Memo to match Committee

[bornadog]

Dear Match Committee,

Let last night be the last time any of Morris or Hargrave play outside their weight and size range, ie on the bigger players. I would rather see an Everitt or a Wight out there and get killed and maybe learn something, than a great footballer like Morris trying to wrestle with a Buddy or Roughhead and get slaughtered and feel demorilised. I do understand that both Everitt and Wight are not playing great football, but what we saw last night just showed our structure is all wrong. Yes, I know your going to say the midfield let us down and the ball was coming in many times, but there were moments there where all Buddy and Roughead had to do was reach over our pip squeaks and grab the ball. At least with a taller player, they may be able to compete.

In regards to the foward line, again we do not have a permenant tall there. Minson must have spent less then 50% of his time in the goal square. Maybe you need to consider, is he a ruckman or a FF as in today's football a resting ruckman in the forward line doesn't work. Maybe we have to stick Skipper down there and Minson interchanges off the bench.

Surely these changes will be better than the uncompetitive performance last night

Yours faithfully

BAD

[bornadog]

Now you can all shoot me down, but we have to try out these guys and if they fail, then its decision time at end of year.

[The Pie Man]

Nah all fair points BAD

Tiller had the best VFL form, but Roughead probably would have killed him. Everitt on the other hand, maybe he needs a challenge like that. Would have allowed Lake to go with Franklin from the first bounce.

Wasn't sure why Minson didn't spend more time deep in the forward line last night, though reading the stats this morning this was maybe more a symptom of Hudson's 3 disposals for the night.

We'll be better next week

[GVGjr]

There is no question in my mind that Morris needs to have a great night to curb someone like Franklin in the form that he is in. Morris is quick but not overly athletic and giving away 8cm in height, another 8cm in reach and probably more than 8cm in leaping ability was always going to be a huge ask. Lake was the better match-up but he was also needed elsewhere.
I also believe Hargrave this year has played his best football in a couple of seasons when matched up on equally sized or even smaller opponents. If we can get to the stage where these two handle the 3rd and 4th tall forwards we will see a big improvement.

The cattle is a bit bare though BAD and whilst in hindsight Wight "might" have done OK on Roughy which would have allowed Lake on Franklin from the get go, Wight just didn't have the form or the runs on the board.

How much better does this back 6 look position wise when compared to what we had last night?

Backs: Hargrave --Lake--Everitt
HBacks: Morris---Williams---Gilbee

Morris on Rioli, Gilbee on Stoke, Williams on Franklin, Lake on Roughead, Everitt and Hargrave matching up on the others.

[Topdog]

Fully agree with everything here.

[bornadog]

There is no question in my mind that Morris needs to have a great night to curb someone like Franklin in the form that he is in. Morris is quick but not overly athletic and giving away 8cm in height, another 8cm in reach and probably more than 8cm in leaping ability was always going to be a huge ask. Lake was the better match-up but he was also needed elsewhere.
I also believe Hargrave this year has played his best football in a couple of seasons when matched up on equally sized or even smaller opponents. If we can get to the stage where these two handle the 3rd and 4th tall forwards we will see a big improvement.

The cattle is a bit bare though BAD and whilst in hindsight Wight "might" have done OK on Roughy which would have allowed Lake on Franklin from the get go, Wight just didn't have the form or the runs on the board.

How much better does this back 6 look position wise when compared to what we had last night?

Backs: Hargrave --Lake--Everitt
HBacks: Morris---Williams---Gilbee

Morris on Rioli, Gilbee on Stoke, Williams on Franklin, Lake on Roughead, Everitt and Hargrave matching up on the others.

I am sure Eade would have loved that.

[mjp]

All fair enough...but when Williams played on Franklin, Hawthorn went inside 50 35 times (and Franklin still kicked 5.3 or something, but you aren't allowed to say that out loud of course cos Williams is the messiah :-) )...last night it was closer to 60. If you cannot win the ball in the midfield, the defensive match-ups are somewhat secondary.

The only thing I would have done differently last night is start Hargrave on Rioli and Callan against Osborne...we ended up reacting to Hawthorn's moves all night which is never a good way to manage a game of footy.

