Review Qualifying Final v North Melbourne: Friday 8 November @ Ikon Park

[Firewalker]

I thought Newman was decent tonight. As for Kelly, I agree - the difference between her 2023 and 2024 campaigns is stark. Speed is her one-wood, but her decision-making under pressure is poor. If we're going to use her, we need to put her in situations where she can use her strengths without exposing her deficiencies.

Munyard has really surprised me in the second half of the season, I never saw her as a speedy player before but she looks electric on the field at times and has been backing herself in more often. Just wish she could have kicked that goal on the run.

Something has gone wrong with Hatchard. She is almost comically fumbly, regardless of whether there is pressure or not. And her kicking and decision-making have gone to shit. That miskick to a player in the defensive goal square with an opponent on her was unforgivable. It's a shame because even with all the negatives, she's still one of our better players and has the potential to be among our best again. But something needs to change, whether it's her body letting her down or something else.

Levy does fine when the game is contested, but as soon as it gets to the outside she is effectively a traffic cone. Unfortunately all of the best sides in the league (other than us) thrive on uncontested ball, rendering her ineffective in finals. Kustermann has something, I like her defensive efforts and she's clearly got footy smarts, but just hasn't been able to put it all together yet. I just don't see it with Tonon, she seems to make critical mistakes every time it counts, and it's not like she kills it even when the pressure is off. Mueller is alright, not among our biggest problems at the moment.

It's pretty clear that we need replacements for at least two of the four you mentioned, plus Martin. I like Ballard but she's a depth player at best. Who knows with Allen, she's looked alright at times but has barely got on the park for two years now. Jones should come back, at least.

And then there's the players who didn't play tonight. There's not a lot of value in retaining the likes of Varnhagen and Waterhouse. Boileau and Boyle-Carr should be given a chance to show they can develop into quality players, but they'd want to make some serious strides next year. Smith should be delisted, and Henry hasn't been close to selection.

There's certainly no shortage of players to replace!

Newman was poor, nearly everything she done she seemed to be under massive pressure, she just panic handballed to teammates not expecting it back or just straight to the opposition, again when you have a kick like she does to go 7 kicks to 11 handballs is a gigantic waste.

I like Kusterman too but it’s not as a forward or defender (that goal she cost in the 3rd was ugly) and they just refuse to play her in the middle, I still have big hopes for Boileau and especially Henry (one of my biggest disappointments this season is Henry’s injury but whether Clarke would have played her is questionable) I have zero faith Clarke can develop youth properly especially when you look at what has happened to Charlton.

That old team beats talent stuff is starting to be blown out the water recently as that word talent keeps rearing its head after recent losses.

I struggle to believe the coaches think Martin offers more than Boileau

Clarke is a disciple to Nicks’ experience is better mantra.

 

[dplggr47]

Tarlinton 16 minutes on the ground zero impact
Martin 1 disposal for the entire game
Levy 3 touches and a couple of goal costing clangers

Can't go into a final with 3 players having zero or negative impact

Other players were probably running out of legs late in the game. Higher intensity final game and players are just tired. Then you have players that have 16 minutes on the ground and how many minutes on the bench? Why play someone if they can't help with rotations.

Martin's 1 touch was that handpass in the passage of play that led to Gould's first goal. I remember seeing that handpass and thinking, Charlton had to lean forward to catch that and could've easily put her under pressure to stuff it up. Martin could barely handpass a few metres.

 

[Scorpus]

Other players were probably running out of legs late in the game. Higher intensity final game and players are just tired. Then you have players that have 16 minutes on the ground and how many minutes on the bench? Why play someone if they can't help with rotations.

Martin's 1 touch was that handpass in the passage of play that led to Gould's first goal. I remember seeing that handpass and thinking, Charlton had to lean forward to catch that and could've easily put her under pressure to stuff it up. Martin could barely handpass a few metres.

I've liked Martin in the past but she's a quintessential "early AFLW" player. The game has moved on to more natural, athletically gifted players who can kick more than 20 meters

 

[cmndstab]

The other thing with Martin is, like Levy, she is a player whose strengths allow her to be useful in the contest, but not outside of it. Back in 2021-22, she was played as a stoppage midfielder who was able to lay tackles, and win clearances primarily through getting in lower and harder (and usually drawing a free kick). Her inability to kick or handball it long didn't matter so much in there because she had several teammates nearby.

At some point we moved her out of the midfield, from memory it was to allow Charlton to play in there, and Martin has been ineffective ever since. She has been tried in several other roles but can't perform in them. She doesn't score goals, she rarely sets them up, and she doesn't have the pace to apply pressure once the ball leaves the contest. She has no value whatsoever as a marking target, and also can't lead to the ball carrier. As a forward, her value is limited solely to being mildly effective if we can create repeat stoppages inside our F50.

If we're not going to play her in the role she once thrived in, then we shouldn't be playing her at all.