Same has been true of Sav most of the season when we've left him up you know where without a paddle. Although I've been critical of the defence, turning the ball over up field and the whole side getting blitzed on transition, plus those easy uninterrupted clearances - not an easy combo to defend against.
Autopsy Port Downs Cats by 38
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Agree. Season gone time to get games in as Port did last year with a no. eg, Rozee. Port had a horror year last year but look at them now. Not saying throw it away but look to see how we can get games in and look at next year. Mitch Duncan and Touhey I’d say are just about done and dusted sadly.
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Yeah it seemed to be a cycle: not getting picked because not fit enough, not fit enough because not playing (often the sub). I suspect we'll never know quite what the balance of causes was, between club and player, but I hope he has a good career (just wish it had been at the Cats).
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
These guys are humans, not robots, engines or machines.
We had inexplicable injuries all year, not necessarily related to starting late in most cases, just by the nature of those injuries.
Plus, we have no idea what they carried through season 22 into finals, and beyond. Those responsible for player welfare and high performance are full time employees and know what the players required. Not saying there will not be a review of the season and how we started, but it seems it was planned and needed.
Each team is unique, let alone each player, and basing our system on what other teams have done is not realistic.
Kobe Gryant
Professional Quidditch Player
Absolutely bang on with the Pies, this is their window, and they're kidding themselves if they think they are playing with house money right now.
N Daicos is a superstar, but outside of him the 'young' talent is no better or worse than any other club. For the less keen footy watches out there, the truth has been completely misconstrued. They're not young.
What they've got right now is veterans still playing quality footy, and role players playing career best footy, with a couple of young guys stepping up. It's eerily similar to Geelong of 2022.
They are a group that's been knocking on the door since 2018, and this finally looks like being their moment.
I'm not quite with you on Port however. To me, this looks like it could really be the beginning of an extended run. Rozee, JHF, Butters, Marshall, SPP, Houston, Georgiadis, Bergman, Duursma, Sinn and Jones are all either yet to peak, or young enough to hold their form for years to come.
Their older guys like Boak and Wines are just role players these days. I mean seriously, their captain is playing in the SANFL...the changing of the guard for them has come quickly.
While it may look like a similar squad to '20, and '21, the significance of players has completely swapped places in terms of their age bracket.
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Re - your point about Port Adelaide - yeah fair enough- youve listed some of their young players etc
Ive watched quite a few of their games - and i havent rated them - re winning this years flag - and earlier in the year Coll did flog them by 70 plus pts at the MCG - a very big margin - they were found wanting that day
However in my opinion their most important player right at the present time to get them this years flag - is Scott Lycett - hes gone from a liabilty to an Intangible Asset and an extremely important player for them
Agreed. They have 3 issues to sort to be "optimal" IMO: a proper ruckman (Lycett has done well last 2 weeks but isn't the answer), another good key defender (Sav would've been perfect) and a dynamic half forward flanker (any of ours would thrive in their system).
They may win a flag without these but this would turn them into a real force for years.
It's only a 2 week sample size with Lycett. He was truly awful for the first half of the year when he played. But if he can hold this form it'll be huge for them. I would almost wrap him up in cotton wool with game time/being managed after round 17 to prime him for a finals run.
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
Interesting. I've watched many of their games for several years- a family friend is on their list- and Lycett is an asset, but like most flag teams, if they are to become one, it's the whole package. Their elite MF was not dazzling on Thursday, but were serviceable, yet the whole team performed. I thought Rohan's electric start for us exposed them, but not for long.
They truly do not look to have a weakness, but a Darcy Moore would really make them unbeatable
Their weakness is absolutely in defence, their second one is they are prone to serious bouts of inaccuracy.
After the first 1.5 quarters we barely won a clearance and struggled for inside 50 quantity, let alone quality. But during the time things were even in the middle and our flankers/wingers were running rampant, we cut them up.
The delicious thing is Collingwood lack the forward weapons to expose them in such a way. Neither do Melbourne really. Which is why Port deserve to be equal favourites.
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
Regarding a dynamic HFF, SP-P?Narkle?
Perhaps if he can find some consistency. Would love him to resurrect his career.
Close is excellent in forward surging teams with run, like what Port are doing. Miers would also be brilliant for them.
PP is excellent at what he does but a really creative dynamo by his side would make them more electric.
The_Koulouriotis_Fan
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Interesting pov. Personally as a fan, I didn’t want this year to begin, I felt like I was still basking in the glory, it had been such a ride of almost glory for 10 years. I wonder if it was the collective feeling at the club too.
