Autopsy Round 4 - GWS Giants vs Fremantle Dockers, Saturday 14th April 2018, UNSW Oval, 1.45pm

[Land of the Giants]

“They kicked 10 goals from our turnovers, we kicked 7, there’s the game, 3 goal difference”.

Probably the most succinct way to describe last night. I can’t remember when I’ve seen us fumble the ball so much. The third quarter in particular was excruciating, especially when they got a run on. At least we fought it out.

Next week against the Dockers will be intriguing. They have a reputation for not traveling well, being heavily defeated against Port in Adelaide, but then playing some pretty good footy against the Bombers and the Suns back in Perth. They’re hard to read at the best of times, but with players like Nat Fyfe on the list, they’re no easy beats (and we'll even get to say hello again to Wilson and McCarthy).

The question for us is what changes we make to the team. Ryan Griffen had a good game in the NEAFL; it was his first full game since injuring his ankle. Dawson Simpson and Aiden Bonar were also among the best in an exciting win against the Swans.

If he’s out (and I think there’s a pretty strong chance he will be) we don’t have an obvious replacement for Lobb. Simpson might have the body to take on Sandilands in the ruck, but there are question marks over his general mobility around the ground. I’ll guess we have to wait and see what happens on Tuesday.

We really missed Toby last night and he might have been the difference between winning and losing. He’s more important to the team than simply his position. He’s our X factor, and we need him back.

I’d omit Perryman if Toby is 100%. Another option might be to include Griffen and then move Coniglio into the forward line, probably dropping Sam Reid. Coniglio has done a good job up front when required, he’s pretty versatile. It’s worth considering.

With more scoring shots, there was nothing wrong with our overall effort against the Swans. It was our composure that let us down, and the only way to deal with that is persisting. There’s nothing else you can do about it.

Of interest will be seeing what sort of crowd we pull on Saturday, as Dockers supporters, like their team, don’t like traveling. I think a few of us Sydney people might need to head on down the highway, so I guess it's time to fill up the tank.

Giants by 24.

 

[greatgatsby]

“They kicked 10 goals from our turnovers, we kicked 7, there’s the game, 3 goal difference”.

Of interest will be seeing what sort of crowd we pull on Saturday, as Dockers supporters, like their team, don’t like traveling. I think a few of us Sydney people might need to head on down the highway, so I guess it's time to fill up the tank.

Giants by 24.

You do realise Perth to Canberra is a fair hike to see a home and away match don't you? Anyway, I plan to be there but I'll be leaving my Giants scarf at home this week

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

You do realise Perth to Canberra is a fair hike to see a home and away match don't you? Anyway, I plan to be there but I'll be leaving my Giants scarf at home this week

Real question is How many Dockers fans are public servants with ambition surely? Most of those will end up in Canberra at some point

 

[KevDawg]

Hey Faithful,
I was at the game last night. Felt a bit flat after some bad play and hate to say, inconsistent umpiring.
I noted the earlier stats comment and note they keep stats on everything. Does anyone know of a heat map of the ground that shows which umpire, frees for and against, and at what time they were given?
I ask because the times we went in, we were clobbered by over the shoulder, push in the back calls.
Then there were some rubbish free kicks to us later in the game that I’ve always seen as ‘even up the count’ free kicks.
Can anyone point me to a stats map?

 

[Giant Strides]

Great preview as usual LotG. Fyfe in great form for the Dockers and will be a big danger to us; hopefully we will be stung by the loss (as were Swans after Port) and deliver a more emphatic performance at Manuka. We really need Toby back in, and a couple of other tweaks.

 

[Giant Pete]

Simpson and Greene in. Reid and Lobb out.
We were poor last night. Our effort was good but strategy and execution was poor.
Griffen to return next week hopefully. Probably at expense of Perryman. Hopper needs to improve both his running and his kicking.

