Match Thread Rd 21 vs StKilda

[imuninformedtwo]

And we’re back!

[dejavoodoo44]

Now we might be?

[Velour&Ruffles]

Interesting. I don’t think we are. It was a very enjoyable last quarter but before that we were making poor decisions and executing badly. Same old story - good enough to beat mid-range teams but too mid-range ourselves to beat really good teams. There were some pleasing signs (McDonald, Bice, Campbell all stepped up, plus Cootee really showed something) but nothing I saw would have had Freo too concerned. I’m not trying to be a doom and gloomer, just realistic.
I’d love someone to convince me otherwise- I want to believe.

[Nico]

How long do we have to suffer Rosas getting a game? Apart from a couple of ok possessions in the 3rd quarter he was bloody awful. Dropped marks, fumbled, turned the pill over and at one point clearly heard footsteps. Dattoli has been knocking down the doors in the 2's for weeks now. If we don't play him he has every right to say to his manager....get me out of here. A first round draft pick who Cox refuses to play. I thought Cox said he will play players on their form, then does the opposite with Rosas. It's not hard to see why GC let him go. Same goes for Snell.

[cubby]

How long do we have to suffer Rosas getting a game? Apart from a couple of ok possessions in the 3rd quarter he was bloody awful. Dropped marks, fumbled, turned the pill over and at one point clearly heard footsteps. Dattoli has been knocking down the doors in the 2's for weeks now. If we don't play him he has every right to say to his manager....get me out of here. A first round draft pick who Cox refuses to play. I thought Cox said he will play players on their form, then does the opposite with Rosas. It's not hard to see why GC let him go. Same goes for Snell.

I agree and would add McLean (6 disposals 0 marks). He's been a solid backup in the past , so happy to give him a mulligan for the last 2 games...Needs to have more impact, even if it's a jarring tackle, or some aggression when in the ruck....something.
Maybe it's too late in the season to be experimenting but I also agree about Snell, he looks ready for AFL to me, love to see him get a few games.
Thankfully we have good depth for defenders with Melican and Hamling so doubt they will go that way.
Wicks will come in for Harry Kyle ...Not sure what they will do with Cunningham.

[UUaswan]

Interesting. I don’t think we are. It was a very enjoyable last quarter but before that we were making poor decisions and executing badly. Same old story - good enough to beat mid-range teams but too mid-range ourselves to beat really good teams. There were some pleasing signs (McDonald, Bice, Campbell all stepped up, plus Cootee really showed something) but nothing I saw would have had Freo too concerned. I’m not trying to be a doom and gloomer, just realistic.
I’d love someone to convince me otherwise- I want to believe.

To repeat the last 3 months, we are screwed with this Match Committee, not a @@@@ing clue

Freo are the benchmark, 3 games clear on top.
They play 2 Rucks, 3 tall fwds

None of our fwds Ruck well, Play Green 50% off the bench, Ladhams if he was available.
Leave Mclean as a fwd, 12 possessions in 2 weeks how the @@@@ do they not see it, Curnow would have 80 goals if he had 2 permanent talls taking some of the heat of him. They can also get up the ground to be an option, I counted half a dozen times we went long to Lloyd or @@@@ing Rosas

Melican should have come with Edwards, Blakey higher up the ground, Rampe qtr back, Mills in the middle. Freo have 3 tall fwds, you cant beat them with only 2 tall defenders.

Last 2 weeks of Mills and Paps going thru the middle have been good.

Ive been off Bice but he had a good crack on the weekend and defended well.

Rosas is the new fwd Wicks, just play Datolli ffs

In, Wicks, Melican, Green, Datolli
Out Rosas, Edwards, Rowy, Lloyd

Leave Kyle in, over Lloyd, Harry etc

[SwanSand]

I am not sure we need to make too many changes. We need to get our pressure in the middle of the ground higher than it has been for the last many weeks. We were better for a half of footy over the weekend.
But agree Rosas is not delivering on multiple fronts - Probably does not apply as much pressure, And when he does apply pressure his tackling is so soft that nobody feels threatened and certainly no one would be in September. And when he gets the footy he needs way more time to make either a good decision or to run with the ball. Based on this itself, it is time to cut him off the September list.
Rowbottom replica would be needed, but that is an easy fix as Angus sheldrick comes in and plays that role.

We have now got Gulden but it is a guarantee that he will get tagged in September however, if Hawks are at 3, expect Finn Maginess to be picked to tag Errol at SCG. But we would have McInerney back too by that time. So our 4 pronged ball players in the middle, 1 from back and 1 runner with Campbell is great but I agree we need another runner to create the extra number at stoppages or on turnovers. Cootee is doing well but maybe this is the time to try and see if Dattoli can be that player. Sometimes I wonder if Wicks can play the defensive Rowbottom role in the middle of the ground. The only problem may be that he is very small. But he is very consistent.

I would make Mclean ruck more in the coming weeks or pick another player to Ruck more often and see if we get Ok service from him.

I am hoping that McInerney comes in the next 2 weeks and gets running very soon after. He would be an excellent addition.

Can Serong do a tagging role on Newcombe in the final ? he is good size to do that.

In Wicks, Melican, Dattoli
Out Rowbottom, Edwards, Rosas.

[lwjoyner]

agree rosas, T Hanily or J Datolli replace. Bice a turnover specialist lost his desire to kick long replace by S Wicks. A Shedrick replaces James Rowbottom. And I would like Snell to replace edwardes but suggest Cox will use Melican. Notice that Green did not play in reserves, was he injured or did he travel to marvel just in case Brodie did not play. Mention on tv that a late replacement was in the wind was that Brodie.

[dejavoodoo44]

Obviously a good news, bad news sort of game. Good news that we seem determined to get the ball into the hands of Gulden. While he's still making the odd error, he's always been a quality ball user, who can bob up anywhere to turn the game in our favour. Also good news that we won the game that we were probably most likely to drop in our run home. Now with home games against Port and North, and Essendon at the MCG, we're very likely to finish second. Also good that McDonald is looking increasingly dangerous in the forward line, while others such as McCartin, Grundy and especially Warner, have maintained their quality form. Also good is the form of Campbell and Cootee since they returned to the side. And it was really pleasing that we launched a wholehearted comeback, to win a game that we looked like losing.

The bad news are the reasons why that comeback needed to be so wholehearted. Namely the injuries to Rowbottom and Edwards. Who I consider to be two of our most important players, largely because I think our major problem is that we can be overpowered by sides that appear to be bigger and stronger than us: Fremantle, Brisbane, Geelong and Adelaide. To me, Rowbottom is essential to providing a bit of grunt around the contests, while Edwards has been great at putting his fist through the ball, just when it looked like being marked by a power forward.

Hopefully Rowbottom will be back in a few weeks, but it looks Edwards will be struggling to make it back for a 2027 preseason. Really feel for him and I hope he's recovery goes well, as he has become one of my favourite players.

[UUaswan]

Just on tackling, we dont tackle, we zone off.

You play Freo they all target the ball carrier, we protect space which is why our defence looks like circle work in transition

Finals footy is targeting the man and making them feel it, they may get 1 or 2 handballs over the top but they eventually turn it over or hurry it onto the boot.

Defending space is weak as piss, the opposition know they just have to pick the right option.