Three things I've learned, edition XIII 2018 v Port Adelaide.

[The Doctor]

Re: Three things I've learned, edition XIII 2018 v Port Adelaide.

1. We won't win any games with a midfield comprising of Dalhaus, Honeychurch, Daniel & Maclean. they are not big enough or good enough to be a frontline midfield. They were too easily pushed around by bigger and stronger opponenets in Wines, Rockliff, Powell-Pepper & co.

2. Our recruiting has been lopsided and without balance. this is why we have the predicament above. Injuries have played their part no doubt but we haven't addressed midfield depth, adequately.

3. We have to recall Dunkley and Jong. Whether we like it or not at least they have some size and more chance to hold their ground in a contest. Wallis has to go to midfield

[josie]

Re: Three things I've learned, edition XIII 2018 v Port Adelaide.

A top 5 draft pick very likely so that’s a silver lining
I think Trengove and Crozier will be ok pickups - we are awfully impatient with our recruits from other clubs
Richards looks like something very special

I am going to focus on the positives and young ones from hereon in, as although our future for next year or two might be a little bleak I think with good players across every line and a couple more midfield guns and a straight kicking crumbing small forward we will be in contention again not too far from now.

[Twodogs]

Re: Three things I've learned, edition XIII 2018 v Port Adelaide.

1. The touches that Schache gets show that if we can get the ball in his hands more than half a dozen times a game he will influence games. I learned that I think he will make it.

2. When we mere mortals have nightmares it'd be standard stuff, trying to outrun something or in front of a crowd in our undies sort of thing. When AFL players have nightmares I imagine it would be something like Biggs' first quarter shenanigans. I learned that it's possible to forget how to play football. Poor Biggsy, that was brutal.

3. I learned that Richards might be a goalkicking outside mid. He's conquered defence, he conquered attack, he could be one of the the mids we desperately need.

[The Doctor]

Re: Three things I've learned, edition XIII 2018 v Port Adelaide.

3. I learned that Richards might be a goalkicking outside mid. He's conquered defence, he conquered attack,

yep so lets throw him into the ruck

[Twodogs]

Re: Three things I've learned, edition XIII 2018 v Port Adelaide.

yep so lets throw him into the ruck

He could be the new Andrew Purser.

How would you love an Andrew Purser right now Doc? We have been blessed with some outstanding ruckman in the time that you and I have been watching the team. Dempsey, Purser, Darcy, Wynd, even Hampshire and Round (Really he was just blossoming with us when he went to South) and while I think English is going to be right up there with all those players it's frustrating that you can see bits of his brilliance but we will have to wait a couple of years in all likliehood before he starts dominating games.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Re: Three things I've learned, edition XIII 2018 v Port Adelaide.

1. We won't win any games with a midfield comprising of Dalhaus, Honeychurch, Daniel & Maclean. they are not big enough or good enough to be a frontline midfield. They were too easily pushed around by bigger and stronger opponenets in Wines, Rockliff, Powell-Pepper & co.

2. Our recruiting has been lopsided and without balance. this is why we have the predicament above. Injuries have played their part no doubt but we haven't addressed midfield depth, adequately.

3. We have to recall Dunkley and Jong. Whether we like it or not at least they have some size and more chance to hold their ground in a contest. Wallis has to go to midfield

Agree with your sentiments but would also like to see Campbell take over the ruck.
Based on hitouts this year we rank last with 275 hitouts. Leading the hitouts is Melbourne on 567, Collingwood 566 and WCE 554, who just happen to be 3 of the top teams. Both Roughead and Tom Boyd have been below par.

[Mofra]

Re: Three things I've learned, edition XIII 2018 v Port Adelaide.

Agree with your sentiments but would also like to see Campbell take over the ruck.
Based on hitouts this year we rank last with 275 hitouts. Leading the hitouts is Melbourne on 567, Collingwood 566 and WCE 554, who just happen to be 3 of the top teams. Both Roughead and Tom Boyd have been below par.

Probably worth an entire discussion in it's own right - since the third man up rule, you need a dominant ruck to even be competitive.

Imagine Geelong with a decent ruckman, their second tier midfielders are phenomenal compared to almost every other team.

[S Coast Simon]

Re: Three things I've learned, edition XIII 2018 v Port Adelaide.

Three great goals from Richards. That one on the boundary fifty out was sensational. Good little player on our hands here

tough to win games of footy with half your team out. Look at Adelaide they are crumbling as well. Don’t think we should judge to harsh when you look at our outs

we got caught out with the third man up rule change. It seems you do need a dominant ruckman again and we just don’t have one. Cambell seems our closest old school ruckman. He should get the number one ruck spot for the rest of the year and just bash his way through the game. We need a Mummy type bash and crash ruck to protect our mids