AFLW Autopsy St Kilda Vs Sydney Swans Sunday Sept 8 RSEA Park @ 3:05pm

[Kbroome]

Just don't think our game plan can really stand up to it with the current skill level at AFLW think we need a lot more heavier built players tbh

 

[Ticky009]

Just don't think our game plan can really stand up to it with the current skill level at AFLW think we need a lot more heavier built players tbh

I think we've still got a long way to go against some of the older more advanced teams. Feel like we still have some gaps across the board that need to be addressed in addition to the physicality of it.

 

[Day_night_honourer]

A valiant effort in the end, trying to emulate the men’s final maybe with a fast finish after being well behind for 3 quarters.?

Gardiner and Tarrant fantastic as always.
Bec getting her usual classy last minute mark & goal.

 

[Day_night_honourer]

Drains straight onto a public concourse with the water running directly under the away teams bench.

Dodgy as!

Geez , you get around mate

 

[Mister B]

Just don't think our game plan can really stand up to it with the current skill level at AFLW think we need a lot more heavier built players tbh

I guess bigger bodies would see a drop in the size of the tanks. We out ran them in the end.

 

[Mister B]

Dodgy as!

Geez , you get around mate

School, footy and cycling. Not much more to me really. I’m a simple man.

 

[petits]

This isn't fun. Is it just me or does it feel like we don't have a proper bruiser in the midfield

Ham or Hamilton could bring more of that but still so young

 

[SM]

A decent effort all things considered, Saints will be a team hard to stop this year so even before the Molloy news I thought we'd struggle. Made a game of it late which is all you can ask for to an extent.

 

[Kbroome]

Ham or Hamilton could bring more of that but still so young

They still don't feel like properly built like Marinoff Garner, Rowbottom. So i think that Ham can get to that build but she will have to put on another couple of kgs in the offseason

 

[Aardvark]

A very ordinary effort today. A lot of sub par performances.

 

[liz]

I thought that game showed we're still in a tier below the "chasing tier" - the clubs most likely to bridge the gulf to the North/Brisbane/Adelaides of this world. We didn't have a problem scrapping for the ball, but our composure when we got it was clearly inferior to the Saints'. Sure, the conditions didn't help, but the Saints played in the exact same conditions and they were able to hit targets.

And maybe a joint session with the men and women on how to approach an opponent to tackle them legally from the front on might be in order this week.

 

[SM]

I thought that game showed we're still in a tier below the "chasing tier" - the clubs most likely to bridge the gulf to the North/Brisbane/Adelaides of this world. We didn't have a problem scrapping for the ball, but our composure when we got it was clearly inferior to the Saints'. Sure, the conditions didn't help, but the Saints played in the exact same conditions and they were able to hit targets.

And maybe a joint session with the men and women on how to approach an opponent to tackle them legally from the front on might be in order this week.

I do wonder why clubs don't (presumably) do more joint sessions, as one of the biggest criticisms I have of a lot of AFLW players (not just Swans) is decision making. Which has nothing to do with ability and everything to do with experience in the game. So often players just make the wrong decision or take the wrong option with ball in hand.

 

[Callipygian]

Discouraging but not surprising result. I was worried after the Saints towelled up the Suns Round 1, and now I know why. Glad we fought back a bit in the last quarter and saved some of the damage to our percentage.

I fear that we have been overtaken by not just the Saints but also the Hawks and quite possibly Port over the off-season. With our tougher draw and, now, the loss of Moy, I am pessimistic about our chances of making finals again this season. I feel like we're going to finish the season mid-table. It's too soon to write the season off, and hopefully we improve further, but I feel like we need to make the most of this year as a development year and try harder to improve next off-season.

I was disappointed in our trade and draft off-season last year. The acquisitions have been good but we need more young talent in the door. As I said at the time, I thought we needed to turn more of the list over. Might not make us better in the short term but is important for the longer term. All of the players we brought in look fair shots of being regulars in the seniors in future which shows the strength and value of the young talent.

