That was quite a game.
Certainly worrying in the first half. We were spraying kicks on goal a bit but Footscray won the first half through a much higher work rate than we had. I was there but I was thinking we wouldn't have had as many jumpers on screen as they had. Was sitting there wondering exactly how Footscray were getting so many numbers to the contest and still had plenty on the outside ready to receive. The questions were: how do we stop this, and can they keep it going for the whole game? Surely that sort of manic play that we saw from Footscray in the first half must take a toll?
I think the back line held up well in the first half. We were way down on inside 50s and not too far behind at half time. When the opposition get it in that quick there are situations which are just unable to be defended, which is why you need that pressure in the centre.
In the second half I reckon we ramped up the pressure. You could see the Footscray players were not getting the easy possessions they were in the first half. Footscray will always get passages of play when they can run it down the ground very quickly, they are a quick side with clean possessions. But, if you can get enough pressure going and prevent the clean possessions down the ground, and get some turnovers, you can get them. Footscray are very good, they should be contending for top 4 and a flag chance, being able to overhaul them and keep Footscray to 2 goals in a half is a damned good effort. I also noticed more manning up in defence too, maybe the zones are having to adapt to the quick running game we are seeing?
Lynch was an interesting one tonight. I thought he was presenting very well from the start of the game and certainly clunked a heap of marks. Seemed to have no confidence in his kicking, as you could see with that handball to Aarts in the first quarter. Wonder what is going on there. Seemed to get better and gain some confidence in the second half which is a great sign. But what I really liked was that he managed to be less static and was able to get some space at times. Liked Lynch's game a lot, if he can get some confidence back in his kicking for goal it will make a huge difference.
Pickett seemed to be everywhere tonight. Geez he can leap, not just in the ruck but that spoil he made on the member's wing was great.
Castagna seemed to start the season well but is lacking impact at the moment. Not sure what is going on there, we need Chaos Man back.
I know Rioli gets around to block space all over the ground, but he needs to be more decisive. Gets the ball and doesn't seem to know what to do next, too static and slow decision making.
Baker - what can you say? He is magnificent.
Umpiring? Where's that tin of Pal? What a mess. Leading up to the holding the ball decision which gave Footscray a goal we saw what the problem is really. Gross inconsistency. There were 3 holding the ball decisions in about the 2 minutes prior. 2 could have gone to Richmond and 1 to Footscray. So, watching this, you're thinking, hmm, maybe they are just not paying holding the ball much. 3 good tackles which could have easily been holding the ball decisions. Then comes another one, maybe 30-40m out from the Footscray goal. Bit soft . . . surely . . . no . . . after the previous 3 decisions in a short space of time they pay the softest of the 4 as holding the ball and within kicking distance of the Footcray goal. There really is no explanation for this, you can't adjudicate what were probably 70/30 decisions as a ball up and then pay a 50/50 decision as a free kick. It must do the players' heads in, it certainly does the fans' heads in. Makes it so hard to predict what the silly umpires will do next.
Bit disappointed we only got 52k to the game.
Way more disappointed with the ticketing. I tried, as a bit of an experiment since I had an extra code (my daughter couldn't go), to see what tickets were available from the second they went on sale to this afternoon. I would try for tickets every few hours. We are Roaming Tiger members, so reserved bays. The bays we sit in are for Roaming Tiger members, my understanding is that we get first or even only access to the bays we sit in. So, after seeing what is available constantly for the 3.5 days we could book a seat, I managed to get Row M (I like to be near the front) and never got offered a ticket closer than Row L. Kept getting offered tickets up the back, time after time after time. Get to the ground: Roaming Tiger bays are full of Footscray supporters, I mean full, at least 40% Footscray colours in front of me. WTF? I can't get those seats, how the f*** do Footscray supporters get access to all of those seats? I'm going to email and ask the club, no point asking Ticketek, they're useless and don't give a s***.
DS
Certainly worrying in the first half. We were spraying kicks on goal a bit but Footscray won the first half through a much higher work rate than we had. I was there but I was thinking we wouldn't have had as many jumpers on screen as they had. Was sitting there wondering exactly how Footscray were getting so many numbers to the contest and still had plenty on the outside ready to receive. The questions were: how do we stop this, and can they keep it going for the whole game? Surely that sort of manic play that we saw from Footscray in the first half must take a toll?
I think the back line held up well in the first half. We were way down on inside 50s and not too far behind at half time. When the opposition get it in that quick there are situations which are just unable to be defended, which is why you need that pressure in the centre.
In the second half I reckon we ramped up the pressure. You could see the Footscray players were not getting the easy possessions they were in the first half. Footscray will always get passages of play when they can run it down the ground very quickly, they are a quick side with clean possessions. But, if you can get enough pressure going and prevent the clean possessions down the ground, and get some turnovers, you can get them. Footscray are very good, they should be contending for top 4 and a flag chance, being able to overhaul them and keep Footscray to 2 goals in a half is a damned good effort. I also noticed more manning up in defence too, maybe the zones are having to adapt to the quick running game we are seeing?
Lynch was an interesting one tonight. I thought he was presenting very well from the start of the game and certainly clunked a heap of marks. Seemed to have no confidence in his kicking, as you could see with that handball to Aarts in the first quarter. Wonder what is going on there. Seemed to get better and gain some confidence in the second half which is a great sign. But what I really liked was that he managed to be less static and was able to get some space at times. Liked Lynch's game a lot, if he can get some confidence back in his kicking for goal it will make a huge difference.
Pickett seemed to be everywhere tonight. Geez he can leap, not just in the ruck but that spoil he made on the member's wing was great.
Castagna seemed to start the season well but is lacking impact at the moment. Not sure what is going on there, we need Chaos Man back.
I know Rioli gets around to block space all over the ground, but he needs to be more decisive. Gets the ball and doesn't seem to know what to do next, too static and slow decision making.
Baker - what can you say? He is magnificent.
Umpiring? Where's that tin of Pal? What a mess. Leading up to the holding the ball decision which gave Footscray a goal we saw what the problem is really. Gross inconsistency. There were 3 holding the ball decisions in about the 2 minutes prior. 2 could have gone to Richmond and 1 to Footscray. So, watching this, you're thinking, hmm, maybe they are just not paying holding the ball much. 3 good tackles which could have easily been holding the ball decisions. Then comes another one, maybe 30-40m out from the Footscray goal. Bit soft . . . surely . . . no . . . after the previous 3 decisions in a short space of time they pay the softest of the 4 as holding the ball and within kicking distance of the Footcray goal. There really is no explanation for this, you can't adjudicate what were probably 70/30 decisions as a ball up and then pay a 50/50 decision as a free kick. It must do the players' heads in, it certainly does the fans' heads in. Makes it so hard to predict what the silly umpires will do next.
Bit disappointed we only got 52k to the game.
Way more disappointed with the ticketing. I tried, as a bit of an experiment since I had an extra code (my daughter couldn't go), to see what tickets were available from the second they went on sale to this afternoon. I would try for tickets every few hours. We are Roaming Tiger members, so reserved bays. The bays we sit in are for Roaming Tiger members, my understanding is that we get first or even only access to the bays we sit in. So, after seeing what is available constantly for the 3.5 days we could book a seat, I managed to get Row M (I like to be near the front) and never got offered a ticket closer than Row L. Kept getting offered tickets up the back, time after time after time. Get to the ground: Roaming Tiger bays are full of Footscray supporters, I mean full, at least 40% Footscray colours in front of me. WTF? I can't get those seats, how the f*** do Footscray supporters get access to all of those seats? I'm going to email and ask the club, no point asking Ticketek, they're useless and don't give a s***.
DS
