Game Day Round 2 - WCE v Hawks - 7/4 @ PS

[Quinz]

Im not saying we wont improve. Even with these guys in we dont have a big enough and quality enough midfield to beat the top teams.

We beat Hawthorn, Collingwood, Fremantle and Geelong last year. We're good enough. We just aren't playing well enough right now.

OT I thought our backline was awful today, as poor as I can remember them playing as a group.

 

[mick06]

I am no footy expert, but I am intelligent, and I can see the 2013 trend of footy is going to result in our midfield being pummeled by at least 7 or 8 other AFL teams' midfields during the course of the season.

My point:
People retorting with "oh we're just not that fit yet, wait a few weeks", or "we just need NN and Kerr back" are delusional if they think that those things will elevate this teams midfield to anything other than 7th or 8th best in the league.

NN and kerr instantly elevates our midfield. 2 starting centre square players and suddenly shuey becomes dangerous again as he is spoon fed into space by nuey. Last year shuey kerr and selwood could attack as they knew there was about 75% chance the ball was going to go where they run to. I guess you call them front runners or down hill skiiers this isnt necessarily a bad thing every team needs these players but when you don't get clean taps / breaks you look rubbish which is happening now. I think what I'm trying to say is nic nat is a god.

 

[Patron]

Melbourne - WIN (win)
Carlton (H) - LOSS (We should be favorites 50/50)
Port Adelaide - LOSS (again we should be favorites 50/50)
North Melbourne (H) 50/50 (probs a loss too) (We would be heavy favorites at home should win)

 

[Patron]

NN and kerr instantly elevates our midfield. 2 starting centre square players and suddenly shuey becomes dangerous again as he is spoon fed into space by nuey. Last year shuey kerr and selwood could attack as they knew there was about 75% chance the ball was going to go where they run to. I guess you call them front runners or down hill skiiers this isnt necessarily a bad thing every team needs these players but when you don't get clean taps / breaks you look rubbish which is happening now. I think what I'm trying to say is nic nat is a god.

Shuey was good today in a loosing team.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

Settle down everyone, we're not going to lose to Melbourne, laughable.

We can only hope.

 

[illegaleagle]

NN and kerr instantly elevates our midfield. 2 starting centre square players and suddenly shuey becomes dangerous again as he is spoon fed into space by nuey. Last year shuey kerr and selwood could attack as they knew there was about 75% chance the ball was going to go where they run to. I guess you call them front runners or down hill skiiers this isnt necessarily a bad thing every team needs these players but when you don't get clean taps / breaks you look rubbish which is happening now. I think what I'm trying to say is nic nat is a god.

you are 100% correct, problem is we need to get them into the team and fit enough, before our season is already over. Kerr I can see coming back but natanui, not sure when he will return.

 

[Kernel Sanders]

We beat Hawthorn, Collingwood, Fremantle and Geelong last year. We're good enough. We just aren't playing well enough right now.

OT I thought our backline was awful today, as poor as I can remember them playing as a group.

Shocking analysis of the game, what do you expect from our backline when the oppositional clear the ball, quality wise, in the middle and runs and spreads better than ours, much better.

There a few midfielders in our team that to be arrested for Fraud, charged with impersonating a midfielder.

 

[Quinz]

Shocking analysis of the game, what do you expect from our backline when the oppositional clear the ball, quality wise, in the middle and runs and spreads better than ours, much better.

There a few midfielders in our team that to be arrested for Fraud, charged with impersonating a midfielder.

Chase, tackle, block, win one on ones and clear the ball effectively. They did none of that to a high enough standard today.

The midfield was an issue, I didn't mention it because it's been said and is fairly obvious. Too many fast breaks and loose men on the counter. But our backline is usually much better than it was today, Schofield in particular had a shocker.

Perhaps next time I should just follow Analysis 101 and blame 'Ploddus' every week.

 

[Kernel Sanders]

^^^^

Now you're jiving. Yeap Ploddus lived up to his nickname again.

Loved how he was in our backline try to stop a lead. The Hawks player leading out from the goal square had time to do his hair.

 

[mick06]

Shuey was good today in a loosing team.

He was ok but I wouldn't say he was noticeably damaging watching at the ground. There were a lot of silly handballs to stationary targets with guys about to get mowed. might be different if I watch the replay. If shuey plays well id expect us to get more than 30 odd inside 50s.

