Review Good/Bad vs North Melbourne, R7 2024

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I’d really love some footage of him not paying at attention as I don’t believe it.
This is about the 3rd or 4th time you’ve posted it.
There's the incident with McHenry vs Melbourne which I have described before.

In the 3rd quarter vs Carlton. Brodie Smith has the ball on the right half-back flank, Cook is open about 20m away in the square but not watching the ball. Smith instead kicks down the line to a contest, where Dawson ultimately emerges with the ball and looks to dish off to where Cook is, but he is again not awake. Both times resulting in teammates yelling at him.

There's also the fact that he was generally amongst the lowest possession getters on the ground in his previous three games. While not direct evidence, this is entirely consistent with a player who is not up with the pace of the game.
 

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Maybe Fog needs a mini pre season to find fitness
It's hard to say what he needs - whether it's fitness, or mental, or both. He just doesn't have the magic that he had from mid-2022 to early-2023... and it's hard to say where it's gone, or how he can recover it.

He was comprehensively outplayed by Himmelberg today. Let that sink in. Himmelberg was clearly better than Fog. Fog has vastly more talent and potential, so for Berg to be outperforming him says just how badly he's underperforming.
 
It's hard to say what he needs - whether it's fitness, or mental, or both. He just doesn't have the magic that he had from mid-2022 to early-2023... and it's hard to say where it's gone, or how he can recover it.

He was comprehensively outplayed by Himmelberg today. Let that sink in. Himmelberg was clearly better than Fog. Fog has vastly more talent and potential, so for Berg to be outperforming him says just how badly he's underperforming.
Comprehensively? Dunno about that, EH definitely had the greater impact but I don’t think Fog was poor as such, particularly his work up the ground

His work I50 as a marking target is well under par currently, though (and I’m not sure all of it is our players constantly kicking it over his head, as some seem to suggest)
 
Comprehensively? Dunno about that, EH definitely had the greater impact but I don’t think Fog was poor as such, particularly his work up the ground

His work I50 as a marking target is well under par currently, though (and I’m not sure all of it is our players constantly kicking it over his head, as some seem to suggest)
It’s not. He doesn’t play in front, constantly being caught behind. Having said that, he’s also often two teamed when going for a mark.
 
Cook has x-factor & very capable around goals.

Just need to give him some continuity as he has the skill & we need to find out if he has the mental application.

Wasn't just his goals today but he also tackled, chased & harassed.
Agreed ... his position should be half forward who roams up the flank finding space the other way . As long as pressure and effort are there he only needs 10-12 touches to have an impact

He has something and we need to find out exactly what that is by giving him an extended run to see what level he can push to .
 
Didn’t watch the game but interested in peoples thoughts on LDU? Is he someone we should chase?
He was fine but our midfield soundly beat theirs and that included LDU

There was one key contest he took far too long to dispose of it when he was in the open and nearly got Rory Atkinsed
 

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He was fine but our midfield soundly beat theirs and that included LDU

There was one key contest he took far too long to dispose of it when he was in the open and nearly got Rory Atkinsed
Gut feel is he’d have more impact if he wasn’t the #1 midfielder

That’ll come either when he moves to another club, or when Wardlaw develops/McKercher and Sheezel move in there
 
Good:
The Worrell / Michalanney tag team absolutely annihilating the Roos forward line with intercept play. Was the highlight of the day for me.

Keane’s continued good form confirming that we don’t need Petty. We need a midfield.

Dawson BOG, and his kicking accuracy looks to be returning - let’s see if he can replicate that against a side that doesn’t deserve to be relegated though.

Laird was very good - see comments re Dawson’s kicking though because they also apply to Laird’s game as a whole.

Himmelberg and Cook were pleasant surprises. It really feels like the quality of opponent is a factor here too though lol. I was particularly happy with Cook’s effort levels. He was clearly told to increase them or he’d be out. Certainly earned himself a gig in the Showdown squad.

