Review The joke, the fools and the jester vs Suns

[Murray2503]

He had a brilliant moment which is probably the one you're talking about. Took the game on, burst through a few defenders then got caught but got his arms free. Problem was he only had 5 GC defenders to pass to because all his team mates were flat footed back where he took possession.

Did everything you could ask but was made to look a fool by useless team mates.

Was also a nice passage where Jones ran through half forward with pace but missed left. Hope he can become more accurate or composed over time. Will kick goals if he can.

 

[Ozzie]

I think he wants them to explain WTF is going on, and why they're barely giving 20% effort on the field. He's doing his best, but he's getting nothing whatsoever from most of our senior players - and he wants to find out why.

EXACTLY right. It's on the senior players to explain why they're playing like FUTS.
Nicks wants answers.

 

[Coopers]

Full player review

Doedee - Best on ground for the Crows. Looked to have regained his composure and positioning, used the ball well, battled hard against an onslaught of inside 50s. Game high intercepts too.

Laird - You'll have to bring up a map to point out where his 25 disposals ended up because I couldn't tell you. He is the master of either dinky handballs to flat footed players in defence, getting in between players that could otherwise handball to each other for unnecessary "link play" or kicking it to the moon out of defence

M. Crouch - The worst form of his entire career including his junior days. Looks to have lost all ability to win clearances and contested ball. Is attempting to play an outside midfielder role from within the inside midfield

B. Crouch - There was one goal Gold Coast kicked where outside 50, a GC player handballed to a free team mate with Brad Crouch just jogging insipidly behind, applying zero pressure. This free team mate delivered a lace out pass inside 50 for a goal. If Brad Crouch was even paying the slightest attention or putting in any effort whatsoever, it wouldn't have been a goal. Sums up him as a player.

Seedsman - Mind boggling how much time he spent in the midfield. Ended the day with ONE score involvement and ONE clearance. He is not good enough to play that role and there are questions whether he is good enough for AFL in general

Sloane - Well off the pace and not good enough to play the role he used to play any more. Used to be a gut running midfielder that wouldn't let players stream away from him. Not any more.

Smith - Another garbage game from Smith. At least he touched the ball a few times, but aside from kicking it long (to no one) a few times, he lacks any sort of line breaking ability. Baffling how he ended up with a team high meters gained

O'Brien - Easily won the hitout count but I thought he was monstered by Witts in most key duels. Had a couple of nice marks but that's about it.

Brown - Another player that's a shadow of their former self. Not easy playing defence for us but looks to have lost his glove like ability to blanket the opposition's small forward.

Keays - Signs aren't looking good for Keays. I'm struggling to see where his best role is. He's not good enough at winning the ball to play inside midfield, he's not quick enough or elite in disposal enough to play outside, and he's not a good enough player in general to play up forward. Can't see him making it

Fogarty - As our only good forward, he gets the entire attention of the opposition defence, and it's not working that well. Uncharacteristic dropped chest mark. Would love to see him play a bit more around the ball when we are struggling to get it inside 50, and I don't mean playing in the ruck

Crocker - Jury is out on whether he will make it given we can't get it anywhere near the forward line. Thought he was pretty average but has good intensity

McAsey - Monstered early by Ben King but I thought he worked his way into the game nicely. Will be much better after a stretch of a few games to get up to speed with AFL level, but I would rather him play as a 3rd defender not given the 2nd tall role for now.

Walker - Cooked. Looks glacially slow, can't mark, just bangs it on the boot hoping for a miracle half the time and applies zero defensive pressure. Has to be dropped

Talia - Our good senior player

Hamill - Very promising debut. Wasn't afraid to take the game on and disposal was neat. Didn't get much of it but that will come with time

Kelly - A highly courageous player but is not well suited to our current setup and ends up in no mans land. Extremely limited and once again holds us up offensively, went at negative meters gained today

Lynch - Horrible. Used to be a player you could rely on to make space and gut run to provide options for team mates. That was his one strong attribute and could often outwork players inside 50 to snag a few goals. All of that ability has evaporated so what we're left with is a bog average third tall with poor skills

Murphy - Outbodied by a first year small defender on multiple occasions. Tries hard but isn't good enough for the level

Jones - We refused to give him any genuine inside midfield time so we are reaping what we sow, just like with Gallucci

McHenry - Hard to criticize a second game player. Has the tenacity, just needs to find a bit more composure. Didn't get near it playing forward.

Atkins - His injury had absolutely no impact on his positive output for the team and our overall chances of success. Sums up his career.

The only thing I disagree with you about is that Matt Crouch's handballs were worse than Lairds.
And both were horrible.

 

[hey shorty]

I know we all dislike Kornes, but that pick he uploaded comparing Dixon with Tex shirtless said a lot for me.
Tex is done at AFL level, he's done emotionally, mentally and physically unfortunately.

