Swooper1987

6. Oliver - a magnificent effort in the second half 5. Gawn - a magnificent effort in the first half (10 marks for the game, 5 contested and 20 disposals at 85%) 4. Petracca - although fumbly at times his third quarter made us look better than we were 3. Langdon - a great first quarter, slowed down after that but ran his guts out. 2.Nibbler - 7 tackles, and at least tried to display a decent defensive mindset. 1. Lever - 8 marks and the best of our defensive unit tonight.

Every game is a danger game in this competition.

Yeah, I'm not so sure about this. When you say all facets, what are you referring too? Tap work, marking, possessions, positioning around the ground, work rate? He was actually very good in the second half yesterday, in fact from quarter time he very easily outpointed his direct opponent. Pittonet got 3 possessions after quarter time. Gawn absolutely dominated him. The fact that Carlton spent most of the day kicking it away from Max, yet still managed to find him on occasion was of particular note. He had 8 score involvements and 16 hit outs to advantage from 44 in total. He is judged very harshly at times. I'd say he broke even with Goldstein (no shame in that) and was perhaps marginally bested by Hickey despite having identical possession tallies and many more hitouts (44-16). Hickey had more clearances and marks and kicked a goal, but Max was instrumental in us holding on in the last quarter of that game. Hickey took care of Grundy pretty comfortably on the weekend. He's a decent player. Was Max as dominant as between rounds 2 and 6 - absolutely not, but then neither has Petracca been. I'm sure he'd like to be having things a little more his own way, but that's what happens when you're a champion. Someone is always coming after you.

https://www.statsinsider.com.au/blog/afl/understanding-how-clearances-shape-the-results-of-afl-games This is an interesting empirical perspective, even though it relates more broadly to all clearance rather than centre clearance specifically. In summary the very best recent teams are only middling at clearance but elite at defending clearance. It's not so much what you score from the clearances you get, but what the opposition doesn't score against you from the clearances they get. The very best teams score far more heavily on the intercept - exactly the way we are playing now.

Joeboy: Back in form

Yep - Carlton can't get it out of the centre. Should be very interesting next week!

Especially the way Carlton are dismantling the Bulldogs right now.

I don't know that they've got on top, but they've at least broken even. Hickey roved a couple of Max's taps for his clearances and Jackson did the same to Hickey. Your point about predictability is a valid one, but not because of Jackson's taps - he rarely gets any. His best work is on the follow up to the other ruckman's hitouts - almost a Max in reverse situation.

And before everyone goes completely off the rails about Gawn and his value to the team, look back over the first 6 rounds. Even Simon Madden wasn't best on every week. He's not been beaten in either of the last two games (both the Age and Herald Sun listed him amongst the best last night). Not at his best perhaps, and definitely we've looked worse because of it, but suggestions that we are better when he isn't in the ruck are ludicrous and based on a very small sample size. Let's see what the coaches and players come up with this week. I'm expecting a return to regular programming next week. Total clearance numbers 39-37 our way, which means we won 35-20 in around the ground clearance. That's always been Gawn and Oliver's greatest strength. The space afforded centre clearance doesn't help us and the swans ability to block for space stood out as Nasher pointed out. Around the ground with 20 plus bodies involved is where Max and Clarry do their best work.

Great analysis and exactly what happened. Jackson is not a ruckman at this stage. He plays the role of nuisance value at the ball up then acts as an extra mid. His follow up work is very good, but for us to win the flag we need much better connection between the premier ruck in the game and the midfield at centre bounce. Viney will make some difference to this. Love your work, Nasher.

This is a great discussion. I've read how we look better with Jackson in there. Jackson barely wins a hit out. What he can do is play as a an extra on baller and will sometimes clean up the opposing rucks hitout. It is an ok occasional strategy if he can clear it and move it forward. The problem is that Gawn and most of our midfield work better in real congestion, hence why we almost always win clearance around the ground. We will get the centre work right and when it does happen we will really mess some teams up. Those advocating Jackson spend more time in the ruck however are not seeing what's actually happening.

Me too!

Finishing top is overrated. Last side to win the flag finishing first after the H&A was Hawthorn in 2013. The next two were from 2nd and 3rd, the Bulldogs in 2016 were 7th after H&A; the only year the Tigers were first was 2018 when they dropped the prelim. The great Brisbane side never finished on top either. I'll happily take 2nd, 3rd or 4th after round 23.

Yeah, not sure about that. Last game in 2019 Gawn absolutely pantsed Goldy - 3 goals and 3 Brownlow votes. They didn't play each other last year. I think it was 2016 when Gawn polled 2 Brownlow votes and had 60+ hitouts against Goldy. Goldy did kick 5 that day and got the 3 but it was an epic duel. I reckon Max was just off today. Goldy hardly had a stellar impact on the game, with a 19 year old kid jumping all over him.

Good work, joeboy!

Yep, it wasn't his best game but to say Goldy slaughtered him by having less hitouts, marks or disposals is a big stretch. Jackson was close enough to best on so I'd reckon it might count as one of Goldy's poorer games too.

Agree. Petracca and Gawn both.

Using what metric? Gawn had more hitouts, disposals, marks and less time on the ball.

Good sides grind out those games. North played good footy in the first half. Gawn, Petracca, Oliver and nearly everyone else was well below their best. Jackson, Pickett, Jordon, Langdon and Salem got us back int the game and Fritsch was outstanding as a target. Him kicking straight today made a huge difference.

6. Fritsch 5. Pickett 4. Jackson 3. Langdon 2. Salem 1. May Oliver played a nice last quarter but was nowhere to be seen in the first half. Petracca was serviceable at best, Gawn wasn't beaten by Goldstein but was largely irrelevant today due to Jackson's influence.

Round 1. May 10, Oliver and Lever 7, McDonald 4 and Fremantle's Brayshaw picked up 2.

11 players have recorded coaches votes in the first 6 games. No player has polled in all 6, but Gawn, Oliver, Lever and Petracca have polled in 5. McDonald has polled in 4 games, as has Salem. Pickett has polled in 3 games, Langdon in 2 and May, Viney and Tomlinson once each. Gawn 34 Salem 28 Oliver 26 Petracca 25 Lever 18 McDonald 11 May 10 Pickett 7 Langdon 4 Viney 3 Tomlinson 1

The coaches gave Salem the 10 on Saturday. 7 to Tracc, 6 to Lever, 3 to Oliver and 2 each to Gawn and McDonald. Despite Gawn polling, he has lost the lead to Mundy but holds second. Salem now up to 5th and ahead of Oliver and Tracc. Lever also in the top 20.

Round 6 Coaches votes: 10 Salem (2 x 5) 7 Petracca (3 + 4) 6 Lever (4+ 2) 3 Oliver (1x 3) 2 Gawn ( 2 or 1+1) 2 McDonald (2 or 1+1) A just outcome for Salem who was outstanding on Saturday night.

The Herald Sun 3. Petracca 2. Salem 1. Lever The Age Petracca 8 Salem 8 Gawn 7 Oliver 7 Hibberd 7 Max is now outright leader in the Age Footballer of the Year on 37 votes; Clarry in second place on 36; Tracc equal 8th on 30 votes.