AFL Toast RND 22: Win against Norf

[Squeaky]

Agree with most except Guelfi and possibly Lav. Guelfi showed signs in the second half of what he's capable of at his best with multiple spoils. Equal second highest tackle count with 6 for the team today too. Feel when the team is performing well and there's pressure for spots, he's pushed to bring his manic defensive best week in week out.

BZT is having his first consistent year as an (almost) 25 yo KPD with our underperforming midfield allowing a lot of kicks to advantage for his direct opponents. If he improved as much as he did over the off season, I doubt he's hit his ceiling yet. How much better he gets, no one knows but unless he's asking for ridiculous $ or is determined to go back home, I want us to sign him.

I agree with the BZT bit.
If Guelfi is in our best 22 long term, we are not going anywhere...

 

[Lance Uppercut]

I really enjoyed this game. Also, eat shit Norf

 

[Lance Uppercut]

People simply don't understand how even the comp is. It makes me laugh some of the emo shit that goes on after winning a two horse race

 

[Squeaky]

I went to the game and got what I expected; not much.
Was not expecting to see Balders in and I was glad that he was playing. Initially because I think he deserved his shot but later I was just glad he was there. Great game.
Nick Martin is a sensational player. Why we dicked him around for a month makes no sense to me. We should thank our lucky stars he ended up at Tullamarine.
Hobbit was good. I thought Parish was good too.
Langford is such a steady player in our forward line. We'd be ****ed (more so) without him.
I agree with a few here, if we are pinning hopes on getting Mackay to make us better we better have a plan B. We could regret that.
Well done to Tsatas too. His goal was the only bit of the game I get excited about, except for yelling at fkwit umpires!!!
We are still a long long way back, but maybe our long list of important players out has shown us that the cupboard is still bare...

 

[Old man fletch]

I agree with the BZT bit.
If Guelfi is in our best 22 long term, we are not going anywhere...

Agree with you on 2023 form. 2022 form he's best 22 for a lot of team. Is a matter of if that's reproducible or not

 

[Squeaky]

Agree with you on 2023 form. 2022 form he's best 22 for a lot of team. Is a matter of if that's reproducible or not

I think we will find out. He's not going anywhere is he?

 

[citizen-erased]

Some diabolical mistakes when trying to move the ball forward, we'll improve by 20% if we can greatly minimise them. I really liked Baldwin taking the contact at chf and pumping it forward quickly, with a goal resulting - both things we lack.

#1 draft pick and this is his yardstick

 

[BuffDog]

I'd put it closer to 6-7.

Kelly, Heppell, Guelfi, Phillips, Snelling, Laverde all not good enough going forward, and BZT is hit-or-miss. A few retirements hopefully in that group.

in a magical world with no injuries we could potentially line up like this next year.

Ridley - McKay - McGrath
Redman - Baldwin - Cox
Martin - Merrett - Durham
Stringer - Jones - Langford
Davey Jr - Wright - Menzie
Draper - Parish - Hobbs

Bryan/Caldwell/Setterfield/Perkins
Tsatas

Which doesn’t include any of that group of players, but of course we’ll need to improve our depth as injuries will always happen

 

[footyfanatic111]

The commentary must have been spectacularly favourable for Parish.

Standard junk performance with 3 or 4 good moments one of which, the assist to Martin, followed another i50 miss under no pressure.

33 disposals
16 contested
2 goal assists
9 clearances
10 inside 50’s
22 pressure acts.

Of course he has his negatives,
6 turnovers
Only 70% efficiency
And zero intercepts.

But gee to call it a standard junk performance. He’s so harshly critiqued sometimes. Always so quick to point out his flaws and totally ignore the good stuff. You do you but.
I personally don’t want to let him go.

 

[citizen-erased]

Its last week and all, but freo are smashing west coast by 10 goals midway through the 3rd

Freo have been rubbish all year
This is a local derby for west coast
They're at home
10 goals down in the 3rd
And we had to scramble to beat them by 2pts.
On our home deck
With finals on the line and % boost required

This is where we are at, and have been for a long while

 

[doug85]

33 disposals
16 contested
2 goal assists
9 clearances
10 inside 50’s
22 pressure acts.

Of course he has his negatives,
6 turnovers
Only 70% efficiency
And zero intercepts.

But gee to call it a standard junk performance. He’s so harshly critiqued sometimes. Always so quick to point out his flaws and totally ignore the good stuff. You do you but.
I personally don’t want to let him go.

I’m not sure he watched the game

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

One of the only blokes on the ground that busted a gut to chase and pressure. He has his limitations but there are worse issues than Kelly .

Not at all the way I saw his game TBH. I made excuses for him most the year but don’t see the point anymore.

 

[Happyskeret]

Even though norf are where they are I thought the standard of the game was similar to the Sydney game. Plenty of mistakes were made but I don’t think it was cellar dweller stuff. As much as I hate to admit it Norf have a great midfield engine and Cunnington in his last match was far from a token player. 20th in all time contested possessions what a player.

 

[Rabbit of Caerbannog]

People simply don't understand how even the comp is. It makes me laugh some of the emo s**t that goes on after winning a two horse race

This would be a fair enough comment if we were playing anyone other than North and West Coast.

 

[Yoda_]

The commentary must have been spectacularly favourable for Parish.

