Autopsy Round 18: Adelaide Vs St Kilda

[Drop Kick]

I like Bonner but he was absolutely terrible the other night. Clark was getting the ball but his ball use was terrible. Adelaide looked so much better in the wet with their superior midfield. Wet weather footy is made for inside contested mids.

And yet footy "experts" say Adelaide is an ordinary team because they have a poor midfield, how bad does that make our midfield.

 

[puppy_dog7]

Is it really a coincidence that our best game for the year (Sydney) coincided with no Riley Bonner

36

Riley Bonner

Age

27

Ht

190cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.2

4star

K

12.1

4star

HB

5.2

4star

M

4.3

4star

T

1.4

3star

MG

279.8

4star

D

12.3

3star

K

10.3

4star

HB

2.0

1star

M

3.5

3star

T

1.3

2star

MG

279.8

4star

D

21.4

5star

K

14.0

5star

HB

7.4

5star

M

5.0

5star

T

2.0

4star

?

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Is it really a coincidence that our best game for the year (Sydney) coincided with no Riley Bonner?

I think everyone will agree that Hill is better than Bonner.
I think everyone will agree that Windhager is better than Jones.

 

[Drop Kick]

Is it really a coincidence that our best game for the year (Sydney) coincided with no Riley Bonner?

And no Max.

 

[hayes]

Owens is not a mid, never had been in the juniors. He was a small forward. After a growth spurt, played in the last year of under 18s as a wingman that can push forward. Just because he has the physical attribute, doesn’t mean he can turn into Bont.. his skills are messy at best and the midfield craft is just not there at the moment, wishing him to be something he is not at this stage is setting him up to fail.

Windhager for example played mid in juniors. Does that mean Owen won’t be a mid in the future? no, just means he is not there at the moment. Not even close.

Owens poor form in the forward line is a by-product of our poor midfield. No one in our forward line apart from Higgins are performing.

I listened to Gags in an interview after the draft saying his biggest strength was he’s a contested bull around stoppage. He was training as a mid even before the 2023 season before Harves moved him forward. It’s in there somewhere but Ross can’t seem to get it out of him yet.

 

[gringo2011]

And yet footy "experts" say Adelaide is an ordinary team because they have a poor midfield, how bad does that make our midfield.

Horrid. They don't have mountains of class but lots of young inside on-ballers. Our midfield on paper looked lean but adequate with a full suite available. Steele, Crouch, Dow, Ross, Clark, Windhager, Phillipou, Jones, Garcia and Marshall who's clearance work is like another mid.

Hill, Henry, Wood, Byrnes etc running the wings.

We haven't had more than a couple available or in form at any point so far. Potentially we had enough to compete on the books but we now have to replace Crouch and Ross. Phillipou looks like one long term but you imagine he isn't going to be linear.

 

[Ads734]

I listened to Gags in an interview after the draft saying his biggest strength was he’s a contested bull around stoppage. He was training as a mid even before the 2023 season before Harves moved him forward. It’s in there somewhere but Ross can’t seem to get it out of him yet.

Well first and foremost he needs to be given a chance.

Take Pou for example.

Was given real minutes as a mid and many thought he looked useless. Then went back worked on it and now he’s looking better then ever. Simmilar to windy.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Well first and foremost he needs to be given a chance.

Take Pou for example.

Was given real minutes as a mid and many thought he looked useless. Then went back worked on it and now he’s looking better then ever. Simmilar to windy.

I seem to remember posts, but can't remember who posted them...."Phillipou is not a midfielder".

 

[SteeleSaints]

And no Max.

Careful you will get set upon..... but I have no doubt our forward line functions better without Max in the way he has been playing this year.

 

[Jade Buddha]

Careful you will get set upon..... but I have no doubt our forward line functions better without Max in the way he has been playing this year.

Less predictable but even that will be worked out shortly.

 

[littlecreatures]

I seem to remember posts, but can't remember who posted them...."Phillipou is not a midfielder".

I think you look at a players strengths (rather than deficits) and mould them as to where they can best be used for ultimate gain.

Chito’s a contested beast, champion data have gone as far as saying he’s the best post clearance player since Fyfe.

Seems quite silly to not invest in Mitch being played around the engine room, which interestingly is our biggest list gap, and where we’re investing lots into making Pou a mid.

He seems lost in the forward line which is probably the hardest line to be playing in right now.

