Oppo Camp Opposition Watch

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Hawks, Crows, NM, St Kilda are all showing improvement - we seem to fade. This week will help to sort us out on the ladder. I hate how we can't get better at the back end of the season. Happy to eat my words after the Q Clash but not overly confident after watching Lions demolish Swans yeaterday.
Stkilda are not improving. Worst midfield in the competition and beat up a WAFL team on the weekend

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I scratch my head sometimes, maybe it’s because of people having 2nd teams prior to the beautiful city having a team that they are so nasty to the players and negative about the club. Evans on the other hand-go for it.

It’s poor fan culture.
Anyway at the moment it’s Doomy stuff.

What’s happened the last two weeks then?
1-we beat Port and I know I had a great time at the game. It was beautiful.
2-we played well against GWS and the scoreboard was bad because of our finishing in really blustery conditions.

Keep up the good work Dimma.
Go the Gold Coast.
The only club.
 
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The losses are frustrating. I look at the ladder and think where we could have been…

But it is obvious to me that we are playing better football.

We seem to be scoring more (despite what the weekend suggests) and defending better. We actually move with some fluidity often enough to suggest it is a gameplan.

The problem is that other clubs have gotten better, too.

Hawthorn recruited players that are mature and proven, and also get top draft players. Then, they improve rapidly once they start playing consistently.

Sydney got better with one or two recruits + growth in an already good side (yes a few recent losses, but still the best side this year, so far, comfy).

Internal growth only gets you so far. We need, like those teams needed, a spark. A signing to suggest we are going in the right direction. To add faith to the club that other people want to be there, not just players who were forced there in the draft…

People have compared us to Lions when they began their rise. But they got key signings in Cameron and Neale, then Dunkley later. That added ready made class.

If we want to stay above some of the lower teams and leap above the higher ones, we need 1-2 key recruits. It’s a fact.
 
The losses are frustrating. I look at the ladder and think where we could have been…

But it is obvious to me that we are playing better football.

We seem to be scoring more (despite what the weekend suggests) and defending better. We actually move with some fluidity often enough to suggest it is a gameplan.

The problem is that other clubs have gotten better, too.

Hawthorn recruited players that are mature and proven, and also get top draft players. Then, they improve rapidly once they start playing consistently.

Sydney got better with one or two recruits + growth in an already good side (yes a few recent losses, but still the best side this year, so far, comfy).

Internal growth only gets you so far. We need, like those teams needed, a spark. A signing to suggest we are going in the right direction. To add faith to the club that other people want to be there, not just players who were forced there in the draft…

People have compared us to Lions when they began their rise. But they got key signings in Cameron and Neale, then Dunkley later. That added ready made class.

If we want to stay above some of the lower teams and leap above the higher ones, we need 1-2 key recruits. It’s a fact.

We have too many top draft picks who just play on potential. We need those hungry discarded players who take their second opportunity with both hands like Sam Collins looking to prove a point
 
We have too many top draft picks who just play on potential. We need those hungry discarded players who take their second opportunity with both hands like Sam Collins looking to prove a point
Yep. Or good state league players to top up. Clohesy as an example.

Get them in positions of need and see if they can become something. If not, VFL for two years (Faulkhead style) and delist. No real loss.

Suns need to try a bit more moneyball, maybe.
 
Internal growth only gets you so far. We need, like those teams needed, a spark. A signing to suggest we are going in the right direction. To add faith to the club that other people want to be there, not just players who were forced there in the draft…

Or we burst through the dam wall with the players we have.

Pretty sure that is doable. I think the current team can play better for longer against all oppo, home and away. Make that the starting point. Play to a higher level for longer.

That will build sustainable levels of belief in the team and as individuals playing their role in the team. Not a sugar hit of a win here or there, but winning more of the games in the balance, getting more games in balance, and pulling away from teams that we should beat that day.

The dam wall can burst, the stone cutter can, in fact, cut the stone.

Its not easy. We have never done it as a team, plus none of the really good players on our list atm have ever done it either. Ellis was part of a team that did it, but that is it.

But it can be done, other teams have done it with similar talent. It is just taking ^&%)%! forever.



Shizer, Boddsy has got to me....need to head to the Toilet Thread for a reality check.
 
