April 17, 2024

Bye week written wrap

1 hour 8 minutes

No pod this week, but written report below, also enjoy one of our favourite pods:

Nick

Injury crisis - Taranto, Ross, Short - around 40% of salary cap injured (both quality and quantity, young, old and mid career players)

Great start (again)

Opposition string of unanswered goals (again)

McAuliffe flashes

Lefau showed power and some forward craft in air and on ground, tough match up, has big hands even for 195cm

Dow - needed more

Almost Jack 2010 levels of dependency on Shai

Baker in very good form

Young/Miller step back from last week

Eagles young brigade damaging - Yeo, McGovern, Kelly, Duggan

Wanted more from Brown and Campbell

Nice to see Steely warm up with team as emergency as part of large WA contingency

Loved Vlossy’s hanger

VFL competitive but undermanned away vs good Werribee team (lacked any AFL listed onballers)

Ryan v.good as fwd/ruck, Naismith dominating fwiw

Kaleb Smith good without being dominant

Glad for the bye

Andy

TT going out felt like one of the last foundational supports being lost, I was surprised that we were still relatively strong favourites at the bounce

The game was clearly lost in the midfield -23 in clearances, -7 in centre clearances and -21 in inside 50s.

As discussed in the preview, WCE actually has a mature and talented midfield.

Injuries obviously a disaster: the entire starting midfield, both key forwards, CHB and in-game injury to short. All 5 of our last B&F winners.

Stat nerds like us generally believe that over the long run clubs have the same amount of injury 'luck', however, this year is testing the belief. Judson injury after being sent back on with a obviously injured leg is a terrible look, whatever the truth of the matter.

Bye doesn't help that much, maybe Hopper and Grimes a possibility. Lynch's return date remains 10-12 weeks away.

On the game

-Pity they didn't end the game after the Flossy mark, we were up by 4 goals at the time.

-Nice game from Lefau, hard to calibrate the future of a 25 YO, 4th game key position player playing on a team getting smashed in the midfield. But good on him for taking his chance.

-Nank was dominate in the rucks but it was for naught . 13 CPs too. Having a career best year in tackles, clearances and CPs

-Dow hopefully not fully fit, because he's struggling otherwise.

-MJR another solid game, great goal. Disposal, tackle and goal stats all up this year.

-Young and Miller struggled, exposed by the midfield struggles.

-Tougher day at the office for Brown as well. Only 7 touches. Kaps may be in trouble. Kosi not taking his chance.

However, to finish on a high note: Flossy leads the league in total intercepts, also going at 88% (!) for 22 disposals a game. The early AA talk is justified.

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By Nick and Andy

11 ratings