POSTGAME: Rd 01 vs Western Bulldogs

[Graeme Yeats' Mullet 6,778]

5 minutes ago, DiscoStu17 said:

He’s probably still looking for correct weight.

We're all lucky we're not still waiting for the goal umps to signal correct weight

How many score reviews? 🤔 

[Willmoy1947 4,140]

5 hours ago, Lexinator said:

Great win. Slowly grinded the dogs down. Clear and conscious effort for most of the game to lower the eyes and change angles, was great to watch. Several examples of selfless footy on display e.g Oliver and Kozzy could of rightly gone for a goal late in the game but lowered eyes and delivered to someone closer to goal that resulted in goals kicked. Considering there were a lot of shoddy decisions go against us for most of the game to win by 45 was a great effort, reckon umpires gave them 3 or 4 goals. 

The numbers of Yellow shirts to watch were 32 and 2, so far. Number 32 did the Richmond game, which cost them severely, along with the other one Number 2. Number 32 did our Game up until he lost the plot and cost us a goal when he called play on inexplicably, and then wasn't sighted again.

[DeeSpencer 26,080]

7 hours ago, adonski said:

A moment needs to be taken, to try and comprehend playing Laurie and Spargo ahead of Billings last week

I've got no issues with it. For one Billings needs frequent reminders that defense and contest are part of the game, didn't see a lot of that from him against the Swans or in the preseason. He's a potential offensive weapon but no player should be above the teams defensive needs and effort.

But the biggest reason was match ups. Spargo was in for Pickett, a mistake throwing Charlie out but Billings would never have provided that pressure role. Then they wanted ANB as the 3rd winger because the Swans have genuine weapons on the wing in Gulden and Campbell. Players you can't give space, same with Lizard, Florent etc at half back. The Dogs wingers being who knows and who cares were much better match ups.

It was a mistake but Billings 2 touches in 38% game time at half forward against the Swans suggests it meant very little.

 

[monoccular 17,573]

Were there a new record number of score reviews today?    Annoying and pathetic.

Perhaps they just need to revert to goal umpire's call, and the guys in the bunker can look all they like  and if 100% certain it was wrong then stop play and recall it.  After all it was done on the ANB goal v Carlton even though there was zero let alone 100% evidence that it was touched.

[titan_uranus 25,043]

I wasn't able to get to the game today and have only had the chance to watch the first quarter replay.

A few have said "it's only the Dogs". I'd be keen to see how they go next week vs Gold Coast before saying they're no good. However, there's a fair chance our Opening Round game got some cobwebs out and miles into the legs which benefited us.

From what I've seen so far and interpreted off the stats sheet, the defensive transition was so much better - both as to intent to get the ball moving and in the personnel involved in these chains. More Windsor, Pickett, Billings, Salem, Rivers and McVee. 

Great to see Brown hit the scoreboard but more importantly look lively. Remember though that in 2022 and 2023 he started the season well, but his form dropped off as the season went on. We're a much better side with a fit and able Brown in it, so I love seeing him perform, but the test is whether he can do it for weeks on end.

[DeeSpencer 26,080]

3 hours ago, binman said:

It's interesting that the vibe seems to be Lever had an average game.

I thought he was terrific.

He had 8 score involvements- only maxy, Billings and tracc had more.

He also had 17 disposals and was part of a group effort that shut down lobb, naughton and weightman. 

He was a key to how well we transitioned from the back half.

Yep I thought he was very strong, whilst he had a couple of Lever moments it's really good to see him working on his attacking game. That goes for all our key backs, I just hope May finds his kicking and decision making radar some time soon!

But for Lever especially as the chief interceptor to be a 2 way player would provide so much for our team that's been missing the last couple of years.

 

[DeeZone 10,100]

Mono they even queried an out on the full!! It was farcical.

[titan_uranus 25,043]

I forgot to mention the "best" bit.

The late surge to the 45-point margin meant our percentage increased over Geelong's, and means we are in the 8.

It keeps our streak alive (we've been in the top 8 every week since Round 1, 2021).

No idea what the record is, but we're now at 49 (I think) H&A rounds in a row.

[Willmoy1947 4,140]

4 hours ago, hemingway said:

Amazing how hope, faith and expectation return after a win. After pretending to be detached from footy and behaving like a wise and sensible adult trying to get through the Freud series on net flix ) I am reading DL, looking at stats and generally behaving like an excited kid. My Collingwood supporting wife already has head in hands and using profane language to describe my elevated mood. Amazing what an emotional game this is, and how irrational is our loyalty, prejudices and thought process.. 

No more church for me for another month now.

[Boots and all 1,000]

I have concerns about BBB being able to play many back to back games. Hopefully the club and Ben carefully manage his load. He doesn't need to play every game and I would be very comfortable if the club rested him regularly through 2024.

[Gawndy the Great 9,011]

1 hour ago, rpfc said:

Really can’t take too much yet out of where we sit in the league but there are insights that Goodwin and the new bloke McQ have altered our play, and there are some seeming positional wins that we desperately needed.

How we play

We seem to be trying to quickly pivot and switch (sometimes corridor) when we get a turnover which isn’t new, what is new is that there some hands and then a rule/desire to kick to someone forward side of wing. This means a few things; less kicks ‘over the head to space’ as we do less chain handball over 40m, it also allows Fritsch, BB and JVR to lead at the footy on quick movements as that player that has it forward wide of wing stops props and lets the forward execute in space. 

We also preferred to avoid the long bomb if we could, which coupled with the above meant shorter kicks and the most marks we have had in years.

The focus on movement from the backline is a Neil Balme for me because we know we can win stoppages, we know we can up the pressure up forward, what we haven’t done well really ever in Goodys reign is transition the ball from end to end, preferring to limit how often it gets down there.

