Interesting with Sproule as I think he has been more than servicable the last 2 weeks and as the ruck option he hass competed strongly and is competitive when the ball hits the ground and I liked BT crying when he went in oncotchin
Review Round 22 2021 - GWS Giants v Richmond, 7.50 pm at Marvel Stadium, Fri 13 August
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I think Sproule’s development over recent years, and particularly in the last couple of weeks, has sealed the fate of Riccardi.
Hogan HH TOJ Sproule (with only Hogan not doing any ruck chop-out) - leaves Riccardi in 5th place for talls when we only ever really play 3.
Although, last night, about half way through the last, the camera lingered on him for a second or two waiting for a boundary throw in, and he was done, cooked, finished, absolutely buggered - I felt so sorry for him. (he might have even won the tap though, gives it his all all the time)
- Nov 23, 2015
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I agree, and these last couple of weeks have probably ensured we'll keep Sproule on a list next year. He's been a slow burn, but coming good. I must admit I like Finlayson's mobility, and he can be a good goal-kicker, but the petulant displays are what hurt him. In contrast, Sproule - while probably less talented - gives 100% effort 100% of the time, and having the ruck back-up capability puts him squarely up against TOJ.
Hogan will take some time to get back to a high level given his injuries, but ultimately a Hogan-Himmelberg-Sproule forward line is relatively well balanced.
Hogan will take some time to get back to a high level given his injuries, but ultimately a Hogan-Himmelberg-Sproule forward line is relatively well balanced.
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Hope you don't mind the intrusion but geez it's great seeing the strategic handbrake removed and GWS players being allowed to play to their strengths.
- Aug 12, 2017
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stein and sproule have been great for what they are .... but XOH gave me a semi last night .... love the way he goes about it.
Ash, green, cumming, Idun, Buckley xoh brun .... all given heaps as young guys coming through
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Yeah, the team has a great mix of experienced and young players at the moment; perhaps like 2019 starting to peak at the right time of the season.
For me, Isaac Cumming has been the absolute revelation of this season. From a guy who played a few games each of the last few seasons but didn't really look like he had ''it'', he's been a standout running back this year with fantastic hands, able to take marks when it counts, and then distribute safely for counterattack. Some of his marks in heavy traffic last night were outstanding, and his vision in intercepting both ground level and air balls was excellent. Several years at this level and I'm confident we'll be saying ''Heath Who'' in the future.
However, Idun and XOH have been playing really well too, and XOH has provided some of that zip in the midfield we've been asking for the last couple of years since Shiel left. It's been good that Bruhn has had a few games to show his wares - hasn't hit ''star level'' to keep his spot when others come back from injury, but certainly showing great promise, and like XOH I think will improve over the next few years.
For me, Isaac Cumming has been the absolute revelation of this season. From a guy who played a few games each of the last few seasons but didn't really look like he had ''it'', he's been a standout running back this year with fantastic hands, able to take marks when it counts, and then distribute safely for counterattack. Some of his marks in heavy traffic last night were outstanding, and his vision in intercepting both ground level and air balls was excellent. Several years at this level and I'm confident we'll be saying ''Heath Who'' in the future.
However, Idun and XOH have been playing really well too, and XOH has provided some of that zip in the midfield we've been asking for the last couple of years since Shiel left. It's been good that Bruhn has had a few games to show his wares - hasn't hit ''star level'' to keep his spot when others come back from injury, but certainly showing great promise, and like XOH I think will improve over the next few years.
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Love it
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Right from the outset, GWS looked switched on. Moving the ball through the corridor with apparent ease, and in the process exposing a Richmond side that looked completely out of run, the Giants piled on the pressure to more or less put the game away by halftime. It was a comprehensive beating by GWS, who have been on the road for weeks, and in knocking over both the Cats and Tigers in successive weeks, have indicated that they are finally serious about playing finals footy. And given the form they’ve displayed, there’d be a few teams that would not like to run into them in the first week of September.
SHOULD WE BE JUDGING PLAYERS ON THE FIRST HALF ALONE?
Oh hell yes, we should.
That’s when the game was won, that’s when the damage was done, and that’s where the pressure was on.
Tim Taranto – outstanding, as I have covered, above.
