Thoughts On The Nth Melb Game

[bus24]

I'll post some more detailed thoughts later - but that was a really good win.

The dreadful conditions allowed them to drag us down to their level of scrag, scratch and claw for dear life - but we were able to push through that, and when we finally got use of a dryish ball in the last quarter - we really broke away into space and used the ball well.

A lot of changes, and some distractions going in - but we got a hard fought win that leaves us 7-5 at the halfway mark. An exceptional result IMO - when you consider how many kids we've played and our ridiculously tough draw so far.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Great win in terrible conditions. Conceded our lowest score ever so far which showed that our defence was solid.

 

[Drummond]

Frustrating game to attend but I’ll gladly take a 7 goal win in tough conditions. Thought North Melbourne played an atrocious brand of footy, very defensive and didn’t back themselves to post a winning score. We held them to 3 goals and one was through an absolute stuff up by our defence. I said at the start of the day we needed to win by 42 to get our % up to 100 and that’s what we did so I’m glad we had a strong last quarter. Was really disappointed when I heard Johncock was going to be out mainly because the replacement was Shirley. I guess there were no other options though; so disappointing that Armstrong was sick because he definitely would’ve mad his debut today.

McLeod: Once again, a passenger out there. Pretty poor for three quarters before finally having an impact in the last. So careless with some of his disposals, needs to do more.

Otten: I thought he was our best or very close to it. Used the ball well, ran extremely hard to make himself an option and I don’t recall him losing a single contest. Rebounded exceptionally well after a quiet game last week.

Rutten: While I was a bit frustrated with his disposal at times, other than that beautiful kick to Edwards in the middle, he did have a pretty good game today.

Vince: Had a pretty good game, beautiful long range goal in the last term.

Moran: Decent game, some impressive work around the ground. Ran hard at times to make himself a link in the chain and was rewarded. Would love to see him become more physical and asset himself more in the contest. McIntosh got away from him a bit too much early but overall it was a handy contribution today from Slate.

Symes: Shocked to see he finished with 25 disposals. Thought he did some useful things and other times his disposal let him down. But all up a pretty reasonable game.

Reilly: Injured, again. Wasn’t having a big impact out there but had one superb kick in the opening few minutes of the first when he kicked to himself from the square and drilled a 60 metre pass to Vince I believe. Can’t get his body right and as a result should be in danger at years end.

Knights: Started out well with a beautiful shot on goal but afterwards struggled. Just couldn’t really get into the game today but he opposition paid him close attention today. Good to see him lay 5 tackles.

Mackay: GEM. Sensational first quarter, the way he broke through packs and kept his feet was amazing. Showed some real strength on a couple of occasions today and I had him in our top 4 or 5 players. Just so silky, rarely fumbles and he attacked the contest so bravely today. 24 touches and his fine form continues.

Maric: Started slowly but I thought he worked his way into the game quite nicely. Had a few solid spoils and did some handy work around the stoppages. 7 possessions and 15 hit-outs is a decent return and I was encouraged by what I saw.

Petrenko: Loved his game! Like Maric, started very slowly as a small forward before working his way into the game when shifting to defence. His opponent only managed the one goal due to the fact he slipped at the crucial time. 14 possessions, all of which he used well, and 4 tackles including one which he was rewarded with holding the ball. Very solid game in defence which is where I think we should try and settle him for the time being.

Porplyzia: One of his best games for the year, not surprising given the tough conditions. 20 possessions and 3 goals is a great return. One of the few players who kept his feet, didn’t fumble and he took some terrific grabs under pressure.

Tippett: For three quarters I thought he really struggled and couldn’t get into the game but when released into the ruck in the last quarter he started to become more involved. 10 touches, but an impressive 21 hit-outs and 7 tackles. Thought his defensive pressure and tackling was the standout feature of his game today. Good to see him get a goal as reward for effort in the last.

Doughty: Great game! 31 possessions, 7 marks and 7 tackles. Took a handful of really strong grabs under pressure and his use of the ball was great.

Bock: All-Australian form. One mistake at the start of the second otherwise a pretty strong game.

van Berlo: Didn’t notice him a whole lot but what he did do was pretty effective. Liking him in his new defensive role.

