Post Match. Pies bombed. All comments.

[think positive]

is it safe????

[Pies2016]

^^^
Wait till you read some of the new threads

[Haff]

I think so, I think there is a general resignation about the glass half empty types. I for one won’t be expecting to win another game so the game day thread will be much tamer.

[Piesnchess]

[quote="Pies2016"]^^^
Wait till you read some of the new threads

[Big T]

I think so, I think there is a general resignation about the glass half empty types. I for one won’t be expecting to win another game so the game day thread will be much tamer.

This season is telling us we will likely beat one of the top 4 on the run home ie Sydney Carlton or the Lions

[slangman]

It's got nothing to do with fkn hubris and everything to do with the injuries and other teams going to work on our game style.

/rant

It might not be hubris but how do you explain Moore kicking it directly to a stationary opposition player virtually every game?
Failing to punch the ball through for a behind, set shot accuracy in the bottom half of the AFL. These have absolutely zero to do with injuries or opposition teams working us out.
The injuries excuse only applies to the inexperienced players that are in the team when they probably shouldn’t be. It doesn’t excuse the lack of intensity and application from the core group.
Case in point, Harrison and Richard’s were more damaging than Hill and Schultz combined last night. That is not acceptable and again has nothing to do with injuries.

[magpieazza]

I thought we did well to be within 2 goals of a very good Bombers team tbh.

It could have been different if the kick off the ground hadnt landed in Merrets lap which then resulted in a goal and then not long
after Maynard slips and theres no impact on the next ground ball and bombers goal from that...

Considering our injuries we may not have got there in the end but we didnt lose by 10 goals at least.

Fly says its all about our system and being predictable, and if our squad are aligned to it then we will be at least competitive
and win 1 or 2 games more, but sadly thats about it.

Time to put some games into the Ryans, Allans, McInnes, Parkers, Steenes, Beggs, Bytels, Longs, Deans etc etc.

[maurs64]

^^ Not to mention the excessive fumbling & slipping over every game. Didn't see many Essendon players fumbling or falling last night!

[stui magpie]

^

Pressure and disconnection. Players aren't quite where you expect them to be, so the chaos ball suffers from lack of connection caused by forcibly introducing new players.

[Big T]

I had to laugh at essendums pathetic effort at replicating the Collingwood chant. What a bunch of champs.

[Pies2016]

It's got nothing to do with fkn hubris and everything to do with the injuries and other teams going to work on our game style.

/rant

It might not be hubris but how do you explain Moore kicking it directly to a stationary opposition player virtually every game?
Failing to punch the ball through for a behind, set shot accuracy in the bottom half of the AFL. These have absolutely zero to do with injuries or opposition teams working us out.
The injuries excuse only applies to the inexperienced players that are in the team when they probably shouldn’t be. It doesn’t excuse the lack of intensity and application from the core group.
Case in point, Harrison and Richard’s were more damaging than Hill and Schultz combined last night. That is not acceptable and again has nothing to do with injuries.

What we do know is that you can’t buy confidence at the corner store or train for it during the week. It’s nothing unusual for a quality player to experience a low period over a lengthy career. He could be playing with an injury that impacts his biomechanics, he could be weighted down by the pressure of captaincy ( I’m sure that will be discussed at the exit meeting ) possibly distractions in his private life or whatever. These guys are human, they aren’t robots.
What is Toby Greene going through this year in terms of underperforming that’s any different to Moore’s “ slump” ? Both are AA players who have had a poor season by their lofty standards. Whatever Greenes issue is has nothing to do with hubris. There should be no club hungrier in the competition than the Giants and yet the captain has gone missing. Fluctuations in form happen a lot but it’s always the big names who stand out because their standards are normally so high.

[Gerry Cooper]

That game was the perfect storm leading to a humiliating loss. Yes it was only 12 points but that result flattered us. Essendon controlled the game after half time and hunted us at will.

Injuries, poor selections, and poor team structural decisions, and fatigue killed us in the second half.

