Autopsy Positives and Negatives vs Norf

[Karim Abdul Yeo]

caught bit and pieces of the game. Even if we lose to Richmond we should have a better percentage than them after round 23. This big win really set us up for top 2 as i see brisbane dropping at least 1 of their last 2 games against Richmond and Geelong. An ideal scenario would be us finishing 2nd and Brisbane 3rd. Would walk into a prelim at Optus.

Name me one game this entire year where we thought we would walk through an opponent?? None. so let's all of a sudden begin that mentatlity in QF. Lions are a good team.

 

[Biggie]

Name me one game this entire year where we thought we would walk through an opponent??

Freo Rnd 16

 

[The wily weagle]

I still can't get over the fact that Sheed laid 5 tackles.

One of the most complete games i have seen him play.

 

[Karim Abdul Yeo]

Freo Rnd 16 ♥

That's not an AFL fixture.

 

[Biggie]

That's not an AFL fixture.

I’ll pay that

 

[Biggie]

I still can't get over the fact that Sheed laid 5 tackles.

One of the most complete games i have seen him play.

He has had some sort of season

To think - he was languishing in the magoos last season early on.

Great story.

 

[Biggie]

Positive

 

[larrikin]

A question for you larrikin - do you think his tackling has improved?

I think he has got his body right. Had no preseason and then when he was dropped he had a couple of weeks off (from memory they listed it as a hammy). I think getting that right has allowed him to improve output, not anything to do with being shamed.

 

[RookiePick]

+ Welcome back Mr Kennedy.
+ JD defensive work. He looks a million bucks when he is working both ways.
+ Thiccy. Guy is finding his confidence and really blossoming.
+ Tom "The Fist" Barrass. Went back to basics and defended great.

- We stuff up a lot of opportunities when we are 4 or 5 goals up to put games to bed. Too much showboating.
- Defence is coughing up a lot of marks i50 in dangerous spots.
- Posters unable to see past existing biases. Masto and Nelson playing great footy, enjoy it!

 

[madfx]

+
Top 2 baby!

JK talking about Lecca in his post game interview reminded me of those two hugging after the GF and how awesome it is they both got one together

Commentary was great we, geez Healy likes us and pav wasn't super annoying for a refreshing change

 

[WillieNillie]

Gonna put a odd negative here

- Fitness levels of Waterman and Cameron

Both just couldnt sustain their run for long enough. A few passages of play where both needed to close down a man, didnt because they were buggered and North coasted down and got a cheap unpressured i50. A few occassions when Waterman had to go to the deep forward role and Kennedy pushed up the ground so he could get a breather too which Im not a fan of

Ill be worried if either is playing come finals time. Both need to work on their tanks if they want to play the roles they are being asked for. Certain they will because time is on both players sides but for this year im thinking we need others playing when the finals start

 

[Snake_Baker]

You folks probably shouldn't take too much out of yesterdays result against us.

Our weakness was very easily exposed, and it won't work against a few other sides.

However, I'm not taking anything away from your claims for the premiership either. You're very much in the top 2-3 sides on your day. I certainly rate you above Geelong & the Bears.

 

[Gaffy Duck]

Aaaand there he is!

 

[Gaffy Duck]

Good edit to save face there

 

[WillieNillie]

Biggest positive of the last 2 weeks has clearly been Jackson Nelson also. He is such a good body to body defender. We dont need everyone to get 20 possessions. I feel much more comfortable with him down back then Cole at the moment.

Give him a 3 year contract if you ask me, not too much coin though. Promise him longevity because given his reliability I think we can bank on him being useful for a long time for us

 

[MrKK]

Gonna put a odd negative here

- Fitness levels of Waterman and Cameron

Both just couldnt sustain their run for long enough. A few passages of play where both needed to close down a man, didnt because they were buggered and North coasted down and got a cheap unpressured i50.

Ill be worried if either is playing come finals time. Both need to work on their tanks if they want to play the roles they are being asked for. Certain they will because time is on both players sides but for this year im thinking we need others playing when the finals start

Waterman is supposed to have a great tank, but he looks like he's running in treacle whenever he's trying to close down an opponent.

 

[BG32]

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Pretty impressive performance yesterday, lots of positives which have been well documented on here.
Only concern for me is our backs leaking goals and more importantly not playing on their men.
Now obviously that is how we play and set up but in finals giving any player space is fraught with danger, so I would like to see us tighten up on our opponents a bit more.
Other than that it was a very good performance.

 

[Coasters7]

The best coaching display I have seen all year.

Simpson utilised the wide open spaces of Optus with his running players to pick apart our lack of outside run.

