Bankers & Anchors: Rnd 11, 2025 vs Geelong

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

This is the Round 11, 2025 edition of the weekly Bankers and Anchors thread. Once tonight's game against Geelong has concluded post your nominations for:

The Bankers = 3 guys/aspects of the game that we banked on to do the right thing during the game
The Anchors = 3 guys/aspects of the game that weighed us down by their errors or poor play

Please limit it to no more than three of each player or aspect of the game, but feel free to make honourable/dishonourable mentions. As usual try to make it constructive criticism.

Try and restrict it to individual players rather than aspects of the overall match - I will allow more freedom now as the thread seems to be going down more of the aspects of the game path so you can have 3 for each made up of aspects of the game and individual players.

[SquirrelGrip]

Bankers

1. Richards worked his way out of a tag to be the difference maker in the second half and nearly steal the game.
2. Kennedy just offers something extra for us. Significant goals, he just willed himself into the game.
3. Naughton has little support down there and multiple key defenders getting in his way, but once the ball hit the ground, his effort was great. Once Darcy returns, Naughty will be influential.

Anchors
1. Every 50/50 just went their way
2. English’s tackle not rewarded then 50 immediately after for a Stewart flop was symbolic of the frees paid against us.
3. The Dempsey mark was in the third row.

[Bornadog]

Bankers

1. Richards worked his way out of a tag to be the difference maker in the second half and nearly steal the game.
2. Kennedy just offers something extra for us. Significant goals, he just willed himself into the game.
3. Naughton has little support down there and multiple key defenders getting in his way, but once the ball hit the ground, his effort was great. Once Darcy returns, Naughty will be influential.

Anchors
1. Every 50/50 just went their way
2. English’s tackle not rewarded then 50 immediately after for a Stewart flop was symbolic of the frees paid against us.
3. The Dempsey mark was in the third row.

Took the words right out of my mouth

[Bigdog]

1 - The midfield, really gave them a bath in the second half
2 - Kennedy. A brilliant pick up. Best on ground.
3 - Darcy to come back. We would have won that game by a margin had Darcy of played. I reckon we would’ve had a 10 goal third quarter with that way our entries were coming in out of the centre with the 6-6-6. They would not of been able to defend him.

1 - McNeil, not having the confidence to have a shot at goal in the last after missing couple. He could’ve been a hero tonight. Hope he doesn’t drop his head.
2 - Our ball handling skills were atrocious in the second half.
3 - Not playing Gardner. Reckon Gardner has had a commanding few weeks in the vfl and deserved a game. Gardner would’ve been a reasonable match up for Neil. His also done okay on Cameron in the passed.

[merantau]

Bankers
1 Kennedy is having a great year
2 Richards - got us going in 2nd half
3 Davidson - continues to develop well

Anchors
1. So many golden opportunities MISSED!!!!
2. Free kicks - the stats don't lie. Geelong at home always get the inside running and there were a plethora of examples of this on show last night.
3. Players not switched on early. Cameron's first goal was a classic example. JOD took his eyes off him as he started his run in and no one blocked the space so Cameron just waltzed in and kicked it with his eyes closed.

[MrMahatma]

Bankers:
Kennedy - What a player we've snagged for next to nothing. So good. That long goal in the 3rd (?) off about 1 step. Amazing.
Richards - He is simply unreal. He's still getting better.
Libba - Give this man an AA blazer FFS.

Anchors:
Harmes: Thought he butchered it and it was probably his worst match for us, given the impact of his erros.
Doc Dre: His first half he seemed a bit lost... and was even moved to the HFF. Thought he came good in the 2nd half though.
McNeil: Maybe harsh but forwards need to be able to kick goals.

[Scott2016]

Bankers
Kennedy - might have to play forward as he is the only bloke who slots them
Richards - good again

Anchors
Poor kicking for goal. Had enough easy shots but stuffed them. Geelong took theirs
Match committee. Playing Baker Cleary Duryea JJ Bramble in the same side. Having Duryea in the forward line was embarrassing for him and MC. With Willams and others who can cover if need be we dont need so many poor users in our backline.
McNeil - constant theme of mine. The guy cannot play. Misses easy shots that he is in the side to kick. Missed 2 easy ones in the last qtr and the 3rd attempt was even worse. Rather see Dolan get as many games as what McNeil has had and I bet Dolan is way better. Sick of hearing about his pre season form and pressure acts. They mean nothing if you fluff up.
Buku - did some good things but the miss in the 3rd qtr and the missed mark in the last 20 metres out. Jezza and Neale both would have marked it and that was the difference in the game. They had winners and we had fill ins trying to play as forwards.

[Sedat]

Need to anchor Bevo - not sure why he felt the need to respond/confront Cornes before the game when he should have just fresh-aired him. I don't really care who started the confrontation and what was said back and forth, but it gave unnecessary oxygen to an issue/personality that deserves absolutely none.

Bevo has been exemplary this season but he let his guard down for a moment last night.

[Bornadog]

Need to anchor Bevo - not sure why he felt the need to respond/confront Cornes before the game when he should have just fresh-aired him. I don't really care who started the confrontation and what was said back and forth, but it gave unnecessary oxygen to an issue/personality that deserves absolutely none.

Bevo has been exemplary this season but he let his guard down for a moment last night.

I know what you mean, maybe he should have kept walking, however, that little prick kept mouthing off after Bevo had walked past him. AFL needs to sanction Cornes the FLOG

[Mitcha]

Can't agree with you Sedat. All Bevo did was stay on his path to a Fox interview further around from where Cornes and Channel 7 were set up. Cornes moved towards Bevo and figuratively threw out some of his clickbait hoping that Bevo would lose his shit. Speaking of Channel 7 that would have to be the most biased one sided commentary of a game I have ever heard. Not sure what Foxtel's coverage was like but couldn't have possibly been any worse. Looks like Bailey Sniff will be the go to interview after every game so be prepared for more fawning.

[GVGjr]

Need to anchor Bevo - not sure why he felt the need to respond/confront Cornes before the game when he should have just fresh-aired him. I don't really care who started the confrontation and what was said back and forth, but it gave unnecessary oxygen to an issue/personality that deserves absolutely none.

Bevo has been exemplary this season but he let his guard down for a moment last night.

Cornes tried to JD Vance him and there is no need for him to do so.
Having said that, I agree that Bevo should have just ignored him.

[Critter]

Bankers

1. Buku Khamis. I see that a few are unhappy with or are unconvinced about Buku, but I’m liking what I’m seeing. I like his work in the ruck, where his natural jump causes problems for opponents, and up forward, where gets into good positions and provides a secondary target. His clangers are becoming fewer and the clear and tangible benefits he delivers are becoming greater. I would keep him going in this role even when Darcy returns. He will only get better.
We would be significantly advantaged in having both Naughton and Darcy permanently roaming the forward line and Buku acting as foil.

2. Resilience. I thought they had us just before half time. And in previous years they would have run over us. But this year we’ve demonstrated a consistent toughness and resilience. Good on us - let’s build on it.

Anchors

1. Inability of smaller defenders to lock down on their opponents when the opposition gets a run-on: tackles that don’t stick, opponents being given too much space and poor field kicking.

2. MC selecting players whose time has come and who are no longer effective at AFL level (Taylor Duryea) and selecting those who are out of form and have been for some time(Lachie McNeil and Lachie Bramble).

3. The inconsistency of our kicking. The bread & butter of professional golfers is the consistency of their golf shots - on the fairway and in and around the green. It’s why they practise, practise, practise. We would benefit from a similar culture within our playing group. It’s seriously frustrating.