FINALLY, we are taking this backline out for a test drive and seeing what it can withstand so that we can move it quickly, deliberately into the space of some smart forwards.

 

Positionally, Hore looks fine and so does Howes, so we MUST KEEP SALEM IN THE GUTS!

Yep I noticed this as well rpfc. I think I recall hearing someone talk about clearing the initial congestion with handballs that then allows to then use the space behind the high press zone defence. 
 

We still look a little tentative with this new style, but I think a few more games playing with this date will allow us to be more potent offensively. 

[DiscoStu17 788]

Well, I did say last week that there was nothing to worry about. 
This week I will say that the doggies aren’t a bad side. Their defence, Jones included, made life difficult at times - Fritta won’t be an orphan in having a difficult game on them. Their attack threatened to get on top at times, and things were not perfect, but the intensity of this group will shock more sides than just the doggies this year.

Our midfield was brutal and several of Viney’s tackles and attacks on the ball made me wince. Treloar looked like he wanted to tap out at one stage. Credit to him for staying on. I believe the doggies will be there at the pointy end of the season.
I must admit that I did find it harsh to omit Shack and Tommo after last weeks game in the SCG soap dish, but TMAC and BBB along with Hore all had worthy games. 
Next up are the Mayblooms. Need to treat them seriously.
 

[Bang Bang Bang 5,839]

Finally able to get to a computer, but what a great win that was.

We tend to overreact either way to the result of one game, but for mine the difference between starting a season 0-2 vs 1-1 is enormous. Huge. The Swans game was a mulligan but it put the pressure on us. If we came out and lost to the Dogs.... 2019 alarm bells would be ringing in my head. So, I was [censored] bricks when the Dogs got the jump on us early, and then again when JUH was starting to light up in the last quarter.  I'm glad we made light work of them in the end. 

Looks like May and Gawn are still as good as they were three years ago, Trac is still at his peak and Clarry's performance was one for the ages. The influence Kosi has on the outcome of matches can't be underestimated. Those five hold the key to us being in the hunt deep in September IMO. 

I actually like Tomlinson but that's the best looking defensive set up I've seen from us in quite a while. Hore and TMac were terrific, random as [censored] that they're both back there after years in the wildeness, but I like it. Howes is competent and McVee looks even better this year than last.

Negatives: As touched on here already Sparrow continues to do just enough to scrape by but nothing more than that. I thought Lever was quite poor at times giving away needless free kicks. Salem is not actually a parituclarly good kick IMO and is not flourishing in his new role. He was OK though. 

 

[Willmoy1947 4,140]

2 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

Dogs are a good side.

But I think that we can all agree that the Swans are very good.

Especially at home.

It was a good win in sweltering conditions.

With some key players back in form.

I'm excited enough.

I reckon in a month we will know who to lock down from their runners. Kossie would have been a difference, maybe not to win but it would be closer.

[Willmoy1947 4,140]

1 hour ago, Boots and all said:

If he wasn't before, Schache really is a break glass option going forward. 

In the VFL, i would put him on the toughest, meanest player in the opposition EVERY WEEK, rain hail or shine, until the penny dropped.

[mpc 148]

Huddo really loved Kyle Chandler's game 

[Mel Bourne 4,534]

4 hours ago, DutchDemons said:

Also Petracca playing in fully white zinc cream face was iconic. Loved the commentary at one point where they said something like "Petracca... the only thing worrying him today is... the sun".

Yeah, he had a real “Rolling Thunder” era Dylan-look going on. 

[Dee Zephyr 19,268]

Did anyone notice Kozzie sticking a little cheeky foot out late in third? 

[kev martin 10,409]

1 hour ago, Graeme Yeats' Mullet said:

How many score reviews? 🤔 

The strange one was when a review was called when the ball was still in play. TMac was over the ball and got collected in the back of his head, as a review was called for a point, but the ball didn't cross the line. They then balled it up at the top of the goal square. Such an advantage to the attacking team, as they set for the stoppage and set to hold the ball in the area. Just pressures the defensive side.  A really unbalanced call. AFL need to let it play until a stoppage occurs and then call the review, though that is also fraught with problems. Maybe review as the play continues..

[Dee Zephyr 19,268]

4 minutes ago, kev martin said:

Maybe review as the play continues..

100% Kev, just like VAR in soccer. AFL could learn a lot 

[Ethan Tremblay 30,966]

Can Matt Hill commentate every game? 

Edited March 17 by Ethan Tremblay

[DutchDemons 1,430]

5 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Can Matt Hill commentate every game? 

Seriously, the quality of this call was miles above channel 7. Except when Huddo called Kade Kyle.

[Chook 15,022]

12 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

Can Matt Hill commentate every game? 

At times he sounded a little bit like he was calling a horse race, but overall he was miles better than anything we get from Channel 7 and most of Fox's big name players (e.g., Dwayne Russell and the like).

[Ethan Tremblay 30,966]

11 minutes ago, DutchDemons said:

Seriously, the quality of this call was miles above channel 7. Except when Huddo called Kade Kyle.

Sounded like he was calling the trotts, and I don’t mean that negatively. Purely commentated the play, unlike BT, Darcy and Brayshaw’s tripe. 

Edited March 17 by Ethan Tremblay

[Bobby McKenzie 2,385]

8 hours ago, Flemo56 said:

His rundown tackle was sublime. There’s some familiarities about this kid, just the way he moves. Caleb and Judd Mc are silky smooth with skill and time. ❤️💙

Caleb has been given the perfect playing number. Number 6.This number was owned by Bluey Adams, the fastest Demon I have seen. Maybe only up until now with Caleb 's speed electrifying.