 

[fridgeman]

Another challenge coming up with the Dockers and Fyfe in Canberra and with the Dockers looking ok in 2 of 3 games the supporting class has been playing well but with the loss the Giants should bounce back and I would expect a Shiel, Kelly and Whitfield to bounce back form a down game v the Swans and with Greene coming back in (Hopefully)
Has anything been confirmed for Sandilands? If he isn't suspended then maybe they rest him for the long road trip but with doubts over Darcy he may be required for the game. Although not ideal I don't mind Lobb missing in the first half of the season especially with the interrupted pre season
And then Reid to come out for Greene should even up the rotations between the mids and forwards, another option is for Corr to come out for Bonar

Shaw Davis Finlayson
Whitfield Tomlinson Haynes
Kelly Ward Shiel
Greene Cameron MDB
TT Patton Lloyd
Simpson Coniglio Hopper
Deledio HH Perryman Corr

 

[Giant Pete]

I think we definitely play too tall down back

 

[Determinant]

Great summation as always mate.

I'm hoping we start to reward good effort and punish poor effort.
Lobb out, get him right ffs, doesn't matter if he isn't fit for 10 weeks, get him right!!
Reid was a no show and HH not far behind.
Simpson, Bonar/Tiziani, Greene all in for me

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Hey Faithful,
I was at the game last night. Felt a bit flat after some bad play and hate to say, inconsistent umpiring.
I noted the earlier stats comment and note they keep stats on everything. Does anyone know of a heat map of the ground that shows which umpire, frees for and against, and at what time they were given?
I ask because the times we went in, we were clobbered by over the shoulder, push in the back calls.
Then there were some rubbish free kicks to us later in the game that I’ve always seen as ‘even up the count’ free kicks.
Can anyone point me to a stats map?

No idea sorry. Even the heatmaps for the players are difficult.

 

[Colonial]

Great summation as always mate.

I'm hoping we start to reward good effort and punish poor effort.
Lobb out, get him right ffs, doesn't matter if he isn't fit for 10 weeks, get him right!!
Reid was a no show and HH not far behind.
Simpson, Bonar/Tiziani, Greene all in for me

Haha fire up!
But you make a good point.

We do seem to let things slide allot.

Maybe it is time to put under performing players on notice. Play some bad games then youre a magoo till your form improves.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

What does everyone think of this?

Strife for Sandi, boiled lollies for Lynch - http://m.afl.com.au/news/2018-04-07/five-talking-points-gold-coast-v-fremantle

Lots of talk Sandilands in trouble for the bump. Being as objective as I can, I think there's nothing in it. I don't think it's really a bump, more defensive around a collision.

If it is seen as a bump technically he collected the head though, and that's probably a week. It's relevant to the game but I hope he plays. If you want to avoid oppo stars we should have stayed in the NEAFL in my view, it's wussy.

I'm not sure of his record at the judiciary, my impression is he's a clean player. It shouldn't matter but I do think Toby would be in trouble if he did the same.

 

[Bogan Juniors]

What does everyone think of this?

Strife for Sandi, boiled lollies for Lynch - http://m.afl.com.au/news/2018-04-07/five-talking-points-gold-coast-v-fremantle

Lots of talk Sandilands in trouble for the bump. Being as objective as I can, I think there's nothing in it. I don't think it's really a bump, more defensive around a collision.

If it is seen as a bump technically he collected the head though, and that's probably a week. It's relevant to the game but I hope he plays. If you want to avoid oppo stars we should have stayed in the NEAFL in my view, it's wussy.

I'm not sure of his record at the judiciary, my impression is he's a clean player. It shouldn't matter but I do think Toby would be in trouble if he did the same.

It was off the ball and as you say high. I think it will be a fine as the player played out the game. I dont think he is a clean skin but not a really bad record, not sure how that runs under the new regime. I dont mind being called a wuss if we get an advantage out of it.

 

[Land of the Giants]

What does everyone think of this?

Strife for Sandi, boiled lollies for Lynch - http://m.afl.com.au/news/2018-04-07/five-talking-points-gold-coast-v-fremantle

Lots of talk Sandilands in trouble for the bump. Being as objective as I can, I think there's nothing in it. I don't think it's really a bump, more defensive around a collision.

If it is seen as a bump technically he collected the head though, and that's probably a week. It's relevant to the game but I hope he plays. If you want to avoid oppo stars we should have stayed in the NEAFL in my view, it's wussy.

I'm not sure of his record at the judiciary, my impression is he's a clean player. It shouldn't matter but I do think Toby would be in trouble if he did the same.

It looks bad because there was contact to the head.

It's a question of intent. Was he aware, because of his height, that a bump like that would cause head contact?

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

It was off the ball and as you say high. I think it will be a fine as the player played out the game. I dont think he is a clean skin but not a really bad record, not sure how that runs under the new regime. I dont mind being called a wuss if we get an advantage out of it.

