Autopsy Positives and Negatives vs Essendon Rd 11 - Season Over Edition

[Bacchus]

With all our midfield woes how is it that Trew has not been tried for 2-3 games? We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Sometimes players just fit in and work it out quick, sometimes they don't.
Our midfielders must surely feel like they are taking the piss continuing to get games when they get beaten almost every week.

Simmo must think he’s not ready. I don’t know, some of the decisions are hard to understand.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

In 2006 in the premiership year, we were considered as one of the best running sides but also one of the fittest sides.

in 2021 we are not a fit side at all and that is why we are considered a team that is easy for a late kill.

Thats a pretty grim change when i thought our side has the same fitness level of all other teams in the comp

our fitness numbers would be where they need to be. All clubs operate off similar KPI for fitness levels. The difference is how hard will each individual push it and it is clear our blokes don't push very hard. On paper though we would be meeting the fitness criterea.

 

[Wild Kelly]

In 2006 in the premiership year, we were considered as one of the best running sides but also one of the fittest sides.

in 2021 we are not a fit side at all and that is why we are considered a team that is easy for a late kill.

Thats a pretty grim change when i thought our side has the same fitness level of all other teams in the comp

I know that I am nowhere near as fit now as I was in 2006.

 

[eaglespremiers]

Either a lot less or a lot more. Petch is ranking in our top 4 and ahead of Darling. Petch would be running between 18-25th in our Best and Fairest at this point.
I reckon Kelly would be winning it up to this point and JD would be second. NN would be top 5.

I am genuinly interested in how they do it though, do you really think NN is performing as the 2nd best player in the comp? Nothing against Nic by the way but if someone asked me on the street today to name the best 10 players in the AFL in 2021 I don't think Nic would get a mention by me.
Do you get points for winning the hitout or only for effective hitouts? Vastly different things. If the opposition keep getting the ball then the hitout is not that good yes?

I don't really care about total HOs, only HOs to advantage (even then not all are equal).

I think Naitanui would be leading our B&F atm. He's made Kelly look a lot better than he's actually been this year and Darling has had a few quiet games this year whereas Naitanui is consistently involved (obviously some of that involvement must be attributed to his role as a ruckman).

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

 

[Rowan18]

our fitness numbers would be where they need to be. All clubs operate off similar KPI for fitness levels. The difference is how hard will each individual push it and it is clear our blokes don't push very hard. On paper though we would be meeting the fitness criterea.

Some of it is gameplan. As Dylan has pointed out several times, our half forwards are expected to roll back to support the half backs then sprint up the ground to be a forward option when we have the ball. No wonder they get tired.

We also tend to play one less midfield rotation than other teams.

 

[Divebomb]

Some of it is gameplan. As Dylan has pointed out several times, our half forwards are expected to roll back to support the half backs then sprint up the ground to be a forward option when we have the ball. No wonder they get tired.

We also tend to play one less midfield rotation than other teams.

That is going to have to change, but i'm not sure if its too late for the team to suddenly implement a new game plan on a whim

 

[wc_eagles_since86]

We had 3 players out of our best team in the 2018 GF, we have about 10 out now - no comparison. You take 10 out of any team, and they would be doing no better than us. I think there are too many whingers on here who have never played the game.

Played the game pal and even if I hadn't, doesn't make your statement any truer.

To add, I didn't say we weren't affected but you have to admit that our passion, resilience and pressure aren't there. We crumble pretty easily and I think even those full of positivity like yourself can put two and two together.

You can criticise other fans all you want, doesn't change the fact we're lucky if we make top 8 and we've been pretty average since 2019 with the list we have.

 

[Grahame]

Rioli is A grade

Much as I love Rioli - and recognise just how much we are missing him - I think it is more accurate right now to say Rioli was A grade. First there is no guarantee that he'll make it back to AFL level, there is no guarantee he'll play well in R23 and there is no guarantee he will play well in the finals (if we make it). Lots of ifs.

And that assumes Willie doesn't do yet another stupid thing.

 

[wc_eagles_since86]

Much as I love Rioli - and recognise just how much we are missing him - I think it is more accurate right now to say Rioli was A grade. First there is no guarantee that he'll make it back to AFL level, there is no guarantee he'll play well in R23 and there is no guarantee he will play well in the finals (if we make it). Lots of ifs.

And that assumes Willie doesn't do yet another stupid thing.

His lack of judgement has reared its head on more than one occasion, who knows when it might do so again.
Totally agree mate.

 

[ziad]

Played the game pal and even if I hadn't, doesn't make your statement any truer.

To add, I didn't say we weren't affected but you have to admit that our passion, resilience and pressure aren't there. We crumble pretty easily and I think even those full of positivity like yourself can put two and two together.

You can criticise other fans all you want, doesn't change the fact we're lucky if we make top 8 and we've been pretty average since 2019 with the list we have.

Yep lucky to make the 8. I can see the arguement that we should keep playing the best available as we have people coming back have a chance. However, I follow the longer term concept of using the remainder of this season to look at lingering problems on out list and work towards solutions. I dont see us asa contender. Bradburies aside.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Much as I love Rioli - and recognise just how much we are missing him - I think it is more accurate right now to say Rioli was A grade. First there is no guarantee that he'll make it back to AFL level, there is no guarantee he'll play well in R23 and there is no guarantee he will play well in the finals (if we make it). Lots of ifs.

