Game Day Preseason Game 2 vs Port

[freo1]

What a pointless post, I didn't watch anything, but you're all verifying my existing opinions, so now I'm going to repeat them for you.

What the??? Do I have to watch the game in order to validate journos and people on here? You’re crazy.

Everyone is saying how disappointing the game style was. All I said was that is extremely concerning that essentially nothing seems to have changed from last year given all the posts here and what journos are saying.

Not pointless at all, quite valid actually. You’re obviously happy to keep playing slow, predictable and wide like last year? Definition of stupidity my friend - repeating the same thing and expecting a different outcome.

 

[freo1997]

Well isnt this contradicting to everything you have posted on here. Sturt & Treacy both played in all games in the 2nd half of the season

They reaped the rewards of the ball movement and good entires. They need to be able to manufacture something out of nothing more.

 

[Docker82]

One person isn’t getting to break the drought. If Jlo goes who goes with him?
Bell has already been moved sideways, club needs people who know how to win.
Jlo has the whole year to perform for me, it’s the club itself that is under the gun.
Next coach in waiting with a WA connection Cox, Carr, Hanson.
If Cox, Carr lead Sydney, Port, then their former bosses would be good additions
in some capacity.

Whilst I agree removing one person will solve jack, I just don’t think JL’s position at the club has any credibility if we don’t finish at least tenth this year. We’ve been rebuilding since 2016 FFS - our draftees from that year would be free agents now if out of contract. JL has been here for five years end of this year. Make all the excuses you want but we’ve got to see some results.

It’s clear Bell was moved sideways and perhaps he’s better off out of the club altogether.

Maybe a fresh look with some of the assistants wouldn’t be the worst thing either. Don’t think Graham or Boyd would be any less rated at opposition clubs tbh but both were (along with Josh Carr) JL’s men he brought with him.

 

[anchor man]

I was disappointed with the result and the way the boys played, but we were never going to trouble Port with the players we fielded.
Two of our best forwards, maybe our two best.
To me the only good things to come of the game were the performances of Young, Pearce and Fyfe.All three looked ripe and ready to play footy.
Not going to knock players , but I was looking for more from Sharp. Was hoping for some line breaking runs , carrying the ball and delivering it forward.
Though a big fan og Sam Sturt

1

Sam Sturt

Age

24

Ht

190cm

Wt

81kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.7

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

3.7

3star

M

2.3

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

7.7

2star

K

4.0

1star

HB

3.7

3star

M

2.3

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

1.3

5star

D

7.7

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

3.7

3star

M

2.3

3star

T

1.0

3star

G

1.3

5star

,he disappointed me. This was a game for him to stand up and make his presence felt. But failed.
Voss showed he could be a win for us.
Again. with our two best marking forwards out, the mids reverted back to bombing the ball into the open arms of Rategellea and Allir.
Simpson will take some time to come along, but he will have a spot there come seasons end. He will have cemented his place.
Darcy treated the game as an extra training run to get miles into his legs. Practice the new ruck rule.He will brutalise most rucks.
Another two weeks to fix some issues, but the team we field in round one will be different we hope with those injured being fit and ready.

 

[FreoMatt]

Whilst I agree removing one person will solve jack, I just don’t think JL’s position at the club has any credibility if we don’t finish at least tenth this year. We’ve been rebuilding since 2016 FFS - our draftees from that year would be free agents now if out of contract. JL has been here for five years end of this year. Make all the excuses you want but we’ve got to see some results.

It’s clear Bell was moved sideways and perhaps he’s better off out of the club altogether.

Maybe a fresh look with some of the assistants wouldn’t be the worst thing either. Don’t think Graham or Boyd would be any less rated at opposition clubs tbh but both were (along with Josh Carr) JL’s men he brought with him.

Talking about assistant coaches an article in the Herald Sun today talking about who will come up from the assistant ranks, pretty much focused on Joel Corey, these are some of the player comments.

Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[FD2646]

Talking about assistant coaches an article in the Herald Sun today talking about who will come up from the assistant ranks, pretty much focused on Joel Corey, these are some of the player comments.

Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

I'd believe it. He wasn't athletically gifted but was a great player. Additionally, it's fairly well publicised that he was the brains behind putting Young into the midfield.

 

[Docker82]

Talking about assistant coaches an article in the Herald Sun today talking about who will come up from the assistant ranks, pretty much focused on Joel Corey, these are some of the player comments.

Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

I didn’t list him because I’m not sure where the prior JL link is - no other reason.

JL was an Assistant Coach at the same club as both Graham and Boyd. With Boyd he probably played footy with our CEO too.

Corey was just a WA boy we saw an opportunity to bring home. Having said that we only brought him across as a development coach. If he was as good as those comments suggest that’s a bit strange imo but I guess we didn’t see the need to appoint someone else when Josh Carr left.

 

[Shadow Man]

I'm not inclined to get too riled up this early based on a practice match with significant outs, there will be plenty of time for that in the season proper. Call me old-school but what does bother me is young blokes running around in bright pink (or other lairy coloured) boots before they've got any runs on the board. Fyfe can do that if he so chooses because he's put together an impressive body of work, he's earn't the right!

 

[blue shark]

Talking about assistant coaches an article in the Herald Sun today talking about who will come up from the assistant ranks, pretty much focused on Joel Corey, these are some of the player comments.

Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Joel is not the problem, and he is a proven assistant coach.
But some people don’t want the limelight. Or want the pressure that
comes with the top job let alone the hours involved.
Losing Carr I’d suggest put us back a year, and a greater load on the others
who had to do more with less.
They probably thought they could cover the loss and Acres, Mundy too.
Club thinking they are too clever, and the growth would be linear.

 

[Madas]

Yep he would, but I would take Cox too
Hanson at the Blues would be another
one to add.
Let the world know we want a contingency plan and see what strikes.

Good idea
Puts a rocket up JL as well

Dean Cox 100% I would take
Tutelage of horse can not be underestimated and he seems like a decent guy

On the flip side I was unfortunate enough to cross paths with Ash Hansen back in the late 90’s
Absolute Flog from my recollection

 

[mayne iac]

Joel is not the problem, and he is a proven assistant coach.
But some people don’t want the limelight. Or want the pressure that
comes with the top job let alone the hours involved.
Losing Carr I’d suggest put us back a year, and a greater load on the others
who had to do more with less.
They probably thought they could cover the loss and Acres, Mundy too.
Club thinking they are too clever, and the growth would be linear.

Last sentence is freo for ever

 

[blue shark]

Good idea
Puts a rocket up JL as well

Dean Cox 100% I would take
Tutelage of horse can not be underestimated and he seems like a decent guy

On the flip side I was unfortunate enough to cross paths with Ash Hansen back in the late 90’s
Absolute Flog from my recollection

Maybe we need a few flogs, seems like every winning team has a few?

 

[Hamann188]

Right
So which coach is coming in to steer us through this massive correction
?

There's about half a dozen to a dozen posters here on BigFooty that I'm constantly wondering why they are wasting their time on an internet forum and aren't in the coach's box or running the front office when they can "clearly" do a better job than the people paid to do it proffesionally.

 

[Purple Jesus]

I'm not inclined to get too riled up this early based on a practice match with significant outs, there will be plenty of time for that in the season proper. Call me old-school but what does bother me is young blokes running around in bright pink (or other lairy coloured) boots before they've got any runs on the board. Fyfe can do that if he so chooses because he's put together an impressive body of work, he's earn't the right!

Christ on a biscuit.