 

[Pottering]

He is 20. Name a starting ruck in the comp that is 20 and in their third season. Hell, name a second ruck that is.
He spent half of last year out with a knee injury.

Being 20 doesn't excuse an apparent lack of involvement in the game. I remember a couple of years ago in a NAB Cup match here Naitanui went one on one all day against the Don's Bellchambers and had a picnic. Bellchambers was probably Lycett's age back then (Naitanui maybe a year older at the time) and was totally outclassed, but he at least had a go. I came away thinking this guy has a long way to go, but he had the physical attributes and a willingness to compete. Lycett last year and round one this year looked totally out of his depth. Sinclair today showed something and I can see no logic in dropping him for Lycett next week. Sinclair stays until either he falls away and/or Lycett burns at WAFL level and demands a reinstatement.

 

[Kaboodleer]

^^^^

Now you're jiving. Yeap Ploddus lived up to his nickname again.

Loved how he was in our backline try to stop a lead. The Hawks player leading out from the goal square had time to do his hair.

That was Brust and I really don't think we can blame Priddis for that at all. Hawks were good at taking some of our mids back to the goal square and creating mismatches. The team needed to be more switched on as a defensive unit to stop this from happening.

 

[EagleShore]

I see. So in 2011 we were top 4. Sat on top of the ladder for first half of 2012 until injuries finally caught up but still made 5th. Flag favourites this year but had 2 really ordinary games and you think we're cooked and don't believe that our fitness level and injuries aren't making a difference?

For a guy who claims he is intelligent, it is lost on you that you don't know your arse from your elbow.

fine...we shall see later in the year just which teams' engine rooms our midfield can get on top of. I'm still confused about why our fitness levels are an excuse - we train in generally higher heat over summer here in the West, and Freo...ahhh, flogged us. If you're talking about injuries, again, let me reiterate - my main concern with this team is the midfield structure, not so much the talent of the individuals on the park.

I hope you're right.

 

[EagleShore]

NN and kerr instantly elevates our midfield. 2 starting centre square players and suddenly shuey becomes dangerous again as he is spoon fed into space by nuey. Last year shuey kerr and selwood could attack as they knew there was about 75% chance the ball was going to go where they run to. I guess you call them front runners or down hill skiiers this isnt necessarily a bad thing every team needs these players but when you don't get clean taps / breaks you look rubbish which is happening now. I think what I'm trying to say is nic nat is a god.

I agree that NN is sensational and indeed crucial to any success this team may have (his taps plus contested possessions can be match-winning). But the best midfields (Pies, Hawks, Freo, Sydney) will read his taps and shit over our lower quality midfield structure. This was happening in the finals last year, and Pendlebury is the best at it IIRC.

 

[MightyHawks]

Preseason, I thought you guys would be 0-2 after 2 matches and 9-2 after 11.

Nothing has changed (yet)

you've got plenty of guys to get back into the team and a nice fixture for the next few weeks too

 

[Gizza]

Not many sides will waltz past Richmond nowadays.

Based on what exactly? The beat the Saints who are completely done these days and just fell over the line against Carlton.

 

[Gizza]

We beat Hawthorn, Collingwood, Fremantle and Geelong last year. We're good enough. We just aren't playing well enough right now.

OT I thought our backline was awful today, as poor as I can remember them playing as a group.

Exactly. Not sure why everyone is focusing on the midfield so much. We actually won the clearances today. It was our backline that was absolutely horrendous. How many goals came from Hawks practically walking around our players? There was no pressure back there whatsoever.

 

[SpaceClef]

Based on what exactly? The beat the Saints who are completely done these days and just fell over the line against Carlton.

Based on the fact they have a really good group of midfielders and a ruckman they can finally rely on.

I'm not saying they are a powerhouse, but they're not an easybeat anymore. That's what i meant.

 

[CoastersFlag No.5]

Exactly. Not sure why everyone is focusing on the midfield so much. We actually won the clearances today. It was our backline that was absolutely horrendous. How many goals came from Hawks practically walking around our players? There was no pressure back there whatsoever.

I think our half forwards did not help the midfield enough and we were terrible at stopping their runners outside the stoppages. When we got the first possession out we went nowhere they went inside 50. The defence held up well considering the deluge of inside 50's. Darling and Hill and Cripps need to pressure the Birchall's and Hodges more aswell.