Review Preliminary Final v Brisbane - Saturday 23 November @ Brighton Homes Arena

[TubbsFarquhar]

Also the rapid team expansion was a mistake.

Agreed.

The NRLW have got it right with gradual expansion over the journey and only have 10 teams. 18 teams is too many given that the talent pool still isn't deep enough evident by the significant gap between the top 3 and the rest.

 

[Pugsley]

Carn Norf!!!!

 

[Scorpus]

Not that Clarke would ever do that, but if he was going to do it, he should save it for a match we lose by a goal or so, not several goals. Then you just look like you're whinging and people disregard it.

He should run the numbers and point out the enormous discrepancy in free kicks.

Just check out these away game numbers since we beat them in the 2017 GF

18-9
17-15
16-6
18-9
18-8
27-12
19-9

133 to 68 free kicks across seven matches

 

[cmndstab]

3 of them involved horrible skill/decision errors from Adelaide players though. The correct thing for a coach/senior players to do there is to have players forcus on their own game first.

Obviously, yes. There's not much a coach or a player can do about getting poor umpiring decisions.

There have been matches where we've clearly outplayed out opponent, but have had the match stolen from us due to poor umpiring decisions. This wasn't one of them. Could we have rallied and got over Brisbane without the bad umpiring? Maybe. But just judging on the game we actually played, we weren't good enough to win.

In any event, it's probably irrelevant - I can't see either us or Brisbane trouble North next week.

 

[cmndstab]

He should run the numbers and point out the enormous discrepancy in free kicks.

Just check out these away game numbers

18-9
17-15
16-6
18-9
18-8
27-12

114 to 59 free kicks across six matches

Yep, it's pretty damning.

Speaking of free kicks - did we get a single HTB decision in our favour today?

 

[relapse]

Hopefully the club is looking hard at this finals series to work out which of our players are not up to it. It's not like North are going to get any worse in the coming seasons and Brisbane have had the wood on us since day dot. We need to improve.

Mueller, Kustermann, Levy, I'm sorry. Just not up to it when it really count. Martin and Tonon, on thin ice.

Matthew Clarke's not up to it either.

In the early days when the teams were two bit operations, us and Brisbane were miles in front of everyone else. It didn't matter having an average coach because as long as we avoided Brisbane we could pretty much just turn up and we'd win.

Over the last few years teams have caught up talent wise and clubs now have semi decent coaching panels and we're now being exposed tactically.

 

[CrouchPotato]

In terms of umpiring vs our own bad play, I don't see why it needs to be one or the other.

The umpiring was atrocious today, as it always is up in Brisbane, and it cost us serious momentum and gifted Brisbane goals they didn't deserve.

We also didn't play well enough in the second half to win.

Skills errors and turnovers cost us momentum at the start of the the third quarter. The umpiring just added to it and sucked the wind out of our sails. We looked second best for most of the second half.

 

[RePete]

We clearly ran out of legs in the second half. Also ran out of hope. We had what, 1 or was it 2 free kicks for the whole second half? HTB, holding, throw calls all going just one way. What was that one in the goal square? That just killed the game then and there. From how we were moving in the second half we likely lose in a fair umpired game but that was just gross. It reminds me of watching our guys in the SANFL just getting reamed by the fluro maggots week in week out. Like after last SANFL final series, makes me seriously not want bother watching AFLW.

 

[relapse]

If those play on decisions were made in a mens match you'd be hearing about it for weeks.

I've seen it numerous times in the AFL that umpires have called play on after the player has taken a step off their line.

It was a harsh call, but a sideways step off the line is technically play on.

 

[Interloperer]

Clarke's coaching reminds me a lot of Neil Craig. Focus on building a core of key players, and focus purely on discipline and fitness for everybody else.

He's done better than Craig did in both winning premierships, and at Bringing in new talent to replace the old. But the main flaws are still the same.

 

[Interloperer]

I've seen it numerous times in the AFL that umpires have called play on after the player has taken a step off their line.

It was a harsh call, but a sideways step off the line is technically play on.

