Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

[Sedat]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

Sledge - Picken, he was annihilated by Ablett, only won one contest by my count and gave away countless frees. I couldn't care less how tight he was wearing him, if he can't either neutralise the ball or outright win it then he has failed. It's about time he was dropped.

I've been vocal in my criticism of Picken's form this season but I thought he did a terrific neutralising job on the form midfielder in the competition. As noted by others, Ablett has toyed with us for fun in the last few seasons, and he was constantly harrassed and rushed in his disposal when the heat was on yesterday. Big slap to Picken for mine.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

I've been vocal in my criticism of Picken's form this season but I thought he did a terrific neutralising job on the form midfielder in the competition. As noted by others, Ablett has toyed with us for fun in the last few seasons, and he was constantly harrassed and rushed in his disposal when the heat was on yesterday. Big slap to Picken for mine.

Loved Picken's game. Ablett still did some outstanding things but only 2/3rds of the outstanding stuff he normally does. There is a reason Geelong got 2 1st round picks for Gary and they still got sold the toilet water.....

[Scorlibo]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

Picken negated one of the greatest players in today's game. For that alone, he deserves praise.

Having watched the game, I barely saw one contest where Picken beat or negated Ablett. Most Ablett won outright with Picken giving away silly free kicks.

Ablett's slight (I say slight because really he amassed 121 ranking points in a year where he's averaged 125) decline in influence was not much to do with Picken.

Ablett is basically untagable. But Picken always finds a way!

He didn't find a way.

Didn't happen to notice the guy he was playing on?

Ablett in his last 5 games is averaging 35 possessions a game, and nearly 2 goals. Which incidently he managed to better last time we played Geelong when Boyd played on him, that day he just managed to eke out 39 possessions and 3 goals.

Or the game before when he knocked out 40 possessions... or the game before that when he gathered a disapointing 38 touches...

I'd take Picken's "annihilation" every day of the week compared to what Ablett's done to us in the past.

If you want to look at it statistically, 121 ranking points vs average of 125.

But I'd suggest you watch the game instead, where it seemed like whenever Ablett had a chance to get the ball, he did. Picken was downright lousy in the contests.

I've been vocal in my criticism of Picken's form this season but I thought he did a terrific neutralising job on the form midfielder in the competition. As noted by others, Ablett has toyed with us for fun in the last few seasons, and he was constantly harrassed and rushed in his disposal when the heat was on yesterday. Big slap to Picken for mine.

Ablett's 15 contested possessions (including 6 frees for, 0 against and 8 clearances) was the highest on the ground and shows that Picken did anything but neutralise his influence.

Loved Picken's game. Ablett still did some outstanding things but only 2/3rds of the outstanding stuff he normally does. There is a reason Geelong got 2 1st round picks for Gary and they still got sold the toilet water.....

I prefer not to analyse a tagger's game based purely on what their opponent did. To me that's as foolish as judging a forward by the number of goals they get or a ruckman by the number of hitouts.

[Sedat]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

Ablett's 15 contested possessions (including 6 frees for, 0 against and 8 clearances) was the highest on the ground and shows that Picken did anything but neutralise his influence.

Ablett padded his numbers in junk time after we had put the cue in the rack - Picken constantly harrassed and rushed him when the game was still up for grabs. To be honest, Ablett was as close to a non-factor (when it mattered in the first 2 and a half qtrs) as I've seen from him against the Dogs in many a year, probably since Griffen had his breakout game on Ablett all those years ago.

[Scorlibo]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

Ablett padded his numbers in junk time after we had put the cue in the rack - Picken constantly harrassed and rushed him when the game was still up for grabs. To be honest, Ablett was as close to a non-factor (when it mattered in the first 2 and a half qtrs) as I've seen from him against the Dogs in many a year, probably since Griffen had his breakout game on Ablett all those years ago.

