At the break of Gawn

Just now, DemonLad5 said:

OSCAR FOR [censored] SAKE!!!!

Dagger through the heart

The boys have the bye to look forward to though so the message has got to be, give everything that you have, and you can rest the next week.

2 minutes ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Fitness isn't an issue.

Has mentioned it in multiple interviews (2014-2015). Stated that it was one of the main reasons for his brain fades.

14 minutes ago, binman said:

I agree he is at minimum standard, assuming you mean his minimum standard, if that makes sense. As you say the way he has played most of this season is minimum required standard, particularly his competitiveness.

As someone else pointed out one of the impressive things about this season is how consistent he has been across games (but not as you have said always within games). This is super important as we can see the impact of forwards going missing in some games, in particular Kent and Gartlett.

As i have said before 40 goals is what he should have been aiming for, though i would have been happy with 30-35 (perhaps setting the bar to low).

Hard to argue that Gunston is the better player. At the moment. He has the runs on the board - though i would argue as permanent forward who's key go is marks on the lead he has benefited from one of the best mid fields ever and had Franklin, Roughie, Rioli and Bruest to keep defenders busy.

But i can see Watts being better eventually as he is as classy and with his capacity to play up the ground he has few more strings to his bow. He will also benefit from an improving midfield and a forward line that soon will not be far off the Hawks one i just mentioned. But he would need to go up a level and also put 2-3 more really good seasons together.

To go up a level he will need to keep being consistent, but also have a handful of games where he get 20 plus possessions (dragging his disposal average up above the 15 or it is at the moment) and one or two games per season where he blitzes the opposition and bags 5 or 6 goals. I think he has both of those things in him as he builds toward 150 games, his confidence keeps rising and the team around him keeps rising.

We'll see. Perhaps my call from 3 years ago that he would make AA might come true. That might be a good bet!

By the by i'm loving the avatar PD - warms my heart every time i see it and has allowed me to migrate to two of my favourite ever dees players.

Would love to have a genuine conversation about him being as good as Gunstan, but Gunstan is a 3x premiership player which will always trump Watts' achievements over the next few years (unless we're on the verge of being the next Hawthorn)

8 hours ago, ProDee said:

I don't want to sound controversial and I'm rapt with his output when one considers his previous years, but he's really only at minimum levels. 

But I am thankful and hopefully he's drawn a line for the rest of the season and for future years. 

Bit harsh saying that's minimum levels. Averaging 2 goals a game (in the top 20 of the league) and averages 15 disposals a game @ 80% efficiency. Has kicked more goals then the likes of Tom Lynch (Adelaide), same as Rioli (and gets heaps more disposals than him). If he could average the same amount of disposals as Lynch, and can kick 50 goals a year, he will become a genuine star of the competition. 

Expect next year to be even better as he continues to improve his fitness base.

Would like no change, but Roos and Jennings have both stated that we struggle with 6 day breaks due to fatigue. Wouldn't be surprised if we make 2 or 3 changes.

Pretty confident about today. With Collingwood's injuries, just can't see them kicking enough goals. Hogan, Watts, Gawn and Viney to all have impactful games. Watts on Howe will be a good matchup if that transpires on the day. Dee's to win by 40pts plus.

The game Jack Watts "dropped" himself. Was a good move in hindsight as it was a horrible game to watch and would've been worse to be a part of.

1 hour ago, joeboy said:

Watts - an irrelevant game

Was named in our best in multiple match reports. Please make your posts more relevant to the game.

11 minutes ago, Rusty Nails said:

Agree. Ppl in the press talking about us building a premiership list is just laughable.

So many go missing when the heat is on. Our forward line shows nothing in these matches with the exception of Hulk who is, i'm afraid to say, a horrible kick for goal most of the time. I will say it again and again, unless he fixes that action he will never fulfill his true potential. Reminds me very much of Earl Spalding who could have been a super forward but for his horrible kicking accuracy or lack thereof. Only turned it around with the Blues late in his career which saw him play in the 95 premiership.

