Byrne had much greater impact than Ison, he still looks fresh and is really applying pressure and hitting tackles hard in the forward half. I’d keep him for sure but Ison needs a spell to freshen up.

Derksen competed really well and the defensive system we have going made him look good, but he’s veeery slow of mind and body. In the first he had the ball deep in the backline and couldn’t decide whether to kick or hand pass to Haynes, he decided to hand pass but he was so slow in execution, and telegraphed his intent so clearly, that the giants player that was covering both him and Haynes had time to turn and run over to Haynes and almost reached home before Derksen actually hand passed to him! Not even Lewis is that slow, when Lewis flowers up he flowers up quite quickly.

Later on Derksen was caught as the deepest defender and two giants slipped behind him so he had to run to cover them, you can’t see it on the broadcast but at the match it looked like he was running in slow motion, he is really slow in a straight line. I’m not sure who would win a footrace between him and Weitering, but I suspect Weiters would have the edge. Lewis is three times faster than Derksen, at least.

Ollie played ok in the midfield in the VFL, but was swamped, give him another week. Williams was a class above.

I like the fact that Cotts had to find form before getting back in the AFL team and when he did come in he turned up to play. Saw him in the Twos game against Coburg and IIRC he was pretty quiet for most of the game. I think Ison is probably our least effective small forward atm, since Flynn Young was dropped, but who comes in for him? Zac has been playing more midfield in the twos I think, and not exactly killing it there either.

Team defence. Thank a midfield prepared to run both ways and get their hands dirty. Even Crippa was running back into defence. Thank a fleet of small forwards who did A LOT of defensive running. It made for a less attractive brand of footy, but it not only quelled the Orange Tsunami — it mugged the Orange Tsunami in their own street.

Where is McGovern playing these days? He seems to toggle between CHF and CHB ten times a quarter! Certainly not playing as high forward and not kicking many goals, obviously. Which makes Kemps repeat misses and Harry drifting out of games so much more. I'd also love to see Hayward playing as a deeper forward (which he still does occasionally) even though he's so good on the wing, I feel like we miss his class as 3 goal a game HF.

No rush to get Ollie Hollands back in. The thing that made him stand out in the Ones was his midfield tenacity and hustle. Well we now have an entire midfield who know how to run and hustle, so we're in less of a deficit in that regard. I'd let him earn it.

I hope we persist with Kemp.

Help him work on his kicking, don't drop him.

I fear our forward line would look a lot more pedestrian without him in it. The flow on effect from that could be that everyone else gets a lot less opportunities.

Not to mention, most of his misses weren't unforgivable. His first two were on really tight angles, you might kick 1 or 2 of those out of 10.

Two others were from 50. Ok, it might've been nice if he kicked one of them.

The really disappointing one was the shot from directly in front, 35m out, when he went for the snap and hooked it. Especially because, from memory, he'd already kicked a goal from a drop punt by then.

But he doesn't look miles off it.

Go baggers.

_________________
The Artist Formerly Known As BamBam7

Team is playing for each other. The confidence in team images winning the contest is high hence player support around. Ball movement by hand is so quick we look quick. Did someone say Cripps Walsh and Hewett make us too slow? With them winning hard ball all they need is support around them and we look quick.

If the midfield group, including wings and HHF continue to pressure opposition Derksen’s lack of pace won’t be exposed. That will suffice. But on a quick track and slicker opposition, I’d prefer Lewis Young, but I can live with Derksen.

I watched the game live from a good position on a wing, and the replay twice. At the ground, Derksen looked slow. Really slow. Also slow with his decision making in first half. However, team defense worked a treat and in the end he did his job. Got better as game progressed. I have no problem keep him in.

Weitering has been training. Just missed last Wednesday nights hit out, but trained Thursday and previous Saturday, so his calf isn’t that bad. Nothing to do with his preseason rib injury. Maybe they were concerned about the flight. Come this weekend, we are playing at home and he’ll have had 4 weeks off. I don’t think he will be kept out.

I feel a lot of the public praise for Derksen may have had something to do with feeling for him after a great team win knowing Weiters will replace him. Also was part of a great defensive unit, so credit to him, and I can see why GWS kept him for great depth to have.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I was a huge Kemp fan in the TAC before he did his ACL. I was rapt in his return and supportive of him in the two years he played in defense, but he was never a KPD, just as his isn’t a KPF.

His kicking for goal is on par with Casboult. Our confidence in him with ball in hand after a mark is on par with that of Lewis Young. Lewis Young,s decision making has improved, so I believe Kemps goal kicking can be fixed. After all Casboult kicking for goal improved when he went to GCS.

Kemps is a very good HF. He’s covers a lot of ground and heaps on the pressure. He’s worth persevering with. Just have to fix kicking. His last 3 shots at goal were from a fatigued player. He works so hard, but how do you explain his 2 early misses? He was kicking that left foot set shot from boundary pregame and getting through the big sticks,

Gov hasn’t been kicking well last few weeks. Can’t remember his last goal. Seems weeks ago. He is good on the lead, and a good pressure forward. But he needs to kick goals. He is not a KPF. Get Derksen forward.

Can’t accept 2 goals for the whole game from Kemp Gov Ison and Byrne. This is not something new. Haywood Cottrell and Ainsworth are required further upfield. Harry in the ruck. We need Kemp kicking straight plus another avenue to goal. Get Williams in there.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Good point except he has earned it. Like Cottrell he can only add more run and more pressure, but whose spot does he take? I love what Acres brings. Big body, hard to move, hard runner, and takes marks. Cottrell continued his hot form from second half vs Effendopes in the VFL. He stays too. Cerra is all class. He stays.

Ison? Williams takes his spot. Hollands isn’t a goal kicker.

Says to me he’s great depth. Great depth make great teams. Or, he’s Trade bait, so we must play him at some stage. I love Ollie, but he’s stuck at present.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue