We were pathetic

[macca23]

Not normally into bagging my own team, but we were pathetic tonight. We had the opportunity of a life-time playing the Power with a weakened side, and they caned us, Forget the margin - they caned us, we were never going to win.

Their mental approach was positive and tough. They controlled the game and made us play the type of game that they wanted, while we seemed to lack the mental toughness to play our game.

Our key forwards in Carey and Stevens did very little - virtually nothing.

But the big killer was our decision making and lack of skills under pressure. We burnt the ball so many times that it was ridiculous. the second quarter was the only one in which we dictated the style of game, but we refused to kick goals that had to be kicked.

The coach also has a fair bit to answer for. That almost deserves a thread of its own, but let's just say that Choco outcoached him by a fair margin.

Congrats to Port. I hate to say that but they deserve it.

Back to the drawing board for us.

 

[ClintEastwood]

I just think that the Port boys know they have a top side, and they REALLY REALLY believe in each other, and that they can win any game. I think winning so many close ones last year helped with that.

 

[Nige_Bix]

I think you're right - there is no doubt that the Crows [well most of them] were trying their guts out - but I feel that they lack that same belief - especially against Port - who have the wood on them atm.

 

[Stiffy_18]

That was more shocking than against the saints.

Our skills were pathetic, even North Adelaide today showed better skills that we did tonight.

Mark Ricciuto needs to get his head checked. That is not what you want your captain to do in a game like a showdown. At the very forst bounce he tries to run throught James. Then later on he takes a swing at stevens and thankfully missed and then he throws Carr to the ground for no reason. If he used his agression at getting the ball and actually leading by example he would have been of far greater value.

Ian Perrie on Chad Cornes is a suicidal move. Chad is far more mobile and agile than Perrie. Chad took Perrie to cleaners. I didn't think Bassett was a good match up for Chad but I was proved wrong. I tought Bassett was very good before getting cleaned up.

Who the hell was on James in the 1st quarter?????? He cleaned us up and set the pace of the game. I tought Torney did good job on him in the 2nd quarter.

Tyson Stenglein gave way too much room to Stevens in 1qt quarter but I tought he did a great Job for remaining 3 quarters.

Smart did OK against Tredrea even though Tredrea took some good marks at crutial stages.

I didn't think Mattner played too badly on Shaun Burgoyne. He got cleaned up in the 1st quarter but did well from then on.

Ronnie Burns was our only forward that gave us something and that because he was played out of the pocket. If he is not played out of the pocket for the rest of the year, I think our match commitee needs to go and see a shrink.

Stiffy played well but I don't think he deserved West End Medal. He played well on Burgoyne, althought senior kicked 3 goals on him and got some 20 touches. Quite a few of those were ineffective IMO.

Very poor effort. We'll need to improve 100% if we are to win against Roos next week,

 

[Macca19]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18

Mark Ricciuto needs to get his head checked. That is not what you want your captain to do in a game like a showdown. At the very forst bounce he tries to run throught James. Then later on he takes a swing at stevens and thankfully missed and then he throws Carr to the ground for no reason. If he used his agression at getting the ball and actually leading by example he would have been of far greater value.

And you lot were goin on about tough this guy is all this week. That was close to the most mentally weakest captains game ive seen. What a tough guy.

 

[AngelEyes]

A positive....51,140 fans turned up to the game....record attendance

 

[Macca19]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18


Stiffy played well but I don't think he deserved West End Medal. He played well on Burgoyne, althought senior kicked 3 goals on him and got some 20 touches. Quite a few of those were ineffective IMO.

I thought his game was overrated. Stiffy got the ball a fair bit but his use of it was shocking. Hospital kick after hospital kick.

 

[Nige_Bix]

Originally posted by Macca19
I thought his game was overrated. Stiffy got the ball a fair bit but his use of it was shocking. Hospital kick after hospital kick.

Tho' Stiify was our best player - I thought Wanganeen was great and was as constant thorn in our side - he should have got the medal.

 

[kirky]

Well, I am shattered. I am not normally a person confident going into a showdown however this game I really was and what was served up - absolute crap. They were efficient whilst we had slightly more possession how many times did we burn the ball. What in god's name was our staregy going forward. Where was the delivery? What happened to our skills - that was the worst I have ever seen?

