3 minutes ago, picket fence said:

And if it does???

We are [censored]!

2 hours ago, Sargent Shultz said:

I think everyone on this thread needs to take a Bex, drink a cup of Lipton's and have a good lie down.

Then watch Godwin's post-match interview.

Of the four finalists last year, Eagles, Pies, and Dees all defeated and looked tired- clearly underdone for the beginning of the season. We will build from here. As for the Tigers- well they played last years wooden spooners, so they should have won.

Clearly, the interrupted preseason due to surgery and a late start has meant the players are not yet "cherry ripe" They will get a lot better as the season progresses. 

As they say in golf "you can't win a tournament on the first day, but you sure can lose one" 

We have 22 matches to play and will be towards the top of the ladder in the last round- maybe even top

On a slightly negative note - can someone please explain to me how Spargo keeps getting a game? He cost us at least 2 goals from basic skill errors, at important phases of the game,  that resulted in a turnover and resulting goal to Port. Preuss surely would have been better in the forward line and giving Max a hand in the ruck- given we have a new found love of bombing it in there.

I have zero care for his supposed hard at it

He cannot kick more than 35 metres

Turns it over when he does have it

Plods through the field with next to zero pace

Is too easily brushed aside

Needs time at Casey and should be Depth only.

If he gets selected next week there is something wrong with our list!

Whilst not a great Billy Stretch fan he would be a better bet

I hope Kolodaschi whatever came through unscathed because I would be bringing him straight in

8 minutes ago, picket fence said:

And if it does???

well id be very frustrated. 

40 minutes ago, grazman said:

On the commentary they made mention of the fact that Hinkley had primed his side to take us on that we were underdone through the pre-season due to so many players having operations etc.  

The most glaring deficiency yesterday was our defensive spread  and is definitely the result of not having a lot of outside speed.  It's why I can't see Jones being a long term option to play wing. another comment that caught my attention was Port's assessment that our forwards are poor defenders and that all Port needed to do was be patient with ball in hand and they would be able to find a way to move the ball out of defence.   For those that question why  ANB and Spargo keep getting games see above.  For those that think that when Garlett is fit his leg speed will see him back in the side, see above.   I think as others have already observed the one structural deficiency we have is a hardworking small that has both speed and a natural goal sense.  

 

Yeah, which is not quite true, given we ranked #1 in the competition for tackles inside 50 in 2018. That's a furphy. Our work rate was down. Particularly, in the midfield, after the first quarter.

Losing the way we did is no fun, and yes there’s are concerning aspects about our game, however...

It’s round 1

i have faith that Goodwin et al, won’t throw the Towel in quite as readily, as so many on here are doing.

Chill people.  It’s a long, long season. 

 

5 minutes ago, KLV said:

Losing the way we did is no fun, and yes there’s are concerning aspects about our game, however...

It’s round 1

i have faith that Goodwin et al, won’t throw the Towel in quite as readily, as so many on here are doing.

Chill people.  It’s a long, long season. 

 

Yep hopefully not a chilly, windswept, decrepit, fly blown, frustratingly agonising, indictment of a typical false dawn of fanciful thinking that we we are were a realistic premiership chance type LOOOOOOONNNG Season coz

I'm over those!!

6 minutes ago, KLV said:

Losing the way we did is no fun, and yes there’s are concerning aspects about our game, however...

It’s round 1

i have faith that Goodwin et al, won’t throw the Towel in quite as readily, as so many on here are doing.

Chill people.  It’s a long, long season. 

 

Yep. Never been longer. A brutal, long season and having your team ready for finals is a key. As is a bit of luck to a avoid serious injuries.

Yes it was very poor, in fact [censored] poor, we looked underdone!

i just looked outside, the sky is still in place.

Best of all, at least we’re not Essendrug!!!!!

 

You cannot have 1/3 of your list, including a number of key players, in rehab for 3 months and expect to start playing like grand finalists in round 1. Firstly there are players who are underdone in terms of both fitness and match fitness. Secondly, the whole team suffers because they just haven't had the time together they need - a point which was noted in the pre-season reports in terms of the difficulties of training systems and structures with so many players unavailable.

