Autopsy Round 1, 2024: Positives and Negatives vs Port Adelaide

[Spod]

Not remotely worried about Ginbey on the basis of yesterday. Had an interrupted pre-season after his last season got cut short, of course he was a bit rusty. He was always a relatively raw prospect that would take some time - there is still plenty to like there and he had some good moments.

I think Luke Edwards has shown more than enough to give him a decent run at it to see what he can do without any major injury interruptions like he has had the past few years. As others have said he could be a good compliment to our other young mids.

 

[eagles rule]

It's a bit odd. He's getting written off (as a mid) quickly despite being in the poorest side in the competition. There's a bit of an idea in footy circles that if you're a top 20 pick you're either an elite mid or KPP.

Even if he doesn't make it as a CBD player there's another 10 positions on the ground where he could be elite. It's frustrating coz there's a few posters that seem to resent others being impressed by his preparation levels which is all you really have to go on regarding preseason anyway.

It's lame. To reference a similar impatience Sheppard looked absolutely lost in his first few years but developed into an elite defender which we continue to struggle to cover despite not having him for 2 seasons now.

It’s got the vibe , he’s a failed pick because 2 nd yr player in a struggling team not getting Brownlow votes ..


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[Astro7]

I guess with Ginbey and his preseason prep on his physique, it's easy to think he's improved his footy as well, and it's easy to make comparisons with Reid, both new, young mids. But Reid is a #1 generational player, and it shows. He was amongst a very good oppo midfield, one of the best in the comp, and he was doing things they couldn't do (brief signs).

Rubes is a different beast, what is he, a top 20 pick from Busso, he has all the right attributes to be molded into a long term reliable player. At the moment he's a big brash battering ram, throws himself into every contest, has some speed, has a tank, courage, strength, can tackle - but lacks finesse and skills, footy smarts basically. Needs to get his own ball more, to pick and choose his moments, he appears to always be chasing a man or ball, expending lots of energy; a bit of the dog about him = see ball, get ball. But he will learn in time to pace himself and make the right decisions. He's got a long kick on him, can boot the ball! Could make a good winger?

But we invest too much too early in these young guys and have great expectations, need to let them grow into it(Hewett is another one). Rubes played most of last season, very much plug+play out of desperation. You could argue this preseason he was fully immersed in the new gameplan and is only one game in (applies to all), so we need to cut them some slack. You'd hope to see some change or progress by mid season and we might see him in different positions, meanwhile in a couple of years? ....early days.

 

[flyinghi64]

Positives,
We have a good spread of players now with a number of 20yr old and younger player.
Older experienced players to do the heavy lifting.
A number of experienced 22-28yr olds.

Negatives,
The young guys are still a pre-season or so away from being fit enough to compete and run out a full game against seasoned opposition.
Our seasoned experienced players are not fit enough, and frankly most don't seem to care that much, to compete against seasoned opposition.
Our in between player group seems to be made of of plodders who hack kick it anywhere.

Only one game so probably a bit soon to go to negative but we better sort out our best 22-24 players over the next few weeks and reward players who give a crap and TRY their guts out.

JJ better be in this week if fit, we need speed.

 

[AnyDanger]

I'm pretty happy for this to be a year of exploration for Ginbey. Play him everywhere, wing, back, inside/outside. He's a different case to Reid, who we know what he is/will be after 1 game. Ginbeys unique with his size, speed and endurance, but doesnt scream natural footballer. We can settle him in a spot once we've seen more.

The gaff problem risks getting sad. It's not ideal having a guy who sits top 5 in games played for the club ending his career with a full season I'm the wafl. If he does sit in the wafl for the next few months, hopefully there is a retirement announcement post the bye and a fairwell game, so he can go out with a bit of dignity.

 

[bzparkes]

I'm pretty happy for this to be a year of exploration for Ginbey. Play him everywhere, wing, back, inside/outside. He's a different case to Reid, who we know what he is/will be after 1 game. Ginbeys unique with his size, speed and endurance, but doesnt scream natural footballer. We can settle him in a spot once we've seen more.

The gaff problem risks getting sad. It's not ideal having a guy who sits top 5 in games played for the club ending his career with a full season I'm the wafl. If he does sit in the wafl for the next few months, hopefully there is a retirement announcement post the bye and a fairwell game, so he can go out with a bit of dignity.

If he wants to maintain his dignity, he should consider asking to be dropped like Bock(Rich) and Gunston did.

 

[THE A5]

It's a bit odd. He's getting written off (as a mid) quickly despite being in the poorest side in the competition. There's a bit of an idea in footy circles that if you're a top 20 pick you're either an elite mid or KPP.

Even if he doesn't make it as a CBD player there's another 10 positions on the ground where he could be elite. It's frustrating coz there's a few posters that seem to resent others being impressed by his preparation levels which is all you really have to go on regarding preseason anyway.

