Rnd 8 Match Day Thread. Richmond V Sydney. MCG 19.25 pm.

[lwjoyner]

Very poor effort and I agree why pick Hiscox if it was for his speed he did not show it . In one piece of play on the afl stand side of the ground the ball was kicked out and it was between Hiscox and a Tiger player and Hiscox should have been able to win the ball if his speed is so good. Why also does Rance get away with the shoving and holding of Buddy every tim but we get frees against us when at least one of Reg's was his for a jumper pull. I wish Horse would blast the players instead of his clenched hands. Our kicking has got worse over the last couple of years ,how many times did we miss targets our just put the ball on to boot to get it away from the palyer kicking it, we must have kicked it to the opposition 5 or 6 times. Need to improve to beat the other top sides.

[Beerman]

I think this loss reflects the reality of where the team is. At the start of the year, I thought we'd be doing OK to finish in the bottom half of the top eight, such was our lack of depth. The fine form of our better players - Buddy especially - I think has caused the media to overreact to the wins the team has put together.

I absolutely agree with you liz. The team has a large contingent of players who are inexperienced and while we are going ok, these players need to develop more for us to be a real contender.

My concern is mostly for next week. Richmond seemed to run the ball out of defence so easily and Hawthorn, with their precision skills, will be able to keep the ball away from us even more effectively. It could get nasty unless we learn from this experience.

[WauchopeAnalyst]

That was a dumb final minute or so.

We had control of the ball a few times and just kicked it to a contest, when we had loose players all over the place.

Then to get caught over the back, when we should of had a plethora of players back there defending the lead.....Just really poor.

Given we had so much inexperience out there, I question the leadership that let these fundamental mistakes happen.

But that is exactly how we are. Unless you are 50m clear, we will bombing in. The coaches created it and the players bought in.

[WauchopeAnalyst]

I'm not keen on judging a player on one game but he certainly seemed overawed by the occasion. There were times when he appeared to freeze.

The same with Deano.

[MattW]

That was gutting. The sort of loss to question the wisdom of investing so much emotion in this.

In the end we weren't hard enough. We were beaten in contested possessions and tackles. I think we've seen enough from Towers to know he is unreliable under pressure, making bad decisions and losing contested ball. I was worried about Hiscox when ugg posted his tackle average in NEAFL this year: 1.6. So it proved. He didn't even impact with his running. If he'll ever be ready it's a long way away.

Hannebery carried the midfield again with an extraordinary performance. With Buddy, Tippett, Heeney and Rampe, they carried the team as they have all year with Joey. Heeney looked good in the moments he was in the midfield. Maybe he should stay there and bring Rose in to play forward.

The backline looked as brittle as it has been. Riewoldt always beats our backs. Teddy perhaps came back a week early.

The previous posters are correct. We are dipping too deeply into our reserves, although I agree Jones' improvement suggests he'll make it.

From watching yesterday, i reckon Rohan is a decent chance to return next week.

Ideally, it'll be Joey, Rohan and McGlynn for Hiscox, Towers and Hewett (only just over Papley).

[liz]

I'd be leaving Hewett in the team. It would be good if he can find more of the ball, but he's got some very good traits. His tackling is sound, he's an excellent set shot for goal when he gets the chance, and he's very good at getting high tackle free kicks by ever so slightly dropping his shoulder.

I know Longmire will want to bring Rohan back into the team as soon as he think's he's ready, but only last week he sat out the second half of the reserves game with a niggle. I'd prefer he comes back when he's really ready to make an impact. He doesn't have too many chances left to establish his spot in the team and it would be good if he's really fit and confident before he comes back.

[ugg]

It'll be an interesting call with Rohan as the ressies have the bye this week. If the sub vest was still around they might have risked him as the sub but I can't see him coming into the team this week

MattW what position did Rohan play in the ressies yesterday?

[Luke Shannon]

I liked Heeney in the midfield. He is tough, tackles well, reads the play, his handling is clean, his marking is elite and his distribution by hand and foot is great.

Until we have Tom Mitchell's signature his midfield time should be reallocated to Heeney. It's insurance, similar to the 2013 Hawks with Buddy.

[mcs]

I liked Heeney in the midfield. He is tough, tackles well, reads the play, his handling is clean, his marking is elite and his distribution by hand and foot is great.

Heeney did make a difference in the middle, and despite his obvious brilliance up forward, it is where he will end up in time.

- - - Updated - - -

People are getting too emotionally involved in the loss.

Watching Rance V Buddy was something special that you rarley see on a football field.

Rance in my opinion is the AFL's greatest ever key defender. He is better than Silvani, Roos, Lanford and Bruce Doull. Seeing him leave Buddy to help out another defender was amazing.

Buddy blasting three goals from outside 50m in a five goal performance was equally impressive. He is the greatest ever pure athlete to play AFL and certainly its greatest ever half forward flanker.

What a duel. Both players at the peak of their careers. I'm rejoicing in having watched that.

