Yeah, I thought Riewoldt was extremely good setting up play and goals. Bolton was really beaten tonight. Has had a couple of quiet games now.
I thought Leo Barry (although beaten by Gehrig) was not too bad. The first goal Gehrig kicked I thought he had his hands in the back of Barry and the 3rd goal he kicked they had switched and Bolton was on Gehrig. Leo just let himself down with a couple of lazy disposals but I thought his one-on-one contests were not too bad.
I don't know what others think but there seems to not be a lot of defensive pressure from our forwards (and midfields) and the ball seems to fly down into our defensive 50 which does not give our defenders a chance also leaving a really open forward line for our opponents.
I also noted that St Kilda seemed to do a lot of illegal blocking in their forward 50. Leo Barry/Richards were blocked out of a few contests.
Kirky (although seems to get reasonable amount of disposals) seems quiet and not very effective. Jude Bolton is really down.
It just seems we need to do so much work to get a goal (and usually then it is a point) although we were a bit more accurate in front of goal.
I think we really need to look at our forwards/midfielders presenting themselves when we are coming off the defensive rebound. A lot of times it seems our defenders get them ball and no one seems to be leading so they have to stop and handball it.
Anyway just some thoughts.
Pathetic. No words to describe it apart from Pathetic.
This game plan is no longer going to work as every team has followed up watching West Coast do to us in the grand final last year. You don't beat the Swans playing man on man, you zone flood and hit them back on the rebound.
Honeymoon's over Roos. Time to change the game plan or we are going to look at a number 3 draft selection 2 years earlier than i thought we would.
Our midfield is unbelievably slow and defensive. Port will have a field day with their fleet of foot players.
Official Driver Of The "Who Gives A @@@@ As The Player Will Get Delisted Anyway" Bandwagon.
Agree with most of this post except that Michael O'Loughlin (by the way one of my favourite players) has a shocker! Problem is with Hall being double teamed he is the player we need to step up (amongst others).
Worst players in terms of skill or disposal and simply impact on the game would have been McVeigh, Crouch (doesn't seem match fit), Fosdike, Richards, Mathews, Goodes and O'Loughlin.
I have alot of questions but feel the match commitee is not willing to answer.
We simply have too many of our so called "good players" down at the same time - How much longer can the team carry all these players?
Our endeavour was certainly an improvement from last week but our skill levels were sadly lacking.
Question is will the hierarchy have the strength to show underperforming players that their time is up. How many more chances do these average footballers get? Or are our reserves really that much poorer?
Well I was embarrassed like everyone else. In think it was NMW in another thread that said we refused to go direct and went sideways when going into the forward line. It was almost as if we wanted to avoid going inside 50.
The turning point I saw in the game was the absolutely embarrasing effort by Richards when got the ball outside 50, avoided his opponent then instead of heading for goal handpassed to a St Kilda player who took it up the ground, the result being a goal. Richards was as bad as it gets.
But the player who really stamped himself as useless was McVeigh. He was simply rubbish. Cant wait to see the clanger count because I doubt he has had a possession he didn't stuff up.
On that tonight we are genuinely on the slide. Yep we have a few players out who should bolster the side when they come back but we are in heaps of trouble because......
Richards - he may have had his day in the GF. He was disgusting to say the least. Clearly is not a leader and has stepped down rather than up in the abscence of Kennelly, Dempster and LRT.
Crouch - What happened to the pre season edict of doing X amount of work before playing. He did no pre season and it shows. He played a dog of a game and when he was beaten in a contest stood there or walked to the next contest. Over the hill physically and in the mind.
Barry - Yep he was serviceable in that he kept Gehrig reasonably in hand. But tell me that after running to make 50 metres of space takes a couple of bounces then instead of driving deep into the forward line, stops and waits for a player to come to him so he can show off his evasive skills, is that of an intelligent man. Frankly for mine that is the coaches fault for allowing him to do this time and again to the detriment to the team.
J Bolton - say no more. Another crap game and what is his value to the team in a pocket or on the flank. In centre bounces Montagna beat him everytime to the ball and Jolly dominated the taps. Over the hill by a mile.
Ablett - slow and almost unaccountable tonight. Doesn't work the ground at all. When you expect him to now take a leading on ball role he is always second to the ball and frankly is playing for wages only.
McVeigh - Just a wasteful footballer who lacks the skill and smarts to be playing AFL.
Bevan - I think someone else said a waste of a selection. Should never be played again.
Jack - waste of a rookie promotion. Poor hand skills, wooden hands, no idea where the ball is going, and who said he has improved his kicking (horrible).Probably crucified by being promoted. I'll be the first to say it - does not have what it takes to make it and wont make it. Like Bevan he has grown up learning rugby skills and it shows.
Spida - not looking like a sensible pick up.
Bookmarks