Now I don't like bagging players but what the heck is a guy like Gallagher doing in the side. He can't kick to a teammate, he lacks pace and can barely kick 40 metres (re: shot in the second I think from 40 metres on the run and didn't even make the distance) and he did a couple of big clangers that delivered the ball to the opposition in their forward line. Personally, I think he will be another Connell (the opposition side we let him get the ball coz he doesn't do any damage with it).

Riccuito must have been locked up in a cage with raw meat. What was he thinking? Captains lead from the front, not going round trying to belt people. Very disappointing. McLeod, I sometimes think we expect too much. He can't play brilliantly each week and credit to Kane Cornes. Forwards, not good but then the delivery was woeful.

Still, the positives. Notwithstanding how woeful we played again we only lost by two kicks. Stiffy winning the West End medal, I am not sure how but we will take anything.

Well, sports fans, this is my last post for a few weeks as I am off to the States (christ I can't believed I delayed my trip to see that rubbish served up). Hopefully, I will be able to can see some AFL action on one of their pay channels. Now hopefully, we will have beaten Roos, Woods and Lions upon my return.

 

[Crow54]

I would have to agree with most of what's been said.

How frustrating is it to watch the ball go into the Crow's 50 metres, and see it come whizzing straight out every time!!! Then it's back down to Port's end without a Crow's player touching it, where their forwards actually mark it!

The game was very similar to the Saints' game: our players seemed unable to pick up the ball on the first take. They either over-run it, or fumble it, by which time the opposition is tackling them. If the ball stuck to their hands occasionally it would be good

As for Matthew Clarke!! How many times does the ball head towards him, everyone thinks "yes - a mark here" and he drops it!!! Sheesh.

Walking out of the game through the car park, I heard a lot of grumbling, and lot of f*** words, which I don't usualy like, but this time, I had to agree

As someone on the radio said; it's all right for the players after losing a showdown - they get it out of their system and prepare for the next game, whereas we supporters have to put up with Pap gloating for weeks

 

[Jerome]

from afl.com.au

Ill-disclipline cost us: Ayres
1:01:27 AM Sun 27 April, 2003
Jason Phelan
afl.com.au



Adelaide coach Gary Ayres has pinpointed a lack of discipline from his charges as a major factor in his side’s 12-point loss to Port Adelaide in Showdown XIII at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.

“(In) the first five minutes I reckon we gave away some very, very silly free kicks,” he said. “They resulted in three goals and you’re talking about a two-goal loss.”

Ayres surmised that the huge build-up and hype surrounding the Showdown encounters had affected his players’ ability to think clearly and make correct decisions in the pressure-cooker atmosphere that the derby presents.

“I think it shows that this game means so much to everybody – right from the captain down,” he said. “We spoke about looking at just being able to stay in control, make good decisions and be able to think clearly and calmly and, of course, then you make the right decisions.


“But when your emotions are getting out there, well obviously you don’t tend to think calmly and clearly and what you end up doing is incurring the wrath of the umpires because they’re just wanting to be trigger-happy about any sort of thing that may look a bit dubious because it’s that sort of game.

“It’s just important that, in any game that I know, if you’re in control and you’re not running on your emotions you tend to make the right decisions.”

Ayres was clearly disappointed with “guys not even being in control” and Adelaide captain Mark Ricciuto was not immune from his coach’s wrath – the coach confirming Ricciuto had been benched early in the first quarter after an indiscreet tackle on Josh Carr led to a free kick.

The Power now enjoys a 9-4 advantage over Adelaide in Showdown matches but Ayres refused to admit there were any ongoing psychological problems for the Crows when they take on their cross-town rivals.

“When you lose you always dissect things pretty deeply,” he said. “Obviously it’s happening too many times against Port for my liking, so you now have a fairly deep look at how you can improve.”

“What we’re talking about is your emotions, what we’re talking about is your skills, what we’re talking about is your decisions – they’re all fixable because you can do something about them. Your decision-making and your skills can be about how you train and your emotions and being in control, well that comes about by being smart about how you play.”

Ayres went on to deflect criticism of prized-recruit Wayne Carey who again struggled at the Crows’ goal front.

“Carey, well, that was always going to be a case of seeing how it unfolds,” he said. “Because of the fact that he’s missed a year of footy and anyone should know that in this day and age … you can’t come back in and take the world by storm – it’s just a gradual build-up and I think the more game-time he gets, the better he’ll be.”