Was a bit of a perfect storm for us too in fairness. You guys coming of consecutive interstate trips (the two furthest trips just for the fixture to rub it in), and the area we were going to get on top regardless, was on the outside, the fixture just amplified it. Just had to stop the quick start from you guys and we were in the box seat.

 

[Astro7]

You folks probably shouldn't take too much out of yesterdays result against us.
Our weakness was very easily exposed, and it won't work against a few other sides.
However, I'm not taking anything away from your claims for the premiership either. You're very much in the top 2-3 sides on your day. I certainly rate you above Geelong & the Bears.

It wasn't so much about NM, was more about cementing our tenuous ladder position and percentage, didn't matter who the team was in a sense. Also different tactics or templates are used against different teams, but Simmo did a good job exploiting your fixture/travel and run. You guys have a lot to look forward to, some impressive players coming through. Good to hear an outside opinion on the Lions, at this stage they bother me, unknown quantity?

Too much showboating.
Posters unable to see past existing biases. Masto and Nelson playing great footy, enjoy it!

There is a tendency to showboat or Harlem Globetrot a little when they hit a scoreboard comfort zone...don't like it.
Masto, Nelson, JK, unfortunately there's always someone in the crosshairs, next victim please...?

 

[Snake_Baker]

Was a bit of a perfect storm for us too in fairness. You guys coming of consecutive interstate trips (the two furthest trips just for the fixture to rub it in), and the area we were going to get on top regardless, was on the outside, the fixture just amplified it. Just had to stop the quick start from you guys and we were in the box seat.

We don't really have any excuses, I thought our boys tried hard, but we were exposed magnificently and there's not a thing Rhyce Shaw could do about it.

Simpson particularly exposed some of our underdeveloped kids. The lesser knowledgeable North fans have been waffling on about Ahern coasting about picking up stats, but Simpson exposed his complete lack of defensive pressure brilliantly with Rioli (10x score involvements, 2 x goals, 3 x goal assists). How often is a bloke allowed to run around like that and their team loses? The answer is never. I reckon Ahern costs us between 6 to 8 goals.

Jetta was also allowed to run around on his own. Aside from that, you flicked the ball around and spread us at every available opportunity, especially after we clicked up a gear and came back at your great start to the match, which effectively denied us the contests we required to utilise our grunts and took us out of the contest. He's a brilliant coach and you are a very well drilled side.

I'd have the West Coast, Richmond and a fit & firing GWS as the biggest flag threats.

 

[Snake_Baker]

It wasn't so much about NM, was more about cementing our tenuous ladder position and percentage, didn't matter who the team was in a sense. Also different tactics or templates are used against different teams. Good to hear an outside opinion on the Lions, at this stage they bother me, unknown quantity?

My current opinion is slightly informed on the disgraceful result against us last week.

I reckon they are imposters. Let's be honest, there's going to be 3-4 pretty weak sides in this years top 8, and they will get found out unless they luck in to jagging one of them at home.

 

[Astro7]

My current opinion is slightly informed on the disgraceful result against us last week.
I reckon they are imposters. Let's be honest, there's going to be 3-4 pretty weak sides in this years top 8, and they will get found out unless they luck in to jagging one of them at home.

You had a heavy travel schedule and Simmo exploited that also. But look like a great emerging team with a bunch of promising players, a couple of future guns.
You reckon the Lions are imposters? - interesting. They didn't get to equal #2 by accident, but they did benefit from a soft draw/finishing so low last season. I reckon you're right in that the ladder positions just don't reflect the true quality/authenticity of the teams, Lions might prove to be a perfect example of this, if they blow out in the finals?

 

[Snake_Baker]

They were always going to be a solid side considering 10 years of 1st round draft picks and an academy, but I'm not seeing the evolution of any great "era" side there.

I also think the competition is very weak at the moment. As weak as it's ever been, and it's across the board.

I mean no disrespect to any of your current players, but put that side up against your 2006 or 1990's sides and be realistic, and yet this WCE team could be the first one to go back to back.

 

[Astro7]

pav wasn't super annoying for a refreshing change

It appears the Pavlova is slowly becoming professional and somewhat neutral?
(the wife's tweet might've embarrassed him)

I mean no disrespect to any of your current players, but put that side up against your 2006 or 1990's sides and be realistic, and yet this WCE team could be the first one to go back to back.

Not sure about the comp being weaker or it's been equalised or levelled more, which could be perceived as weaker? No disrespect taken, not sure I agree there especially against the 2006 team, with our best 22 including NN. But I could be biased?