Review Good/Bad v Essendon, Round 4

[Rave Slave]

No shortage of players who were better than Smith tonight. Sloane, Jacobs, CC, Betts, Walker, Crouch, Laird, Atkins, and Douglas. Tempted to add Lynch to that list.

Smith was definitely better than Mackay, Menzel, Hampton, Brown, Milera, and Hartigan.

He was roughly in the middle of the pack, when it comes to the best players. Not close to the top 5, but nowhere near the bottom 5 either.

Anyone who says otherwise is blinded by the stats. 33 disposals looks good on paper. Unfortunately, he was something of a turnover merchant. His short game was good, and his defensive work was much better than normal - but his long game, which is what he's noted for, was horrendous.

I concede. I consider myself to be a fair troll but you're in a totally different stratosphere.

 

[CEY Crow]

He definitely has that potential. But we've been saying the same thing for 2-3 years now, about his need to slow down and compose himself when he gets to the end of his lightning runs. So far there's very little evidence that he's learned anything in this regard..

I look at CC overall development curve and see he is trending in the right direction. He is still only 22 and he came to AFL late, i have confidence his kicking will improve because his ball drop is actually good - it's more that he is off balance when he kicks it! Feel it is easier to correct balance than ball drop, but we will see.

Regards to Smith, he can be hit and miss but when he is on it is oh so good and devastating - reminds me a bit of Suckling in that regard, both have a bit peculiar kicking technique slicing across the ball to a degree (Suckling more pronounced in this technique). And we can agree to disagree but i still think his clangers (in general, not necessarily tonight as i wasn't paying too close attention because we were up by so much) are more often because he is the player tasked with taking on risky kicks - so its boom and bust with his kicking. Thankfully its more often boom

 

[Geoffa32]

Sloane's pack marking is great.

Yeah that kick from Tex was touched. Three weeks in a row now he has taken such a grab.

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[Cromulent]

Smith shouldn't be in the votes tonight. He was the Clanger king, turning the ball over almost every time he kicked it long. Same as usual, really. His kicking is vastly overrated - it's long, sometimes very long, but it's rarely accurate.

wat.. 32 disposals @ 82% DE. Do you even look at things like stats before making outlandish statements?

 

[Vader]

I look at CC overall development curve and see he is trending in the right direction. He is still only 22 and he came to AFL late, i have confidence his kicking will improve because his ball drop is actually good - it's more that he is off balance when he kicks it! Feel it is easier to correct balance than ball drop, but we will see.

CC's problem isn't technique. Sometimes he just runs too far and gets himself into trouble, with no good options left by the time he thinks about disposing of it. That's what happened with his 3rd run tonight. Normally his problem is just a lack of composure - he tries to kick it while still going flat out, and the results are inconsistent at best. If he took a second or two to compose himself, slowing briefly from warp speed to impulse, before kicking it - then his results would improve dramatically. Sometimes his brain just can't keep up with his feet.

 

[Bicks]

 

[Vader]

wat.. 32 disposals @ 82% DE. Do you even look at things like stats before making outlandish statements?

Do you watch the game, or just the stats sheet?

I'm only being critical of his long kicking. Much of the rest of his game was good... but his long kicking consistently leads to turnovers.

 

[Geoffa32]

CC's problem isn't technique. Sometimes he just runs too far and gets himself into trouble, with no good options left by the time he thinks about disposing of it. That's what happened with his 3rd run tonight. Normally his problem is just a lack of composure - he tries to kick it while still going flat out, and the results are inconsistent at best. If he took a second or two to compose himself, slowing briefly from warp speed to impulse, before kicking it - then his results would improve dramatically. Sometimes his brain just can't keep up with his feet.

Bunji needs to have a few words to him about kicking the ball on the run at full pace.

Get that sorted and be will be an even more important weapon.

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[Samcro24]

Do you watch the game, or just the stats sheet?

I'm only being critical of his long kicking. Much of the rest of his game was good... but his long kicking consistently leads to turnovers.

Oh the ironing.

In other news how good is it that our third decoy forward is stepping up while the jewel in the crown is out with ribs.

 

[GreyCrow]

On Menzel. I said last year he needed to do more than present. Looking at the whole ground from high in 525 I have a better appreciation of his work. His stoppage work near goals is good and if but for the grace of God he could have picked up 2 ripper stoppage goals. One fell at his feet from Sauce and the other went behind. And really as a HFF/Midfielder you would take that.

I am also of the belief he should have 3-4 games to find the pace, if he doesn't adjust then yes look at other options.

 

[NTRabbit]

Rory and Rory having to do way too much work to stem the comeback in Q3 and Q4, far too many downhill skiiers in the midfield still.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

The problem with CC is that his legs are faster than his brain. How many times do we see him make an electrifying 80-100m run, then get to the end of it and go "now what" - or spray a horrible kick - wasting all that scintillating effort? He looks amazing, he just needs to take that time to settle before disposing of the ball. Slow down and think...

