Review Opening Round = GWS 114-82 Collingwood

[Jafo]

early days but geez, 2 first round draft picks for him seems overs.

Hopefully doesn’t take as long to kick in as Mayne. But gees was he a bit more than handy toward the end.

 

[Jafo]

This week we can scrub #backtowork and replace it with #backtoschool

 

[gouki88]

Why do you think that?

For me …

It’s got a wonderful suburban ground feel.
Sight lines are great.
Every seat is close to the action.
We’re always well represented.
Decent food.
We’ve got a great record there.
Heaps better than the SCG
I live 15km from the ground and yet going home I can get from my seat to walking through my front door within 30 mins (driving). I can’t imagine too many other grounds make going to the AFL that easy.

The patchwork appearance of the turf is not a looker on the Tele

 

[loki04]

Criticism of how we played is justified, but some of the abuse in the game day is not and never will be. What sort of fan turns so easily on a team that gave us so much happiness over the last two years?

It was a bad loss, it could have been worse. And Dean will stay in - he had to debut eventually. We can’t hold him back waiting for - what? A poor opponent?

And this may be the last year we have Murphy and Howe. And we still don’t appear to have a fit tall forward to help our workhorse Checkers.

Holes at either end - yikes!

When you don't draft for KP needs for 15 years that will happen.

Yeah I know we won a flag last year but 17 win by less then 2 goals over 2 seasons means the competition is hot on our heels.

We were all expecting a 2011 type HnA season due to hype train, but imo we don't have the same overall talent that team had across all lines esp through the spine.

 

[cityslick1]

Key forwards please Derek…

Ash again showed a lack of effort and application. Cox flapping. And Schulz had a shocker. Struggling with intensity and was the broken link in the chain too many times.

Markov has always worried me for decision making and skill level. Backup only please, until he can cut the errors out of his game. Noble was better when on.

Kicking for goal was poor and contested stuff / transition, fumbly.

Dean will be better for the run, but shows that he still has things to work on, and that pace will be a problem for him against the top forwards.

WHE panics in the backline, always hears footsteps. Need a smart and clean player back there. Hurry up Tew…

I hope Fly doesnt play favourites all season…

Out - Dean, Markov, Johnson, Mitchell

In - Howe, McInnes, macrae, Frampton

 

[loki04]

Great to see the boys back out there! Lots of positives, Cameron and Lipinski played well and the Daicos boys have come back well. Quaynor and Maynard held up, our structure did not. Too many easy slices through our zone.

DeGoey looked disinterested at times, Moore was a step off as well.

Still, they stuck on until the end against an extremely good opponent who could not miss all night.

Definitely need to bring in McInnes or even Frampton forward would be an improvement on Johnson who just doesn't have the physicality needed for a key forward.

I thought lippa was average at best. Definitely not playing like he did in those practice games.

GWS leg speed across the ground on rebound had us wanting.

 

[Lockyer24]

Can’t help but feel our backline is missing one proper lockdown key defender. It would have been my #1 issue in offseason to trade for before Schultz or anything else. Whether there was one available is another story.

No team can win the way we defended last night, bruise free, too much space and even gave up a few of those shockers where they leave their man when there is no danger of impacting the ball carrier.

Thought our midfield was pretty good before they eventually stopped bothering when not only we defended poorly, but missed sitters too.

Good:
Cameron - had some real presence
McCreery - enormous effort with speed and strength
Maynard - shut down their match winner, or so we thought

 

[loki04]

We got bowled first ball tonight.

I reckon we’ll bounce back strongly next week but a couple of selection changes would be in order, a few of our big men were not good enough.

I’d anticipate a strong response next week.

Sydney looking strong as well they won't be push overs.
We'd need to up our intensity and then some. Something Adams always brought.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

GWS flooding numbers back and then just running in waves hard forward on transition. We couldn't keep up nor had an answer for it in that 3rd quarter.

Last paragraph sums it up. The “answer” is to hit targets inside 50m or have a target who can halve the contest, and then lock it in there. We didn’t and don’t, so couldn’t. Contrast that with the ease with which GWS scored going forward, our backs were overwhelmed and disorganized.

