A glimmer of light / hope

[Ghost Like]

Clavarino isn't showing AFL quality in the feeder comp and looked way off it when he got his opportunity.

At least when players like Connolly and Byrnes got their opportunity they at least showed some great skills and looked comfortable at the level.

Hopefully Clav gets another opportunity now Higmore is gone for the season so the club can work out before season's end if he's worth more investment, and he's certainly chewed up a fair amount of investment to-date so he really needs to show something if he gets another game.

In Byrnes' first game last year I think he only had 2 possessions so first games don't really mean too much as he has come on in leaps and bounds.

That's very true. Some were quick to write him off. Seems supporters expect all kids to be like Judd or Walsh or the Bont, not prepared to encourage or allow them to develop at their natural rate through opportunity and experience.

Clavarino is tall, is lanky but made the U/18 AA from memory. He's got what it takes. Some ill timed injuries have stunted his development. It frustrates me other teams are willing to trust and give opportunity to tall, skinny kids but we seem to give up. I hope we don't with Clav.

[Vortex]

Clavarino isn't showing AFL quality in the feeder comp and looked way off it when he got his opportunity.

At least when players like Connolly and Byrnes got their opportunity they at least showed some great skills and looked comfortable at the level.

Hopefully Clav gets another opportunity now Higmore is gone for the season so the club can work out before season's end if he's worth more investment, and he's certainly chewed up a fair amount of investment to-date so he really needs to show something if he gets another game.

In Byrnes' first game last year I think he only had 2 possessions so first games don't really mean too much as he has come on in leaps and bounds.

That's very true. Some were quick to write him off. Seems supporters expect all kids to be like Judd or Walsh or the Bont, not prepared to encourage or allow them to develop at their natural rate through opportunity and experience.

Clavarino is tall, is lanky but made the U/18 AA from memory. He's got what it takes. Some ill timed injuries have stunted his development. It frustrates me other teams are willing to trust and give opportunity to tall, skinny kids but we seem to give up. I hope we don't with Clav.

You'd have to think he will get a game in Perth and possibly play a few more before the season is over so fingers crossed he can show something because he's been in the system for 4 years now so he needs to get a wriggle on.

And it would help our cause immensely if we can find a key tall backman from our current list as it is going to be slim pickings at this year trade table.

I also hope Carlisle can go on as that would give us some breathing space until we find our next CHB.

[Yorkeys]

The occasional flashes of light from some bright sparks are nice, but where is the master plan for the team as a unit to come out of the dark.

E.g. there is clear gap in professionalism between Port a top 4 side and us a bottom 4 side when under pressure.

Injuries have messed us up, however as sure as eggs when under the pressure of a vital game on the line too many of our men fluff their lines - how come. Do we recruit too many mentally fragile chaps. Waiting for opposition errors is a fraught tactic, we need to be able to consistently execute bread and butter plays under pressure; we can't and everyone knows we can't which is a terrible disadvantage.

[shanegrambeau]

The occasional flashes of light from some bright sparks are nice, but where is the master plan for the team as a unit to come out of the dark.

E.g. there is clear gap in professionalism between Port a top 4 side and us a bottom 4 side when under pressure.

Injuries have messed us up, however as sure as eggs when under the pressure of a vital game on the line too many of our men fluff their lines - how come. Do we recruit too many mentally fragile chaps. Waiting for opposition errors is a fraught tactic, we need to be able to consistently execute bread and butter plays under pressure; we can't and everyone knows we can't which is a terrible disadvantage.

Set shots probably fall into the category of doing things under the kind of pressure, and last weeks 0.6 score line must be so frustrating for them. I wonder if there are specific instructions not to play on and take a snap based on some statistic that ‘proves’ it’s a fools choice.

The spinning of the ball in the hand maybe a strategy to keep fluid and not ‘freeze up’ like a robot, executing a wooden miskick?

I would love to read a survey of players attitudes about this, and their general strategies taking set shots. Obviously, they are brilliant kicks of the footy by dent of their career progress and yet miss goals you and I could kick at the local oval.

