Are we the real deal?

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Are we the real deal?

I have to raise one point here: Nick Maxwell. Last two games he was on Hahn, ran off and (with Harry O) cut us to shreds on the rebound. It allowed their fast midfielders to play ahead of the ball to kill us on the turnover.
In round 1 we played Griff 20m behind the pack and that stopped their midfield breaks after qtr time, but the HB drive kept Collingwood in front of us.

If we rotate quicker players through we have more chance of locking the ball in the F50 in any disputed situation; Lake will drift forward when he can (especially if we have a fit Tommy; Morris has played on Cloke, Tommy takes Dawes) to mix it up provided he leads at the ball and doesn't do the half-hearted jog with one arm in the air he has done on occasion.

I think Dawes will be too strong for Tommy, but I am happy to be proven wrong.
Our tackles inside our F50 are the worst in the league? I seem to recall reading a stat on that posted by someone else. Something to do with our slow forward line.

Laughed at the half hearted job with one arm in the air bit. So true! It's like he's playing footy on the oval at school.

[Mantis]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Bump.

Key points:

1/ Clearances - Got smacked last night, no Cooney & Huddo hurt, but we looked dreadfully slow and un-organised.

2/ Backline - The opposition kicked 25 goals yet 3 of our best 4 or 5 players were defenders. They aren't the problem.

3/ Forwards - Horrible!! Can't beat their opponents and more importantly don't pick up a man, chase or tackle.

4/ Defensive transition - Pathetic - How the hell can you allow players of the quality that Geelong have at their disposal waltz around by themselves. They put us to the sword.

[mighty_west]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Bump.

Key points:

1/ Clearances - Got smacked last night, no Cooney & Huddo hurt, but we looked dreadfully slow and un-organised.

2/ Backline - The opposition kicked 25 goals yet 3 of our best 4 or 5 players were defenders. They aren't the problem.

3/ Forwards - Horrible!! Can't beat their opponents and more importantly don't pick up a man, chase or tackle.

4/ Defensive transition - Pathetic - How the hell can you allow players of the quality that Geelong have at their disposal waltz around by themselves. They put us to the sword.

There was one piece of play who i thought initially was Wodjinski, intercept in the middle, and burst through with a bounce and running goal, it was actually bloody Selwood, we made him look like Usain Bolt!!!!!

Which forwards do you speak of? I thought Jones was good again with his pressure, especially early on [i lost focus on everything really after half time], Barry is usually very good as well, but we were also missing grant, who has also been good in this area.

[Jasper]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Bump.

Key points:

1/ Clearances - Got smacked last night, no Cooney & Huddo hurt, but we looked dreadfully slow and un-organised.

2/ Backline - The opposition kicked 25 goals yet 3 of our best 4 or 5 players were defenders. They aren't the problem.

3/ Forwards - Horrible!! Can't beat their opponents and more importantly don't pick up a man, chase or tackle.

4/ Defensive transition - Pathetic - How the hell can you allow players of the quality that Geelong have at their disposal waltz around by themselves. They put us to the sword.

Mate, I reckon you are letting our defenders off lightly, Lake's performance was one of his worst - Darcy attributed 8 of Geelong's first 11 goals to Lake errors. Hargrave repeatedly turned it over.

And while I agree on our defensive pressure lacking with the forwards, put yourself in their shoes, you work and work, get some space, and then some clown like Eagle kicks it to the boundary and puts it out on the full under no pressure at all. Or Ward miskicks into the centre. Or one of Boyd's many turnovers. Or Higgins kicks the ball...noting he seemed to give up and just handball as the game went on.

Our forwards look worse than they are because our poor delivery forward makes them look hopelessly out of position.

All in all this game was not a true indicator of our form. It did however expose our flaws in greater depth. During Geelong's run, we kicking at around 25% efficiency. This in my view is our biggest problem.

[Bornadog]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Mate, I reckon you are letting our defenders off lightly, Lake's performance was one of his worst - Darcy attributed 8 of Geelong's first 11 goals to Lake errors. Hargrave repeatedly turned it over.

.

Bit Harsh on Lake when he was injured and playing under sufferance.

[Mantis]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Which forwards do you speak of? I thought Jones was good again with his pressure, especially early on [i lost focus on everything really after half time], Barry is usually very good as well, but we were also missing grant, who has also been good in this area.