Not playing Frampton was a head scratcher for me. I know we value intercept and system defense, but Dean is meant to replace both Murphy and Howe on debut? Maybe they just didn’t think he could match Brown athletically and backed in WHE but yikes…

 

[JLC]

Sidebum played fwd. New roles by looks for pendles and Steele. Phasing them out of midfield.

Phasing them out but also keeping them for the big games. I have no doubt in a big final both will play midfield.

Schultz may not have been at his best but still could have kicked at least 2 goals.



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[76woodenspooners]

Can’t help but feel our backline is missing one proper lockdown key defender. It would have been my #1 issue in offseason to trade for before Schultz or anything else. Whether there was one available is another story.

We’ve got plenty of key defenders on our list, it’s just that half of them are out injured.

Moore
Dean
Frampton
Howe
Murphy
Eyre

 

[Apex36]

Missed the last 2.5 quarters as I was on a flight, but going by numbers AJ was as useless as **** on a bull. Time to bring in Reef, the gap between AJ’s best and worst is just too great and it’s starting to become clear that he’s never going to develop that consistency he needs to make it at the top level.

 

[loki04]

Tonight was round zero and last year was round 1.

Lol what marketing department thought round zero was a good idea. Fair dinkum.

 

[The jouneyman]

early days but geez, 2 first round draft picks for him seems overs.

Skills poor,gee he's a heavy set lad, could do with a few less kgs

 

[lenny20]

All in all, it's probably not the worst sign that GWS can play an absolute blinder (18.4 from 50 inside 50's is beyond elite) fuelled by the fire of a losing prelim... and we can play fumbly, structure-less football like it's a low-intensity practice match...

...and we can still have more shots on goal and more i50's.

We were very, very bad. But even then, there’s still upside.

 

[gouki88]

All in all, it's probably not the worst sign that GWS can play an absolute blinder (18.4 from 50 inside 50's is beyond elite) fuelled by the fire of a losing prelim... and we can play fumbly, structure-less football like it's a low-intensity practice match...

...and we can still have more shots on goal and more i50's.

We were very, very bad. But even then, there’s still upside.

Absolutely! Huge growth to be had. Especially as some younger guys like Macrae, McInnes & Allan challenge

 

[Cyclops]

All in all, it's probably not the worst sign that GWS can play an absolute blinder (18.4 from 50 inside 50's is beyond elite) fuelled by the fire of a losing prelim... and we can play fumbly, structure-less football like it's a low-intensity practice match...

...and we can still have more shots on goal and more i50's.

We were very, very bad. But even then, there’s still upside.

Agree. Our system us fine it produced more shots, our players rusting stumbled and it happens (eg vs Carlton last year).

Giants played a blinder and got very physical with us too. We are vulnerable to a bit of belting (Hawthorn last year). 5 more frees tells that story, the chopped Coxs arms every chance they got.

I felt Shulz overcooked everything, was a trying to kick the cover off on short passes. Wants to do the right thing, he'll slot out in.

Not saying this was the Giants GF, it was a meaningful win for them (as was our rd 1 vs Geelong last year) they are a very tough skilled side and we'll have to beat them to win a flag.

Agree with Lockyer24s summary too, Mcreery scared them and Cameron remains our first ruck. Plenty to like, and we'll settle next week I reckon.

 

[Apex36]

Lol what marketing department thought round zero was a good idea. Fair dinkum.

I want to know why the two teams who had the shortest beak between seasons were forced to play a week before the bulk of the competition. Seems like a bizarre choice.

 

[jamieb1983]

early days but geez, 2 first round draft picks for him seems overs.

2 first round picks?
Good way to juice up a trade.

 

[Monco Matt]

I am more than content to write this one off. GWS played the PERFECT game, everything they touched turned to gold. I will only say that this time last year we looked hungry but didn't look it yesterday. Not sure if it is something to worry about but we will find out over the next few weeks. The Cats came out last year looking flat and couldn't get going at all.

