Worrying trend

[1981]

Last two weeks we have been beaten at clearances and also allowed the opposition more shots on goal despite CFC actually having more F50 entries .
Have teams figured us out? Our strength is quick ball movement and last two games the opposition have put and extra man at stoppages to stop us getting the ball out to our outside runners.
Will Ratten find a way to overcome this? This seems to me to be a challenge for our coaching staff (and players).
Also, why are we having fewer shots on goal despite having more F50 entries ? Seems we are inefficient up fwd and at the same time are letting opposition teams get shots away too easily. Slackness then at both ends.
Are these problems due to teams figuring us out and if so Ratten must respond, or, are our players just not working hard enough?
We are in the top four and that is obviously terrific but there's no doubt we have some issues, the same problems occurring two weeks straight.

 

[thylacine60]

2 week trend. FMD...

 

[BlueDW]

Hardly a trend yet, but if it happens next week, then I'll be concerned!

 

[Tanks_Alot]

I wouldn't say it's a trend after just 2 games, but it can't be ignored.

No doubt losing Carrots has caused us some problems with our midfield structure and so it will take time to adjust until he gets back. Luckily we have a bunch of "easy" matches up ahead and should be able to cover for him.

We simply need to support Judd more. It can't be a conicidence that the last 2 games he's been quiet and we've lost the clearance battle.

 

[AlecDuncan]

David Ellard. He might not get 35+ like Carrots. but he'll get 25+.

 

[blue gunslinger]

one garbage game one tough game in the west on a hot and humid night and we won

what has me worried
Judd has Oscar
Ratts has Tilly
Carrots has triplets
sleep-anybody getting any?

 

[Setanta The Irish]

we were down against the bombers and copped some shocking injuries.

we did just enough v the dockers...

we'll be fine!

Swans v Blues grand final?!? haha

 

[The Edukator]

surely the fix is to just add that extra man in at the stoppage

 

[parrot]

Doesn't bother me in the slightest. We have the most talented and powerful midfield in the AFL, so it makes sense for them to put an extra number at stoppages, BUT by doing that we end up with a loose man elsewhere. That's the key point. If they put an extra number in the middle and manage to break even there we've actually "won". The reason opposition do that is because no other team has the list talent to go one-out with our midfield.

 

[1981]

I bet Ratten is aware of the trend and is trying to overcome it

 

[Peete]

The ruckwork, taps and hitouts against Collingwood were outstanding - as was the intense pressure placed on them within each contest - it was a rolling fast paced mauling we gave them.

After that game I thought we had arrived at a new level of competitiveness in terms of hardness at the ball AND the opposing players.

Since then - against Essendon - and yes also against Dockers - we have gone backwards - in particular our ruckmen have not been dominant. I was thinking for the first time this year - that Warnock is needed as a ruckman much more than most understand. However I thought Robinson and Curnow were good in that area against Dockers - ie at the contest before first pass was out.

Regarding Sydney - I would put money on them against us at the moment - bigger bodies - watched them closely against Hawthorn today - they were fantastic -out muscled Hawthorn blew em away in the 3rd quarter come back.

 

[T2B_]

Since then - against Essendon - and yes also against Dockers - we have gone backwards - in particular our ruckmen have not been dominant. I was thinking for the first time this year - that Warnock is needed as a ruckman much more than most understand. However I thought Robinson and Curnow were good in that area against Dockers - ie at the contest before first pass was out.

.

I thought they were outstanding doing that. Curnow and Robinson used their frames and inside abilities really well I thought. And as we know Curnow just runs all day so he seemed to be everywhere.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Since then - against Essendon - and yes also against Dockers - we have gone backwards - in particular our ruckmen have not been dominant. I was thinking for the first time this year - that Warnock is needed as a ruckman much more than most understand.

Apparently Warnock had a dog of a game in the VFL yesterday. Not a good sign for a senior gig.