It's lame. To reference a similar impatience Sheppard looked absolutely lost in his first few years but developed into an elite defender which we continue to struggle to cover despite not having him for 2 seasons now.

To add to this Ginbey hasn’t had the lixury of playing a longside gun and him being able to learn off em but also play a secondary role in there. Hopefully Yeo and Kelly stay fit and can play to their best. Lets not forget that Yeo was in his mid 20’s till he finally became a midfielder.

 

[Elite Pete]

Structure set up was a massive issue.

I was in the Simpson to get one more year camp so worst situation the next coach gets one more year of a list build but there was worrying signs. The gap that got created so easily being the biggest one.

Might’ve of been better to move on last year.

If the senior blokes turn up this week in front of a big home crowd I hope we go well.

 

[CountryLad]

The West Australian Sport

"He’s had more free games given to him in the past two years than anyone else in the history of the AFL."

www.facebook.com

Haven’t got access to the article but agree with Kornes headline. Senior players were generally poor and in particular our Leaders in Allen, Duggan and TB.
Need to be better this week at home and we will be quite competitive.

TB will have a big job on Hogan while Allen probably gets Sam Taylor

15

Sam Taylor

Age

25

Ht

198cm

Wt

95kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.0

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

5.4

4star

M

3.3

3star

T

2.1

4star

MG

130.5

2star

D

8.0

2star

K

2.5

1star

HB

5.5

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.5

3star

MG

60.8

1star

D

8.6

3star

K

3.0

1star

HB

5.6

4star

M

1.2

2star

T

2.8

5star

MG

110.8

2star

. Duggan tried pretty hard just made basic mistakes and needs to tidy it up. 47% disposal efficiency says it all.

 

[ziad]

The West Australian Sport

"He’s had more free games given to him in the past two years than anyone else in the history of the AFL."

www.facebook.com

Haven’t got access to the article but agree with Kornes headline. Senior players were generally poor and in particular our Leaders in Allen, Duggan and TB.
Need to be better this week at home and we will be quite competitive.

TB will have a big job on Hogan while Allen probably gets Sam Taylor. Duggan tried pretty hard just made basic mistakes and needs to tidy it up. 47% disposal efficiency says it all.

I like the home factor but I rate GWS a lot higher than Port.

 

[CountryLad]

I like the home factor but I rate GWS a lot higher than Port.

Port were a top 4 side last year that got bundled out of the finals as injuries hit at the wrong time of the year. They have traded well to fix a couple of glaring weaknesses. Best midfield in the competition for me. I think they sit right next to Gws as a couple of the stand out sides.

 

[Bestbird]

Port were a top 4 side last year that got bundled out of the finals as injuries hit at the wrong time of the year. They have traded well to fix a couple of glaring weaknesses. Best midfield in the competition for me. I think they sit right next to Gws as a couple of the stand out sides.

Midfield wise playing Port & GWS as the first 2 games is quite the challenge, Sydney in R 4 as well

 

[FKASC]

Yeo wasnt great as a mid at first either. Ginbey should become at least serviceable. He may not be a star like Reid or Hewitt but thats ok.

He’s not a great mid now either. If he was we wouldn’t be getting destroyed so often, considering he’s playing alongside another mid who almost won the Brownlow.

I agree Yeo is a good comparison to Ginbey. Ginbey even compared himself to Jack Crisp pre-draft, which is a role Yeo excelled at (running HB). Both have been shoehorned as inside mids because we are obsessed with big bodied mids, despite runts like Butters pulling our pants down in the contests

 

[DanWCE]

Schoey suggesting this morning that Allen wasn't alone in being underdone from gastro

 

[CountryLad]

Midfield wise playing Port & GWS as the first 2 games is quite the challenge, Sydney in R 4 as well

Definitely, we could possibly be getting 3 of the top 4 in the first month of the year.

 

[FKASC]

Schoey suggesting this morning that Allen wasn't alone in being underdone from gastro

No wonder they all seemed to shit themselves

 

[DanWCE]

No wonder they all seemed to s**t themselves

Credits in the bank and runs on the board

 

[The Dodger]

Interesting game. 1st quarter showed a new energy and you know what the first thing to kill that momentum was? A co-captain giving away a stupid free for cannoning into the back of the opposition for no real reason other than lack of discipline.
People getting down on Gaff. I didnt expect much from him and it went as expected. Remember we were told last year he was injured in 2022 and that was the reason for the drop off and that 2023 was going to be different... it wasn't.

