Autopsy vs Snort Powder

[ferball]

So what was the washup of all that stuff ferby, or are you just trying to get Tas's nomination for the 2019 poster of the year?

I'm still going. I'll do more tomorrow.

So far:

Hall wasn't as bad as he seemed. (Not great tho.)

The umpires were.

LMac is a good defender

Nothing we didn't already know.

I'm actually more positive on where we are after watching that. The second quarter was flawed but they are definitely trying to learn how to play on the outside.

It was really interesting seeing Ats again and being able to rewind and watch. The way he'd take off sideways getting a few give and gos seemed silly at first but it opened up acres of space. A couple of times we got the ball across, got out and were streaming into 50 so quickly. Its a potentiallly good thing cos he is capable of straightening up and moving thru the corridor too. Well I hope as coaches see him going to the far side of the fat side they'll think about countering it and open up the corridor.

I think he benefits from having Hall and Polec in the side.

 

[ferball]

More to the point why would he think we were showing good signs when the only time we looked any good was when we threw his shithouse game plan out the window

I don't think that' s totally true actually but only cos I've watching the replay forensically.

No really I can see changes in the way we play starting to come together.

But no one wants to hear that s**t. We want to hear: "Well we lost, it wasn't good enough and next week we'll come out, play our guts out, do everything in our power and more to win."

 

[amaz199]

Quoting something I said last season:

It's games like this that really expose where we are at. And, the positive is, we are better than expected. Much better.

The confidence, running, tackling, defending, attacking all that jazz, seems to be working better than ever.

I always thought we were unable to balance our offensive and defensive structures and was always on the fence with our development.

Our 2014-15 seasons were great, but, we were still one dimensional. Go watch the replays in the losses we suffered in those seasons and you'll see what I mean. Then watch the wins. It's still the 2012-13 North, just a less vulnerable one. We lost leads compulsively.

For obvious reasons, Brad was unable to play his players in a game style that meant we had to run both ways consistently and pressure consistently.

I look at the side today and smile. It seems we have finally cracked it. We just look like a side that can actually compete consistently.

If the side from three or four years ago played today, we would've lost. In fact, throw the boys that have departed back in there and we go down the path of looking for excuses. Previously, if some players weren't performing, we dropped our heads. We didn't do that s**t today. Fought all the way to the end. We weren't down 5 goals or playing terribly, we were playing footy.

That wasn't a win because our senior players were the reasons, that was a win because the whole team did not disintegrate. Yeah they did come at us and got within 4 goals, but did we completely lose it? Absolutely not. It's been a long time since we have done that convincingly.

Think of it like this, forget 2010-2016. This is a proper build towards a premiership. The side that went out today won with two down on the interchange bench. For a younger and less experienced side to do that, it takes remarkable efforts. It takes greatness.

This isn't going to be the same bland side that got us two prelims and left us wanting, it's going to be the step further.

And with more depth in the VFL pushing for a spot, things might be looking very good in the next couple of years. Again, I'm optimistic but still doubtful if we can pull it off. As always.

Watched a completely different side today. Unusual but astonishingly good win.

We are heading in the right direction. I'm happy.

A post I made after the significantly important Hawthorn win last year.

The bold are of significance as to how this team has declined from what was, a great team, into a team full of individuals not playing as a team. A team that had character, always went hard at the contest, always took the game on when it was going to get tough and use the ball well, got each other going, and most importantly, motivated each other to get a win when the opposition have the edge over you momentarily. Exactly what this club should thrive on.

What Brad has done this year, has completely stripped the effort and structures made last year. He has catastrophically made some significant errors in positions players are clearly unsure about, changed structures in regards to midfielders when structures were fine last season, changed the way the midfielders use the ball, changed the way each player reacts to a contest, changed the way each player reacts to a contested possession gained by our inside mids etc., and possibly lost the mental edge our players had last season when it got really dirty. It is a completely different team out there. Completely different. The one MOST important thing he had to do? Improve the endurance and fitness of the midfielders and prevent interrupted pre-seasons. If players had fitness issues, don't play them! Don't change your structures to cater for them! We had the right idea from last year with the 6-6-6 rule:

• run both ways consistently and pressure. No room to get numbers back. No papering cracks.
• prevent clean disposal out of the middle and make opposition second guess.
• prevent easy exits out of our F50.
• prevent the opposition from taking advantage of momentum which would result in a loss.
• skill in the contests and on the counter.