Dangerfield: One of his better performances for a while. Didn’t spend as much time up forward today instead mainly coming in off the wing. First half was very good but he faded again in the last. Had 14 possessions but it was his work in close to win the hard ball that was most impressive. Had a few glorious pick-ups off the deck and took a strong contested mark. Was robbed of a mark in the third quarter when he somehow gave away a free kick.

Shirley: Good last quarter in an otherwise pretty ordinary game. Disposal let him down a few times, especially by foot. Bombed the ball forward a bit too often without looking for options. A few neat handballs in close, some good strength around the packs and some strong tackles. Overall though I wouldn’t have him near our best 22.

Stevens: Was handy, not much else to say. Think the umpires robbed him on a few occasions though.

Thompson: Another outstanding game, some pieces of brilliance around the stoppages and was again our leading disposal winner. Surely is catching Goodwin rolleyes for leader in the B&F.

Walker: Wasn’t overly impressed with his game today, but wasn’t happy with the way he was off and on virtually all day either. Field kicking is superb, and his body work to get that goal was something pretty special.

Edwards: Solid game, nice goal in the first term but overall not a huge impact today.

 

[fryingpan]

- Keeping them to 3.6 is a superb effort
- Rutten, Bock & Otten all playing some quality footy. Great to see the old Rutten back.
- Symes is terrible. 25 disposals but he was shocking. I think Drummond summed it up perfectly a few weeks ago saying his disposal is extremely non-threatning. His kicking is woeful!
- Porplyzia is a ****ing gun.
- Brad Moran played a good game today, thought he moved very well and seemed to actually know what he was doing unlike previous weeks. Still think he doesn't put his body on the line as much as he should though.
- Mackay keeps on impressing
- Thought Macca was good today, stood up when needed.
- Lachie Hanson - well done son.

 

[Glenno23]

Dangerfield: One of his better performances for a while. Didn’t spend as much time up forward today instead mainly coming in off the wing. First half was very good but he faded again in the last. Had 14 possessions but it was his work in close to win the hard ball that was most impressive. Had a few glorious pick-ups off the deck and took a strong contested mark. Was robbed of a mark in the third quarter when he somehow gave away a free kick.

.

No he wasn't mate. If you watch the replay on TV, Petrie got both his hands to the ball, then Danger made front on contact with him which jarred the ball, which Danger then grabbed. Petrie got first hands to it and Danger made illegal contact. Was a good decison by the ump...

 

[TheLeftFist8]

Initial random thoughts...

- Tippett put in a collosal effort for the team today, and i absolutely love him taking the ruck in the forward 50...really gives us a chance to score goals from stoppages though i thought our blokes didn't rove well enough to his taps down there.

- Plenty of other blokes who weren't standouts the team but tried their guts out for the team...Knights a prime example.

- Rutten is having a great month, and Bock of course is his brilliant consistent best

- Otten is too good to be true!! Even saw him put in the 'left fist' ala the great one he replaced...i almost got a little misty eyed Moran's run down the wing tipped me over the edge

- Speaking of the rucks...McIntosh started well, Tippett was very good at the many forward stoppages, and M&M both acquitted themselves well against quality opposition. Monday evenings Ruckwatch will be interesting.

- Porps is a freakishly clean player. I correctly called him as our leading goalkicking with my mates pre-game.

- Overall, skills were understandably a little shabby at times but our effort and intensity was sensational.

- Glad we smarted up tactically as the game wore on. First half saw too many easy transitions from the Roos that pushed forward after swapping play in defence. Thankfully our defence was impenetrable. McIntosh and a few others got a few cheapies in the back pocket but some hard running by vB and others started to block the wings as the game wore on

 

[Baron Winds]

Fso disappointing that Armstrong was sick because he definitely would’ve mad his debut today.

Tony was in the rooms afterwards so i dunno why he didnt play...

 

[WALL-e]

No he wasn't mate. If you watch the replay on TV, Petrie got both his hands to the ball, then Danger made front on contact with him which jarred the ball, which Danger then grabbed. Petrie got first hands to it and Danger made illegal contact. Was a good decison by the ump...

