Discussion 5 Things I learned - Round 3 Edition

[FlyingSledghamer]

1. People go early with writing Riewoldt off. 4 scoring shots, 2 goal assists, 4 contested marks. Huge game in terms of impact.

2. People go early in saying Stanley and Simpkin wouldn't make good AFL footballers.

3. People go early in saying Polo doesn't deserve a game.

4. Sheer workrate can overcome some fairly lousy field kicking (but it still worries me).

5. Hayes is a DSL. To late to "go early" on that one I guess

I have a 6th one, but don't intend to re-start the flame war just yet.

I must admit I am one of those people, I feel a bit ashamed really. But I'm also over the moon to see him rising back to those heights. Not just one game, he was great last week too.

 

[mysainters]

Only worry is lack of height which could be exposed against the top 4 sides. Freo might give some indication.

What isn't a worry, is the fact the boys have a real 'team' focus about them still. You know that someone will leave their opponent to help out someone else if the game dictates it.

Sean also plays really tall, noticed that again last night, has quite a leap on him coupled with good timing.

 

[FlyingSledghamer]

Who said were a short side? Roo, Kosi, Stanley, McEvoy, Blake, Fisher, Gilbert, Simpkin and Demps

 

[Superduperouzel]

Who said were a short side? Roo, Kosi, Stanley, McEvoy, Blake, Fisher, Gilbert, Simpkin and Demps

Our backline is not tall is what I meant. Our forwards are huge.
Simpkin 191cm is short for FB , Dempster & Gilbert are 191 &193 but don´t play KPB. Fisher is not huge not short either though but plays the extra man role brilliantly. Blues , Eagles , Cats, Hawks have very tall fowardlines which might stretch us. Who do we have to stop Cox & Lynch ?
Gwilt is strong as an ox but we are after we are a bit light on players to counter the gorilla forwards and this is my concern. Not taking away anything from the performance of our backline against the dogs and suns the previous week. They worked excellently together working off the opponents and getting players back.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

I love Lenny as much as anyone and think he's a great player, but he's not the best in the comp, Ablett is far and away the best in the comp.

Lenny is the best player in the comp, at doing what he does.

 

[LordJimmy]

Hayes is so underrated it's disgusting. What more does he have to do to be regarded as elite? I've never seen any player have so much of a sheer impact on every game he plays.

 

[Ducky Tie]

Lenny is the best player in the comp, at doing what he does.

I didn't say he isn't. I said he isn't the best player in the comp. He and Ablett are different players. Gaz is better overall. No knock on Lenny, Ablett is just something else.

Hayes is so underrated it's disgusting. What more does he have to do to be regarded as elite? I've never seen any player have so much of a sheer impact on every game he plays.

Nobody said he isn't elite, they just said he isn't the best in the comp. I think everybody in football world regards Lenny as elite.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

I didn't say he isn't. I said he isn't the best player in the comp. He and Ablett are different players. Gaz is better overall. No knock on Lenny, Ablett is just something else.

Nobody said he isn't elite, they just said he isn't the best in the comp. I think everybody in football world regards Lenny as elite.

Sorry champ, I just don't get it? Albert is not the best FF in the league, he's not the best Back Pocket. He's not the quickest, tallest, strongest etc. You may think he is the best midfielder in the comp... That's your choice. Lenny is the best player in the comp at what he does...simple

 

[Ducky Tie]

Sorry champ, I just don't get it? Albert is not the best FF in the league, he's not the best Back Pocket. He's not the quickest, tallest, strongest etc. You may think he is the best midfielder in the comp... That's your choice. Lenny is the best player in the comp at what he does...simple

I don't get what you're saying. Are you saying Lenny is better than Ablett? Also, what does full forwards and back pockets have to do with it. All I'm saying is that Ablett is the best player in the competition imo.

 

[FlyingSledghamer]

I too think Ablett is the best player in the league but only cause he stands out more cause the rest of the players in the team are Sh!t.
Judd, Murphy, Goddard, Hayes, Bartell, Selwood all come in close 2nd.
But if you lined em up and had to pick....Ablett. But Lenny is my favorite player.

