Rewarding Mediocrity

[Harris 10]

Inner sanctum have a much better idea than the big footy posters. Wood is a good prospect - Scott will go with Black next week.

No doubt they do, but they stuffed by continuing to play Black all year while out of form.

Wood could've played 6 or 7 games and next week we would know who the best option is. Instead we have 1 game against one of the poorest teams in AFL history which showed nothing.

For this reason Black plays.

 

[WesternRoo]

Wood is quicker, more agile and a better aerobic runner than most our midfield.

We could easily play Petrie, Black, Brown and Wood.

Would cause some headaches for the Bombers defense, if we are moving it out the middle well.

 

[justroyal]

Wood is quicker, more agile and a better aerobic runner than most our midfield.

We could easily play Petrie, Black, Brown and Wood.

Would cause some headaches for the Bombers defense, if we are moving it out the middle well.

Nice observation. If they play keepings off again and resort to kick to kick. We really need players who can chase down

 

[naturally north]

Really? He had 7 touches against the worst team in the comp. Do you think he did enough to keep his spot?

Can't see why not. Melbourne and Essendon share similar traits.

On a serious note as good as Wood was for a first gamer some of his defensive efforts weren't flash last night, can't have that in a final.

 

[Wild Bill]

Can't see why not. Melbourne and Essendon share similar traits.

On a serious note as good as Wood was for a first gamer some of his defensive efforts weren't flash last night, can't have that in a final.

Agree - he has talent, moves well and kicks very well. He will play a lot next year.

 

[shinboner magic]

Would of finished top4 if bon didnt play his favorites and played form players

 

[GarnerSmash]

Would of finished top4 if bon didnt play his favorites and played form players

No we wouldn't have.

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

I doubt that very much.

 

[motlopfan]

Would of finished top4 if bon didnt play his favorites and played form players

Seriously! ! (and it is would HAVE finished)

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

I think people need to deflate themselves if they consider 6th out of 18 to be mediocre.

 

[shinboner magic]

No we wouldn't have.

Guess playing black all year when he couldn't get a kick and has dropped so many chest marks wouldn't have a bearing on results.
Also adams who fumbled so many balls and hardly touched it had no impact on games.

Yeah ok.

 

[justroyal]

Guess playing black all year when he couldn't get a kick and has dropped so many chest marks wouldn't have a bearing on results.
Also adams who fumbled so many balls and hardly touched it had no impact on games.

Yeah ok.

I highly doubt those two impacted the teams position at the end of the season. The team in general should take fault

 

[apollo_creed]

Guess playing black all year when he couldn't get a kick and has dropped so many chest marks wouldn't have a bearing on results.
Also adams who fumbled so many balls and hardly touched it had no impact on games.

Yeah ok.

I agree Black has been terrible and should've been dropped months ago but most of our losses have been fairly comfortable ones and our problem wasn't an under performing forward.

turning the ball over, struggling to transition from defense to attack and get the ball inside 50 enough were our problems in those games. not to mention putting no pressure on the opposition with the football and affording them too much space.
as bad as he's been, even a good season from bloke and I don't think we'd be any better or worse.

we haven't had a full compliment to pick from in midfield all season - and some of the guys we have picked because of injuries through the midfield haven't been consistent, or reliable enough.

 

[roomy elephant]

Guess playing black all year when he couldn't get a kick and has dropped so many chest marks wouldn't have a bearing on results.
Also adams who fumbled so many balls and hardly touched it had no impact on games.

Yeah ok.

Do people bagging Black actually go to games? or watch games closely on broadcast? have a look at giantroo's summary clips of every North goal, and count the number of times Black is involved in the play leading up to a score - it's a whole lot more than he actually kicks, because - wait for it - he is playing his role as a mobile target outside 50 and getting it to a dangerous spot.

 

[GarnerSmash]

Guess playing black all year when he couldn't get a kick and has dropped so many chest marks wouldn't have a bearing on results.
Also adams who fumbled so many balls and hardly touched it had no impact on games.

Yeah ok.

I think the most significant factor in our defeats has been a significant change in the application of defensive pressure and running. You can carry players who are out of touch IF the team is doing its job when they don't have the ball but we have failed for periods within game to do this. This, and not carrying Black or Adams, is the primary cause for our inconsistencies.

 

[kelman]

Do people bagging Black actually go to games? or watch games closely on broadcast? have a look at giantroo's summary clips of every North goal, and count the number of times Black is involved in the play leading up to a score - it's a whole lot more than he actually kicks, because - wait for it - he is playing his role as a mobile target outside 50 and getting it to a dangerous spot.

Yep. BF hysteria at is finest. Black has not progressed as he should have, but he is not the liability some make out (and repeat weekly). Biggest disappointment for me is his goal kicking. He was as reliable as craig sholl in his first 10 ten games, it has really dropped off.

 

[kelman]

I think the most significant factor in our defeats has been a significant change in the application of defensive pressure and running. You can carry players who are out of touch IF the team is doing its job when they don't have the ball but we have failed for periods within game to do this. This, and not carrying Black or Adams, is the primary cause for our inconsistencies.

Yep. Bad work rate and hesitation saw us drop 2-3 we should have won. But ****, we won 14 games, sydney, hawthorn and geelong won 17 - and we had some huge wins. Everyone should lighten up and look forward to finals.

 

[Arden]

Oh Wild Bill..

Oh Rooboy 96..

 

[Horace]

I think the most significant factor in our defeats has been a significant change in the application of defensive pressure and running. You can carry players who are out of touch IF the team is doing its job when they don't have the ball but we have failed for periods within game to do this. This, and not carrying Black or Adams, is the primary cause for our inconsistencies.

It would be fair to say also when there is a lack of defensive pressure, the ball is less likely to go into our forward half and/or less likely to be delivered with conviction.

Strange, I know, but when the opposition is on top and pumping the ball consistently into their forward line, our forwards seem to struggle to make an impact. I wonder why that is?

 

[Tas]

Most of our losses this year are directly attributable to the midfield and the lack of defensive pressure, having injured/out of form forwards didn't help.

Wood showed a lot of positives against Melbourne, but his defensive running has to improve, if he was exposed on it in his first game you can bet the opposition will pay close attention to any weaknesses exposed. Once he tidies that up he is pretty much a lock in.

Lets just hope we don't stick him in the middle as a tagger to try and resolve some defensive issues. :stern look

 

[blackshadow]

Most of our losses this year are directly attributable to the midfield and the lack of defensive pressure, having injured/out of form forwards didn't help.

Wood showed a lot of positives against Melbourne, but his defensive running has to improve, if he was exposed on it in his first game you can bet the opposition will pay close attention to any weaknesses exposed. Once he tidies that up he is pretty much a lock in.

Lets just hope we don't stick him in the middle as a tagger to try and resolve some defensive issues. :stern look

I have a feeling that the coaching staff wanted him in against Melbourne so that they could assess his defensive efforts at AFL level - I believe he has been told that is what has kept him out of the 1s. He won't be making it as a tagger! I generally liked what I saw on Saturday but I will be extremely surprised if he plays again this year.

 

[GarnerSmash]

I have a feeling that the coaching staff wanted him in against Melbourne so that they could assess his defensive efforts at AFL level - I believe he has been told that is what has kept him out of the 1s. He won't be making it as a tagger! I generally liked what I saw on Saturday but I will be extremely surprised if he plays again this year.

Given Wood's direct opponent kicked two goals in the last quarter I think its fair to say that his defensive application required some more work. HE has the tank, just needs to keep his head in the game.