Baby. Bathwater.
We were electric for patches in the opening rounds in part because we smashed teams in the clearances. It’s a short oval when you win the ball in the middle. The main reason we won the ball in the middle was because of Sandi and Fyfe. I agree Fyfe should get forward a little more, but let him do it from the midfield where he has a midfielder nominally marking him. Would Fyfe as a CHF really dominate against Alex Rance this weekend? He’d be better off clowning Richmond’s midfield, and then floating forward to clown them in front of goals. Don’t give some bloke like Rance the satisfaction of scragging him all day.
As for Sandi forward, he has no acceleration, and no speed. Unless you kick it to him perfectly, he can’t adjust to get to the fall of the ball. And perfect kicks into the forward line are rare. Once the ball is on the ground, you are effectively outnumbered. Also, he’s never, ever, going to get a holding free kick in front of goal, even when opposition players use him as a jungle gym. Better to have him as the bail-out kick from the backline.
McPharlin is fast and handy on a lead. As I’ve mentioned before, he can’t kick, especially for goal. People seem to forget that part.
I like Hill at half-back, but I like him running through the middle and pinging at the sticks more.
The players are there, the game plan is sound, we just need to crack it to 11.