The biggest negative for me is Duggan's game. That free kick he gave away gave Port IIRC their first easy transition of the game after we looked like locking it in our forward line. A leader doing undisciplined acts like that cant be the reason why our team gets exposed. Then there is his inability to handle pressure. Watching Reid and seeing a mid draw the defender and give the handball on mulitiple occasions is a refreshing change from the usual lack of composure we have with the ball. Duggan rushes his disposal and this was evident yesterday with a couple OOTF's or direct turnovers in that first half.
He worked back into the game and had some solid moments and a nice goal but all in all is he leading from the front and setting the level that's required so that the younger players know? That first quarter/half is the best time to set it for the new season - new direction and I felt he quickly got the team on the old path.

OAllen im willing to give a pass to becasue of his lead up to the game. Im not sure what's happening with Barrass. His player gets a hold of him and he is unable to stop the run. This was happening last year.

There were a lot of positives in Petch, Reid, BBW. Yeo getting through a game unscathed.
Petch to me is going to have flashes of what he can do never be a numbers guy but if he can add some meat and veg to his defensive game it would be good. But that broken tackle and shot at goal from him is something I hope we see on a somewhat regular basis.
I thought we retained the effort and made sure Port had to keep going.

Ultimately though, Duggan, Allen, Barrass, Gaff & Darling cant play the way they did for us to get better. From that list you have to think about who has another level to go to and who doesn't.

 

[CountryLad]

Schoey suggesting this morning that Allen wasn't alone in being underdone from gastro

Yeah I understand however I’m starting to get a little tired of excuses or reasons for poor performances, it’s been ongoing now since Covid.

We need to become more resilient as a club and playing group and that starts with the leaders.

Guess my point is that I don’t expect miracles from this group we are in a rebuild, however if our senior players had played better as group on the weekend then we are probably in the game for a lot longer.

Do we get another excuse this week or do the senior players stand up?

It’s the difference between a 60-100 point loss or giving ourselves a chance for an upset or a honourable loss.

 

[DanWCE]

Yeah I understand however I’m starting to get a little tired of excuses or reasons for poor performances, it’s been ongoing now since Covid.

We need to become more resilient as a club and playing group and that starts with the leaders.

Guess my point is that I don’t expect miracles from this group we are in a rebuild, however if our senior players had played better as group on the weekend then we are probably in the game for a lot longer.

Do we get another excuse this week or do the senior players stand up?

It’s the difference between a 60-100 point loss or giving ourselves a chance for an upset or a honourable loss.

Who is making the excuse? Noone from the club has mentioned it. Schoey is harder on West Coast than most of us, so I don't think he's using it as an out clause either, it's just a little insider info he has that we don't otherwise get to hear.

 

[CountryLad]

Who is making the excuse? Noone from the club has mentioned it. Schoey is harder on West Coast than most of us, so I don't think he's using it as an out clause either, it's just a little insider info he has that we don't otherwise get to hear.

A little insider info that gives a reason for a poor performance for some players. Sounds like an excuse to me……

 

[Astro7]

Yeah I understand however I’m starting to get a little tired of excuses or reasons for poor performances, it’s been ongoing now since Covid.

We need to become more resilient as a club and playing group and that starts with the leaders.

Guess my point is that I don’t expect miracles from this group we are in a rebuild, however if our senior players had played better as group on the weekend then we are probably in the game for a lot longer.

Do we get another excuse this week or do the senior players stand up?

It’s the difference between a 60-100 point loss or giving ourselves a chance for an upset or a honourable loss.

It would help explain a few things and the coach or club don't usually like to trot out those kind of excuses. That stuff happens to all clubs at sometime (flu, viruses, etc)

 

[bzparkes]

#eagleshadgastro

 

[DanWCE]

A little insider info that gives a reason for a poor performance for some players. Sounds like an excuse to me……

That's your prerogative to take the information at face value. If you add it in with some context I don't think you'd view it the same way. Schoey knows a large chunk of his listeners support West Coast and that the club has been guarded with any and all information, so if he has any info he knows we won't hear elsewhere he usually volunteers it.

He has been smashing WC on the podcast for a good 12+ months and is happy to sink the boots in at any opportunity. I don't think he believes all of what he says and is trying to win over the Freo listeners but the intel wasn't floated as a "this is why they got belted".

 

[CountryLad]

That's your prerogative to take the information at face value. If you add it in with some context I don't think you'd view it the same way. Schoey knows a large chunk of his listeners support West Coast and that the club has been guarded with any and all information, so if he has any info he knows we won't hear elsewhere he usually volunteers it.

He has been smashing WC on the podcast for a good 12+ months and is happy to sink the boots in at any opportunity. I don't think he believes all of what he says and is trying to win over the Freo listeners but the intel wasn't floated as a "this is why they got belted".

I’ll agree to disagree on this I guess. I do see your point, and agree that Schoey is happy to have a crack at the club.

I hope you also see my point that the senior players as a group have been poor for a long period of time (since Covid) and quite often those performances have been hidden behind excuses whether they come from the club or from insider knowledge.