Analysis The Matt Taberner effect

[Unique Name]

How many times does this get said after a game with tabs tho??..... he’s the king of “almost” games or “what ifs “
- at his age and at some stage you just gotta accept that what youve got from tabs is exactly what your going to get-the odd killer game mixed in with a lot of almost and down right ordinary games.

But I would counter that by saying that his 'almost' games are serviceable enough.

He kicked 2 goals, 7 marks (4 contested) created a contest at every opportunity, didn't let Harris Andrew run off him, multiple times throughout the game was drawing an extra defender on him which should have meant a Freo player was free somewhere, 6 score involvements (same as Fyfe). Should have been 3 goals if he wasn't robbed of a clear mark on the goal line.

His almost game was good enough, I also agree it could have been alot better.

No one gets judged more harshly than Tabs. Lobb somehow has completely avoided scrutiny for a howler of a game. He had 5 effective disposals for an entire game. 0.0 on the score sheet and only 7 hitouts. Mundy was a non-entity for 90% of the game.

 

[Bring back Drum]

But I would counter that by saying that his 'almost' games are serviceable enough.

He kicked 2 goals, 7 marks (4 contested) created a contest at every opportunity, didn't let Harris Andrew run off him, multiple times throughout the game was drawing an extra defender on him which should have meant a Freo player was free somewhere, 6 score involvements (same as Fyfe). Should have been 3 goals if he wasn't robbed of a clear mark on the goal line.

His almost game was good enough, I also agree it could have been alot better.

No one gets judged more harshly than Tabs. Lobb somehow has completely avoided scrutiny for a howler of a game. He had 5 effective disposals for an entire game. 0.0 on the score sheet and only 7 hitouts. Mundy was a non-entity for 90% of the game.

Very well said. People care about Tabs because he shows so much potential. There is definitely room for improvement from Tabs, but I think he if can play a full season out, if we’ll get some continuity & finally see an end product.

What will also help will be speed of ball movement through the middle of the ground. Even Kennedy & Darling are next to useless when they get beat through the middle of the ground with no quick rebound.

Hoping Wilson, Hill & kids like Henry & Young get on the park consistently & being a forward at the Dockers will become much easier.

 

[malpaso]

If you cannot see Tabs' impact on our forward line from yesterday's game then you are a lost cause. He beat the All-Australian FB, what else is he supposed to do?

Lobb and Mundy with any sort of normal contribution and we win that game. It certainly was not due to Tabs and his play.

 

[fnerd]

But I would counter that by saying that his 'almost' games are serviceable enough.

He kicked 2 goals, 7 marks (4 contested) created a contest at every opportunity, didn't let Harris Andrew run off him, multiple times throughout the game was drawing an extra defender on him which should have meant a Freo player was free somewhere, 6 score involvements (same as Fyfe). Should have been 3 goals if he wasn't robbed of a clear mark on the goal line.

His almost game was good enough, I also agree it could have been alot better.

No one gets judged more harshly than Tabs. Lobb somehow has completely avoided scrutiny for a howler of a game. He had 5 effective disposals for an entire game. 0.0 on the score sheet and only 7 hitouts. Mundy was a non-entity for 90% of the game.

Oh I’m not saying there not ??
He definitely had a good game Yesterday.

I’m just pointing out that when tabs gets talked up ,a lot of it revolves around”could’ve beens”- think we need to move past that and accept that that is in fact often his norm/or as good as we’re going to get.

Its also not about judging tabs any differently to others (For me anyway), other than I think if the club is take the next step to becoming a contender then we need to move past players such as tabs(and blakely for that matter)- where we currently have better options or options with higher ceilings but said players still retain , atm, Valuable trade currency that we could use to fill other list holes

 

[Rob]

Oh I’m not saying there not ??
He definitely had a good game Yesterday.

I’m just pointing out that when tabs gets talked up ,a lot of it revolves around”could’ve beens”- think we need to move past that and accept that that is in fact often his norm/or as good as we’re going to get.

But that's difficult to accept because he's so close to becoming a big contributor. And that's the difference between us being 0-2 and 2-0. So many games sit on razor thin margins of error, and tiny little errors can turn wins into losses and vice versa. Tabs makes those tiny little errors - and because he's a forward they're so measurable. And because they're tiny little things they seem to be easily rectifiable.

