Autopsy Roast & Toast v Adelaide and Changes for Geelong

[AstuteTiger]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned it but the top 8 & top 4 more so have had the majority of their teams play together for an extended time.
We have new players across all lines. This is very important in being predictable to each other & team confidence in each other. Remember how often Dimma used to mention that? We are a little while from that and will also transition more experienced players out over the next 2 to 3 years. This is part of what a rebuild takes... It's made the 3 wins all the more sweeter...

I agree with all that. I think the angst is the game plan or lack thereof. We had the perfect formula and won a dynasty. Yep we had multiple stars, but after 2016 Caracella helped develop the game plan, which entailed ballistic pressure all over the ground. Then in 2019, we added the forward handball game, which blitzed through most teams.
Dimmas game plan before that couldn't cut it in the finals. 3 straight EF losses.

I still have faith in Yze but want to see the game plan further tinkered with as now it's way too much bombing to contests, so predictable to the opposition who set up for it nicely and then breakaway on the counter attack.

 

[shaky]

At least Ross actually got some clean clearances, didn't panic and found someone in space. Stark contrast to our other mids.

I honestly cant remember ever watching another side that misses so many handballs. Handballing to players feet from 1m away, and we must handball direct to the opposition close to 20 times a game. Driving me insane.

I was going to say I have seen a worse side with disposal, my sons under 14 team, but on reflection I think I might be being a bit harsh on them.

 

[shaky]

Just bring him in straightaway

Just felt we might be a bit top heavy, we already are a very slow team

 

[CASEYS9420]

Well we should've won all the Norf, Ess, GWS, Syd games and be sitting with 7 wins right now. Unfortunately this weeks going to be another thrashing, Lalor & Short returning is the only silver lining

 

[Blinger]

I am critical of our forward line & midfield. I liked what I saw in patches in the last quarter, where we were hitting players on a lead & running hard at different times. This constant bombing the ball into the forward line needs to stop. We need our forwards to start to move players around, especially when you see a player like Lynch with 2 & 3 players on him & yet we still kick it to him. There has to be 2 of our forwards loose. So for me Lynch can act as a decoy after he gets back from suspension, & the other forwards need to be learning there leading lanes & separation from each other. Stop the bombing & hit the leads & move the ball quickly into the forward line to allow this to happen. This should also apply up the field. I don't care who the player is, if he has made space & there is no one within 20m, kick the bloody ball to them, instead of kicking it straight to another contest & watch it get turned over.

 

[cairo tiger]

More than Sonsie and Green

thats easy they go as well. short is a clogger now, banks has his spot and is not letting go

 

[TJTIGER]

thats easy they go as well. short is a clogger now, banks has his spot and is not letting go

We need to be mindful of transitioning players out. We don't want too much of a vacuum created in terms of experience & supporting new players/draftees. We all saw what happened at North, I'd think the club is considering this issue...

 

[tiger_tough]

thats easy they go as well. short is a clogger now, banks has his spot and is not letting go

Agree that Banks has taken his spot at half back. Hopefully he gets played further up the ground now. Comfortably best 22 still.

 

[Hoos]

what has short done?

Nothing much since 2020.

 

[Hoos]

Lalor & Short returning is the only silver lining

Not sure how Short returning is any sort of silver lining.

 

[docko911]

Not sure how Short returning is any sort of silver lining.

He’s not allergic to the football like half our smalls

 

[CASEYS9420]

Not sure how Short returning is any sort of silver lining.

I've never understood how Short became a whipping boy here??? he's good role player, 2x premiership player, B&F winner and when he plays in his position at HB hes a regular contributor but not a match winner. I'd be playing Short over KMac a thousand times over.

 

[Jammo1111]

Ross got 23 possessions and most of them went to advantage. He is a very creative user of the ball and strong in the contest. He should be in the middle most of the time rather than the 3 usuals. It is going to come to a crunch when McAuliffe, Lalor, Hotton and with a bit of luck Smillie come into the side. There is no room for all of Hopper, Prestia and Taranto and those mentioned above. Something has to give as those 3 are awful users of the ball. (Prestia has been good but age is not on his side).

Banks is our new Houli, Rioli HB who times his run perfectly to receive the handball so that he is at full tilt running forward when he gets it. So much better than Short in that regard. Just need Brown to start backing himself as well. Attack comes from half back these days so Brown needs to be given more licence to leave the defensive 50.

When Lalor, Hotton and Algar are all in together, our forward line will be so much more potent. All three are good in the air, read the play like natural forwards and are quick. Green has lost all confidence, Sonsie is slow and does not put his head over the ball, and Mansell is not a forward.

Adelaide is a very good side on the rise and I feared for a real pasting before the game. 70 odd points is a pasting, but it wasn't one way traffic. Until we sort out our midfield, and injuries to Lalor and McAuliffe and Ross being squeezed forward hasn't helped, we are going to struggle against the top sides. Papering over cracks when we play avarage to poor sides because our midfield can hold their own.

