Match Thread R15: Crows vs. Swans

[Nico]

When you are game to watch the first half again watch Birdys one on one efforts. Every time he avoided the contest allowing his opponent to get the ball first. Another "No bruise" effort IMO.

I noticed one where a big player was coming towards him in the midfield and he decided to slow up or was it his lack of leg speed to get there first. However he is doing his run with job very well. Next game I will have a close look at his close in work, but if you are correct then he has a few mates.

[aardvark]

I noticed one where a big player was coming towards him in the midfield and he decided to slow up or was it his lack of leg speed to get there first. However he is doing his run with job very well. Next game I will have a close look at his close in work, but if you are correct then he has a few mates.

Yep he had many friends last night.

[Triple B]

We've mentioned plenty of negatives from last night, but one positive which hasn't had a lot of airplay is Luke Parker. His in and under work was excellent and should keep his spot if Birdy doesn't come up and Kizza comes back.

[Big Al]

We've mentioned plenty of negatives from last night, but one positive which hasn't had a lot of airplay is Luke Parker. His in and under work was excellent and should keep his spot if Birdy doesn't come up and Kizza comes back.

No argument here. Parker is the real deal and deserves another crack.

[MattW]

That was the first premiership game I have watched this year due to being overseas. Some impressions.

New players:
- Sam Reid looks pretty special. He was one of the few players - either side - that could stand up above the dirge and make a decent play. Some critical contested marks in the second half.
- Parker looks a lot like J Bolton; gets a lot of contested ball and manages to get a foot to it. Surprised he's played so few games. Keep playing him.
- Johnson looked one of our better players in the second half; clean possessions, some decent disposals and promising one-on-one defensive plays.

Older players:
- O'Keefe played without poise; a lot of errors with the ball. It seems that year playing with injury has really damaged his confidence, because he could formerly be relied on to take clean possessions/kick set shot goals in pressure situations. He should be one of our top 3 players and consistently making big plays to lift the team.
- Too many factors (opponent, weather, position, fortune!) need to align for White to have a decent game.
- I really like Tadhg, but he seems to have lost his ability to evade men and kick accurately, and is playing without confidence. Is this decline likely to be turned around?

Also:
- We played without smarts in the forward line. TDL looked so promising late last year, so it's disappointing that we haven't been able to get him in the team more regularly - surely next week.
- We lacked leadership. Apart from Jude channeling Kirk, I could not sense that anyone was providing impetus to the team. I was surprised when McVeigh was selected as a leader, because he seems a cranky and somewhat aloof player. Maybe we need to start again from the beginning here, Jude and young player... maybe Nick Smith. I know Roosy marked Hannebery as a future skipper, and I like the fact that he has become quickly one of our consistently top possession getters. However, he needs to take better options and do more damage with his possessions, it's obviously not enough just to get the ball. I think he will do this, but I'm impatient for it.
- Finally, still a real lack of creativity with our ball use and I am not sure that any of the new players listed above will particularly provide that. That more than anything else, will need to somehow be improved before we can move into the top four.

[Hartijon]

We have had a forward line all season??

We had a back man, a very small forward, and other rubbish pretending to be a forwards, and their kicking showing that they are not.

Why this is still not seen by the coaching pannel shows what how crap they are.

How many games must go by when we kick 5.15 and still there is not a change.

We are lucky to be in the eight, but there is now a good chance we will not play final footy!

I understand exactly how you feel and believe me ,many saw this coming way back. No forward structure that can score goals, top scorers playing in the two's because they can't defend enough is such negative thinking. You win games by kicking a higher score than your opponents.We can't do that! We can shut down the oppositions scoring but not surpass it to win..what's the point????

What can we do at this late stage with Bradshaw gone,White tried and failed and Reid still learning the ropes? Why not try Spangher at FF,give him the chance Jesse has had for a few games. TDL i a must and has been for the last 3 weeks. His lack of selection and the backing of Everitt instead probably cost us 2 games. Settle a forward structure down with FORWARDS who can kick goals.There is nothing more demoralising than beating your player to have a forward stuff it up.

[Nico]

No argument here. Parker is the real deal and deserves another crack.

Strangely, his stats in the second half were duck eggs.

[Robbo]

We're a disgrace and last night was very embarassing.

[Mel]

What happened last night? Someone play ?

Not the Swans....

[wolftone57]

We've mentioned plenty of negatives from last night, but one positive which hasn't had a lot of airplay is Luke Parker. His in and under work was excellent and should keep his spot if Birdy doesn't come up and Kizza comes back.

I agree with you his pack work was sensational on a very hard night, a chip off the Bolton block! I thought he was good & if the other players get used to his lightning delivery he will be very effective. There were many occassions last night when he gave off lightning handball about 2 metre good handball & the reciever stuffed it up cos he wasn't ready or justood there not knowing whatt to do it was so quick. Twice Mattner got caught that way, thought he wasn't bad even for that though.

[wolftone57]

Strangely, his stats in the second half were duck eggs.

I did notice he spent a lot of time on the bench in the last half, he tackled a few times & knocked the ball out by punching it along the ground a few times. I don't know how they did stats with that melee last night, I thought wev were playing Rugby. By the way the Crow throw is alive & well & every side is doing it only a few likw us or the Hawks & Richmond get pinned for it. Adelaide players handed teammates the ball ot gave a small throw to them on many occassions & got away with it but we got pinned twice. Carlton threw the ball constantly against Richmond not that it made any difference to the result but a throw is still a throw. I recon half their handballs were throws.

[Bloody Hell]

There was a bit of Ricky Mott about that last quarter shot on goal by Everitt. Not sure how he can come back from that.