Round 20 West v Sturt Review

[bloods08]

West 1.1 1.5 3.6 3.9 (27)
Sturt 3.0 4.0 6.1 8.2 (50)

Goals
West: Rowe, N Caruso, Fielke.
Sturt: Chambers 3, Bowen, Hassan, Sheedy, Bode, Jaensch.

Best
West: Ezard, Fielke, Fisher, N. Caruso, Davies, Ferguson.
Sturt: Sheedy, Nelson, McGlone, Fittock, Cubillo, Jaensch.

Reserves
West 3.3 (21)
Sturt 5.9 (39)

Under 18s
West 1.4 (10)
Sturt 10.9 (69)

[redandblack]

On a day where goals were like diamonds, the umpires mistook Sturt for Naomi Campbell

[bloods08]

On a day where goals were like diamonds, the umpires mistook Sturt for Naomi Campbell

No doubt they were ordinary but to only kick 3 goals in a game of footy is where the real problem lies.

Actually over the 3 games we kicked a total of 7 goals.

PATHETIC

[redandblack]

That's a different matter and we'd all agree with it, bloods.

[bundy]

PISS WEAK!!!!!!!

[Adelaide Hawk]

On a day where goals were like diamonds, the umpires mistook Sturt for Naomi Campbell

Yes, I have to agree. It's amazing how many times I see a game of football where every 50/50 free seems to go the way of one team, and today that was Sturt. Worst call of the day was when Ferguson bodied his opponent out who wasn't strong enough to stand up, and he was penalised for some reason, resulting in a goal. However, Sturt deserved to win simply because they made their chances count.

I don't think I've ever seen a game played so much between the 50 metre archs as both defences were well on top. Ferguson looked as though he hadn't missed a game whereas Chambers and Crane definitely needed the run.

Jade Sheedy was superb all day and I'll be staggered if he doesn't get the 3 votes.

[csbowes]

No doubt we got the rub of the green from umps. For me Sturt were the better side the first ten mins and the last term, in-between West were better but just couldn't score. Sturt are a better team on paper but that's it.

Will they make the finals? 50-50 at best.

West shouldn't give up thoug on making it as they have a great draw. However Sturt may make more of an impact in September.

[76er]

Couldn't believe the run we had. Never have I seen us get such ride from tricky.
Hang in westies. You have a team on the rise.

And I love Richmond oval. Great bbq. Thanks for all your hospitality.

[blackandred]

With everything to play for, on their home turf and in conditions that suited their ‘style’ of footy over the more skilled approach of their opponents, Westies failed miserably and proved beyond doubt that they don’t deserve a place in the final 5.

Let’s look at some of the lowlights of the game from a Westies perspective. Firstly, we only kicked 3 goals for the entire match. With a 5 goal breeze behind us we failed to kick a goal in half a game of footy. We had 12 shots to Sturt’s ten and lost by 23 pts. We lost David Piasente to a knee injury in the first Q. We were smashed in the midfield with Sturt winning 11 clearances to Westies 4. We were devoid of system in the forward line. Our ruck set up is makeshift at best meaning we rarely get first use of the ball. Many of our players are not up to league standard. In our last 2 games we have kicked a total of 10 gls.

We were beaten by a faster and tougher team that applied wonderful tackling pressure preventing us from achieving clean disposal or find space. Sturt overcame the conditions to continuously show up our lack of basic footy skills. We fly in packs with no-one down. When the ball goes fwd we never have anyone run into the goalsquare. Half the time we struggle to pick up the ball. We handball to a player under pressure. Our kicking to position is woeful even to the point of kicking out of bounds on the full.

Q by Q scores:
1Q St 3.00
WA 1.1
2Q St 4.00
WA 1.5
3Q St 6.1
WA 3.8
4Q St 8.2
WA 3.9

Best were Ferguson, Nat Caruso and Ezard. Caire, Fisher and Green did some good things. Silvester had a shocker. Worst were Pettigrew, Webb, Morris, Bennett, Harding and Willets. Again our best were from the backline and our worst up forward although, in fairness, our delivery is disgraceful. Nothing typifies our one-dimensional style of game more than the approach of Steven Morris. Hard at the contest and totally fearless he lacks any creativity or system in his play which basically renders him ineffective.

