Second Half Heroics
A huge performance in the second half down in Tassie as we rolled up our sleeves and Got. The. Job. Done.
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ROUND 14: HAWTHORN 6.11 (47), CROWS 5.14 (44)
A tale of two halves. Heard that before.
And we need not waste much time dissecting what happened in the glass half empty part of this match, because the opening term especially was incredibly disappointing.
But it was equally matched by the grit and determination shown in the second half of a contest that we may not have had the right to win, but worked hard to give ourselves every opportunity to do so.
And win we did.
We lost almost all of the key areas on the stat sheet over the course of the night, but one in particular (which we won) stood out.
Having been lambasted in the media for our poor tackle counts against the Lions and Pies in the weeks prior, we came out swinging against the Dogs in Round 13.
And despite being significantly down at quarter time agains the Crows on Friday night, we turned it around by the time the final siren had sounded.
This is the exact stat that has highlighted our swinging fortunes over the past month - and indeed after quarter time at a chilly UTAS in Launceston.
Intensity, ferocity, desperation and to getting back to hunting. That has served us well in the last two games, and should be a staple from the opening bounce for the months to follow.
A huge way to head into the bye - so for now enjoy the recap and soak in a 9-5 start to season 2025.
🕵🏻♂️ Observations from Weissy
Such a disappointing first half by our team who simply did not look like they came ready to play. It nearly cost us, but plenty can be said about the character of the group to turn it around and play so well in the second half - particularly in the third term.
Two huge weeks from our captain - no, not James Sicily, but Dylan Moore. Workmanlike effort running all day, and back to the green blazer Dylan Moore we have come to know and love. Huge leadership on display… future full-time captain?
After one of those “Chol is lazy and no good” first halves, we were served up a “what incredible second efforts, chasing, tackling and pressure” from Mabior in the second. A critical component of our second half fightback.
As Anthony Hudson said in the match-day commentary, “where would they be without Jack Gunston?” What a season Gunners continues to have - after an invisible opening term was so important in the second, kicking two goals for the quarter and keeping us in the contest. While only managing 0.3 in the second half he was significant to our structure and got plenty of it at half forward - involved in a game high eight score involvements.
Riley Thilthorpe 0.3. Tom Barrass 11 spoils. Keeps paying for himself.
Blake Hardwick is a defender. End of.
Feels like Henry Hustwaite, Seamus Mitchell and Max Ramsden are VFL level players at the moment, but have been more than serviceable over the past fortnight. But with the likes of Sicily, Jack Scrimshaw, Will Day, Calsher Dear and Mitch Lewis all set to return, they will likely all be playing back for Box Hill through June / July.
Connor Macdonald is class. Two of our six goals in classic CMac style - played an important role in getting us over the line.
We have for a long time acknowledged that Will Day is the one real A-Grade potential player on our list (as in best player in the competition type areas). Nearly time to officially welcome Josh Weddle to this category.
CJ the sub. It just works - injecting run, carry, dash and energy. Like it.
Credit to Sam Mitchell. Some great moves that were important to our structure including Hardwick down back, Watson and Moore through the middle at times, and even happy to play Karl Amon forward too. Our very own Tinkerman creating incredible flexibility.
Football at night in Tassie in winter? Might be part of the cliche chorus, but is that why the Tassie stadium needs a roof? Wasn’t pretty…
🧐 Things we like to see #1: Game Winning Teamwork
Mabior tap, Gunners handball and Newc with the winner. Electric stuff.
🧐 Things we like to see #2: Giving Your All
We mentioned the Mabior pressure earlier, but his incredible effort to hustle back with less than a minute to go and effect a spoil was as important as any single act in the 120 minutes of football before it. Had a similar chop off last week against the Dogs - incredible desperation.
🧐 Things we like to see #3: Croc Class
The coolness and composure to finish with the game on the line and a player hot on your tail - Connor Macdonald is a player that you want to have the ball when it matters. And matter is did when he added a touch of class to conver from 45 deep in the final term to put us in front for the first time on the night. Class.
⭐️ Best on ground: Jarman Impey
What a performance. Finished with a game high 28 touches, a game high 10 marks, a game high 756 metres gained, a game high 78.6% disposal efficiency (for those with more than 10 touches), an equal game high 10 intercept possessions and a game high eight rebounds from 50. It was a true four-quarter performance and was as good a game from Jars as we have seen in recent times, continuing his great form from the week prior.
