Poor poor tactics

[saintsRrising]

Look I don't want to come across as a Dal knocker...for I am not.
Players have bad games owever, and I rate this as one of Dal's....and he was no lone ranger.

I think (and hope) however that the Dogs game was one out of the box where too many of our players fell out of the mental zone that they need to be in...and in particular when the opposition lifts like it did.

That Dogs midfield was awesome in the last 3 quarters...in how they won and the ball and then in how they used including scoring goals on the run.



For us to have a successful year we need Dal to play like we know he can in most of the games this season.

[saintsRrising]

The worry for me is our ball use. Losing clearances, losing contests shouldn't necessarily mean you lose the game. But too many guys on our team just bombed away when moving forward on Friday night. Several of our first quarter goals came from indiscriminant bombs forward that happened to work out. After the doggies made some changes in the back half, we were far less able to exploit our talls and we never got any ground game going in there. Gram and Goddard were the worst culprits, but they were by no means alone.

Basically agree....though I thought BJ's delivery was not too bad....and Fior lamabsted by many at least got some accureate passes in.


If we are going to have a 3 tall forward structure (or even just 2) it is vital that we kick to advantage.

Bombing is useless and gives the advantage to the opposition, and should be reserved for get out of jail situations rather than a normal delivery method.

Delivery has to be good enough to tilt the odds in our forwards favour.
Forwards need to move and set up to encourge good delivery. ie to create spaces to kick into. Roo and Kosi running to the same spots is hardly helpful.

Quick entry helps to prevent the spaces being filled and so yes this is where the midfield has to be better.

Back on delivery.....how often when there is a one on one do we seea poor kick to that contest? If the defnder is on the left..we need to kick it to right. If Kosi is coaght behind, we need it kicked high and long...but too often the reverse occurs allowing the defenders an easy mark or spoil.

[Banger2Plugger]

I think its time to unsettle a few - ralph, blake, fiora and based on last week effort i may say even fish

bring in the hungry - CJ, birss, armo, dempster (if fit) and ferguson, - if MG isnt fit then perhaps CG - i was miffed with MG out why we replaced with Ralph, thought CG might have been a better choice whilst Kosie was in the ruck?

[vacuous space]

Basically agree....though I thought BJ's delivery was not too bad....and Fior lamabsted by many at least got some accureate passes in.

I gave BJ votes, so all up I think he played a good game. My comment was that he and Gram were bombing more than anybody else. I don't mind him bombing kicks to clear the defence. It's the bombs to the forwards I don't like, particularly the one he let fly from half back.

You're definitely right about Fiora. He played an excellent game. The only people calling for him to be dropped are people that have a grudge. Blake did a great job of shutting down West too. it wasn't pretty, but he got the job done. Raph struggled though. I wouldn't be surprised if he misses selection this week.

[BAM! (shhhh)]

The worry for me is our ball use. Losing clearances, losing contests shouldn't necessarily mean you lose the game. But too many guys on our team just bombed away when moving forward on Friday night. Several of our first quarter goals came from indiscriminant bombs forward that happened to work out. After the doggies made some changes in the back half, we were far less able to exploit our talls and we never got any ground game going in there. Gram and Goddard were the worst culprits, but they were by no means alone.

This was my #1 absolute could not stand it made me want to jump up and down with frustration peeve.

It was like the team got confused about what fast, direct footy means. The Saints spent 3 quarters rushing to the middle of the ground only to bomb it from there to the space on the ground where the Dogs have built their attacks from ever since Eade took over.

It wasn't kicking to one out contests for our tall forwards either, often it was Milne or Schneider contesting the drop, occasionally with a tall in support, and generally outnumbered.

Under normal circumstances, Gram and Goddard letting loose from that range would be fine with me because they can send the ball 60 metres, and I'd expect a tall target at the end of the kick... Friday night it was just out of control - and frankly, much as everyone would have hated it, they'd have been better off playing "chipilotto" on the friendly side of center with the target and numbers not there to find and create a situation that favoured them... including getting the ball to Gram or Goddard to have a long shot at goal, or at least a bomb to the square so that the Saints could set up their 3/4 press and put pressure on the dogs as they tried to set up their run in the same manner they did to Essendon at times in the NAB cup.

/rant

[saintsRrising]

I think the long kick into the forward line is part of the present game plan.

with Gram...he has been very wayward with his accuracy.

In the NAB GF his kicking was suddenly accurate anda treat to watch...and it really cut the Crows up.

However in other matches his kicks often see to be "roosts' hoping someone will mark it rather than kicks to advantage.

Footy is a % game....and roosts are not a high % play.

If you can kick long and accurate to advantage....then great. If not then then the kick should be tempered.