No checking stats!!! What do you see when we are 'ON'?

[mjp]

I still haven't watched the Hawks game.

Reading some of the gameday stuff, the comments are all about us being 'flat', 'lethargic' etc.

When you are watching us play - and we are playing "well" - what are you seeing that makes you think so? Is it defensive running, numbers around the contest, multiple leads, willingness to switch (and options to switch to!) in the corridor, run off half-back...

How exactly do you know we are 'ON' - what defines this particular side?

[Mantis]

Defensive intent (hard tackling, smothers & hard defensive running) and clean/crisp ball movement where we're playing on the edge of recklessness.

Against Hawthorn our defensive intensity was way off and our ball handling skills where that of a park footy team.

[mjp]

Defensive intent (hard tackling, smothers & hard defensive running) and clean/crisp ball movement where we're playing on the edge of recklessness.

Against Hawthorn our defensive intensity was way off and our ball handling skills where that of a park footy team.

So it's attack and defend that catches your eye? Interesting.

[soupman]

I think it's our intensity, as shown through defensive pressure in our forward half just outside of the 50.

When we are on we sweat the ball carrier really well and if they can even get their hands on the ball it almost always ends up with Bailey Williams or Alex Keath or other defenders taking the intercept mark. When they are in their defensive 50 and looking for the outlet kick then we cover the options insanely well. When we do that it's like we are suffocating them and we will just generate opportunities like crazy.

Without that we can be on with our ball movement and clearance winning ability but once they get it we are super vulnerable.

[Grantysghost]

For me it’s the pressure. If you think back to 2016 the tackling, the hunting of the opposition, the numbers around the footy it was relentless. Then clean ground balls and run from behind once we win it back. Our guys have looked so clumsy at ground level.

The last couple of games I’ve seen loads of opposition jumpers in the tight shots, almost like they had an extra player and that’s just pure work rate.

[The bulldog tragician]

When we’re off:

We begin to play indirectly. In Q 1 v Hawks I noticed that if we got the ball just outside the F 50 we did multiple backwards and sideways handballs. With only seeing the match on TV it was hard to know if this was a lack of options forward. I know our game is built on quick hands but to my mind these were slow loopy handballs more of the “ I’m not really sure what to do next so you have a go” variety.

We stop working as hard off the ball. We have a lot of smothers in our best wins, I’d be confident there weren’t many on Saturday.

And yes. Flat, lethargic. It’s a vibe as much as anything, the energy that’s lacking, the body language as they walked back after another Hawks goal…we are all pretty good at reading those signals that alarm us.

[comrade]

Smothers. Lots of smothers.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

When we don’t have the ball, we give the opposition no time to make decisions.

With the ball, we move in numbers with quick ball movement.

[jeemak]

On the small TV view/ perspective seeing that we are outnumbered in the forward line, outnumbered in the middle, outnumbered in the backline, always second to the ball, not straight lining the ball........

When we are on, these issues don't seem to be as prevalent.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

On the small TV view/ perspective seeing that we are outnumbered in the forward line, outnumbered in the middle, outnumbered in the backline, always second to the ball, not straight lining the ball........

When we are on, these issues don't seem to be as prevalent.

This is it. We were outnumbered all over the ground on the weekend. Everywhere. As though the hawks had 4 extra players on the field. This is simply workrate.

Right now it feels like our midfield group all want the easy ball. No one is prepared to do the team things like blocking and playing the man. They all want the ball. I know leadership comes into this. Perhaps Bont is too nice to give the hard orders?

[jazzadogs]

No easy exits for the opposition from stoppages, especially centre clearances - they might win a hack kick out, 1 or 2 clean ones, but generally the heat is on.

Slowed opposition ball movement, and when they do try to move it quickly it is intercepted or nullified on most occasions (although even when 'on' we give up 2 or 3 goals out the back).

No dumb turnovers.

Moving the ball forward with handball.

[ratsmac]

Definitely what we are doing without the ball. Pressuring the opposition around the ball into making mistakes. We set up for these mistakes but when the pressure isn't there we are out of position because we are banking on the turnover.

We don't defend well enough when teams spread. We always seem allow the short kick. Other teams do this until we have pushed back into d50 and what comes next is another short kick to a player 35-40 metres out.

[jeemak]

Even the Easton Wood effort from the weekend where he kicked it instead of running it out when he should have, our spacing in the defencive fifty was shocking. Just either flocking to it or standing in no mans land, unthinking.

When we're not switched on I feel we crowd the ball more than we need to, and that's all between the ears and a result of a lack of talk. Part of the ball watching issue that happens, no spacial awareness.....just get to the ball as a sole priority but without intensity.

[bornadog]

How exactly do you know we are 'ON' - what defines this particular side?

When I am at a game live, I can tell by the body language and our actions in the first 10 minutes or so whether we are on or not. Hard to see that on TV.

What defines this side when we are on?

Intensity, effort and team work ie backing each other up from contest to contest.

[boydogs]

Everything mentioned regarding intensity, but also that we seem to know where each other are, always have the free player to give off to without stopping and killing the momentum

Against Hawthorn it was like no-one had anyone to kick to