Those points were all ticks last season when we were seriously challenging top 4 sides... why did we change that?

I had no reasons to suggest this team could not make it, but whatever Brad has done since 12 months ago, he has reversed all the progress he made to get this team up and about again. He just had to get fitness up to scratch to block those easy clearances and counters. The 6-6-6 rule reduced Brad's ability to paper the cracks in our ability to defend. He had to just get everyone fit for a tiring 6-6-6 2019 season. Not allow players to zone off and not create options! Not allow players to stop a build up and go backwards! Not allow players to switch to a bloke with 3 opponents on him! Our players are clearly not prepared for the intensity or grueling requirements of the 6-6-6 system. There is no margin for error anymore Brad!

The structures implemented last year would've worked if he had just implemented a more aggressive-vigorous fitness training scheme. Players in other clubs look more fit than ours, more prepared and more skilled because they work their arses off to find room to use the pill. We don't. We wait for opposition to open up, zone off and don't stamp our authority on the match momentum. What ends up happening? We get slaughtered on the counter and we don't find room to use the pill. We are trying to play like a team that is clearly not the team we saw last season. It seems like it cannot run out a game that would test the player's mental ability and skillset. They are not prepared for the clubs that punish them relentlessly. Only select few players have mirrored last season's form and some few have improved. But this is a team, and the team collectively, is not backing each other.

A completely different mental state combined with a completely ****ed structure combined with the media going at the players instead of the coaches has made 2019, the year that is going to probably leave us wanting. Again.

Mounted with players pushing early 30s, we don't have much time. I really thought we were on the rise this season but the cautious bit of the optimism prevailed. That is the thing, until proven, this side can sometimes head towards the path I wished it not to go.

2018 wasn't over-achievement, it was the standard of which the team should be trying to exceed. The whole side and coaches cracked the formula, they really did. But why not improve it? Why not build from it?

When was the last time Jmac pushed forward for a goal from 50? The last time JZ grabbed the game and got his side over the line? The last time our midfielders played like they were a well oiled machine. Our backline not shitting themselves and hitting risky kicks? Not over-using the ball and not being lazy? Our forwards being able to create space and move? It seems like we have declined completely down to the level that Brad started his coaching career at North. The handball over-use, the weak mental state of the team, losing by 60+, gun midfielders running free, constantly having issues with opposition forwards... it has all returned.

Blaming it on players that are out (eg. Majak and Ben) is disgraceful. The current list is capable, but is declining sharply. The list is individuals, not a team. The structures are utterly useless and not working at all.

 

[north_lad]

I don't think that' s totally true actually but only cos I've watching the replay forensically.

No really I can see changes in the way we play starting to come together.

But no one wants to hear that s**t. We want to hear: "Well we lost, it wasn't good enough and next week we'll come out, play our guts out, do everything in our power and more to win."

What I actually want to hear is

“Well I had a good run,
Good luck to the next guy”

Hehe

 

[DrZaius]

2018 wasn't over-achievement, it was the standard of which the team should be trying to exceed. The whole side and coaches cracked the formula, they really did. But why not improve it? Why not build from it?

Bingo. There is no such thing as overachieving, if you are capable of doing something once then you are capable of doing it again. Pretty simple.

 

[giantroo]

Coaches votes
10 - Travis Boak (PAFC)
7 - Sam Gray (PAFC)
6 - Ben Cunnington (NMFC)
5 - Tom Clurey (PAFC)
1 - Brad Ebert (PAFC)
1 - Conor Rozee (PAFC)

 

[Snake_Baker]

Coaches votes
10 - Travis Boak (PAFC)
7 - Sam Gray (PAFC)
6 - Ben Cunnington (NMFC)
5 - Tom Clurey (PAFC)
1 - Brad Ebert (PAFC)
1 - Conor Rozee (PAFC)

Are these campaigners for real?

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

Are these campaigners for real?

