Our Captain - down on form?

[inxs88]

Okay! I said it. Darcy's continued "witness protection zone style" of going missing when it comes to defending needs calling out. With the mobile and close-checking Nathan Murphy gone, Darcy's style of pushing up allowing his opponent over the top goals against him needs to change if we are to go far in September.

With career low disposals and marks since 2018 when he was an injured and broken down forward, he needs to sharpen up and get back to basics. If you want to be the Tom Stewart intercept king playing loose, he needs to get to more contests. What's more concerning is his decision making, kicking and hand-balling (cue the last 3 mins yesterday) has never been more dreadful.

Many of us used to cringe when the opposition allowed Presti to get a possession down back simply waiting for him to turn the ball over. We are nearly at that point now. Advice? Get back to basics, get to more contests, spoil when in doubt and go hard for your marks when confident.

Oh yeah. If you're going to leave your opponent and proceed 40 metres up the ground leaving your opponent alone in the goal area with a teammate.... DON'T!

[i hate carlton]

i disagree. I think he's carrying an injury. Just look at some of his movement. With the VFL side we are fielding at present he cant rest for a week or two.

[Simply_Brutal]

[RudeBoy]

I think Darcy has been below his best all season. Nevertheless, he remains our best and most important defender imo. I can't imagine us beating any top 4 side without our captain standing firm in defence. Sure, I'd like to see him playing better, but nevertheless, even at less than his best, he is mightily important to our team. Maybe, he has been nursing an injury, or perhaps it's the absense of Murphy and trying to cover for others, as well as do his own job, and all with a defensive line-up which changes from week to week. Fwiw, I'd like us to settle on a tall defensive structure built around Moore, Frampton and Howe, for the remainder of the season.

[Haff]

He’s not in AA form that’s for sure. Never been a great one on one defender and without Murphy he seems to have to do more.
Weigh it up, the midfield was smacked until the last qtr so they were inundated last week. Still, I can’t recall him ever having so many clangers!
It’s one thing taking the game on with some risky kicks it’s another to miss stationary targets.
So yes I do think he’s battling. Too good a player not to get through it and once the cavalry arrives and we get an improved team defence, less supply, he will stand up again. I think Dean coming along is very important but Dean is more presti than Murphy so time will tell.

[Craigmac]

Darcy and the rest of the backs need the mids, high forwards and wings to be doing their job adding pressure.

When they dont the ball comes into our backline too easily and makes it easier for opposition forwards.

[slangman]

People (especially the media) conveniently ignore the blatant push in the back to Nick Daicos after he kicked the ball towards Elliott in the dying seconds on ANZAC Day. Although Elliott dropped the mark a free kick should have been awarded down the ground which was 40m out from goal.
Elliott would then have had a set shot opportunity to kick any score to win the game.

Crickets from the media about that game changing mistake.

[qldmagpie67]

INXS all due respect your wrong mate
He’s been left to often as last line of defence. He’s not a FB he’s a CHB
We have had issues in the midfield which means teams are getting frequent fast entries and our style didn’t adapt well to that
Frampton needs to play deepest player, Maynard as lock down defender leaving Howe and Moore to be interceptors

Another issue is IQ has been down on form and no Murphy plus Noble is a ball watcher too often
Hopefully when our midfield is back in full operational power it will help our defence

[neil]

Wasnt he AA last year?
With our injuries he is needed Howe has just returned Dean has less than 20 games Frampton is playing forward because all our tall forwards have been injured
Howe is also swinging forward to help out

Also he may be carrying an injury

[piffdog]

I think this is a worthwhile thread. To the eye has been well below his best. Although a look at the stats will tell you he is averaging rating points (not fantasy points) second to only last year. Probably what stands out more is average marks has gone down from nearly 6 to 4.5.

As others have noted, I think the loss of Murphy is part of the challenge here - but that will be overcome in time I think.

[Pies2016]

I think we can safely say Moore isn’t in the same form that he was last year. Personally, I think the answer is multi layered but I guarantee there would be ongoing internal conversations about Moore’s form and execution of his role after every game ( and that’s no different to any other player )
Every opposition club would view Moore as the key pillar of our defence and I have no doubt clubs are now working harder at taking him out of his comfort zone and forcing him to start on the last line in defence. Then, take away the ever reliable Murphy and flankers who also aren’t at their best and Moore’s flaws are more easily exposed.
I see Moore’s current situation as a bit of a positive because form is temporary and class is permanent. A week ago, our defence, assisted by a dominant midfield held the Dees to fifty odd points. We’ve now climbed to third on the ladder with our B team midfield and it’s the middle of June. I’d be very confident that whatever the Moore led defence put up against the Roos on the weekend will be far better prepared and focussed in September.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

Thinking this a few weeks ago i think Moore needs to have a rest for 4 weeks.
i think he has somethings going on outside of footy.
Must say had it not been for Darcy as captain he would have been dropped by now.
Time to sort yourself out Moore.

[inxs88]

I like Frampton to be the lock down defender on the big boppers such as Larkey, McKay and against Ben King coming up. His forward craft is negligible and the sample size is big enough to come to this conclusion, Moore would benefit being the Dustin Fletcher type playing and playing off their third best forward!!

[pietillidie]

I see you've carried on with this bizarre obsession. He might be a bit down, but 80% of it is our midfield absences on top of an already thin list. You don't panic and change a winning formula and defensive structure just because things are tough, and you don't talk down your current premiership captain, FFS. You stick by him and let him and Fly work it out. He might need a bit of a break, but instead is taking one for the good of the team and ironically warrants praise for doing so.

From those who wanted to get rid of Jordy, to those who couldn't sleep because Ginni was ten times better than Schultz, to those who were marvelling how much better the 28-year-old Bontempelli is than the 21-year-old Nick (two coaches votes in a dominant midfield with Nick tagged and scragged without help), to those who who cower before the claim that we only win because the umpires favour us, rather than bad calls balancing out over time, to our captain now being the worst player on the list, some fans must find it amazing we win any games at all.

What next? We put Caro's photo on the wall and write to the AFL demanding Bruzzy be jailed for a one-percenter on the unfortunate but high-risk Brayshaw?

[Piesnchess]

Darcy needs a rest, give him the Bye ,then the week after v the Gold coast Beachboys, then he should be cherry ripe for rest of season.