Review AFL NAB Challenge 1 autopsy - Gold Coast defeats Geelong by 8 points

[you pick one]

Here we go again. I guess there will always be 1 or 2 players that are going to cop it. How many AFL players are you aware of who have survived 3 back surgeries, and yet still front up to play a NAB game in 30 C?
He is ahead of where it was thought he would be. Played barely 60% game time, was beaten by a mighty talent who was at full tilt already. Too early to write him off. IF he gets through preseason, and can endure a whole H & A season, you don't reckon you'll see a better Simpson?
Way too much expectation for a NAB 1 game.

The 30+ deg would have helped with the back.

 

[Whit3y]

Here we go again. I guess there will always be 1 or 2 players that are going to cop it. How many AFL players are you aware of who have survived 3 back surgeries, and yet still front up to play a NAB game in 30 C?
He is ahead of where it was thought he would be. Played barely 60% game time, was beaten by a mighty talent who was at full tilt already. Too early to write him off. IF he gets through preseason, and can endure a whole H & A season, you don't reckon you'll see a better Simpson?
Way too much expectation for a NAB 1 game.

yeah its a nab game, who cares
but when your been in the system for 8 years, you will have some expectations sitting on your shoulders, no matter how many injuries you have had

 

[bph25]

i think the generally feeling on here is if he can kick them in the vfl he can kick them in the afl.
have to give him a full playing season before judging him, althou my gut feeling tells me he wont make it

but guys like burbury will tell you, you can be judged and sentenced pretty quickly

Rucks still a concern but I wasn't expecting Simpson to be ready til a month into the season so I'll give him 2 months before I hang him.
Stanley needs to add something there and he can match any ruck around the ground athletically so we may see Dawson improve with a better second ruck alongside.
Midfield missing selwood Johnson GHS and Cowan.
Looking forward to seeing what Cowan and Jansen show in the next game.
Our debutants all played well and showed something.
Kelly and bartel are fitter and will deepen our midfield.
Murdoch had a stinker that happens but he must improve.
Mackie will be the first to drop off.
I personally think his about done.
Happy to see smedts or thurlow take the other flank as the year goes on.
Smedts looked determined.
Didn't have to do much but I think he will settle into a spot as the year goes on.
Hawkins and Clark show will really rev up after a few more games together.
No injuries is ththe best news

 

[Teriyakicat]

Feeling validated in thinking that taking Lucey up there robbed someone of a game today who might actually play some senior footy in the next 2 years. Skills poor overall, game plan was unattractive and ineffective from the looks of how it went today. Simpson was dominated, tried to put in a bit of followup efforts which was encouraging but still looked outclassed. Murdoch was shocking as nearly everyone here has noted. Got the feeling lang was probably going to get first crack at the spot left open by Bundy and went a good way towards locking that in today. Smedts had a crack, didnt set the world on fire but not our worst. Taylor, Bartel, Kelly were pretty impressive. No injuries are good things.

Lucey was just a stopgap this week- no other tall player was ready and it didn't hurt to let him have a run, just to see how far he has to go before he is anywhere near it. As long as he isn't thoroughly overwhelmed, the run will have been good for him.

Who do you think he robbed of a game, Chook? Hamish? Stanley? Walker?

I agree with the rest of your post, though

 

[Vdubs]

yeah its a nab game, who cares
but when your been in the system for 8 years, you will have some expectations sitting on your shoulders, no matter how many injuries you have had

Of course.
If you don't expect DS to improve over time with fitness, luck, form etc fair enough, but it is a preseason prac game 5 weeks ahead of the season proper.

 

[geelong_boy]

Where was Murdoch played? I only saw the first half but I didn't really see him up forward??

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

One thing that stood out to me is if Simpson is anywhere near best 22 we're in trouble.

Other than that, a good hit out in trying conditions. It was good to dust the cobwebs off.

There's still a few same old areas of concern but we'll get a better read once we start playing on grounds and conditions fit enough for AFL footballers.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

Overall I think given that there's still over a month to go before our first H&A game, everything is going OK at the Cattery. The criticism of Lucey is unwarranted because it's highly unlikely he'll be playing the AFL team this year. He has a lot to learn. Bottom line is, don't get carried away by the first preseason game of the year.

 

[Vdubs]

The 30+ deg would have helped with the back.

Yeah?
No.

 

[Ricky Vaughn]

Here we go again. I guess there will always be 1 or 2 players that are going to cop it. How many AFL players are you aware of who have survived 3 back surgeries, and yet still front up to play a NAB game in 30 C?
He is ahead of where it was thought he would be. Played barely 60% game time, was beaten by a mighty talent who was at full tilt already. Too early to write him off. IF he gets through preseason, and can endure a whole H & A season, you don't reckon you'll see a better Simpson?
Way too much expectation for a NAB 1 game.

I think he's done, but I don't blame him for that. It's incredibly impressive he was able to play at all. He's well ahead of where he should be and where I thought he'd be, but that's still not AFL level, and I don't think he'll get back there.

