Game Day NAB 3, Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood. Etihad Stadium 1:10.

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Adams went at 85% efficiency also. As long as he can get it to our runners, that's all his disposal needs to do.

Efficiency stat can be deceiving and it really was in Adams' case. The number of times he held up play by missing a target was, frankly, too large. Our players often ran onto it but it smashed our ball movement and played into the Pies' hands.

 

[ScragCity]

Thanks for the reports guys. Missed this game as well as the last.

The best news seems to be the form of Daniel, T.Boyd and JJ. Also it seems Biggs played a solid game. Is that right?

Not overly concerned with the result or even the less-than-brilliant efforts from Bont and Libba. I think they will lift when the real stuff starts, and with another couple of weeks' work under their belts. Hoping Dickson is right for Rd 1.

Like others I'm still to be convinced of the value of Stringer in midfield other than for a brief change of structure and matchups. To me, he always looks more dangerous as a forward.

Biggest concern is the ruck. We are in trouble if neither Minson nor Campbell are fit for Rd 1. Roughead seems a long way back and I don't like the idea Boyd rucking all day, or Redpath rucking at all.

Just some questions for those who were there:

• Not much discussion of Mitch Wallis and Matt Boyd who seemed to rack up some good numbers. Did they look as good as the numbers suggest?
• Was McLean's performance in 47% of game time worthy of an early game in the seniors (even if not Rd 1)? I haven't seen enough of him in his 4 senior games last year and one NAB Challenge that I saw him live. He just seems to me like he's not quite ready yet. Both in physique and impact.

Wallis was hard at it all day and fierce in every contest. Probably our best for mine. M Boyd I didn't notice as much but he is a work horse and just gets it done every week without needing to stand out.
Mclean is a bit over rated on this board, in my opinion. Great potential but not yet AFL quality.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Its a NAB game a practice match. Remember when Richmond beat us by 100 and the next match Round1 we won by 100 I reckon Bev pulled the plug he saw what he wanted and no injuries, I hope?

NAB cup game 3a hit out before the season final, gives us a chance to look at our weaknesses and address them as much as we can.

 

[webbo]

Efficiency stat can be deceiving and it really was in Adams' case. The number of times he held up play by missing a target was, frankly, too large. Our players often ran onto it but it smashed our ball movement and played into the Pies' hands.

For sure, but I think many are being too harsh on Adams. Held Cloke pretty well I thought. Perhaps people are harsh on him because he's a mature age recruit, but I think we need to treat him as just another draftee trying to get used to the speed of this level.

 

[Astro_]

I'll take the blame for this one boys. My internet dropped out just before half time and here in Thailand AFL isn't so popular and therefore not shown on prime time.

I heard it was all downhill after half time

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Not much discussion of Mitch Wallis and Matt Boyd who seemed to rack up some good numbers. Did they look as good as the numbers suggest?

Wallis was excellent, both up forward and through the midfield. Boyd was subdued in the first half but was one of the few to finish the game off really well. Some of his positioning was sublime and he really showed his experience and gut running ability to attempt to drag us over the line. Not his best game, but gave it all, just as you expect from him.

Was McLean's performance in 47% of game time worthy of an early game in the seniors (even if not Rd 1)? I haven't seen enough of him in his 4 senior games last year and one NAB Challenge that I saw him live. He just seems to me like he's not quite ready yet. Both in physique and impact.

He was very good today. His work rate was fantastic. There was one passage of play where he took a kick at half back and then was on the receiving end of a kick at half forward. He just makes good things happen when he has the ball too. He's right on the edge of senior selection for mine and his fate (gee that sounds dramatic) is almost entirely dependent on how tall we decide to play.

 

[Yezeha]

Credit again where it's due, Treloar super impressive for Pies today, as well as Moore. Like De Goey as well.

Finish on a negative for Pies though, what has become of Travis Cloke?

Cloke might end up becoming the highest paid decoy of all time.

 

[topdog69]

I knew he must have been an excellent poster for me to be compared to him!

Buddy I am Topdog69 some off the poster have not respond to me reply in past but when I told them that had cancer in middle off the year in 2015 last but I am slowly getting weaker and will die in the coming week or month

 

[immortalmike]

Hopefully you are right. I think they are the most balanced up and coming team going around. They have some serious depth in Sharenberg, Broomhead and the like that has barely been sighted yet as well and assuming get past their injury runs will be guns. The filth are a bigger threat to our flag hopes in the coming years than GCS and maybe even GWS in my opinion. I think both ourselves and Collingwood have gone past and will stay past Port. Anyway we will watch this space.

....and De Goey... bloody gun... And Levi Greenwood.....more depth

(Wasn't trying to offend you with NSIS I just see it very very differently - clearly )

Not offended just thought it was an odd comment on a fairly defensible position.

Personally I hope I'm wrong. I quite like the Pies (my Goddaughter is a mad Pie) and I am a fan of Bucks. But I just see them as North 2.0.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Cloke might end up becoming the highest paid decoy of all time.

He structured up your forward line beautifully the second he came on the ground in the second half. Was a massive difference between pre-Cloke and post-Cloke forward line. He didn't look great individually but at the ground the structural difference was pretty ridiculous.

