Review Good/Bad vs Geelong

[AFC979810]

Buckley/Brown (can’t remember which) literally assumed in the Nicks pre-game interview that Keays would go to Stewart when asking the question, and rightfully so. I reckon everyone listening in was caught off guard when Nicks said ‘nah we’ll use Pedlar’

Keays for me is the most obvious one.

And to be honest even though it didn't pan out, I am not against Nicks trying Pedlar on Stewart. As others have pointed out Port nullified him with Narkle and McEntee.

The issue I, and seemingly the rest of the world bar the most deluded of Nicks supporters, is that once Peds failed he didnt try anything else.

 

[maxlilly]

Josh Worrel is the obvious matchup

This is a good match up for Stewart, someone with a height advantage and a bit of mongrel

 

[George Kramer]

Keays for me is the most obvious one.

And to be honest even though it didn't pan out, I am not against Nicks trying Pedlar on Stewart. As others have pointed out Port nullified him with Narkle and McEntee.

The issue I, and seemingly the rest of the world bar the most deluded of Nicks supporters, is that once Peds failed he didnt try anything else.

But those port players just became negating pains in the arses where as Pedlar should have been used for his strengths, ie bursts in the middle and the freedom to try and kick goals. He had the latter after 1/4 time and sucked but that’s besides the point. Nicks took that opportunity away in the first qtr and instead made him look like an idiot against Stewart.

 

[SugarShane]

Nope, I reckon Christ could have at least marked a sherrin.

No chance. Couldn't get his arms above his shoulders.

 

[AFC979810]

But those port players just became negating pains in the arses where as Pedlar should have been used for his strengths, ie bursts in the middle and the freedom to try and kick goals. He had the latter after 1/4 time and sucked but that’s besides the point. Nicks took that opportunity away in the first qtr and instead made him look like an idiot against Stewart.

I think anyone would give up Pedlar's strengths if he effectively shut down Stewart. Stewart is vital to the way Geelong go about it and apart from Dawson / Walker I would scratch out any AFC player pregame if it meant that Stewart wasn't playing.

It obviously failed miserably, but I am not upset with him trying something different. From reports on here Pedlar didn't have the best preseason, so maybe Nicks was trying to get Pedlar involved around the ball a bit more.

I am not upset about Nicks trying something left field and at least he gave up after a quarter (even though the idiot didnt do anything for the next 3 quarters and Stewart continued to massacre us).

 

[FR0GGY]

No chance. Couldn't get his arms above his shoulders.

Chest mark

 

[AFC979810]

Sorry to disappoint all - but Jesus would never play for us.

He hangs around with a rough crowd (beggars and prostitutes) and we would not have him at the club unless he cut that bloody long hair.

 

[Crow till I die]

Sorry to disappoint all - but Jesus would never play for us.

He hangs around with a rough crowd (beggars and prostitutes) and we would not have him at the club unless he cut that bloody long hair.

Yep, he already plays for Arsenal

 

[Eddie Murphy]

This is how Nicks should’ve addressed the Stewart match up. Not “we got the plan right not the execution” which implies the players were wrong not the coaches.

 

[kirky]

My 9 year old could have come up with that. It's difficult to believe he studies medicine.

Has he nominated what he wants to specialise in? Perhaps being a neurologist.

 

[Pugsley]

Has he nominated what he wants to specialise in? Perhaps being a neurologist.

A dietitian.

 

[George Kramer]

This is how Nicks should’ve addressed the Stewart match up. Not “we got the plan right not the execution” which implies the players were wrong not the coaches.

And then he gave up and went the no plan option.

 

[AmericanCrow]

This post is really just for you, so it mighta been better as a PM, but I gotta come clean about my fears about Nicks & the Crows.
I was gonna contact you pre-Cats-game with a premonition of a Crows loss and suggest you wait for the replay.
Just in case.

The hype around the Crows after 2023, nearly-made-Finals, we-was-robbed, just-wait-until-next-year worried me.
11 wins, 12 losses (47.8% success rate) and 10th spot was mediocre, at best. 18th to 10th in 3 years.
I was apprehensive but kept pretty quiet lest the optimists shouted me down.

