The Good, the Bad and the Very Very Ugly

[bus24]

you realise pittman wasn't that bad in that game, and he was used as a scapegoat to fire everyone up?

No. I vaguely remember the game, I was 7 I think...

I just presumed he wasn't that flash. And from what I can remember he wasn't.

I trusted you Malcolm Blight..... and you let me down.

 

[tribey]

I trusted you Malcolm Blight..... and you let me down.

Welcome to 1999. Messiah my arse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

F#ck the Adelaide Airport too!

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Did anyone else get that sinking feeling when Welsh peterburgoyned in the goalsquare? As soon as I saw that I thought that this just isn't going to be our day. Just like the English cricket team - should have packed their bags and headed home after Harmison's first ball.

 

[PrideOf]

The good:
* Our comeback in the last quarter. Just a dead shame we were already shot.
* Seeing Roo run around again.
* Having Cameron Bruce in my Dream Team.
* The fact that the match is over and behind us.

The bad:
* Our forward structure (and I use the term loosely)
* Pez's injury
* Welsh, Thompson and Bock

The ugly:
* Being shown up by the modestly-talented Brad Green.
* Our inability to be accountable for an opponent. (See previous point).
* Umpiring. My God they are awful. Hopelessly inconsistent.

 

[n4sir]

Did anyone else get that sinking feeling when Welsh peterburgoyned in the goalsquare? As soon as I saw that I thought that this just isn't going to be our day. Just like the English cricket team - should have packed their bags and headed home after Harmison's first ball.

I (probably fortunately) missed most of the game due to a previous committment, and by the sounds of it I didn't miss much. This was one thing I did see just before I was walking out the door, and thought to myself maybe it wasn't going to be our day and it's just as well I'm not watching.

I was worried going into today's game thinking we could either lose this or cream Melbourne by 20 goals and get Danniher instantly sacked - we have a bit of a history of both.

The other thing that worried me was players going in badly onderdone/injured (something else we have a history of). From those who saw the game, did they get this impression?

 

[chopper55555]

Did anyone else get that sinking feeling when Welsh peterburgoyned in the goalsquare? As soon as I saw that I thought that this just isn't going to be our day.

Yes. I flew. I saw. We didn't conquer. Adrenaline-inducing play is good if it comes off, but we're not as good as last 2 years when we dominated, hence Welshy and co need to learn to play percentages.

Coming off the plane, Sarge had him arm in a sling and Reilly was on crutches and put no weight on his leg at all.

 

[macca23]

I'm an unashamed supporter of the new ruling ....its as the game has been played for over a hundred years ....only modified not to the betterment in the last 15 years.

The Bock call was correct .....all the Crows supporters in the box with me agreed

On your own as usual WW??

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

No I think your right he's not a forward ....not enough tricks, wide turning circle ......got away with it last year as a pinch hitter but coaches have studdied him hard and most teams seem to have the right match-ups for him.

Have been saying the same since I got back from overseas.

Bock should return to CHB & he should stiffen up the defence. I think even Stevens would be a better forward option ... & with Perrie out, Kenny needs to return. Need to look at our forward structure. Surprised Griffin wasn't tried much up forward.

Welshy had a shocker today - not a great start to get tackled playing on 5m from goal. Really summed up our day.

2nd quarter cost us the game. We just didn't tighten up when we had to & the game was then out of reach. Out coached today, with Thompson nullified, with Green & Bruce running amok.

 

[chopper55555]

"all the Crows supporters in the box with me agreed" Not in my enclosure. Plenty of booing there.

 

[chopper55555]

Out coached today, with Thompson nullified, with Green & Bruce running amok.

Out-played is what happened.

 

[amez_7]

The Good:
Very little other than Porplyzia really. Seeing Stiffy getting more of the ball in that last quarter was good too. Oh and that Roo got through unscathed, played much more of the game than I expected him to, and slotted a couple of good goals. (He didn't have the effect on the game that many thought he would though - his presence clearly didn't make us grow an extra leg). Those who put up a valiant effort: Goody, McLeod, Edwards, Knights, Porps and maybe Bassett. I guess I will put Huddo there because he tries so hard even though he wasn't as effective as normal.

