Good post. I was apoplectic last night and have settled down.
Our defensive style will almost always keep us in the game but when we need to score, we cant change speed. You cant score enough if you FF is inside back 50 when you create a turnover.
Notes:
Sorry Harry. Poor tackle effort was Marsh, with WC player standing still and muffed it. Wellingahm take the mark but kicked a point.
Joey picks up the ball just inside F50 after a contest and turns and hacks it towards goals and either point or OOTF. 12 Swans in F50 but no-one with 30m of goal. How can that happen?
We win a CC and Jake has the ball, Dan rans past straight towards goal, but Jake holds the ball and running towards the boundary line and hacks it around the corner, straight to the free WC defender. Why?
Why is the best forward in the comp, spending most time in the midfield?
If playing forward there has to be more room/space for other forwards or mids!
Smooch has the ball under some pressure, but Reg, Marsh and another defender (Jones i think) still running towards our defence goal, with just JJK there and all 3 on the outside of JJK. Why doesn't 2 of them peel away and give Smooch and easy kick and starting our rebound, but no, terrible choice by Smooch, and goal.
We finally win the ball in the D50, just inside, and Hewett under pressure, hacks forward. 4 or 6 WC defenders ready. 2 in centre square and 1 on each wing or more. Buddy our futherest forward. (See pic)
There were so many things but cant get all of them in.
Are these questions reasonable?
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Oh, how precious we can be. We have a bad run of games at it is the end of the world.
I didn't mind last nights game and I think what it showed is how valuable leadership is. All the times the Weagles got free was more due to the inexperience of our kids and, possibly, not enough instruction happening on field. You may not like this but is Kennedy the wrong choice as Captain? Two years ago everyone was calling Parker the next Captain, would that have been a better choice? Who knows.
I realise you like to throw out some different ideas but this is nuts. Reg is the only thing holding the makeshift backline together. Who is going to lead them if he isn't there? Smooch or are you getting rid of him too!
We have already introduced enough newbies over the last two years. Time to consolidate what we have instead of even more changes. For mine, I think Laidler should have played, sure he isn't the greatest defender going around but he would help out Grundy with experience and determination.
Last edited by RogueSwan; 14th April 2017 at 11:57 PM.
"Fortunately, this is the internet, so knowing nothing is no obstacle to having an opinion!." Beerman 18-07-2017
He reminds him of the guys, close-set, slow, and never rattled, who were play-makers on the team. (John Updike, seeing Josh Kennedy in a crystal ball)
I agree Josh leads by example but with so many newbies I do think it is possible more direction is needed on the ground. And for that I also agree that McVeigh will be very welcome when he returns.
The comparison I make is after Adam Goodes relinquished (joint) captaincy you could still see him giving lots of direction and encouragement on the field (but not in a way that usurped McVeigh & Jack). I have wondered (with no reason than casual observation) if part of Jetta's lack of form/confidence since he moved west has been caused by no longer playing with Goodes. I know that is very speculative.
Ps: in the past there have been many occasions when new players have said how much help they have received from the experienced players telling then where to run etc. I'm not sure that's happening at the moment - and perhaps the critical ratio of experienced to unexperienced has dropped too low for that to happen.
It doesn't help that our vice-captains - Parker and Hanners - are both struggling for form. They are possibly a little too engrossed in trying to get their own games going to direct others as much as they should. But still, we have a strong group of experienced players so there should be enough voices out there.
Yesterday was a step forward. I think the contested ball was a lot better. It was just those awful turnovers that cost us. Some had an element of bad luck - the bounce, or a richochet into the legs of another player - but all teams face the wrong bounce of the ball at times.
I think Reg has been great over a long period of time, but his kicking has been awful this year and his turnovers have lead to many goals. He's never been quick, but reads the play well and is a an excellent mark. But I think it is time to introduce Melican to the side. He's quick and a good kick on both sides. I've said in previous posts that I thought we could play 3 talls in the side if 2 of them, meaning Aliir and Melican, were quick. I take the view that this will be Grundy's last year as a starter. I know there is some pain involved in these transitions, but time stops for no one.
We have to address the issue of poor ball movement coming out of defense, a need for better kicking and more speed. I see the back line at year end or the start of next year being Aliir, Melican, Rampe, Smith, Newman and probably Marsh, with perhaps Jones as a run and carry 7th defender.
Smith is not having a great start to the year, but I have never suggested that he be dropped from the side. I also think highly of Laidler, but it seems Marsh offers more now and still has some upside, while Laidler had probably reached his peak.
This is something I don't understand about footy each year. Why do some players drop their form in a matter of a few months?
Many of us thought Reg was unlucky not to get selected as an All-Australian last year and he was one of our best in the GF. He had a lovely relaxed holiday off-season (judging from Instagram), came back for an injury-free (as far as we know) preseason training period - and now within his good defending we see too many stuff- ups. Very puzzling.
I'm lucky to be in Hawaii at the moment so didn't get to see the game. I've only seen highlights. However, it looks like Reg had a shocker and contributed to a number of Weagles goals. He has been a fine servant and is allowed an off game.
This seems to be symptomatic of our "if only" year we are having. In all four games we have been close enough if good enough but have had a crucial error here, a 50-50 call there, a chain rope here, a glandular fever there. When it clicks, look out.
I reckon we'll likely lose again next week against the GWScum and be the first team to start a season 0-5 to make the finals. North Melbourne made it last year after having two streaks of 5 losses. I think we can finish with a 13-9 record and place 7th or 8th. It'll be fun to watch anyway.
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