Autopsy Round 10, 2022: Adelaide v St.Kilda

[gringo2011]

The thing Australians hate about soccer is the diving and playing for free kicks.
This has crept into AFL with teams like Bulldogs and Adelaide, dropping at the knees and leading with their heads to draw high tackles.
This was highlighted pre season by the umpires and was supposed to be officiated, however they allowed it and paid it time after time. It is making the game unwatchable. I can't watch Bulldogs games because of their diving, won't watch Adelaide if they go down that path.
AFL crap on about protecting the head, but then we have these faking players trying to get hit high.
It is unseemly and weak and these divers and head drivers playing for frees need to be stamped out of the game before we look like the soccer sissies.

I've noticed that they never pay frees to Gresham when he throws his arms up like he's been tackled early and dives forward. They must have used him in the video.

 

[Armoooo]

I have cropped out the first half of the flop, we all know that he came screaming in with the intention of burying his head under Hills armpit, but I wanted to draw particular attention to the fact that he grabs Hills hand on the way down.

This really exaggerates the length of the high contact. I have seen a few like that this year where the umpire doesn't go to blow the whistle for the high because the player ducked his head, but then they blow a late whistle because this technique makes it seem like the "tackler" followed through.

As a club, we need to decide whether we are going to employ these same tactics, if not, i hope were providing the umpires with feedback.

The dogs mastered this technique for drawing overshoulder frees in marking contest, don't want to see this become a part of the game to be honest.

 

[plugger66]

Well making the fans frustrated and them becoming the centre of attention does make it more attractive to kids. They need to be respected but respect is earned and hiding them from criticism isn't the answer.

It does make it attractive to kids at local footy because there is less abuse. That I have seen with my own eyes. Afl abuse in the past hasn’t stopped kids umpiring. There was a lot more abuse at local grounds in the afl than there is now. It’s all about what the kids cop themselves.

 

[gringo2011]

If that’s how footy worked then freo should have won last week. Do you think the dees attitude would have been the same against us and them?

I watched a lot of that game. North will have gained confidence, they used the ball really well. The Dees finished better but they had really work for the win. If we turn up with last nights attitude it will be another heart stopper, not a percentage booster. North have a habit of shitting on us.

 

[plugger66]

I have cropped out the first half of the flop, we all know that he came screaming in with the intention of burying his head under Hills armpit, but I wanted to draw particular attention to the fact that he grabs Hills hand on the way down.

This really exaggerates the length of the high contact. I have seen a few like that this year where the umpire doesn't go to blow the whistle for the high because the player ducked his head, but then they blow a late whistle because this technique makes it seem like the "tackler" followed through.

As a club, we need to decide whether we are going to employ these same tactics, if not, i hope were providing the umpires with feedback.

The dogs mastered this technique for drawing overshoulder frees in marking contest, don't want to see this become a part of the game to be honest.
View attachment 1406166

That’s a free every time.

 

[triggering bro]

Structurally Sharman usually helps but the forwards need a restructure. Coops could be in trouble. Butler and Snags probably walk straight in so that puts his spot instantly under pressure.

Sharman is playing Higgins’ role. Like for like despite the height difference.

Wood is a bit more versatile than Sharman & definitely has a far better tank to get up & down the flanks & support the defence when needed. But still plays a different role to Sharman. Sharman is an up & back forward who doesn’t appear to have much lateral movement to his game. Still learning his craft but has good tools to work with.

 

[stfan]

Not having many options for smalls to score made it all fall on Kings shoulders. Gresham had to get up the ground to help the mids so we had Long as the only small forward. Coops isn't defensive enough to play where he can't get on a lead.

Yes last night our selected team was not the structure we having been playing with. Not one dedicated small forward. Just Gresh occasionally.

We play an extra outside wing, and one less inside bull mid.

With Sharman there was an extra marking target, though Higgins has also been that. But we largely ignore Sharman.

Too often our players were only fixated on kicking it (well mainly just roosting it) to the tall targets of mainly King, but occasionally Marshall when he was the big target closest to goal.

King was at his best when he was moving, and we kicked it too him so that it was not him trying to mark ina pack. Though yes he did takea few pack marks, but that is a low % play, and moreso when you have no crumbers.

 

[plugger66]

I watched a lot of that game. North will have gained confidence, they used the ball really well. The Dees finished better but they had really work for the win. If we turn up with last nights attitude it will be another heart stopper, not a percentage booster. North have a habit of shitting on us.

Not even slightly worried about percentage. We should win. I don’t look at how sides go against other sides otherwise you would be able to work out the ladder after about 5 games.

 

[busso_mick]

I think the absence of and our reliance on Jack Steele

9

Jack Steele

Age

29

Ht

187cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.9

5star

K

8.7

3star

HB

12.2

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

6.8

5star

CL

3.6

5star

D

21.3

5star

K

10.0

4star

HB

11.3

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

5.8

5star

CL

4.6

5star

D

16.8

4star

K

5.0

2star

HB

11.8

5star

M

2.6

3star

T

6.4

5star

CL

3.6

5star

should not be underestimated. He is our best player and a very big loss for us, and it showed last night. Our midfield struggled and it will take a few games before it can adapt to playing without Jack. It's not all bad though as it will let us explore new dynamics and something unexpected might emerge with some players. One obvious one could be the selection of Owens or Bytel and I think either of them are priorities for selection next game as they most similar in Jack in their playing styles..

 

[prophetic1]

People have extremely high expectations of Billings tied to his draft position when the reality is that he's just not that good and never really has been except for a game against the Dogs in 2015 and parts of the 2017 season.

and everyone wanted to trade Seb ROSS and he's doing alright....maybe BILLINGS isn't as good as we thought but if he can be as good as he has shown...good enough for me....consistency still would remain the questiom...but not the lone ranger there imo!

