Round #10 - Slaps and Sledges

[Bornadog]

Re: Round #10 - Slaps and Sledges

I can see why!

Picken negated him for the night.

[always right]

Re: Round #10 - Slaps and Sledges

Picken negated him for the night.

I would suggest he "limited" him. Still did some spectacular things and had a direct hand in several goals....despite the excellent efforts of Picken.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Round #10 - Slaps and Sledges

Rioli didn't do that much yesterday. He is very good and will take him at the dogs but he had a hawk fan groaning behind me before he did anything.

[Desipura]

Re: Round #10 - Slaps and Sledges

Picken negated him for the night.

He sure did and did well. I still understand why Hawks supporters get excited when he gets the ball.

[Topdog]

Re: Round #10 - Slaps and Sledges

No, he wasn't. He was one of their best.

What makes you think this was a correct decision though?

Nick Dal Santo averaged 22 disposals either side of his one game omission, and it was indeed a one game omission, so there were no lasting positive effects.

So essentially St Kilda lost one of their better players for a game (two counting Milne) and as a result nearly lost at home to a Fremantle side coming in with a 2-10 record that season. If they had lost this game, they would have finished 8th that season, instead of 4th, then maybe never played a preliminary final, and never have had the success they did in 2009.

The only case you could possibly make FOR the decision is that is sparked the rest of the team, with St Kilda having a fairly successful latter half of the season. Yet we have already made it very clear that if a senior player isn't performing that they will be axed (Lake, Gilbee, Hudson).

They were 5 and 7 at that point and ended the season 13 and 9. Thats a pretty remarkable turnaround and NDS and esp. Milne after it played how he demanded not how they liked. The whole team improved because of it.

We are yet to axe anyone for failure to adhere to instructions except for kids IMO and Gilbee hasn't actually been dropped yet. Lake dropped for fitness and huddo because he looks like a spent force.

I wouldn't call anything the Dogs MC have done as putting their foot down and demanding we play a certain way.

[always right]

Re: Round #10 - Slaps and Sledges

Probably the only player who generates almost as much excitement when he is chasing as when he has the ball. Lots of players are quick with the ball in their hands...not all of them are as quick when they are chasing. Johnno was a good example. Rioli is a gun and we would get just as excited if he played for us.

[Scorlibo]

Re: Round #10 - Slaps and Sledges

They were 5 and 7 at that point and ended the season 13 and 9. Thats a pretty remarkable turnaround

Like I said, if you're looking at it from a team perspective and how it motivated them, we have already had key players dropped, I don't see how dropping Higgins will motivate them any further.

NDS

The facts say that he didn't improve after being dropped.

and esp. Milne after it played how he demanded not how they liked.

Milne kicked 27 goals before being dropped, 33 goals after being dropped.

More significantly, he laid just 12 tackles after being dropped (at 1 per game) compared to 25 before being dropped.

We are yet to axe anyone for failure to adhere to instructions except for kids IMO and Gilbee hasn't actually been dropped yet. Lake dropped for fitness and huddo because he looks like a spent force.

Arguably Lake was dropped just as much for not adhering to instructions as being unfit. Other than this you are correct, although I think the more relevant question is whether Higgins is/was adhering to instructions. It's a question only the coaching staff can answer.

I wouldn't call anything the Dogs MC have done as putting their foot down and demanding we play a certain way.

Have they even decided which way they want to play yet? I would hope that players could simply listen to the coaches if they want to refine team instructions than have to take the rather extreme action of dropping Higgins or someone else to make an example of them. To me this action shouldn't be necessary, and even if it was, it might not be Higgins who is dropped.

[Topdog]

Re: Round #10 - Slaps and Sledges

The facts say that he didn't improve after being dropped.

stats aren't facts.

I think the more relevant question is whether Higgins is/was adhering to instructions. It's a question only the coaching staff can answer.

.

Pretty sure he isn't told to not chase his man and yell at his teammates to do his job.