And that assumes Willie doesn't do yet another stupid thing.

Rioli does not change our tackle numbers or our contested ball numbers. Until they are changed then it is all just a waste of time.

 

[Divebomb]

Some of it is gameplan. As Dylan has pointed out several times, our half forwards are expected to roll back to support the half backs then sprint up the ground to be a forward option when we have the ball. No wonder they get tired.

We also tend to play one less midfield rotation than other teams.

Nic Nat is maybe getting too predictable with his centre bounce taps. sometimes smashing the ball forward to mix it up can throw opposition midfielders off because they are now knowing a lot of balls will land near them. then maybe our mids can run onto it.

Sometimes I feel that our mids are illegally held at stoppages on occasions.

 

[Balls In]

In 2006 in the premiership year, we were considered as one of the best running sides but also one of the fittest sides

I dont think we were fit going into the hub last year either. Its a worry that the shorter pre season and the isolations last year put more onus on individuals to keep their own fitness up and clearly many didn't.

 

[Balls In]

Much as I love Rioli - and recognise just how much we are missing him - I think it is more accurate right now to say Rioli was A grade. First there is no guarantee that he'll make it back to AFL level, there is no guarantee he'll play well in R23 and there is no guarantee he will play well in the finals (if we make it). Lots of ifs.

Was responding to another who suggested we should have cut him. Nah he is 25 and one of the most talented people on our list. All the things we suck at, one touch pick ups, evasion , aggressive ball movement, tackling and magnificent vision/ execution by foot. Smoking dope is nothing. Hide/ignore it like every other club and we will get 5-8 years of elite.

 

[Balls In]

Rioli does not change our tackle numbers or our contested ball numbers. Until they are changed then it is all just a waste of time.

Rioli vastly improves our tackling and particularly our contested footy.

 

[Vaccination]

I think what annoys me is our anti-clutch ability this season. We haven't been able to stand up in games when we've needed to in the last quarter.

We're 1-4 this year in games which have a goal in it at any point during the last quarter (Win was against Gold Coast)

For reference we were 4-2 in the same stat in 2020, 4-3 in 2019 and 7-3 in 2018

We either can't run out games any more or have lost our clutch gene

 

[DanWCE]

I think what annoys me is our anti-clutch ability this season. We haven't been able to stand up in games when we've needed to in the last quarter.

We're 1-4 this year in games which have a goal in it at any point during the last quarter (Win was against Gold Coast)

For reference we were 4-2 in the same stat in 2020, 4-3 in 2019 and 7-3 in 2018

We either can't run out games any more or have lost our clutch gene

We've become automatic

 

[eagles rule]

I think what annoys me is our anti-clutch ability this season. We haven't been able to stand up in games when we've needed to in the last quarter.

We're 1-4 this year in games which have a goal in it at any point during the last quarter (Win was against Gold Coast)

For reference we were 4-2 in the same stat in 2020, 4-3 in 2019 and 7-3 in 2018

We either can't run out games any more or have lost our clutch gene

The team is aging and slowing down ,we need a injection of youth and enthusiasm ..

 

[Priddis Is Done]

The team is aging and slowing down ,we need a injection of youth and enthusiasm ..

And that's the conundrum of all the picks we spent on Kelly. 2 years of poor youth coming through. That and hanging onto list cloggers.

 

[wc_eagles_since86]

And that's the conundrum of all the picks we spent on Kelly. 2 years of poor youth coming through. That and hanging onto list cloggers.

When I heard about the Kelly trade, I had some trepidation, particularly how costly it all ended up being. Rarely if ever does a trade where you sell the farm for a player work out. He's a good player, but nowhere near worth what we paid. Besides, he probably isn't as good as he could be because we're getting done over game after game in the midfield anyway. This also makes him look better in some regard when the likes of Shuey and Yeo are out. I believe he tries hard, but his X-factor has clearly dissipated to a large degree.

The Dockers are a living testament to that, they're finally realising we have great talent here and don't need to pay for expensive wood. The list of AFL players who were paid for with a kings ransom and who didn't perform nearly as well as expected is a significant number (granted though, I'm no draft follower). Traditionally, we haven't paid ridiculous amounts for players and we've been a side where many rookies developed to become awesome players. Our match committee sucks, but our talent scouts are pretty good.

 

[PremiershipNo4]

Now that the season is over, we obviously can’t win the flag from here, can we please play some of young mids.
Give them a chance to show their stuff.
Also can we please trade players out for draft picks, need to replenish with as higher draft pick as we can.

 

[ziad]

Now that the season is over, we obviously can’t win the flag from here, can we please play some of young mids.
Give them a chance to show their stuff.
Also can we please trade players out for draft picks, need to replenish with as higher draft pick as we can.

We need to look at our list and say who is in an automatic if we are to seriously contend for the premiership in 22/23. Those not in need to be rotate out as we tst options and establish a draft/trade/delist strategy.
I love the romance of the 'footy club' and all that but for winners it is a business.

 

[kranky al]

 

[eaglesnutcase]

Good summation Al!

 

[Obeanie1]

1 mark, 12 kicks, 19 handballs.

We are not maximising what he brings to the table and exposing his known and obvious weaknesses.

Not playing him in his natural role. Asked to play a role his body isnt suited to play.

Gaff is having a crack, the numbers show that. Just needs to get back to what he is really good at.