I have to disagree with that. From where i was sitting today at the ground Bassett looked disinterested all day. He really look liked he didn't want to be out there today. He wasn't alone though.
I agree Mcleod tried hard but some of his disposals were shocking. Once again he was not alone in that either.
Goody, Edwards, Porps
Kinights...meh he's a ball magnet but didnt think he was all that good today. Might watch the replay before i make my final decision. Pez tried hard until welshy crashed into him.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

"all the Crows supporters in the box with me agreed" Not in my enclosure. Plenty of booing there.

Ours "unfortunately" (too late to book catering) ......was an alcohol free area ...obviously yours wasn't

 

[WaynesWorld19]

I have to disagree with that. From where i was sitting today at the ground Bassett looked disinterested all day. He really look liked he didn't want to be out there today. He wasn't alone though.
I agree Mcleod tried hard but some of his disposals were shocking. Once again he was not alone in that either.
Goody, Edwards, Porps
Kinights...meh he's a ball magnet but didnt think he was all that good today. Might watch the replay before i make my final decision. Pez tried hard until welshy crashed into him.

Interesting that this seems to be the general opinion of those at the game ...wheras those watching the replay seem to think he was one of our best due to the quantity of possessions ......obviously the wider viewing angles allows people at the game to see further down the field and the sort of decisions being made by players

 

[chopper55555]

alcohol free area ...obviously yours wasn't

True, and it was at the other end of the ground. But it was our boy, the Melbourne crowd CLEARLY had zero knowledge of the game (from the calls they were making), and it did look like rubbish from there.

 

[chopper55555]

the wider viewing angles allows people at the game to see further down the field and the sort of decisions being made by players

Yes it's surprising ... like seeing how very manned-up things actually were in the bigger picture.

Welshy's 1st miss was right in front of us. Looked like he dropped his bundle a bit, as you would. He did chase nicely later and attempt to mark hard lots but Melb were TIGHT and the disposals to him were big lobby ones all day... he needed to pick it up and get tough earlier,

 

[WaynesWorld19]

True, and it was at the other end of the ground. But it was our boy, the Melbourne crowd CLEARLY had zero knowledge of the game (from the calls they were making), and it did look like rubbish from there.

Interesting I thought Crows fan numbers equaled those of Melbourne yesterday ......guess that's what happens after 9 losses ......still 23K crowd was higher than it looked as I would have said about 18-19K .....obviously a lot of people in rooms/bars

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Yes it's surprising ... like seeing how very manned-up things actually were in the bigger picture.

Welshy's miss was right in front of us. Looked like he dropped huis bundle a bit, as you would. He did chase nicely later and attempt to mark hard lots but Melb were TIGHT and the disposals to him were big lobby ones all day... he needed to pick it up and get tough earlier,

pretty much man on man most of the day ......but some of our midfielders were pretty lose which set up loose men for Melb which really hurt our defence .....Bassett was pretty upset at one stage because two or three midfielders hadn't worked hard to get down and fill a hole in front of his opponent ....looking up the field at where those midfielders were standing I can understand Bassetts frustration.

 

[chopper55555]

understand Bassetts frustration.

We weren't mentally right. Not within 100% of last 2 years. We've been lucky in a few games and got caught out yesterday.

Also, our disposal is less quality than many other sides, even crappy ones, whereas it used to be as good or better.

I'd be happy if the strategy was to get there "dirty" so as to learn how to do it tough along the way. Class hasn't (quite) got us into GF even though WELL deserved.

 

[macca23]

Interesting that this seems to be the general opinion of those at the game ...wheras those watching the replay seem to think he was one of our best due to the quantity of possessions ......obviously the wider viewing angles allows people at the game to see further down the field and the sort of decisions being made by players

Quite frankly I've had a gutful of the Knights critics - an absolute gutful.