We went in with far too many unfit players. Degoey is not fit, he has no power in his running, no closing speed. He may be able to pass a fitness test but fit to play 100 minutes? No way. Josh Daicos shouldnt have played - couldn't kick properly and couldnt run much. Once again he could pass a 'fitness test" but wasnt fit for even a quarter of AFL football. Mihocek didnt look fit last week nor this week before his season ending injury. Bobby has been carrying some sort of leg/knee issue for weeks now. Pendles arm is not right. Quaynor seems to have a recurring foot problem. Most of those players played because the club and McRae are desperate for wins after our poor start to the year. It seems to me, particularly regarding Degoey and Mihocek they should have been held back until properly match fit. We might not have won without them but since we lost with them in that state, its a zero sum game.

Centering a forward line primarily around (half fit) Mihocek and Hill was never going to work. It didnt work last week and it certainly didnt work this time. Kreuger didnt give them much relief and Schultz went quiet after a heavy knock in the third quarter (knee to back again). HH had some cameo moments but as a young player seems to be close to his fatigue limits. Richards was next to useless. One or two pretty moments but watching him hanging outside packs waiting for the easy ball was not a good look. Our forward line might have looked more dynamic with a straight leading forward working opposite Mihocek. However we didnt pick him, just like we didn't last week either. The two old blokes did what they could. We decided to keep them this season so we have to live with that. Both play their guts out but really they are both too slow now. Sidebottom got lots of the ball but his use was really poor and predictable, compounding our issues getting out of the backline. Mind you he had to do more because Josh D was cooked. Que sera sera.

Similar to selection issues, why did they sub Dean? Sure he was under siege but so was Frampton and Moore - and he was the only one taking contested pack marks before he was subbed out. His mistakes werent as bad as some others I thought. I thought there were others more deserving of a spell on the pine than Dean. Also, if he was capable, I would have played Long from the start and made Lipinski the sub.

Nick's growth continues. He is learning about hard tags and was well covered this game. Who stands up when that happens? Maybe Degoey but not when he is still not fully fit.

Finally, Essendon's short passing, high possession game cut us up. Just like such game plans always cut us up. Because McRae is allergic to manning up and playing defensively to break down that sort of game plan. I hated watching Essendon waltzing down the ground while we hung back in our zones. Seeing a Collingwood player run in late (essentially just to man the mark) after yet another Essendon mark was infuriating. Those plays usually ended up in another forward 50 entry which our undermanned defence had to try to stop.

Some positives. Kreuger's last quarter. He kicked two goals and showed plenty of endeavor and presence - one of the few that actually did that quarter. Long showed some good skills and he was unlucky with the umpires a couple of times. He should have played from the start or from half time. I can't think of many other players who showed anything.

When it comes to reviews and reflections I hope our coaches and selectors have a good hard look at their own complacency and processes because a lot of what happened sits outside their front door as much as the players.

Now with more injuries our premiership defence might be cooked. Its been that sort of year really. Que sera sera.

[Magpietothemax]

^Just out of interest, who do you think should (not will) be selected for next week, GC?
Would you be resting JDG and Jaicos, for example?

[Gerry Cooper]

^Just out of interest, who do you think should (not will) be selected for next week, GC?
Would you be resting JDG and Jaicos, for example?

That's a hard question. It depends on their preparation and how they pull up. I would think Josh D might be fit to play. DeGoey's injury might take a few weeks to come really right but hopefully they tailor some training to strengthen his core and maybe he can come right sooner than later.

If they dont come up sufficiently then whoever is fit and able to play those positions come in. The outcome might be ugly but its likely to be anyway if such important players are unfit to play but are selected anyway.

Quaynor is another one to keep an eye on also. That foot injury seemed bad but to his credit he went on to play the game out to help the team.

Schultz should recover from the knee in the back he got too.

[Piesnchess]

Ahhh yes, its always makes a Pies loss a bit more easier, when the arrogant cocky Bluescum lose too, did my heart good to see those cheating flogs go down badly tonight, after leading by 6 goals. They havent won the flag yet, far from it.