 

[ham1]

1 Dean Laidley can do some good work with midfields
2 Our backline is as attacking as our forwardline
3 This was more than just a 'tinker' to the gameplan
4 How lucky am I that I can tell my grandkids that I saw Lenny play
5 Our forward line may just emerge to be the best in the comp*
.

First comment in two years of membership just to inform you of what a grand sentiment that is. Will be quoting that.

 

[Present Not Past]

This season is turning out to be very interesting. We have so far bullied a couple of bottom teams, the real tests are still to come, but the team structure is gradually improving. That 3rd quarter was champagne football.

I hope Watters sticks with this current team, or at the very least tampers with it sparingly as they are really playing for each other.

Watters has done a remarkable job of picking up the pieces of a broken and shattered team and is currently building something very beautiful to watch.
You can see that the players' mojo is back and they are enjoying playing again. Good job Scott.

 

[hayes]

1. The sky is the limit for Stanley but right now he's dropping too many marks he gets two hands on, shanks the odd kick and doesn't have the confidence a star needs to but that will come. The signs are there though there's no doubt about that.

2. Milne has the blinkers on. It started in the NAB Cup and unfortunately it's carried into the real stuff. He's turning his back on the play when he takes a mark ignoring all other possible options and he burned a few players when he decided to have a shot and missed. Needs to get that stuff out of his game.

3. Armitage could have been doing what he's been doing now years ago. Ross played him as a defensive half forward where now he's finally playing where he should've been playing and surprise surprise he's playing well.

4. Our kicking still needs to improve. While Geary and Steven had some nice kicks they had some pretty awful turnovers as well. Loved seeing Cripps come on and deliver two nice kicks which resulted in a Goddard goal.

5. Simpkin looks the goods. Didn't lose a one on one, didn't panic and his disposal wasn't too bad either. Definitely found another one there.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

1. The sky is the limit for Stanley but right now he's dropping too many marks he gets two hands on, shanks the odd kick and doesn't have the confidence a star needs to but that will come. The signs are there though there's no doubt about that.

2. Milne has the blinkers on. It started in the NAB Cup and unfortunately it's carried into the real stuff. He's turning his back on the play when he takes a mark ignoring all other possible options and he burned a few players when he decided to have a shot and missed. Needs to get that stuff out of his game.

3. Armitage could have been doing what he's been doing now years ago. Ross played him as a defensive half forward where now he's finally playing where he should've been playing and surprise surprise he's playing well.

4. Our kicking still needs to improve. While Geary and Steven had some nice kicks they had some pretty awful turnovers as well. Loved seeing Cripps come on and deliver two nice kicks which resulted in a Goddard goal.

5. Simpkin looks the goods. Didn't lose a one on one, didn't panic and his disposal wasn't too bad either. Definitely found another one there.

Joey was only going at 63% efficiency. He produced a few Howlers.
Dal & Milera both kicked out on the full. Even Cripps turned one over.

I think our kicking can improve another 10-15% across the board, not just these 2 players!

You have to admit though, it was so much better than last years stagnated, chip and stop style of garbage.

 

[Squizz]

1. The sky is the limit for Stanley but right now he's dropping too many marks he gets two hands on, shanks the odd kick and doesn't have the confidence a star needs to but that will come. The signs are there though there's no doubt about that.

2. Milne has the blinkers on. It started in the NAB Cup and unfortunately it's carried into the real stuff. He's turning his back on the play when he takes a mark ignoring all other possible options and he burned a few players when he decided to have a shot and missed. Needs to get that stuff out of his game.

3. Armitage could have been doing what he's been doing now years ago. Ross played him as a defensive half forward where now he's finally playing where he should've been playing and surprise surprise he's playing well.

4. Our kicking still needs to improve. While Geary and Steven had some nice kicks they had some pretty awful turnovers as well. Loved seeing Cripps come on and deliver two nice kicks which resulted in a Goddard goal.

5. Simpkin looks the goods. Didn't lose a one on one, didn't panic and his disposal wasn't too bad either. Definitely found another one there.

Kinda agree with all these.

But Rhys is never going to be a star for us - he just doesn't have that inner belief. His sheer talent is allowing him to become a solid AFL player though.

I think Milney NEEDS those set shots. He's been getting run off, and I think he's desparate to hurt them the other way when he can. Hurts us when he misses them though.

