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Game Day Tigers V Giants
- Thread starter Mr T.
- Start date
We’re just off this year. 8 games in and we haven’t played one really good game. We looked good against North but let’s face it they are *smile* so don’t think you take much from that. On the flip side we’ve played quite a few terrible games and in between we’ve been average at best.
We lack cohesion around the ground and seemed to have lost our connection. Our forward line has been a complete shambles all year and our go to inside 50 plan seems to be just bomb it long to an outnumbered contest. Lynch and Riewoldt can’t get near the ball and our much vaunted forward pressure has disappeared. Opposition just stroll out of our forward line like a Sunday walk. Coaching staff appear clueless on how to combat the flood.
Signs are not good. This isn’t like last year I feel. Last year we had major injury concerns but still managed to play some good games and get wins to hang in there until the guns returned. This year we have major injuries but we’re playing poorly. Our skill level and execution is a real concern.
We lack cohesion around the ground and seemed to have lost our connection. Our forward line has been a complete shambles all year and our go to inside 50 plan seems to be just bomb it long to an outnumbered contest. Lynch and Riewoldt can’t get near the ball and our much vaunted forward pressure has disappeared. Opposition just stroll out of our forward line like a Sunday walk. Coaching staff appear clueless on how to combat the flood.
Signs are not good. This isn’t like last year I feel. Last year we had major injury concerns but still managed to play some good games and get wins to hang in there until the guns returned. This year we have major injuries but we’re playing poorly. Our skill level and execution is a real concern.
That Soldo one was insipid to say the least. Love how commentary was too busy talking about grippo on jumpers to call the rubbish free but got all excited once again when the mark was taken down fwd for the goal. Not one metion of the free.
Same. Angry really dirty just like I was after the Pies game.
That’s 4 games sides are suffocating us in our forward line with extras and we just bomb, butcher entries, fumble and miss sitters....
come Wednesday I will be up and about but we can’t afford to drop too many from here on.
Hardwick has to come up with another plan and be prepared to at times swing changes in game and put the blow torch on a few players.
His phrase that he likes to use becomes even more critical in a 17 round season.
‘big boy month’.
You are right this isn't like last year! Lockdowns,variable fixtures,and so on. Had we kicked straight we would have won.Given that we had many missing playing against last year's grand finalist and STILL nearly beat them is pretty good IMO. The rest of this season will see sides lose when expected to win and vice versa more than any previous year.The team with the most resilience will end up lifting the cup in 2020.
This is it for me. I think if that game got played 100 times we win 95 of them.
We missed some absolute sodas and had nothing from 40+ go through the middle.
Class of Green gave giants unbelievable reward for their small moments of dominance and some costly 50m penalties against and a no mark to chol he would have slotted.
This is with a LOT of youth.
Yes getting little from Lynch and Riewoldt and it felt like Naish could only dispose of it to giants players. Lynch has a broken hand.
Unfortunately we don’t have long for it to click or we won’t make the eight. On the flip side if it does and given how even the season is and that we still play teams around us we can easily be top four too.
Glass still half full for me but still pissed off this one wasn’t a W.
Changes from the GF
Cotchin <=> Graham
Astbury <=> Balta
Prestia <=> Higgins
Edwards <=> Aarts
Houli <=> Eggmolesse-Smith
Caddy <=> McIntosh
Nankervis <=> Chol
Ellis <=> Naish
Unfortunately the second group doesn't have the same fluency/talent/familiarity with the gameplan for moving the ball quickly and turns the team from premiers into also-rans.
Cotchin <=> Graham
Astbury <=> Balta
Prestia <=> Higgins
Edwards <=> Aarts
Houli <=> Eggmolesse-Smith
Caddy <=> McIntosh
Nankervis <=> Chol
Ellis <=> Naish
Unfortunately the second group doesn't have the same fluency/talent/familiarity with the gameplan for moving the ball quickly and turns the team from premiers into also-rans.
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Which were the good games that you recall from the first half of last year (beating Carlton in Rd 1 doesn't count)?
I still recall the humiliations we were subjected to by Geelong, North and Doggies. I think last night's game was a good comparison to all three of those games, where we were at risk of being blown away but were able to hang in.
I share the disappointment of "letting that one slip through", but I still think there at lots of positives. Thrashing a poor team like North teaches you nothing, but I think the team will learn a lot from last night.
Big month ahead and if we can lift 20% on last night, then we will win a few. We will likely get trounced in at least one given the inexperienced 22 available. However I agree with Dimma, I think that 20% will come from better execution. They are now in a hub and able to address this through training together, which is something they haven't been able to do since March.
