MATCH PREVIEW AND TEAM SELECTION - Round 8

[beelzebub 23,383]

1 hour ago, old dee said:

We are so low on tall forwards I might take Dawes back for tomorrow.

Words you never thought you'd utter lol. 

[Bitter but optimistic 22,246]

1 hour ago, old dee said:

We are so low on tall forwards I might take Dawes back for tomorrow.

FMD od !! It's time you had a break from the grog.

[Adam The God 30,411]

I'd like to know what others think we need to do to beat Adelaide. I haven't seen a lot of serious analysis about this game, mostly just 'we'll get pummeled'. What would it take to win?

Let's leave the smarmy answers out too...

[What 18,810]

Just now, A F said:

I'd like to know what others think we need to do to beat Adelaide. I haven't seen a lot of serious analysis about this game, mostly just 'we'll get pummeled'. What would it take to win?

Let's leave the smarmy answers out too...

Neutralize Sam Jacobs ruck dominance. He is averaging about 40 hitouts per game, and could break the AFL record this week for most in a game.  

 Hes also very good around the ground. Pedders can keep him honest there but at stoppages we will need to come up with a genius plan to counter the silver service his mids will expect to get.

 

[Adam The God 30,411]

8 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

Neutralize Sam Jacobs ruck dominance. He is averaging about 40 hitouts per game, and could break the AFL record this week for most in a game.  

 Hes also very good around the ground. Pedders can keep him honest there but at stoppages we will need to come up with a genius plan to counter the silver service his mids will expect to get.

 

Yep, Jacobs is the starting point. What about midfield and their half backs?

[Bitter but optimistic 22,246]

5 minutes ago, A F said:

I'd like to know what others think we need to do to beat Adelaide. I haven't seen a lot of serious analysis about this game, mostly just 'we'll get pummeled'. What would it take to win?

Let's leave the smarmy answers out too...

I really have NFI Adam. What do you reckon?

[Adam The God 30,411]

19 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

I really have NFI Adam. What do you reckon?

We have to move the ball quickly. We have to take risks with our ball use, but choose the right moment and the right user who can execute (ie. Salem or Lewis off half back, rather than Tom McDonald). Run hard both ways in the midfield. I want to see Frost and Jetta really take the game on. Hibberd's ball use is going to be vital. We need his kicking and his run. Our forwards need to lay 30+ tackles across half forward and inside 50. Hannan, Kent, Petracca, Jeffy, Watts and Weideman (if he plays) have to be really busy. That's roughly 5 tackles each. Goodwin is clearly building towards this sort of effort as mandatory for playing in Melbourne's forwardline. Well, that's what we need. And if we bring this, we'll get a result and this game style of Goodwin's will be vindicated.

When the play is more congested, we must lower the eyes and minimise turn overs in the middle of the ground. These are killing us at the moment. 

Kicking straight and generating early scoreboard pressure is going to be really important too and always is in a hostile environment.

I still think we can win and on that basis, I think we have to do everything I've mentioned above and try and be smarter with our ball use out of stoppage situations.

A typical Bernie Vince clearance is a no-look kick high in the air to no one's advantage. If he's going to tag Sloane or play a role in the midfield, he needs to be smarter with these kicks. Occasionally, these kicks work, particularly if they're quick kick outs, but the majority of the time, the Adelaide defence will be too smart and organised for this, so Salem, Lewis, Vince, Watts and Jones have to be on with their kicking.

Edited May 12, 2017 by A F

[Bitter but optimistic 22,246]

1 minute ago, A F said:

We have to move the ball quickly. We have to take risks with our ball use, but choose the right moment and the right user who can execute (ie. Salem or Lewis off half back, rather than Tom McDonald). Run hard both ways in the midfield. I want to see Frost and Jetta really take the game on. Hibberd's ball use is going to be vital. We need his kicking and his run. Our forwards need to lay 30+ tackles across half forward and inside 50. Hannan, Kent, Petracca, Jeffy, Watts and Weideman (if he plays) have to be really busy. 

When the play is more congested, we must lower the eyes and minimise turn overs in the middle of the ground. These are killing us at the moment. 

Kicking straight and getting early scoreboard pressure is going to be really important too.

I still think we can win and on that basis, I think we have to do everything I mention and try and be smarter with our ball use out of stoppage situations. A typical Bernie Vince clearance is a no-look kick high in the air to no one's advantage. Occasionally, those kicks work, particularly if they're quick kicks out, but the majority of the time, the Adelaide defence will be too smart and organised for this, so Salem, Lewis, Watts and Jones have to be on with their kicking.

Good plan Adam and I hope it works.

However unless Jack kicks around 5 and another 3-4 to Jeffy we are screwed to kick a winning score.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

1 hour ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

I will ensure that I am 3/4 pizzed at the commencement of the game ( not an extraordinary occurrence at that hour I'll admit) and from then on fade into gentle oblivion.

Which game are you referring to BBO.... This week's or ???

16 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

FMD od !! It's time you had a break from the grog.

Think I prefer your first idea when watching the game on Sunday BBO

[Adam The God 30,411]

9 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Good plan Adam and I hope it works.

