Rnd 8 Vs Freo

[Melbournehammer]

Walsh i have significant doubts about. he has never shown enough - he can't move fast enough to create space between himself and the back and he doesn't look like he can get it in traffic. He has a hard body and he crashes packs impressively but I am not sure it is enough. I wonder whether like most of the Irish players he wouldn't be better as a defender - he gets led to the ball and can then do stuff with it.

At any rate Jesse is struggling in the ones, but so is every single player we have had since about 2007 when we ceased pinpointing balls ns just kicked it long and hoped to draw contests.

In any case i am not sure it is a separate argument liz. Mummy has been bordering on poor all year. He played mostly as a forward last night and didnt appear to move around the ground much. Jesse plays the tall forward role better than mummy and since the slinging rule mummy's work around the ball has been far less significant - by which I mean his impact on the contest. I have no doubt that a fit and firing mummy is better than Jesse but it has been a long time since I have seen that player - maybe adelaide last finals ? He is struggling.

About half way through the second quarter I suggested he be subbed and shortly afterwards he hurt his back and was struggling. Our centre square work regardless was just terrible and my recollection was that every single one in that run in e last 12 minutes they won.

In any case the coaches are constantly tinkering between players 20-22 on the list. There are some much more significant issues which need to be considered.

[liz]

In any case the coaches are constantly tinkering between players 20-22 on the list. There are some much more significant issues which need to be considered.

Agree with that. The contribution of the bottom few players in the team is significant at times, but the last couple of players picked aren't the reason why we're not snapping into gear yet.

It's a handful of our more experienced, better credentialled players who need to rediscover a level of desperation that is missing at the moment. Other than Hanners and maybe McVeigh, I don't think we've got any who are really at the top of their form at the moment. Jack and Kennedy are going OK, and certainly getting plenty of the ball, but they're not quite having the impact of last year, at least in part because of more opposition attention.

[Scottee]

On that basis, he didn't warrant a spot in the team yesterday either - a tight game against a good opponent.

White came in last week to replace Mummy - ie as a ruckman. He was always likely to make way once Mummy returned. Yes, there is an argument that Mummy might have been better not playing, as he doesn't look right, but that is a separate argument.

Jesse has been given strings of games in the past and has failed to impose himself. When you've been on the list for multiple seasons and played 50 odd senior games, you generally have to grab with both hands the odd chance that might still present itself. He wasn't dreadful last week, but he didn't do anything to suggest he was ready to turn his career around, either. Tough one one outing? Yes, but professional sport is tough.

Suggesting it was a mistake to play Walsh instead of Jesse on the back of Jesse's 10 goals ignores the opposition. Yes, Jesse played well and kicked straight. But you can hardly compare the quality of his opponents or the pressure on the midfield delivering the ball to him with that of Freo.

Everytime someone kicks a swagger of goals in the reserves, there is a clamour for them to come into the team, only for them to be lambasted when they don't deliver at senior level. Your post above does this to Morton, who has been a far most consistently potent forward weapon this year in the reserves than White has. And it is a productive forward we're after, not another ruckman (which is essentially the role Jesse has been playing, notwithstanding yesterday's game).

All I am suggesting is that in the absence of LRT and Tippett, White is the best available option especially since Sam has found a roaming role.Walsh is still way off the pace and you would have to think that he is looking less likely than we would like, to make it the big-time.It also seems that the way that the game is being played now successful teams are playing more talls.

The only other option would be to play Brown of Xav and neither are mature enough or even being considered for the forward line.

[Ludwig]

Longmire's remarks about the tackle count after the Geelong loss has really hurt this team. Although we lost, that was the best we played all year. We moved the ball very well and everyone was working well together offensively. Sure, we needed to add more pressure, but instead we gave up our fluid ball movement and opted for a Freo type stodgy game. I'd rather lose than play that boring football we played yesterday.

I don't mind that we gave Walsh a go yesterday. He played poorly, but how else do you find out unless you play them. But we shouldn't have played Mummy as well. We would have been better served with Armstrong or Lamb.

[Matt79]

Not all doom and gloom! Now in 4th!

[Chookbilly]

Yes, can someone explain what happened with the ROK free? I thought I heard a "Play on", but ROK looked totally bemused, and I suppose wanted to avoid a 50m. penalty, so just went along with it. But where did it come from?

Was for holding the ball.
I don't think ROK was aware play on was called, but once play on is called your prior opportunity has gone.
The real question is weather Fyfe had encroached on the 5m protected area. As he seemed awfully close.

[chalbilto]

There were 2 defining moments in the game this one where ROK was pinned for holding the ball as questionable that Fyfe had encroached the protected area and the other was when Tommy Walsh totally missed kicking the goals for any points. In the end lucky to get away with a draw.

[barry]

Ive never been at a draw before, and its a funny thing. When the siren sounded I cheered. No one else did. It was dead silence, except for me. I thought not losing was a good thing in that last 10 minutes.

Also, draws have never bothered me before, but after last night im coming around to 5 more minutes of extra time for H&A

[swanwolf]

Snatching a stalemate from the jaws of victory is way better than losing narrowly at home like last year so grab the 2 points and run, I say. We were always in for a troublesome night with yet another key defender down. When did the Swan's backline walk under an AFL ladder?

Clumsy and clueless, I hear the same criticisms of Walsh as were made of Roberts-Thomson early in his career. That said, time is running out for TW and I'm not convinced he's LRT's soft heired apparent despite their similar countenance. Why he wasn't down back getting in the way of their forwards instead of ours, I'll never know.

