The FIVE (5) Keys* to our season

[mjp]

What are the FIVE (5) keys in us having a successful season?

One caveat: Bont cannot be one of your keys!

I want to hear what things/players people believe are key to us being successful that might be a little left of centre. You might - for example - suggest that Gardner continuing to develop as a key back is a key. You might also (if you are mean spirited) suggest that the Match Committee giving up on Gardner as a key back is a key.

I guess I just want to know what things - with the exception of a career year from Bont - do people believe are important with the season just 5-days away...

[soupman]

We find a way as a team to lock shit down.

Too often last year you could look back at a loss and say "we played with such intensity and application for 3 quarters, it was just that one quarter that cost us". We need to find a way to not let that bad quarter cost us the game. Too often it is just 15 minutes of easy goals for the opposition that break us. If we can find a way as a team, either by our defence finding a way to stand up against the tide or even more team sustained effort to hut the opposition down then we will be significantly better for it. We are always going to have periods where the opposition is on top, we need to make it less consequential.

Interestingly I thought the bad quarters tended to coincide with a certain midfielder i shall not name (as per thread rules) turn up forward. I'm really hoping the addition of Treloar and Martin along with a less injured Dunkley help our midfield hold up in his absences.

[bornadog]

The 5 keys for me are:

1. Consistency throughout the match with effort and application

2. Nailing set shots

3. Defending the high press alot better than we have in previous seasons

4. Luck with injury to key players that we can ill afford eg Rucks

5. Having a few forwards kicking 25 to 30 goals each

[josie]

Improved cohesion in our forward line (possibly linked to quality of delivery)

Finding a crumbing small forward

Set shot accuracy

Our mids defending/pressuring/chasing when they do not win clearances

Reducing number of times our defence is too easily outmuscled

[merantau]

Key 1. Physical fitness to allow us to maintain max pressure on the opposition ball carrier, to get to contests and to run into a space when we have the ball.
Key 2. Goal kicking
Key 3. Goals out the back. We must stop them.
Key 4. Pressure to stay in the 22
Key 5. The Stefan Martin factor.

[soupman]

1. As above, we find a way to make our bad patches not hurt us as much. This involves our defence developing some kind of ability to not just be beaten as soon as our midfield drops off. I have no faith in our defence one on one at this stage, so this will have to involve a lot of helping each other out and discipline in covering each others opponents.

2. We develop some mongrel. I cannot fault our tenacity and application, but I'm hoping that as our group matures we can start to become bullies. We have been the bullied in the past, and I am not suggesting we go full GWS, but if we can develop an edge to our game where we embrace the physicality of the team sport more than just winning the contested ball I think it could really help our mindset when we face those really good sides, because they all have it. Our group seems a bit too nice for this, but that's what I'm hoping happens.

3. We take our chances. I can accept misses from open play, we play a taxing gameplan and rushed kicks in congestion are tough. But when we get set shots we need to drastically improve. Unfortunately some of our hardest workers and thus players who are best at getting these opportunities are our worst culprits. Hunter, Bont, Naughton, English would be in our top 10 shot generators and none of them are better than maybe a 55% chance. Lipinski and Wallis are probably the only guys that get more than say 5 set shots a season that we can trust.

4. We develop a plan b. Our frenetic handball game can and does work, but when it doesn't, we seem to lack an ability to change it up. It sometimes feels like we just exhaust ourselves trying to maintain this, if we can develop a way to slow down without exposing ourselves, or to find a different way to score, that would be very helpful.

5. We figure out a way to make our forward actually dangerous. Atm, our forwards hurt eachother. They lead to the same spots, when they actually find space they don't get hit up, and they often fail to apply pressure. It seems like we have just chucked them all down there and told them to "impress us". Naughton and Bruce should not be flying for the same ball. We should not be continually bombing to the same spot to our forwards disadvantage. If we can even work out one semi regular trick where we manage to set up 3-4 set shots a game through means other than chaos ball, that would be very helpful.

[Dry Rot]

1. Play real and effective defenders in defence eg Duryea and Naughton

2. Play real natural forwards in the forward line. Currently we only play one, Bruce. Include forwards such as Schache and at least one of Cavarra and Weightman

3. Have a ruck set up which is at least competitive. If Martin is not playing for whatever reason, have a reasonable second ruck (buggered if I know who that would be)

4. Improve our delivery up forward, leading patterns, actually kick to advantage

5. Make our tackles stick and have more mongrel. Need to become a team to be feared, like we were in the late nineties.

[comrade]

There is only 1 key:

Naughton to defence.

