Autopsy Wheels falling off? 2 point loss to the Saints

[Wheresbuddy]

He was playing VFL before he got rubbed out , wasn't being prepared for anything

During the preseason I'm pretty sure Horse made mention of this.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

I know you won't complain, but imagine the outrage if Horse picks both and they look rusty and north win.

The whole team is way down may as well bring them in

 

[Dubai Quacker]

In the immediate aftermath of today’s game, I wanted half the side dropped.

But now the dust has settled, I realise that was unrealistic.

Only 8 should go.

 

[ashep]

I know you won't complain, but imagine the outrage if Horse picks both and they look rusty and north win.

Fair, but of anyone in the side, id back Mills to be prepared.

 

[rustycrate]

We had the right mix. We only started chopping and changing those bottom players in the past few weeks which is when we've been playing average footy. Pretty much since Roberts was given the flick.

When we were on fire up until the bye Horse kept saying we still had 'things' to improve on. Tbh I don't think we had anything left to improve on, we were red lining. Sometimes you gotta just let it be. I have no doubt the coaches have tried to focus on specific things which have thrown other things in our game off. I don't think Mills and Parker is the answer, especially parker. I think we just need to go back to our pre bye setup and gameplan and just let the latter part of the year playout with that theme + the addition of Mills.

I disagree. There are always things to improve upon.
If you think the side we had two weeks ago would be the exact same side we would take to finals or a grand final then I disagree. We have a squad of players. Mills will play a role as will players who have not predomitably played in the team all year like Parker, Sheldrick, Reid, Hamling, Roberts, Fox, Francis others etc.
We also need to be fresh for finals so some resting will occur.
We may have been worked out by sides so we need different players or tactics.
Nothing is static.

Just because you change one player and things go wrong does not mean that that is cause and effect. We have had 10 wins in a row. Teams look at what we do and make plans to beat us. Some have been successful recently. We need to learn how to counter that just like teams have countered us.

I'm confident we will be there at the pointy end.

I just hope we learn a lot in the remaining rounds and win the flag.

 

[The King!]

Fair, but of anyone in the side, id back Mills to be prepared.

Well presumably he has been running .

Hypothetically if you did bring both back just make Parker sub for example would be the way to do it perhaps?

 

[zyzzbruh]

Probably been brought up already but the pressure is well down, absolutely zero tackle pressure especially inside forward 50. Will be interesting to see what Longmire does but think this 2 game slide is the perfect time to switch things up and give some guys a good old kick up the backside. Think Wicks could do with a game in the twos tbh i know he was decent for 3 quarters last week but its now like the last month he has been down on most key indicators for a pressure forward. Personally i would bring Parker in and either play him as a pressure forward or play him as a medium marking forward and let Hayward do all the pressure work

That is too drastic a change to a winning formula. Yeah Wicks hasn't been as damaging but he sill gets involved in the odd signficant play, and has been far from our worst imo. Parker filling that role just makes no sense, and tbh Hayward was unsighted today at least Wicks was getting a touch.

We're being a bit dramatic, yeah we probably deserved to lose last week, but gave ourselves a chance. Today we probably deserved to win comfortably in terms of the state of play, the reality is we kicked ourselves out of the game. Had amartey slotted his piss easy chance in the last we probably coast to another ticked off win and not think too hard about drastic changes despite the same performance.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Well presumably he has been running .

Hypothetically if you did bring both back just make Parker sub for example would be the way to do it perhaps?

I seem to recall good things happen when Parker is the sub.

2012.

 

[caesar88]

The affection for Adams is weird considering some wanted him out altogether after last week. He'd averaged over 40% CBAs in games just twice this year, so has never been a major factor in our centre bounces. That was unlikely to change today. He won a few good ones once he came on as sub today, but it's easy to get sucked in by what he could do with fresh legs against a tired midfield.

We gambled on the group that had got the job done most of this season. For a second week in a row they didn't, so maybe it needs to be looked at. Or maybe they need to be backed in.

 

[Kbroome]

Here is the tackle drop off which is quite stunning and why i think something personal wise needs to change

2024 Tackle Differential: +4.0
2024 (pre L5): +8.16
Last 5: -6.8

 

[The King!]

The affection for Adams is weird considering some wanted him out altogether after last week. He'd averaged over 40% CBAs in games just twice this year, so has never been a major factor in our centre bounces. That was unlikely to change today. He won a few good ones once he came on as sub today, but it's easy to get sucked in by what he could do with fresh legs against a tired midfield.

I rated him every week.

You know the rule- the further out of the side you get the better you become.

Adam's should have taken a week off would be a superstar

 

[The King!]

During the preseason I'm pretty sure Horse made mention of this.

Yeah meant once it started sorry but true pre season was 35/65?

Will be interesting , this week was the first hint I got Horse was thinking about it

 

[caesar88]

Here is the tackle drop off which is quite stunning and why i think something personal wise needs to change

2024 Tackle Differential: +4.0
2024 (pre L5): +8.16
Last 5: -6.8

That's grim.

