bulldogtragic
14-07-2018, 09:59 PM
I remember way back when, way back in 2016, that with our wins and losses people said we were better than a 7th finishing side and they were right. The mere wins and losses alone lacked context for where we were as a footy club then.
So now we look at the quantitive wins and losses again, and some may say according to the ladder we are fifth last. Some may argue that we've had bad luck, more bad luck (which is what injuries are) and other ladder results not go our way. There's no doubting that injuries have devastated us this year, and it's exposed poor list management which had hurt us even more.
So are we really just a poor performing side in light of the above, or should some more serious alarm bells be going off? Because if we are to be like Mitch Wallis and be of sufficient qualitative and quantitive sheen, we need to look at context. The GCS were leading half way through the last quarter in Round 7, a depleted young GCS, and we fell across the line to win by 9. Harry Taylor had a shot after the game to win it for them, after they too led in the last quarter. If we for a moment just think that these two narrow results went the other way, we would currently sit in 17th position, just two games above Carlton with the same very poor percentage.
This isn't a negative or doom and gloom thread or position, but rather trying to look at how we are trending across the year beyond just the recorded wins and losses. I think there's an argument to say we were going to finish about 9th again and injuries have slid us down the ladder. And that holds up without much scrutiny. But not for two get out of jail results, that argument doesn't fully explain why we could lay claim to being in the same class of year like Carlton. And the only reason we are not is because of Harry Taylor & some GCS kids.
Injuries is a big reason, the form we can show for large parts of games also camouflages where we are at, and yes it's 'if my Aunty had balls she'd be my uncle' spitballing hypothetical. But if you just follow the line of thinking about what could've been, what would the supporter base and media be saying generally about our coaching, players, conditioning, list management, tactics, non ruck strategy etc, etc. I think for all the negative media attention we've gotten, we've gotten off lightly. I'd hate to think those entrusted with resurrecting the club's onfield fortunes are just writing off injuries as bad luck and inevitable as the main reason and things will turn themselves around. There's much to be thankful for, namely Richards, Naughton, Schache, Gowers, Lipinski, English, Williams and even Crozier & Suckling etc. So it's not doom and gloom. But we've gone from top of the ladder (by winning the flag) to nearly 17th on the ladder in just a mere 38 games and I don't think injuries are solely to blame. If we are looking at what's behind the wins/losses, I think there's more warnings to learn from heading into next year to turn things around. I hope we just don't brush our hands with the injuries card, because as horrible as its been, it can't solely be the reason we are now playing like a 17th side not even two full seasons on from a flag. I for one would love to know what the club thinks it is all together and how they're going fix it.
So now we look at the quantitive wins and losses again, and some may say according to the ladder we are fifth last. Some may argue that we've had bad luck, more bad luck (which is what injuries are) and other ladder results not go our way. There's no doubting that injuries have devastated us this year, and it's exposed poor list management which had hurt us even more.
So are we really just a poor performing side in light of the above, or should some more serious alarm bells be going off? Because if we are to be like Mitch Wallis and be of sufficient qualitative and quantitive sheen, we need to look at context. The GCS were leading half way through the last quarter in Round 7, a depleted young GCS, and we fell across the line to win by 9. Harry Taylor had a shot after the game to win it for them, after they too led in the last quarter. If we for a moment just think that these two narrow results went the other way, we would currently sit in 17th position, just two games above Carlton with the same very poor percentage.
This isn't a negative or doom and gloom thread or position, but rather trying to look at how we are trending across the year beyond just the recorded wins and losses. I think there's an argument to say we were going to finish about 9th again and injuries have slid us down the ladder. And that holds up without much scrutiny. But not for two get out of jail results, that argument doesn't fully explain why we could lay claim to being in the same class of year like Carlton. And the only reason we are not is because of Harry Taylor & some GCS kids.
Injuries is a big reason, the form we can show for large parts of games also camouflages where we are at, and yes it's 'if my Aunty had balls she'd be my uncle' spitballing hypothetical. But if you just follow the line of thinking about what could've been, what would the supporter base and media be saying generally about our coaching, players, conditioning, list management, tactics, non ruck strategy etc, etc. I think for all the negative media attention we've gotten, we've gotten off lightly. I'd hate to think those entrusted with resurrecting the club's onfield fortunes are just writing off injuries as bad luck and inevitable as the main reason and things will turn themselves around. There's much to be thankful for, namely Richards, Naughton, Schache, Gowers, Lipinski, English, Williams and even Crozier & Suckling etc. So it's not doom and gloom. But we've gone from top of the ladder (by winning the flag) to nearly 17th on the ladder in just a mere 38 games and I don't think injuries are solely to blame. If we are looking at what's behind the wins/losses, I think there's more warnings to learn from heading into next year to turn things around. I hope we just don't brush our hands with the injuries card, because as horrible as its been, it can't solely be the reason we are now playing like a 17th side not even two full seasons on from a flag. I for one would love to know what the club thinks it is all together and how they're going fix it.