Pfft what can I day that hasn't already been said? We stink right now plain and simple.
Can you explain what is wrong with us in a sentence? Not really, a complicated and confusing gameplan means a complicated and confusing explanation as to why we are the way we are.
Intensity was there yes. Apart from some dragging their feet when we'd lose the ball I'd say general effort was there, but the 3 words I'd use to describe us are dumb, dumb, dumb. I honestly don't get it, rudimentary things that you learn in junior footy and showing that we are consistently inept when executing them. I can't remember the last time I would see us with the ball and a man free 20 metres away and not only do we not hit the simple target WE GET NOWHERE NEAR IT! I honestly can't remember this happening more in a game.
I saw very little in Richmond today. They're a good side, they take their chances but they were beatable today and most of their goals came from our mistakes. So many moments where the 50-50 ball in the middle was there to be won and had we won it could have created something but we'd lose it and they would walk it in for a score.
Oh did I mention stupid stupid errors? I don't care if I did already I'm going to say it again, if you are playing AFL football at this level being paid triple figures I don't care what Covid has done or if you need to get a flight after the game, a 5 metre handball is a 5 metre handball and you need to hit the target 9 times out of 10, not 5, not 7, at least 9. Please just get that through your heads if nothing else. I'd really had enough when we had clawed 2 goals back and then Clarry gathered it and handballed at Smith's shoelaces. You handball so darn much Clarry you should be good at it by now.
Is our backline good? I wouldn't have a clue right now. They aren't bad but that doesn't mean they don't make some stupid defensive errors. They also aren't willing to work that extra 5% to help each other out. That last goal I thought May was doing everything to prevent us conceding yet we end up finding a way to fluff it, I really didn't think his effort deserved that but no-one wanted to put their body on the line at that monent. Guess it was the end of the game so who cares yeah?
Nankervis got injured, they played some flub wingman in the ruck and we STILL couldn't get on top in clearances. We have a full side to choose from damn it. When the ball goes into our 50 and there's a rare occasion it doesn't come out the level of our output is just not high enough. If it's a stoppage we win we'll hack kick it down their throat for a mark, if they win the stoppage, they will hack kick it out and low and behold a guy is their to mark it. If these things don't happen they will just win the ball and run it out. On a case by case basis these instances just need to be better full stop. Get pressure on the kicker so they don't get that escape kick so easily and maybe we can force another ball up or throw in inside our 50. Fight for another stoppage, start getting the minutes inside our 50 up. If we are going to play this game style these are the 1%ers that need to start happening because it's all well and good to say oh well let's just get another inside 50, we're banging our head against a wall.
I haven't even talked about the forward setup, and I won't.
Good efforts - Petracca the only real player out there, Hibbo was important and is fighting for his spot with everything, Hannan at least tries to add to pressure and played well. Kozzie gives you hope in the 50. T-mac worked hard, hopefully he can keep working and inching his way back into form. Harmes is not being used properly and should be in the middle more. He is our best gut runner and we started rolling when he went in there.
There's plenty more to say but I can't be bothered, I have a headache after the last 2 hours of watching, another grand old way to finish the weekend.