I do think they are absolute professionals though and can’t believe for a second that they didn’t do the necessary work to get ready. The injuries have certainly not helped and we’ve lost our synergy.
Changes:
Tuohy has worked through his issue and/or found some form. He stays.
Bews hasn't. I doubt they drop him but Zuthrie and MOC have shown more this season even if they've also frustrated at times. Bews out.
Dangerfield and Bruhn out (forced) if they're not cleared. Hardie and Knevitt in.
Time to roll the dice on Stanley and release Blicavs back to midfield. So, even though they aren't like for like, Stanley in for Bews.
Why not give Dempsey a go as sub, a running winger who releases Smith or Duncan to either flank?
Out: Bews, Dangerfield, Bruhn
In: Stanley, Knevitt, Hardie
FB: O'Connor De Koning J.Henry
HB: Stewart Kolo Zuthrie
C: Smith Blicavs Duncan
HF: Close Cameron Miers
FF: Stengle Hawkins Rohan
FOL: Stanley Atkins Holmes
IC: O.Henry Tuohy Knevitt Hardie Dempsey(sub)
Tuohy has worked through his issue and/or found some form. He stays.
Bews hasn't. I doubt they drop him but Zuthrie and MOC have shown more this season even if they've also frustrated at times. Bews out.
Dangerfield and Bruhn out (forced) if they're not cleared. Hardie and Knevitt in.
Time to roll the dice on Stanley and release Blicavs back to midfield. So, even though they aren't like for like, Stanley in for Bews.
Why not give Dempsey a go as sub, a running winger who releases Smith or Duncan to either flank?
Out: Bews, Dangerfield, Bruhn
In: Stanley, Knevitt, Hardie
FB: O'Connor De Koning J.Henry
HB: Stewart Kolo Zuthrie
C: Smith Blicavs Duncan
HF: Close Cameron Miers
FF: Stengle Hawkins Rohan
FOL: Stanley Atkins Holmes
IC: O.Henry Tuohy Knevitt Hardie Dempsey(sub)
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
Outs >> ins, although Stanley is a great in.
Bews is ok, will be needed v Kosi
Two of the outs are injuries though, and I hope somehow one or both play. Being realistic neither are likely though.
O'Connor needs to be trusted with more lockdown roles. He is still lightning quick and in good form. Zuthrie found something - Chandler time. J.Henry lock down Fritsch or I'm not sure exactly what type of players we are meant to use you on.
Kobe Gryant
Professional Quidditch Player
It is frustrating, because even minus Danger, you look at that squad and see quality on every line.
It's not perfect, we're missing a genuine number 1 midfielder....but there's enough there to think we should still be amongst it.
Unfortunately, we've dug ourselves such a hole through form and injuries that it's likely to not eventuate to much.
cats_09
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I agree with Bowes not an ideal sub - I know he came in at a difficukt time but not sold on the intensity he showed as sub. Some players are just better suited as a starting 22 option as they then work into the game compared with coming on in the second half and just being expected to go nuts from their opening minute
I’d lean towards O. Henry or maybe even brother Jack as sub - Ollie looked lively when he came on against Hawthorn and someone who can have that impact
One thing with Dempsey is that he’s been our sub earlier this year and the coaches seemed reluctant to bring him on - we were well into the last quarter before they pulled the trigger on him
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I hope that's the case. I wasn't actually meaning that they have to compromise their health or push through injures.
Anyway, I deleted the post you responded to because it came across harsher than I meant it and I wanted to rewrite it but you beat me to it.
There are a lot of supporters that don't watch other teams play.
We are missing a genuine 2 and 3 midfielder too. Blicavs and atkins are not it. Midfielders who only get it 15-18 times a match and have no x factor with their possessions are far from an elite number 2 or 3.
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Unfortunately with no Selwood and Parfitt's form falling off a cliff Danger and Guthrie became our most important players. Holmes has stepped up well when fit and Bruhn is developing ok but we just don't have the depth of midfield to cover our best 2. Atkins and Blicavs are both great at what they do but that's not being the go to ball winning midfielder.
And we've got zero quality games out of Guthrie and ~5 out of Dangerfield. It's no surprise that our run of good form coincided with Danger playing well.
There have been more issues than just that but fundamentally our season is cooked because we've got nothing out of our 2 most irreplaceable players.
Vdubs
Hall of Famer
Parfitt has time, little, to get it back, but he'd want to start this week