💫 Rising star: Josh Weddle
Becoming an important cog in our machine and such a wonderful player running off centre-half back, that no longer should we be amazed by Josh Weddle’s abilities. Yes - his age + talent + potential + current performance + recruiting coup on draft night = 🤯. But no more disbelief in what this kid is doing - we should all just be used to and accepting of it by now. Another great night with 23 touches and six marks, five rebounds from 50 and four inside 50’s… a generational talent in our midst.
👼 Unsung hero: Jai Newcombe
“He’s been sat on a lot this year and it has been a pretty steep learning curve - he got sat on every now and then but without Will Day around teams are more likely to go after Newc.”
Sam Mitchell highlighted the the significant impact not having Day in the team has had on Jai Newcombe and went on to say it was even more noticeable against the Crows without James Worpel at the coalface. So to see Newc bounce back from a tough night at the office by showing leadership in kicking the sealer was a credit to our midfield dynamo. An actual moment worthy of singling out, and lauding.
🤯 Under pressure: Henry Hustwaite
Again made the sub at half time after recording four touches - of which only one was effective in the entire first half of football. Two clangers and a night to forget for HH but will add to his learning experience give Hustwaite is still only 20 years of age. But the writing would be on the wall with James Worpel to return after the bye - must go back and continue to be consistent for Box Hill at VFL level.
🎤 Sammy said what!?
“I was really proud of the boys - Adelaide are a really good side, so it was probably our best win of the season.”
“It was a really tough night and I think we were -10 tackles at quarter time and we were able to wear that back and get in front at the end.”
“Once we got the game sorted I thought our defence held up tremendously well.”
“We had a lot of players playing in the game who weren’t at their best from an offensive point of view, but were able to make a valuable contribution to the team.”
“It was a game to be proud of from our point of view because Adelaide are legitimate - they are a really good side.”
“We play them again over in Adelaide and that’s going to be a really tough game - they are legit.”
“The players in particular, they deserve to go into the bye now feeling pretty good but knowing that the best is ahead of us.”
🗣️ Final word… Josh Weddle
“It was a good win - obviously a slow first quarter, we wanted to focus on the contest and creating a front half game and I think we did that in the second half.”
“We fought all the way to the end and glad we were able to get the win.”
“They were beating us to the ball and in the tackle count as well so we needed to work on our contest around the ball and I think we did that in the second quarter which was addressed at quarter time.”
“I think I missed one of the wins (from the last eight) but I am 7-0 here, so let’s keep that rolling!”
⏭️ Next week:
A well earned bye as we turn for the home straight with a 9-5 record.
Take the opportunity to get the extra week into our injured players and an extra week of recovery for our ageing stars and banged up warriors.
Then it’s back to Tassie to thump the Kangas and make it nine on the trot down in Tassie - before starting the exciting run-in to September action.
All aboard!
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Butler has been a great addition to the midfield. He has shown an unflinching demeanour and is a clever footballer. Butler's tackling is a weapon and is also contagious amongst the team. What an amazing story after the cruel blow he was dealt last year.
What was learnt:
1. The coach was courageous – Whilst he has been labelled a “genius” by some, there is little doubt that Mitchell is courageous in his tactical decisions. To sub out Hustwaite, as a midfielder, from an already weakened line within the team at half-time with Jiath, another running defender, took courage to recognize that what was on offer wasn’t working. The immediate implications of this was to: a) move Amon into a high half forward role – not one he has played recently nor trained for but also assisted in countering the dominance of the Crows wings; and b) bring Watson and Moore into the centre square rotations in the second half which gave us some speed away from these contests.
2. A centre square ambush gave us momentum after half-time – Following on from this, starting Watson in the centre square to start the quarter may well have caught the Crows off guard. Whilst he has had some fleeting visits to the centre clearances, Watson hasn’t started a quarter in there. If you believe that you start your best clearance players to begin a quarter, Watson may not have been on the Crows’ “what if” questions for this scenario. Watson’s impact was immediate in the first contest, he flashed across the ball drop attracting the attention of two Crows, which gave Nash time and space for a clean clearance which had been lacking in the first half. This led to the entry for the McDonald goal. Watson then followed up at the next contest with a deft tap to Newcombe which gave us territory on night it was important. As to playing more as a midfielder, the contest in the Crows’ forward line where Rankine goaled, demonstrated how his size may not work for him in more congested contests.
