Autopsy Round 5, 2019: Melbourne v St.Kilda

[bergholt]

In Q1 it was Steele and gresh in there with Seb and stuv alternating (gresh missed 1 and those 2 went in together)

Interesting stats. I'm very uneducated but I don't really understand how this is possible with rotations? Not disagreeing with your numbers, more confused. Don't these guys rotate off pretty frequently? How can Steele manage to attend so many? He played 89% TOG but attended 96% of centre bounces. Weird.

 

[plugger66]

Interesting stats. I'm very uneducated but I don't really understand how this is possible with rotations? Not disagreeing with your numbers, more confused. Don't these guys rotate off pretty frequently? How can Steele manage to attend so many? He played 89% TOG but attended 96% of centre bounces. Weird.

Might have luckily missed a period where bugger all goals were kicked

 

[St Kilda Death]

Interesting stats. I'm very uneducated but I don't really understand how this is possible with rotations? Not disagreeing with your numbers, more confused. Don't these guys rotate off pretty frequently? How can Steele manage to attend so many? He played 89% TOG but attended 96% of centre bounces. Weird.

Well this is centre bounces, not stoppages, spends time on bench while the balls locked in either half of the ground most likely, where the forwards and backs help rove the ball ups and throw ins.

 

[Plugger35]

The news that Geary could be out for the next month with that corked thigh has put a bit of a dampener on the win.

We can still win without him as we showed against the Hawks but it's going to be a loss with his experience and leadership.

 

[Impatient Saint]

Why do we keep underestimating the quality of players we have? I know we had a s**t year last year and looked like a list with a lack of talent but seeing them work together has just really made everyone's strengths shine. You show me a team that has a 28 disposal, goal a game winger who has more assists than almost anyone in the league; an inside mid/forward pocket capable of getting 5 centre clearances in a quarter and 2 goals; a utility who can play ruck better than 2 full time rucks and still collect 25 touches while gliding through 5 or 6 opposition players at a time; and a forward pocket burying key position players in the ground on the half back line? (Billings, Gresham, Acres, Lonie). Not to mention a new and improved Seb Ross who's making great use of the ball as a distributor from clearances. An injury free Jack Newnes who's shown why he earned a year of sub-par performance last year by really being a rock for our midfielders to work around and providing top notch defensive run. Jack Steele collects 20-25 touches a week and basically nullifies the opposition's best midfielder at the same time. Sinclair is back to being surgical with his kicking, especially into f50. Wilkie, Battle, Brown and Geary have turned into quite possibly one of the most solid and airtight defensive groups in the game and Webster and Savage have basically covered the loss of Robbo by providing a chop out in most defensive 50 entries then running hard and delivering well on the rebound. Not even mentioning: Steven, Long, Parker, Paton etc etc etc.

All these players we were saying last year weren't AFL quality have proven us wrong for 7 games in a row this year and we still insist that we don't have as much talent as other teams? Screw what the media and opposition supporters say, I say we DO have the talent to run with other teams and now we have the workrate and gameplan to back it up. If we play 1 quarter a game like the third quarter yesterday we can basically seal a win against any team except maybe the best. If we play 4 quarters of that we beat the best in the game no question. I'm just getting a bit exasperated by this "we don't have the talent but they work hard" stuff. Most teams couldn't move the ball we moved the ball yesterday if they were in training with no opposition. Our transition and awareness has improved drastically every week to the point that in this game it looked like our players were psychic at some points and just knew exactly where teammates would be to get a quick receive. All this and we're still missing Robbo, Carlise and Hanners.

Rant over, just wanted to add my 2 cents and begin to let us talk up our players again instead of just conceding unjustifiably that we don't have as much talent or quality.

Totally agree what a difference having an organised well drilled side makes. All of sudden the players people had written off as poorly skilled have time and the confidence to hit targets. I have always suggested our list was not as bad as we were lead to believe and had seriously under acheived. Ratten and Lade have been a revelation for our club and the team are absulotely flying at the moment. I didnt get to watch the game until today but finally we are playing at a level I believed we have been capable of for sometime.

 

[triggering bro]

Interesting to note who was taking the kick-in late in Q3.

View attachment 659275

That’s an encouraging bit of trust right there...

I read a fox sports article on Billings with a few quotes from the great man. He had a lot of good things to say about Paton’s football ability, not many good things to say about his cooking (they live together). I reckon we’ve unearthed another beauty here. I can’t see him leaving the 22 anytime soon unless injured.

 

[bergholt]

Totally agree what a difference having an organised well drilled side makes. All of sudden the players people had written off as poorly skilled have time and the confidence to hit targets. I have always suggested our list was not as bad as we were lead to believe and had seriously under acheived. Ratten and Lade have been a revelation for our club and the team are absulotely flying at the moment. I didnt get to watch the game until today but finally we are playing at a level I believed we have been capable of for sometime.

Honestly I think our players are still only medium quality generally. Certainly we've got a few who are very good and clearly a bunch who are good enough. But not exactly world beaters. That said, look at this list of Hawthorn premiership players: Jonathan Simpkin, Will Langford, Matt Spangher, Taylor Duryea, Matt Suckling, Brad Sewell, Michael Osborne, Xavier Ellis, Clinton Young, Chance Bateman, Brent Renouf, Rick Ladson, Stephen Gilham, Robbie Campbell, Mark Williams, Campbell Brown.