She played on. The Brisbane player was not back though so it shouldn't have mattered.

I think the decision for the next goal was the worst of a lot though. 30 seconds after a red hot play on call against Adelaide, it's highly dubious to have a Brisbane player allowed to change their mind about playing on after several steps.

 

[Ciao Giacomo]

Yep, it's pretty damning.

Speaking of free kicks - did we get a single HTB decision in our favour today?

Did I see a Brisbane player tackled in our goal square? Appeared to just drop the ball.

Play on……..


Are there different rules in AFLW now? In the AFL, if a player marks the ball or receives a free in the goal square the opposition must immediately retreat to the end of the goal square. I recall us receiving quite a few frees against us a couple of seasons ago fo not instantly retreating. Is there a new rule that you can lurk in the goal square to prevent the opposition switching the ball?

Was there ever an official AFLW comment about the rule change prior to the Kangas match which meant that two players lurking in the goal square within 5 metres of a player does not constitute “pressure” and hence the momentum changing free against North?

 

[Scorpus]

I've seen it numerous times in the AFL that umpires have called play on after the player has taken a step off their line.

It was a harsh call, but a sideways step off the line is technically play on.

The rules of the game say it's play on only if the player "attempts to dispose of the football other than in a direct line over The Mark"

There was no attempt of a disposal and a step is not a disposal. When it's paid in the AFL it's also wrong, the player must be attempting a disposal and not simply moving.

In the case of Biddell the umpire has incorrectly paid a free for what appears to be Biddell accidentally taking a lateral step off the line with no motion towards disposal or attempt at a disposal of any kind

 

[cmndstab]

Matthew Clarke's not up to it either.

In the early days when the teams were two bit operations, us and Brisbane were miles in front of everyone else. It didn't matter having an average coach because as long as we avoided Brisbane we could pretty much just turn up and we'd win.

Over the last few years teams have caught up talent wise and clubs now have semi decent coaching panels and we're now being exposed tactically.

I mean, we're still well ahead of the other teams. It's just that North has finally turned up in the last two seasons.

I'm not convinced either way whether Clarke is up to it or not - but what I am convinced of is that we need to look seriously at the bottom half of our list. There are so few holes in North's list or Brisbane's list, but there are half a dozen players in our best 21 each week who simply should not be there, and another half a dozen who should be fringe players at best.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that we were hamstrung to fix it over the last few seasons as we had state-based drafts, and Port were gift-wrapped every half-decent SA player. But now that the draft is open and the draft concession are finished, we need to get serious about targeting genuine talent. We're fine for key backs and ruck, and probably okay on the wing, but every other position on the ground needs upgrades.

 

[Scorpus]

I mean, we're still well ahead of the other teams. It's just that North has finally turned up in the last two seasons.

I'm not convinced either way whether Clarke is up to it or not - but what I am convinced of is that we need to look seriously at the bottom half of our list. There are so few holes in North's list or Brisbane's list, but there are half a dozen players in our best 21 each week who simply should not be there, and another half a dozen who should be fringe players at best.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that we were hamstrung to fix it over the last few seasons as we had state-based drafts, and Port were gift-wrapped every half-decent SA player. But now that the draft is open and the draft concession are finished, we need to get serious about targeting genuine talent.

We need to go into the trade/draft period with a mindset of improving our list, not holding the players we have at all costs

 

[Southerntakeover]

Why do we need to play the perfect game but our opponents don't?

You think not gifting goals by dropping uncontested marks in the defensive 50 is perfect standard?

 

[jenny61_99]

Apparently. Bouncing is optional

Jesus that was infuriating!

 

[jenny61_99]

We will tire after playing in the heat last week

This was spot on. Our girls were cramping badly in the third quarter. Brisbane were fresher and had far more run.

 

[jenny61_99]

So, my thoughts. Always knew it was going to be tough when they played ****ing Ports song when we ran out. Ports song FFS! They did a sound check before the match and I heard them play Brisbane’s song, then the national anthem three times (with and without singer). But no oppo song. The sound system in that ground is absolutely shite. So ****ing loud in the buildings and non existent in the outer. The echoing and reverb during the anthem was horrid.

