watchtheeyes

I havent looked at a single comment on DL before writing this, and will probably be brave enough to venture back shortly to witness the carnage. Instead I thought Id write my own report, call it catharthis. Tonight was clearly disappointing. An underwhelming performance at best, truly dispiriting at worst. I havent yet seen the press conference by Roos, but I have seen fleeting comments through twitter and one in particular stands out, the difference between our best and worst is pretty dramatic. Roosy, youre not wrong. Despite promising signs early, the Dees slumped in to old habits, seemingly brought on by pressure. One gets the feeling that the boys have built their confidence around slick ball movement while unopposed at training, yet forgot that in games there is an opposition thats trying to stop you. Decision making is a serious concern and when that is coupled with at times suspect skills, you have the makings of a train wreck. Unfortunately, tonight, like so many nights before it, thats exactly what happened. Those two factors defined the last 2.5 quarters, while the first 1.5 appeared to be tainted by an inability to put the ball through the sticks when it appeared the easiest option. Thankfully, I think this is rectifiable. Garlett is a god-send, he is so vital to this team now. However we need one other, and that is something we will have. Both Kent and JKH have shown an ability to sniff an opportunity, so come round 1, heres hoping some of those bouncing balls find their home off their feet. Tonight also highlighted something else we all hoped wasnt true, Hogan is young. He is inexperienced and will take time to develop. I dont think anyone doubts his talent, the bloke will be a star. But not yet. Its as if at the back of all our minds we secretly hoped hed kick 6 goals the day he walked in. Our very own Wayne Carey from day dot. Sadly, not. A few other players stood out for different reasons: · Frost is a very handy pick up. Personally, I liked the look of him down back but I understand what theyre trying to do. In the ruck however, he is super raw. He was beaten time and time again and it allowed the opposition to get on top in the clearances. · vandenBerg was a shrewd pick up, and is a lock for Rd 1. · Sadly, I think the man expendable when Vince comes back, is Toumpas. I still hold hope that he can fill a role, but when you look at the team and where Bernie slots in, its on the wing or HHF. Sorry Toump. · Viney is all heart, but he makes bad decisions and his foot skills are dubious. Talk of him as a future star is premature to me. A wonderful clubman he is, but future A grader mmm, I just dont know. · For the second game running, I was pleased with what Grimes put out there. Thought he was one player in our defensive 50 who showed a bit of poise and his disposal was much improved. He had 19 disposals tonight at 100%, bet you never thought youd hear that. · Watts looks ripe for a good season. He has definitely filled out and now looks a man, rather than a lanky boy. He did some really good things tonight, knows how to kick a goal and covered a hell of a lot of ground as well as making lead after lead. There are plenty of others we can speak of, but I fear its been heard. Our tackling was disappointing tonight, this is a little concerning and hopefully doesn't represent a backwards step from last year. its a major factor in a game. Without it, you dont get momentum and it can affect everything. So, Im hoping a lot of what happened tonight can be put down to psyche around it being NAB Cup and not wanting to get injured. Well see. My team for Round 1? FB: Jetta Dunn Garland/Howe (fitness dependent) B: Salem McDonald Grimes C: Vince N Jones Lamumba HF: Watts Frost Garlett FF: Gawn Hogan JKH Foll: Jamar Tyson Cross R: Viney, Kent, M Jones, vandenBerg Sub: Toumpas · Im not comfortable with Frost at CHF, but with Dawes there, what do you do. Im open minded about Pedersen on form. If he comes in I move Frost back to the resting ruckman, but Jamar takes the workload and Cross/Dawes provide the chopout until Frost works out what hes doing. · I persevere with Toumpas as the sub, he has to grow comfortable on this stage. Its like he gets stage fright. · I find Garland underwhelming at the moment. There were a few times tonight where we looked like we had a bit of class, but its baby steps. You look at the team above and its clear were a better side than last year, vastly better? Maybe not, at least not yet. Baby steps.

Can get an AFL live pass and get 7 days free trial.

The rest are running hard, and applying good tackles. Counts for a lot.

Vince comes in and adds some disposal class, I'd clear out Garland for Howe. Garlett has been great too!