Longmire made Morton's selection sound like an ultimatum: Kick goals or get subbed out. Brutal. If only that mark had been paid. On a brighter note; Reid and Pyke's most excellent marking, the midfield regaining some form and a somewhat improved defence are something to build on from here. Roll on Maggies... to your doom!

[Bloodthirsty]

I don't know why Morton doesn't get a more sustained run. I'm sick of him not getting selected, or starting as sub, or getting subbed out, and then seeing us struggle inside 50 so often. Look at how many other natural forwards other teams have. McGlynn is probably one, but we lack natural forwards like Morton, who is a pretty talented footballer and has done everything else right. Posters have identified that this problem is evident when our mids are too busy trying to overcome the opposition mids of good teams, and can't kick absolutely all the goals. I just don't understand why Morton is cut at the drop of a hat all the time. If anyone has a good explanation, I'd love to hear it. Is it just that all the forward spots are filled by guys wwho can play in other positions? If so, does that mean that the selectors do not want a full-time forward? Am I missing something? To me, a soon-to-be forward line including Tippett, Morton, Reid and McGlynn sounds damn good to me.

[chalbilto]

I agree totally with your sentiments about Morton. Can't understand why he was subbed last night.

[barry]

Yes, the sub of morton could partly explain the failure to win. In that last quarter we had no forward line, maybe becsuse we had no recognised forward. Morton one out inside 50 would be far better than a tired ruckman inside 50.

[giant]

I agree totally with your sentiments about Morton. Can't understand why he was subbed last night.

+1. Just seemed the wrong choice, especially with Walsh making no impact whatsoever.

What a horrifically frustrating game. Let's hope we don't hear any more talk about how "soft" they are - let's hope they just get out there next Friday and show us this is the same team that made our hearts soar last year. There is plenty to love about this team, just needs to rediscover the hunger.

[On-Baller]

Certainly feels like a loss too me,reigning premiers being that far up in the last 1/4 and losing at home,it just shouldnt happen. To me it seems all season we have been trying to do the bare minimum to get the 4 points. First of all i thought like alot of others that it was our late start to the preseason that was making us look a little tired in games,but by now the guys should be well and truly upto full fitness.

I think we miss LRT and Shaw terribly but thought after last year that we should have a deep enough list to cover most injuries.Mummy as many have mentioned isnt the same player anymore,fortunately Pyke has become elite but will need assistance to keep his great season going. Reid into a drifting LRT/Harry Taylor type role is a must,too many times Reid has been beaten and had no other string to his bow.Im a massive fan but if it was Jessie White he would of been dropped or subbed many times by now.

This week a thumping looms if we just go for same old.Horse last year really took the slingshot style too new heights,but this year our coaching seems reactionary rather than wanting to play it on our terms and maybe occasionally thinking outside the box,maybe Mitchell as sub or if fit enough too play 3 1/4s Jetts or Mcglynn as sub,Mummy rested and jessie to ruck at bare minimum but left deep forward as often as is possible,Reid starting down back,Goodes off a wing,Rampe tried further up field or for short stints on the ball,Mal and Macca to change roles for short stints,the game to me looks unwinable if we dont try at least one or two different tactics this week.

Yes we are in 4th but the signs are not good,so many senior players look lethargic and well just slow and old.Maybe time too start putting some pressure on and if not dropping some of these guys at least making them sub once or twice.Yes we are missing players but its not so much even the wins/loses to me thats worrying at the moment its the lack of intent,desire,bloods spirit and dare that seem to be missing.We cant keep aspiring to do the bare minimum too win games.

[Nico]

Walsh i have significant doubts about. he has never shown enough - he can't move fast enough to create space between himself and the back and he doesn't look like he can get it in traffic. He has a hard body and he crashes packs impressively but I am not sure it is enough. I wonder whether like most of the Irish players he wouldn't be better as a defender - he gets led to the ball and can then do stuff with it.

At any rate Jesse is struggling in the ones, but so is every single player we have had since about 2007 when we ceased pinpointing balls ns just kicked it long and hoped to draw contests.

In any case i am not sure it is a separate argument liz. Mummy has been bordering on poor all year. He played mostly as a forward last night and didnt appear to move around the ground much. Jesse plays the tall forward role better than mummy and since the slinging rule mummy's work around the ball has been far less significant - by which I mean his impact on the contest. I have no doubt that a fit and firing mummy is better than Jesse but it has been a long time since I have seen that player - maybe adelaide last finals ? He is struggling.

About half way through the second quarter I suggested he be subbed and shortly afterwards he hurt his back and was struggling. Our centre square work regardless was just terrible and my recollection was that every single one in that run in e last 12 minutes they won.

In any case the coaches are constantly tinkering between players 20-22 on the list. There are some much more significant issues which need to be considered.

I am overseas and wasn't able to see the game. But here we go again. Throwing a game away because of poor centre clearance work. I am glad someone else notices. I watch players from other clubs read the ball off the rucks to perfection and sweep it away with ease (not just against us) so why is it we, with such a lauded midfield fail to find the loose ball. We spend our time holding and blocking then when we get our hands on the pill we are unable to cleanly distribute the ball most of the time. I am stunned at this massive flaw in our game. Is it because we have mids with slow reflexes? Is it a coaching flaw? Is it our ruckwork (jump early). We only have to break even on clean centre clearances and we win most games. I don't get it. Will Tom Mitchell help? I bloody hope so.