 

[The King!]

Does it feel like wins and losses have become these massive reckonings they never used to be?

I feel like growing up Hawthorn might lose to Fitzroy,Brisbane drop a game to Essendon etc etc and they were top, won the flag and no one really got worked up over it

 

[Kbroome]

Does it feel like wins and losses have become these massive reckonings they never used to be?

I feel like growing up Hawthorn might lose to Fitzroy,Brisbane drop a game to Essendon etc etc and they were top, won the flag and no one really got worked up over it

I think its because we have so many different camera angles, replays in depth expected score stats readily available to the public that every loss you find 100 reasons why rather than key defender was too good or the key forward had an off day at the office.

 

[Cadsky]

Wasn't able to watch the game, kinda glad I didn't. Don't think I'll bother watching the replay.

 

[Kbroome]

That's grim.

Especially grim this week with a -20 or so tackle count and Saints had +14 disposals

 

[Bloods86]

The affection for Adams is weird considering some wanted him out altogether after last week. He'd averaged over 40% CBAs in games just twice this year, so has never been a major factor in our centre bounces. That was unlikely to change today. He won a few good ones once he came on as sub today, but it's easy to get sucked in by what he could do with fresh legs against a tired midfield.

We gambled on the group that had got the job done most of this season. For a second week in a row they didn't, so maybe it needs to be looked at. Or maybe they need to be backed in.

For me, it's more that Heeney needs a rest, so I'd play him up forward (unless he's suspended). And I wouldn't bring either Mills or Parker back without a VFL game (Parker maybe if wet, because then his disposal suits the conditions). So Adams is the best option to get more CBAs. Either him or we throw Gulden, JJ in there more.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

I rated him every week.

You know the rule- the further out of the side you get the better you become.

Adam's should have taken a week off would be a superstar

Ah the ol’ Sam Reid theory.

I like it.

 

[Olian]

Here is the tackle drop off which is quite stunning and why i think something personal wise needs to change

2024 Tackle Differential: +4.0
2024 (pre L5): +8.16
Last 5: -6.8

That’s a fair drop off.

 

[Jack Lord]

I've had a few hours to settle which is probably for the best.

Wasn't so concerned with last week's loss. Was more about how we responded. Today was a pretty ordinary response.

So much of football is between the ears. It really doesn't look like they're switched on at the moment. I reckon it's hard to go 100% when you're two games ahead at the top of the ladder. It's almost like you need the others to catch up before you can get that fire again.

It also seems to me that the boys have seriously been drinking the bathwater. We're not as good as that.

Forward line has never been star studded.

Midfield is good, but they are capable of getting shown up if they're not going at 100%. Last two weeks are a case in point.

And any backline is susceptible when the midfield is off. It's also where the swans have the least depth.

What is certain is that everyone is gunning for us. We need to match them in intensity or we are prone to more losses.

Have we peaked too soon? Who knows. But our best is as good as anyone's. The only way to access that quality though is to stop believing we're god's gift and get back to tough footy. That's on the coaches.

Finally - and I absolutely believe this to be true - North is a real danger game for us next week. A team with some up and coming players with it all to gain and nothing to lose.

It's time for this bunch to have an honest look at themselves, harden up, and get back to some tough bloods footy.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

Let's see how this return plan for both Mills and Parker Horse said was being worked out plays out this week...

 

[zyzzbruh]

I disagree. There are always things to improve upon.
If you think the side we had two weeks ago would be the exact same side we would take to finals or a grand final then I disagree. We have a squad of players. Mills will play a role as will players who have not predomitably played in the team all year like Parker, Sheldrick, Reid, Hamling, Roberts, Fox, Francis others etc.
We also need to be fresh for finals so some resting will occur.
We may have been worked out by sides so we need different players or tactics.
Nothing is static.

Just because you change one player and things go wrong does not mean that that is cause and effect. We have had 10 wins in a row. Teams look at what we do and make plans to beat us. Some have been successful recently. We need to learn how to counter that just like teams have countered us.

I'm confident we will be there at the pointy end.

I just hope we learn a lot in the remaining rounds and win the flag.

But some of these drastic measures probably don't satisfy the cause. We could've easily won both these games despite the performance, and there were some games in our streak where we weren't as good as the scoreboard and form reflected (Essendon, Freo away, Adelaide, WB, WC). I don't think we are any more 'worked out' now than what we were before. Our system and method when executed well is exceptional - sometimes we're very efficient with it, sometimes we're not so but still manage to get over the line, or like the last two games just fall short. Some of the structural changes people are calling for will limit our ability to execute imo.

I might sound like I'm giving individual players too much credit by saying that but I truly believe 1 or 2 players can be the difference. Adams + Cunningham today would've won us the game. Wicks v Richmond would've won us the game. And I think Parker in for Wicks will completely **** us up.

 

[The King!]

North are 9.50 against us??

Geez

Their Board are pretty confident too

 

[Olian]

North are 9.50 against us??

Geez

Their Board are pretty confident too

They have won less than 15 games since the start of 2020.