95perfection wrote:
Just home from the game tonight.
Thought I would share a few observations of those things you can't see on the TV.
Backline:
We will struggle to get flogged by anyone this year and it will also be hard for teams to beat our backline.
So long as the midfield don't let the ball stream in uncontested as we did in the first 15 minutes on the 3rd quarter.
Backline looks very settled, tall enough to compete with any team and if not for a few shocking umpiring decisions, really dominated the Kangaroos forward line.
Setanta's closing speed to get to a contest is as good as I've seen by any backman in the 35 years I have been watching AFL. His reach to spoil is equally as good.
Disposal and particularly decision making needs a lot of work still however he is gaining confidence in this area. He is going to be a massive asset to the backline for a long time.
He was really helped out in the decision making area by the likes of AW, Hoops, Waitey (makings of the most attacking, damaging CHB in the competition after only 3 weeks there) and T-Bird as they were stream past for a handball more often than not. This takes the thought process away from Setanta (and the lack of kicking skill) and makes him very effective.
Rebounding from the backline should not be underestimated in tonights win. Very pleasing turnaround from our struggling backline of the past 5 years.
Midfield:
Still working each other out a bit but Geez-Louise we win the ball so much more than the opposition. AB & JR are very unassuming in the middle because they are the in-and-under hard ball get types.
They will make the likes of Murphy, Simmo, Gibbsy, Stevo, Carrazzo and Scotto look even better than we think they are because they seem to be on the right side of the pack to clear when the hard-ballers nip one out of the scrimmage.
But .... just when we looked to have the midfield working out how to play together and position for each other, we went and changed the whole team structure at the start of the 3rd quarter. To look across the whole field at that time we did look very unbalanced. Even to the naked eye it just looked really weird - something didn't look right. When we reordered things again the game turned in a heartbeat .... almost too late.
I must say that we really didn't look like we were getting smashed in general play even when the Roos got to 37 points up.
To be honest I didn't think we were that far out of it because we were by far the best team at that stage but just hadn't converted.
I wasn't checking the scoreboard during the early part of the 3rd and said to my wife "sh1t we need a goal to get the confidence back" then looked up at the scoreboard and couldn't believe we were 6 goals down.
We certainly hadn't played like a team who were 6 goals behind.
Anyway to complete my midfield assessment, I think we have a very good ruck team in Sugar & Cloke (maybe we should rename them Rum & Coke?).
They are not the tallest ruck duo but they are both very fit and strong bodied players. They were under-sized tonight but they crashed and muscled the leaner, taller ruckmen all night really wore them down to the point that they dominated in the last 30 minutes of the match.
Great foil over the next 2-3 years for the developing Hampson, Aisake and co.
Forward Line:
Interestingly enough our best area of the last few years looked to be struggling for a big part of the game. Actually looked as though they didn't know 1. where to lead without getting in each others way; and 2. where the ball carrier was going to kick too.
If not for poor execution and finish we should have been 3-4 goal up at half time because we had killed them around the ground.
Great captains effort in the forward line by Lance in the 3rd quarter when he sacrificed himself as a step-ladder for Fev to take Mark Of The Day and kick a goal which turned the game on it's head. Lance was taken off shortly after and did not return (not injured .... just dragged).
The momentum swang right there and then and we started to run off the opposition and made them look pedestrian. Passes started hitting targets, backline and midfield were streaming from everywhere.
You probably couldn't see on TV but when we started running we obviously looked very good, however we actually had 3 or 4 options through the midfield and up forward nearly every time.
I believe that it was having so many options and the quick, clean use of the ball that allowed Fev to be 1-out a lot more and the goals simply flowed.
Fev sensational with 8 but Eddie Betts was outstanding in the 2nd half. Good chasing by him to keep pressure on the rebounding backline right throughout the game (although he couldn't actually make a tackle a stationary wheat-bag) and really did some of the 1%ers.
Fev could take a leaf out of Eddie's book here and still needs to learn not to drop his head (we don't need a Richo at Carlton).
Some general observations:
I didn't agree with everything Synbad has written about Lance Whitnall - until tonight.
Regardless of his B&F win last year he looks the player most unlikely to have an impact in our team this year. Far, far too slow and can't get off the ground to get anywhere near taking a mark in the forward line.
No spot for him up forward if Fev & Kennedy are fit.
Can't see a spot in the backline the way the current setup looks as they are too tall, fast and are playing a running, rebounding style that he can't keep up with.
May captain from the bench a lot this year and would have to be lucky to hold down a spot in the first 18 without injuries to other players.
Could not see him being captain after this year as he won't be a regular starter.
Harts will be a huge asset if he stays fit because he is versatile. He and Waite can both play half-back/half-forward and be dangerous at either end. Harts shows he has the skill, body and intensity to make it big time. Hope his body hold together and has some better luck with injuries because he is a huge plus for us when fit. Very strong mark and good judge of the flight of the ball and jumps for it at the right time.
Special mention to Cam Cloke.
Was not a fan of picking him up pre-season but given a Navy Blue jumper I was prepared to give him a go and not bag him.
He was thrown into the game during the first half and had only been on for what seemed to be about 5-minutes when he got dragged. He looked a bit disappointed to be dragged but did the team thing and absolutely sprinted about 100m to the boundary for the interchange. Did the team thing, kept his head up, did what was asked and waited his turn again without sulking or carrying on.
When given the chance again in the 3rd quarter I would say that his effort and intensity level played a big part in the comeback and should not be underestimated. He really looks like he wants to be a Blue-bagger and stick it up everyone who said he can't make it.
If he isn't BOG when we play Collingwood I will be very surprised.
Has a point to prove and is playing like it as well. I'm converted.
Mr Caz is spot on to say that midfield delivery made Fev look good. The standard of delivery lifted in the last 30 minutes to a level I have not seen for a number of years.
But the midfield also has to take credit for pressure, harassing, chasing and simply winning the ball at the contest. We must have won centre clearances for the first time since I can remember and I saw a few Gibbs to Murphy and vice-verca plays that made my mouth water.
Mr Caz also said Gibbs first 2 touches were worth the price of admission .... I paid $75 for me and my missus to get the best seats in the stadium and could have gone home after 5-minutes a happy man feeling like I got my monies worth.
........ and Murph ....... pure silk - total class - next captain.
If anyone has any specific questions about players I haven't mentioned or anything that you may not have caught on the box, let me know.
Final word ...... refer to signature block below
Now with Whitnall,it's early days but i did say it would get tough for him,because he played as defender in a team last year saving games not winning games,he was good especially the first half.
the team now have Walker and Waite who like to attack and chase their opponent with the ball a big bonus and a big difference,that puts Whitnall some where now in the forward line,but his position is best at Full forward where Fevola will always be,where he doesn't have to chase so hard if the ball doesn't sit for him. Whitnall playing at CHF it's harder,but we like Kennedy there.
The best thing for Whitnall is for him to get extremely fit to play,probably the fittest he has been in years and not worry about his personal life or you might see him on the bench replacing someone to give them a break.
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