Watts/Kent/Jeffy (to a lessor degree) all ineffective both in attack and defensively (i50 pressure acts) today. A few reasonable tackles from Kent up the field but that was about it.

Garland beaten soundly, critical contests he falls over far too often (one time costing us a goal in the 3rd at a critical stage of the match). Bombs the ball far too often, misses targets far too often.

Tyson, i realise first up back from a week's leave but that was bloody horrid.

Bout the only run we saw was from Harmes/Wagner and some from Hunt. A bit from Tommy once moved to HB.

Very few moves other than Vince from HF to back in the 2nd half, a bit of Watts through the middle and Tommy off Dixon to HB helped a little. Generally outcoached. Why is Vince no longer playing a role through the middle for significant patches when the game's up for grabs? Carrying an injury or just protection for age factor?

Newton, ANB, Watts, Kent, Tyson and Garland should not get a game next week on those efforts. Kent not as bad as the former lot but his disposal/finish is crap.

Dawes for Watts, Frost (or any half decent tall for Garland pls), Trenners for Tyson and someone who can finish up forward for Kent. Maybe there isn't a replacement at this stage. ANB and Newton ughh.... again do we have anyone available? As much as i liked Newton's game last week he was awful.

Even Jones/Viney/Bugg were pretty average today.

I still think we erred playing an overcooked Maxy with no back up....eg., Dawes and/or Spencil. Their 2 tall book ends in Dixon and Westhoff smashed us with too much being expected of Big M (ie., trying to stretch them a little by having to push forward quite often). Big M did ok but he looks cooked IMO and we lose a crucial game ANYWAY without him getting the much needed rest that i believe was critical to us having a decent chance of him coming back in (well rested) and having a big impact in the coming weeks.

We are still a bottom 6 club i'm afraid.

The major missing factors for me are ...

- An (effective) tall forward as 2nd string to Hulk with the ability to relieve in the ruck (Dawes in the short term if he can stay fit) and take grabs i50 and push higher up the ground and take grabs also when the heat is on. I noticed Hulk was doing this late in the 4th. He can't be the "everywhere" man plus help kick a winning score for us. He isn't Roo and guys like him only come around once in a a few decades (or more).

- An effective tall CHB that makes Tommy the 2nd string key defender rather than the first and pushes Garland out...for good. Pedo in the short term? Someone else needed though as Pedo doesn't play tall unfortunately.

- A super classy inside/outside mid who can take a game apart/find space/share the ball around through the middle (could be Tracc but he is seasons away from doing so consistently unfortunately).

Personally it's going to be super hard to fill these gaps effectively given the leagues free agency crap. In addition this match hasn't helped our "keep Jessie" cause. A few more nonsense games like that and we will probably be looking for another key forward as well.

Wow just wrong on so many points here. Jones terrible? Dawes for Watts? We're trying to win a game of football here, Dawes belongs on a building site with his  cement hands.

Only if Watts has goal kicking coach written into his contract also.

4 minutes ago, DeeZee said:

Watts was easily one of our best today.

Sorta agree. Can't recall him making one mistake. He didn't get more of it because we were slaughtered in the middle.

6 - Gawn

5- Jones

4 - Jetta

3 - Hunt

No other votes deserved for 2 and 1

15 minutes ago, gOLLy said:

N.Jones needs a spell in the twos.

Not good enough

He was our best midfielder today. Did you accidentally watch the Hawks V Brisbane game instead?

9 minutes ago, joeboy said:

Jones - our only professional

Vince - had little influence

Hogan - had no support

Watts - an irrelevant game

Petracca - lost in flight

Viney - tried but overwhelmed

Gawn - couldn't find teammates 

Tyson - half hearted display

Stretch - some positive  glimpses

Kent - better second half

Newton - couldn't justify selection

Garland - embarrassing before injury

T.McDonald - loose and overburdened

Neal - Bullen - plenty of nothing

O.McDonald - totally lacked composure

Bugg - noticed for looseness

Kennedy - was probably injured

Garlett - premature contract extension

Jetta - courageous but loose

Wagner - out of depth

Harmes - was rarely noticed

 

Kent was a liability. Worst on ground by far. 

