reality check

[audas]

Ok, so I live in London and things from the real world take time to get through to me here, like a video stream of the game from the afl.com.au web site.

Have watched most of the game now, and we were not good. we had the game won by the end of the first quarter, and we won that based on the umpires, Essendons poor shots for goal. Beyond that, we lost.

The main problem from last year seems to be the same for us this year again. Appalling delivery, penetration, into the forward line from half way line. The haste which this is done, the ineffectiveness and the poor options presented either through lack of options or, as was the case last year, always looking for fev.

We have two targets, fev and kennedy et al. Kennedy is too young to hold down this responsibility.

If our mids and runners don't get it through their heads that they too must contribute we are not going to win 14 games and I'm going to look like an idiot.

apart from the fact I might look like an idiot, .....

your thoughts.

 

[parrot]

Ok, so I live in London and things from the real world take time to get through to me here, like a video stream of the game from the afl.com.au web site.

Have watched most of the game now, and we were not good. we had the game won by the end of the first quarter, and we won that based on the umpires, Essendons poor shots for goal. Beyond that, we lost.

The main problem from last year seems to be the same for us this year again. Appalling delivery, penetration, into the forward line from half way line. The haste which this is done, the ineffectiveness and the poor options presented either through lack of options or, as was the case last year, always looking for fev.

We have two targets, fev and kennedy et al. Kennedy is too young to hold down this responsibility.

If our mids and runners don't get it through their heads that they too must contribute we are not going to win 14 games and I'm going to look like an idiot.

apart from the fact I might look like an idiot, .....

your thoughts.

I've watched the game twice. I have to totally disagree. Skills of all sides in the first round of the NAB were a bit rusty, and this game was probably the highest standard of the round. The Dons missed heaps of goals, but so did we. I thought our forward line structure was good, and Kennedy did OK with Fev. Our midfield was a class above the Dons and we totally destroyed them in the first half, but faded in the second half. We should have won this game by over 50 points. There were some excellent signs in defence and midfield. Murph was brilliant as usual. Simmo very good, and Carazzo was excellent. Our tackles stuck. The Setanta/Waite/Thornton KP defensive setup did very well and provided a lot of rebound. Denis was experimenting with different forward and defensive structures. For a first up game, I thought it was OK. Our list is light years ahead of what the Dons have in terms of talent in our younger player group. Our list, while raw, has some serious talent on every line now, and the upside is just massive. What is apparent already is the talent depth we have, meaning there is real competition for spots.

 

[AlecDuncan]

Ok, so I live in London and things from the real world take time to get through to me here, like a video stream of the game from the afl.com.au web site.

The Bombers had an extra full-scale hitout than we did and it showed in the second half. That said, both sides were rusty (Scott Lucas doesn't miss that many normally). Put it down to tiredness - the pace of the game was pretty high and more than a few legs would have been jelly. A bit more match-fitness will improve things, but accuracy still looks like a concern.

Our chief problem was the poor goal-kicking by the usual suspects led by Fisher. It might help if Fev played more as a decoy sometimes, and left space behind him near the goal square for Fisher where he's more comfortable. Fev can kick them from anywhere around the 50m line anyway. I wouldn't expect Fev to leave the goal-square this week though - he can already smell blood.

JK will get better - we all remember Fev's yips in his early days.

 

[BlueBelle]

It was our first game of the year against real opposition (if you can call Essendon that - he he ) and I am just happy we came away with the win.

Don't be too quick to judge just yet. We were obviously experimenting with a few things last week. Things will fall into place and we should definately have a better year than the past few.

Audas, in regards to 14 wins.... well it is a nice goal to work towards but I will be happy with anything above 6 wins this year. We can't expect them to come out and have a ripper year just yet. 2007 will show improvement, 2008 will build on that, 2009 finals, 2010 PREMIERSHIP!!!!

 

[Salaryman]

I agree with Audas in principle although as other posters have highlighted there were mediating factors. I think our forward structure could use a bit of work, but i think the best point audas made is that we do need a greater goal kicking contribution from our flankers and runners. We have relied on kick, mark goal for too long. I said this prior to last years draft and i stick by it, that we desperately need an Aaron Davey or Andrew Lovett type excitement machine, aside from Eddie. Caz (if you read this, take note for next year!! ). Failing that i think we need guys like Simmo, Stevo, Hoops and even Gibbsy to step up and be goal-kicking runners. Murph seems to already have this side to his game, as do the others i believe, it just seems to have ebbed out of our game a little, perhaps with pagan being so Fev-centric?