3. Making assessments at ¼ time are always fraught with danger – At ¼ time, it looked as though Gunston’s age was catching up with him as he looked to battle with the tall Crows’ defenders who are al quite mobile. However, as he has shown since coming back into the team, his football IQ allowed him to reset and have a major impact on the game, particularly ensuring that we didn’t go into half-time facing an insurmountable lead. This was not helped by our other forwards looking slow as the Crows exited their defensive 50.
4. This was a game that Barrass was recruited for – When you look at the goal kicking table, the Crows have two tall forwards equal to our leading goal kicker, so the role played by Barrass to quell Thilthorpe was particularly significant. Thilthorpe’s one good look was generated by a breakdown in our centre square work rather than Barrass’s efforts. Similarly, Barrass’s chase on Thilthorpe just before half-time demonstrated his commitment to the cause.
5. Impey learnt from an earlier contest for the key moment – Having been caught out in the 2nd quarter, where he lost his feet in a contest when the Crows had a clean break and they goaled. Then in the last quarter, when we had regained the lead, he found himself in a similar contest and was able to kill that contest. With Amon going forward in the second half, Impey’s run off half back proved to be vital in the win.
Observations:
• Watson’s impact on the game aside from his centre clearance work was important. Ward was another to go under the radar for his defensive grunt work.
• Newcombe’s ability to work through the tag as the game progressed – finished top 10 disposals for us - was a sign of progression.
• Whilst Ramsden’s kicking for goal isn’t a toss of the coin, but a roll of the dice, his work in contesting marking contests was another important contribution to the game. He has an athletic profile in an awkward body which can make him difficult to defend.
• Hustwaite being subbed off at half-time for the second time this season looks like it will be hard for him for the remainder of the season as others take their chances.
• Mitchell’s disposal can still be an issue – in the 2nd quarter, we had he set up the kick out to the open side and he missed the outlet kick; then later he worked hard to create the overlap run, but his handball went behind Ginnivan which stopped the flow.
• The “small” wingers were under pressure early, but as stated above the changes at half-time provided assistance to both for the later part of the game. Morrison had a vital 1 on 2 win on an exit from our defensive half late in the game.
• Meek worked his way into the game after O’Brien dominated the early going – matching him for marks and the hit out count went: 3/9; 11/10; 12/7; 14/17 matched by clearances going: 6/11; 8/10; 11/9; 14/14.
• 0 disposals quarters – Mitchell (1st & 4th), Macdonald (2nd), Hardwick (3rd)
• Tackle count by quarter – 9/19; 22/10; 23/18; 24/28
• I50 count by quarter – 9/18; 10/19; 19/12; 14/10. When you look at the halves: 19/37 vs. 33/22 – it was the game of two halves.
• TOG % - Bottom 5 (leaving out subs): Mitchell 65% Butler 66%, D’Ambrosio 70% C. Macdonald 72%, Nash 75%, Newcombe 76%. (Battle 97% & Weddle 92% highest.)
• Kicking efficiency (DE): Barrass 100% (88), Battle 80% (60), Moore 75% (78), Impey 74% (79), Ginnivan 71% (75).
D’Ambrosio 33% (53), Mitchell 33% (50), Butler 30% (45), Chol 22% (25) Ramsden 40% (17), Hustwaite 0% (25)
Starting 4: (CBA/CC)
1st Qrt: Newcombe (13/0) Nash (13/2) Ward (4/0)
2nd Qrt: Newcombe Worpel Butler (5/0)
3rd Qrt: Newcombe Nash Watson (3/1 – all 2nd half)
4th Qrt: Newcombe Nash Moore (5/0 – all 2nd half)
Meek 15/0 Hustwaite 2/0
(Impey 0/1 Weddle 0/1 – the overlap run from half back as an outlet is handy.)
With the low goal count, CBAs were a season low and reflected in how few players went through the centre square. The fact that Watson and Moore had more CBAs than Hustwaite is a indicator of concern for him. Butler’s work rate around the ground with his tackle pressure associated with his leg speed puts him on safer ground at the minute even with some managed workload issues.
Issue for the week:
With Jiath providing the energy, pace and enthusiasm associated as the norms for a sub, it does create a team balance issue playing another defensive option. The last two weeks with a midfielder being subbed out, it has meant that the back half had to be re-arranged with Impey last week and Amon this week being the one shifted to accommodate Jiath. Considering that Sicily will return at some stage after the bye, will Jiath be the best option as sub, purely on how he is best used on the ground as against the structure of the team?