Going to be a rocky first month or two until the whole team gets up to speed and on the same page. Though lord forbid any further injuries.

While yesterday was disheartening  (to say the least), it could be worse, GWS are taking a chainsaw to Essendon’s season right now. Their performance today is Neeldesque 

13 minutes ago, picket fence said:

Yep hopefully not a chilly, windswept, decrepit, fly blown, frustratingly agonising, indictment of a typical false dawn of fanciful thinking that we we are were a realistic premiership chance type LOOOOOOONNNG Season coz

I'm over those!!

Good idea. If you're only following the club because you think we're a realistic premiership chance, then you're setting yourself up for a painful 6 months. Apart from anything else, you need a lot of luck to win a premiership, there are any number of variables that can't be controlled.

Personally, I don't think we're going to be genuine contenders for another season at least, and I have to wonder with what's happened over the pre-season and all those operations whether or not the footy department doesn't feel the same way. Been plenty of "something we wanted to sort out so he doesn't have any troubles going forward" type remarks. This is about the next 5+ years, not a single game, or even a single season.

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

I have zero care for his supposed hard at it

He cannot kick more than 35 metres

Turns it over when he does have it

Plods through the field with next to zero pace

Is too easily brushed aside

Needs time at Casey and should be Depth only.

If he gets selected next week there is something wrong with our list!

Whilst not a great Billy Stretch fan he would be a better bet

I hope Kolodaschi whatever came through unscathed because I would be bringing him straight in

You really are a wonderful poster to read after a loss. You obviously don’t know anything about KK but you want him in anyway...a lot of people really panicking. It feels like the old Demonland again!

16 minutes ago, The Swimming Dee said:

You really are a wonderful poster to read after a loss. You obviously don’t know anything about KK but you want him in anyway...a lot of people really panicking. It feels like the old Demonland again!

Not only does he know nothing about KK, but can't even be bothered spelling his name correctly. Which isn't just lazy and ill-informed, it's a form of othering of foreigners and people of non-anglo descent.

(I'm being polite here ...)

4 hours ago, Ron Burgundy said:

That game was hard to watch - a really underwhelming performance.

Happy for Watts though - he’s a likeable bloke.

 

Could hear the emotion in his voice in that interview on the ground after the siren. He has endured immense pressure in his career and he has admitted to stuffing up a few times without citing "mental health issues". Appears easy going and likable, but I am now convinced he must possess mental toughness. Personally I wish him the best for his future.

1 hour ago, A F said:

Yeah, which is not quite true, given we ranked #1 in the competition for tackles inside 50 in 2018. That's a furphy. Our work rate was down. Particularly, in the midfield, after the first quarter.

Maybe,  is tackling inside the forward 50 was the only measure of defensive effort (it is certainly one indicator of work rate)?  

4 hours ago, A F said:

I generally agree with you on this point, mate, but we were playing in heat. Richmond, Collingwood and Geelong weren't. That has to have had an impact.

Because Preuss struggled to play even a half in JLT1, hence Keilty rucking for most of the second half. I hope Preuss is fitter now, because we really do need him next week.

I hope you are right...

8 hours ago, Wiseblood said:

I know some will blow it off, but this is crucial and is a big reason why our pre season was different to so many others. Yes, some of those other teams had the same summer in terms of time spent on the track, but none had the off season surgeries that we did. It's not all the reason why yesterday stank but it played a large role. 

I agree with you that it is different but we were way off in skills, desire and execution. The uncontested stats tell a big story as do the contested stats that we lost only twice I think last year.

6 hours ago, JV7 said:

I think we all acknowledge that we are slightly underdone at the moment, lots of post season surgeries, limited pre seasons, underdone players. My biggest disappointment is that we lost to Port at the G, that game is played in July I'd say we win it. For all we know Port may well be a better side than last year but unlikely, losing 4 points to an interstate side at the G is what is causing me angst... If we were Collingwood & lost to a Geelong, so be it. But Port at home, that stings

Especially as they were without Wines, Dixon and Hartlett.