 

[Whit3y]

Of course.
If you don't expect DS to improve over time with fitness, luck, form etc fair enough, but it is a preseason prac game 5 weeks ahead of the season proper.

come round 1 hale and mcevoy will eat him all over the ground
i hope the next 5 weeks his fitness, luck and form improve

we will need it too

 

[Teriyakicat]

Where was Murdoch played? I only saw the first half but I didn't really see him up forward??

I noticed him more just running around between the two arcs but didn't see where he was lining up, sorry

 

[Vdubs]

I think he's done, but I don't blame him for that. It's incredibly impressive he was able to play at all. He's well ahead of where he should be and where I thought he'd be, but that's still not AFL level, and I don't think he'll get back there.

It seems the MC disagree. He is still on our list despite the surgeries and the off season issues and he knows he has stuff to prove.

 

[Vdubs]

come round 1 hale and mcevoy will eat him all over the ground
i hope the next 5 weeks his fitness, luck and form improve

we will need it too

Not on previous performances, like rd 1 2014. HMc and DS did quite well.

 

[ChookNorris]

Lucey was just a stopgap this week- no other tall player was ready and it didn't hurt to let him have a run, just to see how far he has to go before he is anywhere near it. As long as he isn't thoroughly overwhelmed, the run will have been good for him.

Who do you think he robbed of a game, Chook? Hamish? Stanley? Walker?

I agree with the rest of your post, though

Walker could have been better, unless his injured at the moment. Any player would have been better, Didn't nessesarly need to be a tall for tall tall, blease or Cunico or any other non injured player. Maybe the mc wanted to have him in so they could leave Blitz in the backline the whole game and Clark forward the whole time and knew Simpson couldn't ruck a whole game solo. Only reason I can see why he got a game.

 

[Stan The Caddy]

I thought that Kola looked really solid down back today which augers well for the future. Smedts looked more comfortable back there than what I expected him to aswell.

Lang was the biggest positive to come out of the game IMO. His intensity around the ball was great and he has such clean hands. He's one of those players that always seems to have alot of time with the footy when he's got it which is a great trait to have I reckon.

Game style wise, I just think that our half forwards weren't working hard enough to give the ball carrier any quality options coming out of defense which made us quite stagnant at times. Hopefully we can improve on this in the next game.

 

[Daniel McL]

Absolutely love this pic after Clark kicked his 2nd goal today!

Considering how Clark & Cockatoo are both in their first year with the cats it is great to see so much passion already & Cockatoo being happy for Clark considering what he has been through

 

[Vdubs]

Walker could have been better, unless his injured at the moment. Any player would have been better, Didn't nessesarly need to be a tall for tall tall, blease or Cunico or any other non injured player. Maybe the mc wanted to have him in so they could leave Blitz in the backline the whole game and Clark forward the whole time and knew Simpson couldn't ruck a whole game solo. Only reason I can see why he got a game.

Maybe this is all part of MANAGEMENT- what we've all been demanding.

 

[fpm84]

Jeez' bit harsh. We have to remember it was his first match since having back surgery while Zac Smith did not miss a beat over the summer break.
It was good to just see him get through the game. He'll be a lot better in a months time after some decent hitouts.

I never said Simpson wouldn't make it, although I do have doubts about that. This year is make or break for him. If he has another significant injury I daresay he'll be out the door at the end of 2015.

What I said was I'd have McIntosh ahead of him for round one, assuming Hamish is fit to play and gets at least one practice game under his belt.

 

[catempire]

I never said Simpson wouldn't make it, although I do have doubts about that. This year is make or break for him. If he has another significant injury I daresay he'll be out the door at the end of 2015.

What I said was I'd have McIntosh ahead of him for round one, assuming Hamish is fit to play and gets at least one practice game under his belt.

My feelings also.

I actually think today did Simpson's chances more harm than good.

 

[Vdubs]

I never said Simpson wouldn't make it, although I do have doubts about that. This year is make or break for him. If he has another significant injury I daresay he'll be out the door at the end of 2015.

What I said was I'd have McIntosh ahead of him for round one, assuming Hamish is fit to play and gets at least one practice game under his belt.

I was very surprised to see DS out there. Not that long ago he'd just resumed running. And to think HMc is behind him in progress.

 

[ChookNorris]

Post match interview.. Keeps mentioning Gregson first... Good signs Stan the Caddy

 

[catempire]

what if McIntosh plays as poorly in his first game back as what Dawson did?

God help us.

 

[Vdubs]

My feelings also.

I actually think today did Simpson's chances more harm than good.

Shallow.
And to get a like for that comment, (fpm84) I don't get that. Agree maybe, like- bizarre.

 

[ChookNorris]

Maybe this is all part of MANAGEMENT- what we've all been demanding.

Surely we can't have that many players needing management. For me, he would be the absolute last player you would name if you had 1 fit ruckman and a pinch hitter, nothing against him but he's category b and still learning the game. Just think it isn't unreasonable to assume we had at least 1 other healthy player available who might actually see senior action this year they could have played.