Round 14 • Port v Sydney Swans @ Adelaide

[crackedactor 01]

We struggled to get a centre clearance and couldn’t take a grab I50.

When those two issues are corrected , we’ll go OK . Our defence had to work overtime all day as usual.

It was quite noticeable that we missed Rampe a Lot today. With Rampe in the side, there is no way Dixon would be dominate and thus it would have been a very close match.

[goswannies]

I feel it is easier for a young player to develop more rapidly when they are surrounded by talent that is performing well. During the halcyon years of Roos and the early tenure of Horse, my recollection is that most young draftees generally had to wait quite some time before finally earning a senior call up. With the team performing well, it was harder for a new young draftee to dislodge a senior player. But when they did, they had a lot of hard bodied senior talent to support and guide them. The team was generally settled, so the new kid wasn’t relied upon to carry a lot of the load, and there role in the side wasn’t shuffled around on a weekly basis. This season is very different. A glut of injuries has resulted in a much younger side that doesn’t have the game developed nous surrounding them, nor the hardened bodies. Thus, their youthful frames are also subjected to a greater physical battering on a weekly basis. Almost unprecedented in recent times is the mass turnover of our backline through retirement (Reg, Smooch & Macca), in-season adaptation of the forward line (this is an evolving situation but first it was Tippett, then Sam Reid, now Buddy) - we were at the point early this season where Paps was our focal forward: and then our decimated ruck stocks. When Sinkers first assumed the stop gap ruck role, his endeavour was lauded - but as he has become our last resort genuine ruck option, his performances are frequently maligned. And unfortunately it gives our mids little opportunity for first use of the ball and clearance. Also, the decreased rests between games has resulted in players rested at times ... without the benefit of playing proper reserves games to hone their skills. I fear that all of this this is to the detriment of their development.

Then again, I might be wrong

[Blood Fever]

I feel it is easier for a young player to develop more rapidly when they are surrounded by talent that is performing well. During the halcyon years of Roos and the early tenure of Horse, my recollection is that most young draftees generally had to wait quite some time before finally earning a senior call up. With the team performing well, it was harder for a new young draftee to dislodge a senior player. But when they did, they had a lot of hard bodied senior talent to support and guide them. The team was generally settled, so the new kid wasn’t relied upon to carry a lot of the load, and there role in the side wasn’t shuffled around on a weekly basis. This season is very different. A glut of injuries has resulted in a much younger side that doesn’t have the game developed nous surrounding them, nor the hardened bodies. Thus, their youthful frames are also subjected to a greater physical battering on a weekly basis. Also, the decreased rests between games has resulted in players rested at times ... without the benefit of playing proper reserves games to hone their skills. I fear that all of this this is to the detriment of their development.

Then again, I might be wrong

Thoughtful post GS. Let's hope it fast tracks them and not harms them.

[stevoswan]

I feel it is easier for a young player to develop more rapidly when they are surrounded by talent that is performing well. During the halcyon years of Roos and the early tenure of Horse, my recollection is that most young draftees generally had to wait quite some time before finally earning a senior call up. With the team performing well, it was harder for a new young draftee to dislodge a senior player. But when they did, they had a lot of hard bodied senior talent to support and guide them. The team was generally settled, so the new kid wasn’t relied upon to carry a lot of the load, and there role in the side wasn’t shuffled around on a weekly basis. This season is very different. A glut of injuries has resulted in a much younger side that doesn’t have the game developed nous surrounding them, nor the hardened bodies. Thus, their youthful frames are also subjected to a greater physical battering on a weekly basis. Also, the decreased rests between games has resulted in players rested at times ... without the benefit of playing proper reserves games to hone their skills. I fear that all of this this is to the detriment of their development.

Then again, I might be wrong

You are not wrong.....yours is a realistic, sensible post.....in a sea of post-match glass half full optimism and glass half empty hysteria. Thank you.

[Captain]

Parker is cooked. Another poor game from him.

