The Method In Rodney Eade's Madness

[Mantis]

Re: The Method In Rodney Eade's Madness

Disagree on this one especially. I can't remember which show it was but they reviewed the game on the weekend and showed that St. Kilda had pushed numbers up the ground in the last quarter, meaning they had hardly any targets up forward when they won the ball. This reflects the inside 50 count - Geelong got well on top after half time. There's no doubt St. Kilda changed their strategy.

Geelong tinker a bit too, although probably more positional changes with the likes of Hawkins, Ottens, Chapman and Ablett playing where they're most needed.

Also heard that Goddard is encouraged to send himself down back to help out when they are under pump.

These are all strategies to combat a swing of momentum. What do we do? Nothing..

St.Kilda got absolutely smashed in the clearances & contested ball in the 2nd half and as they couldn't their hands on the ball they couldn't get the ball inside 50. At the 25min mark of the last qtr the I50's were 17-1 in Geelongs favour. I would argue that this was due to Geelong's dominance rather than as a result of a change in structure or game plan. Sure St.Kilda had to change things as a result, but only Geelongs's poor finishing saved St.Kilda from a demoralising loss.

Eade mentioned doing this in 05-06 which is fair enough. He wanted our defenders to learn for themselves, so to speak. Why the hell would you do it when you're supposed to be challenging for a Premiership and you're getting absolutely slaughtered in Round 20?

We all know how mentally fragile we are to begin with, to sit back and watch our team be humiliated would be idiotic.

Before 1/2 time you could see both Everitt & Johnson sneak down into defence to create extra numbers, but were sent back such to see how players would react. I learnt a fair bit thru this period, if the MC did they are yet to act upon it.

After 1/2 you could see a number of positional changes take place, but unfortunately Geelong were on a roll and we were powerless (didn't know how to) to stop them.

Geelong hammered us at Skilled in 08, Hawthorn mauled us in the QF, Collingwood have won three of our last four games in the first quarter and by memory St. Kilda defeated us with ease in the 2009 H&A series. That's just off the top of my head, there may (or may not) be a few more. IMO Geelong, Hawks (08) Saints and Pies haven't had as many poor performances as us.

Losses by 36+ since the beginning of the 2008 season:

Geelong - 3
St.Kilda - 7
Collingwood - 8
Western Bulldogs - 8 ( 3 of these have come in the past 4 games)

Sydney started the year very well, got injuries, but have bounced back strongly with five in a row. They're a pretty young side and have achieved far beyond anyone's expectation. During their streaks, they've played some good attacking footy and have kept their defensive edge. This isn't based purely on emotion for Kirk/Roos - that lasts a week, max.

Making the top 8 and winning a close fought home final against an inferior opponent is no great feather in one's cap. Sydney's season will be judged on their performance on Saturday night.

And it isn't like everyone expected a bottom 4 finish from Sydney, that just doesn't happen.

We did though. Even at our best we couldn't beat the top sides. To go into the Collingwood QF with the plan we had is another example of stupidity. Why wouldn't we employ a gameplan ala the match v St. Kilda earlier in the year? I can't understand why we did the same thing as always IE. Allow Maxwell to roam free as a sweeper/third man and Swan/Pendlebury to pick up possessions at will.

We keep applying the same techniques, thinking they're going to work, when they haven't and won't.

How exactly could we have made Maxwell accountable?

Agree that Swan & Pendlebury should have been closely watched, but you must realise that I have been beating this drum for a number of years now.

[Desipura]

Re: The Method In Rodney Eade's Madness

Is it just me or has Rocket got a look of resignation when he speaks to the media? Listening and watching his body language when talking about the teams chances this weekend, he says things like "Im hopeful, Im fairly confident".
He just does not have that same surety that he used to have. Perhaps it is due to the number of injuries or perhaps the Aker issue has taken its toll.
Either way, Rocket does not seem his usual self. Thoughts??

[comrade]

Re: The Method In Rodney Eade's Madness

Is it just me or has Rocket got a look of resignation when he speaks to the media? Listening and watching his body language when talking about the teams chances this weekend, he says things like "Im hopeful, Im fairly confident".
He just does not have that same surety that he used to have. Perhaps it is due to the number of injuries or perhpas the Aker issue has taken its toll.
Either way, Rocket does not seem his usual self. Thoughts??

I saw his presser after the training session yesterday and thought the same thing.

I doubt the Aker thing would bother him at all, but the form of the team and the fact we're on the edge of another wasted season would probably be causing him huge angst (as it should).

[LostDoggy]

Re: The Method In Rodney Eade's Madness

Is it just me or has Rocket got a look of resignation when he speaks to the media? Listening and watching his body language when talking about the teams chances this weekend, he says things like "Im hopeful, Im fairly confident".
He just does not have that same surety that he used to have. Perhaps it is due to the number of injuries or perhpas the Aker issue has taken its toll.
Either way, Rocket does not seem his usual self. Thoughts??

I agree - he sounded flat at the last press conference. Such a high pressured job at the best of times, let alone going into finals with some of your core players out. Eade is a pretty savvy media performer though. As for Aker, surely they are not surprised within the club that he has waffled on like he has.

[Mofra]

Re: The Method In Rodney Eade's Madness

The truth of the matter is that we have had far too many under performing players, this year including Gilbee, Hahn, Hargrave, Gia, Johnson, Higgins and Ward.

Gia? 8th in the comp for assists? I think he's been one opf our best, despite his annointment as the new scapegoat in preparation of Eagleton's departure.

[Bornadog]

Re: The Method In Rodney Eade's Madness

I saw his presser after the training session yesterday and thought the same thing.

I doubt the Aker thing would bother him at all, but the form of the team and the fact we're on the edge of another wasted season would probably be causing him huge angst (as it should).

He is feeling like all of us - pissed that we got ourselves into a great position by finishing top 4 again, but the performance since the Geelong game makes us look like a bottom 4.

[Topdog]

Re: The Method In Rodney Eade's Madness

Gia? 8th in the comp for assists? I think he's been one opf our best, despite his annointment as the new scapegoat in preparation of Eagleton's departure.

To be fair Gia has been a scapegoat since he started playing AFL.