Post Game Analysis: AFL 2021 Rd 10: Carlton vs Hawthorn

[crashlander]

To be honest, I don't get the negativity.

Clarkson, smarting from last week's loss and desperate for a win, got his inexperienced boys to attack us at our weakness... fierce pressure, scrappy footy... but we absorbed it and came away with a win.

Had the Dawks bought that ferocity to last week's game against the Kangabies, they'd have won.

To me, that win had character and heart - no nice. We were fierce at the contest, limited them to 9 goals, and yes, there were mutual howlers but that happens in dour games.

Buoyed by Williams, Stocker, TDK and Saad.

H has a quiet day but still slots 2 critical goals.

Doc looks much better on a wing (and Williams much, much better off half back).

A number of other important positives as well: Owies, SOJ, Eddie turning back the clock, Murph's composure in the 3rd when needed and the relentless endeavour from Ed C.

Grinding out a win in a game like that can do much for confidence and morale... now to back it up.

The standard of the game suggested that it was one between two of the lesser teams, and it is probably right to think so. But I was pleased that we really gutsed the game out, especially when Hawthorn kicked 3 in three minutes.

There were things that bothered me:
[1] Clarkson winning the coaching battle. His style of game was better than ours, which really frustrates me.
To be honest, our game style is not that bad until we get close to the forward 50. It is then that we forget everything and just pump the ball in long to a pack, from which we rarely get the ball.
There are other aspects to our game, especially our inability to spoil and our decision making, that need a lot of work.
To be honest, I'm not sure Teague is the man for the job. But I'm not sure Clarkson is either. I really do not like him. I have never forgiven him for breaking Ian Aitken's jaw, which I saw live. I like the way his teams attack the ball more than I like our relative lack of physicality, but there are other aspects that I really do not like.
[2] We really have weaknesses when it comes to curtailing the opposition's best players. Mitchell, for example, got the ball 40 times. That he was relatively ineffective was lucky for us. But we've really got to work out a way and train and man to smother opponents.

What pleased me:
[1] Setterfield: with Setters playing in the midfield he managed to get more of the ball. And he didn't turn it over as often. Not sure about his hardness yet, but he was much better than he has been.
[2] Putting Williams back at HB and Docherty on the wing has been an excellent move. Both players made fewer mistakes and got the ball a lot more. Doc's kicking is still requires some work, but he hasn't been caught out in defence with his man free.
[3] Tom de Koning wasn't brilliant, but he was decent and he will get better. His athleticism in the middle and around goal was good. And Marc Pittonet was good as a resting ruckman, getting a couple of nice marks and a goal when they were needed.
[4] Stocker was definitely a positive. he worked well and made some good decisions. His kicking is also an improvement. His attack on the ball was better and he didn't just simply defend.
[5] Gibbo had probably his best game this season. While that is not saying a lot, he was much better than he has been. He put his body on the line and showed courage. And he kicked straight when he needed to.
[6] Eddie was good again. Owies is showing a bit and kicking a couple of good goals.
I am finding a problem with Owies at the moment: he gets brushed aside too easily. That was also the case in the 2nds a few weeks back. When kicking to him as a marking target, the ball usually comes back the other way. I would not have him as a permanent feature yet, but I am liking much of what he does.
If we dropped him back, I'd be tempted to play Honey in this place, as Honey is that bit stronger.
[7] Sam Walsh! What a player this guy is!