[Velour&Ruffles]

sorrry the OMG was thurlow running behind Butters

just reminded me of how good it is in sport to push your opposition sideways or backwards so your defence can set !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

apologies stevoswan !!!!..........i wasnt clear but thurlow made it so !!!!!!

One exclamation mark is usually sufficient.

[Velour&Ruffles]

I
who will replace this gap with the same dominance ?

will our junior draft picks balance the scales of past success??????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????

MB this is not about you vs me

Question marks too

[TheBloods]

We struggled to get a centre clearance and couldn’t take a grab I50.

When those two issues are corrected , we’ll go OK . Our defence had to work overtime all day as usual.

Rowbottom had been averaging 7 clearances a game over the last month or so. Against the Power he had 0.

We needed him to be better today.

[Meg]

Rowbottom had been averaging 7 clearances a game over the last month or so. Against the Power he had 0.

We needed him to be better today.

Rowbottom received a heavy hit early in the match so quite possibly was playing sore.

[The Big Cat]

People are very hard on mcinerney. He's actually played very little footy. Hardly played in the under 18 comp and had just graduated to his school's senior team when he was drafted from memory. His game today was OK I thought. He makes good position and isn't afraid to take the game on. To me he is miles in front of the likes of Wicks Foote and Bell and has a brighter future than the likes of Clarke or Thurlow. I reckon the way he moves he shows a bit of class.

[TheBloods]

People are very hard on mcinerney. He's actually played very little footy. Hardly played in the under 18 comp and had just graduated to his school's senior team when he was drafted from memory. His game today was OK I thought. He makes good position and isn't afraid to take the game on. To me he is miles in front of the likes of Wicks Foote and Bell and has a brighter future than the likes of Clarke or Thurlow. I reckon the way he moves he shows a bit of class.

Lack of class is perhaps his greatest weakness at the minute. 40% DE today. He is similar to Bell - moves better than he uses it.

[SwanSand]

We won one quarter, were competitive in 2 Quarters and were blown away in the second quarter. With the team we have it’s hardly a bad effort. Admittedly they probably did not go full throttle against us as well.
If we had Rampe, Heeney and Buddy atleast the blow out would not have happened in the second quarter.
The young players generally struggled with positioning and 2 way running in that second quarter Which resulted in some very good overlap play and goals for them.
Some of this is easy to fix as the experience in real situations against quality opposition will help. Some of it needs genuine talent and I am sure Horse and the coaches will look at individuals. And this year atleast has provided us to put some game time into younger players. Mcinereney needs to do defensive roles on good young talents from other clubs for his Developement. He has speed and long kicking game but lacks in polish but that is hardly a problem as he will get used to the pressure of AFL games. Clarke is terrible in kicking but he is very good with his 2 way running.

[i'm-uninformed2]

Wicks was good today. Nine tackles, with four or five of them leading to turnovers or frees to him. He’ll learn how to make space and find the ball, but that defensive element is what you want in a small forward.

Today was a reminder how much we miss Naismith - both because of what happened at the stoppages, but also the flexibility he created for how to use the rest of our talls.

[Blood Fever]

Wicks was good today. Nine tackles, with four or five of them leading to turnovers or frees to him. He’ll learn how to make space and find the ball, but that defensive element is what you want in a small forward.

Today was a reminder how much we miss Naismith - both because of what happened at the stoppages, but also the flexibility he created for how to use the rest of our talls.

It is true that we miss Naismith but a lot of other teams do ok with centre bounce clearances without a dominant ruck. We are 3rd last in the comp with centre clearances, only in front of Hawthorn and Adelaide. Should be a lot better.

[707]

A good spirited performance, with plenty of grit. This is where we are at as a team.

We won't be going anywhere with Bell, Thurlow, McInerney and the likes but our hands are tied by our injury list.

Still unsure where our next superstar player is going to come from.

Have you watched Campbell play? Don't want to burden him but he has elite written all over him

- - - Updated - - -

Parker is cooked. Another poor game from him.

BOG two weeks ago!