Yes its only one game and as tony shaw said its perhaps an aberration that game and continued by saying it’s a long season ahead but we dont have a crystal ball so we can only critique what happened last night, if we’re fair dinkum lets go through this side....
There were players who last night made mistakes who we dont expect too so they aren’t going to get the full brunt here cause more so than not they’re the one who put in the hard yards week in week out but some players who have been branded for not tackling or applying pressure are getting games, what makes this thread and my post meaningful in my eyes is that im a Wallace fan but last might i blamed him for the loss, why? He put in his favourites ahead of players who should’ve got the nod on preseason form like the blues did with their selections...
Just being honest;
McMahon, Bowden and Edwards, Edwards only cause he’s still young and light and has time on his side but these 3 should not have played last night, Polo, Thompson and Rance should’ve played...
Jay *smile* well i backed him to kick some goals and maybe the ball didn’t come in as he would have hoped but gee, i dont know if he works hard enough...You look at Morton he presents and presents and is rewarded...
McGuane and Raines both hard at it but dont have footy brains dont know what to do with the ball when running out of defence, clueless, the ball rebounded so many times i was pulling out my hair....
Rance in as another tall he must be developed further and starting now also another small back who can use the ball, whether that’s Connors or Collins or even Nathan brown, a bit of a heath Scotland role...we need good ball users running the ball out, FULL STOP.
Thompson, Collins, Polo, Cotchin and Cogs will add hardness and skill to the midfield as we got smashed from what i saw in the packs...That’s just a better rotation to go with lids, foley, cuz, tuck...Jackson he’s had a good pre season but gee u still gotta get the ball and use it well...
In our fwd 50 no defensive pressure, i repeat no defensive pressure why on earth wasn’t Nahas promoted? Im blaming u terry, enough is enough!
Against the pies and even freo he chased and harassed, like his life depended on it...the blues with betts or Robinson put pressure on in their fwd line, we didn’t have those small blokes in our fwd 50 who chase and harass....
Nahas and Hislop should play fwd for their harassment, chasing and tackling...Its called pressure terry...Even have Thompson in there at times when rotating from the midfield, his 2nd efforts are what this teams needs.
Nathan Brown u know what, might have to put him in the HBF, has vision and on most occasions users the ball well, not last night but overall he is skilful...leave Morton their for his kicking and overhead marking, 3 talls one being jack the other 2 can fight it out from vickery, post, clever or patto....Or have Richo at HFF with Jack and 1 more tall needed...
McMahon in the heat of battle craps himself, Bowden in no mans land and Edwards just too light for the position he is expected to play in, plain dumb playing him in the backline not strong enough and got monstered most of the night...If Edwards is to play anywhere its small fwd like he did well last year against the bombers and lions by memory, if he cant hold on to that possie its reserves then until his body develops to a future midfield role.
Young Browne sure he fumbled and made some blunders but u know what last week he was a rookie and now on the senior list and at only 18 and a 208cm ruck will take time to develope, i think he was a bit overawed with last night then again i think most of the team were...
One final msg for Terry, we as supporters are being honest here i just hope you can do the same and make the hard calls even after one round...
My advice, play guys who want to bleed for the side, play guys who can use the ball, play guys who’s form warrants it, this i say more for the preseason when guys like Rance, polo and thompson and even Nahas looked good and showed decent form, from what i saw Edwards whom i like had an average preseason as did Bowden and McMahon made mistakes look all to familiar IMO under pressure...
Whats amazing is we have known for yonks we have players who dont apply enough pressure on the man and ball and we have players who do but are not in the side, mark robinson said "tackle or Die" in his article yesterday but seems terry isnt on the same page, will he ever and i supported this coach to the hilt...
Its not about winning next week or the week after its about assembling a side who can take you deep into the finals and having a tilt at the flag, that side last night will not take u there, sure it could’ve been an aberration that game last night and next week they could lift their intensity 10 fold but if u want to make finals and have a tilt at the flag u need players who can use the ball well but also certain players who can advantage the team in certain positions like the back half, fwd pockets and midfield...we got these players but most mentioned above in my post were not playing, sure some injured but most over looked for i dont know what reason...
Like i said theirs 21 weeks to go and a hell of a lot of footy to be played but changes need to be made, STOP playing favourites and start playing guys on early preseason form...