It’s fascinating and yet frustrating.

At some point you would thing being practical takes over, and you just swim the way you wanna swim and damn all the instructions, but who knows if that is tolerated like the 1980s.

[Impatient Sainter]

I think the club needs to be patient with Clavarino, he has come ahead in leaps and bounds this year after injuries stymied his earlier development. He is an ungainly looking player similiar to Lever, but like Lever his intercept marking could be a weapon.

We have found two gems in Byrnes & Connolly who will be hard to dislodge from the side, both are a huge tick for our recruiters.

[Ghost Like]

E.g. there is clear gap in professionalism between Port a top 4 side and us a bottom 4 side when under pressure.

Hang on. Did Port look like a top 4 side when Melbourne played them on their home deck? That game forced them to change their pre game song to "Back on the chain gang" by the Pretenders.

How are we a bottom 4 side under pressure? Were Richmond & Brisbane also bottom 4 teams after failing under pressure? Melbourne have failed, are they bottom 4?

Do those results elevate North, GC, Adelaide, Hawthorn, Collingwood from the bottom 4?

I'm sorry, that's just a knee jerk statement to a poor result.

[Scollop]

I think the club needs to be patient with Clavarino, he has come ahead in leaps and bounds this year after injuries stymied his earlier development. He is an ungainly looking player similiar to Lever, but like Lever his intercept marking could be a weapon.

We have found two gems in Byrnes & Connolly who will be hard to dislodge from the side, both are a huge tick for our recruiters.

Spot on

Some blokes take time. This guy from Swans has been impressive this year, but it's taken him a while to establish himself and become a weapon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Dawson

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players ... awson.html

[shanegrambeau]

E.g. there is clear gap in professionalism between Port a top 4 side and us a bottom 4 side when under pressure.

Hang on. Did Port look like a top 4 side when Melbourne played them on their home deck? That game forced them to change their pre game song to "Back on the chain gang" by the Pretenders.

How are we a bottom 4 side under pressure? Were Richmond & Brisbane also bottom 4 teams after failing under pressure? Melbourne have failed, are they bottom 4?

Do those results elevate North, GC, Adelaide, Hawthorn, Collingwood from the bottom 4?

I'm sorry, that's just a knee jerk statement to a poor result.

Dunno Ghost. I tend to agree with Yorkers on this one.

We didn’t just lose comprehensively to Port Adelaide, we lost to an injury depleted Port Adelaide. Their forwards were basically absent and they had to make do with manufacturing goals from elsewhere. We lament our dysfunctional forward fifty and yet…that result. It’s a major problem in the head space and a deficiency personnel wise. I speak as mentally fragile and dysfunctional myself so I’m not bagging the team for being weak, loads of respect for any kid who can stick to it and get to a level with their sport where they could even be considering a professional career.
And then we add the competition aspect…where others, despite laughs and handshakes are trying to throw you off, the crowds, the media, the hype, the press-conferences, coaches, the managers, hangers on, potential sponsors, dude at the local real-estate office trying to do a deal with you, …all the noise must be quite a challenge to manage and stay focused.

What is going through their heads when they take a set shot?

I think we are not singing harmoniously as a choir right now…but we are trying, and they disruptions and disturbances and noise we have had this year haven’t helped. We do need some structure and we need four to six better players…significantly better players in the starting 22 each week.

[Ghost Like]

SG, I do not see Port as a Top 4 side, I do not see us as a bottom 4 side. They were missing players as were we, neither team was close to fielding their best 22.

Yes, the result hinged on finishing abilities. An aspect of the game that's plagued us for a decade. We need to get better, that's why we still lose games we should win.

When we lost to Adelaide (not Port) was it because they were a Top 4 team? No, it's because we are still learning, still developing a game style that we can trust regardless of the opponent. Port have that which is why they are a Top 8 side, we are another 20 odd games, collectively, of becoming that Top 8 constant, in my opinion.