and hopefully McIntosh plays in a month or so.

 

[Partridge]

GHS has played 3 senior games for us. How can you think it's a strait swap?

Oh I don't know. Something about it being a fecking opinion. Heresy I know on an internet forum. The question was asked, I answered. Clearly that's difficult for some to grasp.

 

[Senatorguesty]

It takes our mids 1/2 a game to learn how to shark opposition taps, then we win the clearances and the game.
West still needs match fitness and hopefully McIntosh plays in a month or so.

We NEED HMac to play IMO, Blitsy will be ok in time but hes not up to rucking standard as yet (hes ok around the ground though) and West is under done but fought back fantastically in the second half.
Fact is sides with class rucks are getting easy clearances against us, mostly because of our ruck situation but also a bit because the players we have coming through that will make that a strength in the coming years are still inexperienced kids (Caddy, Bundy, Poodle etc) so right now its a double edged sword.
Hence why we need 2 quality rucks and HMac is the missing piece of that puzzle.

 

[FredLeDeux]

We NEED HMac to play IMO, Blitsy will be ok in time but hes not up to rucking standard as yet (hes ok around the ground though) and West is under done but fought back fantastically in the second half.
Fact is sides with class rucks are getting easy clearances against us, mostly because of our ruck situation but also a bit because the players we have coming through that will make that a strength in the coming years are still inexperienced kids (Caddy, Bundy, Poodle etc) so right now its a double edged sword.
Hence why we need 2 quality rucks and HMac is the missing piece of that puzzle.

Probably why we recruited him, eh?

 

[Senatorguesty]

Probably why we recruited him, eh?

Sounds like sound foresight to me

 

[Partridge]

We NEED HMac to play IMO, Blitsy will be ok in time but hes not up to rucking standard as yet (hes ok around the ground though) and West is under done but fought back fantastically in the second half.
Fact is sides with class rucks are getting easy clearances against us, mostly because of our ruck situation but also a bit because the players we have coming through that will make that a strength in the coming years are still inexperienced kids (Caddy, Bundy, Poodle etc) so right now its a double edged sword.
Hence why we need 2 quality rucks and HMac is the missing piece of that puzzle.

It looks like quite a few things happening at once within the team:

1. First pick ruckmen out, so not getting enough first use of the ball in the centre square.
2. Established midfielders* (Kelly, Bartel, Corey, Chapman) slow when the pace is hot, but excellent once it slows down a little and their size and experience come to the fore.
3. Younger midfielders (Christensen, Duncan, Caddy, Varcoe, Motlop, T.Hunt) up to the pace, but lacking experience to perform consistently at the level of those above just yet.
4. Game plan that seems to risk giving away leads early on, but our superior fitness is allowing us to run over the top of sides.

* Selwood obviously not a veteran although he seems to have been around forever.

No doubt they'll be trying to improve all those areas. Can't heap enough praise on their ability to grind out wins though. 2-0 is so much better than 1-1 or 0-2.

 

[Senatorguesty]

It looks like quite a few things happening at once within the team:

1. First pick ruckmen out, so not getting enough first use of the ball in the centre square.
2. Established midfielders* (Kelly, Bartel, Corey, Chapman) slow when the pace is hot, but excellent once it slows down a little and their size and experience come to the fore.
3. Younger midfielders (Christensen, Duncan, Caddy, Varcoe, Motlop, T.Hunt) up to the pace, but lacking experience to perform consistently at the level of those above just yet.
4. Game plan that seems to risk giving away leads early on, but our superior fitness is allowing us to run over the top of sides.

* Selwood obviously not a veteran although he seems to have been around forever.

No doubt they'll be trying to improve all those areas. Can't heap enough praise on their ability to grind out wins though. 2-0 is so much better than 1-1 or 0-2.

Yeah spot on mate.
Thats probably where that gulf between 200+ game veterans and sub 50 game rookies is hurting.
Luckily for us those 200+ game veterans are all time greats of the club who will themselves to win above all else and those rookies are seriously talented potential greats who dont shirk the hard stuff and know how to really press a side.
Once we get some more games into the kids or get some veterans back into the side (fit) we will be ok.
Kelly will be better from now on, Corey aswell if we continue to play him, SJ will improve the team considerably and a genuine big ruckman like HMac will make a VAST difference.

 

[Senatorguesty]

It looks like quite a few things happening at once within the team:

1. First pick ruckmen out, so not getting enough first use of the ball in the centre square.
2. Established midfielders* (Kelly, Bartel, Corey, Chapman) slow when the pace is hot, but excellent once it slows down a little and their size and experience come to the fore.
3. Younger midfielders (Christensen, Duncan, Caddy, Varcoe, Motlop, T.Hunt) up to the pace, but lacking experience to perform consistently at the level of those above just yet.
4. Game plan that seems to risk giving away leads early on, but our superior fitness is allowing us to run over the top of sides.

* Selwood obviously not a veteran although he seems to have been around forever.

No doubt they'll be trying to improve all those areas. Can't heap enough praise on their ability to grind out wins though. 2-0 is so much better than 1-1 or 0-2.

Yeah spot on mate.
Thats probably where that gulf between 200+ game veterans and sub 50 game rookies is hurting.
Luckily for us those 200+ game veterans are all time greats of the club who will themselves to win above all else and those rookies are seriously talented potential greats who dont shirk the hard stuff and know how to really press a side.
Once we get some more games into the kids or get some veterans back into the side (fit) we will be ok.
Kelly will be better from now on, Corey aswell if we continue to play him, SJ will improve the team considerably and a genuine big ruckman like HMac will make a VAST difference.

 

[iameviljez]

Oh I don't know. Something about it being a fecking opinion. Heresy I know on an internet forum. The question was asked, I answered. Clearly that's difficult for some to grasp.

Bigfooty Member in Stating Opinion on Internet Shocker

 

[juzcat]

In Game one we got smashed with center clearance set up in 1H. I went back and looked at the footage and our guys were letting the Hawks run free from the bounce and cats were running to Wests (non) taps. BUT we were not getting hammered on the spread. I figure that Murdoch and Stokes on the bench are 2 speedsters. Bring in Corey and Kelly who are slow and you have a dramatic reduction in closing speed across the ground. North just had so much space and i think we are better off with pace and just roving to the opp ruckman until we get Hmac back (at all). Issue may even worse with Steve J back...a different view

 

[kickazz]

It's not an overreaction. It was a statement of how we looked at half time, and how much our midfield was getting annihilated at the time. We wouldn't have had to come from behind (in your own words - AGAIN!!!) if they hadn't been so badly beaten in the first place.

During first halves I watch some of our experienced on-ballers and at times it appears they have no respect for their opponents. Whether they are pacing themselves to last a whole game, I'm not sure.

We've lost two big bodies in stoppages in Ling and Ottens (who's ground work at stoppages was quite underrated IMO)

In the second half I also noticed our tackles sticking more.

It's a mystery. Maybe some of these other sides take 5 no-doz before the game and burn out or something.

 

[Catdog]

Better turn it around quick as i think it will hurt us badly next game.