#46 Mason Cox

[stui magpie]

^

Love cox's comment, "keep showing the Tigers game"

[Piesnchess]

Had to laugh at Cox on talking footy last night, when they showed him footage of our game v the swans. Mason got a free, arms chopped, and the bloody swan player whinged, " But hang on Ump, its like playing on a baby Giraffe, mate " to which the ump quipped back, " well, you will just have to get used to playing on a baby Giraffe then, wont you ".. LOL, well said, Umpire. !!

[K]

From the Swans game (free paid, right?):

https://twitter.com/brayden_cocks/statu ... 4924892160

Both a hold (with the left arm) and a chop (with the right arm)?

[swoop42]

Cox is arguably the player most capable of lifting us to a unexpected flag this year.

My thinking is that players like a Pendlebury, Howe or Sidebottom have been operating at close to capacity as players for many years now while the likes of Grundy, de Goey and Hoskin-Elliott have enjoyed breakout seasons already so it's unreasonable to expect even more from them in the coming weeks.

Cox though you sense with his unorthodox pathway to the AFL and the unique problems he presents to the opposition due to his sheer size has greater scope for improvement in the short term than any other player in our 22.

It's a big ask and I'm realistic in my expectations but if he can elevate himself to another level in coming weeks then it'll go a long way of bridging the gap I still see Richmond having over the opposition.

Can he do a Tom Boyd and produce the best game of his career when it really matters?

[Cam]

Richmond were pushing people all night tonight as well.

[npalm]

^^^ Yep, I noticed that too. It's so consistent and deliberate you would have to conclude that they have been drilled in this tactic.
Time for the umps to take notice and pay some frees.

Anybody got the skills and inclination to make a compilation video to send to AFL house prior to preliminary final week?

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

Hawthorn can take the video to AFL house if they want but it all looked legal to me. If you're good enough you can break tackles.

[RudeBoy]

Hawthorn can take the video to AFL house if they want but it all looked legal to me. If you're good enough you can break tackles.

....and you can start pushing back too.

[SwansWay]

Hawthorn can take the video to AFL house if they want but it all looked legal to me. If you're good enough you can break tackles.

....and you can start pushing back too.

I don't think anybody has an issue with their legal tackling. It's the holding and pushing both on and off the ball. And the constant staging for frees. Go back and look at Jack in the second half when he pretended he was being held and threw himself back. He also loves to throw himself forward too as if to make it look like a pushout. Last night was the battle of the unsociables, two teams that the umps ejiducate to a different set of rules. Creeping over the mark, holding on to players after marks or free kicks. It's right from Hawthorn's playbook.

[Pipes1970]

Hawthorn can take the video to AFL house if they want but it all looked legal to me. If you're good enough you can break tackles.

....and you can start pushing back too.

I don't think anybody has an issue with their legal tackling. It's the holding and pushing both on and off the ball. And the constant staging for frees. Go back and look at Jack in the second half when he pretended he was being held and threw himself back. He also loves to throw himself forward too as if to make it look like a pushout. Last night was the battle of the unsociables, two teams that the umps ejiducate to a different set of rules. Creeping over the mark, holding on to players after marks or free kicks. It's right from Hawthorn's playbook.

I know I am in the minority here but I just dont see it...

I still firmly believe that if we can get through a game without losing two players early then we can not only run with the Tigers we can run away from them.

They are a bunch of down hill skiers...

Caddy is a sook and quite possibly the most over rated going around today
Cotchin dives at knees all day and only gets a free against him once in every 15 occurances
Rioli is a glory hound
Short is the softest footballer since Scott Camporeale

and the list goes on.

Hand on heart I would find a spot for Dusty and Rance in our side... the rest... meh

I for one want to see them in this finals series

[K]

^ We don't really know that (on the basis of two past games). e.g. often a better side, not necessarily intentionally, just paces themselves and are relatively level at 3-quarter time, and then shifts gears in the final quarter.

Regardless, the issue in this thread is whether they are simply getting away with a lot of illegal tactics the umpires refuse to see or act upon.

[SwansWay]

^ We don't really know that (on the basis of two past games). e.g. often a better side, not necessarily intentionally, just paces themselves and are relatively level at 3-quarter time, and then shifts gears in the final quarter.

Regardless, the issue in this thread is whether they are simply getting away with a lot of illegal tactics the umpires refuse to see or act upon.

Hawthorn made so many skill errors that they might as well have forfeited to save some energy for next week. I don't think Richmond dominated quite as much as it seems at a cursory glance. The young players significantly let the Hawks down. They choked. I lost count of the amount of double-fisted punches by Hawks defenders last night when they could've easily taken a mark instead. All things considered they only lost by 5 goals.

I think Essendon showed the rest of the competition something a few weeks ago when they rolled the dice against Richmond in the last quarter. Richmond are known for overrunning sides in last quarters but in that one they hardly scored. I think opposition coaches would've taken notice. The Hawks lack the pace around the ground to go with Richmond which is why they were under lots of pressure. Essendon are a fast side as are the Pies. Richmond struggle with our speed and exquisite skill. It just remains to be seen if we're lucky enough to play them again this year that we're able to finish out the game with 22 fit players. Move the ball on at all costs. Go down the corridor. Take risks. Give up a goal here and there but score 3-4 the other way.

And it would be great if the illegal tactics were reined in by an early free kick or two. Pay one early and they'll think twice for the rest of the game. Maybe forced to play on their merits for a change.

[K]

^ Our "exquisite skill"! What is this?

On going down the corridor, I recall a Hawk kick-in straight down the middle that went straight back over the defender's head for a goal...

I'd also be interested to know what the Dogs did, when they probably should have won.

[SwansWay]

We have sharpened up our disposal by hand and foot and we're hitting our targets. That's been a huge part of why we're in the Top 4. Our endeavour hasn't changed from last season. We just use the ball better. I'd say our ball use is elite now and consistently so. Last season it came and went in patches.

I remember that Hawthorn play. They were quite static and awful overhead and at ground level all night. Watch that final quarter against Essendon again. I'd put more stock into that game than the Bulldogs game which was the deadest of dead rubbers.

[npalm]

Hawthorn can take the video to AFL house if they want but it all looked legal to me. If you're good enough you can break tackles.

I wasn't talking about tackles. I was referring to the tactic that has crept into the game in recent times of pushing opposition players into a crowded marking contest. Its the way that Howe suffered concussion when Moore's knee collected him in the head. Would never have happened if he hadn't been (illegally) pushed into the contest.
Richmond seem to be the worst for this. I suspect they have practised it as a training drill. As far as I'm aware this tactic should be paid a free kick for 'interference in a marking contest'.