Autopsy Positives and Negatives vs Bulldogs - Rd 2, 2021

[Obeanie1]

It’s the same old though. We need to actually make sure we’re in a position to challenge, because at full strength we’re still up there with the best. The past few years we’ve shot ourselves in the foot by making it virtually impossible in finals due to slip ups in the regular season. Still think we would’ve caused a few problems had we finished top 4 in either of the last 2 years.

I think that’s what’s giving most of us issues. This has the potential to be “that game” if we miss top 4 or top 2 by a small margin again. Even more so with Port next week. We’re short odds to be 1-2 with a dropped home game so today was an ideal opportunity to cancel that out with a tough away win against a quality side.

Our first 6 games are tough. We get 3-3 after 6 Id be ok with that.

 

[RookiePick]

3-3 is the target but Faaark. I'd rather put them in the bank early.

1-2 after a mauling from Port at home is going to feel like we are behind the 8 ball.

 

[Bender_]

Geez, starting to sound like there's no point in turning up to the game against Port. Maybe we could all stay in and watch a replay of one of our premiership wins and think back to the good times instead?




Soft front runners about to get crushed. Get amongst it soft utensils.

 

[BeornJ]

Besides cripps kicking into the man on the mark and the woeful umpiring I'm not seeing too many negatives.

+ Sheed and Kelly have been leading the midfield admirably. When Boots returns that midfield becomes scary good, and hopefully Yeo can be added in as well.

+ Backline is solid. Barrass is more dependable as the last line than he has been. Will be interesting to see how he goes against Dixon, Lynch or Hawkins. Personally I would prefer Witherden in for Cole, but happy for the status quo to remain for now.

+ I was worried about old man Kennedy coming into the season but he looks to be fitter and in better form than 2020.

+ Up forward the big 4 (JK, Darling, Allen and Ryan) are killing it. Hopefully Cripps bounces back, and Jones locks down a spot. I am predicting that Langdon will settle into his role and grab the other forward spot on the bench.

 

[THE A5]

Gaff needs to pull his finger out of his arse. I can't recall him putting b2b s**t games since 2014

 

[bunkyboy]

Langdon is slow? One play in the first quarter he looked super slow

How about when Ryan was storming through the middle and tried to put Langdon into space. Langdon was level with one defender and a few metres behind was another defender. Both defenders easily overtook him and made it look like Langdon was going backwards.

 

[Dancing Dougy]

Equal parts cracking game and heart attack.

Kudos to the Eagles, one of the best games I’ve witnessed. Nic Nat was immense, his innate feel for his midfielders positioning is awesome to see in person. Might seem ridiculous, but I was pretty happy with how our ruckman competed. Got smashed but didn’t stop trying against an AA beast.

Your transitioning from back half to front half was electric with beautiful clean kicking and marking and your forwards stood up big time.

The excitement of the doggies win today is a direct correlation to the respect your team deserves. Well done.

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

Gaff needs to pull his finger out of his arse. I can't recall him putting b2b sh*t games since 2014

Yeah averaged 26 disposals and is going at 16. Has definitely had a bad start to the year

 

[dajesmac]

Rotham has low key developed into a gun. Undroppable for the foreseeable future IMO

 

[BrotherDodge]

Rotham has low key developed into a gun. Undroppable for the foreseeable future IMO

For a young player the dude's so composed. Great skills and always makes good decisions no matter how much pressure he's under. I've got just as much confidence in him as a defender as Hurn and Shep these days.

 

[amazingjoshy]

Yep...he had two players right nearby and went for ryan which then resulted in the Bont goal at the end.

Yeah I don't know.....I reckon if u kick it to a leading fwd who has two unmarked crumbers at his feet, it's pretty reasonable to expect your team is going to win the pill

 

[Balls In]

Gaff needs to pull his finger out of his arse. I can't recall him putting b2b sh*t games since 2014

Gaff is a gun and was magnificent last year when the fuqwad afl expected our team to play 7 games in 4 weeks leading directly into the finals. He is injured. That play late in the third when extended, far out he had nothing. Injured. Playing. Give him a break.

 

[Dylan82]

Is Gaff sorta being affected by no defensive wing role and being expected to play part of the defensive role as well?

He's setting up as a defensive sweeper at stoppages and then is getting caught out in-between when play spreads.

The last two matches have seen him running all over the place - but largely due to his starting point, he is either too far ahead of the ball to assist in rebounding out of defence, or he is not far enough ahead of the ball to play a role in moving into attack.