[Topdog]

All fair enough...but when Williams played on Franklin, Hawthorn went inside 50 35 times (and Franklin still kicked 5.3 or something, but you aren't allowed to say that out loud of course cos Williams is the messiah :-) )...last night it was closer to 60. If you cannot win the ball in the midfield, the defensive match-ups are somewhat secondary.

The only thing I would have done differently last night is start Hargrave on Rioli and Callan against Osborne...we ended up reacting to Hawthorn's moves all night which is never a good way to manage a game of footy.

I think Franlin had 5 goals straight against us last time but you are still spot on, the midfield is where we lost it. I don't think this thread is about that though, more about playing players out of their height and weight division.

[easybeat]

Agree with everything BAD says.
Maybe you should be on the MC....?

[LostDoggy]

I think Franlin had 5 goals straight against us last time but you are still spot on, the midfield is where we lost it. I don't think this thread is about that though, more about playing players out of their height and weight division.

It is about that. You can team of the century 7ft 100kg backs but if your midfield isn't getting near the ball it doesn't matter.

[bornadog]

It is about that. You can team of the century 7ft 100kg backs but if your midfield isn't getting near the ball it doesn't matter.

Agree its the midfield where its won and lost, however, if the midfield is getting done, there has got to be a strong backline as well. We had absolutely no chance last night when Morris was on Buddy. At least when Lake when on him he beat him with a few contested marks and punching the ball away.

I think Franlin had 5 goals straight against us last time but you are still spot on, the midfield is where we lost it. I don't think this thread is about that though, more about playing players out of their height and weight division.

Correct

[FrediKanoute]

Nah all fair points BAD

Tiller had the best VFL form, but Roughead probably would have killed him. Everitt on the other hand, maybe he needs a challenge like that. Would have allowed Lake to go with Franklin from the first bounce.

Wasn't sure why Minson didn't spend more time deep in the forward line last night, though reading the stats this morning this was maybe more a symptom of Hudson's 3 disposals for the night.

We'll be better next week

I noticed that. I think Hudson was not fully fit, that's the only explanation I can think of for the limited game time that he had. The problem last night was that there was no tall timber in our forward line when we bombed the ball in. Personally, I think Skipper has to play. If for no other reason than it keeps Minson in the forward line to create a contest.

We over finessed last night and tried to think through a situation. The Hawks played instinctive footy......and they had Buddy!

[Go_Dogs]

There is no question in my mind that Morris needs to have a great night to curb someone like Franklin in the form that he is in. Morris is quick but not overly athletic and giving away 8cm in height, another 8cm in reach and probably more than 8cm in leaping ability was always going to be a huge ask. Lake was the better match-up but he was also needed elsewhere.
I also believe Hargrave this year has played his best football in a couple of seasons when matched up on equally sized or even smaller opponents. If we can get to the stage where these two handle the 3rd and 4th tall forwards we will see a big improvement.

The cattle is a bit bare though BAD and whilst in hindsight Wight "might" have done OK on Roughy which would have allowed Lake on Franklin from the get go, Wight just didn't have the form or the runs on the board.

How much better does this back 6 look position wise when compared to what we had last night?

Backs: Hargrave --Lake--Everitt
HBacks: Morris---Williams---Gilbee

Morris on Rioli, Gilbee on Stoke, Williams on Franklin, Lake on Roughead, Everitt and Hargrave matching up on the others.

Pretty much spot on. Williams, Everitt and Addison (arguable whether he is in the "best" back 6, but certainly is an important piece of the puzzle) are players that are pretty important to our matchups and structures down back.

Williams has the tools, just absolutely no luck, and Everitt has had a pretty lean year but seems to have the attributes to be a good player for us. Addison had a pretty good year, and his injury late in the season has really hurt us.

[westdog54]

Agree its the midfield where its won and lost, however, if the midfield is getting done, there has got to be a strong backline as well. We had absolutely no chance last night when Morris was on Buddy. At least when Lake when on him he beat him with a few contested marks and punching the ball away.

If the Midfield is getting done, the backline doesn't have a hope in hell of stopping a forward line as potent as Hawthorn's.

As much as we love to pump up Williams, MJP is right. Franklin still put 5 goals past Williams, which turned out to be about half of Hawthorn's score that day. If Williams had've played we might have lost by 5 goals instead of 8.

[hujsh]

Franklin has kicked far too well against us. I demand an inquiry