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Bluthy wrote:Our midfield needs to make a big statement next week. They were comprehensively beaten by an admittedly blue ribbon opposition. But that first quarter was genuinely shocking. They have to learn how to bottle it up when the momentum is swinging out of control like that. The fact they could play so much better in the middle in the 2nd qtr showed the effort and/or concentration wasn't there at the start. Maybe they were believing all the hype after almost beating the ladder leaders. If you are 5% off away from home against a very good team you can easily get smashed like we were. Big, big, lesson to learn there.
On the midfield. Someone needs to seriously analyse what went wrong in the center bounces in the first quarter. Eagles players were in meters of space off every natanui tap, and if they weren't It was because we gave away a free for holding. Baffles me that if your getting beat that bad in the clearance to not have some kind of defensive center setup to atleast prevent them charging into the forward line 3 seconds after each bounce.
My gut feel is both Steven and Armo just weren't on today or were carrying injuries. And we rely so much still on those two to be able to change momentum and get our engine started. I don't have much faith in any other midfielders to have the intestinal fortitude or leadership ability yet to be able to do the heavy swimming against the current and get it going our way. Dunstan has shown glimpses of it but was down today. Guys like Newnes, Ross, Weller and Acres tend to fall in with however we are playing overall - when its going our way, they play well. When its not they play average and waste the ball. We need more leaders in the middle and ones who can use the ball in a damaging way even when the scoreboard isn't looking good.
Goals against the trend of play can stop the oppo in their tracks a bit, break the spell and get other players fired up. We need more players who will buck the trend of how the team is playing as a whole to get things going our way and bring the teams energy and aggression to life. To many players act like passengers on a train unable to change the direction it is travelling.
I don't know why I keep seeing Goddard's name...is he tearing it up in the 2's and no-one's told us?
From memory Lee saves his worst games for the hometown, so Richo likely selected the best back line available.
We went into the season knowing we had no depth down back, so Fisher an important out. However, I'm not seeing any indication that matching West Coast's forward line perfectly would have made a scrap of difference, if no-one help it up in the midfield. Obviously, some fresh legs and a few attitude adjustments for next week should keep everyone on their toes, provided we're not making change for change sake.
degruch wrote:I don't know why I keep seeing Goddard's name...is he tearing it up in the 2's and no-one's told us?
From memory Lee saves his worst games for the hometown, so Richo likely selected the best back line available.
We went into the season knowing we had no depth down back, so Fisher an important out. However, I'm not seeing any indication that matching West Coast's forward line perfectly would have made a scrap of difference, if no-one help it up in the midfield. Obviously, some fresh legs and a few attitude adjustments for next week should keep everyone on their toes, provided we're not making change for change sake.
WAs Gresham tearing it up in the VFL when he was selected? Didn't play a single VFL game. Was Paddy? Sometimes you have to give guys a try and see what they can do. They can learn so much that way. We are still in development mode and need to have a bias to youth and testing players out.
ps Goddard and Lee have been solid in the VFL. Probably would have been a better bet on a WC big forward than Roberton.
degruch wrote:I don't know why I keep seeing Goddard's name...is he tearing it up in the 2's and no-one's told us?
From memory Lee saves his worst games for the hometown, so Richo likely selected the best back line available.
We went into the season knowing we had no depth down back, so Fisher an important out. However, I'm not seeing any indication that matching West Coast's forward line perfectly would have made a scrap of difference, if no-one help it up in the midfield. Obviously, some fresh legs and a few attitude adjustments for next week should keep everyone on their toes, provided we're not making change for change sake.
WAs Gresham tearing it up in the VFL when he was selected? Didn't play a single VFL game. Was Paddy? Sometimes you have to give guys a try and see what they can do. They can learn so much that way. We are still in development mode and need to have a bias to youth and testing players out.
ps Goddard and Lee have been solid in the VFL. Probably would have been a better bet on a WC big forward than Roberton.
True. But I remember Lynch's first game against Go-Go-Gadget Fletcher...at least Goddard and Lee won't be mentally scarred from being toweled up! Clearly our midfield is still not up to the task when it comes to the big jobs, so in the name of fielding a competitive team we would definitely have retained Fisher as number one priority ahead of Goddard and Lee.
We're up against the biggest cot case in AFL history next week, and they happen to look pretty sharp for 2 quarters this week, so fresh legs would be useful.
degruch wrote:I don't know why I keep seeing Goddard's name...is he tearing it up in the 2's and no-one's told us?
From memory Lee saves his worst games for the hometown, so Richo likely selected the best back line available.
We went into the season knowing we had no depth down back, so Fisher an important out. However, I'm not seeing any indication that matching West Coast's forward line perfectly would have made a scrap of difference, if no-one help it up in the midfield. Obviously, some fresh legs and a few attitude adjustments for next week should keep everyone on their toes, provided we're not making change for change sake.
Last week the defence started from the midfield, it was team defence. This week it was lacking, big-time
degruch wrote:I don't know why I keep seeing Goddard's name...is he tearing it up in the 2's and no-one's told us?
From memory Lee saves his worst games for the hometown, so Richo likely selected the best back line available.
We went into the season knowing we had no depth down back, so Fisher an important out. However, I'm not seeing any indication that matching West Coast's forward line perfectly would have made a scrap of difference, if no-one help it up in the midfield. Obviously, some fresh legs and a few attitude adjustments for next week should keep everyone on their toes, provided we're not making change for change sake.
Last week the defence started from the midfield, it was team defence. This week it was lacking, big-time
Exactly...there is an obssession with matching like for like on the Saintsational selection committee, and that rarely wins you games with a developing list.
be nothing worse than busting a gut over in wa for an 'honorable loss' and a week of whinging over the umps crucifying us, only to see a tired team get embarrassed by essendon the next week.
where we're at i'm quite happy if the boys left a bit in the tank. i would've given a few more lads a rest - done a freo and sent a virtual b team over there. losing to essendon would be far, far worse than a hundred pointer at subi.
"The starting point of all achievement is desire. "
Thought we battled ok after quarter time and held our own in some patches but we couldn't buy a goal and 70+ clangers with a huge free kick differential didn't help - that all said 100 pt losses are inexcusable!!!!
As stated earlier like last month we play two good games and then one bad one - mental problem??
Our next three games have us playing Essendon (h), Freo (h) and Adelaide (a) - will a pattern develop - beat Essendon well, lose a close one to Freo and get thumped by Adelaide??
I know we are young however Carlton have managed to put 4 good games together - ok their opposition havent amounted to much but its still 4 games where they have held their concentration - on the other hand we are struggling to do this
Fairly sure we will bounce back but for how long?
We have to nip this in the bud and turn this mental fragility around really fkn quickly
I concur Devilhead, the honorable loss, thrashing, stirring win scenario seems to be playing out regularly for us this season, but at least we can look forward to the stirring win this week and against the Blues in another three weeks!
its time to make a name for yourself like you've never made before!
The W CE rucks killed ours. which was different result to the last time we played them. Jason Holmes in his first senior game was out jumping Nic Nat. Pity our selectors didnt learn anything from that game. I know Holmsey is not a world beater, but he can hold his own against Nic Nat, which Tom could'nt do.
borderbarry wrote:The W CE rucks killed ours. which was different result to the last time we played them. Jason Holmes in his first senior game was out jumping Nic Nat. Pity our selectors didnt learn anything from that game. I know Holmsey is not a world beater, but he can hold his own against Nic Nat, which Tom could'nt do.
I think Holmes is playing injured as has not been jumping that high of late.
Flying the World in comfort thanks to FF Points....