However unless Jack kicks around 5 and another 3-4 to Jeffy we are screwed to kick a winning score.

We need an even contribution from all our forwards. If everyone does their fair share, it'll go a long way to winning this game. Under absolutely no circumstance can we have any passengers this week. Weideman playing scares me a little bit, because I don't think he currently offers enough at ground level to lock the ball in.

Adelaide are the benchmark of the competition, but they're beatable and I think our game style stacks up against theirs. It's just a matter of implementing it on game day.

Edited May 12, 2017 by A F

[Bitter but optimistic 22,246]

Just now, Rusty Nails said:

Which game are you referring to BBO.... This week's or ???

Think I prefer your first idea when watching the game on Sunday BBO

Unless I'm fuzzed already I'll be watching it ( the start at least) on Saturday..

[Young Blood 2,634]

Anyone watching the game right now?

Both teams doing a terrific job of playing through the corridor. From the back pocket they're kicking in not too wide to about the 50m mark where the player marks and takes the riskier (but not rushed) kick into the square where another player marks and is met by runners coming through from Centre half back to group a string of handballs together, running it through the centre square. Depending on how well the opposition transitions back the ball is then kicked short to the players staying out at half forward or sent long over the top if its there.

Most teams will aim to do this and teams like the Bulldogs and Westcoast are particularly good at doing it consistently.

I think Melbourne has been playing too wide and against Adelaide they must take the risk getting the ball back inside. It is probably the most risky team to do it against as they're incredible at attacking once they force a turnover, especially through the middle.

The only other time Melbourne were effective in a different game style was against St. Kilda where they possessed the ball more and widened the ground to create more space. I think in the hostile environment and with Adelaide's pressure we wont't be able to cope with that style of play. Need a lot more older heads with greater composure (ala Hawthorn types). Would just love to see us attack and really spread quickly from each contest to make a game of this!

Edited May 12, 2017 by mongrel

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

6 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Unless I'm fuzzed already I'll be watching it ( the start at least) on Saturday..

I'm not sure I should be thanking you for correcting that oversight BBO .....

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

2 hours ago, DominatrixTyson said:

Dawes on hindsight would've been a very valuable player this year.

OK but can we play him at half back for that rebound out of defence?

[Gorgoroth 13,019]

Reduce our handballing by at least half would bloody help. We handball 3 tines wheb one is needed.  

We need to block and shepherd for each other too.

[Young Blood 2,634]

4 minutes ago, Gorgoroth said:

Reduce our handballing by at least half would bloody help. We handball 3 tines wheb one is needed.  

We need to block and shepherd for each other too.

Its bizarre that we're only no.5 in the competition for handballs per game. We're no.3 for kicks.

Shows that we're over possessing the ball just a tad.

[old dee 23,872]

1 hour ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

FMD od !! It's time you had a break from the grog.

Well the sarcasium meters are running on empty around here at present.

understandable I guess as the batteries have been switched to the humour meters that have been under even higher loads in 2017.

 

[beelzebub 23,383]

Sarcasium..,a new age metal ?

[old dee 23,872]

3 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

Sarcasium..,a new age metal ?

Obviously the spell check is out of batteries as well bb

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

Calendar (Apple special!, ?)... Caleb ....Daniel in this second half tonight...wowsers!

Edited May 12, 2017 by Rusty Nails

[Older demon 2,779]

The Scott brothers tactics used successfully is to not press up too far. The Crows especially Eddie like to sit back and get the easy one over the top. This will be a real test for our defensive structure. Tag Sloan and limit his touches and tackle and apply pressure in the same way the Hawks did to us last week. remember the hawks pushed the Crows early in the season.

[ding 5,126]

2 hours ago, Gorgoroth said:

Yup. We are going to Isle of Islay next year, can't wait!

lucky basterd

[Bonkers 994]

13 minutes ago, Older demon said:

The Scott brothers tactics used successfully is to not press up too far. The Crows especially Eddie like to sit back and get the easy one over the top. This will be a real test for our defensive structure. Tag Sloan and limit his touches and tackle and apply pressure in the same way the Hawks did to us last week. remember the hawks pushed the Crows early in the season.

Interesting points. The only way we win the game is to control the midfield. The crows have the firepower up forward & across half back to tear us a new one. If it's possible we need to focus on slowing Adelaide down in transition as well as their exits from stoppages. We don't have the marking power down forward so there's no point dumping the ball or bombing long, we will have to possess the ball to score. I'm not sure we are up to it, in patches maybe but not for the whole game. The one area we can exploit them is around the contest, our inside mids are collectively better so maybe we can turn this into a stoppage type game & get numbers around the ball to control it that way.

[frankie_d 1,471]

4 hours ago, dee-tox said:

Try a Ballechin 10 Gorgoroth. Even better.

Lagavulin. "like drinking through an ash tray", says Mrs Frankie. She's not a fan of the smokier Islay malts. But does have other redeeming features.

[frankie_d 1,471]

3 hours ago, Gorgoroth said:

Yup. We are going to Isle of Islay next year, can't wait!

Taking orders?