Bloods v Panthers match report

There could be a couple of ways to look at this contest. Firstly, that Westies were lucky to get close to a pretty strong team that dominated the play and were always going to win but wasted chances in front of goal. Secondly, that Westies, racked with injury and playing a team of kids, were competitive all day and took it right up to a superior team. I’m leaning to the second but the first might be more accurate.

In a big blow Still didn’t play and so Fisher came back into the side. We had Durdin (1 game), Favretto (1), Watchman (0), Carter (3), Anderson (9), Dijksman (10) start which is encouraging for next year given that this game meant little in the context of our season.

We hung in all match as the Q by Q scores indicate but the scoring shots tell a different story:
1Q WA 2.0, SA 2.4
2Q WA 4.0, SA 5.6
3Q WA 5.1, SA 8.11
Final WA 8.2, SA 10.13

It was pleasing to see the manner in which the team ran out the final term. They outscored South, played with a lot of belief and never gave up.

However, there were times that the match looked little more than a training run for South as they moved the ball around with so much more precision and skill than us. The old mistakes were there for the Bloods and they all come back to poor disposal and poor decision making. Why do we kick into the centre when clearing the ball from a back pocket? Why do we kick to a 2 on 1 contest? Why do we kick the ball over the head of a leading player? Why do we handball to a team mates feet? Why do we kick sideways? These are fundamentals of the game and too many of our experienced players are regular offenders in these key areas.

Beech was our best player by a mile. It would be great to have him playing forward and kicking goals but he wouldn’t get as much of the ball. He can take a strong grab and his disposal is the best in the side. Aaron Anderson continues to improve and looks every inch a league footballer. Caire and Green were competitive all day, Green playing forward at times and even kicking a goal. I suspect that after kicking the goal he wouldn’t move! Favretto looked promising and should play next week. Keogh didn’t stand out but was effective in keeping the dangerous Eddy to 2 goals. Silverlock got plenty of the ball but seems to play his game in short bursts. He injured his knee when caught on his wrong side and was tackled to ground.

In a team containing so many young kids it is reasonable to expect some of the more experienced players to stand up. Hayes, with 112 SANFL games, again disappointed and was rarely sighted. Nelson drops too many field marks. Tuck had a quiet one and Schmidt, despite getting plenty of touches didn’t exert any great influence on the contest.

Sadly, mention must be made of the umpiring. Simply put, it was appalling. South got the better of it with 26 frees to our 16. Players and spectators were left confused at the immature interpretations and there were far too many 25m penalties. One of the umpires is yet to have his first shave.

Special mention to Shane Birss. He played well for his 20 touches and his disposal is of a high standard. Congratulations to him on his footy career and his contribution to our club.

The 2s went down 14.16 to 11.8 but recovered well after a dreadful 7 goal to 1 first Q.

Thanks b&r for another great report.
I think if you have a footballer who has poor disposal and makes poor decisons, you have a footballer who can't play.

That's an excellent report, b&r and sums it up pretty well.

I thought Tuck was a little better than your thoughts, especially in that his short kicking regularly finds a target and he gets clearances.

There's no doubt our skill level has been poor lately and is costly. We clearly need some pace around the ball and some 'zip' and authority.

Our injury list is a huge concern also.

We kept at it today, without ever looking like winning, but it was at least a better effort.

Only 5 of the 21 hadn't come up through our junior teams.

Wow B&R I thought R&B / Lee was the most positive and optimistic Bloods supporter but I think you have taken it to a new level. Well Done

Despite having 13 less scoring shots I am determined to take the lead of the facilitators of this blog and stay positive.

Some key positive points from yesterday:
* Finding a park was really easy
* Did not have to wait at the canteen once
* Played guess the game plan yesterday with some mates and we were left thoroughly entertained with no one really working out the answer by the final bounce.
* "You learn the most from your mistakes". Based on this we earnt a PHD yesterday and should be better for it.
* Green & Beech...good all day
* Fisher's goal...v gd
* Quality umpiring at half time...should have kept the whistle in the second half.
* South cheer squad...good on them, could do with a few more teeth and few more years in school but points for passion.
* ST could not have been vindicated any more regarding his indirect kicking theories. An astute observer.

* We are one more game further to finishing this season. Please let it end

Lee Harradine wrote:

Only 5 of the 21 hadn't come up through our junior teams.

Lee, does this say something about a lack of emphasis on skills in our player development program?

Random thoughts.

