Autopsy Round 1 - Freo defeated by Geelong

[Unique Name]

Just on a side note, why do we have so many post game threads?

It would be much easier to follow if we have a game day thread which gets closed at the end of the game, a single autopsy/changes for next week thread which is opened after the game. I guess you also need just a pure votes thread also.

That's what we normally do. But I don't think any Mods have been on to cleanup the mess.

Allikat Tayl0r Righteo

Can we clean up the duplicates and lock the gameday thread please.

 

[meima]

Please be considerated as our mod needed some time to get over freo result .

 

[Taylor]

My six year old step baby was very upset at her dad making fun

 

[salim malik]

S

Suban, Pearce and Griffin aren't forwards

Griffin is a ruck forward, Pearce has always played wing, high half forward , Suban has always been plug and play. They all played in their normal positions. They didn't play well but they lined up in their positions

 

[salim malik]

Playing sutcliffe in defence. He gets toweled each week and disposal by foot is atrocius.

Sutcliffe also had kick in duties for most of the game. Why Sutcliffe? When we have solid ball users like the Hill brothers and/or Weller

Sutcliffe has played half back since he arrived at Freo. The Hill bros and Weller aren't half backs. Just because Sutcliffe didn't play well doesn't mean he was played out of position.

 

[Dump Truck]

Ten goalkickers was a positive of sorts.

I'd say that's one of the things that Ross has tried to implement more this season. If we can get 5-8 players chiming in with a goal a game then we just need our forwards to kick 2-3. Our problem last night was we never looked threatening moving forward. Watch the crows, eagles, bulldogs, port games and you'll see just how different they look going forward.

 

[Big Animal]

We won the hitouts (63 - 18) which gave us the edge in the midfield, we won the centre clearances (17 - 12) and stoppages (31 - 22). Our edge in the midfield let us win the inside 50 count (51 - 43). Somehow we matched Geelong for marks inside 50 (11 - 11). We did this with Fyfe and Neale both looking somewhat off the pace.

Skills coming out of the backline, poor forward entries, little to no forward line structure and poor coaching cost us.

Skills coming out of the backline
- Geez Johnson was poor. Needs to get his touch back because he was a liabilty last night.
- Sutty was hit and miss, some good things some bad. I think between Johnson and Sutty they cost us about 6 goals from turnovers.
- Ibbo did quite well I thought which is a good sign.

Poor forward entries
- So many bombs into the F50. What's the point? Geelong had every forward double teamed.
- Think it was the 4th qtr - Fyfe broke free of a stoppage ran 10-15m and then just bombed it to the hotspot. He didn't even look, because we didn't have anyone within 20m of where he kicked it. He had space and time and that was still the option he took.

Forward line structure
- Geelong had an extra in the backline. Surely these players are taught/instructed to seperate so the oppositions +1 has to choose with player to cover. How many times were all of our forwards crowded together. Their extra was able to cover everyone so basically all of our forwards were double teamed.
- If Tabs had played the last three games with the same output as Kersten he would have been hung, drawn and quartered. We would be saying he'll never make it as an AFL player, etc.

Poor coaching
- We could all see that our inside 50's were atrocious, could Ross? We continously kicked to an outnumbered contest? Man up their extra in the backline, tell the forwards to seperate so the extra has to choose who to cover, something, anything!

I agree. These stats were positive going forward plus the skill errors will reduce (a number of guys haven't played AFL for a year or thereabouts) and the synergy between players will come as they actually play together consistently over a number of games, particularly with the new players. McCarthy getting 6 shots is a big + for first game in over a year and he will start hitting them and influencing the scoreboard.

What I think needs to change (aside from Bennell coming in asap to give us another elite kick and scoring option) is we need to reward form with a small number of changes. Tabs kicked 5 for Peel and is 200cm. Swapping out Kersten to Peel to get some form and bringing in Tabs will reduce the quality and height of the forward playing on McCarthy freeing him up, and give us another decent marking option as we bring the ball up the field. Bombing into the 50 still needs to be corrected to picking out leads but I've been saying this for two seasons so I don't expect much to change in this regard. Bringing the ball out needs another sharp kick and I think Crozier could help here like he was doing late 2016. Not sure why Ross changed his mind.

 

[Big Animal]

I'd say that's one of the things that Ross has tried to implement more this season. If we can get 5-8 players chiming in with a goal a game then we just need our forwards to kick 2-3. Our problem last night was we never looked threatening moving forward. Watch the crows, eagles, bulldogs, port games and you'll see just how different they look going forward.

I watched a few of those games and agree but WC is just a one-man band. People talked about us being Pav-centric but except when they are down-hill skiing and Lecras and others decide to get involved, it is all about Kennedy (and you can see why). He's hardly missed a game in a few seasons but I wouldn't be putting any money on them for the flag because if he goes down at all, I think they would really struggle to kick a decent score. Adelaide on the other hand is a collective goal machine, especially at home.

