(08-31-2020, 12:11 AM)Baggers link Wrote:I thought for a moment that we did well, generally, against a hardened finalist until analysing where that finalist was at... ordinary form and missing a few key personnel. Then it became clear... if we were fair-dinkum we should have accounted for this mob also considering all that was at stake. We're still a fair way off being a bona fide finalist. We're about where we deserve to be.

The Good:
Zachery... quick and creative, personally much prefer him in the midfield
Setterfield's development... plus his tackles stick. Has a footy brain/IQ
Walsh... leader
Weitering... leader
Jones... fair-dinkum effort and attitude
Curnow's consistency & reliability
We have definitely improved on previous years - much better %, in more games, no more hidings.

The Bad:
Midfield - forward line connect... it's as if they speak different languages or are playing different games. Rottingwood was there for the taking but their breathtaking confusion was telling and cost us, and was a joy to behold for Buckley. The talent is there, they just don't seem to understand each other!
Our in-game inconsistency was on glorious display... 7 goal 1st half, SFA in the 2nd half.

The Sad:
Casboult's form... such a confidence player. Woeful contribution, or lack thereof
H. So much talent but seemingly clueless between the lugholes
Pittonet's 'pavement paws' when trying to mark
Cripps. Looks like he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and in some ways, he is. Banged up body, trying to do too much, goal kicking yips and Mon back in Melbourne. Too often you could see Crippa just jogging between contests... might be lots of justification, but it aint good enough and sets a bad example. Harsh to say, but true.
Murphy's hesitancy. Too much waiting for the ball to come to him, though he did try the facts are he can no longer 'create' what he used to be able to 'create.' Another year? Who will he keep out? Money could be better spent elsewhere?
Simmo. Still better than too many - and he shouldn't be. Time has caught up with him
Doc's drop in confidence. Effort is sure there, but seems confused at critical moments...
That we still play Gibbons out of position
That we lack creativity from the coaching box on game day
That our stubbornness to stick with too many talls, remains (TDK & Meat rucking, means Kennedy (for example) could have come in for Pitto). Such a lack of balance.

All in all, we're improving but yesterday against Rottingwood was a shocker and a poor reflection of the capability of our group - well, most of them. Rottingwood applied enormous pressure in the 3rd and we didn't cave... didn't do anything else, but didn't cave in. As for the 4th...

Finals might be a distant dim light now, but we still have 4 games remaining to give development and hope and finish the season on a high... we need to do this to convince potential suitors that we're going somewhere and that investing their lives with us would be a good decision. I'm optimistic about the remainder of the season.

Let's get some ruthlessness into the place, especially into the coaching group. How do we get Hodge into the place and some of the hangeron-erers out? We're still too nice. And I would seriously consider a mentor for Teague.

(Intentionally didn't say anything about Dow or Polson. Neither has played senior footy for a long time and it's a big jump into the seniors from this makeshift Magoos competition).

(08-31-2020, 01:53 AM)WASurfer link Wrote:Agreed EB....but Cripps' disposal by foot has never been a strong point....which makes it even harder to comprehend that we haven't drafted or targeted elite ball users over the last few years. We simply don't have enough of them in our team. I know McKay and Levi had quiet games but it must be frustrating to have the ball put over your head or 5 feet in front of you....or direct to an opposition player so often.

(08-30-2020, 10:42 PM)Gointocarlton link Wrote:Daicos found a lot of space which we didn't respect, he used his pace to hurt to us.