Mega Thread Port Forum 'General AFL Talk' Thread

[Portmanteau]

Agreed.

Their slingshot is being undone exactly the same way that or was.

Just play one or two sweepers and slow them down and make them find targets in traffic.

The bit I dont get is why it took teams so long to work it out

My guess is teams trying to play their own way, trying to play the high press that is so common in the AFL, without adjusting to the opponent. (Also helps if you have the likes of Enright and Mackie sweeping, backed up by above average key defenders.) Credit to the Crows, they have absolutely smashed teams that have allowed them to play on those terms.

 

[Magus]

Betts is an incredibly selfish player. Always looking for the round the corner kick to get on the highlights reel rather than hitting up the best option.

 

[bacharach]

Betts is an incredibly selfish player. Always looking for the round the corner kick to get on the highlights reel rather than hitting up the best option.

Don't agree that he's selfish at all, many a time I've seen him signal to players to take the shot rather than give him the ball. Also he's a small forward whose goal is to kick goals.

He ends up on the highlights reel because more often than not he shows some excellent displays of talent.

 

[Portmanteau]

Betts gives up the ball unnecessarily (ie when he could otherwise have a shot) regularly. 3rd for goal assists in 2014, 14th in 2015, 7th this year. Horrible call.

 

[LFC2010]

Betts is an incredibly selfish player. Always looking for the round the corner kick to get on the highlights reel rather than hitting up the best option.

Not selfish, but 100% a FIGJAM.

 

[StrappingTape]

My guess is teams trying to play their own way, trying to play the high press that is so common in the AFL, without adjusting to the opponent. (Also helps if you have the likes of Enright and Mackie sweeping, backed up by above average key defenders.) Credit to the Crows, they have absolutely smashed teams that have allowed them to play on those terms.

My highlight as Carlton tried to play to play the sweeper back and basically had the game locked in their forward half for the first half vs the Crows a few weeks ago, then in the 3rd quarter their sweeper(s) consistently fumbled or simply over ran the ball or went to the wrong place and bang on went 4 goals and the game was done.

 

[Portmanteau]

My highlight as Carlton tried to play to play the sweeper back and basically had the game locked in their forward half for the first half vs the Crows a few weeks ago, then in the 3rd quarter their sweeper(s) consistently fumbled or simply over ran the ball or went to the wrong place and bang on went 4 goals and the game was done.

This is why they've been successful this/last year and that their season isn't over just because Geelong have them worked out. The forwards are extremely effective at making teams pay for their turnovers, and convert a stack of half chances.

 

[Papa G]

Im a big fan of what we used to call "hogs". There aren't enough of them these days. Players that will always take it upon themselves. They are paid to kick goals and they do it insread of dishing it off. Stringer is a classic. In the past Scott Lucas was brilliant. Betts kicks goals.

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

Betts you'd give free reign to be selfish inside 50, Wingard should be told similar

 

[StrappingTape]

Don't agree that he's selfish at all, many a time I've seen him signal to players to take the shot rather than give him the ball. Also he's a small forward whose goal is to kick goals.

He ends up on the highlights reel because more often than not he shows some excellent displays of talent.

I agree, much like Wingard every now and then he'll have a ping when maybe he shouldn't but watch his eyes before he does, most of the time he's looking around to see if there is a better option before he takes a ping.

 

[LFC2010]

#essendontanking

This is a disgusting start even by there standards

 

[mic59]

Essendon finally get on the board.

 

[edgie]

Betts you'd give free reign to be selfish inside 50, Wingard should be told similar

Ditto Schulz from the set shot. I wish I could say that about more than one player in our team but all over reliable set shots like Chad and Boak have dropped off this year.



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[Janus]

Agreed.

Their slingshot is being undone exactly the same way that or was.

Just play one or two sweepers and slow them down and make them find targets in traffic.

The bit I dont get is why it took teams so long to work it out

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Because their midfield IS poor - it's just well drilled enough to go for the first option every time. Coaches were pushing up trying to cause a turnover by forcing them to rush their disposal but in the end all that did was play into Adelaide's hands by allowing space on the outside and out the back.

It's like if you were a boxer and you knew your opponent had a weak chin, so you come in trying to land punches on the chin to get a first round knockout. Meanwhile, he's covering up and working your body because he knows that's what you're after, you get fatigued, and it's game over. The correct strategy would be to work his body because he's always going to be covering his weakness, wait until there is an opening, and then slam your fist straight through his mother******* face. That's what Geelong did last night.

