Review Good/Bad v Essendon, Round 4

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No they weren't, yet they pressured well. That seems to be the only thing you care about.
Now what do you think of those clearance numbers?
Hampton's still learning the midfield game, Pyke has stated he's a work in progress and believe's the outcome will be worth it. I subscribe to that too. He's got great skill and his ability to step around players in close is elite. It's only a matter of time before the bigger numbers come and his work in pressuring the opposition mids is more than paying his way at the moment. I feel he's going to be a weapon for us come finals time.
 

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Such a difference.. .we're outside the top 8 for scores against.

Our defense is still terrible.
Our defence is terrible? Dude do you understand the kind of game plan we're executing at the moment? It allows us to be the highest scoring team in the comp but the flipside is we're going to expose our defenders from time to time. We will get goals kicked against us but it's worth it because we'll kick more. Try and learn the nuances before making ridiculous statements like that.
 
Hampton's still learning the midfield game, Pyke has stated he's a work in progress and believe's the outcome will be worth it. I subscribe to that too. He's got great skill and his ability to step around players in close is elite. It's only a matter of time before the bigger numbers come and his work in pressuring the opposition mids is more than paying his way at the moment. I feel he's going to be a weapon for us come finals time.
He not a 18 year old draftee. He played for GWS in the half back flank, one of the best positions to get the ball and in the Midfield for us.
He is a 24 year old. He needs to step up big time.
 
Our defence is terrible? Dude do you understand the kind of game plan we're executing at the moment? It allows us to be the highest scoring team in the comp but the flipside is we're going to expose our defenders from time to time. We will get goals kicked against us but it's worth it because we'll kick more. Try and learn the nuances before making ridiculous statements like that.

Yes our game plan magically stops our midfield running both ways.
 
How good has Eddie Betts been for your club? Renind me again what you gave to Carlton in exchange, a packet of salt n vinegar chips and a slab of tooheys red wasn't it? Oh my god did Malthouse and Daisy do a number on the Blues or what!

It was South Australian beer.
 
Didnt watch the game but anyone would think we lost by 5 goals judging by the comments here
It's weird. There's so many innately negative people on here. When we're losing, we suck. When we win by small margins we were lucky, could have lost, so we suck. When we win big, we didn't dominate the whole game, so we suck.

The last couple of seasons have been an absolute delight watching us play such scintillating footy. Honestly, if you can't be happy now, why bother following the game at all. Some people are just born miserable. When we win the flag, they'll immediately start talking about premiership hangovers. I feel sorry for them.
 
Yes our game plan magically stops our midfield running both ways.
No one can run 120 metres in 7 seconds. We're opening the game up because it suits our style and the way our forward line wants to structure. That means there's always going to be space when the ball's turned over, which inevitably it will be from time to time. Our defence has acquitted itself superbly under a difficult game plan for them. Educate yourself man.
 

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Considering the Crows had scored 17 goals up to the 5 minute mark of the 3rd quarter our output after this was quite poor.
Essendon totally dominated the later part of the 3rd quarter. Fortunately they were also wayward.

I think it's easy to dismiss that third quarter but we are only 4 weeks into the season and a long way from the finals.
It's also easy to get caught up in the hysteria of our early success but you only need look at North Melbourne last year.
We all saw their season start so well and how quickly it turned to crap after round 10.

I'm not saying that will be us but there are some issues that could easily derail the season ahead.
Injuries for one. They are starting to stack up. Every week we have at least one and this can't keep happening.
We just don't have the depth. Hopefully Charlie's ok. Hopefully Kelly is ok. Our defensive stocks are very low at the moment.
The other issue is our reliance on our top 3 or 4 players. Sloane, Walker, Eddie and Jacobs were outstanding in the first half. Others were good but far too many didn't show up.

If the Crows are to take the next step we have to be critical of our weaknesses and not so dismissive of our poor performances. This was a strange game. The scoreboard would suggest Adelaide totally dominated but we all know this wasn't the case in the second half. Our defenders struggled when Essendon went forward. Our forward line was very good when we went forward. Our turnovers throughout the game ended up in a very open Essendon forward line. Why is this? Are we too slow in transition? Are our defenders getting caught too far up the ground?

It's very nice that we are on top with a good percentage after round 4 but we aren't even a fifth of the way through the minor round. Their are a lot of good signs so far but the Crows are not there yet.
 
It's weird. There's so many innately negative people on here. When we're losing, we suck. When we win by small margins we were lucky, could have lost, so we suck. When we win big, we didn't dominate the whole game, so we suck.

The last couple of seasons have been an absolute delight watching us play such scintillating footy. Honestly, if you can't be happy now, why bother following the game at all. Some people are just born miserable. When we win the flag, they'll immediately start talking about premiership hangovers. I feel sorry for them.
The frustration probably stems from our lack of 4 quarter performance. I'm enjoying it, but we have a couple gears left.
 
Well, it was a pretty weird game.

We did win by 10 goals because we absolutely smashed it in the first quarter. One of the best the crows have ever played.