Back on topic, we'll never look threatening up forward until we stop just bombing it in and hope, and learn to seek out leads and the forwards realise it's worth leading. (tongue in cheek) maybe we should have a rule that if your name's not Hill, you can't kick it over the F50 line?

 

[Grandstan]

I'd expected the forwards and defence to have issues week 1 given the changes to the lineup. What was most disappointing was to see how slow we moved the ball off half-back from turnovers, and how much trouble we had taking advantage of the taps to advantage at stoppages.
When we towelled Geelong at Kardinia Park 2 years ago the handballing and movement around the stoppages (Fyfe, Mundy, Neale and Barlow all had days out) was fast and threatening. We may have stoppage numbers in our favour yesterday, but rarely attacked or switched at pace - which allowed Geelong to set up and defend so easily.

 

[igon value]

We won the hitouts (63 - 18) which gave us the edge in the midfield, we won the centre clearances (17 - 12) and stoppages (31 - 22). Our edge in the midfield let us win the inside 50 count (51 - 43). Somehow we matched Geelong for marks inside 50 (11 - 11). We did this with Fyfe and Neale both looking somewhat off the pace.

These headline numbers flatter us a bit, masks the problem with our possession chains. It would be good to know the average number of continuous possessions Freo has vs other clubs, and the overall territory we win in each chain.

It feels like the best clubs can have a 10-link possession chain that gains 100m before putting the ball into dispute, whereas we maybe have 4-5 possession links before doing the same and gaining 50m.

 

[youmewe]

Cam McCarthy - went 1 goal 5, which is really less then optimal. The good thing is that he managed 6 shots at goal. Hopefully he does better at converting in the future.

B.Hill - Looked very clean with the ball and when kicking it inside 50, went to the man on the lead rather then the long bomb which gives me a small shiver of hope.

Kersten - About to become a new whipping boy if he plays like that each week

Hamling - Decent enough job given what he had to work with.

Careful you're starting to sound like RTB..."A lot (of turnovers) happened early and they're not ideal, but that wasn't the issue."

Hang on, you're not RTB are you? I mean has anyone ever seen you and RTB in the same room at the same time?

 

[summerthebat]

45 total tackles for the games, our lowest total in two years.

11 players with one tackle or less, six players with zero tackles.
For context, Mayne, DeBoer, Silvagni & Yarran had 17 tackles combined in their final game for Fremantle. McCarthy, Kersten, Brad Hill & Hamling had THREE tackles, combined.

Geelong had 20 contested marks (five more than any other team this round).

We had the lowest rebound 50 tally of any team this round and a long way from the league median.

And yet, our clearances, disposal efficiency and clanger total was either up near the top of the league or better than average.

Quite simply, we didn't try.

The obvious solution is to lift the intensity to make us more competitive, youthful exuberance can help with that, if it doesn't you need to start looking at who the players are playing for (or rather not playing for).

Mundy, Sandilands, Ibbotson and Sutcliffe didn't lay a tackle the entire game, mentally they checked out, or perhaps they didn't play for either Fyfe or Lyon.

 

[youmewe]

Ten goalkickers was a positive of sorts.

Not when they only add up to 10 goals.

Perhaps RTB can only count up to 10? Should be 11 at least.

Take your shoes and socks off RTB Gussman , you can get to 21.

 

[jakefooty23]

Just thinking how smart Geel were in their use of Danger up forward. They pushed him forward when our tall defenders were all busy looking after the Geel talls leaving Ibbo to go with Danger. They looked for him and just put it up for him to mark. I'd like to know how many times we had Griff, Kerstin, McCarthy and Fyfe all up forward when we had the ball at HF. I suggest eIther it never happened or we did but clustered together allowing the defenders to easily get across.

Two of the goals kicked from danger was him outmarking hamling, which one was ibbo?

 

[aussieviking]

Just watched the game again......My observations without the emotion

Backline seemed to be 1 big player too many. Johnson or Hamling would be lucky to play next week. Dawson was solid and can handle bigger players that Hamling would struggle with.
Ibbottson can play tall if needed Johnson Hamling slaughter the ball too

Why we kick high to a contest when going forward is beyond me. D Pearce is a classic ball waster. I would play in forward pocket at least then when he bombs away he will shooting for goal.

I think we could play with 1 ruck if Tabiner was to come in instead of Griffen.. Kirsten is a crap player from what I have seen but will get another opportunity

I loved Langdon and Blakely games. Still not sure about Weller. He doesn't get enough of the ball. McCarthy showed a lot of potential

 

[Lach72]

I like typing in real small font...it's like we're whispering...and then you can go really large and start yelling

 

[Demons09]

Two of the goals kicked from danger was him outmarking hamling, which one was ibbo?

