Autopsy Round 4, 2023: Positives and Negatives vs Melbourne

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Sigh. Outworked by a seriously good outfit.

Positives
First half was good. Melters can * off. Held our own well structurally and intent wise against the best team in footy. Made some horrendous decision inside 50, but cannot fault the intent.

Bailey Williams. Ok, keep working at it kid. Nice effort.

Tom Barrass held the floodgates back in the second half.

Thought Gaff actually played really well and was the most physical I’ve seen in years. Nine tackles. Sure.

TK, very strong again, burst out the gates with 12 disposals. Has put the midfield on his back this season.

Negatives
Forward structure/playing into Melbourne’s defensive structure stifled the fast ball movement in the worst way. Even when we played on fast we had nothing on and spare defenders everywhere for Melbourne.

Blew up and ran out of legs again. Fourth quarters could be brutal this year.

Left so many goals on the board again, same as last week. Missing the most gettable set shots.

Plenty of players playing their first game for/in a year look like they hadn’t played footy for a year.

Lots of good decisions and good passages let down by abysmal skills. Basic stuff, even when under minimal pressure.

Pretty slow day for a fair few of the kids but better for the run so big shrug.

—————

Tough day at the office, but Melbourne have won two games prior to this by 50 points in each. They’re just a ******* good side. We have massive strides to make before we’re premiership favourites, file that one under no s**t.

Not every game is a conclusion on the direction of the club. Intent and contested approach is much better. We move.
 
Game started promisingly but deteriorated as the game went on. The better team clearly won.

Pros:
  • Edwards belongs at this level. Clean, smooth mover, gets to the right spots.
  • Kelly has been great this year. Huge metres gained shows he is trying to move it forward at every chance.
  • Hunt has been a great signing this year. Adds a lot.
  • Allen has been good. Great shot on goal.
  • BBBW held his own against Grundy.

Meh:
  • Gaff has been okay. Tackling has been good.

Cons:
  • Cole had a shocker.
  • Darling was poor.
  • Disposal efficiency.
  • Shocking commentary team on Channel 7.
  • Umpiring was poor.
 

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Negative

The AFLs clash jumper policy

Royal Blue Vs Navy Blue

Every other sport on the planet has figured out you need to have a contrast in the teams playing to make it better for everyone.

Our skills weren't great, but the jumpers made the problem worse. Melbourne also struggled in the first half when it was still bright and harder to distinguish uniforms.
 
Positive
-Oscar Allen 3 goals, shining light and worked his arse off
-Bailey Williams out classed in the ruck but never gave up
-One game more experience for Ginbey, Long, Hewett, Hough, Edwards and Culley
 
are people really melting over that game? Thought we played well against one of the very best teams in the league before running out of legs.

Coaches didn’t cave and kept the kids in the middle. Thought Ginbey and culley stood up physically against Oliver, Petracca and viney. They need another year or two but they’ll get there.

Players didn’t cave on the game plan and looked to move it fast most of the time.

May have lost by 10 goals but certainly not cut about today like normally would be.
 
+
Hunt and kelly did well
Gaff has transitioned well to the inside mid role. Clearly too slow for a wing

-
BWilliams needs to hold onto marks more
Whilst I've been a fan of west ,he and clark arent showing much that an 18yo late draft rookie couldnt. Both should go at the end of the year
A lot of skill errors today

On SM-G973F using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
I'll take the loss. Melbourne are a well oiled premiership team in their prime.

Scoreboard wont show it because of some dysfunctional things forward of centre and a lack of synergy moving from stoppages but we competed really well in close and Melbourne didn't have an easy day.

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Pros
Had a go.
Kelly.
Oscar.
Hunt.
Bailey keeps trying.
Um whatsername had a reasonable day with the whistle.

Cons
Lot of passengers.
Darlings goal kicking.
Blokes who hadn't played for a year looked like they hadn't played for 3 years.
None of the young blokes showed anything but glimpses, hard for em when you are getting pumped.
Probably another 3 years of this before we turn enough players over to be competitive with the best.
 

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are people really melting over that game? Thought we played well against one of the very best teams in the league before running out of legs.

Coaches didn’t cave and kept the kids in the middle. Thought Ginbey and culley stood up physically against Oliver, Petracca and viney. They need another year or two but they’ll get there.

Players didn’t cave on the game plan and looked to move it fast most of the time.

May have lost by 10 goals but certainly not cut about today like normally would be.

Viney picking up Hewitt won't last another preseason. Roles will reverse sooner than people think.

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Hitouts: 26-48
Centre clearances: 11-13
Stoppage clearances: 18-26

Melbourne lifted around the ground and worked us over. Midfield output was promising given the quality and experience gap. Bailey and TK worked very ******* hard today.
 
Negatives: Melts in the game day thread....seriously get over yourself. Melb are premiership favourites and best inside game over the last few years.