Playing Armo as a forward (his only role other than the odd 5 minute burst in the middle) was just plain dumb.

The pace of the game early was nuts, and it seemed most players on the ground blew up. I think the Dogs went first though, and we took the game apart in that period. After that, we kept handing the ball back to them (but they were too tired to take advantage). Not sure about Cripps being a nice kick! (although it was good to see him take the game on finally - even though it didn't always work - and he's much better as a sub).

I think someone mentioned it earlier - Simpkin has been taking these types to the cleaners regularly in the VFL for 2 years. Just needs to keep building his fitness to be able to stick with the better forwards.

 

[Papa Juggs]

1. Week 1 was the most rigged game of the decade.

2. We're not shit

3. I was fooled.

Can admit my mistake.

Go hard Dempo and Polo lol

 

[Plugger35]

Yep I think other results since the Port game have put that game into a bit of perspective. Both Essendon and Sydney struggled to beat Port and they didn't have the shockingly one sided umpiring going against them like we did.

We smashed Gold Coast who nearly beat Essendon and we also smashed the Bulldogs who the Crows struggled to beat at home. So I think we aren't travelling too bad, some decent umpiring in that Port game and we would be 3-0.

I didn't really learn too much more from the Dogs game that I didn't learn last week. Hayes once again proved he has lost nothing since returning from his knee reco, our youngsters like Stanley, Armitage, Steven, Simpkin, Cripps and Geary were all impressive again and I'm liking the style of footy we're playing under Watters.

 

[Half Back Pocket]

Yes, we should be 3-0. Beat Freo & Melbourne and we move to 4-1.

We need to be 4-1 looking ahead to Carl, Hawthorn, Sydney, WCE in successive weeks.

 

[spencer_6666]

L_W_P completely agree accept for nick i think he was completely undermined by the umpires
there was several marks that he took that didn't get paid and again several marking attempts that were taking away illegally i wouldn't say average night more so and unlucky night

 

[mysainters]

First comment in two years of membership just to inform you of what a grand sentiment that is. Will be quoting that.

We know we're watching an absolute legend go about it, no doubt.

Yet as time goes on, and everyone stands back from it a bit, I reckon his stature in the game is going to grow even bigger.

He is THAT good.

I just want him to get one of those shiny medals before it ends.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Is it a part of the structure/game plan, that the forwards lead out of the 50 while BJ runs for the square ( rather than following the ball ).
It just seemed to happen more than once.

Am I the only one who still rates Jason Blake. I reckon his arms and legs must be longer than any other 189cm player in the game.

DalSanto hasn't really been praised much but 15 of his 23 disposals were contested.
Riewoldt had 11 CP's (inc four contested marks ), one more than Lenny.

Dempster :O had the best disposal efficiency at 91.2%. Geary the worst 56%.
Dempster and Simmo also had 8 1 %ers each.

 

[Squizz]

Am I the only one who still rates Jason Blake. I reckon his arms and legs must be longer than any other 189cm player in the game.

He can certainly still run and jump.

I loved when he chased the Dollhouse and let him know "not on my watch, pal" in the last quarter.

If anyone wants to see it again, watch for a minute after Daniel Cross' behind in the last quarter (109min26). Gets a big clap from Tommy Simpkin in the foreground!!!

http://www.gameanalyser.afl.com.au/?round=1087&match=10340306&videoQuality=high

(and that is case in point about Cripps' kicking too)

 

[saintersown]

1. People go early with writing Riewoldt off. 4 scoring shots, 3 goal assists, 4 contested marks. Huge game in terms of impact.

I agree and if u add those 2 shots he had in the last quarter, first one which was 30 meters out in front.. just game off the boot wrong and then his second near the boundary hit the post , so really he could have/should have kicked 4.
Speaking of lil scnieds, where is he? i thought he was meant to be back against WB?

 

[hayes]

Blake has played well but you'd think he's just keeping the spot warm for Gwilt. He still looks backwards and sideways too much for my liking.

 

[Squizz]

Speaking of lil scnieds, where is he? i thought he was meant to be back against WB?

Listed as 2-4 weeks away (as of 11 April).