06-03-2023, 03:05 AM
Late to the thread so apologies for any ground already covered.
Very, very few highlights or positives out of that. We were lucky that Melbourne weren't that flash last night....if they'd kicked straight early we would've lost by 7 or 8 goals.
Hard to believe how far we've fallen in 12 months. At 8-2 last year were playing some breathtaking footy, albeit letting teams back into games at times. But we were taking the game on, moving the ball quickly and with precision and applying the heat. Fast forward 12 months and with arguably a stronger team, we're a rabble. We can hit opposition key defenders from 60m away but can't hit a team mate from 30m away. Just ultra slow ball movement to about the wing and then just blast it long and hope someone can mark it. And when it hits the ground, zero pressure and not one of our small forwards can find a goal...apart from a cheap one from Fisher last night where he ducked into a tackle and the umpire fell for it.
Kemp on Fritsch did a pretty good joob. Fritsch beat him one on one a couple of times but I'd give Kemp the honours overall. He took some good marks and used it pretty well. Cincotta kept Pickett quiet apart from one incredible snap goal. Cerra was probably our best mid and Harry found some form and confidence.
If we've set out to destroy Silvagni as a footy player then I reckon mission accomplished last night. 2-3 seasons ago he was a high pressure mid-sized forward who could take a big grab and although his goalkicking was hit and miss, he did kick goals. He was chasing, tackling and locking the ball into the forward line. He looks shot to bits now. I realise Mirkov might be a way off it just yet, but surely last night was the game to throw him in....if for nothing else than to ruck for 7-8 minutes each quarter and crash/bash into Gawn and Grundy. He's +200cm and +100kgs.....but we chose to go with Silvagni against that ruck combination.
O'Brien has probably played his last game. I can't see why Binns wasn't given an opportunity and now that finals are out of the question it's time for him to have a shot at it.
If we'd been good enough, the game was there for the taking at 3/4 time but it was just more of the same old crap. McGovern didn't appear to have a match up so why not just throw him forward....push Charlie up the ground a bit....just do something to mix it up. But instead it was just bomb it long and pick out May and Lever.
Again, our mids got plenty of the ball but are just not making any real impact with it.
Cottrell's first game back against the Dogs was a really good one and arguably one of our best....but he's had two stinkers in a row. Similarly Owies...averaging nearl 3 goals a game in his first few games and again when he came back after injury...but two absolute stinkers in a row and can barely find the ball now. Motlop does a lot of running and chasing but not a lot of impact and not hitting the scoreboard. I know kicking goals isn't the be all and end all for a small forward, but when your team only kicks 6 for the whole night, one or two from them would be handy.
Where too from here? Maybe Hewett comes back in but not much else left. Maybe Marchbank comes in for Young but reckon we'll need Young in the ruck if we're not going to give Mirkov a game. McGovern....no impact, dropping marks, turning it over.
Very, very few highlights or positives out of that. We were lucky that Melbourne weren't that flash last night....if they'd kicked straight early we would've lost by 7 or 8 goals.
Hard to believe how far we've fallen in 12 months. At 8-2 last year were playing some breathtaking footy, albeit letting teams back into games at times. But we were taking the game on, moving the ball quickly and with precision and applying the heat. Fast forward 12 months and with arguably a stronger team, we're a rabble. We can hit opposition key defenders from 60m away but can't hit a team mate from 30m away. Just ultra slow ball movement to about the wing and then just blast it long and hope someone can mark it. And when it hits the ground, zero pressure and not one of our small forwards can find a goal...apart from a cheap one from Fisher last night where he ducked into a tackle and the umpire fell for it.
Kemp on Fritsch did a pretty good joob. Fritsch beat him one on one a couple of times but I'd give Kemp the honours overall. He took some good marks and used it pretty well. Cincotta kept Pickett quiet apart from one incredible snap goal. Cerra was probably our best mid and Harry found some form and confidence.
If we've set out to destroy Silvagni as a footy player then I reckon mission accomplished last night. 2-3 seasons ago he was a high pressure mid-sized forward who could take a big grab and although his goalkicking was hit and miss, he did kick goals. He was chasing, tackling and locking the ball into the forward line. He looks shot to bits now. I realise Mirkov might be a way off it just yet, but surely last night was the game to throw him in....if for nothing else than to ruck for 7-8 minutes each quarter and crash/bash into Gawn and Grundy. He's +200cm and +100kgs.....but we chose to go with Silvagni against that ruck combination.
O'Brien has probably played his last game. I can't see why Binns wasn't given an opportunity and now that finals are out of the question it's time for him to have a shot at it.
If we'd been good enough, the game was there for the taking at 3/4 time but it was just more of the same old crap. McGovern didn't appear to have a match up so why not just throw him forward....push Charlie up the ground a bit....just do something to mix it up. But instead it was just bomb it long and pick out May and Lever.
Again, our mids got plenty of the ball but are just not making any real impact with it.
Cottrell's first game back against the Dogs was a really good one and arguably one of our best....but he's had two stinkers in a row. Similarly Owies...averaging nearl 3 goals a game in his first few games and again when he came back after injury...but two absolute stinkers in a row and can barely find the ball now. Motlop does a lot of running and chasing but not a lot of impact and not hitting the scoreboard. I know kicking goals isn't the be all and end all for a small forward, but when your team only kicks 6 for the whole night, one or two from them would be handy.
Where too from here? Maybe Hewett comes back in but not much else left. Maybe Marchbank comes in for Young but reckon we'll need Young in the ruck if we're not going to give Mirkov a game. McGovern....no impact, dropping marks, turning it over.