Sholl predictably got the skis out. He is made for days like today. Forgive me if I don’t trust it. He’s still dropped forever by the bye and delisted at the end of the year. But credit to him, he was certainly among the best.

Keays was excellent.

Rankine with a number of moments of brilliance.

Tex looked very sharp - too unselfish for mine though, including moments where he was in a better position than a teammate.

A general willingness to move the ball quickly.



Bad:
Fogarty failing to take advantage of a barrage of inside 50s to get back into something resembling form. He looks slow, fat, and he refuses to play in front.

How does Rachele not kick a goal on a day like today? Kudos for the nutmeg and goal assist though.

1st round busts Chayce Jones and Ned McHenry continuing to be among our worst players virtually every game.



Ugly:
North Melbourne FC. Seriously, what is going on down there? That defence is the worst backline in the history of the sport and nobody can convince me otherwise. Also, drafting Will Phillips over Logan McDonald when the only decent tall in your squad is Larkey is an absolute outrage.

Pedlar’s injury. It’s pretty clearly never going to happen for Luke. Watch us make this even uglier by replacing him with Lachie Murphy, who continually embarrassed himself at SANFL level before and belongs behind the counter at the merch store.

Happy clappers who think today marks a return to form. We may as well have played against West Adelaide reserves.

The fact that we’ll inexplicably find a way not to select Curtin against Port, favouring the corpse of Brodie Smith, Neddy Mcterrible, James “already delisted once and certainty to be delisted again in 6 months time” Borlase and Will “has the same middle name as Borlase” Hamill. Those players help us win now you see. They’re less of a risk. Lol
 
11 touches from a wingman in a 10 goal win. He’s an out and out passenger.
I cant understand people slagging off on Sholl for his 29 possession game, I don't think Jones has ever had that many touches.
Give me Sholl over Jones any day.
Jones is probably the biggest disappointment so far this year for mine.
 
I cant understand people slagging off on Sholl for his 29 possession game, I don't think Jones has ever had that many touches.
Give me Sholl over Jones any day.
Jones is probably the biggest disappointment so far this year for mine.
Jones has more weapons when he touches it (Sholl doesn’t kick that goal from 50, for instance), plus has a harder edge to his game. The unfortunate thing is that Jones’ level of production last year is starting to look like an anomaly
 
Murphy performs at a good click in a very difficult role and performance when you have the best 22 spot is 9/10ths of the law - after all, 7th forward is a position you get dropped from if you breath wrong. Even McHenry had multiple good games in the graveyard shift and has been able to double up with some solid performances out of the sub, however he's been relegated to injury depth as of late. As per always, the only thing that matters with selection - and this applies for every club in every sport - is today.

The other side of the coin is we've been rather eager to develop Cook as a wing instead of a forward and really, he's probably been a tad unlucky our outside core has been as healthy as it has been in the last two years + McAdam also healed up around the time Jones dropped + getting shuffled out by Nankervis. That said, this has also been a kid who has been overtaken by others a few times, whether it's Jones or Soligo shifting to wing or Nankervis in that wing/half back spot.

I think the "not sold on Cook" is a fair indicator as to why he shouldn't be seen as someone who has needed game time in the last few years.
Que?
 
Didn’t watch the game but interested in peoples thoughts on LDU? Is he someone we should chase?
From the 1st quarter there were 2 opportunities to give but he held on just a tad too long and got caught and had to turn around or was held

An argument could be made he feels the need to do as much as he can - which is great - but maybe in a better team he gets more instinctual
 
Jones has more weapons when he touches it (Sholl doesn’t kick that goal from 50, for instance), plus has a harder edge to his game. The unfortunate thing is that Jones’ level of production last year is starting to look like an anomaly
People are quick to defend Jones because he is a good athlete, has some pace, and a tidy looking kick

Unfortunately, he just can't play football.

It's going to take a new coach to realise this.

On SM-A325F using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

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