AFL 2021 Mick McGuane: Who is under the pump and who is sitting pretty at each bye club
Hawthorn has struggled to score this season and its attack is not damaging enough. Who is to blame? Check out Mick McGuane’s report card.
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Six AFL teams have gone to the break in contrasting styles and ladder positions.
Leading footy analyst Mick McGuane runs the rule over Geelong, Port Adelaide, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney in his mid-season review.
Who’s under the pump? Who’s the surprise packet? Check out below:
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GEELONG
What they do well
The Cats are a high-volume team who know how to win plenty of the ball. They have versatility and a great balance between offence and defence, setting up the ground to make it difficult for the opposition to score.
They are also a very good contested-ball winning team forward of centre, with Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron working in tandem, and Patrick Dangerfield to enter the fray soon.
The Cats’ forward synergy has only scratched the surface.
They have got two Coleman medallists still learning about playing with each other. Look out, if Hawkins and Cameron get going in September!
What they must improve
Mastering their turnover game is the area of concern for Chris Scott. The Cats don’t punish their opponents enough from this source, generating on average 47 points from turnovers — 11th in the AFL.
They are ranked 18th for percentage of points from turnover.
They are often methodical and conservative with their ball use on turnover.
They have so many pure footballers who are good decision-makers that it makes sense for them to play more on instinct to improve their ability to score from turnovers.
Surprise packet
Mark O’Connor hasn’t played since Round 6, but will give the Cats versatility when he resumes from injury.
He is a key member of the back six who can play on talls and smalls.
But the Irishman locked down on Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale in Round 2, which shows he can play such a stopping role at the pointy end of the finals.
Under the pump
The Cats’ list management team … it’s time to get Quinton Narkle’s contract signed before a club like Carlton — eager for midfield speed — tries to coax him out of GMHBA Stadium. Does Narkle stay in the team with Dangerfield, Cam Guthrie and Mitch Duncan to come back. He should!
He has played only 23 games in five years but his anticipation is elite.
If he can’t lock down a spot now, he might look elsewhere.
If I was the Blues, I’d be on the phone to his manager now.
Likewise, if Charlie Constable continues to be starved of opportunities, does a club like Essendon come knocking?
PORT ADELAIDE
What they do well
Port has conceded a miserly 60 points per game in their eight wins. That comes from being a strong contest and stoppage team, which allows them to set up the ground defensively.
Time in possession is a priority for Ken Hinkley, which also helps with their mindset as they defend with the ball.
They jumped out of the blocks early in rounds 1-6, being the best team to score from defensive half, but were mindful it wasn’t sustainable.
There has since been a shift to a more sustainable front-half game.
What they must improve
It’s time to eliminate conservatism in ball movement. In a team with so many quick, instinctive players, an up-tempo brand suits what Hinkley has at his disposal.
At times the Power fail to play the game on their merits, missing attacking options based on a lack of dare in ball movement.
Fixing that will improve efficiency inside forward 50m, because right now they are 16th for scores per inside 50 percentage.
Surprise packet
Karl Amon offers great flexibility as witnessed last week when he went from a winger to a starting onballer.
Didn’t he justify Hinkley’s faith with 16 first-quarter disposals against Freo!
He has elite endurance and an uncanny ability to get from inside to outside the contest, complementing inside mids in Ollie Wines, Sam Powell-Pepper and Willem Drew.
He also combines with Travis Boak as an elite defensive transition runner. Is he an All-Australian squad contender?
Under the pump
Hamish Hartlett was dropped last week and injury has cruelled Tom Rockliff’s season.
With both players out of contract and in the twilight of their careers, there are question marks on whether they will be a part of Port Adelaide’s squad next year, as good as they have been.
HAWTHORN
What they do well
The Hawks are the AFL’s fourth-highest disposal team, which is a surprise given their lack of experience.
An ability to win your own footy is a positive, which shows great effort.
Even though the Hawks are at 2-9 they are still trying to attack the game through the corridor out of defensive 50m.
