Crows 2016

[JK]

Backline (Tahlia in particular) looked spent about 10 mins into the last quarter. Might require a season to get used to the required fitness levels for the Pyke model?

[MW]

Backline (Tahlia in particular) looked spent about 10 mins into the last quarter. Might require a season to get used to the required fitness levels for the Pyke model?

You would not think so for players such as Talia. The major players in the Pyke defence model is the midfielders who should have the engine already.

[bennymacca]

We need improvements from our lockdown small defenders. The likes of Rioli, Motlop, Puopolo, etc have exposed this weakness.
We have the high possession winning backmen (well not of late though) but not sure they are defensive enough when the ball hits the ground.

seems to be when cheney has to play one one of those smaller ones that we get in trouble. Brown seems to be doing a good job, but if a team has more than one smaller threat we seem to get in trouble. Not really sure who else could come in though.

[Booney]

Backline (Tahlia in particular) looked spent about 10 mins into the last quarter. Might require a season to get used to the required fitness levels for the Pyke model?

You would not think so for players such as Talia. The major players in the Pyke defence model is the midfielders who should have the engine already.

The sides who have beaten you, the top sides, have exposed Douglas, Thompson and the Crouch brothers lack of leg speed. Ergo, Sloane stands out in those matches as the only one who covers the ground in both directions.

[bennymacca]

Yep, well established problem. Though I think Milera and Atkins in particular have given us a lot more pace than we did have.

[MW]

Yep, been a problem for a while now that lack of leg speed. Milera should help in the next couple of years but our other speed (Seedsman, Smith) can't find it or when they do, are spraying it.

[Booney]

No point being fast if Milera and the ball don't find themselves in the same spot at the same time.

Can't play Milera, Betts and Cameron IMO. If you do, one of them needs to be more mid than fwd.

[Booney]

Yep, been a problem for a while now that lack of leg speed. Milera should help in the next couple of years but our other speed (Seedsman, Smith) can't find it or when they do, are spraying it.

The good sides, with good systems and belief in those systems know how to stop key personnel, as demonstrated in the last two losses. The Dogs and Cats have shut Seedsman and Smith out of the game.

[Mickyj]

No point being fast if Milera and the ball don't find themselves in the same spot at the same time.

Can't play Milera, Betts and Cameron IMO. If you do, one of them needs to be more mid than fwd.

What I saw was Betts and Cameron going down back getting the ball moving it forward either no one there .
Or it being kicked to A forward standing two or three men .

[JK]

Yep, well established problem. Though I think Milera and Atkins in particular have given us a lot more pace than we did have.

Fair call on Atkins, seems to get to a lot of contests and cover a lot of ground. Work in progress still but goes alright Imho

[bennymacca]

No point being fast if Milera and the ball don't find themselves in the same spot at the same time.

Can't play Milera, Betts and Cameron IMO. If you do, one of them needs to be more mid than fwd.

Cameron played on the wing.

Milera is a first year player, I'm gonna cut him a lot of slack

[bennymacca]

Yep, well established problem. Though I think Milera and Atkins in particular have given us a lot more pace than we did have.

Fair call on Atkins, seems to get to a lot of contests and cover a lot of ground. Work in progress still but goes alright Imho

He has improved a fair bit more than I thought he would.

[hawks21]

No point being fast if Milera and the ball don't find themselves in the same spot at the same time.

Can't play Milera, Betts and Cameron IMO. If you do, one of them needs to be more mid than fwd.

Cameron played on the wing.

Milera is a first year player, I'm gonna cut him a lot of slack

Atkins start to the year has been really solid and consistent against some quality opposition, relishing the no sub rule.

We only look slow when our runners like Smith and Seedsman are well held like Friday night. Missing Laird with his run and carry as well. Unfortunately we have had 2 games where a lot of our good players have had bad games together. With Milera and Betts up forward I like the idea of Cameron on a wing/midfield and even running off half back. His tackling pressure is a highlight!

IMO our run/pace from half back is sound (Laird, Smith, Seedsman, Henderson, Atkins) we are really just crying out for some outside run in the midfield that the Crouch’s and Thommo can give the ball too from stoppages.

[Corona Man]

How do you crows lads feel about some of the kicking in your back half Friday night. As a "independent" observer of the game some of the skills by foot from your guys were well... awful. No one likes to be over critical of their own, but that must be a concern. Earlier this season I posted that the crows had improved that part of their game. Friday night however the kicking woes seemed to return...

[cracka]

How do you crows lads feel about some of the kicking in your back half Friday night. As a "independent" observer of the game some of the skills by foot from your guys were well... awful. No one likes to be over critical of their own, but that must be a concern. Earlier this season I posted that the crows had improved that part of their game. Friday night however the kicking woes seemed to return...

That & some ordinary decision making has been hurting us.

[bennymacca]

How do you crows lads feel about some of the kicking in your back half Friday night. As a "independent" observer of the game some of the skills by foot from your guys were well... awful. No one likes to be over critical of their own, but that must be a concern. Earlier this season I posted that the crows had improved that part of their game. Friday night however the kicking woes seemed to return...

All about pressure.

In the first month or the season I would say our kicking was one of the best in the comp (i think i remember hearing a stat to that effect too)

Players like laird, seedsman, atkins and smith were allowed to deliver without that much pressure, and all are elite kicks.

But the last couple of weeks teams have realised that if you sit on these guys it slows down our counter attacking style of play, and as soon as our ball movement is slow, it starts to look very average. Same with a guy like henderson - looks very good if he is allowed space to deliver the footy but burnt it a lot on the weekend.

Im not too worried as we have still shown we can score against some quality teams with limited opportunity, but yes, it will be something that has to be looked at. Even freo did a pretty good job at shutting us down for large parts of the game.

[mighty hounds]

How do you crows lads feel about some of the kicking in your back half Friday night. As a "independent" observer of the game some of the skills by foot from your guys were well... awful. No one likes to be over critical of their own, but that must be a concern. Earlier this season I posted that the crows had improved that part of their game. Friday night however the kicking woes seemed to return...

All about pressure.

In the first month or the season I would say our kicking was one of the best in the comp (i think i remember hearing a stat to that effect too)

Players like laird, seedsman, atkins and smith were allowed to deliver without that much pressure, and all are elite kicks.

But the last couple of weeks teams have realised that if you sit on these guys it slows down our counter attacking style of play, and as soon as our ball movement is slow, it starts to look very average. Same with a guy like henderson - looks very good if he is allowed space to deliver the footy but burnt it a lot on the weekend.

Im not too worried as we have still shown we can score against some quality teams with limited opportunity, but yes, it will be something that has to be looked at. Even freo did a pretty good job at shutting us down for large parts of the game.

At the game Friday night i spent more time watching the Crows defence. I lost count of how many times we had players level with Cats players and proceeded to let them run into the space behind us allowing them scoring opportunities. We won't make it out of the first round of the finals if we make it. Our defence needs to tighten up a lot.

[Dutchy]

When is Scott Thompson going to announce his retirement?

[bennymacca]

When is Scott Thompson going to announce his retirement?

Was awesome for the first 6 rounds of the year, and to be honest we still need him as the crouch boys aren't there yet.

Could see him playing next year too

[Booney]

When is Scott Thompson going to announce his retirement?

Was awesome for the first 6 rounds of the year, and to be honest we still need him as the crouch boys aren't there yet.

Could see him playing next year too

I hope so!