Autopsy Round 1 - Freo defeated by Geelong

[Wally Walpamur]

We have some important senior players in the middle of the ground and I'd like to see them start demanding the ball out of the backline. Will it magically make Spurr, Sutcliffe, Ibbo & D.Pearce better at transitioning the ball next Sunday against Port? No, it won't just magically happen. But on-field it should be the likes of Fyfe and Neale, etc forcing Spurr, Sutcliffe, etc to change the way we move the ball.

I can't believe our players are coached to _not_ honour the lead. Or am I just being naive?

Agree the leaders should be coaching them on the field. I think the playing group are coached to play the percentages (it's the RTB way). If they're not confident they can make the kick, either based on turning it over previously or the thought of getting a grilling from the other players/coaches for turning it over, then they'll 'play the percentages' and kick it long up the line. It's just the RTB style, which is complete contrast to someone like Beveridge who backs his players to take a risk for great reward. Our problem, it seems, is we don't have the game plan or players to move it efficiently out of defence.

 

[edward powlett]

he limited fyfe's effectiveness, and was always laying in to him off the ball. There was one free kick awarded to fyfe off the ball after fyfe was whacked by blivcacs

I agree mate,but then if you havn't had as many posts as lach72 then you probably don't know much about football apparently.

 

[Righteo]

I think 28 and a goal in a losing side is a reasonably good return after almost a year out...

he limited fyfe's effectiveness, and was always laying in to him off the ball. There was one free kick awarded to fyfe off the ball after fyfe was whacked by blivcacs

It saddens me that we continue to let this happen. I thought Suban was meant to be our "enforcer" and offer some sort of protection.

 

[Scham]

I think 28 and a goal in a losing side is a reasonably good return after almost a year out...



It saddens me that we continue to let this happen. I thought Suban was meant to be our "enforcer" and offer some sort of protection.

We've got the biggest strongest guy in the league playing for us. Unfortunately he's also one of the nicest.

 

[Dirty_banchez]

Wow don't tell me you swallowed that. Really??

Nobody believes Ross anymore

 

[DudleyDocker]

I get your logic that it makes a strong forward line but it comes at the expense of having maybe the best mid field in the comp.

No way you opt for the midfield you outlined so you can play Fyfe and Bennell forward. I expect Fyfe to rest there and Harley to play a high half forward role similar to cousins essentially playing as a mid.

Again I think teams would thank you greatly if you limited your best mids to an occasional run through the mid field

We have had a strong midfield for several years (barring last year) and still come up empty handed. It helps having someone in the forward line who knows how to forward. Any chance you could give us Kennedy - you can have Suban, Danyle Pearce and Zac Dawson. Three for one, limited offer.

 

[Grandstan]

Sandi had just 1 mark, well below average for recent years, a few more possies than usual. Was there something different about the way we set up that didn't give him a chance to take marks? Those congested marks are usually one of his biggest strengths.

Edit: Clearances, not clangers

 

[wayToGo_]

but a massive 9 clangers

Where did you get this number? Sandi had 3 clangers. He had 9 clearances.

 

[Grandstan]

Where did you get this number? Sandi had 3 clangers. He had 9 clearances.

My bad. But he did have 5 IEDs, which isn't great.

 

[Lach72]

I agree mate,but then if you havn't had as many posts as lach72 then you probably don't know much about football apparently.

Stick to one account

 

[Scham]

Sandi had just 1 mark, well below average for recent years, a few more possies than usual, but a massive 9 clangers. Was there something different about the way we set up that didn't give him a chance to take marks? Those congested marks are usually one of his biggest strengths.

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What's his average contested marks per game over his career? I wouldn't have guessed it'd be a strength of his tbh. Some games yes, but on average no.

The thing that gets me is that we all lament at how we deliver the ball into the forward line by bombing long on top of our forwards head and yet the one bloke that we actually need to do that for we drop it 6m or so short of him and he's too slow to get to it.

 

[scon]

My bad. But he did have 5 IEDs, which isn't great.

Improvised Explosive Devices??
I'm sure it's not great.

 

[wayToGo_]

My bad. But he did have 5 IDEs, which isn't great.

I suppose when he is equal first for clearances we have to expect a 211cm giant to not be our cleanest distributor. I thought it was far from his best game but I think it was also better than a lot are making out. I think (and hope) we'll be a lot cleaner with our clearances once Neale is ready to come back into the middle. He's easily our best at winning first possession which in turn makes Sandi far more dominant (and probably means he can conserve more energy to float forward or whatever). Fyfe, Mundy and SHill will also be so much more dangerous (and better defensively) with Neale being in-and-under. Underestimated the impact until I started watching the replay.

 

[Grandstan]

I suppose when he is equal first for clearances we have to expect a 211cm giant to not be our cleanest distributor. I thought it was far from his best game but I think it was also better than a lot are making out. I think (and hope) we'll be a lot cleaner with our clearances once Neale is ready to come back into the middle. He's easily our best at winning first possession which in turn makes Sandi far more dominant (and probably means he can conserve more energy to float forward or whatever). Fyfe, Mundy and SHill will also be so much more dangerous (and better defensively) with Neale being in-and-under. Underestimated the impact until I started watching the replay.

I don't blame Sandi, just didn't seem we were using him well. Didn't seem to be kicking it to him, he seemed under more pressure to collect the ball in congestion than usual.
In recent years he's averaged 3.5 marks a game, and been one of the top in the comp for contested marks.

