Bankers & Anchors: Rnd 3, 2022 vs Sydney Swans

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

This is the Round 3, 2022 edition of the weekly Bankers and Anchors thread. Once the game against Sydney is concluded post your nominations for:

The Bankers = 3 guys/aspects of the game that we banked on to do the right thing during the game
The Anchors = 3 guys/aspects of the game that weighed us down by their errors or poor play

Please limit it to no more than three of each player or aspect of the game, but feel free to make honourable/dishonourable mentions. As usual try to make it constructive criticism.

Try and restrict it to individual players rather than aspects of the overall match - I will allow more freedom now as the thread seems to be going down more of the aspects of the game path so you can have 3 for each made up of aspects of the game and individual players.

The thread is named in honour of a popular WOOF Contributor, The Banker, who passed away on 22/04/2012 after a six month battle with cancer.

[westbulldog]

Bankers
The defence, individually mostly underrated. but collectively they were cohesive and effective tonight.
English, dominated around the ground with his athleticism.
Dunkley, great game,11 tackles, 6 clearances.

Anchors
9.17 after 2.7 in the last quarter last week is not good enough, we should have won tonight by 6 goals and be 2-1 not 1-2.

[bornadog]

Bankers

1. JUH - chased and tackled and got involved - needs some strength to hold marks in packs, but he will be a KPP

2. Tim English - had his doubters - we must sign him up

3. Hunter - ran, and ran and ran - was very good in the first half to get us going

Anchors

1. Set shot goal kicking

2. Richards - pass across the ground to cough up a goal. Also his second efforts are weak

3. VDM - a frustrating player

[merantau]

Bankers.
1. English. Can play small as well as tall. His best game for the club.
2. Hunter. He is a running machine.
3. JUH. Did some hard chasing and contesting.

Anchors.
1. So many easy goals missed. We should NEVER have been in the position we got ourselves into woth a minute to go.
2. Libba is not being used enough at the centre bounces. Thank dog he was there in the last minute.
3. The pre-match commentary had me wondering why we even bothered to turn up - it was Swans, Swans, Swans. Swan Lake on Steroids.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Bankers

1. Dunkley - his efforts in the second half in particular were massive. Repeated pressure acts and tackling really enabled us to maintain superiority in and around the contest.
2. English - Just a massive game from him. He still has some improving to go in his tapwork, but he wasn't beaten there last night, and importantly he really got to impose himself in ways that many ruckman can't do. His clearance work and mobility (a couple of bounces) coupled with his great ball use and aerial abilities around all areas of the park were impressive.
3. Gardner - still has a lot of scope for improving, but that game should help give him the confidence that he can have a big influence at this level.

Anchors

1. Goalkicking really continues to cruel us, it likely cost us a win last week, and it nearly was our undoing again last night.
2. Bailey Smith's disposals - his running and workrate was second to none last night. Massive, but his kicking was very poor with a DE of 58%.
3. Ed Richards ball use. He had some very good defensive pressure moments, but like Bailey Smith, his ball use wasn't at the required standard.

[ratsmac]

Bankers.

1. JUH - yep he's been mentioned already but his effort was perfectly where it should be. He imposed himself on every contest he was involved in and actively pushed himself to put pressure on the Sydney defenders. Stats don't tell the story of his game. He'll gain a lot of confidence from that game.

2. Weightman- his repeat efforts just to apply pressure. His energy levels was so high it was contagious . And thank you Cody for knowing how to kick a set shot. When no one could hit the side of a barn, Cody shows everyone how its done.

3. Angry Alex Keith- The PE teacher was back to his grumpy looking self. Marshalled the back 6 beautifully.

Anchors

1. Set shots- this is a staple anchor for us. We need to respect the opportunity more.

2. Naughtons hands - I'm giving them an anchor because he set the benchmark so high. His hands were off even though his opponents defended well. He had so many almost marks.

3. Dumb forward entries at times. The kick high to Naughton is getting beyond a joke. At least we are predictable to ourselves I suppose

[Bulldog Joe]

Bankers

Bailey Dale - I really like how he has brought defensive intensity to back up on his brilliant 2021 season

Ryan Gardner - Given an imposing task on Buddy, but performed remarkably well to stifle his influence.

Anthony Scott - Forced to the backline with the early injury but his commitment was superb.

Anchors

Perenially goalkicking. They just need to use that 30 seconds to compose and run a set routine.

Commentary on free kicks. - The numbers are that relevant. If there are infringements that should be paid they should just be paid and consistently. We don't need the Gerard Whatley cheer squad or others lamenting the differential. It is not under 10 you don't need to award the next free to the other team just to even the numbers.

Apparently we got 31 for and 14 against.

How do they justify paying 14 frees against a scrupulously fair Bulldog team!!!