Review Round 7, 2018 - Brisbane Lions vs. Collingwood

[spotthedog1]

Dodongo disagrees with this. Dodongo can see Eagles as a 5-6 year player holding down a key defensive spot freeing up Harris Andrews with Gardiner and Payne holding their own down back. Dodongo questions McStay's future and if he doesn't come on, consider Eagles a permanent player. Dodongo keeps Eagles in the team for the rest of the year. He is ready made and it helps Harris.

Couldn't disagree more. Eagles looked fine. He did not look like an A grader. He is 28 now. From here, he physically deteriorates. Even if he gets more development, by the time he's 31, he won't be AFL grade anymore. Could not possibly play until 34.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

McStay did his job today, no idea why he's copping it. If one of our talls gets a break after than, it might be Hipwood. We used him further up the ground but he still only got 11 touches and had no impact.

McStay has played a few quite good games down back but he has not impressed me ever as a forward. His time will pass if we continue to 'ruin' him by playing him forward.

I think he had 3 touches to half time.

Our forward line did not exist in the first quarter, where we had far more inside 50s but none of the forwards looked 'likely'. McStay was part of this. Gardiner has upped his performance recently, holding down a key back spot, so maybe Fagan thinks we might as well rob a possible strength to plug an apparent weakness.

What a pity that Sasche was a dud? One good key forward is what we need and we are away. BUT it isn't McStay

 

[3KZ is Football]

I don't think the issue with the switching was the moving around - it was when we were about 60m out. And we crossed to 80m out. Then into the back half. Then onto our back 50. Then we had one kick forward, and ended up having to kick long to a contest 40m out on a wing. We moved so far back that we couldn't get forward again, and because we moved so far back, the opposition had time to set up, but not just set up, but to fill in the zone further up. If we'd crossed from 60m out to 80m out to 60m out, you'd have heard far less groaning from supporters. I couldn't believe the number of times we ended up reversing all the way to the defensive 50. From 60m out, if there's a good switch, great. If not, kick to the hot spot and see what we can do crumbing the contest.

Well put. This was the precise point made by Andrew Raines who was commentating for ABC Grandstand. We are generally too slow to get it into 50 and also very poor at hitting a target, a lethal combination of failings. BTW, mute the TV and take audio from radio. Works a treat.

 

[AFLQLD]

I generally pick out a player or to to concentrate on at a game, just to see what they actually do off the ball. Last night I watched McCluggage and Bailey fairly closely.

McCluggage is a smart footballer. He is also a hard working one. He is going to take a couple more years to get near his peak, but his top is very high. He has a very good read of the okay defensively but fitness and the reactions of players around him sometimes make him second guess himself. He is busy. Starting on the wing a few times he looked for involvement and, while he didn’t always get the ball he was doing the right things to be an option. Best of all, he is developing poise and composure with the ball that I think is quite rare for a player of his age and experience at this level.

Bailey is going to be excellent and while he makes mistakes now, we should just keep playing him. I will take the losses now to have the wins two years from now - because I think that is the equation. He is elusive and smart with the ball but he can’t always make it work yet. He looks like a really good genuine footballer rather than an athlete with some football characteristics which I think is sometimes the case with some draft picks around where he was taken.

As a side note, on Hipwood - he is getting lost in traffic a bit too much and probably needs to play wider or higher up the ground. He is a one-on-one forward when he is in motion but he won’t win when they try to land it on his head.

Eagles is an interesting project and worthy of trying again a few times. He did work hard and should take a bit of confidence from that game.

McStay is the frustrating piece of the puzzle. He wasn’t bad, nor was he good, nor was he even average. I just don’t know what to make of his game.

 

[M Malice]

I think the team is grasping the game plan much faster than the Gabba crowd who still instinctively groan and bleat like sheep every time we switch the ball.

******* embarrassing ignorance of the game to be honest.

So true, most of the time when there's a jeer for a switch there was no one to kick to forward anyway, sure we haven't got when to and when not to down pat yet but you wouldn't expect us to.

Thoughts on Eagles as a big mature bodied forward player for the moment to give us a target? We have survived without him down back for the last couple of seasons.

