AFL Autopsy RND 19: Beaten by the Crom

[Shanghaistu]

I thought this was a good take by Andrew Wu in the Age :
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...-blew-their-finals-hopes-20240719-p5jv48.html

 

[Beerfish]

Was only half watching the game with no sound. Can't say I'm surprised. I still think the Geelong game was it. That was the game we needed to win to show we'd turned a corner. We didn't and we haven't yet.

 

[Mootsy]

This is going to sound a bit forward, but we need to start recruiting more naturally good football players like Durham and Merrett. Players that are just good with a football in their hands. Just watch the 2000 era side, they were just comfortable with a footy in their hands.

Enough with the fumbly crap and the not running/leading for ball.

EFC have been the opposite of progress since 2004 and are only now sort of showing signs of coming back to a professional level standard.

I don't understand how some of our top picks are played out of position and seem to get worse over time, that's weird and doesn't make any sense. It shows a 100% disconnect between the coaches and the players in some instances.

I also don't understand how some of our senior players play as if they have never played football before, i mean what is that?? This is not something you would behold back in the 90s/00s so much. A good player was at least consistent even as a senior. You don't just lose the ability to take a grab or to hold onto a ball uncontested unless you develop Alzheimers.

One thing that was a real positive last night was the strong marking by the tall players for the 2nd and 3rd quarter, that's just what you'd expect to see anyway, all the time, but at least they were all doing it well.

 

[Milanista28]

I'll be surprised if we're better next season.

 

[Nicholas61]

This is going to sound a bit forward, but we need to start recruiting more naturally good football players like Durham and Merrett. Players that are just good with a football in their hands. Just watch the 2000 era side, they were just comfortable with a footy in their hands, lol.

This is so relevant. Smart players know where to run, when to tap the ball on (to avoid being tackled) or take possession. How many times in recent years do we see brainless players grabbing the ball when they were a certainty to be held up but had a team-mate running past they could have tapped it to = the 2000 team was so cohesive with this, they were various parts working together very well. Watching the Brisbane Melbourne match a few weeks back I thought we would struggle against that type of opponent this time of year. There was little space as the players knew how to guard space - they don't all charge in at the ball thus freeing up opponents on the outside who will cut you up. Both teams have that size, hard running and strong profile. Those matches required brilliance to break it open. Only thing is thank goodness we got Caldwell, Duz, Duursma and Martin as things would look very bleak indeed. When drafting need to look for smarts and players that stand up when the heat is on rather than kaka their pants as we saw that happen in the second quarter onslaught. I could imagine a nasty capitulation in a final.

 

[Nicholas61]

I'll be surprised if we're better next season.

The thing that worries me is Scott's team selections as that is reflective of what will happen with the list come end of year.

 

[Mootsy]

I'll be surprised if we're better next season.

If Scott can get the list selections correct. We probably need to somehow fit in Hind, Hobbs and Parish, even as a rotation off the bench. I think, you manage Merrett and Parish to have similar roles, and maybe less game time so they stay fresh.

I think we also need to get more games into Davey, Caddy, Shiel, Tsatas..(Shiel actually has a lot of potential to play a consistent role, but EFC haven't figured this out entirely yet).

I like Heppell, but there is no place for uncontested fumbles at AFL level, it's different in the local leagues and the VFL where there is more time and space with the ball.

Definitely need a new Ruckman in the trade period.

Stringer, i don't know, i think you keep him on, because he can win games off his own form and sometimes it looks like you are watching Gary Ablett Sr. when he's on, but look to draft/trade a new KPF in the meantime. Either that or Perkins takes the Stringer role and you manage Stringer's fitness throughout the season so he's fresh, but maybe less games.

There'd be ways to do this so that it's not, well, dumb!

Also the bipolar nature of the EFC is astounding. This has been the first year since 2004 where players look somewhat confident, aside from maybe 2012(lol), but this is sort of wearing off as the season winds down.

 

[eastaugh36]

Surprise surprise Matthew Nicks

Matthew Nicks

Age

49

Ht

187cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

9.4

4star

HB

4.2

3star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

6.6

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.4

4star

G

0.4

3star

said “it’s amazing how karma works” in relation to Draper in round 6. Admitted they used the vision in the lead up. Draper is as dumb as he looks.

 

[Foxx]

The thing is if we actually selected the right sides in the last 2 games, we'd quite likely be sitting top 4 right now.

The game in the wet against Melbourne and Adelaide we went in too tall, and kneecapped ourselves at ground level.