Through necessity, they have been able to get games into young players to see if they can cut the mustard. Some will; some won’t.
What they must improve
Show more poise and composure. Knowing when to play quick or to play slow is a challenge for Clarko and his players.
At the moment, they don’t have the balance right.
Too often they put speed on the game when they don’t have to, causing unnecessary turnovers.
In playing too fast, they make poor decisions, fail to execute at speed and turn it over. Giving the ball back to the opposition makes the Hawks easier to score against.
Surprise packet
I’m pleased to see the evolution of Changkuoth Jiath. CJ has played all 11 games so far this year — in his fourth season — and is playing beyond his experience.
He is developing into a very good intercept defender with great speed and energy to counter attack when the opportunity presents itself.
Under the pump
You have to wonder where Jack Gunston’s body is at right now after an ongoing back injury. The Hawks are struggling to kick goals without him.
Luke Breust is their No. 1 goal scorer so far, leaving Mitch Lewis, Jacob Koschitzke, Conor Nash and Tim O’Brien under the microscope.
The Hawks’ attack is not damaging enough right now.
Isaac Smith went down the highway to become a Cat this year; maybe the Hawks should be trying to prise Jordan Clark out of Geelong as they desperately need some outside run.
NORTH MELBOURNE
What they do well
David Noble has provided clear messaging for the way he wants them to play, which eliminates confusion for a young team.
He has reinforced that by training the basics and fundamentals.
They are trying to attack the corridor more, taking aggressive inside 45s to an unmanned player in space out of their counter attack region.
That eliminates the backward kick that hems them into the back 50.
Their defensive output has improved, evidenced when comparing the first four rounds to now.
What they must improve
Sixty one points — ranked 18th — isn’t going to win you many games. That must come from eliminating shallow entries.
They get it to about 45m, but if they don’t mark it, it gets slingshot out too easily.
When they get to the launch zone, it needs to go much deeper to either provide a marking opportunity or a chance for a stoppage.
Surprise packet
The emergence of Ben McKay as a reliable defender has been a huge positive, especially in the absence of Robbie Tarrant, Aidan Corr and Luke McDonald.
He has shouldered the responsibility of being the club’s No. 1 defender.
The next extension of his development will come when he starts getting off his opponent to support a vulnerable teammate.
Todd Goldstein has been a huge servant of the club, but he hasn’t quite been to his high standards in recent weeks.
I’m not sure if that is attitudinal or whether he just needs some help now.
So what better opportunity than for Tom Campbell to stand up and offer some real assistance to Goldy, while also allowing for both to offer some help to the Roos’ forwards.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
What they do well
To Leon Cameron’s credit, the Giants have re-established their brand after the first month of football. Midfielders Jacob Hopper, Callan Ward, Josh Kelly and Tim Taranto, assisted by Shane Mumford and Matthew Flynn, have reverted to what they know best — contested possession, ground ball hunt and clearances. On the back of this, they are now scoring from stoppages.
What they must improve
The ability to score from turnovers. Creating turnovers is one thing but turning them into scores consistently is the next challenge.
Accuracy should be high in their agenda as well.
Their conversion must improve with players such as Toby Greene and Bobby Hill being their main culprits.
GOLD COAST
What they do well
Ball security is their mantra. They are taking better care with the footy, using short kicks to their advantage.
This increases their marks which allows them not only to defend with the ball and control the tempo of the game, but importantly to allow their defence to set up behind the footy.
They are not getting punished as much on turnover as they were last year.
What they must improve
In and around the stoppages. They are ranked 15th for clearance differential, compounded by the absence of Jarrod Witts and Matt Rowell.
In saying that, Touk Miller, David Swallow, Noah Anderson and Lachie Weller must win more critical clearances.
It is important to give Ben King — which has kicked 32 goals, 4th in the AFL — a chance. He has done a great job, especially considering the Suns are 16th for inside 50 differential and 15th for time in front-half differential.
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