Positives?

[estibador]

We better have a half glass full thread I spose before everybody tops themselves:

Collingwood are a good team. Let's not forget that. They pushed Geelong to the limit in last year's finals when no other team could get close to them.

They're also one of the best hard checking and tackling teams in the AFL and I thought we held our own in that department for *most* of the match.

I've read a few calling for Gilmore to be dropped but I don't know why. He did a great job in defence for most of the game. He works hard and is one of the few players in our team with a long kick and a bit of dash. Definitely deserves his spot (never dreamed I'd be saying that a couple of years ago.

Mundy played well too I thought. Cool, composed and used the ball well as always. I didn't really noticed any obvious dogging of contests, but I'm not a Mundy hater who focuses on his every movement so I can claim every lost/missed contest as a squib. I did notice a nice smother in the last quarter though.

Solly looks to have picked up right where he left off last year.

Sandi held a few strong marks. That's a very good sign.

Mark Johnson wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Showed a bit of desperation and won a nice little 1 on 2 contest in the 1st term. Don't like him up forward though. I think he dropped every mark he went for up there.

Belly was as brilliant as ever. I've no doubt he'll perform well this year after seeing him today.

McPharlin was great wherever we put him. It's handy for Harves knowing he has a weapon he can swing back and forth with instant impact.

But I guess the biggest positive is that it's only round 1.

 

[dockers_bengals]

We better have a half glass full thread I spose before everybody tops themselves:

Collingwood are a good team. Let's not forget that. They pushed Geelong to the limit in last year's finals when no other team could get close to them.

They're also one of the best hard checking and tackling teams in the AFL and I thought we held our own in that department for *most* of the match.

I've read a few calling for Gilmore to be dropped but I don't know why. He did a great job in defence for most of the game. He works hard and is one of the few players in our team with a long kick and a bit of dash. Definitely deserves his spot (never dreamed I'd be saying that a couple of years ago.

Mundy played well too I thought. Cool, composed and used the ball well as always. I didn't really noticed any obvious dogging of contests, but I'm not a Mundy hater so I don't focus on his every movement so I can claim every lost/missed contest as a squib. I did notice a nice smother in the last quarter though.

Solly looks to have picked up right where he left off last year.

Sandi held a few strong marks. That's a very good sign.

Mark Johnson wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Showed a bit of desperation and won a nice little 1 on 2 contest in the 1st term. Don't like him up forward though. I think he dropped every mark he went for up there.

Belly was as brilliant as ever. I've no doubt he'll perform well this year after seeing him today.

McPharlin was great wherever we put him. It's great for Harves knowing he has a weapon can swing him back and forth with instant impact.

But I guess the biggest positive is that it's only round 1.

Good one
I thought Solomon was quite but apart from that I agree.

 

[Lach72]

Gilmore - Made Cloke look like a clown shoes.
Mundy was good
Bell was good for a while
Des was good...finishing left a bit to be desired.
McPharlin was ver good.
Pav was working very hard...pity we have a stable of people who can't kick.
Farmer - worked hard with good disposal

Negatives - Leaving Grover on Rocca while he got his arse handed to him.
Peake - Put the A into average.
Matt Carr - Ibbotson has your spot.
Michael Johnson - Good lord, wtf were you doing out there?
Tarrant - God you sucked.
Schammer...geez you're kicking a pass to a forward not sending up a weather balloon

PS I thought Solomon was non existent

 

[WCE57]

FWIW,

I thought Hayden was excellent. Just all class!

 

[dominguez]

I've read a few calling for Gilmore to be dropped but I don't know why. He did a great job in defence for most of the game. He works hard and is one of the few players in our team with a long kick and a bit of dash. Definitely deserves his spot (never dreamed I'd be saying that a couple of years ago.

The problem is that his kicking is shit. I look forward to watching the tape when I sober up, but every time he kicked 30 metres + it seemed to go straight to the opposition.

Our backline is a bit of a worry. Grover, Dodd and McPharlin are good at stopping an opponent but have mediocre skills and Mundy, Black and Johnson have very good skills but can't be relied upon to shut down a dangerous opponent. Hayden is the only one who can do both.