What's the issue?
Boak 5
Cunnington 4
S Gray 3
Clurey 2
Ebert 1

Boak 5
S Gray 4
Clurey 3
Cunnington 2
Rozee 1

 

[Caracas]

Bingo. There is no such thing as overachieving, if you are capable of doing something once then you are capable of doing it again. Pretty simple.

The worry is that all our good form last year was when Waite and Jacobs were available. It’s arguable that we’ve just continued on with our form from the second half of 2018.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Snake_Baker]

What's the issue?
Boak 5
Cunnington 4
S Gray 3
Clurey 2
Ebert 1

Boak 5
S Gray 4
Clurey 3
Cunnington 2
Rozee 1

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

View attachment 664775

Boak clearly BOG. Not hard to make an argument for Sam Gray being second with his 4 goals. Hinkley probably marked Cunners down for the cheap shots. Who gives a s**t?

 

[Mav]

Boak clearly BOG. Not hard to make an argument for Sam Gray being second with his 4 goals. Hinkley probably marked Cunners down for the cheap shots. Who gives a ****?

Would have been Scotts marking Cunners down. Doesn’t like flying the flag, and certainly doesn’t like players playing tough.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Gray had 30 touches and kicked four, and Clurey gave Brown a bath. Not that hard to justify those votes.

 

[GremioPower]

Kudos for your effort. Not giving up losing by 40 points in Q4 is a virtue. It shows you all have plenty of heart. I hope your season change for the better from now on.

Here, this my review of the game, if anyone wants to take a look:

 

[ferball]

Kudos for your effort. Not giving up losing by 40 points in Q4 is a virtue. It shows you all have plenty of heart. I hope your season change for the better from now on.

Here, this my review of the game, if anyone wants to take a look:

All I see is empty space.

I don't do facebook (and that's probably why I can't see it) but it does look funny.

There's a big empty space where your review should be.

 

[ferball]

GremioPower I did read it.

It was actually pretty good (especially considering I've got the shits with footy.)

If it wasn't about us I'd have given it 4 stars.

 

[ferball]

I'm watching the third quarter. First bounce - goldy to jed to Cunners. Poor kick to the corner of the square/hff. Should have lowered his eyes and hit Wood with a short pass. Turnover they get a shot on goal and Goldy, on his own, punches the ball thru. Should have marked unless the set up from a point was a preferred option. Duck criticises lack of talk. Fair call Duck.

If it was a plan it worked. Hunter to Cunners to larks at CHF. 2 kicks and we're in a beautiful attacking position. Larks has the perfect opportunity to go long to Brown. Goes sideways to Ziebell. F.F.S. In the same spot Cunners kicked to a few minutes earlier. If thats part of a game plan it hasn't worked twice. Ling vents his frustration at the play. We get a behind from play but its scrappy. Cunners had a chance to goal but not much of one. Duck and Ling spend a minute or two criticising Larkeys going sideways. Fair enough.

The ball comes out to the wing, long down the line, Pittard contests a mark and we win the ball. Quick movement sideways (the good sideways movement) we get the ball to Pittard then he kicks to Polec who kicks to Goldy on his own in the centre square. Goldy has the worlds worst ball drop but manages to direct his kick perfectly to Larks who kicks his first goal. Brown's bodywork on the goal line was good and I'll say this about LMac - he gets around his team mates when they goal. Good stuff.

The sideways movement seems to work well in this game. Ats, Pittard and Polec seem to link well and we can move the ball from a wing to or thru the corridor quite effectively. Its created opportunities for us a few times this game.

We win the next clearance and handball forward all the way to the 50 where TT hits Mason Wood with a good kick. Wood kicks the set shot from nearly in front. i didn't think he'd get it at the time. Not the only one I'm sure.

 

[ferball]

So its four/five minutes into the third quarter and we have dominated the centre bounces and around the ground in the air. Apart from what seems to be a plan to kick to the corner of the square at HFF the game plan way we are playing seems good.

 

[ferball]

But there are alot of handballs.

I'd almost be inclined to make the following team rule:

Imagine a line across the ground. No ... imagine a clock on the ground and 12 o'clock is going toward our goal. Unless its a mark/free kick if you aren't handballing somewhere between 9.30 - 10 o'clock and 2 - 2.30 on the imaginary clock I mentioned then don't bloody handball!!! Hold on to the ball till you can kick it or charge toward our goal and give the HTB as far away from their goal as possible.