We were up in that first half. Playing good team footy but failing to convert our chances. The umpiring was ****ed. Truly awful. Then the umpires upped their efforts in the second half, and the momentum gave Brisbane the boost they needed. They were clearly the fitter team (after having had the week off). We were second to the ball, and as I said, girls were cramping. It’s exhausting when you have to beat not only your opponent, but the umpires as well! But we just have accept that’s our lot in life and we have to be far better than our opponents et al!

From watching body language after the game, I think Chelsea has told them she’s retiring. That’s the impression I got. Stevie Lee needs to as well. Hatcher needs to get her fitness and hunger back or she should be traded.

Marking kicking and goals must be our priority! And time for new blood and voice in the coaching box.

 

[relapse]

The rules of the game say it's play on only if the player "attempts to dispose of the football other than in a direct line over The Mark"

There was no attempt of a disposal and a step is not a disposal. When it's paid in the AFL it's also wrong, the player must be attempting a disposal and not simply moving.

In the case of Biddell the umpire has incorrectly paid a free for what appears to be Biddell accidentally taking a lateral step off the line with no motion towards disposal or attempt at a disposal of any kind

That's clearly not how it works.

According to what your saying that you can move off the line and start to run as long as you don't attempt to dispose the ball it's not play on.

Once you move off the line the umpires call play on, it's always been that way.

 

[crowholder]

So, my thoughts. Always knew it was going to be tough when they played ****ing Ports song when we ran out. Ports song FFS! They did a sound check before the match and I heard them play Brisbane’s song, then the national anthem three times (with and without singer). But no oppo song. The sound system in that ground is absolutely shite. So ****ing loud in the buildings and non existent in the outer. The echoing and reverb during the anthem was horrid.

We were up in that first half. Playing good team footy but failing to convert our chances. The umpiring was ****ed. Truly awful. Then the umpires upped their efforts in the second half, and the momentum gave Brisbane the boost they needed. They were clearly the fitter team (after having had the week off). We were second to the ball, and as I said, girls were cramping. It’s exhausting when you have to beat not only your opponent, but the umpires as well! But we just have accept that’s our lot in life and we have to be far better than our opponents et al!

From watching body language after the game, I think Chelsea has told them she’s retiring. That’s the impression I got. Stevie Lee needs to as well. Hatcher needs to get her fitness and hunger back or she should be traded.

Marking kicking and goals must be our priority! And time for new blood and voice in the coaching box.

A good sinopias of the game. WE looked good in the first half, but could not convert. The umps were against us, but moreso in the last half, just like when the lions just beat us in the last quarter earlier in the year. I think that North will win, but we were a better chance of beating them.

 

[Scorpus]

That's clearly not how it works.

According to what your saying that you can move off the line and start to run as long as you don't attempt to dispose the ball it's not play on.

Once you move off the line the umpires call play on, it's always been that way.

Yes that's right. That's why players can run to the side of the man on the mark and do so frequently without the man on the mark being called to play on

The umpires also can call play on after a reasonable amount of time.

I'm just telling you how the rules are written. It was technically incorrect.

Even if the umpires rightly apply some common sense - eg if you run perpendicular to the line of the mark, there's no chance you are disposing of it over the mark - Biddell got absolutely zero benefit of the doubt and from the actions she took she a) never attempted a disposal and b) could have easily still disposed over the line of the mark. She didn't even motion towards a handball or kick at all, which is usually where you'd see those one step play on calls.

 

[Nicks_out_now]

We need to go into the trade/draft period with a mindset of improving our list, not holding the players we have at all costs

I would put Danielle Ponter and Anne Hatchard on the trade table.

Ponter is just too slow with hand and foot. Gets caught far too often and only plays well against average sides.

 

[Firewalker]

Didn’t catch the whole game but just feel for Chelsea Randall, her brilliant renaissance year was wasted with little support/lacklustre contributions from others in the team.

Build her a statue at Thebarton, induct her into the football club’s hall of fame as soon as possible and keep her evolved in football club for many years.