Review Good/Bad v St Kilda, Round 12

[Kane McGoodwin]

Brad burns it almost every time he puts it on the boot. Some of his kicks I swear he doesn't even look to see if there's a crows player in the vicinity or where he is kicking it.

Got to wonder whether he has confidence in his foot.

I looked at the stats part way through the game & he had 1 kick & double digits handball.

 

[CrowBloke]

Hartigan- Better after a couple horror shows, but Bruce got a hold of him at times.

At "times"? Bruce kicked 4 of 7 goals (only Saints goalkicker to 3/4 time), a couple from strong contested marks.
Hartigan's inability to find another Crow with a footpass is becoming legend.

The excellent: Laird was a bulldog all night --- 2 minutes to play and he spoiled a forward attack and his second effort was a full-stretch, diving smother (like Eddie's, other end, earlier in the game). It's THAT kind of effort that wins finals, hard at it until full time. LOVED Laird's game last night.

 

[hey shorty]

At "times"? Bruce kicked 4 of 7 goals (only Saints goalkicker to 3/4 time), a couple from strong contested marks.
Hartigan's inability to find another Crow with a footpass is becoming legend.

The excellent: Laird was a bulldog all night --- 2 minutes to play and he spoiled a forward attack and his second effort was a full-stretch, diving smother (like Eddie's, other end, earlier in the game). It's THAT kind of effort that wins finals, hard at it until full time. LOVED Laird's game last night.

I felt that Hartigan impacted the contest better than previous weeks but was exposed when the Saints got out the back.

Laird was great, but he hasn't done it on the big occasion yet.

 

[CrowBloke]

Sauce being used as link up midfielder is hilarious at times

I took some Asian takeaway over to my sister's place and watched the game with her --- she is a rabid Crows fanatic, jumps up and down on her seat, screams at the TV (which does not listen) and is seriously scary to watch a game with.
But we both yelled at the TV "Don't handball it to Jacobs!!!" (TV still did not listen) especially when it's congested and he's flat-footed.
Using Sauce as a taaaaaaall-mid is not a bad idea because he's got to get more of the ball around the ground, but his disposal is ... how can I be subtle? ... not the best.

 

[CrowBloke]

You'd hope Beech would given the age disparity.

Yep, agreed. and yet they gave Galluci a go before Beech. Well, against cannon-fodder Brisbane. Saints only moderately better.

 

[CrowBloke]

It came across as if Lever was saying it was the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement for the players) which was holding it back and in all fairness, if they do raise the salary cap I can understand Lever wanting to get a few extra dollars on his contract, no one could say with a straight face that he doesn't deserve it.

Yep, I noticed that too.

 

[pjcrows]

What concerns me about Brad Crouch isn't his ability, workrate or skills - it's his decision making.

When we look at players like Pendlebury, Bontompelli, Haneberry, Cripps etc they don't possess elite speed or ball skills, but they make great decisions most of the time. Brad seems to see two options - whether it be a kick, handball, spoil - and goes half-arsed for both options at the same time rather than picking one and doing it well, quickly. If his options are a 20m stab pass to a lead or a 40m floater over the top, he often picks out the opposition defender in the middle.

He doesn't have a problem getting the ball, it's the decisions he's making. Whether that comes with time, or playing longer stretches uninterrupted, who knows. It's holding him back.

 

[jenny61_99]

Am concerned a little about Lever and Gov not resigning yet. If its not done by round 15-17 we might be in trouble. Again.

Has the collective bargaining agreement been signed yet? You won't see anything until it is.

 

[ftmch]

Absolute indictment on the whole playing group and coaching staff that a 2 game player had the most pressure acts and he is was on the ground the least amount of time.

Well done Hugh, the rest of the team and coaches should be embarrassed.

It's a really good point. I'd really like a journo / media person worth their salt to put that to Pyke or one of the coaches, and ask them for their perspective on that and how they explain it.

You would hope that the coaches - if only behind closed doors - are making exactly the point you've just made to the playing group.

 

[Mike Smyth]

Yea! The odds of him being fired before the end of the season are shortening dramatically!

My mail is he will join his mentor, Neil Craig, at Carlton.