 

[Rhufus]

You may be correct but it doesn't explain why we got Wagner then and why chapman and Walker used to break the lines so much when they were playing. The players said it is themselves that don't have the courage to do it. Maybe that is just the way it. Clark said in an interview recently that that is his role, yet against Port he again didn't do it. Infact there were times he could have played on and didn't or could have run past for the handball and instead chose to offer a small lead. It is instinctive and natural for Wagner to do it. It doesn't seem to be for Clark,or Ryan for whatever reason.

Its not the players imo. Maybe a player is not a natural or instinctual at running and breaking the lines and has a tendency to conservatism but if the coaches wanted them to do it and each time they didnt do it they would be torn a new one, they would soon either be doing what the coaches said, or playing at Peel.
If Clark is meant to be running the lines, why didnt JLo drag him and tell he had better start doing what he was instructed to do?

No, the only conclusion you can draw when you see players "not have the courage to break lines" or not "running past for the handball out of the backline" is that the coaches dont care less, havent identified it as important and are not coaching it at training and on game day. Simple as that. Overall I agree with Clive Docker82.

The technique and strategy (or lack of) out of the backline is on the coaches, execution you can blame on the players.
If this game plan doesnt rapidly improve JLo is skating on the thinnest of ice, Im afraid.

 

[apuchar]

Its not the players imo. Maybe a player is not a natural or instinctual at running and breaking the lines and has a tendency to conservatism but if the coaches wanted them to do it and each time they didnt do it they would be torn a new one, they would soon either be doing what the coaches said, or playing at Peel.
If Clark is meant to be running the lines, why didnt JLo drag him and tell he had better start doing what he was instructed to do?

No, the only conclusion you can draw when you see players "not have the courage to break lines" or not "running past for the handball out of the backline" is that the coaches dont care less, havent identified it as important and are not coaching it at training and on game day. Simple as that. Overall I agree with Clive Docker82.

The technique and strategy (or lack of) out of the backline is on the coaches, execution you can blame on the players.
If this game plan doesnt rapidly improve JLo is skating on the thinnest of ice, Im afraid.

No doubt it is open to interpretation. I don't see Wagner, Chapman, Young and Walker not running and carrying even though they have supposedly been instructed to be conservative.. Surely if they are going against instruction they would be ripped a new one and dropped. All Justin has ever said is to take the game on but don't be stupid about it. That sounds sensible to me considering how poorly our defence went when the handbrake was taken off a bit a few years back. Sounds like we have two exits- fast and slow and depending on the player with ball in hand one of them is chosen. Without Wagner, Chapman, Walker and Young in the backline only the slow coach players are choosing the exit strategy.

 

[Serongnthnks4allthefish]

In honour of this thread, I just had to rejig it a little...

 

[rubydoomsday]

Whilst I agree removing one person will solve jack, I just don’t think JL’s position at the club has any credibility if we don’t finish at least tenth this year. We’ve been rebuilding since 2016 FFS - our draftees from that year would be free agents now if out of contract. JL has been here for five years end of this year. Make all the excuses you want but we’ve got to see some results.

It’s clear Bell was moved sideways and perhaps he’s better off out of the club altogether.

Maybe a fresh look with some of the assistants wouldn’t be the worst thing either. Don’t think Graham or Boyd would be any less rated at opposition clubs tbh but both were (along with Josh Carr) JL’s men he brought with him.

10th?? We played finals in 2022 and went backwards with player exits last year.

Finals or nothing for me. I'm not super confident about making the 8 rn, but that's the 'pass mark' for me. 10th may be an improvement on '23, but it's still Not Good Enough. we should be challenging.

We have to be demonstrating improvement, otherwise what's the coaching staff even for?

most pundits have us pegged 14th or so and, while i think that's laughable, i certainly won't be happy with 10th, either.

 

[Docker82]

10th?? We played finals in 2022 and went backwards with player exits last year.

Finals or nothing for me. I'm not super confident about making the 8 rn, but that's the 'pass mark' for me. 10th may be an improvement on '23, but it's still Not Good Enough. we should be challenging.