I think that it is entirely possible that not only were some of our players underdone but as the old adage goes, ‘We don’t match up well’ on Port. Last year was a case in point. In a year that we made a preliminary final, we still lost to them but we smashed superior teams regularly.

9 hours ago, titan_uranus said:

Probably my last comment on the pre-season surgeries issue. This is a list of players who had interrupted or delayed pre-seasons due to surgery:

• Clayton Oliver (double shoulder surgery)
• Jack Viney (ankle surgery)
• Neville Jetta (shoulder/knee surgery)
• James Harmes (shoulder surgery)
• Aaron vandenBerg (shoulder surgery)
• Jayden Hunt (shoulder surgery)
• Christian Petracca (knee surgery)
• Mitch Hannan (dual knee surgery)
• Oscar McDonald (hip surgery)
• Marty Hore (ankle surgery)
• Jake Melksham (ankle surgery)
• Jake Lever (knee surgery)
• Guy Walker (shoulder surgery)

Jones didn't have surgery but had a hamstring issue and, as the linked article mentions, impacted on his ability to take part in a "critical training phase" during the pre-season.

Edit: and both KK and May had injuries as well. There may also have been other players with non-operated injuries, I'm not sure.

You can throw in Brayshaw for consecutive 'mystery injury of the week' leading up to and around Christmas from memory.

That makes:

Clayton Oliver (double shoulder surgery)
Brayshaw (back? - interrupted pre-season)
James Harmes (shoulder surgery - plus finger)
Jack Viney (ankle surgery - no match fitness)
Nathan Jones (hamstring - no match fitness)

And it showed. As it does in the stats - which are probably the worst ever recorded by any four of this group combined. 

Any coincidence that Salem was our stand-out yesterday?

Edited March 24, 20196 yr by Skuit

One thing I learned watching our dismal round one performance is that I have a new found respect the the Lions, Hawks, Cats, and Swans teams that were so dominant for so long. It’s a credit to their list, and fitness staff that they were able to hit the ground running every year. 

Now that I’ve swallowed that little bit of vomit that came up from praising the Hawks here’s my two cents. We are clearly suffering from having one of the most interrupted preseasons of any of the so called contenders. We looked off our feet walking into the rooms at half time and while we had that burst in the 3rd quarter it didn’t last very long. 

Ultimately it showed that most key players were underdone, particularly our captains who were terrible. Jones’s drop at the start of the third quarter was the game, it was inexcusable and the team looked shot from there. 

Salem is the only player who can hold his head up that he gave a complete performance. 

The good news, it’s only round one and there’s next week for redemption with May coming in. 

3 hours ago, grazman said:

Maybe,  is tackling inside the forward 50 was the only measure of defensive effort (it is certainly one indicator of work rate)?  

No, it's not the only measure. Corralling would be another (do Champion Data record this?). McDonald doesn't lay many tackles, I agree, but I think generally when we're playing well, our mids, half forward and small/tall forwards are laying tackles, as evidenced by being the best in the comp for inside 50 tackles.

Wondering what your thoughts were @ProDee?

Went and watched my son play footy today and it was a much better match than the one I witnessed yest. 

He played for the first time since Auskick as he has been playing ball since and played full forward/ruck relief. He kicked 2.1, had some hit outs and made about 5 tackles. The temp was 35 and about 80% humidity too. 

He did really well and it was nice to see him play his guts  out. 

Was a great team effort  

After yesterday’s game it was pleasing to watch a match that the players looked interested in playing. 

Edited March 24, 20196 yr by DemonOX

1 hour ago, DemonOX said:

Went and watched my son play footy today and it was a much better match than the one I witnessed yest. 

He played for the first time since Auskick as he has been playing ball since and played full forward/ruck relief. He kicked 2.1, had some hit outs and made about 5 tackles. The temp was 35 and about 80% humidity too. 

He did really well and it was nice to see him play his guts  out. 

Was a great team effort  

After yesterday’s game it was pleasing to watch a match that the players looked interested in playing. 

Sheeit.. get him in for Spargo!!!