Agree with all of that.
I hear you but if you look at the entire JLT series this has happened to a lot of sides. Teams are trying harder now more then ever to take the game on. Due to seeing the bulldogs and GWS game styles last year. In doing this you can get opened up badly going the other way, especially in the pre-season when players are not match fit to run both ways for 4 quarters.
Last year in the season proper we sore this happen too, teams going hard early and then getting run over at the end. The game has become more strategic then ever. There is a very fine line between defense and attack, getting this right is the key.
The other huge determining factor is been efficient in both attack and defense. Its impossible to play at full intensity for four quarters. This is why teams get over run if they spend all there energy tickets to early.
I think today we where efficient in the first half, attacked well and hit the scoreboard, and defended well too, pretty sure they had more inside 50ās then us in the first half. The 3-5mins after time is what lost us the game and it had nothing to do with fitness and certainly was a worry. We didnāt react quick enough to stem the flow of bleeding, and until we can we will not be a good side.
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Hard not to be disappointed on the back of a yet another 2nd half fade out and, on balance, pretty disappointing JLT series.
One of my main concerns with Woosha last year was the lack of ātaggingā or curbing of oppositional stars. It was argued that we allowed this guys free reign as it was a āteachingā year. It seems that we still have no want, or ability, to curb the influence of a guy on fire. I donāt think you have to pick a pure tagger in the modern game but you DO need to have 1-2 guys that are capable of playing a lock down role if things get out of control.
I was one who suggested pre-game (along with others) that I was surprised to see Luey playing. I thought he was far too valuable and should have been wrapped in cotton wool. The result today became irrelevant once the big man went down. We can only hope and pray it is a 4 week tweak and not a season long āoff the boneā tear. Our clearance work struggled with a functioning ruck, without him we will struggle big time.
I love the look of our attacking play and I am hoping the season proper will show that we still have a defensive backbone otherwise I am having severe āKnightseraā flashbacks. I was encouraged by the play of Steward today and our forwardline is functioning very well and we are yet to see Hooker. My first thought is do we need to move him forward? I guess we can re-evaluate after a month.
One question that was answered for me was whether bagās is still best 22. Early call but I think he has ālostā it. Age/injury/formā¦ Iām not sure but he was outclassed BADLY today and it was not an isolated incident. I think we have to look at different options down back if we want to challenge this year.
Begley showed that he is nowhere near ready for the big time and McG also looked out of his depth against the bigger bodies of the cats. Both probably played their way out of Round 1 imho. On the flipside I felt like we got 2016 Walla back today and it was GOOD! Superb game on all fronts and he looks to have made a great connection with JD/Stewart.
I thought Heppell looked far more assured today but still not back to his dominant bestā¦ but signs are very good. Watson was very important in and under BUT showed that we need to play a team defence or he does become a liability on the turn over. Hurley was solid but not great. I thought we missed Hartley and I still would have him in ahead of Ambrose. I think Ambrose could stay ahead of Bags.
I thought putting our extra down back was the turning point. We simply can not overcome the loose man in defence. Going on ten years of typing the same thing but it really just kills us everytime. Geelong pushed the man back to match Goddard and it meant they could control the tempo and suddenly our run and carry just died at half forward time and time again. Put the extra at the stoppage or up man for man up forward.
Canāt wait for the Hawks, who looked pretty ordinary today against Port and I still believe we can win. Oh and Geelong pretty much confirmed my thoughtsā¦ they really are crap outside of Dangerwood and will struggle big time if those two donāt dominate every game.
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Did my eyes deceive me or was Walla on the ball during the closing stages?
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Iāve only seen the second half but we seemed very vulnerable in the air down back. I think Hartley is a must.
McKenna should just be playing, really it is that simple imo
Nice to see tippa getting more of the pill, half suspect green was crowding him a bit. We felt a bit better balanced forward even though I only saw the second half.
Smack is an incredibly frustrating player. Does the incredible and surprising regularly and then literally switches off at the next contest. You can see it happen, on his toes itching for the contest one minute, flat footed and not moving the next. I donāt know what can be done but he is playing now regardless.
How we have continually found ourselves in a farked ruck situation over the last decade is beyond me. How we only selected a rookie who arrived with tendonitis with only two other notoriously injury prone rucks on the list is one of lifeās great mysterious.
We still lack speed and defensive awareness around contested situations.
We are a confidence side if there ever was one, go into our shells so so quickly.
Nice to see JD clunk a few.
Our skill level looks improved
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Most ppl feel Bags has dropped away a bit and i agree but the question going into rd 1 is, who do we play on rioli? Is Dea up to it? If not then it really is just Bags. Tough decison.
Itās only preseason, but itās still pretty hard to take three massive chokes in three damn gamesā¦
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The very thought of Bags on Rioli right now just makes me shiverā¦ I donāt know if Dea is the answerā¦ but we can not let Bags anywhere near Rioli if we want to winā¦ he will get torched.
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I reported it at the time!
He came off at a fair clip, unassisted. Just taking three-quarter-length steps with the affected leg.
But even a standard 21 days off means we need a solution for the Dawks and Bears.
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Losing luey sucks.
Changes for hawks
Out: Begley, Brown, McGrath, Leuneberger Laverde Stewart Gleeson
In: Tbell Hooker Hocking Hartley Dea
Not sure if we can bring hooker and Bellchambers in underdone hopefully we can, they both love beating hawks.
B: Baguley Hartley Ambrose
Hb: Goddard Hurley Dea
C: Parish Watson Colyer
Hf: McKernan Daniher Langford
F: McDonald-Tipingwuti Hooker Fantasia
R: Bellchambers Zerrett Heppell
Int: Stanton Hocking Zaharakis Kelly
Emg: Laverde Stewart Gleeson
Dea/Baguley/gleeson is a ā ā ā ā ā ā close to decision.
Honestly I donāt read too much into it. The result is completely irrelevant. That said, if this happens during the season, Iāll change my tune.
I think our list is pretty good although the ruck situation is a worry. I like the selection of Stewart and keeping Smack contracted.Put Hooker and Luey in there and itās a really strong side.
Dan Jordan was good
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Seemed to me, to sort of, ā¦ almost be like, ā¦ a game of two halves.
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More than just on the ball. In the centre square at bounce down.
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Round 1.
Stanton for Irish
Luey for Hooker
Lav//Lang for green
Iāve been happy with our preseason.
People expecting miracles this year are in for a huge disappointment. Modern football is more sophisticated than ever and this side has played 3 games together. That Cats side is the same basic 22 that played an entire season together and finished top 4, is it any wonder they were more composed when the tempo went up?
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All I know is that come Friday night Iāll be doing something that I havenāt done since driving through Kings Cross many years agoā¦Hooker watch!
Agreed
I reckon the absolute worst type of footy to watch is when weāre giving up leads like that.
Am sure a lot of it is the re-integration of key players after 12 months off, but that probably means itās going to mean a pretty average first half of the season.
On what we saw today, Iād think Hooker needs to stay in defence. Give Stewart/McKernan a run in the 2nd tall forward role and use the smalls to create scoring opportunities.
Awefull second half.
Tippa and Stewart took big steps forward. Hopefully we see a few players improving each week. Agree with a lot of comments. Donāt think all our older boys are going to stay in the best 22. Which isnāt a bad thing.
Agree, it seems we have lost basically all intercept marking power in our backline, which is a massive issue given how often our midfield torches our back six.
We are a hell of a long way away from that āalmostā AA backline of a few years ago.
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