Mundy played well too I thought. Cool, composed and used the ball well as always. I didn't really noticed any obvious dogging of contests, but I'm not a Mundy hater who focuses on his every movement so I can claim every lost/missed contest as a squib. I did notice a nice smother in the last quarter though.

Smother was good, there was a contest however in the first quarter where he didn't try.

Solly looks to have picked up right where he left off last year.

In our ten most important players IMO, even though he doesn't get a lot of the ball.

Sandi held a few strong marks. That's a very good sign.

Poor decision to leave out Warnie, considering how shit Tarrant and Farmer were it would have been nice to plonk Sandi in the square for about 30 minutes.

Mark Johnson wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Showed a bit of desperation and won a nice little 1 on 2 contest in the 1st term. Don't like him up forward though. I think he dropped every mark he went for up there.

His marking has been an issue all pre-season, but deserves a game next week IMO.

Belly was as brilliant as ever. I've no doubt he'll perform well this year after seeing him today.

Anyone who doubted Belly is a stooge.

McPharlin was great wherever we put him. It's handy for Harves knowing he has a weapon he can swing back and forth with instant impact.

Yep.

 

[purple59]

The Purple Jesus shXt? Some people are hard to please, I must have been watching another game.

 

[j0nni]

Realising we must play younger players was probably the positive

 

[sumavich]

i'm not a big wrap for Sandilands. I'm sorry, he's just no good after the tap.
Bring in Warnock asap, please. that's a +ve. Warnock gets his chance.
The +ve's will be the kids, out with the old and in with the new.

Ibbotson, Palmer, O'Brien, Drum to name but 4.
Out : M Carr, Macca, Tarrant, Peake

ThaT'd be my hope over the next 3 weeks, all at home.
Peake gets another chance, until he doesn't \ then out.

 

[dominguez]

Ibbotson, Palmer, O'Brien, Drum to name but 4.
Out : M Carr, Macca, Tarrant, Peake

You're just making a change there for the sake of change. What has Brock done all summer?

And I reckon Drum only plays if you are dropping McPharlin, Grover, Dodd, Michael Johnson or Mundy, we don't need 6 tall defenders in the 22.

 

[theGav56]

And I reckon Drum only plays if you are dropping McPharlin, Grover, Dodd, Michael Johnson or Mundy, we don't need 6 tall defenders in the 22.

Gilmore should be on that list. And on Gilmore;

I wouldn't say he dominated, but he played well as a ruckman last year. We are yet to see him play well consistently in any other role at AFL level.

He was ordinary as a ruckman, but provided an honest contest. What he was good at was being a midfielder, or at least an extra midfielder who was being manned up by a ruckman.

 

[Borry]

Realising we must play younger players was probably the positive

Yeah, I think the club and supporters need to accept that our 'full strength'/most experienced line up is not actually that good. We are just too slow, in the head that is not just foot speed.

 

[Sman-21]

Positives

m carr did nothing an should be gone
Gilmore showed he can actually play at CHB shut down his opponent an still provide run an pickup plenty of possies.
Bell

Negatives

Mcmanus prob did just enough to get another game but should be gone
Ma Johnson same
Sandilands sure he may win taps but how many actually go to our advantage??


Tough calls need to be made no more picking guys on effort.
We have youngsters who can provide the effort an enthusiasm plus speed an skills to go with it.

Outs Ins
Mcarr Ibbo
Mcmanus Palmer
MaJohnson Mayne(can mark an play in mid)
MiJohnson Drum or Warnock

Reason for mijohnson out is he turned the ball over way too often an seemed to play as backup ruckman also done nothing all preseason.
If they plan on playing him as backup ruck surely warnock better than him.

 

[Wizard]

FWIW,

I thought Hayden was excellent. Just all class!

Be nice if he could stop his opponent once in a while. Runs and creates well but gets killed going the other way.

 

[dominguez]

Gilmore should be on that list. And on Gilmore;



He was ordinary as a ruckman, but provided an honest contest. What he was good at was being a midfielder, or at least an extra midfielder who was being manned up by a ruckman.

