Rd 8 vs Collingwood Magpies @ MCG - Match Thread

[stevoswan]

We had 18 scoring shots, and several that didn’t trouble the score sheet from close range. So about the same shots on goal that the Pies had; in the last quarter they kicked some crazy goals, e.g. Mihocek, and what was a blind kick out of a pack from 55m by Frampton. When the Footy Gods are with you, these things happen. At present we seem cursed in every respect, despite the best efforts of our hard-working midfielders and defenders. I’m sure the forwards are working hard too, they’re getting the chances, but leaving them out there.

Footy Gods.....umpires?

[Kafka's Ghost]

it is a major problem given so many have been in fairly easy set kick areas

it has punished us in the games were other stats have been fairly strong

Spot on.


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[stevoswan]

Regarding the umpiring, they weren’t the reason we lost, we did that ourselves by blowing our chances. But they were inconsistent and clearly umpired to the crowd, and probably in reaction to the raw deal Collingwood got last week. Blatant holds and throws were completely ignored, while holding the ball has a new interpretation every time the whistle is blown. Four umpires are just adding to the inconsistencies and subjective nature of their decisions.

Great post.....yes, you'd think some of those "who watched the game" would simply acknowledge this....but no, they prefer to just whack our players......because it makes them feel good? Only they know.

[Kafka's Ghost]

first time in a long time we had very few passengers

Gulden plays heaps better out wide
Mills heaps better inside
Mclean had a good crack
Fox Unreal
Blakey, Ollie Campbell awesome out of defence
Parker best game in a while
Jmac better, Clarke good
Ladhams good

Usuals Tom, Lloyd etc

Still reckon Francis needs to play defence with Paddy out and Gould not playing.

Agree. For a large part of the game we played well enough to win.


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[waswan]

2016 aside i dont blame umpires

Not one footy expert this week will talk about the umpiring in our game, no point talking about it.

Things we can change as a team is goalkicking.

Im not dummy spitting about a single game, im dummy spitting about a simple part of the game that is ending our season well short if expectations

[stevoswan]

Well, I've read all the posts to this point and there actually appears to be lots of positives to come out of yesterdays game. I feel better about the loss. I'm sure the club will work on the crap kicking, the apparent lack of 4 quarter fitness can't be fixed overnight but we won't be playing top 4 teams every week so there are better times ahead this season.

I think next year our expectations should be higher.....we will be fitter (we better be!), Bud will be gone so our forward structure will improve as well and the young guns will be a year bigger and stronger. We may well be bullying teams from next year onwards.

As for the umpires, they are who they are.....we can only hope they get their heads out of their Victorian arses and improve.

[mcs]

Campbell just keeps growing doesn't he. I've been seriously impressed. There was a play in the third quarter where the scores were relatively level and the Pies turned a ball over and swarmed through the middle. Campbell was on Elliott, who knew it would eventually be two on one and raced off towards the goal square. Campbell made the call to leave him be, use his pace to sprint 30m and nail Mihocek in a tackle at the 50m arc, before he could get the ball through. It was a great defensive play and strong tackle. There's still a lot of upside to Campbell's game, but he's getting a lot right and did a terrific job on McCreery yesterday.

Love the progress of Campbell this year. He and Errol are going to be superstars that will give the academy whingers plenty to whine about haha.

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[Ludwig]

We played some really good footy for most of the game, with the exception of goal kicking. Both McLean and Clarke played AFL quality games and demonstrated that speed isn't everything if you can get the rest of the game right.

We have a number of players who could shuffle around to get the best line balance. Our main problems now are finding another key position back and a better plan for forward line entry.

If Gould has been written off, I will double down on trying McLean as a tall defender. I suspect Paddy will retire, so we will need to find someone as a long term replacement.

As I've said from the start of the season, we need to drop Buddy. We could consider using him as a sub to get him the 4 goals he needs to move up the goal kicking ladder. We are likely to be stretched for KPPs for a few years, unless we can recruit or draft some winners. We should convert our forward line to a small option attack, with multiple options, avoiding bombing it in, because we simply won't have many tall marking options. As great as Buddy once was, he is simply not a good player now. We never should have signed him to play this year.

We should consider moving Campbell and JMac to more attacking positions. Stephens is likely to get another go at AFL level soon, maybe even next game. HHK is another option for a forward role. He's taller than Hayward and a strong overhead mark and a good goal kicker.

[waswan]

Interesting Stephens had 29 disposals, 10 tackles and 12 clearances.....should slot straight back into the outside midfield role

[Ludwig]

Interesting Stephens had 29 disposals, 10 tackles and 12 clearances.....should slot straight back into the outside midfield role

He got those numbers playing as our main inside mid with 106 stoppages and 76 hitouts to the Swans.

[waswan]

He got those numbers playing as our main inside mid with 106 stoppages and 76 hitouts to the Swans.

A handy advantage, I didn't watch the game....
curious the thinking behind dropping him and getting him to play a role he has never been asked to play in the 1s

[The Big Cat]

A handy advantage, I didn't watch the game....
curious the thinking behind dropping him and getting him to play a role he has never been asked to play in the 1s

From Day 1, whenever Kinear Beatson is asked about Stephens he says Stephens is a hybrid mid - can play inside or outside. That's why he was drafted ahead of others. Maybe the powers that be have decided to give him a go inside. Whenever he got the ball in the twos he looked like a Rolls Royce - head and shoulders ahead of anyone on the field. In that VFL game he reminded me of Dylan Shields when he was with GWS.

[waswan]

From Day 1, whenever Kinear Beatson is asked about Stephens he says Stephens is a hybrid mid - can play inside or outside. That's why he was drafted ahead of others. Maybe the powers that be have decided to give him a go inside. Whenever he got the ball in the twos he looked like a Rolls Royce - head and shoulders ahead of anyone on the field. In that VFL game he reminded me of Dylan Shields when he was with GWS.

Good, he is clearly playing within coach imposed boundaries in the 1s, love to see him let go and chase it

[liz]

It's pretty normal for the older, more experienced players (anyone with senior experience) to play onball at VFL level. Especially with an injury affected squad.

Bell, Ronke, Wicks - they all played mostly in the midfield last year and the year before in the VFL. Part of this is because the games tend to be played more between the arcs at the lower level, with less clean, precise ball forward, and or the structure bringing the ball out of defence that you hope to see at senior level. And even the wings become a little redundant at times.

Warner has been played largely as an onballer too, this season.

So you can't necessarily read anything into the fact that Stephens played onball on Saturday. It doesn't mean he's going to suddenly get inserted into the centre square in the AFL team.

That said, I wonder if he's miffed he's not getting any opportunity onball in the AFL team. He described himself as an inside mid when drafted (notwithstanding Beatson's description of him as a hybrid mid).

[i'm-uninformed2]

From Day 1, whenever Kinear Beatson is asked about Stephens he says Stephens is a hybrid mid - can play inside or outside. That's why he was drafted ahead of others. Maybe the powers that be have decided to give him a go inside. Whenever he got the ball in the twos he looked like a Rolls Royce - head and shoulders ahead of anyone on the field. In that VFL game he reminded me of Dylan Shields when he was with GWS.

I think I may have posted it on here at the time, but when we drafted Stephens, I asked a mate of mine who is a Norwood fan and had seen Dylan in his draft year what sort of player he'd eventually become and he said: Dylan Shiel, but with better foot skills and two-way run.