Autopsy Round 9, 2023 : Hawks burnt by Demons

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[Mercy Seat]

You cant talk bad about Morrison on this board, you will be belittled and crucified

In all seriousness, go to the game live and watch him run around the field. Has no idea where or what to do and will go anywhere to avoid any form of tackle/hit from any player

16 touches with 2 contested possession. 62% efficiency for someone who plays bruise free football...like cmon

You can talk bad about any player, just expect pushback when it’s after games when they’re one of our best which has happened a lot the last season and a half (including last week).

Agree though he was super ordinary yesterday, and will be quite rightly in the firing line. However, I just don’t see who comes in. There’s been no one else putting their hand up for that role as far as I can see.

 

[theiaofseed]

What's the point of Chad Wingard ? averaging 11 touches a game, and kicked 2 snags in 7 matches.

Hasn't laid a tackle for 2 games and only averaging 1.1 for the year. Love Wingard and the cultural he brings off field but you can't play a small forward who isn't tackling.

Our forward pressure number are disaster

 

[Cheersquad71]

Hard to polish a turd. Absence of an established spine really hurting atm.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I think our general fitness needs a lot of work as well. We are always outnumbered at contests, and there were some glaring parts yesterday afternoon where Melbourne players found themselves in a lot of space, especially running forward and from the stoppage.

We outwork the opposition on a weekly basis. Just check the GPS numbers.

The comments that we are not fit enough are unfounded.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Sitting up in the nosebleeds at the game, one thing that really stuck out was the difference in structure when either team had the ball behind half way.

Melbourne had options and dynamic running everywhere. We had none of that, setting up very flat almost soccer like. Our mids would do some great grunt work, get the ball, get free and look up to absolutely nothing.

It reminded me of the wallabies under Cheika and McKenzie - we had tge ability to break the line, but then there would be no support pod following to secure the ruck or take a pass/offload. It’s the same here, we win the ball but then there is no support further up, leaving whoever has it with a series of poor options.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

You cant talk bad about Morrison on this board, you will be belittled and crucified

In all seriousness, go to the game live and watch him run around the field. Has no idea where or what to do and will go anywhere to avoid any form of tackle/hit from any player

16 touches with 2 contested possession. 62% efficiency for someone who plays bruise free football...like cmon

Your post is a great example of why people push back on so many of the negative posts that are made here.

Have an opinion, even be critical of a player but to say Morrison “has no idea where to go or what to do” is just pure rubbish.

 

[TylerDurden]

Sitting up in the nosebleeds at the game, one thing that really stuck out was the difference in structure when either team had the ball behind half way.

Melbourne had options and dynamic running everywhere. We had none of that, setting up very flat almost soccer like. Our mids would do some great grunt work, get the ball, get free and look up to absolutely nothing.

It reminded me of the wallabies under Cheika and McKenzie - we had tge ability to break the line, but then there would be no support pod following to secure the ruck or take a pass/offload. It’s the same here, we win the ball but then there is no support further up, leaving whoever has it with a series of poor options.

I was there too. What Melbourne do better than most, is to read the cues early. Their running patterns are elite. Once they turn it over, they are off to the races and in the perfect position to slay you.

 

[Maybloomer]

Ahh someone that is watching the game!!! Well done .

What is our kick in plan?

Dimma or Sicily gets the ball. Stands at the top of the square for an eternity until the umps tells them to get on with it and then pumps it 55 metres to the opposition rucks.

With all these flankers we currently have why are they all not moving around and giving us multiple options 30 out, 40 out etc.

I have watched Basketball coaches teach young players that are not moving in games how to bring the ball in by lining them up in the middle of the court, setting body blocks/screens to create space and then they all break and buzz around until there is an option for the player bringing it in. I understand kicking the ball 30-40 metres is a lot different to someone passing a basketball in but I just see no options or understanding as to some sort of plan.

It’s the only time in a game when you know exactly where the ball will be and who will have possession of it and it happens 10-20 times per game. I wonder how many teams take advantage of this advantage? It screams for any number of set plays that can be practiced at training. Looking left, right and then a 20m kick to a pocket wouldn’t be one, you’d think.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Morrison compared to last week had a bad game. Last week he was in our top 5 players. The crimmins medal will back me up i reckon

 

[Jim Prideaux]

I was there too. What Melbourne do better than most, is to read the cues early. Their running patterns are elite. Once they turn it over, they are off to the races and in the perfect position to slay you.

No doubt, they’re a class outfit who has underperformed recently - form is temporary.

What’s frustrating is that we seem to have no structure, and no willingness to back ourselves to leave some players back and make the opposition accountable.

 

[CobberRodgers]

We outwork the opposition on a weekly basis. Just check the GPS numbers.

The comments that we are not fit enough are unfounded.

Well, if that’s the case, then it’s even more alarming.

I don’t check GPS numbers, but now I’m very interested as to in what regard we outwork our opposition? Total KMs run? It’s certainly not in team defence or defensive running, when it’s time to.

Watching countless blokes in Melbourne jumpers spread from a contest and receive the ball in acres of space for a couple of hours live is enough for me to know we aren’t working hard enough, when we need to.