The McStay replacement position is still wide open. AJ was so bad that Reef deserves a chance now. That effort was woeful and simply not acceptable from a key forward. Cox needs to be better, didn't do anywhere near enough around the ground. Also, try kicking straight would help, just try it guys! I am tired of the oppo nailing every shot too. We give away too many shots inside the zone.

 

[LuckyLee]

GWS are genuine Premiership contenders, so losing to them on their turf is far from disastrous, especially since they’ve been setting themselves for this match since losing to us by 1pt in the Prelim Final.

In fact, it’s a very helpful loss in many ways. Bursts any bubbles of superiority and complacency that can follow a Premiership and drives home the message that Back to Work has to be much more than just a slogan.

Personnel-wise, AJ, Dean and Markov should play VFL next week, with Reef, Howe and Macrae all coming in.

(Gee Moore struggles when forced to play whole matches as a lock-down defender. Needs his buddies Murph and Howie back asap to give him the freedom to zone off and intercept.)


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[Drought Break]

2 first round picks?
Good way to juice up a trade.

oops sorry, future first and pick 34

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

Last paragraph sums it up. The “answer” is to hit targets inside 50m or have a target who can halve the contest, and then lock it in there. We didn’t and don’t, so couldn’t. Contrast that with the ease with which GWS scored going forward, our backs were overwhelmed and disorganized.

Not playing Frampton was a head scratcher for me. I know we value intercept and system defense, but Dean is meant to replace both Murphy and Howe on debut? Maybe they just didn’t think he could match Brown athletically and backed in WHE but yikes…

I never actually saw the team given our new policy of no one announcing it in the forum. The idea I guess is to create 2 classes of poster - those with gumption and knowledge and those without either.

I just assumed that Frampton was playing but I couldn't have been more wrong if I had wanted to be. Given the day out had by all GWS's tall forwards, it wasn't a good move. Moore started fairly demonstrably, but then faded into the obscurity that getting beaten by better opponents brings.

 

[domus]

Key forwards please Derek…

Ash again showed a lack of effort and application. Cox flapping. And Schulz had a shocker. Struggling with intensity and was the link in the chain too many times.

Markov has always worried me for decision mailing and skill level. There is a reason he has been cut twice. Backup only please. Noble was better when on.

Kicking for goal was poor and contested stuff / transition, fumbly.

Dean will be better for the run, but shows that he still has things to work on, and that pace will be a problem for him against the top forwards.

WHE panics in the backline, always hears footsteps. Need a smart and clean player back there. Hurry up Tew…

I hope Fly doesnt play favourites all season…

Out - Dean, Markov, Johnson, Mitchell

In - Howe, McInnes, macrae, Frampton

A few very questionable comments in your post. WHE has been as hard at the pill and contest as anyone in the past 6 months of playing time. His laconic approach is similar to Twiggy Dunne's who was also a courageous player. Markov has also been an effective user of the pill since he arrived at our club. Schultz did not have a shocker. He won the pill far better than Hill or Elliott but rushed his disposal. He is a proven player who will simply take a few weeks to settle into our side.

He is fine when games are red hot as proven by couple of derby medals back in Perth. He was one of the few to show some fight in the Freo final last year when we smashed them.

One bad game. Let's take a breath and re-assess in five weeks. Our players deserve the chance to set things right after delivering us the Holy Grail a few months ago.

 

[Magpies Swoop Ya]

A few very questionable comments in your post. WHE has been as hard at the pill and contest as anyone in the past 6 months of playing time. His laconic approach is similar to Twiggy Dunne's who was also a courageous player. Markov has also been an effective user of the pill since he arrived at our club. Schultz did not have a shocker. He won the pill far better than Hill or Elliott but rushed his disposal. He is a proven player who will simply take a few weeks to settle into our side.

He is fine when games are red hot as proven by couple of derby medals back in Perth. He was one of the few to show some fight in the Freo final last year when we smashed them.

One bad game. Let's take a breath and re-assess in five weeks. Our players deserve the chance to set things right after delivering us the Holy Grail a few months ago.

% with you on your last paragraph