- Aug 9, 2017
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Obviously incredible to get this win. Some payoff after so many nearly moments this year and getting the Richmond monkey off the back.
On balance I think this is the kind of game that, once our team gets itself in order, we probably win by 40 odd points. We controlled play for large patches, but just continually traumatize ourselves with mindless, no-look dump kicks down the line to zoning defenders, or brain-fade turnovers. The other big issue I've been seeing in terms of footy IQ/poor vision is the amount of times we will kick to a 1v1 contest (ostensibly fine to do, back in our player, etc.) where the three nearest players who will be there to swoop on a crumb are all opposition players. Need to be smarter than that: puts all the pressure on winning a clean mark otherwise it's a guaranteed turn-over.
But that bad stuff out of the way, onto the very very good.
We looked powerful around clearance play even without Parish and Setters. Others have rightly praised his game but Hobbs really is a different kind of beast. In today's game you see a lot of players who are tentative about taking possession lest they get immediately tackled. A lot of stand-back and tap on in front of you kind of play. But the very best inside players don't bother with that nonsense and just see ball, get ball, and are happy to wear the tackle and often get their heads taken off as reward: but over the course of the game the approach pays off. Hobbs is just that kind of latter category player, and it is special. Can't teach it.
Ridley needs to spend the rest of his career as third-up/interceptor. Don't worry about making him an accountable KPP, it's not his one-wood. Genuine star. McGrath is a genuine lock-down defender, which we've not really had in an age, and if folks think that's a poor ROI for a pick 1, fine, but look around the comp and see just how rare a good lock-down defender with his build and pace is. I'll take it.
And of course, Zerrett continues on his Brownlow-contention form, ably assisted by his spiritual vice-captain, Reddog. Just a strong game all round by each of our stars. Even Heppell was a net-good today: he's really gone back to fundamentals, plays the percentages with ball in hand, and looks a best 22 player again for it.
Flip out next week and maybe a rest for Tippa, but otherwise very happy with this undermanned but overperforming unit.
On balance I think this is the kind of game that, once our team gets itself in order, we probably win by 40 odd points. We controlled play for large patches, but just continually traumatize ourselves with mindless, no-look dump kicks down the line to zoning defenders, or brain-fade turnovers. The other big issue I've been seeing in terms of footy IQ/poor vision is the amount of times we will kick to a 1v1 contest (ostensibly fine to do, back in our player, etc.) where the three nearest players who will be there to swoop on a crumb are all opposition players. Need to be smarter than that: puts all the pressure on winning a clean mark otherwise it's a guaranteed turn-over.
But that bad stuff out of the way, onto the very very good.
We looked powerful around clearance play even without Parish and Setters. Others have rightly praised his game but Hobbs really is a different kind of beast. In today's game you see a lot of players who are tentative about taking possession lest they get immediately tackled. A lot of stand-back and tap on in front of you kind of play. But the very best inside players don't bother with that nonsense and just see ball, get ball, and are happy to wear the tackle and often get their heads taken off as reward: but over the course of the game the approach pays off. Hobbs is just that kind of latter category player, and it is special. Can't teach it.
Ridley needs to spend the rest of his career as third-up/interceptor. Don't worry about making him an accountable KPP, it's not his one-wood. Genuine star. McGrath is a genuine lock-down defender, which we've not really had in an age, and if folks think that's a poor ROI for a pick 1, fine, but look around the comp and see just how rare a good lock-down defender with his build and pace is. I'll take it.
And of course, Zerrett continues on his Brownlow-contention form, ably assisted by his spiritual vice-captain, Reddog. Just a strong game all round by each of our stars. Even Heppell was a net-good today: he's really gone back to fundamentals, plays the percentages with ball in hand, and looks a best 22 player again for it.
Flip out next week and maybe a rest for Tippa, but otherwise very happy with this undermanned but overperforming unit.
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