Not everyone has your cold profit driven heart.

As for rance, no doubt he is a fine defender, but if he got the same grilling from the umps that grundy got, buddy would of got a dozen. Like silvagni, he gets away with a hell of a lot more than most defenders.

[56-14]

I liked Heeney in the midfield. He is tough, tackles well, reads the play, his handling is clean, his marking is elite and his distribution by hand and foot is great.

Until we have Tom Mitchell's signature his midfield time should be reallocated to Heeney. It's insurance, similar to the 2013 Hawks with Buddy.

I don't want Mitchell's signature. He's a "stats accumulator" rather than a "ball magnet". Hoped he would have stepped-up last night in the absence of Kennedy.

[johnno]

Can't believe no one here has mentioned the clear free kick miss by the umpires that should have gone to Tippett with that last kick into our forward 50 by Towers. Considering some of the soft frees that went against Reg that directed to direct goals to them, that miss free kick to Tippet really annoys me. Also I believe it was Rance again. Yes he's a great defender, but I agree with an earlier post here, he has got the golden Steven Silvagni ticket for full backs from umpires in that they won't pay a free kick against him, he absolutely held Franklin around the waists on at least 5-6 occasions in a marking contest and the umps call play on, Reg breathes on Griffiths and it's a free in front of goal.

[crackedactor]

Surprised by comment

Very poor effort and I agree why pick Hiscox if it was for his speed he did not show it . In one piece of play on the afl stand side of the ground the ball was kicked out and it was between Hiscox and a Tiger player and Hiscox should have been able to win the ball if his speed is so good. Why also does Rance get away with the shoving and holding of Buddy every tim but we get frees against us when at least one of Reg's was his for a jumper pull. I wish Horse would blast the players instead of his clenched hands. Our kicking has got worse over the last couple of years ,how many times did we miss targets our just put the ball on to boot to get it away from the palyer kicking it, we must have kicked it to the opposition 5 or 6 times. Need to improve to beat the other top sides.

I totally disagree with Rance being a all time great full back??? Was people actually there on the ground watching the game?? I was at ground level and saw Rance whack Buddy in the back of the head about 10 times. but of course about 10 meters or more away from the ball. In fact I believe Buddy stopped trying in the last quarter because he was so sick of it. Towers and hiscox were absolute jokes. Running around a witch's hat is more difficult than side stepping towers. If they are the best two options and we are on the top of the ladder. How bad is the level of the NEAFL?? would THE Swans be capable of beating the bottom side in Victoria's VFL?

[Plugger46]

We've got a very long tail. Sometimes it takes a loss like that to see it. We've got a few to come back but I can't see Rohan making any significant difference. Another bloke who doesn't find the footy.

Buddy is a pleasure to watch. His kicking is just incredible at the moment. He and Hanners were sensational.

Sinclair/Jetta trade looks lose-lose to me at this stage. Played well against Carlton but outside of that, I reckon he's been OK at best.

[mcs]

Can't believe no one here has mentioned the clear free kick miss by the umpires that should have gone to Tippett with that last kick into our forward 50 by Towers. Considering some of the soft frees that went against Reg that directed to direct goals to them, that miss free kick to Tippet really annoys me. Also I believe it was Rance again. Yes he's a great defender, but I agree with an earlier post here, he has got the golden Steven Silvagni ticket for full backs from umpires in that they won't pay a free kick against him, he absolutely held Franklin around the waists on at least 5-6 occasions in a marking contest and the umps call play on, Reg breathes on Griffiths and it's a free in front of goal.

That last Tippo one was frustrating - but there were a hell of a lot of 50/50 calls all night that went either way.

Yep, Rance certainly gets plenty of free reign - much like Harry Taylor at Geelong does. Doesn't mean they aren't very good deferenders, but an all time great or the best ever.....

[mcs]

We've got a very long tail. Sometimes it takes a loss like that to see it. We've got a few to come back but I can't see Rohan making any significant difference. Another bloke who doesn't find the footy.

Buddy is a pleasure to watch. His kicking is just incredible at the moment. He and Hanners were sensational.

Sinclair/Jetta trade looks lose-lose to me at this stage. Played well against Carlton but outside of that, I reckon he's been OK at best.

Sinclair is never going to be an A grade ruckman, but as the Hawks have shown in recent years, you don't need two out and out superstar ruckmen to be Premiers. As long as the second one can be competitive (as Sinclair is) and give the main ruckmen some time to recover, then they are doing their job. Given the early season lack of form from Jetta, we are a long way in front on the trade at this point.

I still hope desperately that Naismith can get his body right and get a sustained period of footy behind him, as I genuinely think he can be a very fine ruckmen.


Your point about our long tail is a more than fair one however - but what I think the first 8 rounds have shown us is that the nucleus of a Premiership team is most definitely there, it is about finding that depth in the last half a dozen in particular, and filling the gaps as needed.