Riewoldt and Cotch are both spent. Cotch can’t get from contest to contest, has zero outside run and can’t close players down. He was so slow to react to a few balls that spilled out in the open and he was in the box seat. Riewoldt… don’t get me started: zero leads, can’t read the fall of the ball any more, wants to play volleyball or soccer more that footy. NEVER runs hard to provide a contest on the wing or even half forward. Defenders just sit all over Lynch because Jack can only get gift wrapped possessions these days.
Nankervis is a lazy plodder, as soon as the ball leaves his space he just walks everywhere. Doesn’t push hard forward or back and is never a marking option down the line.
Grimes has lost that electric closing / shutdown speed, he looks a real worry to me.
We served up hospital pass / handball time after time that got our players smashed as soon as the ball arrived. Also can’t remember how many handballs and kicks got smothered last night. We had zero run / options from behind the ball and I can’t recall us once taking a chance through the corridor.
Dow should be a mainstay in our midfield right now, same with Sonsie.
We are asking Maurice to carry too much load, he is playing high half forward and is chasing and tackling and pressuring his arse off in the midfield and can’t impact the scoreboard because he has spent all his petrol tickets by the time he gets forward. Plus, at the moment, he is a little slow between the ears / with vision and this gets him caught a lot. He’ll be a ripper in another 12 months.