It doesn't help that our inaugural season we were direly bad in didn't give us access to high picks at a proper draft, only a supplementary draft. (Thank **** we at least got Laura Gardiner out of it!) Nor does it help that the concessions we and the other expansion clubs were granted with priority access to local players weren't as valuable to us as, say, to Port, because the strength of local women's footy doesn't compare.

Anyway, nothing for it now except to roll our sleeves up and do the long hard yakka of building a good list while dealing with some competitive disadvantages due to being based in NSW. We are going to have to lean hard on being good off the field to make up for the lack of access to top tier talent. Happily I do have faith in the club and the coach so here's hoping we can do it sooner rather than later.

 

[Kbroome]

This might go too far into the negatives but i think its needs to be brought up. Our current side from the weekend with only real outs being Moy, thats if we really want to "contend" or be top 6-8 range.

When i look at the line up below i see improvement needed in a couple of key areas, someone to partner Heads to allow for ball use in the back half, that could be through a change in the O'Sullivan position, and probably a stronger full back than Mitchell because it is putting a lot of stress on Tarrant who is still smashing it. (maybe its by just moving McEvoy back there and finding a new "winger")

In the midfield then we need to find a set 4 'non-ruckman' on ballers that play majority minutes in the middle rather than the current 7 with 20%+ CBAs. Personally think this should be Gardiner, Hurley, Ham and Bullas/Kennedy. Having said all this i think we also need to look at specialised wingers especially if we want to play a more possession based game we can't have "on-ballers" playing part wing part on ball time.

In the forward line i think it has the makings of a decent side, think we could look for someone to fill and develop in the Lochland role now that i don't think we will really compete, that could be blooding in Holly Cooper who would provide more speed and a big tackling sense, good for a pressure forward role.

I also think in general that the team is either a tad bit slow or not as physically built as many of the contending sides. Yes that is probably in part due to more mature bodies having been in the league for longer but it is something i would especially like to see Montana Ham and Sofia Hurley develop into in the next 12 months or so.

Sorry for the long rant and call me out if i went a little over board but just my general thoughts on the side currently

 

[Wheresbuddy]

This might go too far into the negatives but i think its needs to be brought up. Our current side from the weekend with only real outs being Moy, thats if we really want to "contend" or be top 6-8 range.

When i look at the line up below i see improvement needed in a couple of key areas, someone to partner Heads to allow for ball use in the back half, that could be through a change in the O'Sullivan position, and probably a stronger full back than Mitchell because it is putting a lot of stress on Tarrant who is still smashing it. (maybe its by just moving McEvoy back there and finding a new "winger")

In the midfield then we need to find a set 4 'non-ruckman' on ballers that play majority minutes in the middle rather than the current 7 with 20%+ CBAs. Personally think this should be Gardiner, Hurley, Ham and Bullas/Kennedy. Having said all this i think we also need to look at specialised wingers especially if we want to play a more possession based game we can't have "on-ballers" playing part wing part on ball time.

In the forward line i think it has the makings of a decent side, think we could look for someone to fill and develop in the Lochland role now that i don't think we will really compete, that could be blooding in Holly Cooper who would provide more speed and a big tackling sense, good for a pressure forward role.

I also think in general that the team is either a tad bit slow or not as physically built as many of the contending sides. Yes that is probably in part due to more mature bodies having been in the league for longer but it is something i would especially like to see Montana Ham and Sofia Hurley develop into in the next 12 months or so.

Sorry for the long rant and call me out if i went a little over board but just my general thoughts on the side currently

Agree with most of that. Ham, Hurley and CHamilton are 3 who really need to step up for us to make the 8 this year. All in their third year's now so really should be challenging for A grade status.

One thing that struck me from Sunday's game was how we were often just a touch off at the contest. Other them Kennedy, who is an absolute maniac, the girls just seemed to arrive late to the contest and / or reluctant to put their heads over the ball. We struggled to win the ball and then when we did, we were under pressure and struggling to find a player to receive who was in a better position. St K were just harder and better at the contest.

 

[Kbroome]

Agree with most of that. Ham, Hurley and CHamilton are 3 who really need to step up for us to make the 8 this year. All in their third year's now so really should be challenging for A grade status.