Put "good enough" players in the right system and who knows what's possible!

 

[Rors]

After watching us play yesterday, I’m super excited about our game up in Canberra at Manuka Oval v GWS in a fortnight. Another extra wide, extra long ground which will suit our game. Phil Davis will probably be out, we already know Ward is out.

Get through the Crows, then hit GWS hard

 

[triggering bro]

After watching us play yesterday, I’m super excited about our game up in Canberra at Manuka Oval v GWS in a fortnight. Another extra wide, extra long ground which will suit our game. Phil Davis will probably be out, we already know Ward is out.

Get through the Crows, then hit GWS hard

I’m trying not to get too far ahead of myself but I quite like our chances over the best three weeks. We seem well equipped against the Crows at home & verse GWS in Canberra & West Coast have an abysmal record at Marvel.

Win two out of the next four & we are really well set up with 2 x Blues, Dogs, Dees, Norf, Suns, Lions (Marvel) & Freo (Marvel) to come.

Suddenly the Tigers at Marvel & even Syd in Syd are not too daunting a task either.

The really tough games for mine are Pies, Port (China) & away games at Geelong & Adel.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Not enough talk about our new rucking weapon: Longy.

 

[gringo2011]

If he's got Netflix, vb, KFC, and he goes for the saints... What more could a woman want?

Might be time he switched sides. That's what every man wants.

 

[plugger66]

Not enough talk about our new rucking weapon: Longy.

Yes what was that?

 

[gringo2011]

Totally agree what a difference having an organised well drilled side makes. All of sudden the players people had written off as poorly skilled have time and the confidence to hit targets. I have always suggested our list was not as bad as we were lead to believe and had seriously under acheived. Ratten and Lade have been a revelation for our club and the team are absulotely flying at the moment. I didnt get to watch the game until today but finally we are playing at a level I believed we have been capable of for sometime.

Like the Pies last year. They went from clumsy fumblers to well drilled and clean overnight.

 

[Gavinmitchell11]

Paton
Marshall
Wilkie

Whoever is scouting these blokes is doing a great job. They’re performing better than most of the top end draft picks of recent years.

 

[Not Raph Clarke]

Yes what was that?

A free kick

 

[St Pauls]

Not enough talk about our new rucking weapon: Longy.

I thought he did really well, backed himself with his leap.

 

[plugger66]

A free kick

Not for his rucking. For some reason he nominated

 

[Hubnester]

Hubnester can we get those 3 runs down the wing with Long getting two goal assists and his own goal from 50?

What a 5 minute burst. Only got 10 touches but he makes them count.

Been out all day but will give it a look tomorrow mate

 

[SaintersUnite]

Yes what was that?

Think Marshall was off and Bruce wasn’t around, so no one from our team had nominated. Longy thought he’d take the responsibility and at least make a contest for us. Good on him I reckon.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[sammm]

Ben Paton's composure is outstanding and he accumulates - big time.
How good can this kid be?
It's early but think we might have found a diamond.

I cannot even remember him last year

 

[CursingFijian]

Sorry Boss the lid is shattered!
View attachment 658987

And all of Lethers horses and all of Finnis men, couldn’t put the lid together again.

 

[SaintersUnite]

I cannot even remember him last year

Played three games, pretty sure he kicked a goal in each of them. A ripper from outside 50 against... Hawthorn I think? Had him in the forward line.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[puppy_dog7]

Interesting to note who was taking the kick-in late in Q3.

View attachment 659275

That’s an encouraging bit of trust right there...

Yeah I noticed that at the game. Would be really good for his confidence too, for his teammates to trust him with kick in duties.

 

[crasha301]

Played three games, pretty sure he kicked a goal in each of them. A ripper from outside 50 against... Hawthorn I think? Had him in the forward line.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

And this year he is being played in his correct position

On DUB-LX2 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Phoenix_9]

What a great win. What a great long weekend.

Had a flick through the replay today, good times. I took notes on CBAs for anyone as interested in such things as I.

25 centre bounces.
Marshall 24
Steele 24
Ross 19
Gresh 16
Steven 14
Sinclair 2
Bruce 1

And on the wings.
Newnes 22
Billings 20
Acres 8
Gresh 1

Marshall and Steele only missed 1 each.

In Q1 it was Steele and gresh in there with Seb and stuv alternating (gresh missed 1 and those 2 went in together)

Q2 was Seb-steele-steven with gresh chopping out Steele and Steven once each.

2nd half, 12 bounces, Steele 12, Seb 10, gresh 7, stuv 5. (So seems they rested Steven once game was under control)

Bruce rucked once, late Q2. About the 11th bounce.

Sinclair attended 1 late Q3, 1 in Q4.

Billings and Newnes our first choice wing setup. Acres used 3, 2, and 3 times a quarter, often within the first 5 mins. Was not used their in Q4. Gresh used on wing once late in game.

Other highlight of flicking through all the goals and bounces was each time hearing Eddie? On commentary "they've kicked the last 3."..."4"... "5 in a row".. "6 goals"... "The last 7".. "8 goals unanswered"!

Thanks for this!
Interesting that we basically only rotate the 4 mids through the centre bounces, I thought we might try and get some different looks in there. Gresham and Steven offer that explosiveness. Steele that bigger body. Ross I guess is a decent distributor, but he’s probably the guy we replace if we want to improve in there looking forwards.