Autopsy Rd 6 - Huge first half but Blues lose heartbreaker by 5 points

[Mr_Plow]

Couple of quick things, O'meara got most of his touches (26 of 40) in the first half which we ended 31 points up, tagging him would have meant taking an attacking mid out - I am happy we rolled the dice.

On LOB - I would be interested to know his role, I have a feeling he was being asked to run with Smith who had no impact IMO. LOB stepping up with 2 last quarter goals does give him some credit.

I'm happy for LOB to stick around, but if we are trying to use his engine to exploit opposing teams, 69% game time doesn't really maximise that output.

 

[Alphonse_]

Plowman slander getting tiresome.

Anyone care to comment on Marchbank's 1 tackle and 3 intercepts? What was he doing yesterday, exactly?

I know that Plowman was helping his fellow defenders with 10 ******* intercepts and 3 tackles.

Supposed to be a unit back there, one could argue Marchbank's positioning and lack of team play ****** everything up...

You'd think Plow was Jordan Russell Jnr the way some people keep on slating him.

Scapegoating him (nearly on a weekly basis it seems) deflects from the other flaws and deficiencies in our playing group and performance yesterday.

The harsh reality is that we are still not ready yet to win games on a consistent basis, i could point out Harry spoiling a new certain mark to SPS in the forward line as another reason why we lost.

There is still an element of individuals wanting personal glory instead of doing the team thing, and fingers crossed, that will dissipate further as this season progresses.

This rebuild is probably taking a bit longer than i would have liked, but that is fine, i am just glad we are not doing any more Moneyball/Quick Fix solutions anymore.

 

[CGilly]

i wouldn't be stressing if we didn't need wins. that was a pretty good game from us and we could easily be 3-3. but we aren't. And I could not bare finishing 18th again. Even taking the Adelaide trade out of it, it would just be so so so bad. So we have to start winning those sorts of games. We're a much better team than North, if we don't beat them we should all be seriously annoyed and even concerned about not being able to win.

 

[blue healer]

I'm happy for LOB to stick around, but if we are trying to use his engine to exploit opposing teams, 69% game time doesn't really maximise that output.

Missed that, 69% is very low given our injuries.

 

[passmark]

There are no words. When one compares Plowman to Mullett or O'Shea, it is time for me to switch off the internet.

...as well as unplug, cremate and bury your devices.

 

[Blues_Man]

I agree with most people about Murph....love the guy and has bled navy blue from day 1, but he looks a shell of the player that was impacting games a few years back when we won our b&f. It's sad, and I hope I'm wrong, but it appears the game may be passing him by.
.

Agree about Murph..he runs around out there like he doesn't care..his failure to impact a contest when the team really needs his leadership is worrying

 

[HBF]

Loved Dows work yesterday. This guy is going to be immense. Its going to really click for him soon and he will be a match winner.

Another full year and preseason will do wonders for Paddy (and LOB for that matter).

 

[HBF]

can't we just make him the best key forward in the game?

Sure.
Lets do that.

 

[Dramoth]

I don’t know why people get personal on here... a footy forum

Because they are anonymous... they can sit back on their lounges or executive office chairs and bang out snarky comments left right and centre and not have it affect their personal lives because when they turn off the computer, thats it, back to reality!

 

[Bokan]

Missed that, 69% is very low given our injuries.

Has been under 70% the whole year, needs to improve a little there

On CPH1877 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[RudyBlue]

Hey Ron The Bear if you have a moment, how have sides that are 1-5 with a % >90 historically finished up the year?

 

[TwiggleyFanClub]

Thing is you don't drink the baby with the bathwater.

Edited for chuckles (my own if no one else's)

 

[Blue Chip Pass]

Well said. Now get some work done........

I can't. I'm still too upset.
I tell you what really shits me. The smug hawthorn supporters. We have quite a few in the office.
Just like a few years ago when they won about 6 games by under a goal.
And they make comments like: Champion teams, Clarko brilliant coach, never in doubt, etc...
Makes me wanta smack someone.
1 more second and Harry goals. Would love to see their faces then.......But not to be

 

[lilJeffyG]

So bolts reverted to a zone after half time, after going one on one during the first half. This is what hawthorn love, they love the zone cause it gives their strength which is their kicking the room to do it. I dont mind Bolts implementing the zone, but my concern is why do it in game when the first half was so positive. If he is trying to teach on the run and it makes us a better side on the long run, I'm ok with it.

 

[sweetchoif]

No team has kicked 100 pts against us this year.Last year it happened 13 times.

So bolts reverted to a zone after half time, after going one on one during the first half. This is what hawthorn love, they love the zone cause it gives their strength which is their kicking the room to do it. I dont mind Bolts implementing the zone, but my concern is why do it in game when the first half was so positive. If he is trying to teach on the run and it makes us a better side on the long run, I'm ok with it.

Quite the logical path to take when you are 5 goals up and down some rotations. Continuing with a man on man approach against a more mature bodies would likely have exposed Carlton to a harder and quicker counter attack. Unfortunately it didnt work

 

[Macca43]

I'm not saying he isn't working hard. I'm saying that his mistakes and slip ups are costing us dearly.

