Review Autopsy Thread: Round 1 Adelaide v Hawthorn

[Number 24 Jnr]

I agree perspective is needed here. Yes, it is round one. But I believe perspective should be in the context of the last two years, and where our list should be in terms of regular performance. The club desperately needed to win last night. Nothing short of a top four finish at round 24 is good enough, and for that to happen we must be 5-2 or 7-3. A first up lose brings a great deal of additional pressure. You could see that all over Clarko's face last night. Good thing he didn't have the head set.

Yes, the ball movement was good at times. Yes, the effort was there (although our failure to run out the game is concerning). But the consistent correct decision making and skill execution escaped us. It wasn't the performance of a top 4 team. I think that's the bare facts, and it's only reasonable for supporters to say so.

But having said all that, I'm confident we'll be 4-1 when returning to Adelaide in round 7. Not confident we'll be 5-1 though. Two rounds after that we travel to the SCG, with the Saints in between.

 

[Southern Urchins]

Have a look at their list, and the amount of home games they play. Regardless, I'm not going to bet my existence on here with this username with you.

They will not make finals.

So what. They are human. Perhaps you want to see them kicking the turf or starting a punch on with an opponent, and then you'll truly think they have felt the loss.

I want to see it hurt. Shake hands and get off the ground.

Me, I'll look at what they were doing when the game was there to be won. And I honestly can't fault their endeavour. Disposal and decision aking was our biggest let down.

No, the endeavour was there. The disposal, fitness and tactics weren't.

2009 and 2010 hold little relevance to last nights game. If you're going to draw on the frustrations of those years as some sort of rod for your argument, then you may as well throw in 2005 and 2006 as well.

So if we continue to beat up weak sides and lose to the top 6, it holds no relevance. Tell that to the Bulldogs and St.Kilda's of this world.

2011 is a new year, with a whole new set of concerns. And with 1 game being played, we only have one game to reference. I'll wait until Rnd 5 before I start throwing around judgement calls on where we're falling down.

I'll crystal ball this. We will destroy Melbourne, beat Richmond by 4-5 goals, thump the Eagles, then fold late against the Handbaggers. Book mark that.

Clarkson is under no illusions as to how important this year is, and indeed, the start. I'll wait until we have a bigger part of the jigsaw in front of me before I start picking out the pieces that I think dont belong.

Those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it.

Match fitness is a completely different level all together, and to me that was what a few of our guys were lacking. In the coming weeks we'll run out games much better. Adelaide were helped by younger legs, and the crowd which gives them an almost adrenaline-like shot of belief and energy. They didn't completely dominate us with run, they just continued to take their chances, while we kept squandering forward forays. The little gimme's over the top also didn't help.

Then why not run those guys in via the VFL (ala Chapman and Ling) then introduce them? Puopolo and Smith should've played.

You've given him 1 game. 1 game.

I gave him 22 in 2009 and the same last year. Nothing has changed.

Opinions are like assholes....

As are list cloggers.

 

[Choota]

2009 and 2010 hold little relevance to last nights game. If you're going to draw on the frustrations of those years as some sort of rod for your argument, then you may as well throw in 2005 and 2006 as well.

2011 is a new year, with a whole new set of concerns. And with 1 game being played, we only have one game to reference.
I'll wait until Rnd 5 before I start throwing around judgement calls on where we're falling down.

Agree with you that we shouldn't go overboard on one result but disagree with this.

2009 and 2010 are relevant to where our side is at. We've been a middle of the road side for 2 years due largely to an inability to run out games, a lack of leg speed, a weak ruck division, poor disposal and a game plan that sees us punished on the rebound when we turn it over.

We've heard about a ripping pre-season and we had only one key player missing last night. We picked the fittest side we could and we were run off our legs in the second half. It had a real 2009/2010 look to it.

Collingwood's performance yesterday did nothing to dispell the view that like 2010 they will be a standout side in 2011. Similarly, our performance did nothing to suggest we have improved from the mid-ladder side of the last 2 seasons.

 

[garygee]

Renouf can't kick for shit. He should NEVER attempt set shots.
Why can't we play 2 different gameplans? The forward press/Zone when we are fresh for the first half and then man up and slow the game down for the second? Why can't they leave 1 or 2 back to stop the bleed?
When are we going to get a fair run from the umpires? When is Buddy going to get a fair deal? I'm so tired of seeing a team with such potential lose.