 

[Damp Squarie]

Is Stevo injured?
I thought he may have come on and gone to CHB when Basset got carted off.

On John****; he was clearly our best and goodluck to him receiving the medal. He has developed into a great player and without him we wouldve been thrashed.

 

[noddy]

Originally posted by topjars
Is Stevo injured?
I thought he may have come on and gone to CHB when Basset got carted off.

On John****; he was clearly our best and goodluck to him receiving the medal. He has developed into a great player and without him we wouldve been thrashed.

I guess good luck to Stiffy he was our best player but i would have given the medal to Wakelin or Wanganeen they destroyed our forward lines,

 

[Rumourmunger]

Pathetic is a understatement

 

[PAfolwr]

Where is ok.crows.

 

[tribey]

Apart from the fact I lost the entire contents of my sportodds account on one match ($150) I was incensed at our performance last night.

It was pathetic.

Thanks very much boys... we're now officially Port's b1tches.

 

[Leaping Lindner]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18

.......Our skills were pathetic, even North Adelaide today showed better skills that we did tonight.......

:

Let's not get carried away

(I'm trying humour to ease the pain of BOTH games on the weekend..................
Nup it ain't working yet.)

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

There is so much to say about what went wrong, I don't know where to start. Normally I don't like being too critical of our losses, but after our 6th straight loss against the Power I'm furious that we never really looked liked winning yet another showdown.

Our backline starting matchups were wrong & we paid the price as the Power forwards won most of their positions. We must have been expecting Lade to start as Kenny was left without an opponent & was forced to forward to pick up Bishop who was loose in defence. At the time I was thinking 1-0 to Williams as our CHB is removed from defence. I still reckon McGregor should have played on Tredrea & Smart on Cornes. I never liked the Mattner v S Burgoyne matchup. I like Mattner, but he looks out of form at the moment. Surely Massie would be a better option as this stage. Also, Torney who has been one of our better players was sent up forward to tag Wanganeen, who proceeded to have him benched. Is it just me, or is Torney completely the wrong type of player for Wanganeen. IMO, he would have been ideal for Pickett, which could have freed Benny Hart to play that lose man role against Bishop rather than Kenny. We got badly outcoached before the game had even started.

With the exception of Ronnie Burns, our forward line was atrocious. I'm very concerned about Stevo's injuries, as he seems to be struggling in every 2nd game. Carey looks underdone still & Wakelin easily had his measure. So why wasn't a fit Ian Perrie starting the game at FF? He showed when played (out of position) in defence later in the game that he attacks the ball & can take a mark. Something our forwards were incapbable of. If it is not working, then change the mix. Macca was being tagged out of the game, so why not try him 1 on 1 at FF?

Enough analysis at it is just far too depressing...

 

[ok.crows]

Originally posted by Pred
I just think that the Port boys know they have a top side, and they REALLY REALLY believe in each other, and that they can win any game. I think winning so many close ones last year helped with that.

I agree with this Pred, in that it is evident that Power do believe in themselves, but I don't agree it was the game. I do point out the six or seven easy, gettable, no pressure (set shots within 35m some of them) goals that Crows missed.

Those misses had nothing to do with Powers belief.

They had everything to do with Crows lack of belief.

 

[ok.crows]

Originally posted by PAfolwr
Where is ok.crows.

Where would you expect?

 

[ClintEastwood]

Originally posted by ok.crows
Those misses had nothing to do with Powers belief.

They had everything to do with Crows lack of belief.

Congratulations on remaining true to form.

Rule 1: Never never acknowledge that Port are better than the Crows.

Rule 2: Port didn't win; the Crows lost.

 

[PAfolwr]

Originally posted by ok.crows
Where would you expect?

Sitting in a corner working out excuses why the best team didn't win.

 

[ClintEastwood]

 

[ok.crows]

Originally posted by Pred
Congratulations on remaining true to form.

Rule 1: Never never acknowledge that Port are better than the Crows.

Rule 2: Port didn't win; the Crows lost.

So either you somehow think that Port being such a grand side made Crows miss a lot of shots on goal, or alternatively I take it you just didn't notice all of those very gettable shots missed?

Not very observant of you was it? Either that or not very logical.

 

[Malibu#27]

Originally posted by ok.crows

So either you somehow think that Port being such a grand side made Crows miss a lot of shots on goal, or alternatively I take it you just didn't notice all of those very gettable shots missed?


I believe its called scoreboard pressure.