Quick Thoughts - Bombers vs Pies
General - Not a high standard game at all but can't say the teams weren't trying, just neither of them are very good right now. Bombers generated more chances and dominated the middle of the ground and that was really the big difference.
Pies - Midfield is a mess, I still assume it's a team order that Grundy hit it to the exact same spot every single time because Buckley's consistent attitude has been that hitouts are irrelevant but honestly they're a joke right now to have an absolutely dominant ruckman who has faced nothing and just be smoked in that area every game. Look bad going forward, no structure and no presenting forwards. They were actually very efficient the few times it did go inside 50 though.
Sidebottom - Much better game for him, better role, better effort. Might finally be fit. Will probably be popular for Dunkley this week.
Grundy - Great fantasy game, he was soundly outplayed by both the Bombers rucks in reality though, they both felt more influential on this game. He's really declined as a player the past 18 months.
Cameron - Big game for him.
Crisp - Just keeps working and keeps scoring, doesn't matter if he's back or mid, just finds the ball.
Pendles - Was the pick of the Pies outside maybe Crisp for mine, quality ball use.
Maynard - Couldn't get it done today, not sure what's happened to him this year.
Murphy - I thought he was the clear pick of the rookie priced Maggies today, worked hard, role was solid on a wing and did some nice things.
Rantall - Didn't do much, considering he's allegedly an endurance machine it's surprising to see him basically used as a rug to keep the bench warm. What he did was pretty decent.
Macrae - I honestly noticed him like twice all game. It's hard to really do much when your team isn't kicking it to teammates at all but not a great 2nd game. Still reckon long term he's worth taking but he may well not survive depending how ruthless Buckley wants to be here.
McCreery - He was solid again, seems to have found a basic scoring line whether he's going to get there with goals, tackles or a bit of both, still could go bigger if he does both. 3 goals a pretty good way to get another game.
Kelly - Started back, looked lost. Went forward, looked even more lost. Tough roles both of those for a kid who doesn't really look physically ready yet. On a big positive, he got through a game which is nice after this last couple.
Bombers - Actually played really solid footy, good effort and good job getting it forward. It still comes out of the F50 way too easily and they definitely concede too easily in the D50 but the midfield dominance was great and the composure to storm home was really good. Will enjoy that one I reckon.
Parish - Brutal ratio, he was exceptional and the clear best player on the field. I still think he's a better player than Shiel and he keeps reinforcing that. To me Parish is that one dimensional pure midfielder, always looks pretty bad outside the midfield and always looks good to me in the mids.
Heppell - Wax on, wax off and then wax again. He must have got a +6 from 5 of the Pies points, just sagging in the pocket for the cheapies. Did some nice things when he needed to though and was constantly working to be that option. Not sure how I feel about his ratio, personally I'd have said you could easily have swapped him and Grundy and I'd have not been surprised, one of those he was better than that but also didn't really do any of the things to deserve a better one, if that makes sense.
Merrett - Thought his ratio was brutal as always, did nothing wrong, thought he should have had about a 135 from that game. Basically another classic case of the value of golden tickets compared to black tickets, if he wasn't persona non-grata for CD he'd score at least 130 there, if the was a golden he'd be more like 145.
Wright - Not fantasy relevant but best game of his career by a distance, he was exceptional, outmarked Grundy on multiple occasions and just huge presence around the ground as by far the best big target out there.
Hind - Was unlucky, had a couple of huge touches when the game was won, 2 of which Jones ran underneath and turned into clangers with poor efforts and a third that was just a really bad clanger, those become just ineffective and he's probably at close to 1:1, was pivotal in the 4th in the Bombers big push to win. Still looks good, shame about the ratio and it was definitely junky but everyone else went 1:1 in junk and he stayed well off that pace unfortunately because he was so far behind the 8ball.
McGrath - Is the guy just outside the mix so Stringer can push through and not quite in a great role right now, scoring solidly still.
Tippa - He was great, again not fantasy relevant but deserves a mention, terrorised the Magpies every time it hit the ground.
Cox - Really solid again, handled the big occasion well. Just a good solid player. Still no idea what his position is long term, might even be wing but you find somewhere.
Phillips - Another not fantasy relevant but I always feel like he's had a rough career, everytime I see him play I see a good player who should be getting games considering some of the rucks playing, I mean I watched Sinclair yesterday and I know which one I'd rather. He was really solid and beat Grundy in the around the ground work, better marking presence, much better helping his defenders with some big pack spoils and just being there.
Perkins - Really solid as well. Reckon he's a big preseason, maybe 2, from being a genuine fantasy option, he just does a bit of everything. Would like to see a bit more hard edged stuff but I think there's a Butters comparison to be made outside that.
Jones - Did a good job junking up at the end to get to this. He's got talent for sure.