I would prefer to see Nelson moving into that negative sweeping role and move Gaff forward into the position currently occupied by Langdon - and rather than play as a pressure forward, have him use his running capacity to get up the ground continuously and act as a link between midfield and forward from the front of stoppages - much like an old-school wing would play.

 

[Strongside]

+
WC Star Power
Barrass bringing it all 4 quarters
JK taking his bad leg off and whooping father time with it

-
Same ol' Same ol' in regards to contesting and tackling from some

 

[THE A5]

Rotham has low key developed into a gun. Undroppable for the foreseeable future IMO

As much as I bang on about him being more of a midsized defender, his work against taller opponents was top notch today. 3-4 years ago he seemed to get toweled up by WAFL talls. Remembered Tyler Kietel taking him to the cleaners few times. Josh looks like a real talent

 

[dajesmac]

As much as I bang on about him being more of a midsized defender, his work against taller opponents was top notch today. 3-4 years ago he seemed to get toweled up by WAFL talls. Remembered Tyler Kietel taking him to the cleaners few times. Josh looks like a real talent

I’m glad we’re using him in a way that he can use his long raking kicks, rather than trying to make him too lockdown. As someone said his composure is top notch and I trust him as much as anyone with the ball in hand right now.

 

[Opposite Kids]

Yeah I don't know.....I reckon if u kick it to a leading fwd who has two unmarked crumbers at his feet, it's pretty reasonable to expect your team is going to win the pill

yeah ur right but the option is to hit one of the unmarked crumbers and set up play ... cripps shouldn’t have kicked into the man on the mark either 15m out

 

[THE A5]

I’m glad we’re using him in a way that he can use his long raking kicks, rather than trying to make him too lockdown. As someone said his composure is top notch and I trust him as much as anyone with the ball in hand right now.

He was very much an attacking defender that was more of a flanker. I'm means you gotta hand it to the developing team for turning him into a solid defender. I've said it here but there's other facets of his game that we haven't seen. I'm waiting till he has confidence in his game to show his run off half back as well as being able to zone of an intercept.

 

[Brolga]

Negs:

Was it just me watching with only one eye or was there a systematic knee dropping into the legs of our players, esp forwards, when on the ground after a contest? Allen copped several, eve Redden late in the game
Langdon and Cripps poor disposal and lack of contest at times was telling
Poor handball skills under pressure (and even when not!) really shown up by the Dogs

Pos:

NicNat awesome
Barrass and Shep
Nelson curbed Bont a bit in 2nd half, but class rises to the top, no disgrace there
Forwards teamed well
Ryan with two 'nearly' marks but still flying
Edit: Rotham looking at home out there, some deft touches

 

[Scotland]

Dropping the ball. How about paying it maybe even once...

*.

 

[Avalor]

Ryan isnt even real. Who else in AFL would you want to watch....Naitinui?

Kossie.

 

[Avalor]

Besides cripps kicking into the man on the mark and the woeful umpiring I'm not seeing too many negatives.

+ Sheed and Kelly have been leading the midfield admirably. When Boots returns that midfield becomes scary good, and hopefully Yeo can be added in as well.

+ Backline is solid. Barrass is more dependable as the last line than he has been. Will be interesting to see how he goes against Dixon, Lynch or Hawkins. Personally I would prefer Witherden in for Cole, but happy for the status quo to remain for now.

+ I was worried about old man Kennedy coming into the season but he looks to be fitter and in better form than 2020.

+ Up forward the big 4 (JK, Darling, Allen and Ryan) are killing it. Hopefully Cripps bounces back, and Jones locks down a spot. I am predicting that Langdon will settle into his role and grab the other forward spot on the bench.

At this rate, JK could go around again in 2022.

 

[whatis]

Dropping the ball. How about paying it maybe even once...

fu**.

Important centre bounce clearance we should have gotten in the last where Bontempelli just drops the ball in a Naitanui tackle. Were still up by a goal at that point. Should have been an i50.

 

[Balls In]

Important centre bounce clearance we should have gotten in the last where Bontempelli just drops the ball in a Naitanui tackle. Were still up by a goal at that point. Should have been an i50.

Its annoying when they are so obvious like that one was. Its like the one on Friday night.

 

[MKMatty]

+ I got home from camping in time for the footy

- I missed the first quarter
- I was forced to get up and move furniture around with 8 minutes to go
- My Kayo stream flicked me to the end when I came back to watch the game and I saw the result

It was good to see some intent. s**t the bed from a winning position twice, and don’t even get me started on how you kick a football into the man on the mark from that close in front.. But positive signs are there.