Monday after a loss - I don't like it!

One thing I'm grateful for is that this happened in Round 4 not Round 8 or whatever.

It's a good thing I'm not a coach because I'd be super reactive to this, which is probably not the way to go. They can't throw out the baby with the bathwater and make drastic changes to the game plan in a ten-week season. Obviously they need to find a different approach or just a clearer idea of what to do when that Plan A isn't working. How to get back control in that situation. Because it seemed like they had no idea, no response except "try harder to do what we're clearly failing to do", which is fine to a point, but a switch in approach needed to come earlier.

The poor start did us absolutely no favours... While I'd love to see us come out firing, I think they need to work their way into games more strategically. Not all guns blazing necessarily, but build from contest and pressure - basically, put on the heat that the Crows did (no mean feat, of course).

19 minutes ago, Dees_In_October said:

Agree but it was consistent across the games I saw across the round. 'Rule of the week'

It’s actually the way it has been used in the AFLW for the past seasons. Get caught with the ball, pinged. Prior doesn’t exist.

But it is consistent.

1 hour ago, Fat Tony said:

Daisy would get exposed and would need the right match up in the middle. But her pace is a bigger issue in the forward line IMO, particularly given Harris is also a witches hat defensively. The other option would be to push her to half back.

Agree. She was put forward last year because we had no-one else. Now we have Harris and Bannon. Daisy doesn’t like set shots, not good for a forward. At HB she can read the play and position herself to defend. Hibberd, May and Lever aren’t sprinters, but they know where to go and when. Daisy similar.

And her abilities aren’t used when , like in this game, the ball rarely entered the forward 50, but the backs were crying out for help.

Edited January 31, 20223 yr by george_on_the_outer

2 hours ago, binman said:

(often with a handball to player running past) and lots of handballs.

I didn't see a lot of this game, but over the last 2 weeks I have noticed handballs not hitting the mark. Often low or behind the targeted player.

This (handball) is one area that is still poor from my limited observation in women football.

I might be wrong here 'bin' but it would seem like it's not the best tactic to be using when the skills are not up to standard.

48 minutes ago, george_on_the_outer said:

Agree. She was put forward last year because we had no-one else. Now we have Harris and Bannon. Daisy doesn’t like set shots, not good for a forward. At HB she can read the play and position herself to defend. Hibberd, May and Lever aren’t sprinters, but they know where to go and when. Daisy similar.

And her abilities aren’t used when , like in this game, the ball rarely entered the forward 50, but the backs were crying out for help.

Agree with this completely. Even her body work in marking contests will help down there, while her limitations will be minimised. One thing about Daisy is she knows her strengths and will play smart. And her biggest asset now is to bring others into the game and show the way, not necessarily make the impact herself.

We've got some real issues based on that performance. Teams have worked us out, and we already know that Stinear is an awful match day coach. Twice in five games the Crows have physically dominated our midfield, and there is no sign of a plan B. I believe we have the talent to compete for a premiership, but we look set for another wasted season unless something changes.

Some concerns for me:

- Zanker is our biggest midfielder, but she doesn't particularly like the contest. I'd much rather see McNamara and West on the ball, who will have a red hot go. McNamara is a great player, and will only get better as she adds some size.

- Mithen is a dumb footballer, who needs to watch tapes of Jack Viney to see how much more valuable he is as a team player. Perhaps she can be rebirthed as a small forward.

- Scott makes our forward line slow and awkward when she is not taking contested marks. I'd prefer to see her helping out the defence rather than clogging up the forward line.

- Paxman's decision making and reaction time has dropped by 10%, and kicks that she was once getting in the clear are now under extreme pressure. She definitely needs to be smarter about when she calls for the football.

- Daisy is a smart footballer who is in Jordan Lewis self preservation mode at the moment. It's questionable whether we can continue to carry her in big games when she can't make a contest or provide defensive pressure.

- I would like to see our forward line with Harris playing out of the square, and Hore and Bannan across half forward. We need at least one high pressure defensive forward, and a resting midfielder who can make a tackle. If Scott is on, she should be part of the rotation, but otherwise she and Parry are giving nothing at the moment.

- We have way too many players with poor disposal and decision making in the defensive half. It has always been a concern, but was just diabolical under pressure this week. It has to be a focus for future recruiting, although the expanded competition makes this difficult.

- We're not getting value from L.Pearce's dominance in the ruck. Hopefully the bigger body of Purcell will help when she returns.

8 hours ago, binman said:

These two comments are absolute rubbish.

Well Binman how do you explain the three quarter time score of 2pts.?

Adelaide pressure which caused us to fumble not stick to our game plan and to not provide a physical  contest in the clinches and around the ground.

We were completely rattled from the first bounce and had no composure plus and little strength in ball contests it was an easy out for the Crows snd only the inaccuracy ( and our different game plan) saved us from a mauling.

Also  our leaders had a bad day and couldn't really impact the game until after 3/4 time. 

From my TV it was just as much decided by our timid ness and Crows sustained pressure. We did not compete on the same level and looked like a bottom four team. 

I am happy for you to offer your experience and summary but I MO it is no good glossing over the truth at this stage of the season.