Rest of the game was pretty Meh though. I am sure Pyke was trying stuff, giving midfield minutes to non-usual players, etc.
Essendon were also hunting in packs around the ball - lots of their guys at the packs. Then win it, kick long to the next pack to repeat.

Pyke didn't seem too interested in doing much to change that for 3 quarters.
 
He not a 18 year old draftee. He played for GWS in the half back flank, one of the best positions to get the ball and in the Midfield for us.
He is a 24 year old. He needs to step up big time.
He played half back flank in a team that got smashed every week and has spent the best part of the last couple of years injured. Despite that, his work in shutting down the space in the corridor, due to his elite leg speed, has been one of the reasons opposition midfields are either having to go down the line or turning the ball over so much. Look at the game, not the stat sheet.
 
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There are only so many possessions to go around for a team that is in any way efficient

I think we went at 10 possessions per goal in Q1.... (or something similar)

The AFL average is 28

Let that sink in.

Ridiculous efficiency. In our team everyone has a role to play and we don't need everyone to get 20+ to have an impact. The best thing about our first 4 weeks is that our guns have done well (Sloane, Betts, Tex, Sauce and Talia) but every other role player has contributed. When one goes quiet, another steps up. It's a great sign IMO
 
Just reading through and have noticed a few things.

1. People are being very harsh on Jnr, lets remember he is a 19 yr old kid, plays with a lovely skill set but isn't the Powel-Pepper man child. He still needs to build that core strength and with that his confidence will grow. So with the ball and as little as a meter of space can break and use it well but in those tight crash bash contested balls he's going to struggle. Watching him live at the ground he still seems to be unsure when it's his time to pressure the ball and when he needs to look for the intercept. Time will fix this. For me while we are winning he is untouchable, needs time and games and it will pay off in spades. SO BACK OFF PEOPLE! be patient, it's there and will come.

2.Hampton is also coping it, I think he's been told to take it on and sometimes he is brilliant and sometime he gets caught. Each week he is picking this a little better but one thing he does is apply pressure. Look at the packs people, see how much time he is applying a real manic pressure at the ball. he might not always get it out but by gees he's making it hard for the opposition. Do you wonder how our contested ball has surprised the comp this year look no further than and this lad. Just waiting for him to click it offensively, so many almost moments. The other weapon he has is ball use some of his delivery is sublime, he is a very important player for us, a game high 29 pressure acts against the paps say it all.

3. Menzel needs some time. It's been years since he strung games together. I thought he was good against the Giants and was unlucky, thought he could start to build. Those that are saying he is over hyped are not watching his delivery, I have seen some CM perfect kicks that are just beautiful. If he gets close to his ceiling he will be such a weapon. What I'm seeing ATM is a lack of confidence and still the need of more fitness. both will come with game time like Jnr needs to be persisted with, Last night he miss read a lot of the speed on the game and got caught in between the kicks, When he was at the contest he was solid but tended to lock it in rather than try to bust out. There was a passage in the 3rd where he put on the pressure superbly 4-5 consecutive times with repeat efforts that allowed us to lock it in the forward line. It was intense and ferocious but he was spent after. He needs to build on that, Pyke would've loved that.

4. Dmac.......I don't know how long a couple of goals will keep him in the team, Burnt the ball on a couple of his "trademark" runs and was invisible early. His strength is his outside run and link up but when he picks out an Essendon defender on his own you've got to wonder. If Brouch is ready next week and CC is fit I think is the SANFL next week for me.

I know if you put up Jnr, Hampton, Menzel and DMac's stats he's not the one to make way for Brouch. But if we hang tough with the first 3 come seasons end we will be better. If we leave DMac and drop one of the other 3 we loose the chance for more "Organic Growth".

I also love how "Organic Growth" was a term of derision before the season started but looks like a master stroke so far.
 
Get of the Mackay rubbish mate. He did some great defensive pressure acts and link ups tonight and ran hard to spoil a few certain goals. Yr attacks on him are becoming boring. He was in our top 7 on the ground tonight and had a good game.

He really is who you've claimed post Brodie Martin.
 
I think we went at 10 possessions per goal in Q1.... (or something similar)

The AFL average is 28

Let that sink in.

Ridiculous efficiency. In our team everyone has a role to play and we don't need everyone to get 20+ to have an impact. The best thing about our first 4 weeks is that our guns have done well (Sloane, Betts, Tex, Sauce and Talia) but every other role player has contributed. When one goes quiet, another steps up. It's a great sign IMO
Still unconvinced about our centre square work. Would love to see a breakdown of who attends our centre square bounces and the % of clearances won when they're in there. Would love someone else to do it too. I did it for one game last year (Geelong at home) and from that very small sample size I surmised that Sloane is the be all and end all of our centre square work.

I know we are floating more players through the middle this season but at crunch time we always go back to Sloane, Douglas, M Crouch. Is that trio good enough to get it done against the best teams when it counts? Will B Crouch be able to step up and assume one of those key roles?
 
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Review Good/Bad v Essendon, Round 4

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