Nicks has several flaws which I think are fatal:
--- odd selection policies which favour seniority over actual performance + mediocre senior performances rewarded by re-re-re-selection.
--- he plays favorites. eg If Smith keeps his spot after the last 2 rounds, Nicks is weak/useless. Smith vs. Geelong was Petrenko-level pathetic. eg Sholl picked for Round 1, then "OH we forgot how bad Sholl was under pressure, drop him" . Again. Gonna be interesting to see what he does when Sloane is declared fit to play.
--- he's gone back to the around-the-wings then bomb-it-in style to minimise the size of losses, but which ensures losses nonetheless.
Then:
Murphy into Leadership group. Unfathomable.
RT injured, big out; Tex with back niggle.
Lose Round One. Crows are bad, fumbly, poor skills on show again, but "lots of positives" there according to Nicks.
Nicks extended to end 2026, but as reward for what?? The nearly-"success" of mediocre 2023? They couldn't wait until the bye, then base his extension upon 2024 results?
Lose Round Two --- Dawson copping close attention and effectiveness weakened, midfield dominated by Dawson/Crouch/Laird absolutely smashed by second-string Cats mids, Pedlar pasted by Stewart, depleted Cats run rings around us, Smith worst-on-ground, more fumbles/hesitaion, no composure, Crows taking each other out in marking contests, handballing to a close mate then running into him, high bombs into F50 and a grateful Stewart, so many poor kicks not under pressure go ootf, or to opponents etc etc
BUT
"lots of positives" there as well, according to Burgess singing Nicks' Company Song.

It's dire, mate.
I hope I'm wrong --- I'd love for the Crows to win and win well and be a force again --- but the early signs for 2024 are terrible.
I just can't see cheerful, affable, likable Nicks Coaching this team out of its funk into the Final 8 then contend for a Flag in 2025/26, but like I said, I really hope I'm wrong.

Hope you're well; any thoughts?

Doing pretty well, hope you and your family are too

Never been a fan of Nicks, and he has his work cut out for him these next 3 weeks.

Definitely will be telling stretch for sure.

I guess we hope for the best at this point, because no change is coming

 

[CrowBloke]

Definitely will be telling stretch for sure.

I guess we hope for the best at this point, because no change is coming

Yeah, mate.
Pre-Round 1 (on the back of 2024 finishing form) I thought/hoped we'd be 3-2 after 5 Rounds. Now we're looking at 0-5.

I'd like to see Nicks make some innovative changes and positioning (eg NOT a dynamic, attacking forward like Pedlar on an intercepting beast like Stewart) and mix it up, surprising both Freo and us.
Based on Nicks so far, not gonna happen .

 

[George Kramer]

It was amateur hour ......and made a mockery of all the pre-season garble

"We were able to train with footballs, and hone our skills"

1. Well, there was only one side one grabbing the ball tonight
2. There was only one side that continued to slip over
3. There was only one side, whose players didn't keep spoiling and running into teammates
4. And there was only one side who moved the ball quicker than treakle
5. And there was only one side, whose head wasn't big enough to drink their own bath water ....and believe they were destined for Finals

AND IT WASN'T THE CROWS !

Crouch got 39 possessions, but back to his old ways ....slowing us down ...we are a worse midfield with him in it .....and either he or Laird has to go

Smith ....WOW, how bad can a player play

Berry ....or should I say fumbles Berry ....how many turnovers did he present to GEEL

Hinge ....forget the possession count ...he was caught in no-man's land defending time & time again .....another bath water drinker

ROB ....again not marking anything ....you simply cannot rely on his output

Fogarty ....another who clearly demonstrated his inability to focus on the game for 100 min

NICKS
In what world does any coach allow Tom Stewart to run around like an unregistered dog ....game losing move #1

In what world do you have your Captain tagging a 34 YO Danger ....he was never going to tear us a new one ....and we lost all drive from Dawson, our most direct MID ....game losing move #2

Congratulations on manning Stewart up in the last 10 min of the game .....just WOW !

There's no words to describe how bad that coaching performance was tonight

Kane McGoodwin and here’s another glowing endorsement of Nicks coaching.

WaynesWorld19 how come you’re ignoring your opinion of Nicks coaching and blaming injuries?

I particularly like this because you recognise how slowly we were moving the ball and allowing Stewart to run rampant.