Bankers & Anchors: Rnd 23, 2025 vs West Coast

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

This is the Round 23, 2025 edition of the weekly Bankers and Anchors thread. Once this afternoon's game against Wet Toast 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 player.

[Dry Rot]

Bankers

I have really liked Bakers last two games, throws everything at it

Never seen Croft play before, had a terrific debut, and there is a gulf between his defensive efforts and that of JUH

Davidson never stopped working and deserves to stay in the side. A real danger when he gets forward.

Anchors

While Dale had an overall very good game, his kicking was a bit of an off and ambitious. We got away with it today, probably not next week.

West Coast was putrid, but managed to move the ball forward at times to easily find targets who were not well defended.

While I realise that coming on as a sub is difficult, I still don't see it with Sanders.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Bankers
- Davidson welcome back. Gee he just runs all day.
- Croft will be great and easy a lot of the pain that we will endure as JUH shafts us on the way out the door.
- West is a machine and really does have great footy IQ

Anchors
- Saunders looks nothing like the player of rounds 4 to 12. I’m hoping it’s a niggle rather than confidence
- McNeil. Bad luck for him as I thought he was starting to get his mojo last week
- the possibility that we may miss finals after this year of adversity we’ve had.

[Bornadog]

Bankers

1. Cleary continues to impress with his cool head.
2. I really liked Brambles game. His run and dash set up a few goals.
3. great debut for Croft - he will be a regular in the 22 next year

Anchors

1. I get annoyed at JJ with his disposal sometimes and how did he let Cleary get run down in front of him
2. McNeil's injury - hopefully he is ok
3. Garcia has to be careful he doesn't try to do too much - he often gets HTB

[Happy Days]

I don’t think that run down is on JJ. We have a ton of evidence of Cleary being an airhead at this point, how do we know he wasn’t screaming at him.

[1eyedog]

I don’t think that run down is on JJ. We have a ton of evidence of Cleary being an airhead at this point, how do we know he wasn’t screaming at him.

I was sitting a few rows back from the interchange and JJ was facing me and gave Cleary donuts. My mate and I both said at the same time JJ needed some talk there.

[1eyedog]

My Banker is Bakes he's gone next level this past month and he is scintillatingly fast and tough as well. Has made us better and nailed down the vacant wing role. We've gone from no genuine wingers to two very good ones.

My anchor is the piss poor crowd. Need 35k next week.

[Bullies]

I don’t think that run down is on JJ. We have a ton of evidence of Cleary being an airhead at this point, how do we know he wasn’t screaming at him.

maybe putting on a shepherd would have been the done thing

[Bornadog]

maybe putting on a shepherd would have been the done thing

Exactly

[Happy Days]

Fair enough. I think JJ was entitled to assume Cleary would give a handball anyway and then shepherd for him but like even typing that out has me bored so who really cares.

I’ve never felt more like footy is a waste of time than sitting at this game. West Coast should’ve done the right thing and stayed home.

[Mantis]

Fair enough. I think JJ was entitled to assume Cleary would give a handball anyway and then shepherd for him but like even typing that out has me bored so who really cares.

I’ve never felt more like footy is a waste of time than sitting at this game. West Coast should’ve done the right thing and stayed home.

At the very least they should've called the game off at 3/4 time and allow a longer kick to kick for the kids.

[Bulldog Joe]

I was sitting a few rows back from the interchange and JJ was facing me and gave Cleary donuts. My mate and I both said at the same time JJ needed some talk there.

JJ needed to be telling Cleary or providing a shepherd. Very poor effort all round.

The sensible play would have been Cleary handball to JJ and provide a shepherd to allow JJ to run.

[macca]

My Banker is Bakes he's gone next level this past month and he is scintillatingly fast and tough as well. Has made us better and nailed down the vacant wing role. We've gone from no genuine wingers to two very good ones.

My anchor is the piss poor crowd. Need 35k next week.

Baker tried his guts off yesterday . Even in last quarter , ball was on 50 m arc, he got to a 50/50 contest and managed to trap the ball so his team mates could arrive and help out . Somehow the ball slipped behind him and doggies player swopped and resulted in a goal.

I also like how he was on some connections on the wing. His team mates are now believing in him. I want him to keep in the side and just performing.

[merantau]

Bankers

1. I have been very impressed with Baker and Bramble over the last couple of games. They both have line breaking pace . Throw in Dale and our rebound ability becomes potent.

2. Freijah has shown a lot of smarts. He doesn't need a lot of ball to be damaging.

3. English is continuing his good form and we need another good performance from him against Freo.

Anchors.

1. Crowd was underwhelming. I expected close to 30K but got 21K

2. We missed some easy goals in the first half.

3. People who come late to the football. Grrrr!

[Sedat]

Bankers:

1. McNeill standing firm and taking the hit from an outrageously aggressive kick by Lobb. Took a bullet for the cause.

2. JOD much improved in his positioning and one-on-one aerial defending this week. Much needed return to form.

3. English workrate. He works incredibly hard to support the defence and also take his opponent to deep water in F50.

Anchors:

1. Libba blind handballs in traffic. A better team would have converted these turnovers into goals.

2. Midfield stoppage work. West Coast matched us at clearance. We were a bit sloppy in tight on occasions.

3. Dale has millionaire foot skills but he took a few billionaire kicks, some of which were way too aggressive (similar to the Lobb kick to McNeill)