deanox

Petracca finally kicks a set shot straight and doesn't make the distance.

Vanders didn't have eyes but that bloke who ran into melksham did?

So physical. It's great.

Surely either a trip to vanders or holding the ball, not play on?

Why are the WCE supporters boing? There has been 3 holding the ballots not paid against them!

Yep, watching the way Alir carved us up demonstrated how much we missed Lever. Add Joel Smith and Hibberd, and we have been really hurt in such a critical department.

Bugg stiff with a terrible "nominated ruck" free kick against. The boundary throw in, in horrible conditions, flew so far off target it fell into Buggs lap 15m+ away from the ruckmen. Instead of throwing it in again they paid it against him.

But I'd argue the same concept applies to AFL. The center square and the 50 arc is largely the same!

I think it's a bit of learn to walk before you can run. We've seen it with Oliver - he is starting to make decisions to run and carry and kick, instead of taking the first option, but Ibet if he tried that last year he would have been caught out. The playing group will start to make these decisions better with a bit more experience. Hopefully starting this week!

Yeah I agree with this too. I think that change in mentality will be when this team clicks. It makes sense it is taking some time though. You have to be very good, and very well styled to follow a game plan perfectly. But you have to be particularly experienced/ elite to know when to break a game plan/team rules, and be successful. Our team is 2 years in into learning the plan, into trusting each other. This week we have an average of 89 games, which is median for the AFL. GWS and Collingwood are anomalies but they also have long injury lists of experienced players (Greene, Delidio, Scully, Shaw, Patton etc.) (Dunn, Elliot, Howe, Treloar) whose inclusions would comfortably bump them close to 100. Geelong (122) Port (119) Adel (116) North (114) WC (108) Sydney (107) Hawks (107) Richmond (104*) Essendon (102) Brisbane (89) Melbourne (89) Carlton (86) Collingwood (87) Freo (83) Dogs (81) GWS (80) GC (76) Saints (69)

Cricket.

@Lord TravisThis is 100% game plan. The @spirit of norm smith has nailed it. There are really good statistics for shot accuracy showing the zones which are high percentage. We know Goodwin is fascinated by this because he started the "diamind defense" last year, which was a structure that conceded low percentage shots (45m+ from goal and shots from the flanks), in order to defend the "high accuracy zone" immediately in front of opposition goal. In addition, we have identified that if we score a goal it resets to neutral contest in our strongest formation (centre bounce) but if we miss the shot, we hand them the ball in our weakest formation (defending opposition transition from defense to attack). Although we've abandoned the diamond defense this year, our new implementation of this strategy has focused on our attack instead. We have looked to gain possession of the ball in the "high accuracy" zone in our forward line. This worked very successfully in the first half of the season, where we're had very high goal conversion ratios. It came to a screaching halt against Port, who countered this tactic by ignoring the bank carrier at our HF, and stacked the "high accuracy" zone in their D50 and picked off all our forward entries when we're tried to pass it. We didnt adapt that night and take better options. We have improved/adapted in this area since, by taking more lower percentage shots, but this has resulted in a decrease in our goal kicking accuracy. The other flow on from this is we are exposing ourselves to more counter attacks from our defense, which were don't defend well. This is a balance our players need to find: when to follow team rules, and when to have a shot. They will find that balance better with experience; we are still relatively young. We saw against Sydney we got the worst of both worlds. Our attempts to kick to the high accuracy zone were cut off by Alir and our low percentage shots went out of bounds on the full or didn't make the distance. Hopefully we can execute better this week.

It's pretty common in elite sport these days. https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/turning-point/201509/champion-novak-djokovic-reveals-the-power-visualization http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-05/athletes-use-meditation-and-mindfulness-to-give-them-edge/8326004

Melk, hibbo and weid in according to Goodwins press conference just now.

Goodwin said Weideman had worked “really hard” to handle the demands of playing in the AFL. “We’ve seen a huge change in his physical capabilities,” he said. “He’s launching at the ball incredibly well at VFL level, so it’s an opportunity for him – a really strong opportunity – at an important time for us.” From his media conference today

I agree with this. I fell his efforts in contests are quite good and he actually gets his hands to the ball alot. They haven't quite stuck for him yet, but I really think they will soon. He has the natural technique to be the best mark in our team, when he has the strength of the nearly 27 year old, 109kg Gawn or the 26 yo 100kg TMac, then they'll clunk for him.

Stress fractures don't "happen" they "develop". So what you wrote didn't happen.

Does anyone know the highest percentage of any team not to play finals?

7 of those 14 disposals were part of scoring chains.

Forced changes: Out: Hunt, Hogan In: Hibbard, Melksham Other changes: Out: Pedo In: Weid

I googled and found the correct spelling in an old @Yze_Magic thread!

I blame Bohdan Babijczuk.

On Jones: I disagreed he is, or has ever been, a good kick. This got papered over when he was our only midfielder for 3 years, because everything he did was great in comparison plus he was at the top of his game. But now that he is losing a touch of pace it's getting exposed again as he has less time tti get rid of it. I also think although he is hard at it and goes all day, he is to slow to be a successful flanker in our current game plan. If anything, I'd rather see him forward and rotate through the mid, because he isn't the worst set shot for goal and he isn't a good enough kick to replace Salem or Hbberd in the backline. On Viney, I'm not convinced he is ready to lead by himself and I thunk he needs to get himself right before worrying about leadership. Hopefully someone else can step in and help.

I really don't know what to do about Jones. I personally think the end is coming fast because I can't see him adapting to a retirement position (ie HBF). I didn't think it was this year, I'm starting to wonder. Pros Still averaging 25.5 disposals, 3 clearances, 4 tackles, 4 i50s, in 2018. We don't exactly have depth modifiers pushing him out right now. Adds "seniority" to the captaincy, which we need (Viney is injured and impetuous). Loyal servant who deserves to retire on his terms. Cons Averaging 5 turnovers (20% of disposals) and only going at 68% DE (first time he has ever dropped below 70% in a season). On a clear decline in terms of statistical output, with this being the least disposals per game since 2015. Struggling for pace, and struggling to make contests or tackles. Isn't impacting games like he has. I'm not sure he has a natural "retirement" position ie to the HBF. Will be keeping Tyson out of the side if Viney comes back, but only for another year or so (Tyson may leave as a result). We don't have an immediate clear cut captain replacement ready. Has always been a reluctant leader anyway.

Need to get Oliver into the game.