So another loss and another focus on our forward line, surprise surprise (NOT!)...
I was screaming as loud as the next passionate supporter at the umpiring in the second quarter -which allowed WC back into the contest. However, there must have been a call from HQ as it went from 14-6 at one point in the second qtr to 22-20 (so 8-14 after that) by the end. Not surprisingly, we fought our way back into the contest once the umps were forced to take off their blue & yellow jumpers - at one point it seemed the ump (not Maggots or Daggers) at one end (Wallace) was trying to balance out the ‘efforts’ of the other two.
That was not why we lost, though.
Our method and movement inside 50 improves week on week and we were the highest scoring team last week and the highest scoring losing side this week - despite missing one and then two of our best forwards, respectively. I think we are 4-5 goals a week better than the same time last year, but maybe that's just how it appears to me.
That also was not why we lost.
We went into this game missing 2 of our 5 most important players (IMHO) in Tabs & B.Hill, then lost another of our top 5 within a quarter in Walters. Despite that and the lost rotation on a hot day, we pushed a side that was at full strength (who was missing for WC that would get a game if fit – apart from 3-gamer Liam Ryan?) right to the wire. But for some poor decision making inside 50 to pass instead of taking the set shot (mostly by senior players – Sandi being one) and sloppy disposal in the centre (MJ, you are a Freo legend but the game is passing you by) we may have won.
That also was not why we lost.
The simple fact remains that you cannot concede +13 (or roughly 2 out of every 3) clearances or +10 inside 50’s and expect to win games of footy. We lost because their midfield performed better than ours – simple as that.
Fyfe had his worse* game since round 1 and the string he’s seemed to have the ball on lately snapped yesterday. Lachie couldn’t have done anymore and Mundy playing through the middle robbed us of a tall-ish forward. That was probably forced after Son Son went down. Redden played the game of his WC career, same with Lycett and Nic Nat spoon-feed his midfielders even opposed to Sandi.
Yet despite everything stacked against us we were in it right to the bitter end.
I’d rather focus on how well our backline performed (Pearce gave Kennedy an absolute bath and didn’t lose a single one-on-one contest all day). All of Kennedy’s goals came from lace-out passes from unpressured midfielders delivering inside 50 – no defender can stop those. Darling did slightly better against Hamling but the groans & complaints from WC supporters near me when their mids bombed it long - only for one of Ryan or Wilson to intercept mark - suggested that the days of their power forwards simply out marking our blokes in packs are over.
I’d also suggest we are one of the fastest Docker’s sides I’ve ever watched. We have genuine pace across all lines (notwithstanding 2 of our quickest were not there or were out within a quarter in Son Son & B.Hill)) and when we got on the outside of WC (as we did with the Peptides, GC & Doggies) we showed them up for their lack of pace.
We have the foundations for one of the best attacking defences in the comp with the introduction of Wilson and the draft steal that is Luke Ryan (No. 66 in 2016). Our defensive KPP’s seem sorted for a decade or so in Hamling & A.Pearce and with quality ball users in Blakely & Langdon (both genuine quicks) I think the hard work of the rebuild in that sector is, at the very least, on track. Logue is still to come back but I’m not sure where his best position is.
Despite the towelling up they got yesterday, our midfield is also looking good for the long term. The addition of B.Hill, Walters and, dare I say it, Bennell adds that touch of class & polish we were missing yesterday that WC had in top draft picks Sheed & Yeo. Brayshaw might not be lightening quick but seems to have time when others don’t (ala Barra), Cerra will be a star and Crowden & Banfield have that bit of mongrel about them that I love. Ruck-wise, Darcy looks the goods long term and I’m hearing big wraps for Meek. However, ruck dominance does not mean as much in modern footy today as it did a few years ago.
Our forward line is still definitely in the rebuild phase – but you could argue that for most of our history. Apart from Pav we have never really had a dominant key forward consistently produce the goods. Please, if have missed someone out, enlighten me? Tabs was just starting to come good, as is often the case with most talls who need several years in the system, and Apeness has never had a decent injury-free run to show why he was a first round draft pick in 2013. We’ve thrown the kitchen sink at just about every key forward that has come out of contract in the past decade to no avail. Seems we get any number of defenders/midfielders/small forwards happy to come home but not key forwards. Go figure.
It’s easy in hindsight to say we should have drafted more talls but for every Hogan there are 5 Tabs who simply don’t come into their own until their early to mid-20’s.
So I come away from another Derby loss disappointed in the result but delighted by the effort and application under duress of our young list. Certainly, from a supporters perspective, I know my WC mates (they’re not all like that muppet who burnt a Docker’s jumper after the game) are hoping they can pinch a flag while all of JK, Nic Nat, Hurn, Shoey & Frenchy (all over 28) are still firing as the first three I mentioned do not grow on trees.
All in all, I am backing the club in to stare down the Slime when needed (great work on the RG Medal change, BTW), keep bringing in new kids with pace and skills and develop a list and game plan that will return us to the pointy end of the competition. I love my footy and my footy club too much to dwell and focus on the negatives some on here seem unable or unwilling to do otherwise – I’ve got teenagers for that!
*(Fyfe’s worse is still better than most players best – he had 27 disposals, 5 marks, 12 CP & 4 clearances plus a goal - should’ve been 2 at least)
