AFL Autopsy RND 4: Dons Demolished

[Chief Hopper]

Kinda tempted to have an all time melt but don’t have the energy for this s**t anymore. Being in my early 30s this club have brought me close to 0 joy. It ain’t gonna change

Nahh why bother.
Game is done, onto the next match.

Put it to injuries, put it to inexp young players. It's not our time just yet.

 

[mcgrath_truther]

jokes aside it's shocking that we have no genuine speedy players on our list except for hind (who's got a shit for a brain) and the davey twins (who're apparently too fresh to warrant some game time)

why are we so scared to blood the youth and give them some game time. lord knows 80% of the seniors in the side half ass everything week in week out. VFL form is one thing, sure, but what does it actually achieve, letting them fester for seasons against middling oppositions instead of giving them an opportunity at the top level.

 

[Rick Ross]

Kind of feel there’s a host of negativing coming through here. We need to get around the positives from tonight. Let me summarise the top positives:
1. McKay







Ok. THE positive.

 

[Reximilian]

Need to drop Draper, Menzie, Parish. Keep Martin away from the backline. Durham in for Perkins.

 

[justlookingaround]

Tonight felt like a final (in the worst way possible)

 

[Highly Evolved]

We were absolutely shocking, but bloody hell, JHF and Rozee were incredible. Absolute game changers.

 

[JayJ20]

And now hopefully people see why Scott said it’s an 8 year plan and not 3 or whatever, we’re a long way off the top sides and it’s going to take a lot of work to mix it with them

Sorry but if it's going to be 8 years, then maybe play the players that are going to be there in 8 years?

Tsatas and Davey Jnr for speed, Hayes to play back over Laverde while Reid is out, Roberts at HB.

If we're going to lose by 10+ goals, at least make it worthwhile.

 

[Dons4days]

weve seen what bryan can do.

it isnt any good.

No worse than Draper and he’s played 50 less games.

 

[ghostdog]

Is draper undroppable ? The hype around this bloke is ******* hysterical. It looks like Goldy will get the chop for Bryan. Draper is like Sydney crook Neddy Smith, he’s got the green light.

Yeah I don't think Smith rolled over though.
Draper is just immature. He needs to know when to hold 'em, and know when to fold 'em.

 

[mcgrath_truther]

maybe i should apply for a role as the strength and conditioning coach at essendon. i'm assuming they're paid plenty of cash each year and for what? a club that has 1-2 players who can stick a tackle, and a broad range of players who get injured once and seemingly can never reach their peak again.

 

[Vander18]

What to say about that? So disappointing.

We got an epic belting in the middle. Nothing else really mattered. Soldo gave Goldstein and Draper a hiding and we had no ability to stop Butters, JHF and Rozee getting through the front of the stoppage. That was the story of the game.

Those 3 Port mids are very special talents. Elite footballers and elite athletes. We had no answers - Merrett, Caldwell, Setters, Perkins, Parish…..none of them are bad players but they are pedestrian by comparison. Merrett has some elite footy attributes, none of the others do. 6 years for Parish….anyone still supporting that?

The reality is we have built lists without elite talent or elite athleticism for years now - not sure I’ve ever seen it so starkly shown up as it was tonight.

As much talent as they all have….watching Rozee tonight was something. He’s got everything.

 

[andleanback]

Effort wasn’t the issue tonight. We had more of the ball and easily out tackled them. Centre bounce was diabolical and the method going forward was horrific. You would’ve thought all team meeting would’ve centered around not aimlessly bombing to port key backs when we are playing without a true key forward, yet we just continued to burn team mates on the lead and opportunities to score when we had players out due to players not being able to be composed with ball in hand. Roberts has to come in, is a genuine ball user. Can’t be giving hind games over him.

 

[justlookingaround]

As much talent as they all have….watching Rozee tonight was something. He’s got everything.

Rozee is 24, he's gonna be nuts in 3 years time.
JHF is 20. He made our entire midfield look like kids.

 

[fairbump_playon]

If we give McGrath a pricy contract at the end of this season, we are going nowhere.

Nick Hind's brain fades are symptomatic of the lack of care and professionalism around the playing group.
Why are you taking the piss down 70 odd?

It’s two steps forward, one step back and several out on the full

 

[yodellinhank]

will be interested to see Brad's presser

You can't read too much into those things

 

[DERO]

Made to look a tad slow tonight.

That Port midfield is a pretty good one.

 

[ghostdog]

System was good in the first. Once they went man on man our lack of 'edge' individually was completely exposed.

 

[the PILL]

The challenge is we are trying to solve so many deficiencies at once. We need faster players, we need better skills, we need better defensive efforts and pressure, we need more competitiveness, we need better contested marking.

You only really get a shot at players with multiple elite attributes like those in the first round and you only get a single pick in most years so it takes a very long time.

Very true!

It's almost like our recruiting and development hasn't been up to AFL standard for a "long time"

 

[Vander18]

Rozee is 24, he's gonna be nuts in 3 years time.
JHF is 20. He made our entire midfield look like kids.

All three are super talents…..Rozee just has that little, intangible extra. Call
It class I guess….they all have it, he just has a touch more.

 

[Chief Hopper]

JHF is the one that impressed me the most.

JHF was epic tonight.

In turn I think our mids were poorly setup. Should've played Setterfield/Stringer in mid, given muscle to cover Parish, Merret. Draper taps picked clean by Port. Would JHF be so good playing for the Don's tonight? Prob not.

 

[Vindicater]

So first thoughts for next week.

Out: Perkins (inj) Heppell and Goldstein (manage/omit)

In: Durham, Ridley and Bryan.

Challenge Draper by giving him the main ruck duties with Bryan there to compete as well. Best gets to stay in with Goldstein a week later.

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

So first thoughts for next week.

Out: Perkins (inj) Heppell and Goldstein (manage/omit)

In: Durham, Ridley and Bryan.

Challenge Draper by giving him the main ruck duties with Bryan there to compete as well. Best gets to stay in with Goldstein a week later.

I don't think we change the rucks until Wright is available again but IMO I'd be dropping Draper before Goldy. I love Sam, but he's at the point in his career now where the flashy shit is no longer an excuse for not having the fundamentals right. Sick of watching him try to play million dollar football with $10 in his wallet.

 

[Blind Turn]

When the best teams bring it we tend to lose it.

So many peripheral players. No impact from any of our ‘impact’ players other than Gresh early. Stringer, Draper, Redman, Langford, Hind as sub - all insipid for the most part.

Where was the intensity after kicking goals? The next centre clearance went to Port and then usually a goal.

We demonstrated that we are likely to remain in that horrid limbo of mediocrity for a while yet and are at risk of becoming even more of a laughing stock if we can’t back up this ‘edge’ mantra.

I want to balance it with positives but they’re hard to come by. Good intent early and Gresh showed a bit. McKay is a big win for us. Jones is doing the right things. Duursma is winning me over. Merrett refuses to be peripheral when everyone else is. Martin is finding the ball (is it to the benefit of our structure though?), Cox has another full game behind him… meh… uninspiring positives overall.

 

[Rick Ross]

Made to look a tad slow tonight.

That Port midfield is a pretty good one.

I think you win the prize for the understatement of the night.

 

[Milanista28]

JHF is the one that impressed me the most.

Genuine superstar