 

[jenny61_99]

I took some Asian takeaway over to my sister's place and watched the game with her --- she is a rabid Crows fanatic, jumps up and down on her seat, screams at the TV (which does not listen) and is seriously scary to watch a game with.
But we both yelled at the TV "Don't handball it to Jacobs!!!" (TV still did not listen) especially when it's congested and he's flat-footed.
Using Sauce as a taaaaaaall-mid is not a bad idea because he's got to get more of the ball around the ground, but his disposal is ... how can I be subtle? ... not the best.

Doesn't help that they handball it to his bloody feet! It's a long way down there you know!

 

[Mike Smyth]

How good is Greenwood at intercepting a handball? Just reads it brilliantly. Fair wing span - very deceptive. Catches the opposition by surprise.

He's a beauty.

 

[MRB37]

Was thinking that last night. His kicking is becoming very good. Absolute MUST re-sign.

Will be a great captain of the club

Here's a nice example of that in the first quarter

 

[whitey_1975]

Has the collective bargaining agreement been signed yet? You won't see anything until it is.

I am concerned that may be an excuse.....we have been bitten a few times now.

 

[dogs105]

I presume if you take possession in a pack but get tackled immediately and it's locked in you get a contested possession but not a disposal.

Yeah I think so too. It's just the way the afl app calls the sum of kicks and handballs possessions instead of disposals.

 

[Redleg Crow]

Also GOOD:
2014 Draft Pick No. 14 > 2014 Draft Pick No. 1.

 

[MRB37]

This is all from Greenwood in about a 2 minute period in the first quarter.

Intercept handball, gets it to Otten who goals.


Then manages to harass the ball carrier enough that it causes a poor kick, which allows Douglas to tackle and kill the ball.


Then at the stoppage, he gets a handball out to Crouch, follows up, puts his head over the ball and beats Seb Ross for it.

 

[BunjiMac]

[/QUOTE]

Was thinking that last night. His kicking is becoming very good. Absolute MUST re-sign.

Will be a great captain of the club

What I think separates Lever's kicking is his fearlessness and absolute conviction in going for his (difficult) options.

A lot of guys have great kicks, but fail to execute as the fear of failure and missing turns their legs into jelly. They often end up kicking straight to the opposition standing 5 metres in front of their target.

I think his mental aptitude is actually what allows the rest of his game to flourish and be the gun he is.

Seems to be one of these guys who are born with an unshakeable confidence.

Must be our next Captain.

 

[BunjiMac]

This is all from Greenwood in about a 2 minute period in the first quarter.

Intercept handball, gets it to Otten who goals.


Then manages to harass the ball carrier enough that it causes a poor kick, which allows Douglas to tackle and kill the ball.


Then at the stoppage, he gets a handball out to Crouch, follows up, puts his head over the ball and beats Seb Ross for it.

Still think his "AFL" body isn't fully developed either.

 

[CrowBloke]

Doesn't help that they handball it to his bloody feet! It's a long way down there you know!

Bloody funny, made me LOLOL, still smiling.
Doesn't help that HE handballs behind them, or at their head, or when they're just about to get MAULED.

 

[Cromulent]

The ugly:

I was 4x Brad Crouch disposals from a $470 payout..

 

[jenny61_99]

I am concerned that may be an excuse.....we have been bitten a few times now.

Lever told us at the post match at the Gold Coast - when asked if he was staying, and then the interviewer said "no you don't have to answer that" at which point Jacobs said "No, ask him, ask him". Lever said he wants to stay at the Crows that he hopes it will be done sooner rather than later, but that they were waiting for the CBA. Makes sense to wait for the CBA in my opinion.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Daniel was very close with his grandad Harvey Stevens the Bulldogs champion of yesteryear who passed on early in the year?

On Daniel his brother Michael is back playing some pretty decent footy in the 2's up there I hear and not getting a look in??

Michael is a bit of a hack IMO

He is playing ok though ( albeit NEAFL ) but I don't think he's an AFL player

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Must admit I thought Douglas, especially by foot was gross. But I seem to be in the minority there so maybe I was wrong. Have to be one of the most boring matches I've ever seen. This game mixed with the dons presser and I was asleep in about 5 seconds flat. Great cures for insomnia.

I hope we keep winning in a boring manner and keep opposition scores down because that's what finals football is about

 

[NTRabbit]

I think Talia might be injured, given the number of times he was spelled and replaced down back by Otten; either that or we were spelling Talia to find a place to stick Otten at times, which is just a whole other worry.

And he had second lowest time on ground, after Greenwood.

He spent a good deal of time off the ground getting the busted nose plugged.