Gilmore is the new Mcmanus. He gives 110% but makes soooooo many errors.

 

[salim malik]

Be nice if he could stop his opponent once in a while. Runs and creates well but gets killed going the other way.

why do you bother following the dockers .ive only been on this site a short time but youre negativity , hatred and vitriol of most things purple is breathtaking .you and you/re sad palm buddy belnakor should grab yourself a life and another club to follow cause freo sure as hell dont need you .by the way calling someone a gutless dog as you did mundy could get you shot here in melbourne .that remark is probably the worst ive read on any board incl bay 13 .that was an utter disgrace

 

[dominguez]

Be nice if he could stop his opponent once in a while. Runs and creates well but gets killed going the other way.

That's a coaching issue IMO. In 2003 he was a superb stopper.

Phil Matera still answers to Haydens biatch.

 

[Wizard]

why do you bother following the dockers .ive only been on this site a short time but youre negativity , hatred and vitriol of most things purple is breathtaking .you and you/re sad palm buddy belnakor should grab yourself a life and another club to follow cause freo sure as hell dont need you .by the way calling someone a gutless dog as you did mundy could get you shot here in melbourne .that remark is probably the worst ive read on any board incl bay 13 .that was an utter disgrace

You better find me that Mundy quote there sunshine cos i dont recall saying anything like that. Have always been a fan of Mundys.

 

[pinkus maximus]

yep, the biggest positive is it is rd 1 and harvs has hopefully seen the players who constantly let cc down will let him down too

 

[chipper]

I think some of you are being a bit hard on Gilmore. From what I saw of the match (totally sober I might add) I was impressed with him. Thought his kicking was actually very good. Nice action.

 

[Freo Shark]

Positives

Hopefully two players have just played their last game for Freo. McManus and Matt Carr.

 

[Nodgey]

Look, Macca and MCarr were not superstars today, but it seems everyone here only wants to blame them for this loss, and I reckon that's mightily unfair.

For mine, it was our so-called stars in JCarr, Taz, Michael Johnson, and the second tier of Peake, Schammer and Solly who cost us today.

The usually sublime Johnno coughed it up ad infinitum, and JCarr, Taz & Solly were rarely sighted.

I refuse to believe that Palmer/Ibbo/Mayne instead of Macca/MCarr/Mark Johnson would have altered this result one bit.

It was a poor effort from the entire TEAM. The disposal going forward was atrocious at times. I hope Harvey gives the entire 22 a good kick up the bum and makes the required changes for next week.

Warnock MUST come in. Entering a match with only 1 ruckman is always frought with danger. In fact, it almost smacks of contempt. I don't like it at all.

But this is a thread about positives.. so... I reckon we did very well despite our poor form. The backline did ok, considering the presuure they were under. And Sandi took a couple of grabs.

Jeez. Give us Matthew Scarlett, allowing Elvis to move forward permanently, and we'd be premiership contenders no worries at all. Sigh.

 

[estibador]

I refuse to believe that Palmer/Ibbo/Mayne instead of Macca/MCarr/Mark Johnson would have altered this result one bit.

If it wouldn't alter the result then aren't we better off getting games into the younger three?

 

[purpleman]

If it wouldn't alter the result then aren't we better off getting games into the younger three?

yes

 

[Nodgey]

If it wouldn't alter the result then aren't we better off getting games into the younger three?

Yes I think we are. But only if they earn their spot. By all accounts Mayne played well today for Perth, and from I've seen Palmer and Ibbo actually DID do enough to earn a spot for round 1.

But I had no issue with us choosing an "experienced/senior" squad for this game, though. I thought Palmer unlucky, but I could see what Harvey had in mind.

My only gripe is that almost everyone is blaming 2 specific players in particular when they were by no means the worst offenders. Macca and MCarr are being unfairly singled out.

If we had played ALL the young'uns AND Warnock, AND still lost quite badly, how would we have all felt then?

Personally, I would drop MCarr & Peake. They have taken their ordinary pre-season form into the season proper.

 

[EastcoastDocker]

We werent soft today. we had shit skills and decision making but you couldnt say that we were soft which sometimes is the case with us..