Review Dees v the Blood-Stained angels: the Good, Bad and Fugly

[Tulip]

Tulip got shitty with the peaked line aswell. I'm convinced we've peaked, I don't think this side can ever play better than we did in September last year. That doesn't mean we can't challenge and still win one but I don't think we can play at the level of the prelim and second half of the granny again.
I think for tangible change in our side you'd have to dump Melk, Jordan, ANB and trade out a Salem. Bring in goal hungrier and forward 50 craftier Smalls, a more attack minded winger and a proper defensive small back as well as a key forward.
That doesn't necessarily make us better just different

I still disagree that we can’t reach the level of last year, but the teams around us are much better. Especially Geelong and Sydney.

Last year you had Geelong with a tired game plan, Port who were wildly inconsistent, Brisbane who hate finals and are our bunnies anyway, and the Dogs who were good but riding in from outside the 4. 2022 Melbourne is better than all of those 2021 teams IMO.

I agree we need to change things. I do think that throwing everything at a legitimate key position forward will work wonders though. You’d expect JVR to play along side them too. Especially with another year in the legs of Kozzy who is still only 20, and hopefully Laurie. I just really hope it isn’t the Gawn/Grundy hybrid. Unless we get a KPF in too, that’s just lazy recruiting.

 

[Tulip]

Gotta kick goals to win games, gotta take risks to kick goals.

We are clearly hamstrung by not having guys willing or capable to pull off kicks that set up goals.

That was why I thought Spargo played well last night. That kick to Fritsch at QT off the outside of the boot was crazy and it wasn’t the only one.

 

[Tulip]

Yeah our forwardline and the delivery into it was embarrassing.

Goodwin has known this all season yet has done nothing to fix it.

I think he and Stafford genuinely believe kicking the ball to the pocket is an effective strategy. Who knows why, I guess because we have shit KPFs and they'd rather trap the ball inside 50 then be caught on a corridor rebound? Beats me.

I wish we'd get a proper forwardline coach in, not a ruck/forward hybrid. Someone needs to teach these guys how to lead. The only ones who can do it are Fritsch and Melksham.

 

[LarryDavidNeitz]

Agree with the fumbling and add loopy handballs over the top that gave the Swans too much time to close us down. We ruined many potential break aways from inside to out. A lot was the Swans pressure but we should have been cleaner.

Viney and Jackson were flipping terrible at this last night. Stupid little pop handballs that even if they hit a target the bloke who gets it gets smashed.
Caused way too many turnovers doing that

 

[Tulip]

Agree with alot of what you said except this. Are we more talented than the swans? Even their fringe players kick the ball better than our guns.

I just think this side has peaked and others have reached our level.

Honestly, probably not anymore. They don't have anyone as good as our 'big 4', but they are way more even across all lines. Their talented role players (McInerney, Rowbottom etc) are playing like our last year.

 

[Tulip]

We look as though we double down on the game plan and expect it to deliver.

At the end of the day, that's the public message from the coach and players when interviewed.

After a loss: "we need to go back to the fundamentals of our game"
After a win: "we nailed the fundamentals of our game"

 

[Crusty Demon]

Honestly, probably not anymore. They don't have anyone as good as our 'big 4', but they are way more even across all lines. Their talented role players (McInerney, Rowbottom etc) are playing like our last year.

Is Gawn THAT good anymore? I'm stoked he got his 6th AA this year but it was more to do with all other rucks being injured. I've seen more poor games from him than good this season. I'd take several current Swans players over current Gawn right now.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Viney and Jackson were *ing terrible at this last night. Stupid little pop handballs that even if they hit a target the bloke who gets it gets smashed.
Caused way too many turnovers doing that

Would love to trade Viney if we could....not a chance tho coz hEarT oF tHe TeAm and so much DeMoN sPiRiT.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Viney had such an almost game. Did all the hard stuff but then just inexplicably wasted it and did nothing for the team. You’d be spewing if you were Oliver at the zero support from your midfield

 

[Topkent]

Would love to trade Viney if we could....not a chance tho coz hEarT oF tHe TeAm and so much DeMoN sPiRiT.

Yep. Wish we could be more cutthroat instead of the cute never trade anyone bullshit mentality. If we swapped out Sparrow, Viney and Salem we could get some great players in return

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Yep. Wish we could be more cutthroat instead of the cute never trade anyone bullshit mentality. If we swapped out Sparrow, Viney and Salem we could get some great players in return

100%, could probably sell Jordon for massive overs on what he really is also, Could see some list manager being sucked in to thinking hes better than what he is.

