Autopsy Round 2, 2025: Positives and Negatives vs Brisbane

[Yeahnahmate]

We were crying out last week for someone, anyone to win the footy and this is why Clay Hall stays party people

 

[DorothyG]

Best part of that:
Hall 19, 3 games
Hewitt 20, 15 games
Reid 19, 21 games

 

[Avalor]

My boy Harley is becoming a problem, a liability even. Needs to be grounded and to pull his head in and let his footy do the talking.

 

[WCEswift]

We were totally gassed from our first half pressure rating. Brilliant effort from the boys today. If they give that most weeks we will knock off some sides like straight away

Re-reading it sounded like a criticism from me, i just meant if it works... could be something we see more of

 

[DorothyG]

He didn't really have that bad of a game. Gave away some silly free kicks sure (also was subject to a couple BS calls as well, like he must be the first guy in years to be pinged throw for the over the head handballs), but his stats are solid for a 20 game player:

-15 disposals, 9 of those contested
-7 tackles
-6 clearances
-4 score involvements

He had a poor start but worked himself into it.


Morris claiming he was the 33rd ranked player on the ground shows he did not watch the game and is just looking for the negative numbers

 

[stallon]

We were totally gassed from our first half pressure rating. Brilliant effort from the boys today. If they give that most weeks we will knock off some sides like straight away

Just gotta get used to applying that pressure, and get more efficient with it the effort.
If we keep it up we will win games 100%

 

[KERRPOW]

WOW, just saw Hall had our highest contested possessions today and 14 out of his 15 no less. He was clean in tight by hand on a number of occasions too. Undroppable imo considering last week, even with Graham back. Fit him in

View attachment 2259276

Ploddis like.

 

[WCEswift]

Rewatching the first half Harley like Hewey had an almost game, both in their second seasons essentially theyll sort it out

 

[maverick001]

A number of positives today obvs.....
1. dewar - how long since we've had a wingman run & carry like that. And also top it off with a couple snaggers. Last qtr obvs disappointing, but you'd imagine that's just fitness
2. Ryan - what a difference it makes when ryan is on song. Ball in hand he's our most dangerous player. Same as was with Rioli. Back to his AA form today. Also his goalkicking has improved so much since his first couple years at club
3. Hall - not huge numbers, but he was clean hands at stoppage, released the ball quickly & somewhat composed. Also he is reasonably quick which means as an inside mid he shouldn't get exposed going the other way & hopefully in time means he can learn to chain up.
4. Maric - While his disposal/decision making was sloppy today, you'd think think with his kicking skills that rights itself in time. But showed he's suited to that HBF role, finding plenty of the ball & offering good run. Probably stats were helped by taking kick-ins.
5. Baker - Both this week & last, showing the sort of leadership we've been lacking, & he seems to relish the added responsibility & challenge. A pity we couldn't get the deal done without parting with pick 3.

Sort of positive:
Hewett - doesn't have trouble involving himself in the play, which is a good sign particularly for a young player who is essentially a mid but spending most of his time at the notoriously difficult HF position. He's not been clean these first couple weeks though, & atm when he's got the ball I'm anxious he's going to turn it over. Probably this is largely confidence at present given he has missed a lot of footy.

Also:
I'm looking forward to seeing Bo Allan in the team, as someone who is clearly hard at it. I think in time we'll see the sort of lead by example leadership that Baker is currently displaying, albeit Allan probably has more weapons than Baker with his size and agility/pace. Ideally long term, IF he is a midfielder and IF Harley stays, he's the sort of bloke who's presence takes the physical pressure off others around him (a bit like when Yeo plays), making life a little easier for the likes of Reid.

 

[maverick001]

+ Don’t know if it’s been mentioned because I haven’t read the entire thread but it’s pleasing to see our two highest clearance winners were 19 year olds.

+ Also Harley was 2nd for clearances and tackles for us. Feel like the derby is set up for Reid and Hewett to light up.

- Lions crowd is the worst in the league. Was surrounded by numpty Broncos fans as usual. As soon as they’re no good again in a few years time they’ll be back to getting 15k to home games.

They've been gifted three very talented father sons, plus two pretty handy academy picks in Marshall & last year & a highly rated mid this year too.
That's their midfield sorted for the next 10+ years. They're not going to bottom out for some time..

 

[WCEswift]

Archer reids follow up around the ruck contest has been good on review, laying plenty of tackles. Clay hall is a class A ratbag watching him at stoppages and any time he can he just shoulder checks either ashcroft, neale, zorko doesnt matter who it is

 

[maverick001]

Was Oscar injured? For him to leave Gibney to be sacrificed on the altar of McInerney was just...bizarre.

With Ryan and Harley up forward we could have small balled it and possibly minimised Andrews influence - that grew in the second half.

A tough set of cards to play but it was off the back of a team buy in that saw some tickets spent. 1 millionty percent better than last week's limp.attempt.

Simmo atill managed to get a response from the group here and there. Our capacity and desire to back it up will be telling.

Clay Hall had me feeling things I have not felt for many a moon. Really, really impressive game from someone in his 4th or 5th start and asked to bring it at the coal face.

Dewar. I told you flogs he had it. Will be an out and out gun.

TK. I ripped on him hard all week. Showed his ability today. Consistency please m8 and i'll be your biggest, slobberiest fan.

Can't complain too much. Bailey and Archer going down sealed out date after letting Brissie off the hook to a certain degree in the second and third terms.