 

[TheOsprey]

I was empathising with our players to the Mrs last night saying can you imagine what it would be like with those umpires? Like turning up for work and there are folk there so incompetent that they screw things up and you can’t do anything about it or even say anything?”

She nodded and said, “Yeah I reckon that’s how the folk that report to you at work feel”.

Prob time for me to stop going on about it.

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

Feels like celebrating surviving a head on crash.

That’s a good thing. Means we’re not delusional. Celebrate it but don’t become one of those supporter bases who drinks their own Kool aid

 

[gringo2011]

People have extremely high expectations of Billings tied to his draft position when the reality is that he's just not that good and never really has been except for a game against the Dogs in 2015 and parts of the 2017 season.

I think he's been a GOP for most of his career. He's had a few games where he was a match winner but he's a solid vanilla. Not a huge problem but not overly exciting either.

 

[luca77]

Not big enough. I want those good old fashioned 10 goal wins and regularly. We don't seem good at punishing sides when we have the advantage. I feel like outside those we always keep sides in the match.

Just relieved to be winning.
I don't think we have enough players we can bank on to play well week in, week out for four quarters to be expecting much more right now.

Until that improves, we might hit top 4 but I don't think we're in the top 4 best sides overall yet - and barring WC and NM none of the sides are are all that bad, to be giving hammerings to. Our best footy is clearly top-4 worthy, but we seem to be nervous and brittle at times. We're well organised, though, so we've been staying in games on the scoreboard (bit of help from Crows inaccuracy last night, but I think we would have fought back into it somehow even if they'd kicked a couple more early).

Even North, I'll take a win happily - would like to see us play with some confidence though.

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

If we are coming from behind which we have a lot this year aren’t they keeping us in the match?

If we’re playing poorly and they still keep us in the match then they must be incredibly shit teams. Not the sort of teams we want even a close win to. They’re the teams you want to flog by 60-100

 

[sammm]

Next week if fit:

Higgins > Sharman
Clark > Long
Butler > NWM

Paton lucky but just ahead of Long. He really needs to start clunking those marks & clean up his disposal.

That's not going to assist the midfield

 

[St Kilda Death]

Good teams find a way to win.

Shows a lot of maturity and progress when you compare to our 5 goal capitulation against them last year.

Against the odds, well umps.
Crows brang their best pressure.
Ruck dominance is somewhat nullified when the oppo admits defeat pregame and works around that fact.

Cream rose to the top.

 

[gringo2011]

Sharman is playing Higgins’ role. Like for like despite the height difference.

Wood is a bit more versatile than Sharman & definitely has a far better tank to get up & down the flanks & support the defence when needed. But still plays a different role to Sharman. Sharman is an up & back forward who doesn’t appear to have much lateral movement to his game. Still learning his craft but has good tools to work with.

Wood is a high HF wingman. Coops is a third tall. Snags isn't very defensive so it's hard to carry both him and Coops.

 

[St Kilda Death]

They played really well against the Dees yesterday. They looked better than us against them.

But they lost by more than we did?
Melb gave us respect and brang their A game too, doubt hey went past 2nd gear yesterday.

 

[Confuscius]

On paper we should've won by plenty and it was a frustrating night but don't sleep on the ability of Keays and Laird in the middle. Felt like Keays was getting hands onto Ryder's taps all night and Laird had 8 tackles which was second most on the ground.

So midfield probably needs some time to adjust to life without the skipper but I wouldn't be worrying too much just yet. Crows are decent in there and their pressure was sky high all night - they'd give any team problems playing like that. Don't forget they beat Dogs a few weeks ago and knocked off Melbourne last year.

So ill gladly take a gritty tough win in those conditions with everything going against us

 

[gringo2011]

That’s a free every time.

The duck and arm grab is what people hate about the Dogs. If you have players deliberately using their head to draw frees it should be reviewed. Weightman does it every game and it's a blight.

 

[Plugger35]

Just watched some of the highlights with all the goals and it showed just how important King was last night. lucky for us he had his kicking boots on, if he had kicked 2.4 or 1.5 like he might have done in previous games we don't win that game.

A bit of a worry that our forward lime was so reliant on him but understandable when we were missing our best two small forwards in Higgins and Butler.

Higgins in particular gives us another forward capable of kicking a match winning bag like King did last night so the sooner he returns the better.

 

[gringo2011]

But they lost by more than we did?
Melb gave us respect and brang their A game too, doubt hey went past 2nd gear yesterday.

They are young and couldn't score enough and dropped away but they played a good game. They were clean and ran for each other. I think their fans would be wrapped if they played like that every week. We need to expect that they could play like that again and if we play like we did last night we aren't certain winners.

 

[sammm]

I watched a lot of that game. North will have gained confidence, they used the ball really well. The Dees finished better but they had really work for the win. If we turn up with last nights attitude it will be another heart stopper, not a percentage booster. North have a habit of shitting on us.

Last year as an example. Didn't we lose to them. We all thought we would beat them

 

[Ephemeral Hope]

Yep

Just watched some of the highlights with all the goals and it showed just how important King was last night. lucky for us he had his kicking boots on, if he had kicked 2.4 or 1.5 like he might have done in previous games we don't win that game.

A bit of a worry that our forward lime was so reliant on him but understandable when we were missing our best two small forwards in Higgins and Butler.

Higgins in particular gives us another forward capable of kicking a match winning bag like King did last night so the sooner he returns the better.

yep. Papers over the cracks. Max is good but he won’t kick with 100% accuracy every week.