 

[Fluro Boots]

Well that is a relief, we really need Sewell in the engine room, thought it may have been a recurrence of that shoulder injury from a while back.

True but he needs to give it quicker. He went one dodge too mnay on a few occaisions last night, all players have improved their tackling so it needs to be first give all the time, suckling needs to do this as well.

 

[matthew murder]

Maybe stacking the backline when they had the wind in the 3rd might have been worth considering. I'm no coach but that seemed like the most logical thing to do. Was happy with Savage Stratton and Gibson. The quick switch of play had us all night, why not go 1 on 1 and make everyone accountable, or is that not modern footy.

 

[Roger Rogerson]

Havent seen the game as had a wedding but reading this thread is sounding a lot like groundhog day circa 2009/2010. Sounds like we are bottom part of the 8 fodder again.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Agree with you that we shouldn't go overboard on one result but disagree with this.

2009 and 2010 are relevant to where our side is at. We've been a middle of the road side for 2 years due largely to an inability to run out games, a lack of leg speed, a weak ruck division, poor disposal and a game plan that sees us punished on the rebound when we turn it over.

We've heard about a ripping pre-season and we had only one key player missing last night. We picked the fittest side we could and we were run off our legs in the second half. It had a real 2009/2010 look to it.

Collingwood's performance yesterday did nothing to dispell the view that like 2010 they will be a standout side in 2011. Similarly, our performance did nothing to suggest we have improved from the mid-ladder side of the last 2 seasons.

See, this is where I differ with so many.

I watched that first half and was very pleased with how we looked. We were dominating, and had we applied more scoreboard pressure I have no concerns in predicting that we would've continued on our merry way to the final siren. The TV graphic of '71% possession in forward half' flashed up, and I thought 'We've got to kick more goals'.

As it was, Adelaide got a couple of goals against the flow late in the 2nd, then at the start of the 3rd, we hit the post 2 or 3 times while Adelaide took their chances up the other end....and with that their belief grew, and the crowd started to really get behind them. As they do.

From here, things become very frustrating. Our disposal went backwards, forward forays become predictable, and at times, completely unfathomable.

We were still running forward, we just got exposed on the overlap when our little dinky sideways kick or handball got cut off or repelled.

People want to talk about what went wrong in the second half as the rule to judge our season by, yet we're totally forgetting just how good we looked early.

It's "glass half full" thinking, but until I see 2 or 3 disappointing results, I'll hold onto the hope that we can extend our dominance of the first half of last night game into all 4 quarters next week and the weeks after that.


And don't get me started on the hype machine that is "Collingwood". Best team in the comp? Probably. But the way people go on about 2010, it's as if they went through undefeated and never had to make two attempts at the flag.

 

[vanders]

Can't be bothered reading the whole thread, but has anyone mentioned Mitchells disposal yet?

Last night and in quite a large number of games he burns the ball terribly bad. A number of his passes last night either hit an Adelaide player on the chest or he shanked them that badly they dribbled along the ground. This is something I constantly find frustrating about his game, especially after he marks the ball. He'll stand a metre in front of the man on the mark and kick it around his body off one step and in a large number of cases it ends up in a turnover.

I know Mitchell was definitely not our biggest problem last night (in fact he was quite good aside from the above) but for a now ex-captain and one of our leaders he really needs to do something about it. I'm sick of it quite frankly

 

[TAITA]

You make some good points Galon.

Ultimately when we moved the ball forward at all costs, we had total control of the game and I don't subscribe to the theory that this 'radical' new plan is so exhausting that we ran out of puff.

Rather, we stopped getting first use of the ball in the guts and did go back into our shells with the dinky sideways, backwards, anywhere but forward shit which we turned over regularly.

It was like watching two very different teams.

Yes, we did run out of steam, and without knowing what the F&C staff have mapped out for the season, I believe that to be a combination of reacting to Adelaide's run and their being no substitute for true match practise.

 

[Miss_Hawk_Fan]

See, this is where I differ with so many.