1. Don't really know if we did well or not.
2. When Durdin kicked the ball sideways and turned it over was it his fault or Keoughs for calling for it.
3. Lost the hitouts and won the clearances. Good experience for both Carter and Nelson. Brooksby is a very hard worker.
4. Dijksman needs to be given the team play talk.
5. Favretto looks lazy at times but has huge potential.
6. Anderson is going to be a very good SANFL footballer.
7. Don't think I have seen a shepherd all year.
8. Beechy was fantastic and is now our best player.
9. With STILL not playing Aldo is lost.
10. Bring on the Eagles. Is it Goddens last game as coach for them.   

Second Team wrote:
9. With STILL not playing Aldo is lost.

What point is it you're trying to make here?

aldo russian wrote:

Lee Harradine wrote:

Only 5 of the 21 hadn't come up through our junior teams.

Lee, does this say something about a lack of emphasis on skills in our player development program?

I don't know, aldo, but you make a good point.

The end of season review will look at all aspects of this and possible improvements directly relating to your point have already been discussed.

I think the discussion above is good reading and I'd make a couple of points:

Injuries are no excuse, but it is a fact that it's been a shocker of a year for injuries and, unfortunately, suspensions. Posters have been calling for young players to be promoted. Well, they've been promoted, but the step to senior footy is big. I thought Nick Favretto certainly showed he can become a permanent fixture in our league side.

I think skills, to some degree, are related to confidence. When we beat Port and Sturt, our skills were the best I'd seen for a while. Our change of direction was effective also. Yesterday, our skills were poor and, as other posters have corectly said, our change of direction was largely ineffective.

The current gap between our top few players and many others is too great, but we had a very inexperienced team yesterday. I thought we were outplayed mist of the day, but we never stopped trying and I'm happier with that than some recent efforts.

All that said, however, this season has been unacceptable and it is now up to the club to recruit as well as possible and have an angry and committed team ready for round 1 next year.

After we beat the Eagles next week.

I think players like Favretto and Anderson already have better skills than half our current A grade list. That is our problem.   

As I said before who ever is in charge MUST get the Jnr coaches (under 15,16 18,tns) and put more
Emphasis on Skill (kicking,h/ball )especially in lifting your EYES when you have the ball

On another note
I have seriously been  giving it a lot of thought about Recruiting Shane Birss as Head Coach when the club asks for Nominations

He would have just come fresh  out of the game his knowledge of being on the field in seeing and hearing what goes on
I believe the players would look up to him

Norwood done this with Ben Warren

Is it just me or has the enthusiasm reduced significantly both on and off the park???

Lets reflect on the mood within the South supporters on Sunday....that was us a few years ago.

Could it be supporters are now trying to dumb the pain with a potential outlook of years of substandard performances to come. Learn to accept mediocrity perhaps and get back to the days when we walked away from a game with a warm feeling if we just saw a good contest??

Does the average supporter just assume we are so poor we cant afford to get ourselves out of the S**t even if we wanted to?

For example...just in the last few weeks I have seen once passionate posters in this forum water down the tone of their posts.

I think we were lucky not to be beaten by 6+ goals on our own dung heep last weekend and if you read the tone of this thread we are lauding the prospects of a handful of kids and a handful of once great players who are playing well below the standard they have exhibited in previous seasons.

We have gone from SANFL finalists to a laughing stock in less than one season...

I know the board is passionate and hardworking (as are the many volunteers) but I just dont know what is being done to stop the rot??

Does anyone feel the same?

I feel the same way. I think the Board made a huge mistake not keeping Collins. A top three finish three years in a row for a Club that had really struggled. All the responsibility should not fall with the coach and we've had issues with injuries but some of the performances this year have been very poor - in recent years we always got a good contest but that has hardly happened his season.

I've enjoyed the past few seasons a lot but that has disappeared this season and I'm actually looking forward to it ending.