Or we play our away games as well as we play our home games.
At the end of the day, this. We can point to issues in the list, gameplan, etc, that make it seem like we are so far off it, yet we’ve shown at home that we are clearly capable of matching it with any other team. Being so mentally inept that we are scared of literally getting on a plane for a game is the only thing currently standing in the way of us being a top 4 team.

Fix that and we are a top 4 team. Fix the list/skill issues as well and it’s over.

That’s what makes this season so frustrating. There is no reason for us to be dishing up these road performances week after week besides the players mindsets, and we SHOULD currently be well entrenched in the eight (even just with wins against North and St Kilda).
 
At the end of the day, this. We can point to issues in the list, gameplan, etc, that make it seem like we are so far off it, yet we’ve shown at home that we are clearly capable of matching it with any other team. Being so mentally inept that we are scared of literally getting on a plane for a game is the only thing currently standing in the way of us being a top 4 team.

Fix that and we are a top 4 team. Fix the list/skill issues as well and it’s over.

That’s what makes this season so frustrating. There is no reason for us to be dishing up these road performances week after week besides the players mindsets, and we SHOULD currently be well entrenched in the eight (even just with wins against North and St Kilda).
It was very close margin against Saints and North. Win those and us and media would be talking about Suns arrived. Instead, we talk about the list is not good enough.

I agree, it's mental. Last games at home were against good oppositions and it was very enjoyable watching us in those games.

But I would say playing very young and inexperienced line-ups is another reason. Probably a right decision as they look like our future. Hopefully, it will pay off soon (next year), but young players are learning, still not consistent.

Dimma learning about players, experimenting with roles and players learning a new plan is also part of it.
 
Or we burst through the dam wall with the players we have.
Sure, we might. We seem close to doing that and it is possible.

But every team in our bracket gets naturally better. The bottom teams, by their nature, are filled with young talent just waiting to “make it”.

We need 1-2 new players that are ready made though. We can’t wait for a Johnston or Walter (developing) or a Humphrey (potential) or whoever to be that person. They can play a role while we recruit a player in need for immediate impact.

For instance, a top small forward would make us a good team even more quickly (since we get it in enough). If we get two more goals a game we are top 4, basically. The margin is that close.
 

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Yep. Or good state league players to top up. Clohesy as an example.

Get them in positions of need and see if they can become something. If not, VFL for two years (Faulkhead style) and delist. No real loss.

Suns need to try a bit more moneyball, maybe.
Or maybe pick players that are in form and drop the players who are out of form regardless of what number they were drafted or where they are drafted from. Selection integrity has been a disgrace previously and doesn't look like improving in the near future.
 
Or maybe pick players that are in form and drop the players who are out of form regardless of what number they were drafted or where they are drafted from. Selection integrity has been a disgrace previously and doesn't look like improving in the near future.
Couldn’t agree more mate. How Darcy ****ing Moore is getting a game at the biggest team in the comp is a disgrace
 
Couldn’t agree more mate. How Darcy ****ing Moore is getting a game at the biggest team in the comp is a disgrace
Fair point, couldn't agree more, but potentially looking a little closer to the sons of the Gold Coast sky than what's going on with the Pies.
 
Or maybe pick players that are in form and drop the players who are out of form regardless of what number they were drafted or where they are drafted from. Selection integrity has been a disgrace previously and doesn't look like improving in the near future.
While this was stated poorly, I do agree with the premise. Dimma has admittedly been a lot better than any other coach we've had at dropping players out of form, but there is an argument to be had that he still isn't doing enough.

IMO Fiorini deserves a crack at playing on-ball like he does in the VFL. Rowell is either in need of a rest, or to be dropped for a week or two, and Fiorini can be an absolute weapon as an onballer.

Ballard needs a spell. But even his presence has helped free up Collins so much this season. There isn't really anyone to swap him to.

I'm happy for players to be given leeway to be out of form and to work their way back in, but a few of the guys have survived about 10 rounds without any repercussions which doesn't bode well.
 
Out of all the things to sh*t on the club about this year, I don’t know if not dropping underperforming players is near the top of the list after 6 years of ‘Dew’s boys’.

Rowell, Ballard and Lukosius are the 3 who have probably underperformed the most (low key quite concerning considering they were very in with Dew and are meant to be 3 taking us to new heights), but Rowell is still one of the top contested players in the game even now and we legitimately don’t have anyone over 193cm to currently replace Jack with.

