Game Day vs St Kilda

[Ridley]

Norwood oval really is the baby brother of Adelaide Oval. Its a beautiful place. I liked the dynamic of the game being contested. It was working for us but St Kilda wised up.

It does look a nice place but it is a ridiculous football ground. Since when do we play AFL on soccer pitches?

It's not AFL standard but of course the AFL has its circle jerk Gather Round so no doubt games will be scheduled there again next year.

 

[67 special]

I spoke to 'EX' Hawthorn CEO and neighbour at pre-season training, he was walking his do and stopped to yell out encouragement to Kozi. He said to me that he is lovely kid but he is only a third forward "and will never be a key target"
Probably why Hawks were not fussed to lose him and why early doors with us Kozi is showing no signs of filling the 2nd key role.

I thought he did a bit better yesterday but coming off a very low base. Maybe he can improve with more games. But one passage of play in particular really demonstrated how sllloooww he was to react. Ball kind of changed direction just near him (he was closest to the ball by a long way) and no opponents close by, but he took far too long to react and Saints swooped on it and took it away. He just stared at it initially. Not sure that’s fixable. I know the big blokes can’t all react like a Dan Rioli, but even Nank would’ve been much quicker to react….

 

[tigerlove]

Perhaps on Samson but Naismith would've given us more. He would contest every contest. Kosi just doesn't get to contest to contest which you need to when you're the main man up forward. Kosi should be crunching packs like Lynch and Balta do. Im not convinced, don't think he has that killer instinct but happy to be proven wrong.

Naismith backup only if Nanks injured for me. 31yo, is not the future. Have to play the likes of Kosi and Ryan in those posses and if no good move them on. I also thought Kosi did OK in the ruck. Was a bit better forward than last game but is never going to be #1 forward.

 

[tigerlove]

Basically, Kosi is not good enough to be the main guy, or the second main guy, and if we do have two main guys, he's not required.

We only have one main guy atm and he's constantly injured and could be his time. So until we do miraculously find two main guys may as well play him. I wish Ryan had more meat on him but he looks a bit like one of those body types that struggles to build muscle.

 

[tigerman]

If we had Lynch yesterday, we win, it's as simple as that.
The same goes with Balta if he plays we win.

 

[AstuteTiger]

Naismith backup only if Nanks injured for me. 31yo, is not the future. Have to play the likes of Kosi and Ryan in those posses and if no good move them on. I also thought Kosi did OK in the ruck. Was a bit better forward than last game but is never going to be #1 forward.

That can be said for many other players that we have 30+ years old and aren't the future. If they are performing in the ressies they play. Of course, if lynch and balta were playing cant have another ruck like ryan or naismith or kosi for that matter.

Naismith or Ryan need to come in and support Kosi until Balta gets back after the bye.

 

[rat bastad]

Look, I didn’t expect us to win so to go down by 1 goal sans Hopper, Grimes, Balta, Lynch, Baker, Prestia and Gibcus plus injuries to Trezise, Clarke, Bauer and Fawcett meaning we go in with inexperience like McAulife, Lefau, Sonsie, Young, Miller, Brown, Rioli and Mansell, I’ll take that effort.

^^^THIS.

Geez some blokes on here expect miracles overnight and have unrealistic expectations from the current group given the circumstances.

Take out what we don't have on the park from any other squad and theyd likely get beaten, and for some get beaten badly..

Sorry just my 2c.

 

[Stylo]

Overall hard to be too upset given the circumstances. If we’d scored 3 more goals at the right times this year we‘d be 3-2 and on track for 4-2. We’re playing borderline top-8 footy IMO, just missing some polish and presence up forward which is understandable with missing personnel.

We’re better than the ledger suggests and will surprise a few this year if we keep this up, especially when Balta (and eventually Lynch) return.

 

[leon]

If we had Lynch yesterday, we win, it's as simple as that.
The same goes with Balta if he plays we win.

But we didn't ,,, and so we didn't! Not sure why posters keep stating the 'oh so bloody obvious' over and over.

The reality is we had to play Kosi, Ryan or Naismith due to those injuries. The MC chose Kosi but probably should have included 2 for 2 down. That was the problem.
If we had TL or NB as the sole KPF, they would have struggled with the double or triple team of KPDs too. Lefau is more of a running tall forward, not a serious KPF yet. Cannot really take a pack mark or very unlikely.

 

[momentai]

I thought he did a bit better yesterday but coming off a very low base. Maybe he can improve with more games. But one passage of play in particular really demonstrated how sllloooww he was to react. Ball kind of changed direction just near him (he was closest to the ball by a long way) and no opponents close by, but he took far too long to react and Saints swooped on it and took it away. He just stared at it initially. Not sure that’s fixable. I know the big blokes can’t all react like a Dan Rioli, but even Nank would’ve been much quicker to react….

So would Nanks great grand mother.

 

[leon]

That can be said for many other players that we have 30+ years old and aren't the future. If they are performing in the ressies they play. Of course, if lynch and balta were playing cant have another ruck like ryan or naismith or kosi for that matter.

