Autopsy After a tight😶 half of football we steamroll Essendon by 39

[Ticky009]

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Someone get some Panadol delivered to caesar88

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

If we turn out enough of our best footy, we will win the flag. The big question is the 'if' part - and we can't afford for our worst (which looks bottom 4 in quality) to occur in a big final and leave us with too much work to do.

I fear we may pack it in badly like we did against Port if a team takes advantages of our slow starts and puts a gap on us. But equally, if we can control the damage early, I'm confident we can overcome any team we are within reasonable striking distance of at half time. We are definitely vulnerable - make no doubts about it, and the doubts will flood in if someone makes us pay for a slow start in a big final. But equally, we can flick a switch in a way I don't think other teams can - I think teams will know that if they don't get us early in the big matches, we are going to be very hard to beat.

Hopefully we are saving all our good first quarters for the finals and we won't have to worry about slow starts.

So much of this finals series for us will be played between the ears I suspect. We should take confidence from how good our best is, and know that, while there are good teams out there that will challenge us, if we can reach a level near our best, we can go all the way.

I’m hoping the Sydney Swans finally find a solution to their slow first quarters in the first quarter of the 2024 AFL grand final but my cardiologist begs to differ.

 

[GoulburnSwan]

Very good, but let’s not forget

Here is a list of things that have happened since Sydney last won a grand final:

• Sydney lost a grand final
• Sydney lost a grand final
• Sydney lost a grand final

Yes, I’m great fun at parties.

But at least we got to those 3 grand finals, unlike others.

 

[The King!]

I know you’re an Adams fan - but Parker replacing him in the centre had a massive impact.

I saw Parker as the most influential player on the ground. Setting aside Q1, where our entire forward line didn’t get near it - he was immense.

Kane Cornes nailed it when he said 2024 Parker is pure brutality and strength. With a terrific set shot.

Yep thats what I said he turned it on in the second half, but the first half was woeful, he is a great set shot, but if the opposition just run the forward off you and you cant apply any pressure it is not much use,

I am a fan of all the players, Adams was poor last night imo after quarter time, I just don't think hes been shit all year like some.

He looked tired, but maybe he will play his way out or maybe he will play a half and Parker a half, who knows.

I am disappointed Adams hasn't had that one really great game.

Anyway getting too negative, but Parkers excellent offence in the second half was a key, but he was equally a liability to a half time.

 

[The King!]

I Probably should have given Mills votes really , thought he was really good as a defensive leader.

 

[FreeAgent1]

Someone should start a thread with all the players we should be resting.

Judging off horses comments in presser we will only rest if we have to, but at a minimum we should rest; Grundy, Hayward, Warner.

 

[Maddo11]

Thats interesting, I think we can beat them all, but in terms of who I want to avoid the most, it is probably GWS. They don't travel to play us, and have some decent big game experience and their best is just quite fearsome, if Hogan is on fire we dont match up well, Greene too.

I just don't think GWS bottom 10 will hold up in finals. They are very reliant on their top 4 players. Nullify just 2 of them and we should get it done easily

These things can bite us in the arse, but give us the Dogs thanks, they played their grand final against us, they aren't much.

Brisbane respect but don't fear them, think we almost had them crippled and probably should have.

Port have the wood on us so them and GWS , though surely due to beat Port.

 

[MR0808]

Someone should start a thread with all the players we should be resting.

Judging off horses comments in presser we will only rest if we have to, but at a minimum we should rest; Grundy, Hayward, Warner.

Just rest the whole team and bring in the VFL side!

In all seriousness, I don't think we want to rest players. If we have faith in ourselves, we win round 1 of finals and get another week off. If that's the case, any player who doesn't play in the final round, plays two games in 5 weeks. Probably not great.

 

[MF]

A few observations having not read through the reactions yet

I dunno what is going on with Grundy but he was uncompetitive last night. Whether he’s carrying some injury or not, he got pushed around by a young bloke and by Sam Draper who I happen to think could be the most overrated player in the league. Rest him if you have to next week because he’s been underwhelming for a while and last night was probably as bad as he’s been lately.

This is my biggest concern heading into finals. Both his tapwork and his followup ground level work have completely dried up from what we saw in the first half of the year.

It was such an instrumental part of our dominance that I really worry about our chances if he can't turn it around.

 

[S120]

This is my biggest concern heading into finals. Both his tapwork and his followup ground level work have completely dried up from what we saw in the first half of the year.

It was such an instrumental part of our dominance that I really worry about our chances if he can't turn it around.

You hear Longmire comment when asked about resting Grundy that they basically leave it up to him because he knows his body so well. I’m sure it’s not solely up to him but you’d have to think that given we’ll have likely secured a top two spot by the end of the weekend, the coaches can say to him enough is enough and you need a rest before finals.

I guess there’s a chance that whatever he’s carrying won’t be helped much by resting and instead moving around is best for him? But feels like a rest would do him good considering just how frail he looked last night. Give McAndrew a proper test with a full game against Riley O’Brien next week for experience.

