WB Game Day V Collingwood R14 2019

[Mantis]

Re: WB Game Day V Collingwood R14 2019

Watching the replay - Q1 Observations

This is almost where the game was lost. We were running at SFA disposal efficiency, a dubious yet unnecessary free kick to Cox and some really poor communication and terrible disposal in the back half in the 3-10 minute mark and we were three goals down just like that. You can't do that against quality like the Pies.

However, we stuck to our knitting and the game plan and positional tactics seemed to bear fruit once we tidied up our disposal - notwithstanding some attention to detail issues from Lloyd, Daniel and English. A good finish from Lippa was needed, the pressure overall was excellent.

I don't know how anyone can say Jacko isn't damaging by foot. Sure he doesn't take the shot as often as he should, but he slices the ground up with his kicking regularly, Richards was really damaging in the same area.

Ben Reid's first goal was scored against Trengove, Roark Smith had a crack in the air in a really good contest running back that saved a gettable shot on goal. The head clash with Smith and Dunkley should have been avoided, if it was there's a fair chance Lippa wouldn't have missed his target and we'd not have had to come back from as far down to even things up at quarter time.

Cracking game of footy thus far.

For your own sanity give Q2 a miss.

[jeemak]

Re: WB Game Day V Collingwood R14 2019

For your own sanity give Q2 a miss.

I actually watched it, and was not really sure what I could constructively post about it! Well, was actually too tired.

It was a real exercise in frustration, with some really poor decisions and execution in front of goal from players who should know and do better.

Once again the effort was there, we set up the ground well and played as a team, but broke down regularly because of pressure and some skill issues.

[Danjul]

Re: WB Game Day V Collingwood R14 2019

Grundy played 15 games in the ruck as a 20 year old, 19 games as a 21 year old, 21, 20 & 26 the 3 seasons after that, and every game this season.

All scenarios are different, and when English had an injury this year - we were conservative with him and gave him the additional week.

Is English carrying an injury?

There was some complication with bleeding into the tissue and it is heavily strapped. He wasn’t moving freely at times.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Re: WB Game Day V Collingwood R14 2019

So it's 4 games (Grundy x2, Witts and v North/Goldy) where the opposition rucks have monstered English at the stoppages in a close loss. So basically the difference between 5-8 and 9-4. I don't blame English at all - he just doesn't have the ruck craft at stoppages to assist in giving us quality clearances and better looks inside F50. He's a fantastic follower, hence why he gets involved in scoring chains, but at the source he is getting belted too often and very much to his and the team's detriment. It's a massive ask to punish him for 80% ruck time every week, and frankly it is stubbornness and arrogance by Bevo to continue subjecting him to it. Gawn and Grundy weren't rucking big minutes at the same stage of their careers - the only young ruck who did was Josh Fraser, who was cooked by 25.

Hell of a lesson for player and club to learn.

I agree with most of your sentiments but would question whether it is stubbornness and arrogance by Bevo. I sense it is a lack of input by others on the MC to challenge and debate other ideas that would explore different options. English is very young and inexperienced to be expected to compete against the more mature ruck men in Grundy Gawn and Goldstein. He needs the stronger bodied Trengrove to handle the bulk of the ruck work. If you compare similar tall key forwards in Cox and Daniher you would have to say that English is as equally talented and probably more talented.
Is there any reason why he couldn’t play predominantly as a key forward and as a second string ruck man. I also believe our structure would be a lot better by playing Naughton at Full back. Young players need to be played where they are most suitable to gain confidence and Naughton for the most part looks uncomfortable as a key forward. The MC needs a big lift.
One of the best moves this year was to use Macrae as a tag on Cripps which was a big factor in our narrow win.
The Match Committee needs an overhaul in my opinion. I would be doing all possible to lure back Matthew Boyd and Daniel Cross both who had a never say die spirit and wouldn’t accept second best. The Collingwood game was there for the taking but in the end we didn’t know how to win made difficult by Grundy’s dominance of 50 hitouts to English’s 16.