2 big positives

[Nico]

Fixter

Great skills, gutsy, quick, thinks, excellent anticipation, and rarely makes a mistake.
Welcome back son, stay fit and our midfield is your oyster to control. Loved that handpass to O'Keefe under severe pressure late in the game that may have saved our bacon.

Doyle

Great last quarter. Saw it again this morning and he won almost every knockout and gave us more first use of the footy. He needs continuous ground time as it seems the more continuity he gets the better his confidence.

[Captain]

Agree with both of that.

I thought Ablett also showed a bit for once.

[monopoly19]

Originally posted by Captain
I thought Ablett also showed a bit for once.

He seemed to get more of the ball than he has recently, which is good. I often noticed him as a link man in the midfield, where he'd be one of a chain of handballs that got us going forward. He seemed to be positioned well, and didn't make too many mistakes when he did have the ball (the only one I can think of is a kick into the forward line where he either could have thrown it on his boot as soon as he got it and hoped for the best, or taken a little more time, which he did, but the kick inside went straight to Collingwood).

[Nico]

But when he gets it he does not instinctively know what to do.

Runs clear with it then stops and looks back for someone, then if he kicks he seems to take about 4-5 looks before delivery. Lacks something for mine.

[TheHood]

Loved the return of The Fix. I needed reminding of his 2002 season and yes he's still got it.

Doyley was excellent too.

For mine there seemed to be contributors everywhere and that basically backs up the mantra of this team and that is they need contributions from 16+ players to win.

Mick's form with the boot showed some signs that he can get back to his 2003 form. Over the past month he hasn't looked like he wants to take shots and this week he had that confidence back.

[Bear]

Good call on Doyle, he got his hand on the ball many times. I don't think we can expect too much from him atm given his history. Just having him out there getting matches under his belt is great IMO. Anything more is a bonus.

Ablett... continues to disappoint IMO. Going nowhere fast.

Fixter - welcome back!

[desredandwhite]

Originally posted by Nico
But when he gets it he does not instinctively know what to do.

Runs clear with it then stops and looks back for someone, then if he kicks he seems to take about 4-5 looks before delivery. Lacks something for mine.

That's the problem with NOG imo. I don't think he has a natural, instinctive footy brain. When he picks the right option, his skills are pretty damn good. He'll be playing for his career between now and the end of the season I reckon - a bit harsh, but that's the way it goes.

[The Boot]

Originally posted by desredandwhite
That's the problem with NOG imo. I don't think he has a natural, instinctive footy brain. When he picks the right option, his skills are pretty damn good. He'll be playing for his career between now and the end of the season I reckon - a bit harsh, but that's the way it goes.

I think he was there last night to add a bit of body to the combination last night as Pies are a solid bunch. Saw him put it to good use several times. I agree that he may be playing for his spot with the other young 'uns putting up the hand.

[Captain]

Originally posted by desredandwhite
That's the problem with NOG imo. I don't think he has a natural, instinctive footy brain. When he picks the right option, his skills are pretty damn good. He'll be playing for his career between now and the end of the season I reckon - a bit harsh, but that's the way it goes.

Agree with you both about Ablett. I'm not his biggest fan and he has a long way to go before he will be a regular.

I was just impressed that he got a bit of the ball last night. For mine, getting the ball is the start. With more confidence and experience the rest hopefully should follow.

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by TheHood
Mick's form with the boot showed some signs that he can get back to his 2003 form. Over the past month he hasn't looked like he wants to take shots and this week he had that confidence back.

Talking to Mick at the trivia night, we got to the issue of him looking to pass off from about 45 after taking a mark. He said the fact he hasn't done a pre-season for 3 years and is lacking some fitness on what he'd like makes it difficult for him. He finds that by the time he breaks away from his opponent, sprints to the contest on the lead and gets the ball, that his legs already feel heavy and that he doesn't think he has the distance in them.

Our solution for him???

Do a Lloyd, throw grass up in the air, waste another 30 seconds getting a bit of recovery in, and then kick it!!!

[BAM_BAM]

Originally posted by Captain
. For mine, getting the ball is the start. With more confidence and experience the rest hopefully should follow.

I think you've hit the problem with Nog on the head here and hopefully everything we find he lacks, will be sorted with game time.

Unfortunately for him as our better players return from injury, I see him as a casualty making way for them.

[liz]

Originally posted by BAM_BAM
I think you've hit the problem with Nog on the head here and hopefully everything we find he lacks, will be sorted with game time.

Last night, for the first time in ages, Ablett got an extended run and was a core part of the structure. He was able to get far more involved in the play, especially the quick-flowing part through the defensive part of midfield.

I'm convinced that with him it is all about self-belief, belief that he belongs out there. Once he believes that, he will worry less about making every disposal count which, ironically, will probably mean that they count more. I reckon it's that worry to do something constructive with the few possessions they get that makes players like Ablett and LRT seem hesitant and indecisive.

If you look at the players who have burst onto the scene recently - Schneider and Bevan are two prime examples, Buchanan over the past month is probably another - they have had set roles to play. Sure, they have done them well and that has enabled them to retain their responsibilities, but when they understand that they have a specific role to play and will get the ball again, I'm sure it makes them relax mentally and thus play more instinctively.

Ablett definitely has the skills and maybe, just maybe, if he can get another couple of games with a fixed role to play (maybe running with a medium impact opposition midfielder) for a substantial part of the game, we might just see him flourish.

[Steve]

I take it those querying Ablett's performance weren't actually at the game.

'Cause those who were at the game must have noticed that Ablett was shifted onto Woewodin late in the first quarter after he had had 6 touches and was looking damaging.

Ablett kept Woewodin to 14 for the game - just 3 in the second half.

Personally I would have put Ablett somewhere in our best - especially given he had 15 possessions himself.

[Charlie]

Roos needs to back Ablett the way he backed Schneider, Bevan and Buchanan.

Ablett needs to be told that for the next x number of weeks (I'd suggest 4), he will play senior football. He needs to know that he will spend the majority of that time on the field, coming off only for the standard rotations all midfielders have.

This will free his mind enough for the confidence that Lizz mentioned to shine through.

He CAN play. He just doesn't believe it. Hence, we get the 'deer in the headlights' look every time he gets the ball.

[sharpie]

I would add Josh Thewlis as a positive for sure. He seems to attack the ball really hard. But should be careful, coz he almost took some guys head off in our forward pocket in the first half of the game, i think. Was a disappointing 2nd kick he had, when he kicked towards the centre corridor and it was marked by Woewodin IIRC. But his first kick was a beauty, hitting O'Keefe IIRC on the chest. Hope he continues to get plenty of game time.

I was also impressed with LRT in the later stages of the game. Didnt win a lot of ball, but made plenty of contests. Have patience, give him time. He will be good.

And Crouchy. Probably one of the few guys that will run dead straight up the centre corridor with the ball and then kick long into our forward 50. Love it.