 

[Dump Truck]

he limited fyfe's effectiveness, and was always laying in to him off the ball. There was one free kick awarded to fyfe off the ball after fyfe was whacked by blivcacs

Seriously? Did you see the expression of Bliclavs face during the game. He did whatever he could (including off the ball cheap shots) plus other cats kept crashing into Fyfe and HE STILL beat them in marking contests etc. Fyfe was a shining light for us even though he wasn't given any space to breathe. Anyone who has played footy knows that Fyfe well and truly beat a bigger and potentially stronger opponent.

 

[PurpleReign95]

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[DudleyDocker]

Seriously? Did you see the expression of Bliclavs face during the game. He did whatever he could (including off the ball cheap shots) plus other cats kept crashing into Fyfe and HE STILL beat them in marking contests etc. Fyfe was a shining light for us even though he wasn't given any space to breathe. Anyone who has played footy knows that Fyfe well and truly beat a bigger and potentially stronger opponent.

I agree, what let us down was the other mids not stepping up to take advantage of the attention Fyfe was getting. Lachie Neale was well below his normal output but that is understandable given his preparation.

I remember in the 2013 GF Crowley went to Mitchell so they basically accepted his output would be limited and virtually used him as a decoy. I think Fyfe can expect to get a lot of attention this year, the coaches need to come up with a strategy to counter this.

 

[WilloTree]

Well, I did myself a favour (?!) and went and watched it again this arvo.
I also watched Lyon's presser.


It's only round one, so perhaps its a bit early to be getting so down.

Excellent observations. I especially agree on the part about not blaming players (being out). We're pretty close to full strength and had the dominant midfield on the day, It NOT the cattle - which is frustrating as we may be looking back in a couple of years and wonder why we were so poor with the likes of Mundy, Hill, Hill, Fyfe, Walters, Bennel, Sandi and Neale - who are all A graders. Carlton would give a left nut for any 2 of them. I feel we may be blowing this - big time.

 

[WilloTree]

Geelong put there spares in defense, often outnumbering our forwards 7 vs. 5.

One would often streak towards the wing from the back side of the centre square.

Leaving it as a 6 vs. 5.

Our spares would line up on the wing and run into the contest. Or stay wide to receive.

Yeah, I noticed that as we well. Happened pretty frequently from what I recall. I remember commenting at the time that I think Ross had his count wrong.

What I don't understand is why Ross just doesn't throw an extra number down therse to at least make them accountable for someone. Surely a Fyfe, Mundy or Sandi down there for 5 mins would give them something else to think about other than just picking off Nick Suban's up-and-unders.

 

[WilloTree]

No Geelong had a 7 man defence ,

... and at times we had 4. Something went horribly wrong with our game-plan on the day.

 

[Dump Truck]

Just curious, where can we find out the average age of all round 1 teams? I'd be interested to see if we did actually play a younger team or not.

 

[WilloTree]

Crozier, and Mundy were used down back last year. I prefer Crozier down back because it keeps him in the game, can
play tall or small and has been in the system for five years.
Weller is an offensive weapon, same as Langdon, Balic, we have choices, Blakey can play midfield, and as a kid played
as a flanker, HB.
Geelong were stronger around the ball, our tackling was inept, we couldnt control the tempo of the game, fix the midfield
defensively, and give the backline time to setup structurally.

I prefer Crozier in the team full stop. I think he needs consistency of games to improve. No point stalling him now. We need to make a decision here and back him in (and play him) or open up the spot on the list for the rebuild. Like Tabs and Sherridan, the ground work has been done but they won't reach any decent level by just training and playing at Peel. It's like asking a batsman to improve just by facing the bowling machine. Sooner or later they have to make runs out in the middle. If they don't, find someone who can.

 

[Moist Biscuit]

I prefer Crozier in the team full stop. I think he needs consistency of games to improve. No point stalling him now. We need to make a decision here and back him in (and play him) or open up the spot on the list for the rebuild. Like Tabs and Sherridan, the ground work has been done but they won't reach any decent level by just training and playing at Peel. It's like asking a batsman to improve just by facing the bowling machine. Sooner or later they have to make runs out in the middle. If they don't, find someone who can.

Great post! You've summed up my frustrations perfectly, Croz had his best season last year as a half back flanker and he's back into a small forward now.... Gotta wonder wtf our coaching staff are doing sometimes.

 

[dockerfemme]

Just curious, where can we find out the average age of all round 1 teams? I'd be interested to see if we did actually play a younger team or not.

Footywire has the average age and games played for each team when you look at the stats.

 

[Dump Truck]

Footywire has the average age and games played for each team when you look at the stats.

Thanks. So a quick search has shown we were the THIRD OLDEST TEAM this week besides Hawks and West Coast. Geelong was fourth. The other three teams are pushing for finals, we're looking at doing a rebuild and yet we've managed to put the third oldest team on the park. Now I try to back Ross completely but this is concerning. I understand play your way in etc and we didn't have too many others demanding selection but if we're looking for a more youthful approach we need to do a bit more. We had Sandilands, D.Pearce, Griffin, Mundy, Dawson and Johnson all over 30 with Spurr/Ibbo being 29. Our next oldest player was S.Hill at 26.

Besides Johnson, Sandilands and Mundy we should be looking to transition over the season to replace the over 30 players successfully by the end of the season. Ibbo and Spurr were great on the weekend but hopefully by the end of the year they're either in top form entrenched in best22 or being replaced by guys like Hughes/Nyhuis/Logue/Ryan/Grey/Cox. Griffin needs to be replaced by Apeness ASAP and as I've said earlier I think D.Pearce is an automatic selection until Bennell is back.