[Hotdog60]

1: Making the most of our efforts.
We can't be having the most inside 50's and not make it count on the scoreboard.

2: If Stefan Martin can stay injury free.
I think Martin was the start of the mobile ruckman. In 2016 Martin used his mobility and agility as a ruckman to average 22 disposals a game, which was the most of any ruckman. He hasn't played in a Grand Final and time is running out could he be super motivated.

3: The lesser lights.
We need our players that have hit around that 50 game mark to start finding consistency to play a role and do it to a reasonable level.

4: The Backline.
I don't think we need our backline to be dominant. But do need then to at least break even and not lose the position if we can complete stage 1 then breaking even will be good enough.

5: Team Selection.
The selection committee need to play in form players and if a player is down on form he needs to be replaced until he regains that form in the two's. We shouldn't have any passengers in the team because it will hard enough with longer game time and sorter rotations.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

1. Consistency. No more Jekyll and Hyde within a game, let alone between games.

2. We need to see continued development from Naughts up forward. We need to know this season if he's got what it takes to play there, or whether he's best suited to playing down back.

3. Big strides in English's development in the ruck is vital. Sweet too. Martin isn't a long term proposition, and we need to know going forward if either English or Sweet are long term viable ruck options.

4. With a tall set up forward with English, Bruce and Naught's, we're gonna need to demonstrate we aren't witches hats when the ball hits the deck, otherwise if opposition defenders are able to transition easily out of our forward line, things are going to get ugly.

5. We need to see some of our emerging players take another step up like Bailey Williams did last year. Lipinski, Bailey Dale, English, Vandermeer, West, one or two of those need to have a break out season.

[Twodogs]

1. Making shots at goal count. We can't afford scorelines like 10.15. we have to make them 15.10

2. We have to have a lockdown defender. We are ok for intercepters but we need someone who can outmark/outpunch/shutdown the opposition forward who gets away.

3. Martin. We can't afford to get touched up in the ruck. I want to see us dominate centre bounces

4. We have to play out 4 quarters. No more 3 or 2.5 quarters of good footy and then switch off.

5. Small forward. We need someone nipping at the heels of Naughton/English/Bruce/Marra/Bont. Needs to help lock the ball into our forward 50 as well as kick goals.

5.5 Bont. I'd really like to see him kick 50+ goals, starting at centre bounces and charging into the forward 50. Basically I'd like everyone to sit back after grand final day and say "wow! He was just like Dusty but better!"

6. Trealor. I've always been a huge fan and I want to see him give opposition coaches headaches.

[mjp]

5. Small forward. We need someone nipping at the heels of Naughton/English/Bruce/Marra/Bont. Needs to help lock the ball into our forward 50 as well as kick goals.

5.5 Bont. I'd really like to see him kick 50+ goals, starting at centre bounces and charging into the forward 50. Basically I'd like everyone to sit back after grand final day and say "wow! He was just like Dusty but better!"

6. Trealor. I've always been a huge fan and I want to see him give opposition coaches headaches.

I have always loved you 2D.

Somehow you have turned 5 things NOT including Bont to 7 things including Bont. And you starting covering your tracks with the "5", "5.5" then decided 'Who am I even kidding, 6!'.

Looking forward to catch up come finals time mate.

[Twodogs]

I have always loved you 2D.

Somehow you have turned 5 things NOT including Bont to 7 things including Bont. And you starting covering your tracks with the "5", "5.5" then decided 'Who am I even kidding, 6!'.

Looking forward to catch up come finals time mate.

As am I.

It might have only been weeknight touch footy but watching you relate to umpires and opponents was some of my favourite times playing footy ever. The look on your face that time Westdog turned up in his umpiring gear was priceless!

[1eyedog]

1: Making the most of our efforts.
We can't be having the most inside 50's and not make it count on the scoreboard.

2: If Stefan Martin can stay injury free.
I think Martin was the start of the mobile ruckman. In 2016 Martin used his mobility and agility as a ruckman to average 22 disposals a game, which was the most of any ruckman. He hasn't played in a Grand Final and time is running out could he be super motivated.

3: The lesser lights.
We need our players that have hit around that 50 game mark to start finding consistency to play a role and do it to a reasonable level.

4: The Backline.
I don't think we need our backline to be dominant. But do need then to at least break even and not lose the position if we can complete stage 1 then breaking even will be good enough.

5: Team Selection.
The selection committee need to play in form players and if a player is down on form he needs to be replaced until he regains that form in the two's. We shouldn't have any passengers in the team because it will hard enough with longer game time and sorter rotations.

Jeff White

[mjp]

Jeff White

Stephen Michael.