 

[The King!]

You hear Longmire comment when asked about resting Grundy that they basically leave it up to him because he knows his body so well. I’m sure it’s not solely up to him but you’d have to think that given we’ll have likely secured a top two spot by the end of the weekend, the coaches can say to him enough is enough and you need a rest before finals.

I guess there’s a chance that whatever he’s carrying won’t be helped much by resting and instead moving around is best for him? But feels like a rest would do him good considering just how frail he looked last night. Give McAndrew a proper test with a full game against Riley O’Brien next week for experience.

Maybe he is just playing poorly though and doesn't need a rest, might be nothing physically wrong at all.

 

[caesar88]

Someone get some Panadol delivered to caesar88

I'm fine and feeling as fresh as ever

 

[stevie26]

I

Hayward is just a worrier, he is a very important part of our side. He scores the goals when we need them most.

Having Melican back made a huge difference too.

Heeney also said after the game that he’s been a bit crook all week, the lurgy may have gone through the team too.

Hayward might be a worrier but he is a warrior too! ha ha!

 

[MF]

I guess there’s a chance that whatever he’s carrying won’t be helped much by resting and instead moving around is best for him? But feels like a rest would do him good considering just how frail he looked last night. Give McAndrew a proper test with a full game against Riley O’Brien next week for experience.

Yes, I'll be pretty happy if I see him listed as managed or out with general soreness this week.

It's frustrating not knowing what's going on. There's no obvious sign of injury but he's neither leaping as high, nor getting down and competing at ground level so something isn't right with his body surely.

Just have to trust that the club and Brody will do what's best to get him playing good footy in September I guess.

 

[S120]

Errol only 80% TOG last night. Low for him and it was across the four quarters, he didn’t just sit on the bench when the game was over

Wouldn’t be against him getting a rest next week either

 

[Wheresbuddy]

There should be no question mark about Parker's presence in the team. Yes, he can't keep up with the speedsters but this is not a 100m sprint. It is AFL footy with all its intricacies and nuances. Parker understands these and is so competitive. Playing him forward, where he's kicking a few goals and then bringing him to CB later is clever as he's entering the arena when the opposition mids are getting fatigued. I could imagine nothing worse then starting to tire and having to contend with a fresh Parker.

If he hadn't been selected for the last 2 weeks, I think we definitely lose against the Pies and probably last night.

 

[Donza]

Haven't read whole thread.
But.
Lel.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Someone get some Panadol delivered to caesar88

Neurofen?

 

[Bloods86]

Haven't read whole thread.
But.
Lel.

Do feel sorry for kids brought up to be Bombers, Saints and Crows fans.

 

[liz]

We can’t rest everyone. Top spot isn’t totally wrapped up if we lose by a huge margin to the Crows next week. Though I’m hoping Port and the Crows bash each other up in the Showdown so we get a relatively bruise free encounter next week. I think the team is already collectively carrying enough bruises.

Re Grundy, I know it can seem convenient to attribute a drop in form of a player to injury, but I suspect it's almost always the case with experienced, quality players. There are lots of things he was doing in the first half of the season that he's not doing now. It could be a back issue. It could be a groin issue. He doesn't seem to have any power in his core, which is allowing him to be pushed out of contests. And he's not getting down to scrap at ground level the way he was.

 

[Prez]

Start of the 3 qtr centre bounce Grundy Parker Heeny Rowbottom bang bang bang back in the game love slow player that can get the ball

 

[MR0808]

We can’t rest everyone. Top spot isn’t totally wrapped up if we lose by a huge margin to the Crows next week. Though I’m hoping Port and the Crows bash each other up in the Showdown so we get a relatively bruise free encounter next week. I think the team is already collectively carrying enough bruises.

Re Grundy, I know it can seem convenient to attribute a drop in form of a player to injury, but I suspect it's almost always the case with experienced, quality players. There are lots of things he was doing in the first half of the season that he's not doing now. It could be a back issue. It could be a groin issue. He doesn't seem to have any power in his core, which is allowing him to be pushed out of contests. And he's not getting down to scrap at ground level the way he was.

We need to lose by 100+ and Port win two weeks in a row by 100+. It's basically locked up

 

[Punts]

Geez Grundy was embarrassing last night live

Soft af

 

[Bloods86]

We can’t rest everyone. Top spot isn’t totally wrapped up if we lose by a huge margin to the Crows next week. Though I’m hoping Port and the Crows bash each other up in the Showdown so we get a relatively bruise free encounter next week. I think the team is already collectively carrying enough bruises.

It's not an ideal game to rest anyone, but for clearly struggling guys like Grundy and Hayward, I think it's better than running them into the ground continually.

I'd like Crows to give us a finals-like challenge and us overcome it. If they're up and about, they can be hard to stop.

Pies and Dons weren't that good, simply put. There's a reason they aren't playing finals. They weren't awful, but kept us in the game at times themselves, we'll have to be better to win the flag.

 

[Punts]

History suggests says horse on players playing lol