I have posted the same previously, Fagan pointed out in an interview this week that Matty couldn't get the hang of KPF play so that's why he was tried down back. If they didn't swing him back during the NEAFL season last year he'd probably be back playing for the Yeronga Devils now. In saying that if he is surplus to requirements in any given week down back due to match ups I wouldn't mind him being given another go up front in the NEAFL, you never now after playing KPD for a year he may have picked up some tips on what the good KPFs do.

Few observations:

1. It was an entertaining game.
2. Considering they have played 3 games in 11 days and lost their captain in the last 1/4, that was a horrendous slip up from us.
3. Our ability to setup from a defensive kick in was terrible and the pies moved with ease.
4. Rayner is excellent.
5. Great to have Beams and Zorko back in form.
6. Bundy horrible.

Agree with most of that, except.

The Pies were coming off a 7 day break, sure they played a few games jammed together before that but with the 7 day break and the sports science people around clubs these days I think the game schedule excuse is grossly overstated. Pendlebury played IIRC most if not all of the first half and we were well and truly in it when he was on field.

 

[royboys4eva]

McCluggage is one of those players who is willing to hold onto the ball that extra half second to second to make the right decision. Those kind of players are rare. They are worth there weight in gold. Watch him go when he builds his tank in the next few years. Berry and Rayner have the bigger bodies and crash in and win contested ball and have polish as well with disposal. You can only lick your lips in anticipation of those guys playing in the centre for next ten years - we just have to retain them. That's the biggest issue.

 

[Cousin Jed]

We'll probably follow that up with a clunker this week to frustrate us further - but boy that was a great game to watch. That's what you want to go to the footy and see.

 

[M Malice]

McCluggage is one of those players who is willing to hold onto the ball that extra half second to second to make the right decision. Those kind of players are rare. They are worth there weight in gold. Watch him go when he builds his tank in the next few years. Berry and Rayner have the bigger bodies and crash in and win contested ball and have polish as well with disposal. You can only lick your lips in anticipation of those guys playing in the centre for next ten years - we just have to retain them. That's the biggest issue.

Yep, I found myself at the game last night saying to my son a few times, "gee McCluggage is going to be a star of the competition in a few years." He is playing really well and he did plenty of gut running last night as well, he has shown little glimpses of class that get you up and about. Reminds me a lot of Pendlebury the way he can weave through traffic. Berry is great, I think long term he'll be a Josh Kennedy (Swans) type. Rayner will be that quintessential big game/moment player, dare I say it, Dusty like.

 

[Caiphus]

McStay needs to run through a few of the defenders standing in his space on a lead rather than trying to go around them, make em think twice about doing it, but overall he got two goals in a game that wasn't really suited to key forwards so it was a pass from me. Hipwood was overlooked quite a few times when he was in plenty of space leading away down the wing into the pocket, he either wasn't seen or they looked for other options on the diagonal and by the time they assessed the situation he was out of range. That was a bit frustrating.

 

[Viceregal]

Couldn't disagree more. Eagles looked fine. He did not look like an A grader. He is 28 now. From here, he physically deteriorates. Even if he gets more development, by the time he's 31, he won't be AFL grade anymore. Could not possibly play until 34.

People sometimes mention that player X should be able to play longer as they were out of the system for a coupe of years (for injury) - does not getting beaten up at AFL level until you are 28 make any difference in terms of potential longevity?

 

[royboys4eva]

McStay needs to run through a few of the defenders standing in his space on a lead rather than trying to go around them, make em think twice about doing it, but overall he got two goals in a game that wasn't really suited to key forwards so it was a pass from me. Hipwood was overlooked quite a few times when he was in plenty of space leading away down the wing into the pocket, he either wasn't seen or they looked for other options on the diagonal and by the time they assessed the situation he was out of range. That was a bit frustrating.

This is exactly right - get on the lead. He is to busy trying to take mark of the year and standing at the back of the pack. Our mids are desperate to hit some one up leading up the ground instead we have McStay and Hippy and now Big Oscar all competing for the same ball. Spread out and make leads and spread the opposition defence.

 

[SRH17]

We need cameron kicking everyone of our entries into our forward 50. Seems the only one who can hit up a target inside our 50.