Humphrey the only other one who should’ve been rotated/moved, but who knows what the hell is happening there anymore.

But besides that, we’ve seen Hardwick cut the old brigade (Ellis, Casboult, Macpherson, Lemmens, etc.) for the new era, make some guys earn their spot at the start of the season (Rosas, Mac, Jeffrey, Long, Clohesy), send guys down and back if they haven’t performed (Holman, Fiorini, Budarick, Sexton, Day, Berry), and rotated the kids to keep them lasting the whole season (Rogers, Graham, Walter, Read, Davies, Johnston, Moyle).

There have still been some frustrating swaps for sure, but every club’s supporters would say the same thing. I wouldn’t say we’ve been one of the top clubs in terms of rewarding poor form this year.
 
Out of all the things to sh*t on the club about this year, I don’t know if not dropping underperforming players is near the top of the list after 6 years of ‘Dew’s boys’.

Rowell, Ballard and Lukosius are the 3 who have probably underperformed the most (low key quite concerning considering they were very in with Dew and are meant to be 3 taking us to new heights), but Rowell is still one of the top contested players in the game even now and we legitimately don’t have anyone over 193cm to currently replace Jack with.

Humphrey the only other one who should’ve been rotated/moved, but who knows what the hell is happening there anymore.

But besides that, we’ve seen Hardwick cut the old brigade (Ellis, Casboult, Macpherson, Lemmens, etc.) for the new era, make some guys earn their spot at the start of the season (Rosas, Mac, Jeffrey, Long, Clohesy), send guys down and back if they haven’t performed (Holman, Fiorini, Budarick, Sexton, Day, Berry), and rotated the kids to keep them lasting the whole season (Rogers, Graham, Walter, Read, Davies, Johnston, Moyle).

There have still been some frustrating swaps for sure, but every club’s supporters would say the same thing. I wouldn’t say we’ve been one of the top clubs in terms of rewarding poor form this year.
Sadly in one game played after bye, Davies was better than Rowell.
 
Rowell is either in need of a rest, or to be dropped for a week or two,
Wow
Really?
Just wow
The numbers below are for the AFL-not The Suns
We are a mad crew
We are so good we want to drop one of the top 10 midfielders in the comp
You don't send a Porsche to plough a paddock
Ranked 2nd in Tackles Per Game ● Ranked 7th in Contested Possessions Per Game
● Ranked 8th in Centre Clearances Per Game ● Ranked 8th in Clearances Per Game
● Ranked 10th in Stoppage Clearances Per Game ● Ranked 1st in Total Tackles
● Ranked 6th in Total Centre Clearances ● Ranked 6th in Total Clearances
● Ranked 6th in Total Contested Possessions ● Ranked 7th in Total Stoppage Clearances
 
Be afraid, Matt. Alex is after your position 😂

Ranked by Tackles (descending)
#PlayerAFGBDKHMTHOCLRMGGAToG%



5
Alex Davies970020101011208263068

18
Matt Rowell630016412090398078
 
You sound like the kind of guy who gets climate and weather confused;)
Weather is my hobby, haha.

Just wait when Alex gets a proper run in the middle (on some other team).

To be honest, Matt was quite ordinary recently. Just one tackle against Giants. BTW, I am not sending him to VFL.

I blame Grigg for midfield underperforming (although last 2 games were OK).
 
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Wow
Really?
Just wow
The numbers below are for the AFL-not The Suns
We are a mad crew
We are so good we want to drop one of the top 10 midfielders in the comp
You don't send a Porsche to plough a paddock
Ranked 2nd in Tackles Per Game ● Ranked 7th in Contested Possessions Per Game
● Ranked 8th in Centre Clearances Per Game ● Ranked 8th in Clearances Per Game
● Ranked 10th in Stoppage Clearances Per Game ● Ranked 1st in Total Tackles
● Ranked 6th in Total Centre Clearances ● Ranked 6th in Total Clearances
● Ranked 6th in Total Contested Possessions ● Ranked 7th in Total Stoppage Clearances
If you take away his game in round 0 where he went nuclear, he’s not ranked in the top 15 in any of these stats except tackles for the rest of the season.

He’s been really poor by his standards since about round 7
 

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