Match Thread Saints v Tigers Round 15 2021

[The OtherThommo]

I didn’t think Marshall did much

Ryder was pretty good

He gave Ryder relief and was competitive. We must be happy about this.

Please he's 1000 times better than Hunter. He plays like a midfielder.

You seem to understand just how important Marshall is to us, Mag.

When a bloke like Luke Hodge says what he said about Marshall's importance to us, I listen.

He is our most important player, bar none - the whole side walks not just taller, but with pep in their step, when Ro-Ro's around.

He doesn't need to dominate, he just needs to be about the vicinity, and he changes mind sets.

For mine, he is a very rare talent - influence, at the least.

[The OtherThommo]

......Marshall so important to us, structurally and mentally......

Absolutely spot on, both attributions.

[The Fireman]

I luv Long Long time

[Teflon]

I luv Long Long time

Ben Long brought some mongrel and pressure to a forward line that Lonie never will

Just let him go there and his odd silly mistake won’t be as amplified as down back..

[B.M]

I think Lonie has been OK defensively and has good pressure number

But offensively he has had little impact

Long is very aggressive and at times was dangerous last night

[CQ SAINT]

I think Lonie has been OK defensively and has good pressure number

But offensively he has had little impact

Long is very aggressive and at times was dangerous last night

Lonie reminds me of the Energizer bunny, with cheaper batteries powering him most of the time.

[Sainter_Dad]

......Marshall so important to us, structurally and mentally......

Absolutely spot on, both attributions.

Also allows us more space in the forward line when he goes forward to force separation

[Teflon]

I think Lonie has been OK defensively and has good pressure number

But offensively he has had little impact

Long is very aggressive and at times was dangerous last night

Lonie reminds me of the Energizer bunny, with cheaper batteries powering him most of the time.

Yep and defensively poor hence can’t stick a tackle
Long you know you’re being tackled
I think Lonie will be offloaded end year as he’s not up to it an

[B.M]

It’s funny what people see, and what the reality is??

Who averages more tackles per game out of Lonie and Long?

In fact
Who averages more in nearly all categories?

We love Longs attack on the ball, but the truth is, he has struggled to make impact thus far in his career.
His numbers are actually pretty ordinary!

Same with Battle

These two are fan favourites, but the fact is, neither have ever dominated a game of AFL footy to this point in their career.

[Scollop]

Reality....hmmm

I like that word

Why don't you ask some opposition players if they'd prefer to be tackled by Lonie or Long?

You have statistics of who performs the act of a tackle and then you have the reality of how a tackle is executed and whether it was effective ... and whether it actually helps you win games

Jack Billings stands up when he's tackling and so does Sebby. So does Hill. They normally slow down as they arrive to put on a tackle. They're all arms and they don't use their body weight

I wouldn't be paying much attention to tackle numbers from Lonie or Hill or Seb or Billings. These guys might be very good with pressure acts and I'm sure Lonie's tackle numbers stack up well, but the reality is that Lonie and a few others miss half the tackles they attempt (or opponents pass the footy and break free far too often imo)

Ben Long and Jack Steele and a few others ( Marshall/Ryder etc..) drive their shoulders and neck into their opponent. They usually also unbalance them and get them on the ground. They also make sure their opponent can't get the footy out

Josh Battle hurts when he tackles. Just ask Noah Bolta...and ask Nat Fyfe and ask about a dozen others what they remember of Joshy tackling them. Same with Long. He hurts

[The Fireman]

we need hurters

[B.M]

They only count effective tackles

That either end up in a ball up or free kick

I don’t really care whether they ‘hurt’ the opposition
I only care whether it stops them. They are big boys, they don’t get hurt that easy.

In his attempt to ‘hurt’ the opposition, isn’t that how Long gives away poor free kicks??

[B.M]

I wonder if you’d prefer a player that averages more tackles - or tackles that ‘hurt’ which is a completely subjective measure

How do you know they ‘hurt’?

These are big boys, playing a tough game. Not sure a tackle really worries them. They are more worried about getting done holding the ball, not getting hurt. It’s not u14s.

To me that’s akin to saying you’d rather face Glenn McGrath or Jimmy Anderson at 80mph than Brett Lee or Mark Wood at 95mph because they can probably hurt you. Obviously not the case.

Professional athletes aren’t scared of being ‘hurt’
They fear making an error or being beaten.

Battle averages 2.5 tackles per game
Marshall 2.6 tackles per game
Jack Steele 6.8 tackles per game

[CURLY]

They only count effective tackles

That either end up in a ball up or free kick

I don’t really care whether they ‘hurt’ the opposition
I only care whether it stops them. They are big boys, they don’t get hurt that easy.

In his attempt to ‘hurt’ the opposition, isn’t that how Long gives away poor free kicks??

When a player is tackled to the ground and you come in third that counts as a tackle.

[Banger9798]

Long is more of an aerial threat than Lonie, but I would have preferred to play Parker ahead of both of them

[B.M]

Parker was pretty ordinary

Small forwards, whilst nice if the can mark the ball (like Greene and McCarthy) it’s not their job.

That’s the job of the big boys.

Their job is to win ground balls and apply pressure.

[Teflon]

Hilarious
Long hunts the defenders and genuinely worries them
Lonie feigns free kicks and tackles like a pissant
I know who I’d prefer ...I’ll use my eyes and leave the useless stats to others ...
I only hope our coach catches on that Long is our defensive forward...

[CQ SAINT]

Parker was pretty ordinary

Small forwards, whilst nice if the can mark the ball (like Greene and McCarthy) it’s not their job.

That’s the job of the big boys.

Their job is to win ground balls and apply pressure.

29 contested possessions, 80 uncontested and 5 of his 11 games resulted in 2 tackles. He just isn't the player you are describing.

[kosifantutti]

Long is much better as a forward.
I thought he was a liability in defence. Too many times instead of taking possession of the ball he’d tap it on with little control and make it someone else’s problem.

[B.M]

I think you should use data to make informed comment


Sometimes your eyes see what they want to see