We have to be demonstrating improvement, otherwise what's the coaching staff even for?

most pundits have us pegged 14th or so and, while i think that's laughable, i certainly won't be happy with 10th, either.

I wouldn't consider 10th a pass either but it probably means we're missing finals in the last two weeks of the season.

There's a difference between what I'd consider a pass mark and what I consider shows we're on track. The youth excuse is probably real if we're talking about not making finals. If we're sitting bottom six and people pull that one out though I'm not having it.

FWIW I think this going to be a long year where we underperform due to an incompetent game plan. We'll play finals in 2025 if we have a new coach - no doubt in my mind.

 

[Joao]

I wouldn't consider 10th a pass either but it probably means we're missing finals in the last two weeks of the season.

There's a difference between what I'd consider a pass mark and what I consider shows we're on track. The youth excuse is probably real if we're talking about not making finals. If we're sitting bottom six and people pull that one out though I'm not having it.

FWIW I think this going to be a long year where we underperform due to an incompetent game plan. We'll play finals in 2025 if we have a new coach - no doubt in my mind.

Even if the new coach is Mark Neeld levels?

I think we'll play finals next year whether JL stays or go, around 80% confidence.

 

[Docker82]

Even if the new coach is Mark Neeld levels?

I think we'll play finals next year whether JL stays or go, around 80% confidence.

Mark Neeld had one of the worst lists of the AFL era.

I cannot see anyone doing that poorly with our list tbh.

Probably agree we're likely to make it even if JL is still coach but the only way IMO that he is still coach is if he changes that sh** game plan this season.

 

[Joao]

Mark Neeld had one of the worst lists of the AFL era.

I cannot see anyone doing that poorly with our list tbh.

Probably agree we're likely to make it even if JL is still coach but the only way IMO that he is still coach is if he changes that sh** game plan this season.

I think you overrate us and underrate a lot of other teams. We're not at the point where we are clearly stronger player for player than a lot of teams. We may well become that, but we are not there yet. We all think we are because we all wear purple goggles. Just like the blue and white goggles some North fans wear and think they can win 10 games.

For an example of someone doing a **** job with a quality list, look at Voss. He managed to miss finals and then start 4-9 or whatever it was. Even his finals wins were fortuitous.

 

[Docker82]

I think you overrate us and underrate a lot of other teams. We're not at the point where we are clearly stronger player for player than a lot of teams. We may well become that, but we are not there yet. We all think we are because we all wear purple goggles. Just like the blue and white goggles some North fans wear and think they can win 10 games.

For an example of someone doing a **** job with a quality list, look at Voss. He managed to miss finals and then start 4-9 or whatever it was. Even his finals wins were fortuitous.

I think that you just need to remember just how sh** Melbourne were under Neeld.

We’re talking a team that lost by almost 200 points one game. They were as bad as West Coast in 2023 but didn’t have the injuries.

I don’t think even the most one-eyed West Coast would tip us to be that bad.

FWIW JL was pretty close to the worst coach in the competition last year. I haven’t tipped us to match finals anywhere - a lot of that is due to JL’s game plan but I also think the age excuse becomes less and less every year and 2025 is when we should make finals.

 

[Joao]

I think that you just need to remember just how sh** Melbourne were under Neeld.

We’re talking a team that lost by almost 200 points one game. They were as bad as West Coast in 2023 but didn’t have the injuries.

I don’t think even the most one-eyed West Coast would tip us to be that bad.

FWIW JL was pretty close to the worst coach in the competition last year. I haven’t tipped us to match finals anywhere - a lot of that is due to JL’s game plan but I also think the age excuse becomes less and less every year and 2025 is when we should make finals.

My point is, if you think we're some layup for finals based on list alone, you'd need to convince me we are clearly in the top 8 teams (player for player) in the competition. I think the only way you can do that is by using your purple goggles.

We're all bullish, but so are literally 16 other fanbases. Even the odd West Coast fan thinks they could probably win 10 games.