Quote Originally Posted by The Bulldogs Bite View Post
As much as I'd like to agree with that, our big 3 have been flat out embarrassed a few times (v Carlton, v GWS and now v Pies). Two of those now are back to back in big games which is concerning.

This can happen to any team, but three times in less than a year in such dramatic circumstances? I don't recall our 2016 side ever capitulating like this. I think of the Geelong game late in that season when everything was against us with an incredible amount of injuries and yet we played to the final bell admirably.

This side is far more talented than 2016 but they're also far more mentally fragile. Not sure how we fix this which is what is so disappointing about last night after a summer of banging the drums about how much we've been stewing over last year's final.
2016 team contained Clay Smith, Picken, Matty Boyd, Morris, and also Libba when finals started. There is absolutely no fragility in that group, and their hardness and fierce desire to win every single contest has not been adequately replaced thus far.

Our balance is askew. We put little time and effort into negating opposition players, and rely on our midfield to give us first use. As your examples allude, when the midfield/ruck gets decimated, we look like the emperor with no clothes. Professional, hardened teams like GWS and Colingwood will demolish anybody that shows weakness at the contest. Our big 3 mids are simply too good to allow abominations like last night to happen often, but we still need to balance out the style of play with additional personnel who can lift us when we are not at our best. We do have a large number of players who go into their shell when confronted by rabid opposition - it doesn't matter how talented they are, they will continue to have no impact when it is really needed. A number of players are on notice in that regard.

As for our stoppage tactics and ruck set up, I actually felt sorry for English last night because he was so clinically, predictably and easily dismantled and torn apart, he had nowhere to hide because there was no proper support to back him up. The folly of the concept of 'putting games into him' was exposed with cold and ruthless efficiency last night (not for the first time), not just by Grundy but by an American project player built like a match stick. We simply need Sweet or Trengove in to balance the team structure and actually give English the chance to play to his strengths. How many times will it take to play English as virtual lone ruckman and get slaughtered before it adversely affects his own confidence long term? It goes without saying that it makes winning more difficult.