Three from Three - awesome!

[MarksGirl-kbcrowgirl]

Stevo for Club Champion in 2002!

Well done by the boys today to make it three from three. It is the best opening to a season for 6 years.

Nathan Bassett deserves a huge pat on the back for his effort in controlling that silly Barry Hall. Nathan didn't give him an inch and just did the hard things that needed to be done. Full marks this week, he has pretty boy Lloyd on friday night, lets hope he can put another scalp in his belt!

Mark Bickley played another fantastic game! I can't beleive he is seriously thinking about retiring at the end of the year. He is playing some of his best footy. Well done Mark!

Rhett Biglands is killing them in the centre. Great to see this lad doing so well. He has been around a couple of years now and he has to take the next step which he seems to be doing very well.

The only little downer is we did let them back in. I know we were able to answer when challeneged, but against the better sides such as Brisbane and Essendon you can not have a lapse in concentration. I will be looking for a four quarter effort next week.

Hopefully any injuries we suffered will be right for next week. Brett Burton twisted an ankle and sat out the last quarter but he should be ok. I don't think it was as bad as Roo's. Speaking of Roo, hopefully he will be back next week aswell. Stevo came back on in the last half after receiving a poke in the eye apparantly he has blurrey vision but he should be fine for this week against the bombers.

Go you mighty Crows!!!!

k
xx

 

[ant]

Originally posted by MarksGirl-kbcrowgirl


The only little downer is we did let them back in. I know we were able to answer when challeneged, but against the better sides such as Brisbane and Essendon you can not have a lapse in concentration. I will be looking for a four quarter effort next week.

I reckon it was strategic We don't want too much fanfare, too much "How good is Adelaide?" talk which would have occured if we won by 15 goals so the brainstrust thought, let's play a solid half, then put the cue back on the rack... Sure our customary third quarter fadeout was disappointing but it wasn't unexpected. I actually thought we'd have a 4 goal lead at the last break so to steady to a 49 point lead was quite heartening

Great to see another even contribution from the team, apart from Bicks' 31 possies, quite a few players had between 10 and 25 touches, so that augurs well for the season. The more options we have the harder we will be to close down.

Overall, I'm pleased with the result, a comfortable win against a genuine finals contender, while there's still plenty of room for improvement.

 

[sapaul]

The 3rd quarters are a definite worry, don't want to do that too many times, especially against good sides.

 

[MarksGirl-kbcrowgirl]

actually it was more the last quarter

Stevo for Club Champion in 2002


Actually our lapse was in the last quarter. We were up by 51 points at half time and by 49 at three quarter time and they got to within 29 points in the last quarter. Actually we should have won by 36 points cause we shouldn't have let them get the last goal with a few seconds to go.

Anyway I am really happy they won that is the main thing!!

k
xx

 

[ant]

Depends how you see it I suppose but they were kicking with the wind in the last, I expected them to close the gap, but in the third I was hoping we'd stretch it by 3 or 4....but alas, our 3rd quarter lapse did the trick (as well as an improved Sydney team).

 

[sapaul]

Yep, I did mean because we had the wind in the 3rd quarter.Should have been up by 70 at 3/4 time.

 

[Damp Squarie]

You could be onto something Ant.
I actually thought Ayres might be looking to rest Burton Goodwin and Johnson deep into the game. freshen up for bombers

The players looked pretty satisfied but not over the top in the rooms [which is a good sign].

The forward setup is starting to come together. There were a few balls that we could have run out o bounds but knowing some tall timber can vertically leap and pluck the cherry must be so sweet for our mosquito fleet.

Scotty Welshes "keep in" and bounce away leaving a swan in his wake was joyful

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Forward Line

It was good to see the forward line gel. The pressure on the opposition backs was there in the 1st 2 weeks, but the use of the ball, including kicking was in need of improvement - an improvement which we witnessed particularly in the 1st half. We have a good even spread of talent, which will make it hard for the opposition to combat (eg. where with Sydney, you shut down Hall & O'Loughlin & they usually struggle for goals). Welshy has showed why he should start in the last 2 games. Fitzy has really given us a marking target across the FF line which we have been missing for a while. If Roo plays this week, I reckon it would be worth him playing much of the game in the forward line, even FF, as he will lack some match fitness.

Also, I feel very confident in the defence at the moment - it seems to be back to '97 & '98 like form with Hart, Smart, Bassett & Steglein at their reliable & rebounding best, & Perrie fitting in well (even if he does look uncordinated at times!)

When did we last win 2 games in a row without any real influence of Riccuito, McLeod & Goodwin? Johnson is in career best form, & Bode & Doughty have really added to our midfield depth ... & then there is Bickley getting under the guard of the opposition. Biglands looks like he really has the belief that he can play AFL & never lacks in endeavour.

Only early day still, but the signs look good - particularly with the style of play & the commitment of the players.