WB Game Day V Melbourne R11 2021

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Butler has been really poor. He's a kid I know, but looks a long way off it.

Our more inexperienced players, McNeil Butler Roarke Smith Sweet and Garcia although injured early left us light on for experience and was a major factor in our defeat. The more experienced Melbourne team led by a dominant ruck man in Gawn and Oliver, together with a dominant defence made them clearly the better team on the night.

[Mantis]

21 intercept marks were also key. We got it into F50 enough, especially in the 2nd half, but they rebounded with relative ease.

Their punishment of our turnover 3rd and their ability to defend D50 from their own turnovers is a potent combination.

Yep, we got nothing in the air from our mid sized forwards. Having Hannan and another mid (Dunkley) compete hard in the air and half some contests would’ve been very important.

We also got very little on the ground from JJ, McNeil and Cody who will need to perform better then that if they want to remain in the team when we get some troops back.

[comrade]

21 intercept marks were also key. We got it into F50 enough, especially in the 2nd half, but they rebounded with relative ease.

Their scoreboard punishment of our turnovers + their ability to defend D50 from their own turnovers = potent combination.

It's obviously hard to tell from home, but our smalls inside 50 - McNeil, JJ and Weightman - just never seemed to be close enough to impact contests and lock it in enough. They always had 1 or 2 spare to outnumber and just take the ball away. Whether it was a work rate issue or a system issue, it's a major concern and the same thing happened against Richmond in the second half.

[Grantysghost]

21 intercept marks were also key. We got it into F50 enough, especially in the 2nd half, but they rebounded with relative ease.

Their scoreboard punishment of our turnovers + their ability to defend D50 from their own turnovers = potent combination.

It was the pressure their mids applied that enabled the intercept marks.
I'm not sure what game people were watching if they don't think their mids destroyed us when the game was there to be won.

[EasternWest]

They're interviewing Ray Chamberlain who is proving quite charming and endearing.

This confirms the worst night of footy ever.

[comrade]

It was the pressure their mids applied that enabled the intercept marks.
I'm not sure what game people were watching if they don't think their mids destroyed us.

Chalk and cheese to last week. We had no pressure on the ball carrier against the Saints and did what we pleased.

[Hotdog60]

They're interviewing Ray Chamberlain who is proving quite charming and endearing.

This confirms the worst night of footy ever.

I bailed in the last 10 seconds did they ask him why Lever didn't get pinged for dropping the ball.

Bad night and I wonder if the head space was there I never like it when a team comes onto the field looking happy and relaxed.

[jeemak]

I don't doubt he tried. He always does. But our mids as a collective unit, exerted ZERO dominance tonight, and that's our one wood. It's the thing that covers our deficiencies down back, and enables us to stop teams getting the ball outside the contest.
Jack wasn't alone, Smith and Libba were ineffective and Bont had to try and create the miracle play way too often, and got caught.
I'm not torching Jack, but the fact remains he got 36 touches and didn't make a lick of difference. If Bont, Libba or Bailey Smith get 36 we're probably doing a lot better.

Yeah but when you come up against another very good midfield with a dominant ruck it's not like Jack can do more, right? I guess another way of looking at it is what would have happened if he wasn't there to get the 36 touches and lay the nine tackles?

The midfield has to work as a unit, and can only be dominant when the parts actually generate a sum worth thinking about - which didn't happen with us because Jacko was pretty much the only member who played his role like he usually would.

[angelopetraglia]

Chalk and cheese to last week. We had no pressure on the ball carrier against the Saints and did what we pleased.

Winning by 111 points against a team that didn’t turn up probably isn’t a good preparation for a team that brings heat like Melbourne.

[Grantysghost]

Yeah but when you come up against another very good midfield with a dominant ruck it's not like Jack can do more, right? I guess another way of looking at it is what would have happened if he wasn't there to get the 36 touches and lay the nine tackles?

The midfield has to work as a unit, and can only be dominant when the parts actually generate a sum worth thinking about - which didn't happen with us because Jacko was pretty much the only member who played his role like he usually would.

500 metres gained, 6 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 5 score involvements... He had a great game.

I can see both sides of the argument but think Jackson was great tonight. As you say as one of the pistons in the midfield engine he was purring away as per usual. There was some definite misfiring going on elsewhere.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Yeah but when you come up against another very good midfield with a dominant ruck it's not like Jack can do more, right? I guess another way of looking at it is what would have happened if he wasn't there to get the 36 touches and lay the nine tackles?

The midfield has to work as a unit, and can only be dominant when the parts actually generate a sum worth thinking about - which didn't happen with us because Jacko was pretty much the only member who played his role like he usually would.

I agree. If Bailey Smith doesn't do an impersonation of an 8 y old Auskicker tonight, maybe that changes the mix.
Jack did what Jack always does..and it 's reliable, and clearly sustainable I guess.
Jack gets 40 we win.. Jack gets 36.. we lose....
I know it's not as simple as that. But I think what MJP was trying to say is. Will the coaches ask you to do something different? If so, are you ready to take that on?
I reckon Melbourne were comfortable accepting that Jack could get 30 plus and still find a way to win. Would they have expected Jack to get 10 but keep Oliver silent? Doubtful...
That certainly would've given them some headaches..and made them spin some magnets...

[Sedat]

It was the pressure their mids applied that enabled the intercept marks.
I'm not sure what game people were watching if they don't think their mids destroyed us when the game was there to be won.

Their mid pressure on our mids was red hot early. I reckon we corrected and got on top of this after half time, but their defensive set-up and ability to protect D50 is brilliant. It not just May/Lever, it's their wingmen (Brayshaw, Langdon) their mids working hard the other way and their mid sized defenders as well.

[bornadog]

500 metres gained, 6 clearances, 6 inside 50s, 5 score involvements... He had a great game.

I can see both sides of the argument but think Jackson was great tonight. As you say as one of the pistons in the midfield engine he was purring away as per usual. There was some definite misfiring going on elsewhere.

Plus 9 tackles

[Grantysghost]

Their mid pressure on our mids was red hot early. I reckon we corrected and got on top of this after half time, but their defensive set-up and ability to protect D50 is brilliant. It not just May/Lever, it's their wingmen (Brayshaw, Langdon) their mids working hard the other way and their mid sized defenders as well.

They don't seem to have a weak link in their defensive effort do they.
And they win the same way every week by around the same margin.
Rivers is another solid kid they've got.

[bornadog]

Their mid pressure on our mids was red hot early. I reckon we corrected and got on top of this after half time, but their defensive set-up and ability to protect D50 is brilliant. It not just May/Lever, it's their wingmen (Brayshaw, Langdon) their mids working hard the other way and their mid sized defenders as well.

They ended up winning the contested possessions and that was the end.