The melts on Culley, Hough, Edwards, Hewitt are pathetic!

Culley and Hewitt third game in his career, Edwards first game in over 12 months, Hough 2nd year player.

We were monstered in the 2nd half...but half way through the 2nd we were leading the contested footy
 
Hitouts: 26-48
Centre clearances: 11-13
Stoppage clearances: 18-26

Melbourne lifted around the ground and worked us over. Midfield output was promising given the quality and experience gap. Bailey and TK worked very ******* hard today.

Oliver will go close to the Brownlow this year, best mid in the game

Ginbey and Culley got a front row view of this and they will learn from it
 
Hitouts: 26-48
Centre clearances: 11-13
Stoppage clearances: 18-26

Melbourne lifted around the ground and worked us over. Midfield output was promising given the quality and experience gap. Bailey and TK worked very ******* hard today.
They showed a hit out to advantage stat online and it wasn't very far apart. Grundy can touch the ball but doesnt do much with it
 
Edwards looks like he belongs out there. I hope Ginbey and Hewett just keep playing for the entire season. Get games into them both. Williams competed well. Kelly simultaneously frustrated and impressed me.

Today the team would start a passage of play, then screw up with a poor disposal.
Far out, Darling had a really bad game.
Cole has regressed in the past 3 years.
This is better than the 90 point losses last season. Young guys got a game, they had a crack for half the game, but Melbourne are just too good.
 
We needed everything to go right for us and very wrong for Melbourne to be close in this. It didn't happen, but we put up a good fight anyway. Happy with the effort.

Positives:
  • Luke Edwards has been forgotten about a bit so really good to see him make such a quality return. Should hold his spot for a while.
  • Bailey Williams stood up. Showing more than I expected and getting better every game, especially around the ground.
  • Yeo - good to have him back.
  • Kelly having a great season.
  • Any questions about Allen working at full forward have been answered. He's a gun.
  • Didn't have the polish but the effort was there all day. You can see the making of a good team once the kids have a few seasons under their belts.
  • Last season this would have been a 120+ point blowout, I'll take 63 (they got Sydney by 50 last week too)

Negatives:
  • Not having Cripps and Ryan for god knows how long is going to hurt. Petch should come in and would help a little but the cupboard is a bit bare and it shows.
  • Got murdered on turnovers.
  • Blown chances up front. Should have been close at half time
  • Darling continuing with some very uncharacteristic inaccuracy.
 
POSITIVES
  • 7 blokes 22 and under and with less than 30 games experience.
  • Played an exciting brand of footy for half a game against the best in the buiz. (Demons my pick for flag if fit)
  • Gaff. Last few weeks has really impressed me. Doing a lot of the dirty work.
  • T.K workrate today was sublime
  • Game plan/style. It's a brand that will win football matches and premiership if/when we have the cattle.
  • Bailey Williams clunked a few marks and was good around the ground.
  • Nice game back for Luke Edwards.
  • Hunt has been a great pick up for nothing. Why Demons made him a lock down defender is beyond me.
  • OA. 50+ goal season a lock if he stays on the park. Not long now before he explodes for a 5-6 goal game.

NEGATIVES
  • Fell away in second half but to be expected with so much youth.
  • T.K forward entries were crap.
  • Set shots. Our goal kicking has been rather average this year. Looking you square in the eyes Darling.
  • Rotham should have come on mid way through the third when it was clear our run had dried up.

Overall i'm not too fussed. Showed plenty of heart in first half and players are buying in. Our youth today was quiet but will be better for the run. Demons are a quality outfit and we took it up to them for a half of footy with a side full of youth. 👏
 
Dead set if we bring that intensity every week I don't care what else happens. As it happens, I also think we will beat some teams, despite the injuries.

Cribbing from keys on the pod, our fitness overhaul is a multi-year process. If we keep recruiting well and keep getting the boys aerobically capable of this game plan, mark your calendars for about 2.5 seasons from now. A lot to like.
 
Negatives: Melts in the game day thread....seriously get over yourself. Melb are premiership favourites and best inside game over the last few years.

The melts on Culley, Hough, Edwards, Hewitt are pathetic!

Culley and Hewitt third game in his career, Edwards first game in over 12 months, Hough 2nd year player.

We were monstered in the 2nd half...but half way through the 2nd we were leading the contested footy

Most of the melts on Hewitt I think was that before the last 5 mins he didn’t start in the middle at all…

Luke Edwards has to stay in the rest of the year.

Hunt is an improvement on our wing slot.

Ginbey would have learnt heaps today.

Kelly again was our best Mid as he has been since we got him..

Gaff is ok until he needs to kick… no depth or penetration.

Our defence isn’t even a defence. It’s 6 blokes who are mainly experienced standing around and trailing their opponents for the majority of the day.

Darling needs to go back to goal kicking school.

Williams stays in because there literally isn’t anyone else.. as useful as a hand brake on a canoe.
 

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