I really didn't recognise any point in the game as 'junk time'. The Suns were still a chance of winning up until Griffen's sealer as far as I'm concerned, and Ablett was a big part of that. Plus, I'm not sure Ablett's disposal imbalance was quite as severe as you're implying - without having the stats on hand I remember him winning, or rather Picken losing, crucial contests in the first half also.

[azabob]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

Will be unteresting to see if Pickens gets votes in the B&F. For what it's worth Chris Grant gave Ablett 2 votes.

[LongWait]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

Ablett padded his numbers in junk time after we had put the cue in the rack - Picken constantly harrassed and rushed him when the game was still up for grabs. To be honest, Ablett was as close to a non-factor (when it mattered in the first 2 and a half qtrs) as I've seen from him against the Dogs in many a year, probably since Griffen had his breakout game on Ablett all those years ago.

I can't agree that we put the cue in the rack. Gold Coast implemented a press only in the last quarter and guess what - we wilted yet again under the pressure of the press.

Ablett was good all day and although Picken did a fine job on him Ablett was in the top half dozen on the ground and may well have deservedly polled Brownlow votes.

[Mantis]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

Sledge - Jones, only had about 2 beneficial plays and was generally ineffective/not even close to the ball. I don't really want to see him up on centre wing where it's easy to take a few marks, make a contest in forward fifty.

Isn't that what Hall & Minson are in the team to do?

[Sedat]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

I can't agree that we put the cue in the rack. Gold Coast implemented a press only in the last quarter and guess what - we wilted yet again under the pressure of the press.

Ablett was good all day and although Picken did a fine job on him Ablett was in the top half dozen on the ground and may well have deservedly polled Brownlow votes.

Perhaps we wilted under the heat and humidity? Not to mention going in with one extra tall and having less running power as a result. I disagree in relation to the press as well, which GC implemented all match but we were able to pick holes through it with relative ease when we were at our strongest physically (thanks in part to GC turning it over in dangerous areas), which is why I'm less concerned by our fade out under such circumstances.

In any event Ablett started to get cleaner and more effective clearances only when the 4 points were as good as secured - his clearance work was rushed and much less effective than normal early in the piece, due in no small part to Picken's diligence to the task of applying relentless pressure and body contact at every contest. I can't remember Ablett being restricted to mid 20's possessions in a match against us for years. Others are free to disagree, but I'll personally sign off on 25 possessions from Ablett any time we play against him.

[Ozza]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

Slap - Griffen - for being a gun every week.
Slap - Gia - is in great form.
Slap - Matty Boyd - for doing everything he could to keep getting the footy our way when most of our blokes were out of gas for a fair portion of the second half. I can handle his efficiency (everyone's favourite stat) being down when he is regularly getting the first possession out of the middle.

[Scorlibo]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

Isn't that what Hall & Minson are in the team to do?

I'll concede that it's unfair to pin such a criticism on Jones, as he's probably under instruction to lead up the ground, but it only seems logical that a player who appears incapable of creating play with the ball should play as close to goals as possible. If Minson and Hall do a better job of this then there is no place for Jones in the team.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

I prefer not to analyse a tagger's game based purely on what their opponent did. To me that's as foolish as judging a forward by the number of goals they get or a ruckman by the number of hitouts.

I'm not sure I stated it was my pure criterior? However, to your point, as tagging is a predominately negating role you would surely have to conceed it's a key factor? I'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

[Scorlibo]

Re: Round #14 - Slaps and Sledges

I'm not sure I stated it was my pure criterior?

I just assumed it was your main criteria because you didn't provide any alternative. You said how you thought Picken played well and then justified it by talking about Ablett's game.

However, to your point, as tagging is a predominately negating role you would surely have to conceed it's a key factor?

In saying this you make two assumptions:

1. All 'roles' are positive for the team.

2. The player being tagged plays to the same standard every week and is only affected by the tagger.

I would suggest both of these assumptions to be incorrect.