 

[go you pups]

My best for today

JJ, Wallis, T Boyd, Daniel, daylight after that


Hunter, Macrae and Murphy all wasteful imo, Morris directly turned a ball over that resulted in a goal too. Bont, Stringer and Libba all down, Stevens and Jong very ordinary. Dahlhaus and Suckling went missing in the second half.

Can't really blame Morris, Adams and Biggs for the goals they conceded to Collingwoods talls, they needed more help down there after Collingwood got on top. I'd always rather lose with a tall team, losing with a small team gets me somewhat frustrated when we have talls in reserve that aren't even used

 

[fargy]

Wallis was excellent, both up forward and through the midfield. Boyd was subdued in the first half but was one of the few to finish the game off really well. Some of his positioning was sublime and he really showed his experience and gut running ability to attempt to drag us over the line. Not his best game, but gave it all, just as you expect from him.


He was very good today. His work rate was fantastic. There was one passage of play where he took a kick at half back and then was on the receiving end of a kick at half forward. He just makes good things happen when he has the ball too. He's right on the edge of senior selection for mine and his fate (gee that sounds dramatic) is almost entirely dependent on how tall we decide to play.

 

[DognBones]

Very impressed with the Pies today, they've put together a seriously good midfield and with 7 or 8 pretty decent players still out of the side, look to be in for a much better season.
As for us: As others have mentioned, Libba and Bonts look semi fit and struggled to make position on occasions.
Lack of tall key defenders caused havoc too often, the midfield took time off for good behaviour in the second half. Woody had the worst game I think I've seen him play, just didn't seem to have a fix on an opponent.
TBoyd played his best all round game and had he kicked 2 more sitters, we'd be looking to extend his contract for a further 7 years (OK, that's a bit over the top).
Daniel, was the only midfielder prepared to work his butt off in the 3rd quarter when Collingwood ran riot.
With no Crammers this year, I think its imperative to leave Stringer in the forward half where he is most damaging. JJ was very good but blazed away at goal without looking for better options. Perhaps it might work for him another day. Jongy was disappointing. On a day when all midfielders had their moments, he managed few clean possessions.
Most of the team were very inconsistent and the coach has plenty to work on to get the right mix and balance for Round 1.
Oh, and finally, I don't care what Bev was trying to do with his rotations, but leaving Dad on the bench the whole game was a tad arrogant. When we needed tall options down back we could have at least seen if he could impact.

 

[immortalmike]

I don't know what everyone else took away from his game but I'm more than convinced by Toby McLean's credentials for Round 1. He is a star.

My worry is that he struggles to stay in games at the moment. Will be a gun though.

Also still worried at the ease of which players step Caleb Daniel. Can we get him and Honeychurch to do a fusion dance?

 

[Sharkey66]

Difference in the game was when Campbell went off

This. Our whole structure was cooked from the middle of the second quarter. we did well to keep it as close as we did.

 

[fargy]

The Pies biggest struggle is with ball use in my opinion. They are great at the contest and with pressure, just struggle at times to use it well.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

With no Crammers this year, I think its imperative to leave Stringer in the forward half where he is most damaging.

To be honest I think they were just trying to get him engaged in the game today, just didn't look like he cared enough.

 

[Apex36]

Buddy I am Topdog69 some off the poster have not respond to me reply in past but when I told them that had cancer in middle off the year in 2015 last but I am slowly getting weaker and will die in the coming week or month

I'm not sure how to respond to that other than to say I'm sorry and hope you're comfortable

 

[VitalDread]

Didn't see the game but how did Redpath and Toyd look up forward?

 

[immortalmike]

I'm not sure how to respond to that other than to say I'm sorry and hope you're comfortable

Don't. It's... it's...sigh...sorry a typo put you in this situation.

 

[Ozil]

My worry is that he struggles to stay in games at the moment. Will be a gun though.

Also still worried at the ease of which players step Caleb Daniel. Can we get him and Honeychurch to do a fusion dance?

I understand Hawthorn are working on such technology.

They're just planning to use it for evil, though.

 

[dogwatch]

Buddy I am Topdog69 some off the poster have not respond to me reply in past but when I told them that had cancer in middle off the year in 2015 last but I am slowly getting weaker and will die in the coming week or month

Hang in there mate.

 

[immortalmike]

Thought it was a great hit out, made crystal clear what the round one team is. I think we once again showed that we are a good Side, but if we drop our guard even for a moment we are venerable. We showed it last year when we lost to Stkilda after leading strongly, we had the pies covered, but we relaxed a fraction, they responded.

Very excited about what I saw today. Tom Boyd, must have the doubters extremely nervous. Redpath complimented him. We didn't have a KP defender in sight so that area will improve I hope.

Biggs is in round 1. Superb from him, playing on talls. Daniel is in. Hope TC is ok, is was great early.

Great hit out, Pies are the real deal. We'll go into round 1 with a reality check.

While I agree with most of this post, the only way Redpath complimented Boyd was when he told him he had a nice arse pre-game.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Didn't see the game but how did Redpath and Toyd look up forward?

Boyd was outstanding. Redpath just doesn't do enough when the ball isn't directed at him for mine. He had a poor game but the partnership itself didn't show great signs either in my opinion.

 

[immortalmike]

I understand Hawthorn are working on such technology.

They're just planning to use it for evil, though.

Everything they do is for evil. Except Sam Mitchell's injection sledge that was for the good of the nation.