From Irrelevant to Scary inside 6 months

[1eyedog]

Scary at least according to Rory Sloane

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-...-1227327331013

How did we do this? What have we done so differently? It seems bizarre that a new coach and game plan can have such a dramatic effect so quickly. With Higgins, Cooney and Griffen out of the side we were supposed to lose most games!

[SlimPickens]

We learnt how to be just as ferocious away from the contest.

Sloane is out of contract at the end of the year isn't he?

[bornadog]

Scary at least according to Rory Sloane

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-...-1227327331013

How did we do this? What have we done so differently? It seems bizarre that a new coach and game plan can have such a dramatic effect so quickly. With Higgins, Cooney and Griffen out of the side we were supposed to lose most games!

Amazing what a decent game plan can do to a team.

[Mofra]

*cough* Bontempelli *cough*

I think the addition of Tom Boyd has done amazing things for our structure.

[Twodogs]

*cough* Bontempelli *cough*

I think the addition of Tom Boyd has done amazing things for our structure.

Dead straight. I've been impressed with how hard he works to impact contests and bring the ball to ground and follows up to keep the ball in the forward line. I can't believe other teams continue to let us get away with a pretty straight forward goal creating tactic every week without trying to shield him out of the contest or have a third man up to spoil Tom and work the ball to boundary rather than let it fall to our small forwards.

[1eyedog]

*cough* Bontempelli *cough*

I think the addition of Tom Boyd has done amazing things for our structure.

I guess Talia holding up his end of the bargain in the back half as well?

[Mofra]

Dead straight. I've been impressed with how hard he works to impact contests and bring the ball to ground and follows up to keep the ball in the forward line. I can't believe other teams continue to let us get away with a pretty straight forward goal creating tactic every week without trying to shield him out of the contest or have a third man up to spoil Tom and work the ball to boundary rather than let it fall to our small forwards.

He does often contest against two, leaving us with a numerical advantage on the ground. His willingness to just compete is such a positive for us.

I guess Talia holding up his end of the bargain in the back half as well?

Definitely. His ability to guard space is a massive improvement over Austin.

[1eyedog]

He does often contest against two, leaving us with a numerical advantage on the ground. His willingness to just compete is such a positive for us.


Definitely. His ability to guard space is a massive improvement over Austin.

It's usually the Kennedy's and Walker's of this world that cut us (many teams) to pieces. He effectively tamed them both. Amazing also is the fact that he has become so dominating.

[SlimPickens]

Amazing what a decent game plan can do to a team.

And buy in from all the players.

[Greystache]

Dead straight. I've been impressed with how hard he works to impact contests and bring the ball to ground and follows up to keep the ball in the forward line. I can't believe other teams continue to let us get away with a pretty straight forward goal creating tactic every week without trying to shield him out of the contest or have a third man up to spoil Tom and work the ball to boundary rather than let it fall to our small forwards.

Good luck getting anyone external to acknowledge it however. The way some are so keen to pump up Hogan and talk about how he's so far ahead of Boyd has been a joke. In their last 2 games

Hogan
23 disposal 11 marks 4 goals

Boyd
22 disposals 9 marks 5 goals

[LostDoggy]

Dead straight. I've been impressed with how hard he works to impact contests and bring the ball to ground and follows up to keep the ball in the forward line. I can't believe other teams continue to let us get away with a pretty straight forward goal creating tactic every week without trying to shield him out of the contest or have a third man up to spoil Tom and work the ball to boundary rather than let it fall to our small forwards.

As our profile grows, and our game plan continues to receive more exposure we will start to see opposition teams put more work into countering said game plan. It's a good problem to have and it'll be great to see how we go with a Plan B in the games where we can't play to our own tune (the seeming lack of which was Adelaide's downfall on the weekend).

And buy in from all the players.

Exactly. We were playing half-decent footy towards the end of 2013 whilst Macca seemed to still have the majority of players on his side, and whatever happened for him to lose that confidence obviously resulted in the massive slide that was 2014.

At some point, whether later this season or in the coming years of Beveridge's contract, we are going to enter a period where this faith in his game plan will again be tested. I hope we can continue to evolve both on the playing field and in our coaching tactics so that we can avoid this.

[LostDoggy]

Good luck getting anyone external to acknowledge it however. The way some are so keen to pump up Hogan and talk about how he's so far ahead of Boyd has been a joke. In their last 2 games

Hogan
23 disposal 11 marks 4 goals

Boyd
22 disposals 9 marks 5 goals

This is good though. Let them continue to ignore him.

[GVGjr]

A midfield that runs hard both ways is the biggest standout for me.
The improvement in Bontempelli, Stringer, Macrae, Wood and the likes of Johannisen has been massive for the club.
Lin Jongs form and development has been a huge bonus especially given that many didn't think he was up to it.
As Mofra mentioned, Boyd provides us that contest and structure we lacked and this helps the likes of Crameri. Boyd will be a very strong player for us in the future.
Finally, having our own VFL team last year and winning the premiership shouldn't be underplayed as a reason whey we have improved. It's given a lot of players the confidence that better times await and that their hard work will pay off.

We won't always be as positive as we are right now but the progress we have made in player development over the last few years will pay dividends in the longer run.

[Maddog37]

If we can Get Fletcher Roberts to be a serviceable CHF or CHB (even better a bit of both) we will have a very, very handy young team.

[Remi Moses]

Good luck getting anyone external to acknowledge it however. The way some are so keen to pump up Hogan and talk about how he's so far ahead of Boyd has been a joke. In their last 2 games

Hogan
23 disposal 11 marks 4 goals

Boyd
22 disposals 9 marks 5 goals

It's getting silly the comparisons on such a small body of work.
The media gushing and comparisons are nauseating to say the least.
Also add the different development paths of Tom playing in a sub standard comp and Jesse playing in the best second tier comp.
Boyd's been with us for 6 months and Jesse's been there for three years, and I'm not doubting Hogan will be a star .