You gotta feel for the guy - because I don't doubt he looks back on games and thinks "s**t, I was so close to kicking a bag". He probably works his arse off to get those things right.

 

[Purple_Turtle]

Must improve: Matt Taberner


Taberner is everything you want in a key forward – he can take a strong mark, he covers the ground well and is tall and agile in the front half. But in a tight game like Saturday's clash was, kicking just two goals from five shots could be seen as the difference between causing an upset or losing to the Lions. If the 26-year-old can find the ball more regularly and clean up his goal kicking, he’s got a big role to play for the Dockers this year.

The players who stood out and those who must improve

The best and worst of Round 2.

www.sen.com.au

 

[Joao]

The players who stood out and those who must improve

The best and worst of Round 2.

www.sen.com.au

Didn't someone write that exact article last year?

 

[Scham]

The players who stood out and those who must improve

The best and worst of Round 2.

www.sen.com.au

Is that from 2016 or current?

 

[apuchar]

I don't think his poor goal kicking is acceptable. Other than that he does pretty well in a difficult forwardline.

 

[Fat Nyfe]

I’m not so sure the positives outweigh the negatives. The brain fades are such momentum killers. And he’s not so good that he always has an impact to make up for it, next week he might just have the brain fades without the goals.

We have a lot of talls now, I don’t think he’s in our first choice lineup.

 

[malpaso]

I’m not so sure the positives outweigh the negatives. The brain fades are such momentum killers. And he’s not so good that he always has an impact to make up for it, next week he might just have the brain fades without the goals.

We have a lot of talls now, I don’t think he’s in our first choice lineup.

Who are these 'lot of talls' you speak of?

 

[mightymouse75]

I’m not so sure the positives outweigh the negatives. The brain fades are such momentum killers. And he’s not so good that he always has an impact to make up for it, next week he might just have the brain fades without the goals.

We have a lot of talls now, I don’t think he’s in our first choice lineup.

The brain fades & goal kicking tips are all mental. A good sports phsyc could get him started on the right track.

 

[E Shed]

The brain fades & goal kicking tips are all mental. A good sports phsyc could get him started on the right track.

Not necessarily. There is a reason a bloke built like him couldn't get drafted.
I don't doubt he has had the input of sports psychs since being in a professional system. Some guys just aren't fixable, witness Daniel Pearce who had such great athletic attributes and a decent amount of footy nous who still in the tail end of his career would go careening towards goal and then let it fly like a headless chook.

 

[theGav56]

- at his age and at some stage you just gotta accept that what youve got from tabs is exactly what your going to get-the odd killer game mixed in with a lot of almost and down right ordinary games.

Which is enough to require the opposition to take him seriously. Get the rest of the forward structure optimised and Taberner has been important. Don't balance the rest of the forward line and we end up with Pav being double teamed.

Our forward line is as close to being balanced as it has been for a long time. Bring Hogan, Sturt, McCarthy and Switkowski into the options and Taberner (and Matera) will make opposition teams nervous. Filter in Serong and Henry and we are looking very lively.

 

[Unique Name]

Our only effective forward again.

Didn't have much of an impact after qtr time. I'd say that's more on our midfield deciding to go home early though

2 goals now averaging 1.7 per game
2 contested marks keeps him in the No1 spot for contested marks in the AFL.

Bit sad this is all we have to be positive about after a game of footy.

 

[FreoRicci]

Our only effective forward again.

Didn't have much of an impact after qtr time. I'd say that's more on our midfield deciding to go home early though

2 goals now averaging 1.7 per game
2 contested marks keeps him in the No1 spot for contested marks in the AFL.

Bit sad this is all we have to be positive about after a game of footy.

Dominance in the first. 2 goals and a goal assist. Then the midfield was overwhelmed in the second. Nothing else he could do. Hogan and him will keep progressing as a forward duo.

 

[MadMundy]

One of the only players again to show some heart

 

[Freomaniac]

Our only effective forward again.