The umpiring deserves a mention although it had no bearing on the final result. Their general approach in the conditions was to let things go which is commendable provided this is applied consistently. When they suddenly pick out a minor infringement their credibility suffers and when this happens to be in front of goal their ineptness is magnified. Then they overlook the more obvious (2 blatant FADs in the 3Q). Sturt got 3 goals from doubtful frees. The ABC had the free kick count favouring Sturt by a massive 26 to 15.

The team is in disarray and on current form will struggle to win another game this season.

[gadj1976]

better of the umps - yes. But definitely outplayed for most of the game by Westies. For some reason they couldn't kick goals when it mattered with the wind. Although it did die down during the second quarter and spring up again in the third for us.

Pretty ordinary conditions all game, and I thought Sturt changed their game from the Port game where we decided to kick more direct with the wind - against the tactic we used with Port of trying to switch it across goal. Against Port, in better conditions than today, we were found out with our skills, so I was glad that we changed our tactic in the more slippery conditions and went more direct.

Oh, that's the first time I've been there since the mid to late 80's and was pleasantly surprised by the facilities on offer by West Adelaide. Full credit to the club. well done.

[zipzap]

Very ordinary exhibition all round. The thought of either of these two teams making any serious dent in the finals is comical ATM. Thought Dickie Williams actually umpired well, some of the decisions (both ways) from the other two were mystifying at times. Ah well, at least Sturt get to limp on to fight another day.

Love the bar upgrade and of course the BBQ - well done Westies!

[Jimmy]

its finally good to hear sturt get more than looked after by the umps...its been a while...like, a long while

[Sojourner]

Really hoped to see Westies take the next step into the finals this year, think the rest of this season is likely to be about focusing the group towards next season as opposed to participating in the finals.

[gadj1976]

Very ordinary exhibition all round. The thought of either of these two teams making any serious dent in the finals is comical ATM. Thought Dickie Williams actually umpired well, some of the decisions (both ways) from the other two were mystifying at times. Ah well, at least Sturt get to limp on to fight another day.

Love the bar upgrade and of course the BBQ - well done Westies!

Dickie Williams umpired well? ie, he gave us free kicks. He was shocking.

[NFC]

Jaensch makes a big difference, huge addition of class.

[saintal]

3 goals for the game from a Westies point of view..they seem to have really dropped away the past month or so. Would be a major let down for them if they miss the 5.

[Adelaide Hawk]

3 goals for the game from a Westies point of view..they seem to have really dropped away the past month or so. Would be a major let down for them if they miss the 5.

At the risk of getting some Bloods fans annoyed, I made the point after the game against Norwood at the Parade that West appeared to have taken their focus away from trying to kick a winning score, but instead concentrated more on trying to restrict their opponents from scoring. It still think that, although today was a difficult day for scoring.

[redandblack]

There's no doubt Westies have a problem kicking goals. That's a major problem, but a key forward or two would help, as would better goalkicking. 3goals 9 yesterday, more shots than Sturt and that kills a team. Sturt kicked 8.2. Last week Glenelg kicked 20.4.

You have to kick straight to win consistently.

[Peter Griffen]

I know Bennett has been average but I actually feel sorry for him. I can't remember him being laced out at all this season. Our skills or lack thereof in kicking into the forward 50 is disgraceful. We are the kings of the up and under helicopter! West really need a couple of players that can kick the ball in the off season. That and two ruckmen.

[Adelaide Hawk]

That and two ruckmen.

I'm glad you mentioned that Peter. I was watching Willats in the ruck yesterday and I have no idea what he was trying to do. He tends to watch his opponent more than the ball. At one stage yesterday as the ball was being bounced, he just ran to his opponent and pushed him out of the way, and couldn't understand why it was a free kick. I shouldn't pick on Willats though, ruckwork is a dying art in football.