Front on contact only applies when you aren't watching the ball.

He may have got some arm though.

 

[Riggy1]

Tony was in the rooms afterwards so i dunno why he didnt play...

He would of came in instead of petrenko (for Douglas), but because he was a room mate with Douglas they took him off the emergency list incase he got sick as well.

 

[Riggy1]

Front on contact only applies when you aren't watching the ball.

He may have got some arm though.

I thought it could of been chopping the arms, but the ump didnt pay that. Poor decision ump. Either pay what free is there, or none at all, not a random free that wasnt there. because as you say Wall-e, his eyes were on the ball.

 

[bus24]

Oh - and it was ****ing cold.

I'm not sure if I'm getting crook or something - but that was one of the coldest games I've ever attended.

 

[macca23]

We fumbled a lot early and bombed the ball in to Tippett ........really dumb footy and something we have be proned to do all season.

New dry ball in last qtr and suddenly handling was sure, movement good, and we actually started to look for players in the forward 50.


Maric: A return to form ....and maybe that gaol last week was a turning point.

Overall a good summary WW and as you've correctly stated, we didn't use the ball overly well coming into our forward 50 at all in the first 3 quarters.

In the last quarter the goals came easier as we looked for a man rather than just bombing it on Tippett's head.

PS Your comment on Maric was a revelation, I must say.

 

[Drummond]

Overall a good summary WW and as you've correctly stated, we didn't use the ball overly well coming into our forward 50 at all in the first 3 quarters.

In the last quarter the goals came easier as we looked for a man rather than just bombing it on Tippett's head.

PS Your comment on Maric was a revelation, I must say.

Understatement of the century. Thought our delivery into the forwards was deplorable for the first three quarters, just bomb it long to Tippett who had about 3 defenders on him. Basically all we did was kick it forward where it was 2 forwards against 5 North Melbourne defenders, very frustrating for the supporters but imagine the forwards!

The first half was really frustrating because we absolutely dominated the play and would’ve smashed them in the forward 50’s. It was just our inability to work our way around their flood that cost us. I was never, ever worried about the possibility of losing the game because we were always in control but the game should’ve been over as a contest by half time. We burnt so much of the ball and didn't give our forwards much of a chance. And we seemed to use that one wing so much, good for me because that's where I sit but every forward entry was to that one pocket, why not try to get a switch happening to the fat side?

Also worth mentioning the umpires, they were pathetic today. Absolutely zero consistency at all. As others have mentioned, apparently you’re allowed to just drop the ball now whilst being tackled and there won’t be a penalty.

 

[jo172]

Overall a good summary WW and as you've correctly stated, we didn't use the ball overly well coming into our forward 50 at all in the first 3 quarters.

Apart from Reilly's injury that was the big negative today.

Also, I think Porplyzia really needs to be instructed to stop flying for contested marks, many times today when the ball was just bombed in he'd go up against Tippett/Walker/Stevens and we'd have no one on the ground. Last year he had to go up for these balls, but this year I don't think he does.

 

[DirrtyBee]

Oh - and it was ****ing cold.

I'm not sure if I'm getting crook or something - but that was one of the coldest games I've ever attended.

I thought it was okay, the Melbourne match ANZAC weekend - now THAT was cold haha.

Disappointed with the attendance. Its just rain you ain't gonna drown in it.

Marry me Otten

 

[thebirdman 24]

No he wasn't mate. If you watch the replay on TV, Petrie got both his hands to the ball, then Danger made front on contact with him which jarred the ball, which Danger then grabbed. Petrie got first hands to it and Danger made illegal contact. Was a good decison by the ump...

Thats not the way we are gonna remember it

 

[BustaB]

I thought it was good how the Crows showed their respect for Adam Simpson by lining up for him as he left the ground in his 300th. It says a lot about Mathew Lloyd's leadership at Essendon as he couldn't get his team to do the same last week for Tyson Edwards

 

[CamryCows]

No point complaining about the crowd. 20 minute delay on TV in those conditions, 30,000 is a very good attendance.

