Game Summary for those that asked for it
We were controlling the ball early in most of the qtrs, but couldn’t convert due to again, no real stand up forward, rushing passes from 45 out instead of kicking for goal, and missing easy shots
McG was cleaning up balls like crazy at HB, so many great handballs out of congestion won the game for us with his death by a 1000 cuts impact over 4 quarters. Probably one of the best games i’ve seen him play, was everywhere down back.
Dogs got going as they usually do vs us by the simple fact of having a player at hb, then a player on the wing with no efc opponent in sight just taking uncontested marks over and over up the field
Francis looked to be hurt early but came on again and was flying for everything
Riddley was a menace down back and took a screamer.
Every time it looked like the dogs would get away, Snelling popped up for a goal.
Caldwell was pretty decent around stoppages, is a smaller faster jobi wan, could have kicked a great goal int he first but duffed it, didn’t notice him in the second half, we had so many mids rotating through tho so he could have been grabbing snags at the ovalside barbie for all i know
Guelfi, was huge, his role on the team seems to do something really handy defensively or offensively right when we need it, and other than that just play his position and play it well.
Going into half time looked like Dogs would pull away till we scored 2 goals late.
3rd qtr jones went off, but our intensity lifted, ended up drawing the qtr and the dogs up 12, our forward entries became stupider, and our refusal to man up the dogs on rebounds, or have players stand front and square at marking contests, hurt us
We gave up 3 goals to them from having no efc player contest a ball properly 10 metres out from goal, but when we went forward to the square, it was 4 v 1 and they cleared it easier.
4th qtr started and ended with a beautiful wanga goal from what you can see is a pure natural small forward with speed, agility and skill
Hobbs had a shocker kick from the back pocket, had two or three good passages of play but seemed a litle overawed by the whole thing.
Perkins looked like he was in mud early but got on the end of two great kicks and kicked truly when we needed him too
Francis began clunking the crazy attempts, and generally was a chaos man at high balls. Seemed to be finding rythm as game went on, but the best part was his intensity and hunger for the contest, and his defensive effort late saved a certain goal where he ran from the forward half to stop a foray forward for the dogs
Parish is elite now, and should shake the brownlow, Zerretts kicking was a masterclass as usual.
Langford was meh, till he was put HF, where he turned the game for us in the second half.
Wright is the great enigma, takes a huge clunk, crashes a pack, then disappears for the next three plays, then again, clunk/crash, showed some defensive efforts and tackles tho, a B-, and that’s being generous
Kelly did as brochure suggested, similar to DEA just seems to get int he right spots to intercept
Heppell was pretty average and possibly worst on ground
Smith not far behind apart from a goal and some nifty work on the boundary
We saw some really strange centre square setups in the 4th so it seemed coaches were trying a lot of stuff
Shiel was overall disappointing but had a few good touches
Draper didnt really seem to get going, was beaten by stef and english in ruck and around the ground, would love to see Bryan as a backup, and PHillips at some point
Cox is such a great footballer looks bulkier and played like it, took some great grabs, never loses a 1 v 1 and loves to get involved all over the ground. They tried him centre square a few times where his lack of experience really showed, but on a wing he is so friggin good, especially when he drifts back to take intercept marks in the backline
We really lack a gorilla forward, and a backman who will fly at everything
Players still run to guard grass while opposition runs ball up the wing kicking to uncontested players, running past efc opponents, getting the give and go, and destroying us
Forwardline entries huge worry, especially when Jones was not playing
Luckily Wanganeen came on and lit us up in the forwardline in the 4th, almost setup 2, kicked 2 himself and generally looked exactly what we need, a skillful agile small forward who knows how to play front and square, something our entire list seemed to not care to do, most of WB’s goals were from our forward entry just simply hit towards the front of the pack where there was just a WB player, then they ran it the length of the field and setup their goal
In previous years we would have lowered heads and dropped this game, but we didn’t, so I think we are heading in the right direction, especially without the magical brilliance and sparks of Stringer and Tippa that usually get us over the line.
edit: oh and, if i haven’t mentioned it before, Langford is a HF.
BOG
Mc Grath
Snelling
Riddley me this
Final notes
ANNOUNCE BIG TEXAN