Against Freo:

Griffin 14 possessions 2 marks 25 hitouts
Clarke 3 possessions 2 marks 7 hitouts 1 goal
Kreuzer 10 possessions 2 marks 25 hitouts
Hampson 9 possessions 3 marks 28 hitouts 1 goal

I think we overshadowed them don't you? I'm not sure why we are expected to dominate in the ruck each week.

 

[1981]

The ruckwork, taps and hitouts against Collingwood were outstanding - as was the intense pressure placed on them within each contest - it was a rolling fast paced mauling we gave them.

After that game I thought we had arrived at a new level of competitiveness in terms of hardness at the ball AND the opposing players.

Since then - against Essendon - and yes also against Dockers - we have gone backwards - in particular our ruckmen have not been dominant. I was thinking for the first time this year - that Warnock is needed as a ruckman much more than most understand. However I thought Robinson and Curnow were good in that area against Dockers - ie at the contest before first pass was out.

Regarding Sydney - I would put money on them against us at the moment - bigger bodies - watched them closely against Hawthorn today - they were fantastic -out muscled Hawthorn blew em away in the 3rd quarter come back.

Totally agree on all points and I was going to mention the rucks also. We actually had a lot more hit outs against Freo but not a high % were effective.
Again, have teams worked us out, at clearances.
I think some posters have blue glasses on, we have been under par the last two weeks and only beat Freo because we kicked straight for goal. We averaged less than four shots on goal a quarter in this game, that is poor.
But good teams win ugly I admit

 

[1981]

ODN wouldn't it be great if we had dominant rucks like WC have ?

 

[Blue Dimension]

Agree it has been worrying. One of the major reasons we struggled against Essendon.

Ellard will make a huge difference imo. Needs to be brought in. Whenever we're having problems in the centre he's the sort of guy that glues everything together and wins a lot of ball out of the middle.

 

[pepalenko]

Apparently Warnock had a dog of a game in the VFL yesterday. Not a good sign for a senior gig.

Against Freo:

Griffin 14 possessions 2 marks 25 hitouts
Clarke 3 possessions 2 marks 7 hitouts 1 goal
Kreuzer 10 possessions 2 marks 25 hitouts
Hampson 9 possessions 3 marks 28 hitouts 1 goal

I think we overshadowed them don't you? I'm not sure why we are expected to dominate in the ruck each week.

I also think the ruck men have done nothing to warrant being dropped and Warnock hasn't exactly forced his way into the side. We need to be consistent and yes, reward good performance (Brock), but no senior games if they haven't been earnt.

 

[Dramoth]

WTF... all the people worrying about shit dont need to.

Against Essendoom, we were down 3 players in the first quarter. Our top stopper in Carrazzo. Our 3rd defender in Laidler and our #1 rebounding defender in Yarran. All of a sudden, Essendoom lift from that and we collapse in a heap and people start crying.

We have a tough match against a Ross Lyon's coached side that was allowed to scragg us all night with only a couple of free kicks against them. Our rucks, as ODN pointed out, shaded them, I think we broke even on the clearances in the end and we faded on a warm muggy Perth night at the end of April.

I dont think that there is a worrying trend. I think that we are struggling a bit to replace Carrots atm, but that will happen soon enough

We play GWS this coming weekend and the Aints the week after. I reckon we will easily put 120 points on GWS and we should beat the Aint's easily... despite their successes so far, they are a team on the slide now.

 

[Lukesta63]

The ruckwork, taps and hitouts against Collingwood were outstanding - as was the intense pressure placed on them within each contest - it was a rolling fast paced mauling we gave them.

After that game I thought we had arrived at a new level of competitiveness in terms of hardness at the ball AND the opposing players.

Since then - against Essendon - and yes also against Dockers - we have gone backwards - in particular our ruckmen have not been dominant. I was thinking for the first time this year - that Warnock is needed as a ruckman much more than most understand. However I thought Robinson and Curnow were good in that area against Dockers - ie at the contest before first pass was out.