 

[Apostrophe]

Apparently Petracca has a hairline fracture

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Yep. Wish we could be more cutthroat instead of the cute never trade anyone bullshit mentality. If we swapped out Sparrow, Viney and Salem we could get some great players in return

And Harmes instantly replaces Viney if we wanted to roll with the same set up and change nothing at centre bounces. And we have poor man's Viney Luke Dunstan down at Casey still as depth.

Get a run on with injury can chuck Gus in the guts.

There is plenty of depth.

 

[Topkent]

100%, could probably sell Jordon for massive overs on what he really is also, Could see some list manager being sucked in to thinking hes better than what he is.

Yep just straight off the top of my head but swap them 3 for Amartey, Gresham and Larkey with some pick swaps and we are already heaps better

 

[demondavey]

You speak truth.

That feeling of being pale and greenish, and someone gets you a beer and even the smell makes you shudder and then you force down two decent glugs - and we’re in business again!

It’s the reason benders are a thing

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Apparently Petracca has a hairline fracture

See Topkent those who were at the ground were right and could clearly see he had a broken leg unlike us.

This is why ATG is more powerful than ITK.

 

[demondavey]

Yep just straight off the top of my head but swap them 3 for Amartey, Gresham and Larkey with some pick swaps and we are already heaps better

I heard we were into Larkey a while back. Reckon he is sold now with AC. Wouldn’t mind Gresham at all.

 

[Topkent]

See Topkent those who were at the ground were right and could clearly see he had a broken leg unlike us.

This is why ATG is more powerful than ITK.

That's why I'm only a confirmed ITK and not an ATG. Not even allowed to look them in eyes.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

That's why I'm only a confirmed ITK and not an ATG. Not even allowed to look them in eyes.

You are just a humble ITK

 

[danster168]

Yeah our forwardline and the delivery into it was embarrassing.

Goodwin has known this all season yet has done nothing to fix it. You can just see them panicking and rushing TMac back who is totally underdone. We had a chance midseason to get games into JVR and Laurie but chose not to. ANB has been woeful this year. Melksham got totally exposed last night too. Spargo down on form, kozzy went MIA and Ben Brown was playing on 3 blokes all night because our mids are too dumb to look for other targets. We're not winning the flag with that set up forward.

How fumbly were we all night? The bye week did nothing for us. Looked flat besides a few players. Sydney completely own us. B Grader Hickey took our AA Rickman and Rising star winner to town!

We must have one of the worst home ground records in the comp. What's with that?

Swans at the stoppages did the old bloke out the back trick and we did nothing to stop it. Yet again we dominate hit outs but lose clearances.

May, Petty and Oliver standouts, everyone else in the bin. But F* May for getting sucked into Buddy's BS. Completely changed momentum. Goodwin has talked about momentum.and how important it is and he got sucked in completely.

Not many positives to come out of that game tbh. Swans will be a powerhouse for the next 5 years now. AFL have made sure of that.

Good post. I agree with everything you said. Blind Freddy could see that the forward line wasn't working. Even when we were 10-0 we were playing some terrible football. Scraping wins against poor teams.

Is there a fan out there that would care if we lost a final because we decided to play JVR? anyone? I would stake my life that JVR could not play any worse than what Ben Brown is doing. But Goodwin is so stuck in his ways. He comes across as ingenuine in his press conferences.

I agree, we fumbled everything. Not to mention running over the ball several times. I can't stand players that fumble. I don't care how much the perceived pressure is. It's a ball. Pick the damn thing up.

Gawn just had a howler. A lot of his mistakes resulted in goals. Jackson i'm happy to see gone if it results in us getting in a genuine forward quicker.

 

[Proper Gander]

At the end of the day, that's the public message from the coach and players when interviewed.

After a loss: "we need to go back to the fundamentals of our game"
After a win: "we nailed the fundamentals of our game"

True. You’re never going to glean much from a coach presser

 

[Topkent]

You are just a humble ITK

Please, no need to mention it

 

[danster168]

Yeah this is on Goodwin surely. Played with zero dare through the middle. Too scared. We play one boring way and if that doesn't work.then we're screwed really.

100% agree. whenever we're down by 2 goals, it feels like 8 goals considering how slow we play and how we have a forward line strategy to kick it high and wide to C grade forwards.

many times last night we failed to take on the game when we should have. Like what on earth are they even doing at training? it's the same problem all season long.

A 100 point win over Brisbane means nothing next week either. Nothing to gain, all to lose sort of match.

 

[Dancing Potato]

One positive is I thought little Spargo was back to his best.

Unfortunately it coincided with Melk reverting back to his worst.

 

[TheBoss]

Yep. Wish we could be more cutthroat instead of the cute never trade anyone bullshit mentality. If we swapped out Sparrow, Viney and Salem we could get some great players in return

I don't think there is a trade market for Sparrow, doubt he would return much in a trade. He doesn't excel at anything. Every club has at least 2-3 players that are similar to him.