Fair enough, I try to remember it's a sport not a war. It's hard sometimes though.

 

[combaning]

I thought we might have learnt from our mistakes last year, but if our forward entry plan A (70%) of the time is to bomb it to the goal square, then we severely limit our chances at a flag this year. It is getting to the point where I don't want to watch it, it is so predictable. It is so infuriating.

Get Toby in to show some clever, well thought out forward entries. Then play his highlights to the rest of the team.

 

[fridgeman]

Surprised at no suspension for Sandilands as to me it was high contact off the ball and with his size I would classify it as medium impact but it was just bad timing and unfortunate imo
I think Simpson would match up better on Sandilands if he does travel and an opportunity for Simpson to have a higher intensity game and develop combinations with the mids

I thought we might have learnt from our mistakes last year, but if our forward entry plan A (70%) of the time is to bomb it to the goal square, then we severely limit our chances at a flag this year. It is getting to the point where I don't want to watch it, it is so predictable. It is so infuriating.

Get Toby in to show some clever, well thought out forward entries. Then play his highlights to the rest of the team.

I think all the forwards need to work on leading patterns and how to create space for each other and not get in each others way, something SJ could have worked on with the forwards if he stayed around the club

 

[Bogan Juniors]

I predicted a fine for Sandi so no surprise there.
I thought MDB got reported for a careless late bump but no mention in the MRC report on AFL site.

 

[Bogan Juniors]

Just found this
.Incidents assessed:

The match day report laid against the GWS Giants’ Matt de Boer for engaging in rough conduct against the Sydney Swans’ Lewis Melican was assessed. The ball was kicked into the GWS Giants’ forward line, where Melican intercepted the ball to take a chest mark. As Melican was preparing to mark, de Boer comes from the opposite direction and jumped into the Sydney player. After speaking to the umpire who laid the match day report, receiving a medical report and watching all available footage, it was the view of the Match Review Officer there was insufficient high contact for a charge to be sustained. No further action was taken.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

Lobb was underdone coming into the season and Big D was unlucky not to play round 1. Now Lobb has copped another knock I don't see why you'd risk him.

PLAY BIG D!

 

[fridgeman]

With the Dockers only playing 2 tall forwards I could see a possibility Corr (or unlikely to be Tomlinson) being omitted and a few options as to who to bring in but I would like to see Griffen back in after he get through the full game in the 2's

 

[Bogan Juniors]

I would like to see Griff survive another game in the twos...I know he went well last week

 

[Giant Pete]

I would like to see Griff survive another game in the twos...I know he went well last week

If he does come in just play him off half back.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

aturday 14 April
Summary

Min 14
Max 22
Rain.
Possible rainfall: 4 to 10 mm
Chance of any rain: 90%

Canberra area
Cloudy. Very high (90%) chance of rain, most likely in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening. Light winds becoming northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the afternoon.

Current forecast. Interestingly it's almost identical to round 1 when the rain held off. I doubt the bureau gets it wrong regularly though.

Not sure if it affects selections any. Suspect it'll just be the usual pick the best 22 players and figure out where to play them.

On a personal level I may miss if it's gonna rain. Depends if I get rid of the cold and the forecast by then. My seat is in the grandstands but the little drizzle in round one was on me. Thankfully hotel booking is cancellable and train shouldn't be booked out.

 

[Danny88]

I

I thought we might have learnt from our mistakes last year, but if our forward entry plan A (70%) of the time is to bomb it to the goal square, then we severely limit our chances at a flag this year. It is getting to the point where I don't want to watch it, it is so predictable. It is so infuriating.

Get Toby in to show some clever, well thought out forward entries. Then play his highlights to the rest of the team.

I agree in the past forward entries have been poor but I actually think they have significantly improved this year. Over the first three rounds I have seen low entries to leading forwards a lot more.

It can obviously improve but I think we need to discount the rushed kicks out of the centre bounce as poor entries. Sometimes getting the ball forward is the best option. I also think we have some contested marking guns down there and we can't go away from a strength just because it doesn't look good. If the forward has a genuine 1:1 then give him a chance i reckon. Works for Richmond and they don't have the depth of contested marking talent we have up front.

So IMO I think the forward line coaching has been a highlight of 2018