Toast To the skill!

[adelaidecrows]

I don't know what the hell happened in skill training over the summer but can we keep doing it please?

Who ever is the skills coach, give them a raise!

The precision surgical passing through dangerous territory that is opening up teams like never before has caught the eye of the competition. We would have to rank as one of if the most skillful teams right now. The amount of times our players thread the eye of the needle to hit up a team mate at full stride running through the middle is something I haven't seen for almost two decades. We also have lost our fumbles. This is the reason we have increased our scoring potential. Damn what a rush.

 

[George CantStandYa]

I don't know what the hell happened in skill training over the summer but can we keep doing it please?

Who ever is the skills coach, give them a raise!

The precision surgical passing through dangerous territory that is opening up teams like never before has caught the eye of the competition. We would have to rank as one of if the most skillful teams right now. The amount of times our players thread the eye of the needle to hit up a team mate at full stride running through the middle is something I haven't seen for almost two decades. We also have lost our fumbles. This is the reason we have increased our scoring potential. Damn what a rush.

It has to do with who we have drafted and recruited. For a long time we didn’t place enough value on skill. But in recent years we’ve add good kickers, Roo on the broadcast said skill and speed have been a focus.

Hinge
Parnell
Dawson
Rankine
Rachelle
Jones
Soligo
Taylor
Thilthorpe
Max
Sholl
Fog

Can all kick it well to complement Tex, Smith, Milera who have been around awhile. I’m sure there are some that I’ve missed.

 

[adelaidecrows]

It has to do with who we have drafted and recruited. For a long time we didn’t place enough value on skill. But in recent years we’ve add good kickers, Roo on the broadcast said skill and speed have been a focus.

Hinge
Parnell
Dawson
Rankine
Rachelle
Jones
Soligo
Taylor
Thilthorpe
Max
Sholl
Fog

Can all kick it well to complement Tex, Smith, Milera who have been around awhile. I’m sure there are some that I’ve missed.

Spot on but an element still comes in at training and the ability to do it under pressure. Hope we continue it.

 

[StonesThrow]

Hasn't been every week, but it's definitely improved on average. Dawson has a lot to do with it, but I feel like we're hitting regulation short passes with ease now where I used to cringe.

 

[George CantStandYa]

Hasn't been every week, but it's definitely improved on average. Dawson has a lot to do with it, but I feel like we're hitting regulation short passes with ease now where I used to cringe.

Moving it quicker too and generally forward rather than going backwards slowly

 

[dplggr47]

Not having Keays play midfield and kicking it into our forward line has helped. Brodie Smith

33

Brodie Smith

Age

34

Ht

194cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.5

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

7.2

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.1

4star

MG

500.1

5star

D

17.1

4star

K

12.6

5star

HB

4.5

3star

M

3.5

3star

T

2.3

3star

MG

438.9

5star

D

17.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

3.6

5star

taking less kickins. Laird more of an extractor with Crouch and Keays out of midfield. Dawson playing midfield helps.

 

[Danger in Texas]

It’s not just our ability to execute, but also stacking our side with players that have incredible footy smarts and vision. We now know more than ever (during Nicks’ tenure) which kick/handball is the right one to make, when to slow down the pace and when to be aggressive

This is on the back of guys like Dawson, Rankine, Rachele, Soligo, Jones, Sholl, Hinge etc - all have become regulars in the last two years, and all are really confident in their skill level

 

[jackster83]

Two of our worst kicks in Schoenberg and Berry not being in the team, and ROB choosing to handball more makes us look better by foot.

As does actually having outside runners in the side.

 

[George CantStandYa]

Two of our worst kicks in Schoenberg and Berry not being in the team, and ROB choosing to handball more makes us look better by foot.

As does actually having outside runners in the side.

Keays up forward and not delivering to opposition defenders

 

[jo172]

Taking Matt Crouch

5

Matt Crouch

Age

30

Ht

181cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

28.4

5star

K

12.0

4star

HB

16.4

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

3.9

5star

CL

4.8

5star

D

24.9

5star

K

9.7

4star

HB

15.1

5star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.4

3star

CL

4.4

5star

D

21.2

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

10.8

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

3.4

5star

CL

2.0

4star

and Keays out of the midfield helps this a lot.