I thouhgt the boys were excellent. Continually applied pressure and had numbers at the fall of the ball in marking contests (Not necessarily in the forward 50 but that is hard when they are playing 8 in defence!!)

I got a bit sick and tired of hearing the whingers complain about the boys ball handling. I am sure people expect that once it stops raining, the grass is automatically dry again.

A clinical performance against ordinary opposition. They didn't do Adam Simpson justice,

 

[thebirdman 24]

"Goodwin, along with ill duo Graham Johncock and Richard Douglas— who were late withdrawals from the game— is expected to be available for the game against the Sydney Swans in two weeks."

IN: Goodwin, Johncock
Out: Reilly, Shirley

I think Douglas may have to wait a week, hes been solid but didn't get a kick in the first half last week. Hopefully Reilly comes back in soon, as i believe he adds something really important to our team if played in position. Symes may come under a bit of scrutiny for his kicking which may make way for Douglas this week.

 

[Mego Red]

Apart from Reilly's injury that was the big negative today.

Also, I think Porplyzia really needs to be instructed to stop flying for contested marks, many times today when the ball was just bombed in he'd go up against Tippett/Walker/Stevens and we'd have no one on the ground. Last year he had to go up for these balls, but this year I don't think he does.

I actually agree with your final point. There is so little reward in the small marking target, like Porps (or Ebert or whoever) that he needs to switch to a more traditional mobile, crumbing option.

 

[Saethiaal]

Geez Symes cops a lot of hate, i thought he played well. Hard at it and used the ball well, except say once or twice. Honestly i was annoyed at Doughty the most throughout the game, although he did bounce back well in the second half so well done to him there.

Commentators were horrible on TV, you could almost hear Dwayne Russel cheering for North Melbourne, Jackovich was alright though. Looked very messy on TV, although our last quarter was superb. Umpires annoyed me too, players just dropped the ball after being run down and stuff and the umpires did nothing. Free kick count was 8-3 in the first quarter and that seemed like the better of the quarters, well almost.

Pretty happy with the game in the end and am not looking forward to next week as there will be no Crows on televison, so i will have no idea what to do.

 

[kulak]

Overall a good summary WW and as you've correctly stated, we didn't use the ball overly well coming into our forward 50 at all in the first 3 quarters.

In the last quarter the goals came easier as we looked for a man rather than just bombing it on Tippett's head.

PS Your comment on Maric was a revelation, I must say.

I think Drummond has understated how much of an understatement this was.

Overall we beat them on the inside 50s by 65 to 34, shouldn't have been that close. Nice to see we kicked away at the end.

I'm starting to think this seemingly irrational bombing long is a deliberate choice, for reasons I'm not yet clear on. Possibly it makes our attacking approach simpler and encourages faster movement up-field because the midfielder doesn't have to wait for a target? Or by getting the ball deeper inside 50 it makes it easier to set up our defensive zone, thus creating more entries overall?

My other thoughts are that as usual when our defensive pressure is on our gameplan and players look good, and that Doughty might be Adelaide's Brett Kirk.

 

[jo172]

I can't handle Dwayne Russel. The man is an absolute **** and along with Robert Walls should be banned from commenting on Adelaide matches.

 

[Rave Slave]

Most has already been summed up but I will make one point. Loved some of Brad Moran's work today. That run down the wing was like watching a big midfielder moving around and his bump down the northern stand end near the pocket was just excellent. Once he begins to realise he's a lump of a lad he could become a very handy player

Oh and Andy Otten BOG with a lazy 21 touches at 94 PERCENT DISPOSAL EFFICIENCY! Ridiculous and am willing to turn for him. His efforts when under pressure near the Kangas goalsquare in the fourth showed just how gun he really is.

Sorry rest of Crowies board, today made it official. Andy Otten is MY MAN and possibly my future husband <3

 

[jarmanagic]

I agree with Saethiaal re Symes. Sure no superstar but has a crack every week. A few weeks ago after their glorious 3 point win over Richmond the Port board gleefully started a thread about how Symes had no improvement in him and M Motlop was going to be a much better player, what a great trade it was for Port.

That might all still be true in time but at least Symes has a crack. Port could really use that sort of effort right now. Actually any sort of effort would do