Jacob Hopper – did the hard stuff early. Was in and under and making the play for teammates. 18 touches and a goal in the first half, to go with six clearances.
Josh Kelly – 18 disposals and five tackles as he danced around out there like he was a step ahead of everyone else.
Nick Haynes – Some huge defensive efforts. Just eight touches, but his positioning and ground work were excellent.
Harry Himmelberg – three first half goals and some excellent contests.
IS THE TSUNAMI BACK?
Did you see signs of it in this game as well? Three or four players streaming through the middle and half forward together, a wave of orange and charcoal washing over their opponents and sweeping them out with the tide… it was beautiful to see. Much was made of that GWS run back in 2016/17. Many spoke of how they were irrepressible – an unstoppable force. Yet they were halted… several times.
Older. Wiser. Equipped with the confidence to know when and how to turn it on and off, what I saw in this game was enough to convince me that the tsunami is still there. It is just waiting for something to trigger it. And if Leon Cameron can harness that power and unleash it in September… things will get really interesting, really quickly.
WHERE IS ISAAC CUMMING IN THE HALF BACK PECKING ORDER?
It’s such a tough position when it comes to naming the best and most effective half backs in the game. Even in this game, Nick Vlastuin had a pretty good second half after Tim Taranto got away from him early, and ended up with 11 intercepts. Jayden Short has been excellent. Then you have Tom Stewart, Bailey Dale, Jordan Ridley, Daniel Rich, Jack Crisp, Aaron Hall, Christian Salem, Jake Lloyd and Jordan Dawson – the competition is fierce.
However, Cumming is really starting to flex some muscle in the role. He is fearless when forced to stand under a high ball inside fifty and does not appear to be fazed at all by the fact he may cop a nasty knock. He just looks smooth and confident as he casually goes up and plucks the footy out of the air. He had another 24 touches in this one, and had a lovely even spread of six Rebound 50s and five Inside 50s amongst them. We’re starting to see him drift forward a little more now, taking a bit of a risk and forcing his opponent to be accountable. He had six score involvements in this game and missed a flying shot late in the game. You can see he is starting to develop the type of game that will see him contend for an All-Australian position, but as it stands, I just think there are a few too many in front of him.
That said, this is year four for him and with 21 games to his name in 2021, he has smashed through the barriers that prevented him from playing more than 11 games in the three years prior. At 22.5 touches per game and six R50s… he’d be just about the most improved player in the comp. Wouldn’t mind throwing twenty on him to make the AA team in 2022.
HOW DO WE RATE LACHIE ASH’S JOB ON DION PRESTIA?
Really highly. He has found his niche, and whilst I still see him throw his hands up in despair when he does not receive the footy after making space, Lachie Ash’s diligence to the task at hand saw Prestia pick up just three touches in the first quarter, and commit both some lazy and undisciplined acts out of frustration. Prestia mouthed off, providing Jacob Hopper with a 50 metre penalty and should have been punished. He was also caught holding the footy, and made zero attempt to get rid of it, staring at the umpire as though he expected him to bail him out. He didn’t.
If you watch this encounter again, and I am sure some GWS fans will, watch Ash run off Prestia, and watch Prestia refuse to go anywhere near him when he does. This was why Ash started to get a little upset at the goings-on. He was making the play and knew Prestia either couldn’t, or didn’t want to go with him.
Don’t be fooled by hollow possessions. Ash well and truly had his number in this one, and though he had ten clearances, seven of them came after half time – they were effectively junk time clearances. Ash has been taught by the best, with Matt de Boer playing more across half forward at the moment… and whilst on de Boer, what’s with all the candy sales? He’s falling in love with that step a little too much these days – people will work it out if you use it too often, Matty!
ANYTHING ELSE, MONGREL?
Loved Cal Ward’s game, who was once again so reliable, whether darting in off the wing, or throwing his body into the contest. That booming goal from 55 metres out… I didn’t know he had it in those legs. I guess it demonstrates how far he has come back over the last 12 months.
The ruck duel – Mummy wins the taps, Nank wins around the ground, but Mumford’s goal probably gets him the chocolates. Also, for the first time ever, I reckon Mumford got screwed over by the umps in this game. One incident saw him taken high and the umpire didn’t bat an eyelid.