Thats the life of a defender, do 99 things perfectly and no one notices, do 1 thing wrong and it costs a goal.

It is amazing though that (as others have pointed out) when we kick a goal it is through the brilliance of our forwards but when the opposition scores it is because our defenders made a mistake.

 

[Macca43]

Right now he's a bit all over the place, probably a victim of being a late entrant into the defensive picture with minimal cohesion over the pre-season. It costed us yesterday because he was not providing much support to the other defenders, which we rely upon greatly.

Long-term, I believe he will be most valuable to us as a defensive player, primarily. He just isn't damaging with the ball, unless he is able to use his aerobic ability to rebound with run and carry. His kicks lack penetration and take too long to reach their target and are generally inaccurate.

We should be trying to turn him into Dylan Grimes with inferior disposal.

Who did Marchbank play on yesterday? O'Brien?

 

[Macca43]

Agree about Murph..he runs around out there like he doesn't care..his failure to impact a contest when the team really needs his leadership is worrying

Yep the bloke who turned down big coin and a chance at a premiership with Geelong to stay at a team he knew would struggle simply doesn't care for that team.

 

[Mr_Plow]

Who did Marchbank play on yesterday? O'Brien?

Their O'Brien played in defence. Marchbank would have played on one of their smalls, unsure which one.

 

[Metalcrusher]

What ****ing drivvle have I walked into today ... SHEESH

 

[TheHeatleyStand]

I can't. I'm still too upset.
I tell you what really shits me. The smug hawthorn supporters. We have quite a few in the office.
Just like a few years ago when they won about 6 games by under a goal.
And they make comments like: Champion teams, Clarko brilliant coach, never in doubt, etc...
Makes me wanta smack someone.
1 more second and Harry goals. Would love to see their faces then.......But not to be

how do you know he would have marked it and kicked it?

why do you want to smack someone?

why are you so angry?

it's a game

 

[ITCHY EYEBALLS]

Do Simmo, Daisy, Jones, Fish, Crippa miss tackles? You bet they do. But they also appear to be busting a gut at each contest.
Unfortunately its all about perception. And the perception is that Murph doesn't stand up when he should as a senior player and leader.
This is all excaserbated by the fact that every second of the game is analysed. Nowhere to hide anymore, he needs to lift in this department.

 

[Sector 7G]

Missed that, 69% is very low given our injuries.

LOB is an elite runner it would be a coaching directive rather than him being out of tickets.

Needs to get more of the ball ( a bit of a chicken and egg scenario as he needs time on the ground to get more ball) so he gets more game time. Does have an effect on the team in that other players need to spend more time on the ground and then can't go as hard.

 

[Blue__Balls]

Just watched the second half and took notes as I went:

1st goal of third- Got all bent out of shape when Jones over committed on boundary. Plow also left Scully and got caught in no man’s land.

Goal to Shiel just happens.

General ball use - Weiters and Newman. Seemed to stop switching in the third. Just missed chances. 27 up with 13 left in third. Going ok. McKay misses one he should have got. They weren’t in it.

Wtf. Turning point was clearly: Jones brain fade in 3rd just stupid. We were 26 up with 11 left. No obvious momentum shift. And so it began. Cripps was overly vigorous and gave away a dubious free. Then backline panicked and little Wingard takes a mark they should never allow. Bent out of shape for overlap run and then LOb too slow. Plow then just watches Breust take a mark. Murph wtf shot at goal. Beaten all over by spread.

Just unfortunate handball to set up Wingard by sps. They under siege though. Spread killing them.


Marchy kicks out on the full from the goal line. We have got ourselves in all sorts this year on the last line....RUSH THE BALL. Took all our momentum away again. The bagging of Plow for the missed ball was fair. What was missed was the defensive run fail by Walsh. He was with Wingard when Wingard kicked forward. Then let him go and Wingard followed up for the overlap handball. Not criticising Walsh but it’s clear the young legs hurt in the second half.

Gee a bit of credit to us. We were 8 up and no Newman no Simmo In backline. Caused huge strife.

Just on that bolded bit. I think that's something we really need to put some time into with the players - learning when we're in a strong position and need to do anything possible to keep the ball alive, vs. when we're vulnerable and are better served by a stoppage. Noticed it quite a bit in some of the earlier games of the season, that our players would be tackled immediately as they were collecting the ball - no prior, no risk of a free kick against us, and they'd writhe around and shovel a little dinky handball, which would be promptly picked up the opposition who would then waltz into a paddock of space.

I think it's an awareness thing, but I also think there's likely to be an element of the players working to a very simple, broad methodology. Play fast or play slow, without the game sense to go "I know we're playing "fast" here, but in this specific circumstance the team benefits more if I just wear the tackle".

 

[Blue4Life]

Murphy won't be dropped.

Like forever? He is a very poor example for the younger guys who actually put there head over the ball.