Autopsy Round 12, 2025: Positives and Negatives vs Geelong

[Mop]

Result didn’t match the effort that was put into the game. Make no mistake, the slow start was not ideal but the cats came to play and really I think early this year we go in 30+ points down at quarter time, not 17. So significantly improving I think week on week.

And that’s what we want to see, right? Improvement, week on week. Getting genuine games into our young guys who are part of the future. I am so much more sold on our future than at any point in the last 4 years.

That behind the goals vision of Hewett kicking his goal is going to be on repeat all week, I think. Just beelined the ball. I can’t remember a player we’ve had like that genuinely since the Judd/Kerr days.

I think Cameron also looked a bit sheepish last night too. I think he knows he got well beaten tonight bar the junk time goals at the end. Ginbey deserved the coaches vote he got.

We are a hard running midfielder short, I feel. Hopefully we can address that this draft.

Fair points, but I feel perhaps with a bit more time one of Hall or Bo Allan could be that player. Maybe.

Could Chesser be the missing piece? I don't think so, but you never know. Running isn't the issue with Chess.

 

[Monsterdarlz]

The game plan/style can be maintained. It's the Richmond style, look how well it served them in their dominant period a few years ago. Its taxing but as time goes on your team will be able to run out games and start to beat teams. Mini knows the style well, he came from Richmond. Its effective, and iteats teams.
Look at Geelong....once speed and chaos was applied....first time ive seem them panic so far this season. They were on the ropes.

West Coast are on the right track.

There hasn’t been any evidence of it working since you guys fell off a tree and 2020/2021 where Covid shortened seasons

 

[Wight Wolf]

I found it interesting that Scott mentioned Brockman when he was talking about tagging Reid & other players who could have got off the chain. Seems like teams are now seeing him as a legitimate midfield option so he’s on the right path.

Brockman looks extremely composed under pressure. Probably our most.

 

[AsterixTheGaul]

At 3/4 time, I said to my daughter “please remind me at the end of the game how pleased I was at 3/4 time” - it says it all

I also recall saying to Keys that I expect a significant improvement after the bye.

More games like what we saw and Norf, Tigers, Port and Sydney become close to, if not, winnable.

Posters, another wooden spoon is not a forgone conclusion

 

[Doashuey]

Well you tried to arrogantly Brisplain to DS that he was in fact talking about Fantasy points when he clearly wasn't, which I was just trying to point out to you.

Brisplain... I like it, could catch on.

 

[Nigellathechook]

Is it true that we played 14 players with less than 50 games?

 

[Godfather32]

Is it true that we played 14 players with less than 50 games?

13

 

[wce4premiership]

Is it true that we played 14 players with less than 50 games?

Without looking I would guess that's about right:

AReid
HReid
JWill
Long
Brock
Brockman
Hewett
HEdwards
Hutch
Allan
Maric

That's off the top of my head so there could be more. Ginbey just passed 50 I think.

 

[Godfather32]

13

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Actually I think this is wrong, I count 12

 

[THE A5]

Without looking I would guess that's about right:

AReid
HReid
JWill
Long
Brock
Brockman
Hewett
HEdwards
Hutch
Allan
Maric

That's off the top of my head so there could be more. Ginbey just passed 50 I think.

Maric has been frustrating but to his credit he has notched up 41 games since being drafted two years ago. Ginbey notched it recently but he was drafted 6 months earlier. He’s on the cusp of being dropped but he could be on 50 games this season which very decent .

 

[Dark Sharks]

Archer Reid looks like he could be a 400 gamer though, the way he competes in the air forward of the contest.

He also led the team with score involvements too and was unlucky not to kick a bag, did you know?

 

[Bender_]

Maric has been frustrating but to his credit he has notched up 41 games since being drafted two years ago. Ginbey notched it recently but he was drafted 6 months earlier. He’s on the cusp of being dropped but he could be on 50 games this season which very decent .

Maric may have been frustrating for you but a heap of people have been calling him an awesome defender.

 

[THE A5]

Archer Reid looks like he could be a 400 gamer though, the way he competes in the air forward of the contest.

He also led the team with score involvements too and was unlucky not to kick a bag, did you know?

Was that the same bag Bailey Smith was seen with last night?

 

[Dark Sharks]

Maric may have been frustrating for you but a heap of people have been calling him an awesome defender.

I ****ing knew it!

 

[D-N-R]

Am starting to believe we've backed a winner in mcqualter. If nothing else 'miniball' is fun to watch.

This game pretty much started the exact same way as the round 1 game against gold coast and you can see the development that has happened since then based on the way the team reacted. They didn't go into their shell, they stuck to the game plan and even when they were getting cut up they kept taking the game on and playing aggressively and eventually did start to open up Geelong and have them scrambling. When you consider the quality we are missing (ie the top 3 in our best and fairest from the already very low bar of last years bottom 4 side) it is actually pretty impressive how well they've adapted and how dangerous they look at times. The gameplan is far better than many of the individuals who are trying to make it work.

Tbh regardless of the result I feel like the team probably got more out of this than any other game this season. Geelong's forward line is elite and they are incredibly quick at exploiting mistakes and exposing teams on the counter, the6 are about thhe most difficult imaginable opponent to try to beat with Miniball, because every mistake from quick ball movement gets thrown straight back at you. That meant the backs had to function under huge pressure. So to be able to stick to the gameplan and produce good football even when that is happening is a big step forward. You can see the run and attack approach is becoming second nature for our players, they keep pressing even when they make mistakes and as soon as someone gets it at halfback their teammates are already in motion and demanding they move it- they've been trying to play that way all year and the team looks at bit like a learner driver just getting to the point where they start to instinctively 'know' how to drive rather than needing to stop and think and consciously follow instructions.

Might be a false hope but I feel like sooner or later this approach is going to click for four quarters and we're going to completely blow someone off the park.

The thing I like about this game plan is that it keeps you in the game longer. Even with all the errors and turnovers, when we have played high pressure football we have been close to winning. Once we sort out our disposals, it will translate into wins.

I also hope that Mini is trying to create players who are interchangeable. He has hinted at this on his early pressers. Players that can play a defensive role one week and move to the midfield the next. Or get shifted around mid game without upsetting the system. He's certainly tried players out in different positions, but I'm not sure I'd this is to teach them or find out what they can and can't do.

 

[jesterwester]

Fair points, but I feel perhaps with a bit more time one of Hall or Bo Allan could be that player. Maybe.

Could Chesser be the missing piece? I don't think so, but you never know. Running isn't the issue with Chess.

I still hold out hope for Chesser. He’s the one I genuinely hope fills that bracket. I am looking forward to seeing how mini uses him if he gets a good block of games- as you say running is not his issue and I feel he is more suited to our current game style than he was under Simmo.

I can see Allen turning into an Elliot Yeo in time. Perhaps slightly more outside than Yeo but can see similar trajectory with him.

I suppose I mean more an accumulator to balance us out. Something gaff did really well for us for a long time. Windsor at the dees an example of what I mean, I guess.

 

[UseR2006]

I still hold out hope for Chesser. He’s the one I genuinely hope fills that bracket. I am looking forward to seeing how mini uses him if he gets a good block of games- as you say running is not his issue and I feel he is more suited to our current game style than he was under Simmo.

I can see Allen turning into an Elliot Yeo in time. Perhaps slightly more outside than Yeo but can see similar trajectory with him.

I suppose I mean more an accumulator to balance us out. Something gaff did really well for us for a long time. Windsor at the dees an example of what I mean, I guess.

I'm also bullish on Chesser, under Simmo he'd be doing a LOT of dead running between the arcs and not get used because he wasn't supposed to be used.

Now he can be that link up and back and actually get used and because we are using both wings and going through the middle he can use his pace to great effect.
Was heartened that his first game in the WAFL off the surgery, on limited minutes was quite damn good.

Hopefully has another 2 matches in the WAFL, gets match fit and then can come in to the seniors and see how he goes without playing some dead ass role.

 

[jdisc]

Chess looked good in the WAFL game, clean disposal and has maybe put on a bit of size? Reminded me why he was a 1st round pick.

Still on the delist trajectory for me but if that game was any indication he will be pushing for a spot in the 22 in no time, and with mini will hopefully not be banished to the gimp wing

Has always been highly rated internally so there's still hope

 

[Corn69]

It's actually unbelievable that Ginbeast managed to shutdown Cameron for 3 and bit quarters.

With all the wankfest over Sheezel/Ashcroft and Wardlaw, I'm taking Ginbey over them everytime.

Ginbey in time will command the backline.

 

[Footfalcon]

13

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Huge performance for us

 

[Spod]

The difference between last year and now is that you can see the path forward to win games like that. Get the legs to run out the game we're really not far off. The gameplan is starting to look good and the kids are driving genuine improvement. Plenty to like and for the first time in a long time it feels like there is something good ahead for this team. That is the sort of game we need more of to lock in our quality players and bring over some big fish in the next few years.

 

[jdisc]

It's actually unbelievable that Ginbeast managed to shutdown Cameron for 3 and bit quarters.

With all the wankfest over Sheezel/Ashcroft and Wardlaw, I'm taking Ginbey over them everytime.

Ginbey in time will command the backline.

people who doubted the match up have obviously never taken a good look at the blokes biceps

 

[THE A5]

people who doubted the match up have obviously never taken a good look at the blokes biceps

It’s his chest and shoulders. In the close shots he just looked bigger than Cameron. Tho cameron got height and a massive reach and he’s one of the gangly types that are deceptively strong.

 

[jdisc]

It’s his chest and shoulders. In the close shots he just looked bigger than Cameron. Tho cameron got height and a massive reach and he’s one of the gangly types that are deceptively strong.

We default to pure height too often, ginbey had the ability, pace, and strength to compete with Cameron. HEdwards and Brock would've been caught out far too often, especially knowing our midfield pressure on the opposition.

Youre right though, Cameron is a beast and it was always going to be difficult to stop him

 

[ziad]

people who doubted the match up have obviously never taken a good look at the blokes biceps

Biceps for show, glutes and core for power