2nd Semi Final 2006: Eagles v Central

[smac]

In all seriousness, what is the problem with WWT? They have been a better side than the dogs all year and most WWT supporters last week were adamant that there are no mental scars to speak of.

As good as the dogs played yesterday, they were helped along by WWT for a lot of the game.

[sus]

Number four - play your best 21 players available. Not your favourite 21 players.

aerie, can you expand on this comment please?

On principal McGregor was left out of the team. He would make my best 21. Vince unlucky. Earl unlucky. When you look at who started on the bench, you surely need two runners. If Pedler was not to start why play him at the expense of someone else that can play in the midfield or have the flexibility to play forward. I would have had him in starting 18 even with Westhoff starting on the bench for the other team.

None of this was the difference between winning and losing!

No, but it was one of many....

But the selection decisions you speak of pale into insignificance compared to the many other basic footy things that were poor yesterday.

[spell_check]

Central 1-39 looks like good value.

Damn, I should have had a bet on that.

[Aerie]

Here are some random thoughts on what Central did on Sunday that their opponent could learn from for the week after...

- they push the rules and umpires to the limit by:
1) Creeping over the mark continuously as not to allow the Eagles an easy or quick kick forward.
2) When they tire, they'll hold the ball in for as long as possible and not give back to the umpire. They did this all the time in the 2nd half last weekend. You could notice the umpires getting frustrated but they would/could do nothing about it. The Eagles could have done this late in the 2nd quarter and in the 2nd half of last year's GF.
3) Little things off the ball. i.e. Cooper getting a corky, McKenzie broken nose, Symmons dumped all after play had stopped. If it is good enough for Central, then do that to their key players and do it early. Get into their runners in Ware, McCabe, Cochrane and Westhoff. No use in doing it to players like the Gowans and Slade as they'll laugh it off.

- they don't care about being clean, but are always moving in waves and pushing the ball forward when they know they have numbers. This is talk and being prepared to run. The Eagles must talk and be creative in the centre. Do not always tap 45 degrees behind to the right hand side as the Dogs have all their players ready to pounce and push the Eagles player with the ball back towards their CHF. Get the ball moving forward at all cost and have runners outside to capitalise on the loose ball. Even if it means starting our hff in Rugolo and Inkster from the hbf corners of the square running in to the centre.

- they close up the opposition CHF with numbers back. The Eagles need two tall options across CHF in Grocke and maybe Shattock or McKenzie with the wingman and forward flanks and forward pockets around to crumb and keep the ball in the area. Leave Passador one out as much as possible at full forward. If the Eagles are going to be under pressure to bomb to CHF, which is more than likely given the pressure of the Bulldog midfield, then make sure we have the numbers there to compete.

- they will kick the ball the minimum 15m to set up in a better position or will handball to a better player to kick the goal. Be aware of this at all times and don't let a Central player further than 30cm away. There was no use on the weekend having Shattock and Cicolella playing loose trying to read the play. Have real close checking defenders as our back six and work at creating from the midfield and half forward line. Colville and P Fiacchi are our best close checking small defenders. Pedler on Cowan and Hier on Schell. Potter has always played well on the Gowans twins. Use the rugged defenders to suffocate instead of creative players to create.

We need experienced men coming off the bench. Earl and Dabrowski would be better options than Fairclough and Jacobs. Or can Lindsay ruck the majority of the game by himself as he did in the early part of the season which would allow us an extra midfielder? Could this be worth the gamble? Cicolella needs to lead the team, with Colville in the background working with the younger blokes and the defensive six.

Of course none of this matters unless we beat North, but I'm still struggling to look ahead to this weeks game after Sunday's debacle.

[Jimmy]

Here are some random thoughts on what Central did on Sunday that their opponent could learn from for the week after...

- they push the rules and umpires to the limit by:
1) Creeping over the mark continuously as not to allow the Eagles an easy or quick kick forward.
2) When they tire, they'll hold the ball in for as long as possible and not give back to the umpire. They did this all the time in the 2nd half last weekend. You could notice the umpires getting frustrated but they would/could do nothing about it. The Eagles could have done this late in the 2nd quarter and in the 2nd half of last year's GF.
3) Little things off the ball. i.e. Cooper getting a corky, McKenzie broken nose, Symmons dumped all after play had stopped. If it is good enough for Central, then do that to their key players and do it early. Get into their runners in Ware, McCabe, Cochrane and Westhoff. No use in doing it to players like the Gowans and Slade as they'll laugh it off.

- they don't care about being clean, but are always moving in waves and pushing the ball forward when they know they have numbers. This is talk and being prepared to run. The Eagles must talk and be creative in the centre. Do not always tap 45 degrees behind to the right hand side as the Dogs have all their players ready to pounce and push the Eagles player with the ball back towards their CHF. Get the ball moving forward at all cost and have runners outside to capitalise on the loose ball. Even if it means starting our hff in Rugolo and Inkster from the hbf corners of the square running in to the centre.

- they close up the opposition CHF with numbers back. The Eagles need two tall options across CHF in Grocke and maybe Shattock or McKenzie with the wingman and forward flanks and forward pockets around to crumb and keep the ball in the area. Leave Passador one out as much as possible at full forward. If the Eagles are going to be under pressure to bomb to CHF, which is more than likely given the pressure of the Bulldog midfield, then make sure we have the numbers there to compete.

- they will kick the ball the minimum 15m to set up in a better position or will handball to a better player to kick the goal. Be aware of this at all times and don't let a Central player further than 30cm away. There was no use on the weekend having Shattock and Cicolella playing loose trying to read the play. Have real close checking defenders as our back six and work at creating from the midfield and half forward line. Colville and P Fiacchi are our best close checking small defenders. Pedler on Cowan and Hier on Schell. Potter has always played well on the Gowans twins. Use the rugged defenders to suffocate instead of creative players to create.

We need experienced men coming off the bench. Earl and Dabrowski would be better options than Fairclough and Jacobs. Or can Lindsay ruck the majority of the game by himself as he did in the early part of the season which would allow us an extra midfielder? Could this be worth the gamble? Cicolella needs to lead the team, with Colville in the background working with the younger blokes and the defensive six.

Of course none of this matters unless we beat North, but I'm still struggling to look ahead to this weeks game after Sunday's debacle.

aerie, great post...and the bit i bolded is absolutely spot on...seen it many times and i say why not other teams do it aswell...hell, its been 7 years so why cant we copy them.

its amazing how the boys from the north are smarter than the rest of the comp...proud to be an lizbefian

[Dogwatcher]

Obviously not too proud Jimmy

[CedeNullis]

its amazing how the boys from the north are smarter than the rest of the comp...proud to be an lizbefian

Jimmy, its never too late to see the light. We're really a great bunch of supporters

[Jimmy]

its amazing how the boys from the north are smarter than the rest of the comp...proud to be an lizbefian

Jimmy, its never too late to see the light. We're really a great bunch of supporters

The Double Blues are the true good side of the force, Darth

[Jimmy]

Obviously not too proud Jimmy

plenty mate, plenty

Lizbef is all the rage here mate nastier than harlem

[Dogwatcher]

Well, my mates and I do call parts of da Hood da Bronx.

[Sam_goUUUdogs]

Obviously not too proud Jimmy

plenty mate, plenty

Lizbef is all the rage here mate nastier than harlem

Its Adelaides Ghetto.

[Dogwatcher]

But only we're allowed to refer to it that way!

[Sam_goUUUdogs]

But only we're allowed to refer to it that way!

yep, all others will be taken out drive-by style.

[Dogwatcher]

word.