 

[astrowizzle]

Apparently there some Essnedon players coming down to our club's U12 training next week. Not really sure we want them teaching Juniors anything...

You sure the kids aren't teaching them

Look this is how you do the ball to your foot
Look this is how you don't Squibb a contest
...
...
...

 

[justlookingaround]

I’m not gonna say he lost us the game cos that would be unfair, but Draper missing an opportunity to seal it, then Rochelle kicking the winner is a pretty poetic sequel to the meeting in Adelaide earlier in the year lol.

This year definitely edged us. It’s gonna end with blue balls.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Surprise surprise Matthew Nicks said “it’s amazing how karma works” in relation to Draper in round 6. Admitted they used the vision in the lead up. Draper is as dumb as he looks.

Draper didn't rob them of anything. It's the umpires responsibility to make the call. Nothing unsportsmanlike to lay on the ball.

 

[Phone]

Draper was the idiot making complete light of the situation only minutes later and that's probably the vision they used

 

[eastaugh36]

Carlton went past us last year, Hawthorn this year. Soon it will be Richmond.

 

[eastaugh36]

Draper didn't rob them of anything. It's the umpires responsibility to make the call. Nothing unsportsmanlike to lay on the ball.

Agree, it was more his antics afterwards.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Agree, it was more his antics afterwards.

Nothing wrong with having a laugh at how lucky you were. It's the media narratives that made it disrespectful.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Disappointingly predictable.

 

[BomberFan355]

Zero excuses on this one, should have won easily, all on the players.

 

[rumply]

Haven't seen the game & probably won't & King isn't everyone's favourite but I'm with him here, sounds like we were a real mess defensively late.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Thought Keays would get 2 weeks for his tackle on Caldwell. IMO there was a second slinging motion. Many have gone this year for less.

 

[Shanghaistu]

Carlton went past us last year, Hawthorn this year. Soon it will be Richmond.

Hopefully only once though, although I can see us getting ‘lapped’ again if we keep this culture up for another 10 years

 

[BratPack]

Thought Keays would get 2 weeks for his tackle on Caldwell. IMO there was a second slinging motion. Many have gone this year for less.

Collingwood player as the MRO officer.

Caldwell was lucky not to get a fine for staging.

I'm only being half sarcastic.

 

[Don_Gia]

I’ve had time to stew today.

There aren’t any real excuses for last night…it has to be a mentality thing that we can have these swings in performances.

I’ve noticed the newer “Modern” coaches like Mitchell, McRae, Kingsley, Voss (don’t include his first stint), just manage to get something extra out of their players mentally compared to the more “second time round” coaches like Lyon, B Scott, Clarko, Hardwick etc…it’s like these younger coaches understand their players better and can get through to them…they can’t all be recruiting/developing better than us can they?

Longmire and C Scott are probably notable exceptions as they are walked into great cultured teams and kept the flow going…

If only we’d gone through a proper process appointing Worsfold’s successor…

I’m still ok with Scott because he will (?) send a broom through the list…but next season will be interesting watching.

We still have this season within our control though which is a positive I guess.

Swings and roundabouts

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

This is going to sound a bit forward, but we need to start recruiting more naturally good football players like Durham and Merrett. Players that are just good with a football in their hands. Just watch the 2000 era side, they were just comfortable with a footy in their hands.

Enough with the fumbly crap and the not running/leading for ball.

EFC have been the opposite of progress since 2004 and are only now sort of showing signs of coming back to a professional level standard.

I don't understand how some of our top picks are played out of position and seem to get worse over time, that's weird and doesn't make any sense. It shows a 100% disconnect between the coaches and the players in some instances.

I also don't understand how some of our senior players play as if they have never played football before, i mean what is that?? This is not something you would behold back in the 90s/00s so much. A good player was at least consistent even as a senior. You don't just lose the ability to take a grab or to hold onto a ball uncontested unless you develop Alzheimers.

One thing that was a real positive last night was the strong marking by the tall players for the 2nd and 3rd quarter, that's just what you'd expect to see anyway, all the time, but at least they were all doing it well.

Totally agree; need to draft footy players not athletes.

 

[Nicholas61]

Surprise surprise Matthew Nicks said “it’s amazing how karma works” in relation to Draper in round 6.

Felt a bit like that and the way the ball was bouncing. We got lucky a few years ago too when we won by less than a goal over there - the one where Ned Cahill kicked a couple and if Jordan Ridley didn't play we probably lose by 7-8 goals that's dominant he was. From memory we surprisingly got a good run from the umps and had a fair bit of luck. Think it was part of the winning streak we had over them.