Worst we've played all year - including the Essendon game. I hope the club ceases this sponsorship deal with NT tourism. Giving up certain home game wins (Port have a terrible record against us at the MCG) will never get us far up the ladder. 

Special mention to: 

Kent - Selfish goal hog who can only kick on one side

Tyson - Didn't even make the plane trip

O.Mac - Has no actual AFL skills and has no balance

Harmes - Needs to go back to VFL - only survives via some cameos

Kennedy - got stuck in the terminal like Tyson

I think Watts has really started to run hard and make space for himself over the last few weeks which is something I can't recall he has done often which is perhaps why it has become really noticeable all of a sudden. I believe his endurance has always been a bit of a problem. But now after his pre-season, he can really get the miles in. 

In regards to being burnt by his team mates, perhaps part of the problem is some of the players don't believe they have the skill to pull-off the pass. The Hogan one for example, although Watts was completely free, Hogan had been running 50-60m full of steam and to kick an accurate kick down Watts' throat may have been a bit too much for him which is why he opted for the handball. 

1 hour ago, america de cali said:

If Carlton overtake us, no doubt there will be those who insist they had more talent..

Carlton have had a very easy block of games there:

Freo - 18th

Esssndon - 17th

Collingwood - 12th (were 2 and 5 going into it)

Port Adelaide - 10th and that's flattering for them and at Ethiad

The Carlton Premiership dream will end this weekend.

Thought he had good energy all game, but his leads often weren't honoured in the first half. Played a very good second half (apart from that dropped mark howler). His kicks to Hogan and his set shots are top class. Any chance he can teach Hogan how to kick?

1 hour ago, Peter Griffen said:

6. Jetta

5. Tyson

4. Viney

3. Kennedy

2. Stretch

1. Hogan

Hogan? Really? 

6. Viney - our best and a tackling machine 

5. Tyson - one of his better games

4. Jetta - shining light in defence 

3. Watts - probably our best forward and second half was huge (apart from the dropped mark)

2. Kennedy - did a few nice things

1. Stretch - Good on the wing

apologies to Tmac, thought he was pretty solid and clunked a few grabs.

3 minutes ago, G-max said:

To me Harmes is the obvious choice to come out for ANB. He hasn't been terrible or anything but give him a rest, he's only 20. Would be part of healthy selection rotation. 

Surely Harmes' last chance this week if he performs poorly again.

Matthew Lloyd - would often kick a bag against us.

55 minutes ago, KingDingAling said:

Viney is right. We will play finals before St Kilda, and once they lose Riewoldt and Montagna, they will be lucky to even make the finals.

I don't think we'll beat the Saints until Riewoldt retires.

26 minutes ago, praha said:

In Roos' defense, the team was flat today. Anyone sitting with 10 rows of the pitch on the wing would have seen that within the first 5 minutes. Major communication issues on the bench with rotations because players were coming off on their own accords because they were spent. I saw it. I saw maybe 10, 11 times when players were screaming out to the bench to come off for a spell. 

When you're flat, you play lazy football. You give hospital handpasses. You give away dumb free kicks. You give your opponents space. You run off your opponent to chase another opponent to make up space that you've *already* lost. 

I know it's a shithouse excuse, but a 5.5-day break, at Etihad, against St.Kilda...well, it was the worst possible match to play after a quick turnaround. 

Roos was outcoached in the Essendon match. Not today. The Saints played Etihad to perfection. Melbourne was flat, and combined with how [censored] we play that ground, nothing the coaches could have done would have won that game.

We also played with an attack flair that has Goodwin all over it. I think Goodwin was heavily influential today. I think the frustration you saw today was him not having any answers, not him not being able to do anything.

But surely the poor defensive structure has to take part of the blame. The no. Of times they got out the back was ludicrous.

Third week in a row I'm feeling pretty confident about the game, and the third week in a row I've posted on the game day thread expressing such. Thus, I'm considering this my good luck charm! But in all seriousness, beat them earlier in the NAB challenge and I think we'll out score them heavily today.