AFL Toast RND 21: We Gave Freo The Old Heave Ho!

[gPhonque]

So…

It’s obvious that fitness or “running out of legs” (as many people have suggested) hasn’t been our problem based on our intent, run, and pressure in that last quarter.

Are we all agreed?

Therefore, our problems the past few weeks have been a combination of:

• mental
• wrong players
• players playing in wrong positions
• gameplan/approach

These are ALL coaching problems.

Just sayin’.

 

[JayJ20]

I'm not at all surprised we managed to arse out a win against a finals team at the end of the season when it no longer mattered, but I was fully expecting it to be Sydney or Brisbane.

Well our record against the top 8 is now 3-4

 

[jannissary]

Hawthorn choke, Carlton choke, Essendon DON'T choke. What a weekend!

and sydney got thumped. great weekend

 

[Phone]

32K, where the **** were you all . At wolves v Rowille???
And I quote…” Dad, we got smashed, I wish I had come with you”

Don't you know? We need to play more home games at the MCG so that we can draw the same crowd as we would at the Dome

 

[Zach Package]

You idiots, you’re supposed to play like that every week.

 

[WABomber]

Completely different game when we are getting taps to advantage and winning clearances. Shiel and Parish were doing some great things, the balance between Draper and Bryan is so much more cohesive too. Letting Draper rest before the last dual with Darcy was a great call. Was waiting for the change to Jackson to happen and it never did. You would also think Laverde would have to be straight omitted after a game like that.

 

[Phone]

So…

It’s obvious that fitness or “running out of legs” (as many people have suggested) hasn’t been our problem based on our intent, run, and pressure in that last quarter.

Well no, it's not obvious at all. What should be obvious is that determining whether our fitness, work-rate, effort and 'hardness' was good or not based solely on whether we over-performed expectations or under-performed expectations is not a very good way to determine whether those things were, in fact, good or bad.

nevertheless, because we over-performed expectations, our effort, hard work and fitness levels were obviously excellent today. clearly.

 

[jannissary]

low key think that draper played his best game for the club today. really influential in the last out of the middle

 

[bommer16]

And Mr merretts smothers were first class. He’s my hero. Love ya Zachy and congrats on your soon to be journey into parenthood.

 

[Squeaky]

The ball use still ****ing sucks.
if we drop a few passengers we become a better team immediately.
We tried hard to even throw it away again after we hit the front.

 

[silk]

Thank you to that Freo player for kicking that extra behind for us.

 

[Squeaky]

And Mr merretts smothers were first class. He’s my hero. Love ya Zachy and congrats on your soon to be journey into parenthood.

When he collared Serong when he was about to break out of the centre I lost my shit. That was unreal

 

[windyhill]

Freo tried to save it, we tried to win it.

 

[bombreys]

Who is it in the club that needs to apologise to Shiel? My God I want him to stay.

Pretty much the usual suspects were good/great and the usual were bad.

Merrett BOG for me. Caldwell and Durham awesome. Those three their usual selves, really. Roberts looked really good for game 1. Bryan not excellent, but pretty good (looks to at least be a good enough back up ruck).

I can’t believe Duursma only had 11 touches - his impact was massive again I thought.

The negatives were the same olds, but I’d rather celebrate the win

 

[Nicholas61]

low key think that draper played his best game for the club today. really influential in the last out of the middle

Yep - the hitout for the winning score then big mark

 

[FootyGuru]

Imagine what a couple of hard running skillfull flankers would do to this side.

 

[jdstorm]

Felt like a return to the start of the season all in one game.

Good contested team, not great at transition. Poor pressure, good pressure once Davey came on.

Got out a close win against a good team with effort rather then skill.

Good baseline to improve upon.

Also Sam Draper at FF is seemingly his best spot.

 

[Nicholas61]

Who is it in the club that needs to apologise to Shiel? My God I want him to stay.

Well he is contracted for next year - sorry Dylan your staying. Only guy we have with that Pendelbury ability to side step and buy time in the middle and pick the best option. His disposal really cleaned up.

 

[Phone]

shiel playing good games means it's definitely worth looking at trading him to see what value is out there.

i mean, the ship has sailed we should have done it 3 years ago. but still

 

[bombreys]

Completely different game when we are getting taps to advantage and winning clearances. Shiel and Parish were doing some great things, the balance between Draper and Bryan is so much more cohesive too. Letting Draper rest before the last dual with Darcy was a great call. Was waiting for the change to Jackson to happen and it never did. You would also think Laverde would have to be straight omitted after a game like that.

Straight swap for Heppell?

 

[Wakwahn]

I actually reckon Stringer has had a pretty decent year. 38 goals while also doing his centre bounce/mid thing is not a bad return so far. I know he can pick and choose a bit but apart from Davey he is the only one explosive enough to make defenders sweat a bit and apply pressure. He’s given his all most weeks IMO.

 

[faible]

I actually reckon Stringer has had a pretty decent year. 38 goals while also doing his centre bounce/mid thing is not a bad return so far. I know he can pick and choose a bit but apart from Davey he is the only one explosive enough to make defenders sweat a bit and apply pressure. He’s given his all most weeks IMO.

Just needs to be left to play as a forward where his power and creativity is going to cause the most issues.

Better to rely on Durham and Caldwell in the midfield IMO.

 

[Dan26]

How much better is it at the ‘G too.

 

[yodellinhank]

Someone call me a paramedic. Thanks.

You are a paramedic.

 

[BuffDog]

This kind of game makes me excited to replace a few players with Ridley, Reid and Kako next year.

Should we be worried Caldwell hasn’t re signed?