Still, CC was less frustrating than Brodie Smith. I swear his goal at the end was the first long kick he did all night that actually hit a target. Smith finished with 5 clangers - more than any other Adelaide player. He's incredibly frustrating, because he has this reputation for being a great kick. He's a long kick, but far, far too many of those long bombs end up going directly to the opposition.

I said the same to my mate tonight that CC's legs are too quick for his brain.

He is exciting to watch, But just wish he would settle at times.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Career best games for Walker and Betts

Probably career best halves too!

 

[Donkey Magoo]

I said the same to my mate tonight that CC's legs are too quick for his brain.

He is exciting to watch, But just wish he would settle at times.

Kinda reminds me of Birdman man he had some WTF moments.

 

[Elite Crow]

No shortage of players who were better than Smith tonight. Sloane, Jacobs, CC, Betts, Walker, Crouch, Laird, Atkins, and Douglas. Tempted to add Lynch to that list.

Smith was definitely better than Mackay, Menzel, Hampton, Brown, Milera, and Hartigan.

He was roughly in the middle of the pack, when it comes to the best players. Not close to the top 5, but nowhere near the bottom 5 either.

Anyone who says otherwise is blinded by the stats. 33 disposals looks good on paper. Unfortunately, he was something of a turnover merchant. His short game was good, and his defensive work was much better than normal - but his long game, which is what he's noted for, was horrendous.

You really should stop posting as if you know what you're talking about.

 

[cm_perfect]

Ugly: the cluster**** that was the substitute buses for the Gawler line! The extra buses didn't arrive until some 45 minutes after the game.

Woohoo, 50K for some fireworks should be on its way

 

[Elite Crow]

Rory and Rory having to do way too much work to stem the comeback in Q3 and Q4, far too many downhill skiiers in the midfield still.

Who?

 

[Deaneus!]

Eddie Betts and Taylor Walker apparently both played the best games of their careers

 

[NTRabbit]

Who?

Laird and Sloane

 

[Jeffcrowe]

The issue is our young kids are a downhill skiers at this point in their careers.
Menzel, Hampton, Milera, Atkins really need to go work harder when the other team puts the pressure on.
They need to gain a harder edge to their play like Sloane, Crouch and Knight (Knight may have been a bit quiet in parts but you can never knock his hardness at the ball.)

Hampton is one of the best pressure players in the league and this is coming from a Hampton midfield critic in pre season ( probably his biggest critic )

Need to watch closer

 

[Jeffcrowe]

He wasn't even bad as such, he was just so bloody cringeworthy with some of his comments and one-liners. Tries too hard to be the next Dennis IMO

Super hot wife !!!

 

[Elite Crow]

Laird and Sloane

Who were the skiers?

 

[NTRabbit]

Also a friend of mine put $5 on Andy Otten @ $21 to kick first goal, jammy bastard. My combo pick was most goals Betts, most disposals Heppell, so close and yet so far.

 

[Deaneus!]

Who were the skiers?

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Excellent: Tex, Betts, Sloane, Laird, Talia, Charlie. Not much to say, they were elite.

Good:

• Hampton got in and under
• Milera got a lot more involved, liked the experiment with him playing HBF. He has class
• Laird on the ball, so good in tight and so much composure, liked this experiment.
• Lynch is back in top form, and his running is elite. Those who wanted him dropped don't appreciate the significance of his running in creating space for others.
• Otten brought the ball to ground and contested well.

Bad:

• Mackay was anonymous
• I was really hoping we would see the old Dougie this year, as he is given more midfield minutes. Looked good the first two rounds but is drifting in and out of games. Really need him to stand up because he is tough and a good kick.
• Charlie's injury, hopefully it was just precautionary?
• Was underwhelmed by Menzel but he deserves a few games on the trot so we can see where he is at. Maybe adjusting to the pace after a year in SANFL.
• We keep getting touched up by small forwards - Tipungwuti was outstanding, but even Colyer looked dangerous. Everyone keeps telling me Brown is playing well, but someone is responsible for the small forwards? Can someone who was at the game tell me who was marking Tipungwuti (when he was forward) and Colyer?

Terrible:
Commentators on channel 7: at one point Essendon kicked a goal late in the second to bring the margin to about 45 points and basil says "great goal to keep their chances alive" or something to that effect. Then in the third quarter "Essendon really piling on the pressure and are winning this quarter by 5 points". Was watching with a mate who goes for Essendon and we were both just looking at each other - is this guy serious? Barely comments on an Adelaide player all match but Tim McGrath and Merret were BOG apparently. There is no need to baby Essendon supporters, they are not a bunch of five year olds and don't need encouragement awards, just call the game as you see it.

You do realise dougy dominated round
3 with 29 possessions ? Against GWS and port he took down bigger names

He's back