Yes but with dodgy knees
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Yes, and all that. But, unfortunately we started again 12 months ago. That’s not Barham, Vozzo or Scott’s fault.
Both are talented, but talent only gets you a part of the way.
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Changes yes and for the better well we hope. As the experts have eluded the 4 players we brought in are more experienced players we have in our warchest but none of them are match winners.
I was more eluding to our fire in the belly performance first hitout…was very poor, not even worried about scoreboard, it was the way we played.
What is out game plan other than run the ball out of our backline aka Collingwood style?
He only managed a few kicks, has missed a lot of footy so it will take him a few months to have any meaningful impact
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Give him the entire season in the VFL to gain match fitness and polish his skills
I just want us to be hard to play against. We’re not and we didn’t show on Friday that that is an area we’ve improved in.
Forward line is a concern, and we might continue to struggle to score, but ffs make it hard for the opposition to score.
I certainly hope that was the case as we certainly could do with a talented small forward. Did anyone else stand out in the second game?
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The Saints were defending our half forward line very well, so we were getting really shallow entries, often to around the 30-35m mark, and it was coming back out with speed. It’s actually ok to bomb the ball long inside 50, but it has to be very deep to the top of the square and brought to ground where it becomes a 50/50 contest.
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No. He was running laps with Reid and Goldstein. Definitely didn’t join in with 50m to go.
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Ross the Boss loves defence, especially in opposition forward lines, he floods it and likes to play transition footy.
I don’t think the saints will be a high scoring team this season due to this fact, but more importantly we haven’t learnt anything about defending the ground either. Loose players everywhere unmarked. Alarm Bells are ringing
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He said that Archie Robert’s was very good, and Jack Peris looked like he had speed to burn.
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Roberts will be playing seniors at some point this year
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They only played a half but Alwyn and Hind did some good things both playing forward/mid. For players who played 4 quarters that would go to Roberts he played very well on a wing.
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100%. People complain when we bomb it long to 2MP, but it 1. Gives us a chance to score and 2. Reduces the risk of a quick rebound score by the Oppo.
Turnovers between 40 -60m out are the most dangerous and thats what killed us on Friday.
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what happens if we flog the cats by 50 points.
everyone forgets preseason games after round 1.
That’s right. Because our horrifying round 1 losses take the cake.
I’m expecting it, so I’ll be more surprised if we beat them
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Absolutely this, has driven me crazy for the last 2 years we are playing this weird zone where our players stand too far off their opponents. Someone should compile clips from the game where a Saints player chip kicks to a player only for our guy to roll in 3 steps too late, every ■■■■■■■ time. I’m no genius but I figure if we are constantly 3 steps away from a spoil that perhaps we stand three steps closer to them to begin with. Just a thought.
Worse though are the times they do kick it long to a contest where our stick thin talls make barely a contest resulting in a saints contested mark and then their runners swing by ready for the quick hand off. In contrast we are still forced into dump kicks out of the backline with zero run and no hope of a marking target.
Yes it is a match sim but intent and system should be evident even in an embryonic stage and I just couldn’t see any change in intent to chase or system from the last 6 games of the year where we looked like the worst team in the league.
I try not to bag out individual players but I’ve long been a critic of McGrath given the perception of his abilities outside Essendon and the actual reality of the player. Even during the commentary in this game a comment was made about what a great user of the ball he is. This is Trump levels of misinformation where myth is perpetrated as fact. I thought he was supposed to have the pace and evasive skills to elude the tackler and buy time. But his dump kicking was horrible when trialed in the midfield and it’s even more costly when he’s doing it from the back pocket. He is the photo negative of Scott Pendlebury in that time speeds up to Benny Hill proportions when he has the pill.
Yeah it’s only a preseason game but I’ve seen this film before and its a turd sandwich. Hope I’m left with massive egg on face.
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I would be up in arms about peaking too early and if there is any injuries I would be livid.
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