He's never been a ripped sort of bloke though, he's just cooked.

 

[Vader]

1) Is he, though? Is a talkfest the way to put his stamp on the team?
2) Let's say the Senior players open up. Most of them would have played in the 2017 GF, and 2018/2019, all of which were pre-Nicks and nothing to do with Nicks. Let's say they talk about their hurt from the GF loss, their disappointment at being blamed, then having that Camp and Collective Mindlessness dumped on them, then again before the Melbourne game, their pain and frustration from all the hamstring "awarenesses" they suffered, and so on.
What then? Nicks can empathise, only, but should not apologise for anything he had no part of. OK, he can say "I hear you", but what can Nicks do about that, not having been a part of any of it? Nothing, besides wasn't he supposed to breathe fresh air into the playing group ie not dwell on the past but create a new future?

It might be a relief, even cathartic for the players, but the ball is in Nicks' court to plan, to explain, then to enact.
i think he needs to talk privately, in total confidence, with senior players. Tell them what his plan is and ask them for their input, maybe modify his ideas a little and get back to them with HIS concept of what to do.
"OK, I've listened to you and this is how I'm going to approach this, with your feedback in mind. Tabula rasa, from now on boys. A clean slate".
Ask if they are going to buy into it, or not. "Are you IN, or OUT?" --- he should be able to find 22-26 out of 44 who will commit. Then play and rely on the ones who say YES, ie rebuild with the willing, not the dissenters who can take their lazy-half-hearted-entitled efforts into the 2's.

They're better off failing (bottoming out) with a committed group of rookies, than failing as they are with the mob they have now.

Identifying the source of the problem is the first step to fixing it. Right now, he doesn't even know what the problem is. Flogging them, and dropping senior players, probably isn't the answer if it's something rotten at the core (which it appears to be).

 

[Southerntakeover]

Again, what precisely are people suggesting that Tex might have done yesterday? Tony ****ing Lockett can't kick goals if the ball is literally never there.

How on earth do we get smashed so badly in the midfield constantly, and Walker is still the only thing our fans can fixate on?

 

[SugarShane]

I've defended Tex for a long time, and I think a lot of it is because he was so unfairly maligned for the last few years. But even I've come to see that he's now done.

His leg is still elite, but that doesn't help when you can't get the ball. He can't take a contested mark to save his life, throws a duke up and prays for a miracle. He's not even reaching the famed Charlie Dixon "provides a contest and brings the ball to ground" non-statistical role. Has to have a serious conversation with himself.

 

[hey shorty]

My player review.

Jones - Another nearly game, the kid could've and maybe should've had 2 goals. Showed some nice signs but needs a full midfield game.

Brouch - Has lost his clearance winning ability, and his lack of defensive run has gotten worse. Needs a rocket

Murphy - I love his passion, his endeavour and workrate, but it means little if you can't get the pill. If we are to persist he needs to play in defence.

Mrouch - Almost the opposite of Murphy. Gets the ball but has forgotten how to work hard.

Kelly - I hope they show his efforts, because if everyone put their bodies on the line as much as Jake we would be in a better spot. Still, he lacks talent and we need to find someone else.

Sloane - Trying to battle and lead, but he isn't a number 1 mid anymore. Play him at HF with changes on ball now.

Seedsman - His best asset is his kick, and even that has deserted him. Not worth a place in the side.

Talia - Battled against the tide again and was one of few that did his job. And spoke some hard truths.

Walker - Don't let him go out like this please. Tex, you've copped more unfair criticism than almost any player I can remember, so please retire and save yourself.

Brown - Typical Brown game. Not great, not awful..... Now for Charlie, ouch.

Hamill - From the get go he took the game on, hes what Brodie Smith was when he hit the scene.

Crocker - Improved on last week and kicked a deserved goal. Battling against 2 or 3 every contest.

Atkins - Was poor before he left the field.

McHenry - Dirty game, but don't hide him in the pocket for 3 quarters. He's not a natural small forward.

Lynch - I'm done with you.

Keays - Some awful, some decent and a nice goal. Did work hard all game though, so that's a pass

Laird - No use winning it when you give it straight back.

Fogarty - Not a great day, but it's hard to have a good one in that forward line.

Smith - 450 metres gained.... Really ?? Better than last week but still not good.

McAsey - Belted early by a talented kid, but there were mitigating circumstances. Got better as the game went on but I can't help but feel he needs to play forward.

Doedee - Everytime he got the ball he aimed to be proactive and aggressive. Doesn't look to have lost anything at all. Midfield perhaps ??

ROB - Physically bashed up, but still didn't give up and did some nice things around the ground. Ruck craft must improve.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

I've defended Tex for a long time, and I think a lot of it is because he was so unfairly maligned for the last few years. But even I've come to see that he's now done.

His leg is still elite, but that doesn't help when you can't get the ball. He can't take a contested mark to save his life, throws a duke up and prays for a miracle. He's not even reaching the famed Charlie Dixon "provides a contest and brings the ball to ground" non-statistical role. Has to have a serious conversation with himself.

Tex I agree never was a strong mark, and we know he continues to play too heavy .....but it was his agility as a bigman that used to turn opposition defenders inside out ......he's lost that now, turning circle is too great, and hasn't many other tricks, apart from his elite leg

 

[Southerntakeover]

We had 28 inside 50s for the entire game, one in the first quarter. Pretty much none of them to the advantage of the forward.

How on earth do people propose to assess the form of forwards based upon that?

 

[Bovo]

Yeah but either did his competition.

Apples and oranges.

Logic and sensible posting was disallowed on Bigfooty years ago. Are you trying to start a revolution?

 

[Coopers]

We're already stuck with paying salaries for Betts & Jenkins, and have Gibbs & Walker both contracted for 2021, because JR gave them all contracts that were 1-2 years too long... and you think they should have given a 28yo Greenwood a 4-year contract? **** no.

Lols, we are at the bottom of the ladder and we are paying for other clubs' salaries.

Nice one AFC.

 

[SugarShane]

We had 28 inside 50s for the entire game, one in the first quarter. Pretty much none of them to the advantage of the forward.

How on earth do people propose to assess the form of forwards based upon that?

I remember 1 being to the advantage of the forward. Unfortunately it bounced off Fog's chest out of sheer shock that it actually came within marking distance to him.

 

[SellarStardom]

My player review.

Jones - Another nearly game, the kid could've and maybe should've had 2 goals. Showed some nice signs but needs a full midfield game.

Brouch - Has lost his clearance winning ability, and his lack of defensive run has gotten worse. Needs a rocket

Murphy - I love his passion, his endeavour and workrate, but it means little if you can't get the pill. If we are to persist he needs to play in defence.

Mrouch - Almost the opposite of Murphy. Gets the ball but has forgotten how to work hard.

Kelly - I hope they show his efforts, because if everyone put their bodies on the line as much as Jake we would be in a better spot. Still, he lacks talent and we need to find someone else.

Sloane - Trying to battle and lead, but he isn't a number 1 mid anymore. Play him at HF with changes on ball now.

Seedsman - His best asset is his kick, and even that has deserted him. Not worth a place in the side.

Talia - Battled against the tide again and was one of few that did his job. And spoke some hard truths.

Walker - Don't let him go out like this please. Tex, you've copped more unfair criticism than almost any player I can remember, so please retire and save yourself.

Brown - Typical Brown game. Not great, not awful..... Now for Charlie, ouch.

Hamill - From the get go he took the game on, hes what Brodie Smith was when he hit the scene.

Crocker - Improved on last week and kicked a deserved goal. Battling against 2 or 3 every contest.

Atkins - Was poor before he left the field.

McHenry - Dirty game, but don't hide him in the pocket for 3 quarters. He's not a natural small forward.

Lynch - I'm done with you.

Keays - Some awful, some decent and a nice goal. Did work hard all game though, so that's a pass

Laird - No use winning it when you give it straight back.

Fogarty - Not a great day, but it's hard to have a good one in that forward line.

Smith - 450 metres gained.... Really ?? Better than last week but still not good.

McAsey - Belted early by a talented kid, but there were mitigating circumstances. Got better as the game went on but I can't help but feel he needs to play forward.

Doedee - Everytime he got the ball he aimed to be proactive and aggressive. Doesn't look to have lost anything at all. Midfield perhaps ??

ROB - Physically bashed up, but still didn't give up and did some nice things around the ground. Ruck craft must improve.

Good assessment.

You would be dropping Lynch, Laird and Seedsman on that showing with Kelly in the cross hairs along with Matt Crouch

 

[jackster83]

We had 28 inside 50s for the entire game, one in the first quarter. Pretty much none of them to the advantage of the forward.

How on earth do people propose to assess the form of forwards based upon that?

The alarming thing is most people's suggestions for changes don't include changes to our inside midfield setup.

I'd even consider picking Gibbs ahead of Matt ATM - that's how bad he is dogging it on the field.

 

[hey shorty]

The alarming thing is most people's suggestions for changes don't include changes to our inside midfield setup.

I'd even consider picking Gibbs ahead of Matt ATM - that's how bad he is dogging it on the field.

You'd have to drop a Crouch, probably Matt, to send a rocket through the group. He started the match on the bench yesterday too.

You'd also start Sloane in the forward line.

 

[Squiba]

My player review.


McHenry - Dirty game, but don't hide him in the pocket for 3 quarters. He's not a natural small forward.

I'm by no means sold on Ned, but what I saw in the SANFL was seriously classy at times.

I just ran this player comparison through footywire. I think this is the type we need to develop him toward becoming.

 

[hey shorty]

I'm by no means sold on Ned, but what I saw in the SANFL was seriously classy at times.

I just ran this player comparison through footywire. I think this is the type we need to develop him toward becoming.

View attachment 897479

He's a similar type, probably a better kick though.

 

[jackster83]

You'd have to drop a Crouch, probably Matt, to send a rocket through the group. He started the match on the bench yesterday too.

You'd also start Sloane in the forward line.

I'd get rid of Lynch too. Petulant, downhill skiier who should be moved on ASAP.

Smith's first quarter was as bad as I've ever seen. He did get better as the game progressed at least.

Not sure what Seedman's problem is. Fitness perhaps? He was excellent in 2018 and decent last year, but can't get out of second gear so far this season.

 

[cleanhands]

My player review.

Jones - Another nearly game, the kid could've and maybe should've had 2 goals. Showed some nice signs but needs a full midfield game.

Brouch - Has lost his clearance winning ability, and his lack of defensive run has gotten worse. Needs a rocket

Murphy - I love his passion, his endeavour and workrate, but it means little if you can't get the pill. If we are to persist he needs to play in defence.

Mrouch - Almost the opposite of Murphy. Gets the ball but has forgotten how to work hard.

Kelly - I hope they show his efforts, because if everyone put their bodies on the line as much as Jake we would be in a better spot. Still, he lacks talent and we need to find someone else.

Sloane - Trying to battle and lead, but he isn't a number 1 mid anymore. Play him at HF with changes on ball now.

Seedsman - His best asset is his kick, and even that has deserted him. Not worth a place in the side.

Talia - Battled against the tide again and was one of few that did his job. And spoke some hard truths.

Walker - Don't let him go out like this please. Tex, you've copped more unfair criticism than almost any player I can remember, so please retire and save yourself.

Brown - Typical Brown game. Not great, not awful..... Now for Charlie, ouch.

Hamill - From the get go he took the game on, hes what Brodie Smith was when he hit the scene.

Crocker - Improved on last week and kicked a deserved goal. Battling against 2 or 3 every contest.

Atkins - Was poor before he left the field.

McHenry - Dirty game, but don't hide him in the pocket for 3 quarters. He's not a natural small forward.

Lynch - I'm done with you.

Keays - Some awful, some decent and a nice goal. Did work hard all game though, so that's a pass

Laird - No use winning it when you give it straight back.

Fogarty - Not a great day, but it's hard to have a good one in that forward line.

Smith - 450 metres gained.... Really ?? Better than last week but still not good.

McAsey - Belted early by a talented kid, but there were mitigating circumstances. Got better as the game went on but I can't help but feel he needs to play forward.

Doedee - Everytime he got the ball he aimed to be proactive and aggressive. Doesn't look to have lost anything at all. Midfield perhaps ??

ROB - Physically bashed up, but still didn't give up and did some nice things around the ground. Ruck craft must improve.

Email it to Nicks

 

[cleanhands]

I'd get rid of Lynch too. Petulant, downhill skiier who should be moved on ASAP.

Smith's first quarter was as bad as I've ever seen. He did get better as the game progressed at least.

Not sure what Seedman's problem is. Fitness perhaps? He was excellent in 2018 and decent last year, but can't get out of second gear so far this season.

See....... Lynch

 

[hey shorty]

Email it to Nicks

Judging by his comments he probably agrees with the senior player assessment.

I will agree with STO on our forwardline however, it would be nigh on impossible to play down there currently. I just think we need more pace down there so when he actually does make it down, we have half a chance of keeping it in there.

Poor Tex looks like he's running on a treadmill, and Lynch has always moved that way.

 

[Brenton Davy]

There are people that have no understanding about football

You mean other than those who sit on the AFC Board?!?!

 

[Southerntakeover]

Judging by his comments he probably agrees with the senior player assessment.

I will agree with STO on our forwardline however, it would be nigh on impossible to play down there currently. I just think we need more pace down there so when he actually does make it down, we have half a chance of keeping it in there.

Poor Tex looks like he's running on a treadmill, and Lynch has always moved that way.

I agree we need the capacity to trap it in, but I'm not sure we're even close to that being an issue. We constantly kick to the defenders advantage. It's coming out clean either way.

Until we improve our midfield to being even sub par, we won't be able to assess how any other part of the ground is operating.

 

[CrowBloke]

We had 28 inside 50s for the entire game, one in the first quarter

One!
In a quarter of footy in good conditions. That's a disgrace. Mids should be ashamed.