1. I watched that first half and was very pleased with how we looked. We were dominating, and had we applied more scoreboard pressure I have no concerns in predicting that we would've continued on our merry way to the final siren. The TV graphic of '71% possession in forward half' flashed up, and I thought 'We've got to kick more goals'.


2. People want to talk about what went wrong in the second half as the rule to judge our season by, yet we're totally forgetting just how good we looked early.

It's "glass half full" thinking, but until I see 2 or 3 disappointing results, I'll hold onto the hope that we can extend our dominance of the first half of last night game into all 4 quarters next week and the weeks after that.

Agree we looked good in the first half.
Second half we went to shit and this needs addressing and if we fail to do this all our games will end up the same this year!

1. We need to make the most of our Opportunity's

2. Neil Craig did an interview and said "We talked about how to break the HFC Zones, theyre very good. But if we could get that extra hand ball in and then kick over their zone then we new we could score".....

We need to address this.... Pressure the man going for the extra hand ball to break our zone and we NEED at least one Defender to stay close to home, in a SCARLET like ROLE for the CATS. This helps with keeping our forward line less cluttered and gives our forwards more space. Theres possiable other tatics that could be put into place.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

You make some good points Galon.

Ultimately when we moved the ball forward at all costs, we had total control of the game and I don't subscribe to the theory that this 'radical' new plan is so exhausting that we ran out of puff.

Rather, we stopped getting first use of the ball in the guts and did go back into our shells with the dinky sideways, backwards, anywhere but forward shit which we turned over regularly.

It was like watching two very different teams.

Yes, we did run out of steam, and without knowing what the F&C staff have mapped out for the season, I believe that to be a combination of reacting to Adelaide's run and their being no substitute for true match practise.

The 47% disposal efficiency in the 2nd half certainly didn't help.

 

[Fluro Boots]

Paul Puopolo should come into consideration next week. We got nothing from Ossie last night and Poo seems like he brings nothing if not intensity.

 

[TAITA]

We need to address this.... Pressure the man going for the extra hand ball to break our zone and we NEED at least one Defender to stay close to home, in a SCARLET like ROLE for the CATS. This helps with keeping our forward line less cluttered and gives our forwards more space. Theres possiable other tatics that could be put into place.

Sooz is the man I reckon - he'd get slaughtered on the burst but the very dynamics of that rebound ensure the forward wont get a lace out pass, it's long bombs which he is very well equipped to handle.

IMHO I don't see the value of him pushing forward after the bounce - Hale & Rough can take the forward ruck contests.

 

[Stratton_Gun]

we have become the team that is talked up every pre-season but is simply not good enough. another finish of 5-8 for us this season at most

 

[Miss_Hawk_Fan]

Taita - Who is Sooz?

 

[TallyHawk]

Re: Sewell Sub Decision

only thing I can think of is that Sam and Brad played about 90% of the game in the midfield - first time since mid 2009.

I reckon we were worried about blowing them up. Given Sammy played 25 minutes for 3 touches in the last, perhaps the wrong player went off.

If Sam and Brad played 90% through the midfield that is appalling coaching. I am of the opinion that these two should rotate together and not be in the centre square at the same time.

They are good clearance players but both handball to blokes under pressure or kick around their body. Both consistantly deliver sideways short passes that quite often don't hit a target and result in too much pressure on our defense.

We look too slow with these two in there at the same time. This was telling in the third quarter when Adelaide were leaving us in the dust out of the guts.

 

[kirbatron]

We will make Top 4 this year but i just dont think this game plan can win us another flag...

I see brown n gold robots out there are so glamoured with this gameplan that they have forgotton to play with their normal instincts.

The stupid handballs into trouble - ffs where is the awareness?

Bruce cost us 3 goals BUT (i hope) he wont play that bad again for us.

Hale - reasonably happy with his game.
Rioli - was good & really tried to lift us in the last - but I expect him to do this for more than just the last 1 qtr tho.
Burgoyne - looked sloppy at times dont thin he had much of an influence.
Buddy - It pains me to say this but he will never be the #1 player in the comp - sure he is a bit stiff on occasion with umpires but has too many ordinary games for a player of his talent. He will never be a great mark & his football smarts from a defensive point of view are horrific... same shit different year.
Roughy - I am seeing a different Roughy albeit in very minor glimpses... should have a good year but he Captained this side last night & gave us.. well not much.
Lewis - blah.