Regarding Sydney - I would put money on them against us at the moment - bigger bodies - watched them closely against Hawthorn today - they were fantastic -out muscled Hawthorn blew em away in the 3rd quarter come back.

Im with you...Sydney remain a bogey side for us ,and I think a lot has to do them not fearing and/or respecting Carlton one bit.
As much talent as Kreuzer has I reckon Mumford would eat him atm!

 

[Squida25]

Sydney are playing well no doubt but we did beat them twice last year, once in the wet at the SCG and the other time we pantsed them at Etihad (think we were up by around 80 early in the third before letting them claw back the lead a bit).

 

[ESKIE]

WTF... all the people worrying about shit dont need to.

Against Essendoom, we were down 3 players in the first quarter. Our top stopper in Carrazzo. Our 3rd defender in Laidler and our #1 rebounding defender in Yarran. All of a sudden, Essendoom lift from that and we collapse in a heap and people start crying.

We have a tough match against a Ross Lyon's coached side that was allowed to scragg us all night with only a couple of free kicks against them. Our rucks, as ODN pointed out, shaded them, I think we broke even on the clearances in the end and we faded on a warm muggy Perth night at the end of April.

I dont think that there is a worrying trend. I think that we are struggling a bit to replace Carrots atm, but that will happen soon enough

We play GWS this coming weekend and the Aints the week after. I reckon we will easily put 120 points on GWS and we should beat the Aint's easily... despite their successes so far, they are a team on the slide now.

Good one Dram

 

[SpaceCow]

Agreed, we should undertake the following

1. Sakc Ratts
2. Play the kids for the rest of the year
3. Retire/Delist Scotland and Thornton at the end of the year
4. Trade out Gibbs, Judd and Simpson while they still have some currency

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

ODN wouldn't it be great if we had dominant rucks like WC have ?

It would be great if we had a couple of pin point taps per game to add to the highlight reel ... yes.

How long has Cox been at this game? Our guys will get there.

On raw stats in 2012:

Cox/Natanui 28 disposals per game
Hampson/Kreuzer 21.6

Cox/Natanui 15.6 contested possessions
Hampson/Kreuzer 11.6

Cox/Natanui 76.3% disposal efficiency
Hampson/Kreuzer 72.9%

Cox/Natanui 7.2 marks
Hampson/Kreuzer 7.0

Cox/Natanui 2.6 contested marks
Hampson/Kreuzer 3.0

Cox/Natanui 43.4 hitouts
Hampson/Kreuzer 43.0

Cox/Natanui 4.8 clearances
Hampson/Kreuzer 3.6

Cox/Natanui 5.6 tackles
Hampson/Kreuzer 5.6

Cox/Natanui 5.0 1%ers
Hampson/Kreuzer 6.2

Cox/Natanui 8 goals 6 behinds
Hampson/Kreuzer 10 goals 2 behinds

Cox/Natanui 8 goal assists
Hampson/Kreuzer 4 goal assists

Cox/Natanui 292 career games (232/60)
Hampson/Kreuzer 122 career games (49/73)

Are we really so far off? Are we improving?

 

[blue gunslinger]

Agree it has been worrying. One of the major reasons we struggled against Essendon.

Ellard will make a huge difference imo. Needs to be brought in. Whenever we're having problems in the centre he's the sort of guy that glues everything together and wins a lot of ball out of the middle.

exactly
should have played in front of his devoted wa blues

 

[Stamos]

Well, Carrazzo out means we don't win as many clearances. He had 11 against the Filth, while playing on Pendlebury.

As for the ruckmen, they had a shocker against the Scum (as did the rest of the team). They were very solid against Freo, and if the ruck contests had been umpired correctly, would have been absolutely dominant. Should have had at least 10 free kicks, and if even a few of these were paid, the illegal holding and pushing would have been cut out. I thought Kreuzer was one of our best players.