When sides pull back and leave three or four sweepers at the back (our strategy in defense has always been to play with two deep and three just ahead of them), when an Adelaide player looks up he can't see anything but opposition jumpers, but at the same time he has pressure coming at him from the forwards. Remember when Bassett said the problem with our defense against Adelaide was that the backs were pushing too high up? And Hinkley said that the forwards weren't pushing up enough? What you saw against Geelong is how it was meant to look like.

It's basically the same strategy that sides play against us, but the difference is that we have the leg speed to force opponents to push back deeper into defense. Which is why it took coaches so long to work it out - they are playing our 2014 gameplan without a key component of it, which makes it seem like it's something brand new. Pyke has substituted leg speed for quick ball movement, keeping players in defined positions like netball to make it seem as though Adelaide is some super team when the reality is they are the same mediocre side they've always been.

I told one of them that it would be around this time that they'd realize that Dangerfield leaving actually cost them a flag, because with him in the side they would be unstoppable for virtue of the fact that he would push forward quicker than the defense could get back and force the opposition midfield to sit back and cover his run.

They'll win the next couple of games, but it'll be the exact same story against Port Adelaide and West Coast (who lost that game because they tried to go in for the kill too early and got massively exposed...because their midfield is not that good either). They'll finish 4th or 5th and get booted out of the finals in the first or second week when the intensity ramps up even further around the contest.

If they finish 1st or 2nd they might luck into a prelim because anything can happen, but no matter what their one dimensional play will be exposed by better sides.

This is why they've been successful this/last year and that their season isn't over just because Geelong have them worked out. The forwards are extremely effective at making teams pay for their turnovers, and convert a stack of half chances.

It's over. If Geelong have worked them out in the home and away season, you think that they are suddenly going to get better in finals when the intensity goes even higher? There's a HUGE difference between Carlton ******* up and Hawthorn/Sydney/Geelong ******* up in a final. They just don't have a multi-dimensional midfield that is capable of getting the ball to those forwards efficiently. Locked into their forward line, sure, they are as good as anyone. But they need to force a turnover to ensure that happens, and when it becomes midfield vs midfield (which is what it basically was against the Cats) they just don't have the class to compete.

They were down across the board for meters gained and possessions once again this week. 30% less than their season average. Geelong beat them in both tackles AND contested possessions. Their top three for marks were all defenders. Out of the total of 78 marks they took, 46% (38) of them were by defenders (Cheney, Lever, Hartigan, Smith, Laird, Talia, Henderson, Brown) and 33% (26) were through the midfield (Thompson, Jacobs, Sloane, B.Crouch, M.Crouch, Atkins, Douglas, Lyons) - if your defense is taking nearly 50% of your marks you know you're under the pump.

Pyke was absolutely clueless about it too.

 

[Finest of Wines]

Justin Leppitsch's quarter time address was very underwhelming

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

Ditto Schulz from the set shot. I wish I could say that about more than one player in our team but all over reliable set shots like Chad and Boak have dropped off this year.



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I'd pick my half dozen best goal kickers if I was a coach & say anytime you are within distance back yourself unless it's completely open to pass off.. guys will always go through the ipps here and there but you always back in the classy finishers.

 

[edgie]

Yep. A few weeks back N Riewoldt kicked 0.5, last night kicked 4 (not sure it any behinds) to finish highest scorer.

Goal kickers kick goals.

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[RustyCage]

Yep. A few weeks back N Riewoldt kicked 0.5, last night kicked 4 (not sure it any behinds) to finish highest scorer.

Goal kickers kick goals.

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Kicked 4 straight

 

[LFC2010]

This is the biggest tank job by essendon since the Carlton glory days.

#essendontanking

 

[Greasyrhys]

I'd 8 2 B A Bombres fan right now...

 

[LFC2010]

I'd 8 2 B A Bombres fan right now...

They'd be celebrating getting the number 1 pick.

If this was an interstate club doing this today they'd be fined and banned from thendraft.

 

[bomberclifford]

This Bombers v Bears game is exhibit A of why Essendon should not get the #1 pick.

 

[Grave Danger]

"Not a great display, no - just happy not to get the four points I suppose."

 

[edgie]

Score in bombers - bears?

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[LFC2010]

This could be a 10 goal margin to brisbane.

#lolessendon
#essendontanking