Can you give me some context around our GPS numbers?

 

[CobberRodgers]

And before anyone jumps down my throat. I’m not bagging anyone or having a go at anyone. I’m genuinely interested as it was my first chance to see live for the season and it was the one thing that stuck out to me the whole time.

FWIW I think our fitness will improve, just like everything, as a young group plays together and we build a better base in all aspects, including fitness.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

FWIW I think our fitness will improve, just like everything, as a young group plays together and we build a better base in all aspects, including fitness.

I reckon we run plenty, just often not to the right place. Plus we overuse it a bit.

 

[CobberRodgers]

I reckon we run plenty, just often not to the right place. Plus we overuse it a bit.

If our GPS numbers are strong, then this is a certainty.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

If our GPS numbers are strong, then this is a certainty.

That’ll hopefully improve with experience and game plan development.

 

[Lickmesocks]

Morrison compared to last week had a bad game. Last week he was in our top 5 players. The crimmins medal will back me up i reckon

This board has some amazing loyal people that stick by their players. When you are winning players like Harry and Danny Howe can be carried along for the ride to a certain extent.

When you are going down and these players now become front and centre as senior players, everyone is hoping they step up to another level and pick up some of the slack and I think this becomes part of the problem for everyone.

 

[eldorado]

to say Morrison “has no idea where to go or what to do” is just pure rubbish.

Personally, I thought "he will go anywhere to avoid any form of tackle/hit from any player" was the hall-of-fame moment...

 

[Billyc]

Morrison is in the best 22 of the side that is 18th on the ladder. I doubt he will be best 22 of a side that contends for finals. I think that’s the disconnect. Some people don’t want him getting games because they don’t see him having much upside or getting a game when we’re not a hopeless side. I agree with that. But then others reasonably argue he’s currently far from our worst performing player and works a lot harder than many others. I also agree with that.

Tim Clarke

Tim Clarke

Age

42

Ht

177cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.1

4star

K

8.2

3star

HB

8.9

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.2

4star

No current season stats available

D

13.4

4star

K

6.0

3star

HB

7.4

5star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.2

4star

was mentioned above. There is value in the odd Clarke / Vandenberg type with high work rate offsetting their modest talent when your side is junk. Frost and Morrison fit that category for now

 

[TheFourPillars]

This board has some amazing loyal people that stick by their players. When you are winning players like Harry and Danny Howe can be carried along for the ride to a certain extent.

When you are going down and these players now become front and centre as senior players, everyone is hoping they step up to another level and pick up some of the slack and I think this becomes part of the problem for everyone.

Its not about loyalty. I call it as i see it. I mean you can see that in my other posts of other players who are currently out of the side. Note its objective about their performance not about thrir ceiling how talented they are or how athetically gifted. This seems some how to obscure actual performance from the perceived

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Idk, I think everyone severely underrates Newcombe as a ball user. He's our best kicking inside mid by a fair margin. The 5th highest kicking efficiency of any mid averaging over 10 contested possessions a game. Went at 85% today. He doesn't just bang it on the boot.

He was 1st for clearances to scores last year, 2nd for kicking inside 50 (scores from inside 50s & efficiency).

 

[Nick the Pig]

Hasn't laid a tackle for 2 games and only averaging 1.1 for the year. Love Wingard and the cultural he brings off field but you can't play a small forward who isn't tackling.

Our forward pressure number are disaster

Added to Chad's zero tackles were just three pressure acts. This is horrendously bad in a team that is crying out for some forward pressure. His out of bounds attempt at goal was another shocker.

It was one of the more lacklustre games I can remember. And this on top of a season where Chad has been below average in all but maybe one game and even that may be generous.

I find it hard to justify him being picked next weekend

 

[Dewyyyyy]

Morrison compared to last week had a bad game. Last week he was in our top 5 players. The crimmins medal will back me up i reckon

Against Freo.

Day, Nash, Worpel, Amon, Newcombe had better games.

Morrison had atleast 4-5 turnovers which led to goals, if not more. He was poor, and being our 6th best player in a game where we looked terrible. It's not much of an accomplishment, he would've been in our bottom 3-4 against the Dees. He needs to be dropped and sent a message.

 

[SA HAWK]

Added to Chad's zero tackles were just three pressure acts. This is horrendously bad in a team that is crying out for some forward pressure. His out of bounds attempt at goal was another shocker.

It was one of the more lacklustre games I can remember. And this on top of a season where Chad has been below average in all but maybe one game and even that may be generous.

I find it hard to justify him being picked next weekend

I find it hard to justify giving him another game at all.

 

[HedgeFund]

I am not sure this is such a big deal.

Jack Watts couldn't handle it 1.5 decades back, doesn't mean every young one won't. There is no indication of Rama being soft and better to learn some hard lessons upfront.

Ramsden is 2 years older than Watts when he debuted. We didn’t pick Ramsden (again) because when he played his first AFL game, he did a couple of nice things but was probably a fair bit off the mark. It’s the right thing to keep him at VFL level for a while to continue to learn his craft.

Kozi is fully mature and has played 38 games. It made sense to me to plug him in as a late replacement, even though he was probably going to struggle too.