Not something high on my agenda……… How did that leave you?
Not my point, Sloane wasn't the cause that we lost, Lairds game had far more impact in the result than Sloane. People see 39 touch's and assume he played well, he didn't. He was the main reason we stayed in games the last few years, but the last 2 games he was a liability. Our abysmal performance in the middle this year lies firmly at his feet. These stat readers hammer Sloane and Smith etc, pick on the 2-3 year kids, call them spuds but laird gets the pass because he got 39 touch's. He was not better, he was stationary, he had no impact in the middle and his run and chase was pathetic but hey 39 touch's, a lot of which went right to a tigers player. How many times did they bring it way too easy out of the middle straight to a leading forward and a goal. Don't blame Sloane or Smith for that, lack of reading the play and pressure lies at the feet of the senior player in the middle.
Your 1st sentence is manifestly incorrect.
I think that Laird knows exactly what his supercoach numbers are each week. He was the most expensive player at 703k at the beginning of the season. I would rather 25 effevtive disposals than 39 Laird disposals. The bloke tries hard but something is not right with him this year. He looked drunk out there at times yesterday and seemed off week one.
He was far better offensively yesterday, but yes needs to bring back that defensive side. We all knows it is there, you don’t have the most tackles in the league in your 2nd season if a defensive game isn’t there.
1) Agree; no ifs or Butts about it.
Maybe it was more the disposals he did actually have appeared to have impact offensively. He’s obviously had far better games, but he was better than last week. On thin ice, but deserves more opportunity after his excellent 2022. Schoenberg copping a fair bit of criticism, but he’s been a fair bit better than Berry so far. Sounds like Taylor performed well in the SANFL, interesting selection coming up.
I don’t feel like we can go in with the exact same midfield again though, so based on the sanfl trial today, Taylor for Schoenberg
Another poster (sorry, I forget who) commented that Nicks' defensive plan is allowing the opposition to get the ball, dispossess them, and work off the turnover. Crows players around clearances are static, waiting for something to happen, reactively. O'Brien tapping to one of our mids on the run/burst is as rare as rocking horse s**t.
Agree with this. Our mids are very stationary. We seem to wait for the opponent to get the ball, then try to tackle, rather than actually winning the ball first.
That’s just crazy if that’s his plan
If they're not "ready" they'll cop a 15-goal hiding.
I know and agree. But I think we just need to change the narrative of us spending 2 top 6 picks on small forwards and never using a top pick on an Elite mid. When anyone who watches footy can plainly see that Rachele is gonna be that Elite goalkicking midfielder that we've been desperate for.
I saw that and posted in the Game Day thread.
I might be wrong on this, but I think McLeod started out as a forward and later was shifted to the midfield when his body was more developed and fit. So I guess it’s really about the potential to be an elite midfielder, rather than having to be a starting midfielder to be an elite midfielder.
I hope he doesn’t just end up being our next Smith
Why play him then?