 

[NWTYRX]

predicting us winning 14 games, already makes you look like an idiot

 

[Johnny_3]

I've watched the game twice. I have to totally disagree. Skills of all sides in the first round of the NAB were a bit rusty, and this game was probably the highest standard of the round. The Dons missed heaps of goals, but so did we. I thought our forward line structure was good, and Kennedy did OK with Fev. Our midfield was a class above the Dons and we totally destroyed them in the first half, but faded in the second half. We should have won this game by over 50 points. There were some excellent signs in defence and midfield. Murph was brilliant as usual. Simmo very good, and Carazzo was excellent. Our tackles stuck. The Setanta/Waite/Thornton KP defensive setup did very well and provided a lot of rebound. Denis was experimenting with different forward and defensive structures. For a first up game, I thought it was OK. Our list is light years ahead of what the Dons have in terms of talent in our younger player group. Our list, while raw, has some serious talent on every line now, and the upside is just massive. What is apparent already is the talent depth we have, meaning there is real competition for spots.

Totally agree after watching about 4 nab cup games last week. Carlton were surely the best skilled. Faded out in the 2nd half but the skills from both teams on the field were quite good. Definently above standard for a preseason game.

 

[Blah Blah Blue]

I've watched the game twice. I have to totally disagree. Skills of all sides in the first round of the NAB were a bit rusty, and this game was probably the highest standard of the round. The Dons missed heaps of goals, but so did we. I thought our forward line structure was good, and Kennedy did OK with Fev. Our midfield was a class above the Dons and we totally destroyed them in the first half, but faded in the second half. We should have won this game by over 50 points. There were some excellent signs in defence and midfield. Murph was brilliant as usual. Simmo very good, and Carazzo was excellent. Our tackles stuck. The Setanta/Waite/Thornton KP defensive setup did very well and provided a lot of rebound. Denis was experimenting with different forward and defensive structures. For a first up game, I thought it was OK. Our list is light years ahead of what the Dons have in terms of talent in our younger player group. Our list, while raw, has some serious talent on every line now, and the upside is just massive. What is apparent already is the talent depth we have, meaning there is real competition for spots.

Could not agree with you more Parrot in your response to Audus. I thought we showed a fair bit. Of course skills will still be a bit rusty at this stage but I saw enough to know we are definately on the improve.

As you've noted above and I mentioned in a previous thread one of the best things we have going for us now is COMPETITION for positions in the starting 22.

This, the talent we are gathering, genuine incremental improvement in the younger kids and a terrific coaching set up auger well for this year [would love 14 wins, touch unrealistic - but stranger things....] and serious improvement in 2008 and on.

Big challenge tonite though and I'm sure will generate a lot of debate whichever way it goes. Go Blues

 

[av76]

Some interesting points.

The only area of see people getting a little carried away is expecting some of the later draft picks from this and the previous year making an impact this year and next.

Other than that, I think we have seen a lot to say we are moving forward rapidly. We suddenly have a convincing backline of Thornton, Setanta and Waite with some handy depth players (Saddington, Bannister) and a rapidly emerging young gun in Bower. Our forward line looks a lot healthier if we can Whitnall up forward.
Our main weakness has been the midfield. We were always 3-4 decent-to-good middlefielders short of being competitive. Over the last year guys like Houlihan, Carazzo and Bentick have developed AFL ready bodies and got the kms into the their legs. Add to that Walker and Russel. Murphy, a freak, has developed so quickly and Simpson is coming into his own. We also have Gibbs who can play a skillful receivers role straight away. We still have Steven and Scotland in their prime and Kouta to play cameos. So there has been considerable improvement in a short space of time. The ruck remain a problem though. Around the ground, we also have some hard bodies to plug holes and provide competition for kids (Wiggins, Saddington, McClaren and Bannister).
Sorry if I am just repeating what already been said, but I really think we are moving forward quickly. Whether that means wins against the established, mature bodied sides is another matter.