When two blokes who were not good users got it 60 times a game we were always between a rock and hard place

 

[spexau]

Shout out to ROB who has clearly been working on his fast hands over the summer. It's been noticeable how he hasn't been getting caught hanging on to the ball and been setting up our mids a few times a game with clean hands.

 

[cmndstab]

Having skilful users by foot through the middle is obviously part of it. But another big part is that the team is now playing like a team that expects those kicks to be nailed. They'll lead to spots expecting a good kick to reach them, instead of playing conservatively to avoid getting burned in the case of a turnover. And in turn their teammates will already be in place for a handball receive or whatever, having just assumed the kick would be good.

Back in the 2007-2011 period of Geelong dominance their players would just assume they were going to be successful at cutting through with handball, and would all run accordingly. That belief combined with genuine skill creates so many scoring opportunities, and forces your opponent to be reactive.

 

[Mr_Moogle]

No Jake Kelly

29

Jake Kelly

Age

31

Ht

190cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.5

4star

K

8.3

3star

HB

6.3

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.6

4star

MG

157.8

2star

D

8.1

2star

K

6.3

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.6

4star

MG

104.1

2star

D

14.8

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

5.8

4star

M

6.0

5star

T

4.2

5star

MG

107.0

2star

helps. Thanks Essendon.

 

[jo172]

No Jake Kelly helps. Thanks Essendon.

To think Mitch Hinge is playing Jake's old role is droll

 

[Golumless]

To think Mitch Hinge is playing Jake's old role is droll

If that isn't a sentence that sums up the overall skill level improvement of the side, I dunno what is.

 

[Carmo]

We practice the short passing game in the twos as well, much to the disgust of the bigfooty intelligensia

 

[adelaidecrows]

We practice the short passing game in the twos as well, much to the disgust of the bigfooty intelligensia

Thats what a reserve team is for.

 

[Golumless]

A bit of a slept on factor to how good our skills have been, we're currently the best side in the competition in turnover differential and intercepts. Not only have we loaded up on skill players, and are playing with confidence, but we're also bloody good at creating opportunities for skills to make a difference.

 

[Rotayjay]

When we were at our best in 2017 we would run in waves and nail targets all over the ground. Yet on grand final day, on certain other days and the following year, with pretty much the same players, it didn't come off at all. It seems to be a matter of confidence and form.

 

[John Who]

When we were at our best in 2017 we would run in waves and nail targets all over the ground. Yet on grand final day, on certain other days and the following year, with pretty much the same players, it didn't come off at all. It seems to be a matter of confidence and form.

Loss of comfidence, form, and injuries - hammies in 2018..lots and lots of hammies.

But I agree, we’re now playing an exciting brand not too dissimilar to the team playing in 2017. We might not reach our peak yet this year, but we’re a team that now seems more determined to win, or in the least compete with every game.

 

[CrowBloke]

I don't know what the hell happened in skill training over the summer but can we keep doing it please?

Who ever is the skills coach, give them a raise!

The precision surgical passing through dangerous territory that is opening up teams like never before has caught the eye of the competition. We would have to rank as one of if the most skillful teams right now. The amount of times our players thread the eye of the needle to hit up a team mate at full stride running through the middle is something I haven't seen for almost two decades. We also have lost our fumbles. This is the reason we have increased our scoring potential. Damn what a rush.

REALLY good to see a positive thread acknowledging the team's increase in skill level, and kudos to the other posters above.
As you said, we've gone from a poor-skills team to one of the best in the Comp.

There are more subtle reasons why, too.
There's the Dawson Factor --- his elite kicking might well have made other players aspire to kick as well as he does.
I think there's a Keays Factor as well (I can see Bearded Clam rolling his eyes, now ). When he arrived he became our busiest, hardest-running player which also might well have made others think about their own efforts and two-way running.
The additions of players with high skill levels drives the group to improve.
Then there's the Burgess Effect. We're starting games better (best first-quarter team in the League) and finishing well.
Add general increased fitness + organic growth/improvement + a year older + growing together with the Coach, but I must say the improvement has exceeded my expectations and I'm loving it.

 

[CrowBloke]

... the team is now playing like a team that expects those kicks to be nailed. They'll lead to spots expecting a good kick to reach them

They weren't leading AT ALL when the ball was just being bombed in high and blindly.