Ideally you're introducing your developing players a couple at a time. It's too many to compete against the better sides unless they're an exceptional group. I actually thought we were OK last night for where this team is at. Just got beaten by better, more solid oppo.
Bump
We were the underdogs last night. Our inexperience and inability to execute cost us. The more experienced GWS were able to do what was required to wrestle control of the match.
Plenty of positives if you are willing to see them.
I think Dimma saw the positives, but he also knows where the improvement is needed. This season is strange but at the same time we're in familiar territory to last year with injuries. But hey, we had 7 premiership players missing from our team last night (Astbury, Cotch, Caddy, Edwards, Houli, Prestia, Nankervis) and we kicked poorly and we only lost by 2 goals!! In some ways it is remarkable how well we are still playing, despite not playing well.
Exactly.
How many times we stop, prop or go back over the mark (when not told to play on)???
Is it personnel , confidence in your team mate or fitness...?
I agree to some aspects but i reckon if we get opened up by a team in the next 3 weeks.
The season will be over.
How long do you give a player out of form in a 17 game season?
Rioli Riewodlt and even Lynch??
Either he makes changes on the ground with the group he has or he keeps bringing in the kids.
I rather lose with kids in the side rather watching Riewoldt fade away into the abyss.
My feelings exactly. We are thereabouts and still got heaps of improvement left. Giants gave it their best shot and I don’t think they have massive improvement left in them. Dimma is right we have players still learning the caper. We let this one slip but we have been here before and I expect us to come with a rush at finals time. I am proud of the kids. Getting this type of game time against quality opponents is an invaluable lesson.
Least-experienced teams since 2012
Hardwick's first 58 teams to Round 19, 2012 all had under 80 games of experience, down to as low as 44 games in early 2010.
Essentially we've been cast back eight years in development by the injuries. Apart from the miracle at Port last year, we haven't been able to beat senior teams.
| Year | Round | Result | Opp | Avg Gms | Gms Diff |
| 2020 | 8 | L | GWS | 76.6 | -28.2 |
| 2019 | 13 | L | Adel | 77.5 | -31.1 |
| 2019 | 4 | W | P.A. | 73.3 | -28.6 |
| 2017 | 7 | L | W.B. | 77.8 | -8.9 |
| 2017 | 5 | W | Melb | 78.5 | +6.3 |
| 2016 | 18 | L | Haw | 80.0 | -58.9 |
| 2016 | 2 | L | Coll | 73.0 | +3.5 |
| 2016 | 1 | W | Carl | 72.7 | -10.8 |
| 2015 | 4 | L | Melb | 67.9 | -14.7 |
| 2014 | 6 | L | Haw | 75.3 | -41.7 |
| 2014 | 5 | W | Bris | 78.4 | +16.6 |
| 2014 | 4 | L | Coll | 77.8 | -17.4 |
| 2012 | 23 | D | P.A. | 76.3 | -11.7 |
| 2012 | 22 | W | Ess | 78.5 | +11.8 |
| 2012 | 21 | L | Frem | 80.0 | -22.4 |
Hardwick's first 58 teams to Round 19, 2012 all had under 80 games of experience, down to as low as 44 games in early 2010.
Essentially we've been cast back eight years in development by the injuries. Apart from the miracle at Port last year, we haven't been able to beat senior teams.
I would say Castagna has played well up the ground and more a matter have you robbed Peter to pay Paul? Non performing forward line is our biggest issue this year.
I blame the players but Fly is the new Forward coach this year replacing Minnie.
What about beating Port in Adelaide with our 4 best players missing? A victory for the ages. Followed up by a strong win against Sydney at Chernobyl. A really good win against Freo in Perth when we were again undermanned and lost Nank and Ross during the game. We have not played anything like that this year. Yeah the losses against North and Dogs were bad but we always struggle against those teams at Chernobyl. Against the Cats we had no one on the park.
The one positive is that at least our endeavour is there now. The first 3 games back after the break we were completely disinterested; especially against Hawthorn. Now it’s just our connection, skill level and decision making that is missing. All 3 are diabolical. My God the forward line is excruciating to watch.
The season is by no means gone but we do have to play most of the top teams still and a few on their home grounds. We have only beaten bottom 8 teams. We should be 6-2 right now and sitting pretty. The draw against Scumwood and loss last night are both games we should have won and have left us very vulnerable.
