Posted: 1 Week ago
Drop Pav
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#299201 |
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Well maybe not that drastic.......
After reflecting on yesterdays game, I think I realised something - Pav didn't work at Etihad.
Let me start at Subi oval - with a bit more space, Pav is able to get a better run at the ball and be able to contest marks with only maybe 2 defenders hanging off him. It is harder to get a number of defenders back to cover him without opening up other holes. At Etihad, defenders are able to swarm and instead of the requisite 2 guys on Pav, it becomes 3 or 4. So basically no chance of marking the ball. It is easier to zone off your defender and put another man on Pav because of the lack of space.
The commentators made a lot of comments last night about the ball just being bombed in to the forward line.
This might be a case of "it's just preseason" but I'm going to watch with a lot of interest how we set up our forward thrusts at this ground. I'll also have a look and see how BBBBBH goes next week against the Sainters - really expect him to be in a similar position.
Anyhow - will watch with interest. Obviously Ballantyne would help in this type of situation but I just didn't think our forward set up worked last night.
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Posted: 1 Week ago
Re:Drop Pav
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#299204 |
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Some people really need to watch the game with the sound turned off. Seriously. They probably don't realise that ppl like Liam Pickering manage a few of the players out on the park each game and their comments are made accordingly.
Back to Freo... In case no one was paying attention to what happened during the week - here's a recap:
Sunday: We beat NM at Etihad.
Monday: We flew home.
Tuesday: Prepare for Saturday's game against Saints.
Wednesday: Prepare for Saturday's game against Saints.
Thursday: Prepare for Saturday's game against Saints.
Friday: Fly back to Melbourne.
Saturday: Lost to Saints.
If you look closely at the above you will see that there is no way our better players were going to make the trip and therefore this game was always going to be about getting a run into whichever players needed it, either for fitness (Pav, Hase, Rog, Johnno, Dodd) or experience (as in the case of players like Barlow, Silvagni who are pushing hard for a rnd 1 guernsey).
As soon as AC/DC kicked us out of Subi, yesterday's game was gonna be slightly less about refining our game plan and more about the above.
Another thing is that we kinda came up against a pretty good team.
Next weekend's game is going to be a better indication of where we're at.
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Posted: 1 Week ago
Re:Drop Pav
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#299210 |
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Etihad is definitely smaller which helps teams crowd Pav, but in his defence Walters wasn't much chop (too lightweight and lacks composure) and Murphy wasn't a dangerous option. You put Headland, Ballantine and Maine back in and suddenly the options open up. the service to Pav last night was ordinary at the best of times and lets face it the Saints have a pretty strong back line anyway, if your going to beat two Saints defenders, Pav needs the ball lace up on his chest. Not sure where Johnston was playing in the second half but he didn't offer anything either.
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Posted: 1 Week ago
Re:Drop Pav
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#299211 |
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I think I prefer it when we drop out of the NAB cup in the first week or so - getting to the second last week seems to have made everyone think we are in September.
If we play like that against the Saints come round 4 when we have Sandilands, McPharlin, Ballantyne, Mayne, Mundy and Headland back in the side, then we might have a problem. When Pav is the only forward in the team it's to be expected the opposition will triple team him and our players will just try and kick it to him.
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Posted: 1 Week ago
Re:Drop Pav
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#299214 |
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Walters only lacked composure because of the umpiring .I thought it would be hard to put those decisions out of his mind . Just when he was getting over the first BAD decision they hit him with another one .
I do get annoyed at PAV sometimes ,I mean everyone always picks on Haze for being slow but if i'm correct Haze was our top ball winner last year off of a knee reconstruction . I don't think Pav throws his big frame in hard enough .
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Posted: 1 Week ago
Re:Drop Pav
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#299219 |
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rogerbelly, you'd be happier if we dropped out in NAB round 1 and spent the next few weeks possibly playing in Darwin and Alice Springs?
The NAB Cup is only a problem if you use it unwisely. Success in the NAB Cup is like fools gold, but the opportunity to bring your team up to speed for the real season by playing on decent parks, in cities with sealed roads, is worth having success in the early NAB rounds.
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Posted: 1 Week ago
Re:Drop Pav
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#299220 |
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I'm not sure that either the surface at Etihad stadium or even Melbourne itself are in any better shape than those places superswede.
I'm happy to see the boys get through and was even happier at the chance to get 2 live early season glimpses of the boys over here in the East but it seems a lot of supporters have been dazzled by a bit of silverware and taken their eyes off the ball. I'd much prefer some good performances in the season than chasing a cup in March.
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Posted: 1 Week ago
Re:Drop Pav
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#299222 |
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Ricco
I can think of 571 ways in which harvey could manage effectively pav's performance at Eddie's Hat stadium. It may involve a different management style, perhaps a coercive style or maybe some peer coaching
Ultimately I think the whole team treated the game yesterday as a pre-season game and really didnt put in 100%, most likely too scared to be injured. Which I can understand.
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Posted: 1 Week ago
Re:Drop Pav
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#299241 |
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I think FreakyFreo is right, we treated it like a NAB Cup game, and so did harvey, pav was obviously struggly against the saints backline giving harvey an option he does in many occasions, putting him in the center to try and get hime into the game.
It is a tactic we used lots last year and the year before and it works. Instead we left him forward not risking him in the center. Understandable for a NAB Cup game.
Also being a tall forward at Etihad stadium is an art, perfected by few, Riewoldt for example. In the end it comes down to how the defense handles it, if they can get numbers in front of key big men it can shut them down, just what the saints backline did against pav.
Taking note from some of the greats who perfected the ground, pav can always do some homework on how to play small grounds, he'll have to work fast with the season ahead sensing many fixtures at Etihad.
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Posted: 1 Week ago
Re:Drop Pav
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#299246 |
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Simple maths: if there are 2 defenders hanging off Pav, someone must be free. You can pack anybody up there and it wouldn't make a difference unless you spot the open player. When the Captain calls for the ball, you kick it to him - but they should look elsewhere as well.
Drop Pav? Freo without Pav is unimaginable.
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Posted: 1 Week ago
Re:Drop Pav
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#299250 |
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There is no team without Pav! I am still shaking my head in disbelief.
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Posted: 1 Week ago
Re:Drop Pav
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#299253 |
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No top forward succeeds without being one of a couple of options that provide support and draw off the defenders. Pav has to be our main forward but we need Johnson, Murphy, Sandilands, Clark maybe Bradley and some others, rotating up there so that Pav isn't the only tall target. And if he is calling for the ball when he is in a pack situation, that is not good captaincy.
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