Blue Sombrero wrote:
Pros:
I think that was probably our most complete win for years, four quarters of intense footy with not many little lapses. Tackles were manic at both ends. The running patters were daring.
We didn't turn the ball over as much, although there were some errors that come to mind. Huge improvement in ball control.
The senior players are playing rejuvenated footy. Murphy has turned back the clock several years and reminds us how good he is as an on-baller. Thomas is a leader down back and plays with abandon and maturity mixed together. Levi is in career best form. Jones will always be a loose canon the way he backs himself but it has worked more often than not apart from that horrible, goal saving chest mark he took in a pack in the last.
The kids are backing themselves. Early in the year it was obvious they were trying to feed Cripps, Murphy, Ed and the three big forwards but now they take the option no matter who is available. It's a confidence thing.
The crowd is back in the game. The fact Collingwood is at the top of the frees differential is largely due to the crowd umpiring the game. When fifty thousand roar 'ball' at the same time, it puts the umps under pressure to make a decision they thought they might have missed. When fifty thousand boo their wrong decisions it puts reverse pressure on. We have to gt to that level.
Gibbons has the potential to play 150 for us as a mid/fwd. DeLuca still has t find his feet but looks OK. Lang is starting to get more of the footy.
Walsh and Cripps are going to dominate the comp. If TDK makes it look out.
Jack has silenced his critics, one of whom was me and re-invented himself as a tough utility and is probably our best tackle sticker.
Cons:
We will have salary cap issues in a few years.
Harry needs some specialist training.
It's an eight day break till we play again.
Before BB was sacked, I indicated that if we won a couple close together we would win several more for the year based on pure belief. I am sorry he got sacked when he was almost there but obviously there was something amiss and Teague has released the players to play better footy. Maybe they released themselves. Just so, we do need to acknowledge that BB got them to the point where it was even possible.
I think we can put the trade arguments to bed regarding several of the boys. Nobody is ever going to get 100% of anything right but it looks like the GWS raids have yielded some very good players for us. Setterfield was hugely rated and is starting to show us why. He has played less than 20 games. Kennedy ditto albeit in a different role. Plowman is never going to win a B&F but he is steady and reasonably safe.
We are on the move and can demonstrate it to players we are courting as FA or trades.
I respectfully ask, are you giving Bolton too much credit? Bolton didn’t breathe life into Murphy, Daisy, Levi, Curnow. Nor did he put our boys in their right positions. The boys were running around like heartless, directionless, c-grade players. Bolton spoke of unity but this is the most United and cohesive TEAM I can recall. Teague challenges Bolts and things only changed when he took the reins. Maybe Bolton was a necessary sacrificial lamb. I’ll thank Bolts for take the punches during a horrible rebuild but I see no evidence that he was anything more.
Login
Register
FAQ