Standard junk performance with 3 or 4 good moments one of which, the assist to Martin, followed another i50 miss under no pressure.

They were too busy barracking for Norf Melbourne to praise any Parish moments

 

[fairbump_playon]

I reckon North aren’t so bad right now.

I still reckon we’re a good chance to knock off GWS next week

 

[outersanctum]

It is easy to be disappointed in our results over the last two weeks.. but there are huge positives there. Last week and this week we were the 'younger' side and the more 'inexperienced' side. We are not putting out a premiership hardened team and struggling to beat the worst.. we are putting out a young, inexperienced side that has, in my opinion, hit the physical wall in the back half of the season and they have managed to find a way to win.

I was keen to watch this game in comparison to WCE and see if last week was just the anomaly.. but nope we looked flat again. That is three weeks in a row that it just looks like some of the young blokes are running under water. I think some of them are legit cooked for the season. That is not excuse, but just the reality that we are sending a lot players out who have only been through 1-3 preseasons.

We are two games away from the end of the season and we can still make finals. That is a lot better than I expected at the start of the season. I expect us to lose the next two but you never know.

The positives were Hobbs, Martin and Tsats.. you can see the future clearly there. I thought Merrett did a lot of team things despite struggling with a hard tag. Parish is very good and for those wanting to get rid of him.. check yourself and the tape first. Langford is having a career defining season and continues to be a step above. I like the work of Byran and I think he has a future. Baldwin did some really nice things and I think should stay in the team for the next two weeks.

The negatives were pretty standard.. but disposals, kicking skills. Peter Wright has got concrete hands right now. We missed Ridley and whilst Zerk has improved 100%.. he is not good enough to be KPD #1. McGrath had one of his better games but still leaves me feeling meh. Do not like our team defence right now but I suspect that is a fitness issue rather than structure.

All up..we got the win.. the matildas got the win.. and life is pretty good. I'll be hoping we can get the upset against GWS and set up a cracker final round against the Pies for a chance at September glory.

 

[Jobe Watson]

BZT is having his first consistent year as an (almost) 25 yo KPD with our underperforming midfield allowing a lot of kicks to advantage for his direct opponents. If he improved as much as he did over the off season, I doubt he's hit his ceiling yet. How much better he gets, no one knows but unless he's asking for ridiculous $ or is determined to go back home, I want us to sign him.

I've liked BZT's improvement over the last 14 or so months, but he isn't someone you want to be dependant on in that KPD spot going forward. Does some nice things but still gets beaten way too often. Hopefully he still has more development left in him.

 

[Squeaky]

I reckon North aren’t so bad right now.

I still reckon we’re a good chance to knock off GWS next week

I don't see it. Since half time in the Adelaide game we have been pretty average.

 

[fairbump_playon]

I don't see it. Since half time in the Adelaide game we have been pretty average.

We have been very average, agreed.

There’s nothing much to see in our form but for winning the last two weeks. Just reckon it will click next week.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

We had six starters out..three of them our most important players along with Merrett. Can’t expect to thrash teams with so many out in a relatively inexperienced team.

 

[citizen-erased]

I don't see it. Since half time in the Adelaide game we have been pretty average.

Agree
When the season was there for the taking we just havent stepped up.
Cartons response to the challenge of a season on the cliff has been a stark polar opposite to ours.
Hard to pinpoint whats happened, but our midfield just hasnt been there with the others.

 

[citizen-erased]

in a magical world with no injuries we could potentially line up like this next year.

Ridley - McKay - McGrath
Redman - Baldwin - Cox
Martin - Merrett - Durham
Stringer - Jones - Langford
Davey Jr - Wright - Menzie
Draper - Parish - Hobbs

Bryan/Caldwell/Setterfield/Perkins
Tsatas

Which doesn’t include any of that group of players, but of course we’ll need to improve our depth as injuries will always happen

If we're gonna improve/move fwd, stringer needs to bring something akin to his late '21 form to be in the side.

We're not good enough to carry an xfactor player who impacts so few moments in a game.

 

[outersanctum]

Agree
When the season was there for the taking we just havent stepped up.
Cartons response to the challenge of a season on the cliff has been a stark polar opposite to ours.
Hard to pinpoint whats happened, but our midfield just hasnt been there with the others.

Carlton are a year or two ahead of us development wise I think. Yes we can all hate them (and with a passion) but they have built a very competitive list and I have always thought that Voss could coach. Carlton are 8th oldest list versus us with 16th oldest (ie 3rd youngest). That is the difference of about 2-3 preseasons.

Think about where Langford was 3 years ago.. that is the difference time makes for some blokes. I can't wait to see where Caldwell, Setters, Merrett, Parish, Hobbs et al are in 3 years.

Plus Carlton had more 'luck' with their key position selections. We had picked guys like Reid, Cox and Jones who all can't get on the park. Carlton have Weitering, McKay, Curnow. It makes a big difference. But again.. Weitering is in his 10th season I believe.. so who knows where Reid ends up in another 8 years.

So I don't think it is that Carlton had a 'better' response than our team.. I think our team is younger and has just run out of legs and the end of a very long season.

 

[faible]

Merrett played the tag smartly, kept his man away from where he could impact anything else which allowed guys like Martin and Parish to impact the game instead.

Criticism of parish is odd for this one, was reliable and worked hard all game.