This summed it up for me Danger was in the goal square next to Ibbo doubled over in pain, can't remember who marked it anyway they chipped it to about 20 meters out and Danger easy as you like took the mark with no pressure, don't know whether he fooled Ibbo or not but the effort was disgraceful.

 

[igon value]

From the gameday thread, by wayToGo_

I don't get why with guys like Brad Hill, Stephen Hill, Langdon, Weller and Danyle Pearce in our team we don't run the ball more often? It almost seems like they are told not to take the game on at all.

One passage that frustrated me was Suban speared a nice pass to Griffin and then kept running to 1-2 to generate a bit of overlap. Instead Griffin went back and ... bombed the ball into the 50.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

Cam Sutcliffe had 23 possessions at 90% efficiency. If you blokes are going to sink the boots in, at least have some kind of evidence to support it. Sutcliffe played probably the best I've seen him play for over 12 months.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

Playing sutcliffe in defence. He gets toweled each week and disposal by foot is atrocius.

Sutcliffe also had kick in duties for most of the game. Why Sutcliffe? When we have solid ball users like the Hill brothers and/or Weller

Can't Sutcliffe had 23 possessions at 90% efficiency. If you blokes are going to sink the boots in, at least have some kind of evidence to support it. Sutcliffe played probably the best I've seen him play for over 12 months.

 

[Freo Jail]

Some random thoughts.

Gee - thought both our forward and backline setups looked very disorganised. Geelong on the other hand seemed well drilled and very well organised as a team - they caught us out quite a few times.

Johnno, Sandi, CamMc and to a lesser extent Fyfey looked like they hadn't played AFL for nearly a year. CMac definitely got more involved after half time and even played well in the last quarter - he kicked 1 goal 5, so he wasn't that far off the mark. Fyfe also started to will himself back into the game later on.

The midfield played pretty well together, so that's a positive - also Eddy Langdon continues to improve.

Our fitness seemed good - we were all over the Cats in the last quarter - too little, too late - but it's better than fading badly at the end.

Overall, I thought that's about where we'd be. I thought Geelong were flattered by the scoreline - but were still definitely the best team out there.

Next week should be better.

Bang on 4 key players basically missed 12 months, the game changes, it has got quicker no doubt. This combined with the 4 new guys to the club and I think it will take at least 6 weeks for it all to settle down and gel and let everyone get used to playing together. I am ever the optimist but I am prepared for a start to the season not to dissimilar to last year, the difference being we should be able to finish off the back end of the year quite well. Hopefully I am wrong and it all settles down quickly, I would be surprised though. I still think Ross is trying to hang on to the hope of a top eight finish, highlighted by playing the likes of Dawson, Suban and Pearce, if we are in rebuild mode as it is stated please play Collins, Crozier and any of Shero, Balic, Hughes etc...One can hope!! B Hill was the best of the new guys for mine, he will build into being crucial for us, I like his recruitment more and more, I had my doubts at first. His brother will drive him to get the best out of himself and keep him on the straight and narrow.

 

[T0ecutter]

Careful you're starting to sound like RTB..."A lot (of turnovers) happened early and they're not ideal, but that wasn't the issue."

Speaking of which... the Lyon press conference headline is, "i didn't prepare the team well."

WTF.... a seasoned experienced coach doesn't know how to prepare a team for round 1?

To make matters worse...he doesn't seem to realise, or won't admit, he was completely out coached by Chris Scott and the glaring holes in his game plan can even be seen by the dunderhead media commentators.

Player selection/recruitment are incredibly suspect but now the coach's own weasel words show just how much he and the club are in denial.

 

[Freo Jail]

Just to add Blakely is a pure onballer and he will play all his best footy there, getting in and under. He needs more faith shown in him as he was mainly played as a half forward yesterday and it did not look natural to him, doesn't have the foot speed to play there.

 

[Taylor]

Speaking of which... the Lyon press conference headline is, "i didn't prepare the team well."

WTF.... a seasoned experienced coach doesn't know how to prepare a team for round 1?

To make matters worse...he doesn't seem to realise, or won't admit, he was completely out coached by Chris Scott and the glaring holes in his game plan can even be seen by the dunderhead media commentators.

Player selection/recruitment are incredibly suspect but now the coach's own weasel words show just how much he and the club are in denial.

I think he wanted to play his way instead of defending the Geelong style. He seemed to think we could have matched them better structured up differently.

That sounded like playing our own attacking style for a change or reverting to a more competitive but defensive style.

 

[beetz]

Just to add Blakely is a pure onballer and he will play all his best footy there, getting in and under. He needs more faith shown in him as he was mainly played as a half forward yesterday and it did not look natural to him, doesn't have the foot speed to play there.

the dreaded Half Forward position, where Ross puts players to die a la Michael Barlow......

Blakely better watch out.