And whilst I’d love to comment on the Tom Lynch v Sam Taylor battle, sadly, there were so many switched throughout the contest that it just wasn’t a genuine one-on-one contest for large periods, with Jake Stein doing some heavy lifting whilst Taylor went and played on Riewoldt.
LAST WORD
Overall, this was a tremendous win for the Giants – their win in Round 21 was season-defining, but this one was a momentum builder. It was the game that made them believe again – in beating these Tigers, the Giants banished a demon and received the shot in the arm they needed.
We saw one team on the rise beat up a team on the decline. One team was preparing for the real stuff to start. The other was looking at the finish line and counting the steps till they got there. They stumbled in this one, and GWS trod on them as they ran by.
There is no room for mercy in professional football. No feeling sorry for champion teams whose time has been and is slipping away quickly before our eyes – not from a team that watched on when they were at their highest peak. The Giants have had their ups and downs this season, but as we turn the corner and head for home, they are playing some spectacular footy, and it only takes four weeks of that type of play to add silverware to the trophy cabinet.
Richmond did it in 2017, and they had to knock over GWS to do it. They did it again in 2019 and embarrassed the Giants in the process. But the Kings are now dead. Can the Giants wear the crown? If they play footy like this, they’re going to be difficult to stop.
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Interesting, you said the same last week. Davis named as an emergency so had recovered. Defensive group working well together with everyone knowing what their role is, why change? Stein doesn't accumulate disposals, his role is in other areas. Spoils 6 (only Grimes more), game high 11 one %, 95% game time and top 5 for ground covered in the match.
- Nov 23, 2015
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I think you usually go with the experienced player, and Leon always tends to go for the experienced/established/older player in team selections. With finals coming up I expect that's how Leon will think. Phil made some comments during the week on his podcast ... I think while he's been given the all clear, he wanted an extra week of recovery to feel really good. But last night was a crunch game, so like the 2019 GF, he was prepared to play if necessary (i.e. if Stein went down) hence his selection as an emergency.
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Those 3 are very good at working for each other too.
After what I saw last night, moving forward If like to see TT play the role he played last night with Toby doing the same.
That would be a hard combination to handle.
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Good win for GWS.
Both GWS and Richmond are both hit with injuries at the moment.
If Freo dont get 8th spot, I want your mob to get in. Not because I am posting on this board. But If GWS and West coast get in then thats 5 non vic sides in the top 8.
Also.... depends who gws get in the 1st week of the finals, its either Brisbane or Swans. GWS would be confident of giving either team a solid fight.
Both GWS and Richmond are both hit with injuries at the moment.
If Freo dont get 8th spot, I want your mob to get in. Not because I am posting on this board. But If GWS and West coast get in then thats 5 non vic sides in the top 8.
Also.... depends who gws get in the 1st week of the finals, its either Brisbane or Swans. GWS would be confident of giving either team a solid fight.
So many talking points from the game;
1. How good was junior talent drafted in 2016. Taranto, Perryman, Cumming, Sproule & Stein. Only busts were Setterfield & Tiziani.
2. All players interviewed after the game referred to the energy of the young boys. Presumably, XO, Idun, Sproule?
3. Bruhn, now with some confidence, looks swift and light on his feet. Has promising upside.
4. Coaching directives changed over last 2 weeks to suit the opponent. Liked it.
5. Giants have got on top of Friday night games. Excellent.
6. As said elsewhere, commentators were twits. They called Perrymann's name as if he was a newcomer. No recognition of the steady work he's been producing.
7. Eight weeks + away from sleeping in their own beds, but conversely, no flight travel before games.
1. How good was junior talent drafted in 2016. Taranto, Perryman, Cumming, Sproule & Stein. Only busts were Setterfield & Tiziani.
2. All players interviewed after the game referred to the energy of the young boys. Presumably, XO, Idun, Sproule?
3. Bruhn, now with some confidence, looks swift and light on his feet. Has promising upside.
4. Coaching directives changed over last 2 weeks to suit the opponent. Liked it.
5. Giants have got on top of Friday night games. Excellent.
6. As said elsewhere, commentators were twits. They called Perrymann's name as if he was a newcomer. No recognition of the steady work he's been producing.
7. Eight weeks + away from sleeping in their own beds, but conversely, no flight travel before games.
Leon coaches better from the bench.
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