One thing that struck me from Sunday's game was how we were often just a touch off at the contest. Other them Kennedy, who is an absolute maniac, the girls just seemed to arrive late to the contest and / or reluctant to put their heads over the ball. We struggled to win the ball and then when we did, we were under pressure and struggling to find a player to receive who was in a better position. St K were just harder and better at the contest.

Yep and i think thats a big difference is just that contending teams have more mature bodies with more experience that are heavier builds built for the contact and thus they trust their body to just run straight through the ball. We just need a couple more enforcers because Tanya Kennedy probably won't be around for too much longer being 31 already (having said that watch her play another 5 years)

 

[Callipygian]

This might go too far into the negatives but i think its needs to be brought up. Our current side from the weekend with only real outs being Moy, thats if we really want to "contend" or be top 6-8 range.

When i look at the line up below i see improvement needed in a couple of key areas, someone to partner Heads to allow for ball use in the back half, that could be through a change in the O'Sullivan position, and probably a stronger full back than Mitchell because it is putting a lot of stress on Tarrant who is still smashing it. (maybe its by just moving McEvoy back there and finding a new "winger")

In the midfield then we need to find a set 4 'non-ruckman' on ballers that play majority minutes in the middle rather than the current 7 with 20%+ CBAs. Personally think this should be Gardiner, Hurley, Ham and Bullas/Kennedy. Having said all this i think we also need to look at specialised wingers especially if we want to play a more possession based game we can't have "on-ballers" playing part wing part on ball time.

In the forward line i think it has the makings of a decent side, think we could look for someone to fill and develop in the Lochland role now that i don't think we will really compete, that could be blooding in Holly Cooper who would provide more speed and a big tackling sense, good for a pressure forward role.

I also think in general that the team is either a tad bit slow or not as physically built as many of the contending sides. Yes that is probably in part due to more mature bodies having been in the league for longer but it is something i would especially like to see Montana Ham and Sofia Hurley develop into in the next 12 months or so.

Sorry for the long rant and call me out if i went a little over board but just my general thoughts on the side currently

Good post except I'm not sure your philosophy fits with the club's approach. Gowans and the club are clearly backing a strategy where our players have to be able to be flexible and play multiple roles and get moved around a lot rather than play as specialists onballers and wingers etc as you suggest.

Totally agree that we will get stronger as our list becomes more seasoned and hardened - which is why we need to get either draft young talent asap to allow for the time they will need to develop and/or draft good, experienced players. I do get why the club has retained our experienced players but I think they may have kept more than necessary. I suspect they did that so we can be more competitive now and play finals every year - which seems to be a club philosophy, and it's one that I do like generally, just not happy with the balance they struck in this instance. There has to be a striving for a flag as well as a striving to be consistently competitive and the balance was too far towards the latter for my liking.

This year we will have to cull more savagely than usually (because our list size will shrink) and it would have been good to spread the pain out more IMO. [Sorry for this rant, seems to be a bit of a hobbyhorse of mine.]

 

[Kbroome]

Good post except I'm not sure your philosophy fits with the club's approach. Gowans and the club are clearly backing a strategy where our players have to be able to be flexible and play multiple roles and get moved around a lot rather than play as specialists onballers and wingers etc as you suggest.

Totally agree that we will get stronger as our list becomes more seasoned and hardened - which is why we need to get either draft young talent asap to allow for the time they will need to develop and/or draft good, experienced players. I do get why the club has retained our experienced players but I think they may have kept more than necessary. I suspect they did that so we can be more competitive now and play finals every year - which seems to be a club philosophy, and it's one that I do like generally, just not happy with the balance they struck in this instance. There has to be a striving for a flag as well as a striving to be consistently competitive and the balance was too far towards the latter for my liking.

This year we will have to cull more savagely than usually (because our list size will shrink) and it would have been good to spread the pain out more IMO. [Sorry for this rant, seems to be a bit of a hobbyhorse of mine.]

Yep i agree that it doesn't line up, i just think that their strategy doesn't matchup with competing with the top teams. It will win against the bottom sides but we need some more grunt in there and this will only come through a big list cut imo