Savage/Shiels/Stratton - our kids can play.

Our forward line structures just dont appear to be working with this game plan.. the disposal into 50 is so arratic.. 1 minute pint point pass, the next a few clangers....

WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO TACKLE.

 

[TAITA]

Taita - Who is Sooz?

Renouf.

Mind you, I have been a believer that the first team that uses their ruckman as a defensive option rather than an offensive one will reap huge rewards, so I am still singing from the same songbook there.

I just don't think we will get enough from Sooz pushing him forward.

Could be the making of him.

 

[Cynic]

Renouf.

Mind you, I have been a believer that the first team that uses their ruckman as a defensive option rather than an offensive one will reap huge rewards, so I am still singing from the same songbook there.

I just don't think we will get enough from Sooz pushing him forward.

Could be the making of him.

On the basis he is probably the worst kick in the league, definitely the worse set shot, he is definitely a waste of space in the forward line.

He is, or has the makings, of a great marker so could be helpful in the backline. The problem is he is so terrible at his decision making and game awareness is non-existent it will take a lot of work to get him to be an effective defender.

Not without merit though and definitely a better option than him ever going forward.

 

[TAITA]

On the basis he is probably the worst kick in the league, definitely the worse set shot, he is definitely a waste of space in the forward line.

He is, or has the makings, of a great marker so could be helpful in the backline. The problem is he is so terrible at his decision making and game awareness is non-existent it will take a lot of work to get him to be an effective defender.

Not without merit though and definitely a better option than him ever going forward.

Played quite a few games at Box Hill as CHB and wasn't totally out of his depth.

I don't see him as a playmaker in any way, shape or form - however as cover to make a contest ie; spoil and punch it to the line or actually take a mark and hold the pill until relief arrives - why not?

 

[cuttlefish]

Hmmmm...bit of a disappointing fadeout from the Hawks last night.

Still, as many have said, and I'll reiterate it here:

It's only week one. We have lots of footy still to be played.

We still have our depth, and there was plenty to like about last night. Who didn't have their fist pumping the air when Rough, Buddy, Burgers, Youngy and Savage were scoring goals earlier in the game ?

Keep behind the team. They need us as much as we need them

Bring on the Dees !!!!!!!!!

 

[randall boner]

Can't be bothered reading the whole thread, but has anyone mentioned Mitchells disposal yet?

Last night and in quite a large number of games he burns the ball terribly bad. A number of his passes last night either hit an Adelaide player on the chest or he shanked them that badly they dribbled along the ground. This is something I constantly find frustrating about his game, especially after he marks the ball. He'll stand a metre in front of the man on the mark and kick it around his body off one step and in a large number of cases it ends up in a turnover.

I know Mitchell was definitely not our biggest problem last night (in fact he was quite good aside from the above) but for a now ex-captain and one of our leaders he really needs to do something about it. I'm sick of it quite frankly

spot on i reckon the pace of the game is catching up to mitch.

 

[Speakeasy]

Can not believe some of the crap written here....
The game will be regarded as the best of the round , it was quick and skilled for a first rd game , OUR BALL MOVEMENT WAS FIRST RATE , yet we are eating our own ..PULL YA HEADS IN PEOPLE..... The Crow's will win 95% of there home games this year , it is no disgrace to lose to them over there...
Add to that 6 posters , umpiring that at times had even Crows fans embarrassed and the fact Buddy got the roar end of the deal ALL game ...WE WHERE UNLUCK NOT CRAP...
I will say though , Bruce was very poor and can see why the Dees where reluctant to give him anything more than a one year deal , but the up side to this is we now have depth to cover poor performers like him , ...Guerra , Hodge , Ellis , Cheney all ready to step in...
WE ARE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ......BE A BELIEVER , NOT A CYNIC....GO HAWKS
oh ... and weren't some of the kids great....

This

 

[WALL-e]

I thought there was some REAL good footy by you lads. Your defensive structure had us pinned for a good portion of the game, but it appears very high risk high reward and we got out the back a lot in the 2nd half.

Some great footy last night, and Clint Young appears to have slotted right back into your system.