 

[HBF]

Have watched most of the game now, and we were not good. we had the game won by the end of the first quarter, and we won that based on the umpires, Essendons poor shots for goal. Beyond that, we lost.

Did you expect us to dominate the game from start to finish?
Essendon were always going to have a patch in the game where they were going to "dominate", and the fact that they did and we held them at bay proves that we have improved already since last year.

Also remember that it is round 1 of the NAB Cup, and we are still trying to iron out a few chinks in the chain.

 

[AndyWalkersGirl]

Some interesting points.

The only area of see people getting a little carried away is expecting some of the later draft picks from this and the previous year making an impact this year and next.

Other than that, I think we have seen a lot to say we are moving forward rapidly. We suddenly have a convincing backline of Thornton, Setanta and Waite with some handy depth players (Saddington, Bannister) and a rapidly emerging young gun in Bower. Our forward line looks a lot healthier if we can Whitnall up forward.
Our main weakness has been the midfield. We were always 3-4 decent-to-good middlefielders short of being competitive. Over the last year guys like Houlihan, Carazzo and Bentick have developed AFL ready bodies and got the kms into the their legs. Add to that Walker and Russel. Murphy, a freak, has developed so quickly and Simpson is coming into his own. We also have Gibbs who can play a skillful receivers role straight away. We still have Steven and Scotland in their prime and Kouta to play cameos. So there has been considerable improvement in a short space of time. The ruck remain a problem though. Around the ground, we also have some hard bodies to plug holes and provide competition for kids (Wiggins, Saddington, McClaren and Bannister).
Sorry if I am just repeating what already been said, but I really think we are moving forward quickly. Whether that means wins against the established, mature bodied sides is another matter.

Our forward line worries me - it seems to lact structure, and we stil seem very Fev-orientated. Someone posted the fact that we need more running goals, not just the mark-kick-goal think that we have relied on so much lately.

Hopefully tonight sees us with a few more goal kickers, sharing it out evenly, and yes Fev to score a few.

 

[Johnny_3]

Our forward line worries me - it seems to lact structure, and we stil seem very Fev-orientated. Someone posted the fact that we need more running goals, not just the mark-kick-goal think that we have relied on so much lately.

Hopefully tonight sees us with a few more goal kickers, sharing it out evenly, and yes Fev to score a few.

Alot of teams function having a forward line when the FF kicks 3-8 but Carlton just doesnt do it, if so rarely.

One of the best forward lines on paper but to date hasn't performed

 

[av76]

Our forward line worries me - it seems to lact structure, and we stil seem very Fev-orientated. Someone posted the fact that we need more running goals, not just the mark-kick-goal think that we have relied on so much lately.

Hopefully tonight sees us with a few more goal kickers, sharing it out evenly, and yes Fev to score a few.

Yeah, has been a little frustrating seeing the lack of structure...hopefully Lance can help that out by just knowing where to be. Also, Lappin would be useful down there. With Kennedy and Fev doing the running leads. Add Gibbs and Betts and Kouta sometimes. We just need some smarts down there. Fisher could may play on the wing????

 

[ShlomoGlickstein]

Our forward line worries me - it seems to lact structure, and we stil seem very Fev-orientated. Someone posted the fact that we need more running goals, not just the mark-kick-goal think that we have relied on so much lately.

Hopefully tonight sees us with a few more goal kickers, sharing it out evenly, and yes Fev to score a few.

I agree 1000% here. Guys like Eddie and Fisher aren't gonna be kicking running goals, and Eddie is not doing enough crumbing and snapping for goal. It's still FEV-Or-NOTHING in our forward line. Sure JJ-K will be an assett, but we need guys busting packs and kicking goals - we need that authority up forward if we're gonna scare the Swans, Freo, Weagles and those ****s at St.Kilda.

 

[as0l0]

I agree 1000% here. Guys like Eddie and Fisher aren't gonna be kicking running goals, and Eddie is not doing enough crumbing and snapping for goal. It's still FEV-Or-NOTHING in our forward line. Sure JJ-K will be an assett, but we need guys busting packs and kicking goals - we need that authority up forward if we're gonna scare the Swans, Freo, Weagles and those ****s at St.Kilda.

well the eagles got a fair scare last year. remember that?