Witherden?

 

[RU_]

Amazing comment. Every year players retire , players develop & new recruits come in. This thread is full of glass half empties. Unbelievable, I don't get it sorry.

Your join date explains why you don’t get it. Don’t worry, I understand.

It’s an open forum, everyone can voice whatever the **** they want.

 

[SRH17]

I think someone mentioned above that North is around our age bracket? I’d swap places with them any day in terms of reward for effort wins.

Off you go then.

 

[dlanod]

Your join date explains why you don’t get it. Don’t worry, I understand.

It’s an open forum, everyone can voice whatever the **** they want.

Really? Join date on BF is any kind of metric for validity of opinions? That's one of the dumbest and funniest things I've read.

 

[POBT]

McStay was much better in the second half. He seemed to start to focus on making a contest every time. The big marks came but it was the consistency of effort that improved. I hope that’s a benchmark game/half for him. That’s the bare minimum required.

 

[Back2Back2Back]

McCluggage is one of those players who is willing to hold onto the ball that extra half second to second to make the right decision. Those kind of players are rare.

Agreed. It’s a very ‘Simon Black’ part of his game that I’ve not seen in our team since the man himself retired. Basti showed a bit of it with his forward 50 entries but McClug has taken over.

I think I’m at the point now where I’m not disappointed that we lost, because I can see we’re definitely on the right path. We’re at the stage now where one or two mistakes are what costs us the game. Hodge missing a handball at the centre break lead to a direct entry into their 50 and a goal. HA dropping that uncontested sitter 15m out from their goal which was then not mopped up and let another goal in... you take those two things out and we have won the game. Lewy could have kicked straight with all of that back and forth instead of pushing wide for the point - would’ve been a 1 point game with the other stuff ups, or we could’ve sealed it by another 6 points...

Lots of coulda-woulda-shoulda there but we’re so freaking close is my point. It’s the tiny little things that when they get stamped out, we will take the four points.

Also, I do genuinely hope the sweet, quiet, well mannered, reserved ‘little’ Collingwood supporter who sat across the two seats behind me last night managed to find someone who would actually “suck her d**k” for her. She kept yelling for it, surely someone finally obliged.

 

[dlanod]

Also, I do genuinely hope the sweet, quiet, well mannered, reserved ‘little’ Collingwood supporter who sat across the two seats behind me last night managed to find someone who would actually “suck her d**k” for her. She kept yelling for it, surely someone finally obliged.

I hate it when Collingwood organizes day trips for their retirement home supporters too.

 

[James North]

Best game I've watched at the Gabba for ages - bad luck at the end, but it was great to see a four-quarter effort and also see our skills and decision making consistently applied.

I thought we switched where it was appropriate and went for the corridor handball chains where it was appropriate too ... very balanced mix of all the ways we like to play.

If we had cooler heads a handful of times we'd probably have won it - but overall it was a great evening.

 

[RU_]

Really? Join date on BF is any kind of metric for validity of opinions? That's one of the dumbest and funniest things I've read.

He joined two years ago and doesn’t understand the threads being full of glass half empties. If he had been around for the last 5+ years he would realise it’s the norm around these parts.

 

[radiotron]

I think the team is grasping the game plan much faster than the Gabba crowd who still instinctively groan and bleat like sheep every time we switch the ball.

******* embarrassing ignorance of the game to be honest.

Was happening in the commentary box also....about 30 seconds before we got out the back and got a goal.

 

[RU_]

Off you go then.

Read my whole post before replying shit like that, yeah? ‘In terms of reward for effort wins’.

 

[Requiem]

He joined two years ago and doesn’t understand the threads being full of glass half empties. If he had been around for the last 5+ years he would realise it’s the norm around these parts.

You do realise that many/most posters on BF lurked before they signed up for accounts right?

 

[RU_]

You do realise that many/most posters on BF lurked before they signed up for accounts right?

Are you just completely missing the point of ‘doesn’t understand the glass half empties’ or?

 

[BRAB]

Are you just completely missing the point of ‘doesn’t understand the glass half empties’ or?

Don't think the post came across as you intended it to friend. Think it's time to just cop the flack and move on