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Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos
Good thread, my two cents on a few of things:
Our defenders were great for the most part, but I thought we looked a bit vulnerable to the long bomb in when Lake was playing a bit up the ground - there were a few contests where I'd have like either Shaggy or Williams to mark the ball and we got burned with North crumbing the ball (though their crumbers also let us off a few times). Just felt that if Lake was back at those moments we would've had an easy defensive mark and quick clearance.
One of the things that has been so impressive with Geelong is the way numerous defenders are willing and able to fly for and take those marks and then distribute it quickly. Shaggy did it a bit and Williams is clearly capable, but there's room for improvement here.
While Ward still needs to get better awareness, he was getting the ball at the right times (as others have noted), and if anything, just trying to do too much with it. Needs to get better at taking the first option and realising when to keep things simple, but promising in terms of seeking to break the game open for us when required.
Harbrow might still have decision-making skills to develop, but I think it was very impressive for him to play back so effectively - with Callan missing we really needed a small defender to step up, and Harbrow did a lot of things well, and showed great closing speed on a few occasions.
Minson hasn't had a great start to the season, but did some good things, and the weather needs to be taken into account in judging his forward work. The ball seemed very greasy, and it wasn't a surprise that no tall forwards dominated (it was surprising that the Roos still opted to go for Goldstein rather than bring a running player in). Minson also suffers when Murphy isn't playing, as Murph understands better than most, how to kick the ball best to his advantage - long and high, when Minson almost invariably outmuscles his opponent and marks comfortably.
Speaking of Murphy, we sure missed him. Be interesting to see how much Welsh can add if he comes in this week.
Really like Aker's game as well, though it seems like he's still adjusting to life without the possibility of as much immediate acceleration (he was caught a couple of times when in days gone, he'd have turned his opponent inside out). Be great if it could be drummed into almost the whole team, that they should look to play through Aker when going forward more, as he does so often make great position. Still we might also be using him as a decoy at times as well
Good thread, my two cents on a few of things:
Our defenders were great for the most part, but I thought we looked a bit vulnerable to the long bomb in when Lake was playing a bit up the ground - there were a few contests where I'd have like either Shaggy or Williams to mark the ball and we got burned with North crumbing the ball (though their crumbers also let us off a few times). Just felt that if Lake was back at those moments we would've had an easy defensive mark and quick clearance.
One of the things that has been so impressive with Geelong is the way numerous defenders are willing and able to fly for and take those marks and then distribute it quickly. Shaggy did it a bit and Williams is clearly capable, but there's room for improvement here.
While Ward still needs to get better awareness, he was getting the ball at the right times (as others have noted), and if anything, just trying to do too much with it. Needs to get better at taking the first option and realising when to keep things simple, but promising in terms of seeking to break the game open for us when required.
Harbrow might still have decision-making skills to develop, but I think it was very impressive for him to play back so effectively - with Callan missing we really needed a small defender to step up, and Harbrow did a lot of things well, and showed great closing speed on a few occasions.
Minson hasn't had a great start to the season, but did some good things, and the weather needs to be taken into account in judging his forward work. The ball seemed very greasy, and it wasn't a surprise that no tall forwards dominated (it was surprising that the Roos still opted to go for Goldstein rather than bring a running player in). Minson also suffers when Murphy isn't playing, as Murph understands better than most, how to kick the ball best to his advantage - long and high, when Minson almost invariably outmuscles his opponent and marks comfortably.
Speaking of Murphy, we sure missed him. Be interesting to see how much Welsh can add if he comes in this week.
Really like Aker's game as well, though it seems like he's still adjusting to life without the possibility of as much immediate acceleration (he was caught a couple of times when in days gone, he'd have turned his opponent inside out). Be great if it could be drummed into almost the whole team, that they should look to play through Aker when going forward more, as he does so often make great position. Still we might also be using him as a decoy at times as well
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