Quote Originally Posted by Danjul View Post
I don’t dislike Crozier. I think he has improved significantly since he joined the team. As I have said a number of times, he tends to run and kick the ball and gives some momentum. All good. And I have the impression that he is more consistent with his games.

But, to ignore the fact that he has made errors is problematic.

Against Fremantle the first time his opponent kicked 5 goals because he attempted to jump over packs too often. That loss might still come back to haunt us.

Early in the season he was also kicking indiscriminately and the ball was turning over too often. One thing I have noticed lately is he is looking up the ground before he kicks and the team keeps possession more. Part of why I said he has improved significantly.
Crozier is a better kick of the football when players are running forward and into space as hard as they possibly can. The situations in which he gets the footy have been pretty much the same all year, he's just been supported by run up-field to make his long kicking more effective. Our turnaround in form has been largely effort based, both with and without the footy. Effort as you get the footy is now just as important as effort when you don't have it. Running both ways spreads the opposition defence and gives options to players trying to clear the ball, we're much better at that now than we were earlier in the season and as such, a player like Crozier looks much better with how he uses it.

To your other point I'm trying to understand whether the way Crozier and Wood now actually play is instructional or natural to them. Wood in particular is punching the ball more than he used to, while playing deeper, Crozier is the designated interceptor playing higher. If it all comes together it looks great, if not it looks ordinary at times.