Cos when we handball forward we can cut the opposition to pieces and have been able to for years. When we handball backward we are useless. Its more a mental thing imo.

Its also obvious in these first five minutes the value of Brown as a decoy. He draws defenders. We seemed to move the ball thru/to Wood and Larkey and they had plenty of space around them.

Bruce has named Cunners as the one who has set the standard for the second half, and he has been immense, but I'd say Jed has been as good or better. Probably as good not better. BTW has anyone called Ben Cunnington the Linguist yet?

 

[ferball]

The next bounce and we win the clearance again. This time Goldy taps to JZ who is beaten to the ball but wins it back with physical strength. He tackles two players (SPP and RGray) and the ball spills to Goldy who handballs to Jed running past. Jed hits Mase with a beautiful kick. Literally centimeter perfect. Val Keating this is what i was thinking of when you mentioned his ability to accumulate. There were other occasions too. That's the next step for Jed. If he gets that he will be seriously elite. He's has elite physical pressure and tackling and is probably knocking on the door of the leagues best mids at the moment. If he adds that to his game then he will be unreal, probably match winning.

Anyway at this point Mase is having his second shot in a minute. He's kicking from 50ish about 10m in from the boundary so 45 - 50 deg angle. @about 15.30 left on the clock he kicks to Brown who is covered in defenders. He should have had a shot. He is good enough to nail them and if he ever wants to be the sort of player who regularly gets bags and is a real match winner (which he has the potential to do) he has to want those situations then to own them. Mase just pulled the kick and because PAs defense is very good and focused on Brown he can't mark around the goal square. Its the wrong side for a left footer but he still needs to want that responsibility and trust himself to deliver. If he was going to kick to Brown it should have been lower, faster and 3 or 4 feet above the head of the Port player sitting in the hole (who almost goes with Larkey.) Maybe not exactly there but that line somewhere.

Butters gives a very soft free to LMac. (Prolly wasn't there imo but who knows what the rules are these days.) Doesn't matter, Jed gets the loose ball, Cunners-like handball to Jack who does Jacks thing instead of lowering his eyes and hitting Larkey in space a few metres outside 50 directly in front. the kick is long but about 5 m short of being to Brown's advantage. If that was TT instead of JZ that kick would probably have been over Larkey's right shoulder as he turned and ran to goal. He'd either have the shot, have it on the run or handball over the top to one of several loose players. Either way Port's defense would have been in disarray instead of really good.

And if Port's defense wasn't so good we may have had an opportunity anyway. But JZ should have lowered his eye and chose the option that was more likely to be a sure thing. He played to their strength instead of choosing an option that negated it.

The ball is kicked long down the line to a contest eventually and Jed wins it when its loose but spins out of the pack and puts the ball oof. Its about 14.33 left on the clock. We have dominated this quarter so far. We should have at least one more goal at this point, two more would be reasonable and three more wouldn't have been that unreasonable given our dominance and the options we had available.

 

[Val Keating]

The next bounce and we win the clearance again. This time Goldy taps to JZ who is beaten to the ball but wins it back with physical strength. He tackles two players (SPP and RGray) and the ball spills to Goldy who handballs to Jed running past. Jed hits Mase with a beautiful kick. Literally centimeter perfect. Val Keating this is what i was thinking of when you mentioned his ability to accumulate. There were other occasions too. That's the next step for Jed. If he gets that he will be seriously elite. He's has elite physical pressure and tackling and is probably knocking on the door of the leagues best mids at the moment. If he adds that to his game then he will be unreal, probably match winning.

Anyway at this point Mase is having his second shot in a minute. He's kicking from 50ish about 10m in from the boundary so 45 - 50 deg angle. @about 15.30 left on the clock he kicks to Brown who is covered in defenders. He should have had a shot. He is good enough to nail them and if he ever wants to be the sort of player who regularly gets bags and is a real match winner (which he has the potential to do) he has to want those situations then to own them. Mase just pulled the kick and because PAs defense is very good and focused on Brown he can't mark around the goal square. Its the wrong side for a left footer but he still needs to want that responsibility and trust himself to deliver. If he was going to kick to Brown it should have been lower, faster and 3 or 4 feet above the head of the Port player sitting in the hole (who almost goes with Larkey.) Maybe not exactly there but that line somewhere.