This kid is one of our future stars performing at a high level week after week well above his years yet week after week the same lemmings follow each other with the sort of crap you've trotted out above.

The stats say you lemmings couldn't be more wrong. Out of 25 disposals, 21 were effective. He had the 6th highest efficiency rate in the team yesterday, with 2 of those with higher efficiency ratings only having 10 or less disposals.

There were 16 - that's SIXTEEN (big letters for the benefit of the slow ones) - players who were less efficient with their disposals, yet as usual the same lemmings incorrectly home in on Knights.

FFs - get yourself a new script. Not only is this one incorrect, it's irritating and boring!!

 

[NikkiNoo]

You tell em Macca

My problem with Knights yesterday was the same for most of our players, they just couldn't first grab the ball. He was not alone in that, but my first impression was not so favourable towards him in the heat of the game but thinking back he did some good things but was also a little too loose at times on his man. This has always been an issue with him but he has improved considerably with it. Still a work in progress but we all sometimes forget how young he is in terms of AFL. If he was eligible for the rising star all those Collingwood supporters would be shutting up about Pendlebury.

 

[macca23]

You tell em Macca

My problem with Knights yesterday was the same for most of our players, they just couldn't first grab the ball. He was not alone in that, but my first impression was not so favourable towards him in the heat of the game but thinking back he did some good things but was also a little too loose at times on his man. This has always been an issue with him but he has improved considerably with it. Still a work in progress but we all sometimes forget how young he is in terms of AFL. If he was eligible for the rising star all those Collingwood supporters would be shutting up about Pendlebury.

A valid criticism Nikki that certainly applied to our whole team, Knights noticeably in the first quarter.

Which of course is still unrelated to the factually incorrect criticism of his disposal.

 

[chopper55555]

most of our players, they just couldn't first grab the ball.

It did seem like that for more than a happy duration.

 

[NikkiNoo]

Which of course is still unrelated to the factually incorrect criticism of his disposal.

I knew that I was going to be a busy little chook this weekend once we lost as that brings out all the naysayers. There is nothing like a little mudslinging and criticism that a loss allows people to do.

His disposal efficiency has increased dramatically, but people are still living in the past as 'he used to always be bad so he obviously still is cause players never change or get better or worse'

 

[chopper55555]

Hang on. He's improving but he does have lapses. I've seem them. I've also noted the good improvements, and would have him in the side on the understanding its an area he needs to SHINE in if he's to be the great player we need.., could be brownlow stuff... set him a goal.

 

[The Radar]

The Good:

Ricciuto’s Return. Very impressive comeback. Struggled in the first quarter but just got better as the game wore on. Kicked 2.2, including one beauty from 55 metres out. What a champion.

Johncock. Started poorly, but IMO he was very effective in the last half and was one of the main reasons we got back into the game. Started looking more comfortable.

Scott Stevens. When moved forward he was great; took some terrific overheard marks and gave us a good target.

Jason Porplyzia. Brilliant game from Porps, his best for the AFC. Best hands I've seen.

The Bad:

Disposal. Almost everyone was guilty of turning the ball over and not hitting targets. Our handballing today was terrible and too often we put teammates under pressure.

Coaching. Craig allowed Bruce and Green to run free all day and they combined for 60+ possessions. Not putting Griffin in the forward line was also a poor decision.

The Ugly:

Forward line. Bock and Welsh gave us nothing, Bock can’t run and Welsh didn’t even seem to care.

Injury to Brent Reilly. We were shown just how important Radar is to our team because we were slaughtered in the middle. He was great when on, including a beautiful 50+ metre pass from defensive fifty to a teammate on the wing.

Agreed. Good summary

BTW The pass you highlighted was to Edwards, at the start of that play it looked like we were going to start the chip chip crap, but it was a fantastic pass brought of by even better vision and awareness.