Speaking for myself, my enthisiasm has dropped to it's lowest ever level. Combination of AFL teams in the comp + the direction the club is heading and recent dramas and decisions have just pissed me right off.
My old man who has been member for a very long time has attended his lowest number of games he can recall as well. I was very pissed off out how the club treated it's members when voting yes to the Crows and port and refused to buy a membership this year as a result (what was the point, the money might have been spent on someone's kids Private school tuition and what voice would I get anyway....)
It concerns me that criticism is often downplayed when it is warranted at Westies. I thought Mickan being appointed was a bad move at the time and nothing has changed that view now.
I really thought we would do okay this year, we had minimal impact from the loss of AFL players compared with other clubs (e.g. Sturt, Eagles & Norwood) and whilst we lost 4 very good players, we recruited the worst recruits I can ever remember to replace them. None have been good and Hardy and hayes are just no value at all.
The lack of money is concerning and tiresome, our recruiting is crud and god knows what the board are doing (yes I know they volunteer, but that does not mean they are doing a great job!), we have a coach that I think is well past it and a group of players with very poor skills and mental application.
Whilst I love westies, I have found other things that keep me entertained in my very valuable free time. I was there every week in the dark years post 2003, I can't be bothered watching performances like Sturt @ Unley when I left at half time anymore.
I am with you billrobs1

I'm glad to read other members are voicing their opinions here and the last 3 posts were spot on.
This club that has gone around in circles since i can remember, we bob up now and then to play finals, but there are too many years apart when we do and then it's a huge slide backwards again. History repeats over and over with our club far too often, there's no stability where we can play finals consistently, and it's no wonder we have the smallest supporter base in the league. (apart from South)
I also agree with others, i hated the boards decision to vote yes for the AFL reserves sides to enter our competition.
Not sure where West Adelaide go from here. I suppose the goody two er's will tell us to be patient with MM and don't judge him after just one season. Sorry but that doesn't wash with me.

Random thoughts.

1. Our skills didn't improve at all in 5 years under Collins and we are playing for it now.
2. Injuries killed our year and its hard to judge Mickan without a full team.
3. Always thought the bays played well under Mickan.
4. Stevens and Newell are good players but are still young.
5. Hardy at training has more skill than half of our team combined but cannot get on the field.
6. Through injuries we now know that Carter is a ruckman that will only get better with more games.
7. A.Anderson and Favretto can already kick better than 90% of our team.
8. Webby has had his ankle operated on and now just needs a groin and shoulder operation.
9. Beachy is a gun.
10. Stuff this year and bring on 2015.     

ST
* Collins record at West speaks for itself. Your comments re skills under Collins can not be substantiated. I have not heard from anyone else who shares this view. My view (which also can not be substantiated) is the skill levels have dropped this year from last year, the endeavour has clearly dropped and we are far more inconsistent.
* As for endeavour - your earlier point regarding a lack of shepperding was very accurate and has been the case all year.
* Form on the track means nothing if it does not replicate on the field.
* I would love to find something positive about MM in his role this year. I go to most games but I am clearly not as close to the club as yourself and a number of other forum members.....I must be missing something but is there just ONE thing that we can say he has achieved this year...lets just start with ONE!!!
* If there is lots of great development work happening in the background that MM is leading and this will yield something next year then I would love to hear it (and I am sure many other members would like to hear it as well)
* If not could it just be a case of the Blind leading the Blind?

Good to read posters' views.

I've shared my thoughts, so I won't repeat them, except to say my enthusiasm for next year is still high.

It's been somewhat of a wrecked season from the start, but 9th place is unacceptable to all of us, so I'll give an update on some steps being taken now.

First, with Mark here well before the pre-season this year, all players will be doing a full pre-season and injured players will be having their surgery as soon as possible, unlike last year due to the gap before Mark's appointment. Like all clubs, we are also restricted in recruiting because of salary cap requirements, but we are well aware of our weaknesses and are acting to remedy them with targeted recruits.

Some players leave every year, but the good news is that all key players seem keen to play again next year.

As for the Board, I agree that the fact we volunteer shouldn't be a factor in judging performance and the Board wouldn't expect that. We have been very busy and our approach will very much be to closely involve members and supporters in the drive to make us stronger both on and off the field.

None of us wants to go back to 'the old days'. We all want one thing - a football team that rewards our supporters and is a team we want to watch win.

I'm driven by that one aim above all else, so is the whole Board. I'm sick of looking back 30 years to our last premiership.

Expect several announcements after the season ends and I encourage everyone here to be active in making us stronger.

Thanks for that update Lee.

In relation to Second Team's comments about skills, our skills were much better under Collins, as was the endeavour. There are players who have gone backwards this year while I witnessed players and the team improve under Collins.

I'm certainly giving the coach my support next year.

That doesn't for one minute mean that I accept the terrible season we have just had and nobody should.
It has been well covered on this site various reasons for the decline in our performances this past season and I am certain that (in fact I know) these will not be allowed to happen again.