Kegs15
Just a fan
Positive: Being at the game, first win I've seen live in over two years! Felt pretty bloody good, had that sick sinking jolt after the siren as I'd totally forgotten the song but spirits remained high!
At the game, one thing I loved from Williams (and I've not always been his biggest fan) was that he really did the boring stuff well. Too often he does this big stupid fly for a mark which would be mark of the year if it came off but if he misses it means he's totally avoided influencing the contest. On Sunday he was getting in the right spots down the line and holding his ground so nobody else could mark it, getting in the way of at least one big oppo player if he couldn't get to it himself, getting both hands on it and dropping it at least in the general direction of our players rather than theirs, locking up his man more at ruck contests so that if they won the hitout it'd just be hitting the floor rather than directed anywhere dangerous (usually again he'd try and Nic Nat over the top of them in the past).
Wildly different players but I think we saw that massive upswing in Sheppard when he stopped seeming to try and do something special each time, play off the 'high draft pick pressure' and be this silky gun. Focused on locking things up, beating his man, if he was only a 10% chance to win a contest rather than try for the miracle chance he'd make sure to be in a position to scrag things up, impact the next contest, only lose it 51-49 etc etc. And his natural athleticism meant he was actually a phenomenal defensive player who could build confidence offensively as he felt comfortable in his spot.
Think there's something to work with, as a negating Nankervis #1 ruck role, still don't think he should play paired with another genuine ruck or try too hard to be Naitanui when he's barely even ready to be Bailey. His fitness is clearly something that he's gotten to a good degree and we probably need to acknowledge more. Still a massive doofus.
Am totally fine that McGovern Barrass and Allen weren't great - we already know they're good, can sort out positioning/shake off rust well before our seasons start to get 'on the line' again and would much rather we win off the back of players like SPS, Hunt, Ginbey, Long (newer players/bottom 6 picked etc) actually holding their weight and looking comfortable out there. Far better than our seniors dragging the team over the line like they would have done against North if we got up.
Gaff is my only real negative. Can't fault his effort - worryingly unlike last season where his running was clearly hampered, he actually looked to be moving alright. Which is scary as he was still ineffectual - he's lost 10m on his kick, 10% of his pace and I really, truly don't see a way forward for him unless he rediscovers that somehow and reinvents the way he plays quite a bit - which might have to happen in the WAFL when we need to be getting games into younger players, or even go slightly older and take our chance on seeing what a West/Clark can really do with a good run at it in a more full strength side. Sheed has shown consistently that he's probably the immediate future of Gaff's role as that more outside leaning left footed distributor, who whilst never as good a mover as prime Gaff was, is better at that than Gaff now and can play inside more consistently.
It'd usually be too much to drop both your wingers (I'd hope with Chesser they make a judgement call purely based on whatever will give him the most confidence, building form in WAFL or showing him faith by leaving him in the 1s.). But we've genuinely got options this year. He's the only player I actually think it's fair to moan about regarding credits in the bank.
Get Hunt more permanently on a wing. Give Hough some wing time. Practice midfield setups that involve one or none of Sheed/Kelly/Shuey by giving them more outside time (as most of them should be having more of) and back in Culley/West/Clark/Trew/Hewitt/even Hough to join Ginbey - who would served well building cohesion with those guys.
That being said the coaching and general direction of the side seemed a lot more positive (round 1 never a good one to judge but compared to last season definitely). Here's to a few more wins this year!
At the game, one thing I loved from Williams (and I've not always been his biggest fan) was that he really did the boring stuff well. Too often he does this big stupid fly for a mark which would be mark of the year if it came off but if he misses it means he's totally avoided influencing the contest. On Sunday he was getting in the right spots down the line and holding his ground so nobody else could mark it, getting in the way of at least one big oppo player if he couldn't get to it himself, getting both hands on it and dropping it at least in the general direction of our players rather than theirs, locking up his man more at ruck contests so that if they won the hitout it'd just be hitting the floor rather than directed anywhere dangerous (usually again he'd try and Nic Nat over the top of them in the past).
Wildly different players but I think we saw that massive upswing in Sheppard when he stopped seeming to try and do something special each time, play off the 'high draft pick pressure' and be this silky gun. Focused on locking things up, beating his man, if he was only a 10% chance to win a contest rather than try for the miracle chance he'd make sure to be in a position to scrag things up, impact the next contest, only lose it 51-49 etc etc. And his natural athleticism meant he was actually a phenomenal defensive player who could build confidence offensively as he felt comfortable in his spot.
Think there's something to work with, as a negating Nankervis #1 ruck role, still don't think he should play paired with another genuine ruck or try too hard to be Naitanui when he's barely even ready to be Bailey. His fitness is clearly something that he's gotten to a good degree and we probably need to acknowledge more. Still a massive doofus.
Am totally fine that McGovern Barrass and Allen weren't great - we already know they're good, can sort out positioning/shake off rust well before our seasons start to get 'on the line' again and would much rather we win off the back of players like SPS, Hunt, Ginbey, Long (newer players/bottom 6 picked etc) actually holding their weight and looking comfortable out there. Far better than our seniors dragging the team over the line like they would have done against North if we got up.
Gaff is my only real negative. Can't fault his effort - worryingly unlike last season where his running was clearly hampered, he actually looked to be moving alright. Which is scary as he was still ineffectual - he's lost 10m on his kick, 10% of his pace and I really, truly don't see a way forward for him unless he rediscovers that somehow and reinvents the way he plays quite a bit - which might have to happen in the WAFL when we need to be getting games into younger players, or even go slightly older and take our chance on seeing what a West/Clark can really do with a good run at it in a more full strength side. Sheed has shown consistently that he's probably the immediate future of Gaff's role as that more outside leaning left footed distributor, who whilst never as good a mover as prime Gaff was, is better at that than Gaff now and can play inside more consistently.
It'd usually be too much to drop both your wingers (I'd hope with Chesser they make a judgement call purely based on whatever will give him the most confidence, building form in WAFL or showing him faith by leaving him in the 1s.). But we've genuinely got options this year. He's the only player I actually think it's fair to moan about regarding credits in the bank.
Get Hunt more permanently on a wing. Give Hough some wing time. Practice midfield setups that involve one or none of Sheed/Kelly/Shuey by giving them more outside time (as most of them should be having more of) and back in Culley/West/Clark/Trew/Hewitt/even Hough to join Ginbey - who would served well building cohesion with those guys.
That being said the coaching and general direction of the side seemed a lot more positive (round 1 never a good one to judge but compared to last season definitely). Here's to a few more wins this year!
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