Gia, Eagleton, Johnson and Higgins were all poor in this area.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Gia, Eagleton, Johnson and Higgins were all poor in this area.

Is Gia the only one safe of those four for the next 3-6 weeks?

Higgins will be out injured, so that's a forced out....Eagle you can realistically see being dropped.....which brings me to the skipper. Is a tough call around the corner?

[Mantis]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Is Gia the only one safe of those four for the next 3-6 weeks?

Higgins will be out injured, so that's a forced out....Eagle you can realistically see being dropped.....which brings me to the skipper. Is a tough call around the corner?

Gia played a good one, but he gave Enright too much space early on.

Sadly Johnno looks cooked.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Gia played a good one, but he gave Enright too much space early on.

Sadly Johnno looks cooked.

I agree - with both the point and the sentiment.

[SonofScray]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Johnno looked lame again late last night. The body just isn't letting him do what he needs to be a very good contributor. Two weeks ago he looked like it was coming back a bit, not so last night. Hate seeing it, hate saying it.

[Bornadog]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Johnno looked lame again late last night. The body just isn't letting him do what he needs to be a very good contributor. Two weeks ago he looked like it was coming back a bit, not so last night. Hate seeing it, hate saying it.

Only nine disposals for the game.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Johnno looked lame again late last night. The body just isn't letting him do what he needs to be a very good contributor. Two weeks ago he looked like it was coming back a bit, not so last night. Hate seeing it, hate saying it.

Turns like mack truck these days, i hope he can back to some good form for finals.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Are we the real deal?

I have to raise one point here: Nick Maxwell. Last two games he was on Hahn, ran off and (with Harry O) cut us to shreds on the rebound. It allowed their fast midfielders to play ahead of the ball to kill us on the turnover.
In round 1 we played Griff 20m behind the pack and that stopped their midfield breaks after qtr time, but the HB drive kept Collingwood in front of us.

If we rotate quicker players through we have more chance of locking the ball in the F50 in any disputed situation; Lake will drift forward when he can (especially if we have a fit Tommy; Morris has played on Cloke, Tommy takes Dawes) to mix it up provided he leads at the ball and doesn't do the half-hearted jog with one arm in the air he has done on occasion.

If we hit targets as poorly as we did V Geelong, none of this will matter.

[Mantis]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Mate, I reckon you are letting our defenders off lightly, Lake's performance was one of his worst - Darcy attributed 8 of Geelong's first 11 goals to Lake errors. Hargrave repeatedly turned it over.

And while I agree on our defensive pressure lacking with the forwards, put yourself in their shoes, you work and work, get some space, and then some clown like Eagle kicks it to the boundary and puts it out on the full under no pressure at all. Or Ward miskicks into the centre. Or one of Boyd's many turnovers. Or Higgins kicks the ball...noting he seemed to give up and just handball as the game went on.

Our forwards look worse than they are because our poor delivery forward makes them look hopelessly out of position.

All in all this game was not a true indicator of our form. It did however expose our flaws in greater depth. During Geelong's run, we kicking at around 25% efficiency. This in my view is our biggest problem.

Agree with most of this.

Lake was very poor and Hargrave was worse, he was like a trained robot with his kicking.

And yes our field kicking was shitful, but our forwards couldn't beat their oppoenents in one on one battles, went to ground in the contest too often, slipped off tackles and refused to pick up their man when we were getting ripped apart. If all else is failing I would think that each player should just go to a man and try and best him for the next few minutes or even just the next contest, but we still tried to play 'flashy' footy and got pulled a part with ease.

[westdog54]

Re: Are we the real deal?

Its been discussed to death but Saturday night proved one thing. We may be top 4 but the top 3 are way way ahead of us.

Hargrave and Lake were shocking but their efforts I'm happy to write off as one off abominations. Midfield pressure was non existent for the most part and the forward structure simply collapsed, going both ways.

Statements need to be made for the next 2 matches, on the field moreso than in the selection room.

I think you can easily slot Jones into that forward six going forward. The question of who he replaces is harder to give an answer for, and sadly barring injuries I don't have it. Higgins will be out which will give Jones a good crack at it.