Great synopsis

 

[guruisatiger]

Grigga thanks

Grigga will be to Morris
What caracella was to Hardwick

 

[guruisatiger]

I’m sure it has very little to do with Yze. They’ve been on the list before Yze even started at the club. Second, even if we had a pick, we couldn’t have selected McCarthy. The way people talk up Davidson is like he’s an A-grade player.

And essendon picked d'ambrosio with the pick before us just like they did with durrham

 

[IceT]

Was looking at round 1 2017 recently.

Butler played very well, as did George. They were helped enormously by the quality players around them. Dusty could have kicked a simple goal but handballed to Butler instead for his first ever AFL goal.

If those 2 players began their careers this season, I doubt they would have succeeded at AFL level.
The support they received from the experienced A graders when they began their AFL careers was invaluable.

Has me questioning the wisdom of throwing all the newbies to the wolves. I realise we probably didn't have a choice given all the champions who retired since 2020, but with the likes of Taranto and Hooper not offering much support to the kids, I am concerned that we are ruining rather than developing AFL players by playing them in the depleted seniors too soon and for too long.

The sporadic senior appearances by Prestia, Balta and Lynch exacerbates the problem.

It is putting enormous pressure to perform on everyone at the club, none more so than the new draftees.

Will this make them or break them..............

 

[wegetpumped]

I've never understood how Short became a whipping boy here??? he's good role player, 2x premiership player, B&F winner and when he plays in his position at HB hes a regular contributor but not a match winner. I'd be playing Short over KMac a thousand times over.

Trouble with players like short and that's not a disrespect is when there is quality around them, they show up but are not the type to get the team going when the going gets rough. There are lots of these types in every club.

 

[wegetpumped]

I’m sure it has very little to do with Yze. They’ve been on the list before Yze even started at the club. Second, even if we had a pick, we couldn’t have selected McCarthy. The way people talk up Davidson is like he’s an A-grade player.

No, nothing to do with him, but those players were in our system and had a way to get them onto the list way before they went to the draft. Davidson, I can understand because of his age and where we at, but the other's ohh my.

 

[wegetpumped]

Can't review any young players until they get the minimum 50 game apprenticeship under their belts.

We have kids running round ATM.

You can't hold reviewing at any stage. What's the point, for eg, waiting for a sonz 5 years to maybe get to 50 before making a decision. Look at Geelong and their youth system, they don't bring them in till they are ready and stay in the side. Our system comes in, then goes out, back in goes out, rinse and repeat. Look at Simms was not ready to come in instead of let him find his feet in the VFL brought him in a failed system now his goes out and was very poor even in the VFL>

 

[Muddiemoose]

Agree that Banks has taken his spot at half back. Hopefully he gets played further up the ground now. Comfortably best 22 still.

Maybe even give Banks a crack though the middle
We already know short can be the guys off half back
But if we are going to experiment why not see if Banks can show even more versatility

 

[Grrr]

Was looking at round 1 2017 recently.

Butler played very well, as did George. They were helped enormously by the quality players around them. Dusty could have kicked a simple goal but handballed to Butler instead for his first ever AFL goal.

If those 2 players began their careers this season, I doubt they would have succeeded at AFL level.
The support they received from the experienced A graders when they began their AFL careers was invaluable.

Has me questioning the wisdom of throwing all the newbies to the wolves. I realise we probably didn't have a choice given all the champions who retired since 2020, but with the likes of Taranto and Hooper not offering much support to the kids, I am concerned that we are ruining rather than developing AFL players by playing them in the depleted seniors too soon and for too long.

The sporadic senior appearances by Prestia, Balta and Lynch exacerbates the problem.

It is putting enormous pressure to perform on everyone at the club, none more so than the new draftees.

Will this make them or break them..............

Difference being they are all top draft pics so performance is expected to some degree faster than lowly picks. This adds pressure for sure, but they have the talent to produce and most have all shown they can perform at the level.

We are not being demoralised in games. For large periods of nearly every game there have been arm-wrestles for good periods. But good teams don't need many chances and capitalise. Watching the game on the weekend it wasn't our kids that let us down, but the established players. Fumbled hand passes, hand passes to players feet, blind kicks forward, dumb free kicks.

The last part of the year will be important, but we will see a whole swag of new talented kids come back or debut. Lalor and Hotton this week hopefully, Gibcus, Armstrong, McAuliffe, Smillie. A good deal to get enthusiastic about. Another pre-season plus two high draft pics or trade for a star, and things can turn around quickly.

 

[tigs2010]

Maybe Kozi can come in and play FF until Armstrong is ready. Like the role we recruited the campaigner for.

 

[tiger_tough]

Maybe Kozi can come in and play FF until Armstrong is ready. Like the role we recruited the campaigner for.

 

[tigs2010]

Confirms its a great idea

 

[SA_Tiger11]

Balta probably needs to go forward ay