Let's go Eagles! Today's effort was.something all the fans can be proud of.

I think they quite rightly held Allen out of the ruck because he is a fragile beast as we know.
The reason we got here in the first place because Simmo was using him as the backup ruckman in just his second year when he was undersize to begin with anyhow.

 

[RustyShacklefordFalcon]

It was a tight contest, very physical with both sides locking horns and putting it all at stake.

Sadly in this instance, briztoon gets the jump in the last over AsterixTheGaul

Briztoon jogged around confidently trying to dictate the play but as always missed too many targets, whilst AsterixTheGaul was busy playing the man and not the ball giving away some crucial frees. An ugly joust, by all accounts.

Clearly no love lost between the two sides, setting up a fiery sequel when they next meet.

 

[TY24]

Melbourne were and still are imploding internally as a team with half the squad wanting to leave and go to another club and the other half on drugs. And it was a home game where we were putting a team with 100 games of experience per player on the park, vrs 80 games per player today vrs the reigning Premiers on their home ground. Todays game was much more significant.

Maybe the Simpson barrackers like yourself who wanted a clearly burned out coach who didn't want to be there anymore to still be coaching us now should admit how wrong they were. And since it is mostly the same group of posters, led by yourself, who denied all the way up until last year that there was any problem with our list and no need for a rebuild and it was all just Covid and injuries should admit how wrong they were about that too. In fact you have been totally and utterly wrong about pretty much everything on this board for several years. Maybe you should ponder that.

If there’s ever a shortage of tinfoil you’ll be in some serious strife dude

 

[Quinz]

What we saw this week makes some of the positional and personnel selections last week even more disappointing. Clay Hall should have been in the guts round 1. Dewar should have played a more prominent role. Maric should never have been the sub.. and I still think JWilliams should be in the side over AReid. BWiliams grabbed his second chance well, can't work out what Flynn is up to.

But the attitude was good, the ball movement much more like I saw in the pre season. Mistakes were made but they were made in pursuit of a coherent plan for the most part.

Ginbey and Hough are a set and forget backline duo to match the old Sheppard-Hurn days. Need another key back and Edwards I'm still not sure on.

Baker has been great in his ferocity, Owies too. Clearly you want to move past them by the time we are contending but they'll help give us a baseline effort requirement.

Maric has to play every game I'm a big wrap on him. Great vision and skills generally. Dewar could be anything hopefully today opened his eyes to where he can get to.

Captains disappointing again. Harley tried hard but is clearly short of a gallop. He and Long and Hewett should only get better as the season progresses though.

 

[Cuzz09]

I loved in the first half the overlap running

Guys were running into space and flowing.

Was very non eagles of last 3 years



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[bombard]

Maric. What's the point of persisting?

Bender_ needs to wake up

 

[ziad]

Agree with some above and disagree with some. Thats cool.
I did sa that having a second Harvey Bull in the team would help!

More broadly I wonder if the new game plan was one reason the team ran out of petrol? It will clearly and reasonably take time to physically adjust to the work load.
Humidity would have been a real factor, we are not acclimatised to that living in Perth. Even Sydney in summer has high humidity that would take a toll on Perth based players.
This leaves me wondering what, our hydration and feeling strategies are, seeing the cramping. (Always an issue in early games). But are we ahead of the curve? An issue as we need to recover well.

PS to some, Harley ran out the game well.

 

[kranky al]

I find it hard to believe you, in fact you have been totally and utterly wrong about pretty much everything on this board for several years. Maybe you should ponder that.

Can we give this tired unfunny Simpson a rest?

 

[Wight Wolf]

Also positives, vic media and fans turning on Harley might galvanise him on staying West. Hopefully.

 

[Astro7]

A funny aside - the team has been well drilled into going forwards at all times, never backwards, and it's a welcome relief after years of previous coach. But there was a moment out there when Cripps (I think) actually turned and kicked it backwards, possibly more out of rote memory than necessity. Had a chuckle. I could be wrong, there might have been other backward kicks, but that was the first I noticed.

 

[Obeanie1]

Positives

• Bailey dominating ground balls in the ruck
• Liam Baker's first qtr - showed us what real intensity is about
• Liam Ryan back in business
• Dewar dominating on the wing
• Clay Hall and Hewett getting game time
• Tom Cole did some good things
• Archer Reid influential when on the ground
• We didn't stop fighting

Negatives

• Umpiring and freekick count
• Oscar gone missing
• Bailey and Archer both cramping and having to go off

Overall, a good fight from us. I will be able to watch some of the footy shows this week and not cringe.

Oscar had a tough day at the office.

No Waterman and Archer the #2 against the reigning premiership backline.

He was double teamed all day.

 

[Obeanie1]

Also positives, vic media and fans turning on Harley might galvanise him on staying West. Hopefully.

Enjoyed watching Warner and Bolton having a push and shove with words said. Heat of the momemnt stuff.

 

[Cuzz09]

Haven't been flyin Ryan's biggest fan based on his scrappy, worm burner field kicking but he was fantastic yesterday.

Set shots were spot on and looked up and about with sticky hands too.

Hope he stays fit and has a huge year

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[triplegee]

I feel that Hough's job on Raynor has been overlooked.
Not only did he minimize Raynor's impact on the game but he also ran off him and created dash for us off half back. Sure, he butchered a few kicks but he was magnificent in his defensive role.