Butters gives a very soft free to LMac. (Prolly wasn't there imo but who knows what the rules are these days.) Doesn't matter, Jed gets the loose ball, Cunners-like handball to Jack who does Jacks thing instead of lowering his eyes and hitting Larkey in space a few metres outside 50 directly in front. the kick is long but about 5 m short of being to Brown's advantage. If that was TT instead of JZ that kick would probably have been over Larkey's right shoulder as he turned and ran to goal. He'd either have the shot, have it on the run or handball over the top to one of several loose players. Either way Port's defense would have been in disarray instead of really good.

And if Port's defense wasn't so good we may have had an opportunity anyway. But JZ should have lowered his eye and chose the option that was more likely to be a sure thing. He played to their strength instead of choosing an option that negated it.

The ball is kicked long down the line to a contest eventually and Jed wins it when its loose but spins out of the pack and puts the ball oof. Its about 14.33 left on the clock. We have dominated this quarter so far. We should have at least one more goal at this
point, two more would be reasonable and three more wouldn't have been that unreasonable given our dominance and the options we had available.

If he starts adding that attacking class to his game then good lord we’ve got a player. Love him as it is but man that would be ridiculous. Actually I think it’s impossible to be defensively ferocious as Jed and then become attacking on the outside. That’s terminator type s**t

 

[ferball]

They go long down the line, mark and repeat and taz intercepts on the wing. Dumb option from Port. Risky kick but its to Kanye who takes a great contested mark in the middle. If I had the ball and he was in a one on one against most players I'd probably back him to win the mark, definitely the contest. Wide to hall (who was unlucky to be omitted so far imo). Hall moves and kicks quickly, long to a contest, Larkey and Wood fly, Mase gives good protection and Larks almost marks. He will eat them from next season onwards. Brown crumbs but its scrappy till Goldy somehow end ups with the ball and puts it oof into the post from 15 m out 65 deg angle. If you compare halls kick to mase and jack's ... he covers lots of ground quickly and gets it long to someones advantage. Also we have about four players running to the spot front and centre of the contest. I presume its cos Halls fast movement draws/drives them to that spot. (He should be in the side on the weekend imo.) Mason was slow, he and Jack not to any advantage.

This is another example of winning the ball as the opposition drive it down the line and getting it to or thru the corridor quickly with lateral movement. Sure its risky but its better to back player like KT to win a contest and Hall to run and gun than to be slow and predictable. There's 13.40 on the clock and we have dominated to this point ... still ... but we have missed opportunities. The score is now 34 to 50 but with that last foray we could have hit the lead. If we were more efficient with our i50s we could be 52 - 50 or even 58 - 50 after starting the quarter 21 - 49.

The ball comes out and Hall looks bad as it gets all the way down the far wing (from the TV camera). Its the first time they've got out that way. Unlike the Essendon game we've been very good at denying them the corridor.

 

[ferball]

If he starts adding that attacking class to his game then good lord we’ve got a player. Love him as it is but man that would be ridiculous. Actually I think it’s impossible to be defensively ferocious as Jed and then become attacking on the outside. That’s terminator type ****

If he's around the contest but outside it cos for example the ball has gone to the other side of the centre circle (like the play before when he gets off Goldy) or something then he does have the speed and acceleration to get moving. One of the reasons he can hit so hard is he generates momentum and specifically velocity so quickly. He gets tremendous acceleration from a couple of steps at times.

 

[ferball]

JZ throw to Cunners in front of their goal, 30m out. Bloody hell Jack!! Lucky you didn't get pinged for that. 12.15ish if anyone's interested.

 

[Val Keating]

If he's around the contest but outside it cos for example the ball has gone to the other side of the centre circle (like the play before when he gets off Goldy) or something then he does have the speed and acceleration to get moving. One of the reasons he can hit so hard is he generates momentum and specifically velocity so quickly. He gets tremendous acceleration from a couple of steps at times.

It’s why he’s such a great tackler. He accelerates so much 2-3 steps before a laying a tackle. Gets the shoulder low too.