I might just highlight some positives of my own, change the mood a bit. Vandenberg seems a real goer, reckon we'll see him heaps this year. Grimes for me seems to be a calming influence and like several things he's done. Watts to looks like he'll be really dangerous. Seen him throwing his weight around a couple of time and really getting around the ground. Dawes and Hogan are working right up the ground, like what this can offer. Its clear that Bail isn't added a crumbing influence up forward, you bring Kent or JKH in up there and lot of those rolling balls i50 are going to be pounced on.

What's more, if Frost wasn't unfairly penalised for the high. Then the 2 minutes later a 50 wasn't given for a dubious call of not giving the ball back, then two goals wouldn't have been scored and momentum might've been very different.

12 - 7 scores 22-19 i50s 71 - 58 CP's 192 - 159 Possies Can people actually contribute something constructive instead of these single words criticisms. Clearly we have to work on decision making under pressure and finishing inside 50. To me, they're the major talking points from the first half.

All those plonkers going on about VFL side. Zaharakis, Goddard, Chapman and Daniher are not VFL players. Geez whiz.

Decision making still seems a major issue. Missing JKH or Kent up forward, for the I50's we've had we should've converted more. Tap work has been very underwhelming, feels like we got hammered in the clearances in the 2nd Q.

I'm doomed.

Welcome! If you know whats good for you, you'll: Use punctuation Not berate Saty Berate Saty Complain about other posters Try to be funny Not have a sense of humour Stray off topic Criticize Jack Watts; and, Not berate Saty/berate Saty Other than that, have fun!

It's probably a fair point, but I just don't know if he presents as a forward too well at the moment while he appears to offer some run in defense. I suppose the coaching staff would say that we don't need him in defense, but there is a hole in attack.

That is interesting re Frost, particularly with what G R.R.M posted. Seems as though we may see how he goes this week. Still really like him down back though. Still, maybe he'll be our Stef Martin replacement.. both very athletic.

Would love to have a look too, but I really don't mind that he's being held back. Build confidence in the 2's so he feels right at home in the 1's. Might make a few of the midfielders above him more accountable as well, I'd want to play well if I knew there was a budding jet posting big numbers down at Casey.

Whats going on with Fitzpatrick, out of favour?

Ablett has apparently been super conservative in his recovery, including his decision to forego the remainder of the season to have surgery when advice existed that he could delay. From what I understand, a lot of the current reluctance to engage in contact has been driven by him.. interesting. Wouldn't surprise me if he was looking at us Rd 1 and thinking, "I can probably sit this one out". My money's on him sitting.

Think you're being a bit over the top here. Sure he's more of an outside player, but its not like he's had zero contested possessions. You'll no doubt highlight several occasions where he has been pushed off the drop of the ball but I've seen him take plenty of contested marks. I hope I didn't just open pandoras box here.

I think you're spot on with Watts. He'll definitely take that 2nd or 3rd defender and burn them repeatedly. What's more, a combination of him, Dawes and Hoges will at different times drag the defense up the ground allowing whoever to go 1 on 1 with Garlett/JKH to crumb at their feet. Very mobile fwd line! I'll admit that I was more excited this time last year about our forward set up (Clarke, Dawes, Watts), but I'm not far behind right now! Disclaimer: I'm a long time Watts apologist.

Understand why they're trialing him up forward but I hope they put that idea to bed for the start of the season, has shown a lot more form down back for me.

Nice Choke. I'm gonna jump in here. Dommy, take it easy man. No one was having a go at you, we simply couldn't read what you're writing. Here, let me give you an example. I really like writing I like writing so much that I like to write without puncutation sometimes when i write without puntuation people get mean why do people have to get so mean I only write without punctuation because I like writing so much I'm sad Not easy is it? Second point I'd make... Have thicker skin old mate!

Thought we saw plenty of that in he first half.

Reckon watts effort has been alright, he looks a lot bigger too. Ordinary Q by the boys then, but a few of those set shots go through and it might've been a bit different. Looks to be a doozy of a breeze.

Mckenzie playing a lock down defender role, doesn't seem to be anywhere near the ball. VDB got a cut early and came off, reckon we'll see him subbed at the half.

For gods sake. Either you're having a good ol fashioned troll or you're never going to be happy mate, talk about glass half empty. We're flogging a team for the first time in god knows how long and you immediately focus on a negative (a negative that doesn't even exist from my point of view, I think we've look very solid). Cheer up pal, enjoy the game for once.

Hilarious if it wasn't insane...