The Hard hands were back.. but geez, he gets to the right spots and gets into so many positions to mark relatively easily. Should have kicked 5 if he wasn't so underdone
Analysis The Matt Taberner effect
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- Aug 27, 2007
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Yep was clearly still very rusty. Effort was there and he has gotten so good at being in the right place at the right time - just wasn't quite up to it. Mind you, our delivery was generally very poor
Rusty but encouraging. Should get better with every game. I think the 3 talls is the system to go with, McCarthy played his best game in weeks too.
It would be nice if Cox got out his way next week!
freo84
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That was pretty frustrating to watch...they kept on getting in each others way.
Parry Street
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Five goals? nah mate, he was gifted his first one, then I saw him try to screw one from the boundary and missed everything. The sealer was for me was this. Shortly after Tabs was out marked by Sheppard (tabs probably a good 4 inches taller), Hilly looked up and saw Tabs on the wing one on one. Hilly deliberately decided it would be better to switch across the back line than kick to that contest, resulting in that crazy goal by Darling.
Add to that, he has zero on field presence, is a slow runner and is robotic. I've watched this kid for years, seen him build up his body, but he reminds me of Brenden Fewster, awesome Wafl player but just seemed to choke up when it went next level. My money is on Cox.
Wtf? Tabs is without doubt our best forward. Dropped some marks that he should have taken. He also out marked Sheppard at one stage.
Like Pav and Roo said in the commentary box, it's a reflection on our gameplan and how poor we were that we wouldn't kick it to a 1v1 contest, instead we kicked it backwards/sideways.
Cox is coming along, but his laziness to apply any pressure really annoys me.
Yeh.. Nah
Parry Street
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Fair call, but remember when Tabs joined Freo, Cox was still playing with 15 year olds. In Cox defense, he did have a purple patch, but reckon the rigors of the game have caught up with him and his 19 year old body. Remember his a 193cm kid.
Also had a goal disallowed after a very soft hands in the back, unlucky I thought.
Him, Cox and McCarthy could work well together with a few games and another preseason together.
Him, Cox and McCarthy could work well together with a few games and another preseason together.
I tend to agree with this, but it was the usual tabs game on the weekend. A couple of good marks inbetween about half a dozen times when he got clean hands to the ball only to see it spill free.
It's encouraging if you think he could improve that 1 or 2% so that those marks stick. But i've seen him play so many of those games that i'm getting sceptical that he will ever take that next step.
But it's not like he's keeping Wayne Carey out of the team.
So it's Hilly's fault?
He was very rusty, was expecting him to be a bit behind in terms of the pace of the game, the intensity. He was flustered at times. But his worst games are very very bad. He wasn't that yesterday. At times he was quite buggered and could tell.
He tried to get involved. But gee his team mates didn't help him. Even with Pavlich playing, we kicked high looping kicks. Wtf. We still do this to our forwards. I watch Hawthorn, West Coast , Melbourne and their kicking to forwards make us amateurs. On the lead, out in front.
Give him the rest of the year, kick a few goals each game. He's ready, him and Cox are gonna build and be huge for us down the track.
Wish we throw Jones in with Darcy. Cox and Tabs do not need to be in the ruck. It stuffs up the structure and Mccarthy struggles.
Did you miss the first five games of the season? Tabs is one of our best and was clearly rusty. Ross even said tabs pulled up a little bit sore from peel last week which could have impacted his game. I feel like there are some deluded expectations as to how a player should perform after a long term injury.
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Agree. Tabs was a shining light in our early games. His marks were excellent by and large. Can't recall which game it was but Tabs with al poise ans assurance delivered us a goal in the first few seconds. I consider his absence was part of our slide.
I've also come around to seeing the point of nice bloke Jones. After first couple of games I saw him get to good positions around the ground, use his weight effectively and given his size constraints, display footy nous. Think he and Darcy can be a productive combo. Leave (young, currently wilting) Cox to get a goal trio happening with Tabs and McCarthy.
That he had any impact at all after such a long layoff, scant match fitness, quality of opposition and diabolical fwd entries is nothing short of miraculous imo.
For the first time in a very long time I was comfortable with our fwd setup. Once we have our full midfield on the park and a little more maturity in Cox/Cam we just might be able to kick some decent scores.
For the first time in a very long time I was comfortable with our fwd setup. Once we have our full midfield on the park and a little more maturity in Cox/Cam we just might be able to kick some decent scores.
PurpleSnowman
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Yeah he was rusty af. Missed a few easy shots and dropped some marks he should have taken. But if his poorer games are now 11 disposals 2 goal games I think we can live with that.
The hands in the back free he gave away in the goal square was an incredibly soft free. Frustrating though because he had good position to just use his body to move the eagles player under the ball.
Overall he got through his first game back from a 15 week absence, he kicked a few goals which will have helped his confidence. I'm sure he has been worried about how he would come back.
Onwards and upwards from here.
The hands in the back free he gave away in the goal square was an incredibly soft free. Frustrating though because he had good position to just use his body to move the eagles player under the ball.
Overall he got through his first game back from a 15 week absence, he kicked a few goals which will have helped his confidence. I'm sure he has been worried about how he would come back.
Onwards and upwards from here.
Just like to see the Forward line build a bit of chemistry for the last 3 games
It's definitely been a mitigating factor this year, that our 3 primary key forwards have barely played together due to a combination of injuries and form.
Having Tabs back instantly takes some pressure of Cox, which then in turn takes some pressure off McCarthy. It benefits everyone having a bona fide key forward running around inside 50.
Having Tabs back instantly takes some pressure of Cox, which then in turn takes some pressure off McCarthy. It benefits everyone having a bona fide key forward running around inside 50.
ShockersBoy11
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Tabs will come good. I expect a good bag against a weak Carlton
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I can live with Tabs averaging 11 disposals and 2 goals a game too.
I don't expect him to perform a miracle. If he kicks 2-3 goals from 10 disposals, he is doing his job. I just want him to play games. Hoping this time next year, He is one of our leading goal kickers with 40 goals from 20 games.
I like how his narrative on Tabs has changed. Was very hard on him for a long time there (culminating in his long stint at Peel last year) but since Tabs has come back and look the goods Ross has started giving him the pats on the back. Quality man management IMO.
Also, go Tabs.
17 disposals, 1.1. He could've had 2-3. But quite happy with that today. Workhorse and he's getting back into it. Pity only two more games left, but he's ready for a big pre season.
Goal assist to Cox, Mccarthy really plays well when Tabs is there.
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