 

[austinnn]

Something about this loss really annoyed me. Adelaide were there for the killing and we just dissolved like a Richmond cheer squad banner in the rain.

Yes, our home ground is usually dry and we play there over half the season, but if we want to win elsewhere, including the MCG in September, then we have to be ready for rain. I would have thought Ross Lyon OF ALL coaches would be diligent about ensuring his teams are ready for wet weather football after the 2009 GF.

Our players failed to execute basic techniques but this loss was just as much about Nicks getting his players set up right. This was a loss everywhere including the coaches box.

Let this be (another) lesson to our club to hone their wet weather game.

 

[Saintbloke]

Something about this loss really annoyed me. Adelaide were there for the killing and we just dissolved like a Richmond cheer squad banner in the rain.

Yes, our home ground is usually dry and we play there over half the season, but if we want to win elsewhere, including the MCG in September, then we have to be ready for rain. I would have thought Ross Lyon OF ALL coaches would be diligent about ensuring his teams are ready for wet weather football after the 2009 GF.

Our players failed to execute basic techniques but this loss was just as much about Nicks getting his players set up right. This was a loss everywhere including the coaches box.

Let this be (another) lesson to our club to hone their wet weather game.

Weather has little to do with it apart from showing who is skilful and who is not. The Crows players are clearly more skilled ball handlers than our mids especially. Just shows where we need to put all our recruiting/ trade efforts.

 

[Klaatu]

Weather has little to do with it apart from showing who is skilful and who is not. The Crows players are clearly more skilled ball handlers than our mids especially. Just shows where we need to put all our recruiting/ trade efforts.

Skill has nothing to do with wet weather it all comes down to work rate,application, desire & who wants to put their body on the line to keep moving the ball forward, some players just totally switch off in wet weather.

 

[austinnn]

Weather has little to do with it apart from showing who is skilful and who is not. The Crows players are clearly more skilled ball handlers than our mids especially. Just shows where we need to put all our recruiting/ trade efforts.

Thst was the point I wanted to make in my rant but forgot.

Wet weather footy is supposed to reduce the smooth movement of player and ball, making it a game of effort and strength.

We are supposed to be a team light on skills and heavy on effort and this game should have suited us perfectly, should have been a punishing chaotic slog where we wore our opponent down.

What happened?

 

[Sully111]

I think you look at a players strengths (rather than deficits) and mould them as to where they can best be used for ultimate gain.

Chito’s a contested beast, champion data have gone as far as saying he’s the best post clearance player since Fyfe.

Seems quite silly to not invest in Mitch being played around the engine room, which interestingly is our biggest list gap, and where we’re investing lots into making Pou a mid.

He seems lost in the forward line which is probably the hardest line to be playing in right now.

You'd think all that would be so simple.

But no... the coaching staff have decided to all but ignore what's right in front of their faces.

 

[MrFoster]

I listened to Gags in an interview after the draft saying his biggest strength was he’s a contested bull around stoppage. He was training as a mid even before the 2023 season before Harves moved him forward. It’s in there somewhere but Ross can’t seem to get it out of him yet.

He may be a contested player, with his physical attributes, he should be. But he fumbles a lot when he does get to the ball, and skills are messy when giving off to a team mate.. This has been our problem all alone, we cannot win a contest clean, which makes the whole chain of possessions ordinary at best. When you have Cripps, Cerra for example getting the ball clean and releasing a team mate on the outside with a perfect handball, it makes a world of difference. Mitch at this stage of his career is no where close to this. Windhager in the Collingwood game has shown he can be a key midfield piece, but we need to get in other gun midfielders to bring that out more consistently.

 

[StCicatriz]

I listened to Gags in an interview after the draft saying his biggest strength was he’s a contested bull around stoppage. He was training as a mid even before the 2023 season before Harves moved him forward. It’s in there somewhere but Ross can’t seem to get it out of him yet.

i agree its a bit strange

he seems to be super competitive and love the contest. his 2nd efforts last year were amazing, best i've seen from a 2nd year player in a long time.

having said that when he goes into the center, playing as a pure mid, he looks lost. it's almost like he cant read the play and use his burst to work into it. i think the ruck helps him as he's one on one competitive nature where the ball is in close helps. but if he's a mid attacking the ball up where's there's space and he needs to read it the play and his opponent, he tends to get lost.

i honestly don't think he will ever turn into a full time mid. but i do think he will be a very good forward who pushes up the ground with stints in the middle.