Naismith or Ryan need to come in and support Kosi until Balta gets back after the bye.

Now you're singing my tune. Kosi was left one out. Lefau is no Lynch or Balta.

 

[leon]

There's no such thing as a third forward.

That's just a guy who's not good enough to be a second tall, which is a guy who's not good enough to be a key forward.

Every VFL player over 195 cm is a third forward.

It's arguable you even need a third tall forward. We had two key forwards in Riewoldt and Lynch and that was plenty.

Basically, Kosi is not good enough to be the main guy, or the second main guy, and if we do have two main guys, he's not required.

Sorry ... just a touch confused here - "There's no such thing as a third forward." but "Every VFL player over 195 cm is a third forward."

And, " We had two key forwards in Riewoldt and Lynch and that was plenty." So you never, ever saw Balta be switched forward in Dimma's era with Tom and Jack playing?

Why we have Kosi is exactly for the current reality. With the injuries to TL and NB, he WAS the only tall forward yesterday. Or we had 1.5 KPFs because at this stage of his development, Lefau is not one at all. More a tall, roaming half-forward.

Who's arguing Kosi is ever going to be 'the main guy"?

He was required because he was virtually the only genuine TF yesterday. The mistake was not picking Naismith (or Ryan maybe) to play alongside so we replaced 2 with 2 IMHO.

 

[leon]

Overall hard to be too upset given the circumstances. If we’d scored 3 more goals at the right times this year we‘d be 3-2 and on track for 4-2. We’re playing borderline top-8 footy IMO, just missing some polish and presence up forward which is understandable with missing personnel.

We’re better than the ledger suggests and will surprise a few this year if we keep this up, especially when Balta (and eventually Lynch) return.

And that's before you factor in any 'interesting' umpiring decisions too - especially at the death when the game is in the balance. To my surprise, I thought we got a couple of decent breaks for the win over the Swans at the end.
But yesterday, a poster said the Aints got the last 8 frees, unless we received 1? But there was the sling tackle penalty on Vloss which gave them the sealer. I actually thought it was probably there. Our players just have to get that out of their game.

Nevertheless, we could easily be 3-2. To my mind, we are better than I expected. Whether we improve from here, especially when our injured return, it's hard to know. Or will our kids drop off a bit with fatigue?

Overall, there is light upon the horizon ... if we start to really pick quality from the draft.

 

[snags]

I dunno, the frees were there and the reviews were legit.

Butler’s holding the ball miss was unlucky for us, but they get missed a million times every week.

Actually thought the umps were ok today.

There's definetly been a change in the way we're umpired last 2 weeks. Hopefully the correction continues.

 

[seven]

Norwood oval really is the baby brother of Adelaide Oval. It’s a beautiful place. I liked the dynamic of the game being contested. It was working for us but St Kilda wised up.

Why was there a game at Norwood?
Dozen better ovals in SA then that crap hole.

 

[Jason King]

Why was there a game at Norwood?
Dozen better ovals in SA then that crap hole.

I think you are taking the *smile*. Apart from Wigan Oval, the rest could be classified largely as bogan shitholes. I refuse to classify Alberton as anything other than swampy territory.

 

[Smoking Aces]

Coaches Votes

Richmond v St Kilda​

10 Shai Bolton (RICH)
7 Jack Steele (STK)
4 Dustin Martin (RICH)
3 Jack Sinclair (STK)
2 Josh Battle (STK)
2 Bradley Hill (STK)
1 Tim Taranto (RICH)
1 Callum Wilkie (STK)

 

[leon]

That can be said for many other players that we have 30+ years old and aren't the future. If they are performing in the ressies they play. Of course, if lynch and balta were playing cant have another ruck like ryan or naismith or kosi for that matter.

Naismith or Ryan need to come in and support Kosi until Balta gets back after the bye.

Exactly. Besides, we are the Tigers. We play to win; not 'just to develop the kids and play for high draft picks', right? Remember, the Dees in the past, Norf, Dorks? And others.

We don't tank ... do we? I think Naismith would have made all the difference that game. Notice 2 x Aints' KPDs won coaches' votes. Clear indicator.

 

[Panthera Tigris]

It does look a nice place but it is a ridiculous football ground. Since when do we play AFL on soccer pitches?

It's not AFL standard but of course the AFL has its circle jerk Gather Round so no doubt games will be scheduled there again next year.

Although the other SANFL grounds don’t have quite the same ambience of Norwood Oval, they all have fairly similar capacities (or a bit higher even). Surely there would be another that would suit AFL footy a bit better than Norwood (for the reasons you outline).

The likes oh Prospect Oval (North Adelaide), Unley Oval (Sturt) or Glenelg perhaps? Apparently Thebarton (formally West Torrens) is a beautiful old ground too.

 

[mk33]

Was at the game yesterday and loved Norwood Oval, had fantastic atmosphere and retro feel about it.

If you can a trip to Adelaide for Gather Round is a must do.
Great vibe in the city, I actually saw supporters of all 18 clubs at Elder Park Friday.
Went to Adelaide Oval for the double header on Saturday night and Adelaide Oval is a brilliant stadium.