Autopsy Round 15, 2021: Richmond v St.Kilda *CONNOLLY DEBUT*

[gringo2011]

Disagree, there was something unusual about watching a mid in our colors win a game at the coal-face on a Friday night against the best player the comp offers by just beating them up in contested footy.

The mids/performances you’ve mentioned since Lenny left are all a bit different to what I was referring to. Billings - too outside, Steven was a gun but an unusual/streaky player - that would break from the contest to do his damage more. Steele would be the closest we have but still has a bit to go (which is great) until he imposes himself like the elite mids in the comp do. Hanners last year? For a quarter maybe.

We have been such a poor team and midfield for so long that shits itself on the big stage we forget what it’s like to have an alpha contested midfielder with swagger put a team on its back and say “come with me”.

I’m as surprised as anyone that we’ve seen a performance like this from a maligned player like Dunstan, but I’m not complaining.

That game Billing beat up the Dogs in I'm pretty sure he played as a HFF. Steele is a more balanced mid than pure extractor like LD. Armo's one year of elite footy was probably the best extractor mid before Luke's Friday night. Koby Steven may have had a day out at least once.

 

[NarklesHelmet]

That game Billing beat up the Dogs in I'm pretty sure he played as a HFF. Steele is a more balanced mid than pure extractor like LD. Armo's one year of elite footy was probably the best extractor mid before Luke's Friday night. Koby Steven may have had a day out at least once.

Reckon you’re right on that regarding Armo being the closest we’ve had. He put together an All-Australian worthy string of games as an extractor one year: sadly his body let him down after that.

It’s so annoying how poor our midfield has been for a long time now. Even though every draft is experts on here say we need “mids mids and more mids” we do our best not to draft them. Dunstan is one of the few genuine mids we drafted so him coming good, even if it’s later than we’d have hoped, would be great for us.

 

[aussierulesrules]

2nd time in the 4 games since his return to the team that Luke has gotten the most coaches votes.

9 v Norf and now 10 v Tigers.

The best he’s played since that last 6 games of 2017- when he averaged 28 disposals, 6 clearances, almost a goal a game, and got the most votes in our B&F through that stretch.

One key difference this time is that his TOG numbers are about 10% higher.

 

[Premium]

I haven't seen anyone want to start again, just add more pieces. If players can't or won't contribute and if the systems internally can't be fixed we need to replace some pieces though. Development is still extremely hit and miss, drafting is better but can still improve. Libba looks much more reliable but still some odd choices.

Ratts game plan still looks lacking in flexibility and until last Friday buy-in looked like it wasn't happening. To move beyond a middler we need improvement from a lot of players and to get cohesion. I thought they looked like they played more asa team on Friday. Blocking for each other and putting their bodies on the line.
A lot of our improvement will come from the guys you mentioned improving their individual output and reliability but we still need to hit the draft. Injury and output will not stay up so you need back up. Having a couple of really top end players is still the thing that will win premierships. We still need those from the draft or internally.

Hopefully we keep our eyes on the longer term. We look a side that would be 5th to 15th depending on injury at the moment. We need to bridge that gap to make a top 4 side.

Our year has been shocking so far and heart breaking for all the diehard supporters like yourself , the win over the Tigers just showed there is light at the end of the tunnel.
We are far from the finished product and the up and coming trade and draft period is going to be interesting what they do.

We now have King / 20 , Higgins / 22 , Coffield / 21 , Clark / 22 , Paton / 22 , Battle / 22, Byrne / 20, Bytel / 21 , Connolly / 19 , Highmore / 23 who have shown they are AFL grade and they are all 23 or under and I'm not even including Cavarino / 22 , Allison / 19 , Sharman or Heath and on top of that we have a core of players that are at 25 and starting to produce there best football in Steele , Jones / 26 , Billings , Marshall , Howard , Butler , Wilkie , Sinclair , Gresham / 24 , Long / 24 , DMac / 25

This is about 21 players 25 or under and then bring in the old stagers in Hill , Membery , Webster , Crouch , Ross , Ryder , Dunstan and I feel they all have 3 or more years left except for Ryder so we really have a young side.

So do they go all out in the draft or take our first round draft pick for the best kid and then trade for a player we desperately need like another key position player.

 

[Baldur]

Long was good in the forwards. I wonder how we would look now if last year we had put Hind in the backs and Long in the forwards.

 

[gringo2011]

Long was good in the forwards. I wonder how we would look now if last year we had put Hind in the backs and Long in the forwards.

Or Hind to a wing and Hill to the ressies. Imagine breaking lines like a rocked-powered Jack Russel.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Or Hind to a wing and Hill to the ressies. Imagine breaking lines like a rocked-powered Jack Russel.

You really have to let these obsessions go gringo2011

 

[ScrappyDo]

I hope im wrong cause dunstan does seem like an honest to god worker and we could use them but...

I don’t see how he fits in the midfield rotation with Gresh, Jones, Steele, Crouch, Clark, Byrnes, Bytel then some minutes foe Higgins and probably Ross.

he’s a hell of a depth player in a real purple patch right now but if Jones and Gresh were fit would he still be getting a game?

You would move Gresh forward and Ross to another club. Simples.

 

[gringo2011]

You really have to let these obsessions go gringo2011

Never. I’m going whinge until they win a flag.