Didn't have much of an impact after qtr time. I'd say that's more on our midfield deciding to go home early though

2 goals now averaging 1.7 per game
2 contested marks keeps him in the No1 spot for contested marks in the AFL.

Bit sad this is all we have to be positive about after a game of footy.

So tabs was the only freo bloke to kick 2 goals today?

He isnt the most talented player on the list but he has drive and determination. I cant knock him for that.

Today shows again he somehow fits in freos forward structure.

 

[FreoRicci]

So tabs was the only freo bloke to kick 2 goals today?

He isnt the most talented player on the list but he has drive and determination. I cant knock him for that.

Today shows again he somehow fits in freos forward structure.

Queensland is going to frustrating for Hogan and Tabs. Won’t get to see their full effectiveness given the wet, dewy conditions.

 

[Freomaniac]

Queensland is going to frustrating for Hogan and Tabs. Won’t get to see their full effectiveness given the wet, dewy conditions.

Well.... Sadly that how it is.

Taberner has had his fair share of bad luck.

He finally has the body to play a full season of footy and he plays in a "Home" stadium that is the worst ground/ state for his ability.

 

[Unique Name]

Interesting factoid.

Not only is Tabs the No1 contested marker in the competition, no other KPF has scored more than him. 5 goals - 5 behinds puts him equal 1st with Ben Brown.

 

[mightymouse75]

Well.... Sadly that how it is.

Taberner has had his fair share of bad luck.

He finally has the body to play a full season of footy and he plays in a "Home" stadium that is the worst ground/ state for his ability.

Good players play well in all conditions

 

[Freomaniac]

Good players play well in all conditions

Maybe so....

But I dont expect Taberner to score 10 goals in one game in wet conditions.

Taberner isnt the main cog in the forward line, he does play an important part in the forward structure.

Taberner is nothing more than a 30-35 goal a season forward if he ever plays 22 games. He doesnt need to kick a bag of 5 like Walters or Matera or McCarthy has done. He just needs to kick 2-4 goals and get his 10-20 disposals.

Hell, I dont care if Lobb was forced to play ruck this week and Tabs plays FF. I have posted this, I dont care if Tabs plays FF and gets double teamed as long as someone like Walters, McCarthy or Matera or Hogan or any forward on the day leads the goal kicking with 3-5 goals.

I know freo are struggling at the moment. But this team is capable of scoring 12-14 goals each week and that would of been enough to be 3-0.

 

[Joao]

Interesting factoid.

Not only is Tabs the No1 contested marker in the competition, no other KPF has scored more than him. 5 goals - 5 behinds puts him equal 1st with Ben Brown.

And we've lost every game. If we start winning, Tabs will win the coleman!

That would be amazing.

 

[Freomaniac]

Let's be honest at 26 he's an average player at AFL level and quite likely always will be, not crap but not that great either either. Not that there is really anything wrong with that when it's still good enough to contribute to the team. Dude has all the tools physically and good marking ability but has pretty horrible footy instincts.

Your right on the money Kram. 100 odd pages in Tabs has split the opinions on everyone here. If Tabs was a top 10 pick Like John Butcher was, the WA media would of slaughtered him.

He would of lasted 4-5 years, possibly traded to a Vic club or delisted altogether.

Yeah agree with that mostly. I'm sure it's his mental game that his holding him back. When Rossy sent him back to WAFL a couple years ago the pressure was off mentally because it was clear he was well above WAFL standard, couldn't miss a set shot and committed a lot less blunders. Plays at AFL level a misses some quite simple shots, etc.

Even if all he'll ever be is an average AFL forward hopefully as the team improves as a whole so does his output/consistency. A rising tide lifts all boats and so on.

Didnt he lead Peels Goal kicking with 40 goals in one of those Peel seasons when they won the flag? 2017 I think.

He did well in the WAFL for a few reasons.

-WAFL standard isnt as strong as the AFL standard obviously
-He was a rookie pick in 2013. So there wasnt a high expectations. He wasnt going to kick 70 goals in a season and win a coleman medal.
-Considering he was playing in the WAFL, as you said, less pressure. That lead to less mistakes and good games.
-KPFs take time to develop.

Had taberner had less injuries, he would of played 100-120 games and kicked 150-200 goals right now