 

[St Kilda Death]

Saints: defeat reigning b2b premiership by 40pts.

bigfooty saints fans:
Enjoy that winning feeling for at least 7 days.
Argue that the bloke who was best afield is a spud who should be delisted.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Or Hind to a wing and Hill to the ressies. Imagine breaking lines like a rocked-powered Jack Russel.

THen we could have Lonie deep forward, like an angry Chihuahua .

 

[phantom13]

You would move Gresh forward and Ross to another club. Simples.

Still alot of rotations.

Its a good problem to have.

 

[Saintbloke]

You would move Gresh forward and Ross to another club. Simples.

Might have to think about Gresh as a small forward rather than as a mid. I know a couple of guys who had bad achilles injuries and just lost a little bit of acceleration off the mark once they recovered.

 

[D2D3]

Long was good in the forwards. I wonder how we would look now if last year we had put Hind in the backs and Long in the forwards.

Last year we had Long, Paton, Coffeild and Clark all playing good footy in the backline with Webster looking to get back in, we really didn't have a spot back there for Hind. What a difference 12 months makes, don't know if we could have done more to hang onto him but in hindsight I wish we did.

 

[pebblesofsand]

Last year we had Long, Paton, Coffeild and Clark all playing good footy in the backline with Webster looking to get back in, we really didn't have a spot back there for Hind. What a difference 12 months makes, don't know if we could have done more to hang onto him but in hindsight I wish we did.

Actually I'm glad that Hind went - without that happening Sinclair wouldn't be playing off the hbf and Dunny wouldn't be playing in the midfield.

Prefer Sinclair to Hind any day.

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

Dunstan may not have the natural ability of a few other players but I reckon he’s got more heart than 90% of our list. That type of stuff is infectious & lifts others around him. Same argument about Geary not being best 22. I’ve seen enough in the last month to hope the club gives him a contract extension at the expense of a few highly rated millionaires on our list.

Heart is great until the ball is turned over at critical times.

If Dunstan can learn to play within his limitations then he’s probably got another 100 games in him… if he leaves last week as an outlier then he’ll probably get another year or two & spend most of it at Sandy.


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[Sully111]

You would move Gresh forward and Ross to another club. Simples.

Would keep Dunstan over Ross.

 

[Winmar2Lockett]

You would move Gresh forward and Ross to another club. Simples.

You prefer Dunstan in the midfield to Gresh?


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[ScrappyDo]

You prefer Dunstan in the midfield to Gresh?


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I prefer Gresh forward to the midfield. I'd like to see him rotate with Snaggs and even Longy if it be the case.
I'm also of my own opinion that stress fractures in the back last year and an achilles this year point strongly to overloading him physically.

 

[phantom13]

I prefer Gresh forward to the midfield. I'd like to see him rotate with Snaggs and even Longy if it be the case.
I'm also of my own opinion that stress fractures in the back last year and an achilles this year point strongly to overloading him physically.

Gresh uses the ball horribly from clearances, hes a kick first player which is fine but with the way he gets the ball and draws a crowd if he could use his hands he would create so much space for others. His kicking isnt great either (no penetration).

Id prefer him as a forward with short spurts on ball and have him roaming inside 50 stoppages. Him Butler and Snags hitting throw ins and ball ups at pace would be a nightmare for defenders.

 

[AirWinmar]

Actually I'm glad that Hind went - without that happening Sinclair wouldn't be playing off the hbf and Dunny wouldn't be playing in the midfield.

Prefer Sinclair to Hind any day.

To be fair, would be awesome to have them both off hbf on this year's form. We'd have some serious rebound. Good thing with both of them are good defensively as well

 

[Ducky Tie]

78% of the kick outs taken between Hill, Sinclair and Webster. It's pretty bizarre that it's taken them until round 15 to figure out that Howard was not the ideal person for this role, but at least we've. finally got there. Hill in particular looked suited to it. Allowed him to play on and get the one-two on occasion while changing up the angles well.

 

[AirWinmar]

78% of the kick outs taken between Hill, Sinclair and Webster. It's pretty bizarre that it's taken them until round 15 to figure out that Howard was not the ideal person for this role, but at least we've. finally got there. Hill in particular looked suited to it. Allowed him to play on and get the one-two on occasion while changing up the angles well.

Coaches must have been reading bigfooty

 

[Crusty Undies]

Last year we had Long, Paton, Coffeild and Clark all playing good footy in the backline with Webster looking to get back in, we really didn't have a spot back there for Hind. What a difference 12 months makes, don't know if we could have done more to hang onto him but in hindsight I wish we did.

Long wasn't playing good footy. He was at risk of getting dropped most weeks. And Webster was doubtful to get back to his best missing basically 3 years of footy going into this year. You're telling me that there wasn't one game where Long could've made way for Hind?

 

[Dard Ball Get]

78% of the kick outs taken between Hill, Sinclair and Webster. It's pretty bizarre that it's taken them until round 15 to figure out that Howard was not the ideal person for this role, but at least we've. finally got there. Hill in particular looked suited to it. Allowed him to play on and get the one-two on occasion while changing up the angles well.

The funniest theory I read on here was that it was a great idea for Howard to be doing the kick outs, as to allow him to remain deep when a repeat inside 50 came back…