New head coach

[Jeanette54]

I believe this thread to be a total over reaction to a couple of recent losses, that last by just three points.

From any perspective, up until round 20, the home and away season has shown a measure of success that, historically, few other Bulldog teams have ever come close to achieving. Most of the current angst revolves around three things.

a) Current loss of form.
b) Lack of KPD's.
c) Lack of effective ruck options.
d) Lack of VFL games restricting player development.

Surely the fact that Bevo has managed to conjure up a record of success this season in spite of b, c & d is to his (and the team's) credit. And there is no doubt if Bailey Smith had of nailed his last on goal shot, or if the umpire had not called Young's last handball a throw, we would have been having a totally different conversation this morning.

Get a grip people, It was a three point loss against the hottest team in the AFL over the last five or six weeks.

It is also an issue of unfortunate timing. As the interminable lock-downs, and disruption of our once ordered lives, continue to effect society football has began to be subjected to increased focus to many of us. This has also amplified the hand wringing and driving the witch hunt.

Don't turn this club into a Collingwood or a Richmond, where they traditionally eat their own.

Bevo and his team have got us to a third straight finals berth, in spite of the vagrancies of the season. We might even (still) have the double chance. All is not lost, and lets not loose sight of our good season to date. Difficulties notwithstanding.

[GVGjr]

I believe this thread to be a total over reaction to a couple of recent losses, that last by three points.

From any perspective, up until round 20, the home and away season has shown a measure of success that, historically, few other Bulldog teams have ever come close to achieving. Most of the current angst revolves around three things.

a) Current loss of form.
b) Lack of KPD's.
c) Lack of effective ruck options.
d) Lack of VFL games restricting player development.

Surely the fact that Bevo has managed to conjure up a record of success this season in spite of b, c & d is to his (and the team's) credit. And there is no doubt if Bailey Smith had of nailed his last on goal shot, or if the umpire had not called Young's last handball a throw, we would have been having a totally different conversation this morning.

Get a grip people, It was a three point loss against the hottest team in the AFL over the last five or six weeks.

It is also an issue of unfortunate timing. As the interminable lock-downs, and disruption of our once ordered lives, continue to effect society football has began to be subjected to increased focus to many of us. This has also amplified the hand wringing and further driving the witch hunt.

Don't turn this club into a Collingwood or a Richmond, where they traditionally eat their own.

Bevo and his team have got us to a third straight finals berth, in spite of the vagrancies of the season. We might even (still) have the double chance. All is not lost, and lets not loose sight of our good season to date. Difficulties notwithstanding.

Great post however,

We aren't the only team impacted by the lack of VFL games and we have practice game against the Swans
We aren't really developing KP players and that is on us.
We have a strange set-up in the ruck and that is on us.

I think Bevo is fine but I understand why some are questioning things. We were a great team all year and it's up to him and the footy department to get us back on track next week.

[bornadog]

I believe this thread to be a total over reaction to a couple of recent losses, that last by just three points.

From any perspective, up until round 20, the home and away season has shown a measure of success that, historically, few other Bulldog teams have ever come close to achieving. Most of the current angst revolves around three things.

a) Current loss of form.
b) Lack of KPD's.
c) Lack of effective ruck options.
d) Lack of VFL games restricting player development.

Surely the fact that Bevo has managed to conjure up a record of success this season in spite of b, c & d is to his (and the team's) credit. And there is no doubt if Bailey Smith had of nailed his last on goal shot, or if the umpire had not called Young's last handball a throw, we would have been having a totally different conversation this morning.

Get a grip people, It was a three point loss against the hottest team in the AFL over the last five or six weeks.

It is also an issue of unfortunate timing. As the interminable lock-downs, and disruption of our once ordered lives, continue to effect society football has began to be subjected to increased focus to many of us. This has also amplified the hand wringing and driving the witch hunt.

Don't turn this club into a Collingwood or a Richmond, where they traditionally eat their own.

Bevo and his team have got us to a third straight finals berth, in spite of the vagrancies of the season. We might even (still) have the double chance. All is not lost, and lets not loose sight of our good season to date. Difficulties notwithstanding.

Agree, total overreaction made on emotion rather than logic.

[comrade]

Unlucky that we’re the only club impacted by Covid and lockdowns.

[jeemak]

I don't think sacking a coach who has won a flag, rebuilt and gotten us to three consecutive finals campaigns and almost top four is the way to go.

It surprises me what people want. I mean everyone acknowledges we have list deficiencies that take time to remedy, but expect us to play as if we don't have list deficiencies that take time to remedy. It's paradoxical.

We could have played Sweet and not have allowed Bont to take some ruck contests, however if we did and lost last night which let's be honest would have been a reasonable chance of happening (what if Port kicked straighter), we'd be exactly where we are now suggesting the coach be sacked.

Some fresh voices in the box is a great idea and it's something we've been calling out for over time. Bevo's loyalty to people in this case is hurting us, but overall it's a good trait for a coach to have.

No better coach is going to come to us after we sack a coach that's won a flag, rebuilt and made three finals appearances in a row, kept the team up for most of the season in the face of rolling injuries. Sacking him would be a silly thing to do.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

I'm in the keep Bevo camp. He certainly can coach.

From the outside looking in, coupled with certain information I get from time to time I do wonder if he has built himself a little empire now at the Dogs, where he is the omnipresent potentate of the Kennel. Maybe not of his own doing, maybe it's just evolved this way I mean winning that flag has to have imbued him with some sense of godliness!

He comes across as a very caring type; sensitive, emotional, loyal to a fault.

But he really doesn't like to be challenged.

We've seen it with Barrett for eg (maybe warranted but not professional), pretty much every press conference he picks a fight with one of the journos or scoffs at a question (that maybe some members wanted answered), has gone into battle with the AFL on multiple occasions this season (medi sub for one, boxing ban etc), bristled at the constant Jamarra questions.

He seems to have lost the thing that made him approachable. He seems angry and flat most of the time, and this has to have a flow on effect to the entire team.

I know speaking to one of the younger players recently they were reticent to approach him, "because he's the senior coach". I'm not sure that's healthy. Don't talk to the CEO just talk to his line managers (coaches).

Good leaders accept challenge and disruption, and are approachable and open.

I think Bevo is definitely a good leader, but maybe we need to just bring him down a bit from Mt. Lofty and get him back to being a bit more like the guy from St.Bedes, full of energy and ambition.

A new senior assistant in my opinion is the single most important off field move going into 2022, let's challenge from within and drive ourselves to ensure that the coaching department is working as it should.

Some good thoughts here. Well done. Our form over the past 6 weeks would suggest we have become bereft of new ideas.
Without Bruce the forward line is woeful.
Lew Young has played half a game in the ruck against GCS for the year and emerges as our number one ruck man in our most important game last night for the year. Our lack of leg speed was most obvious last night with PA being much quicker.
To watch Hannan and Bont forced to ruck was embarrassing.
PA is far better equipped with its Assistant coaches with the likes of Michael Voss and Brett Montgomery who was highly regarded as an Assistant at the WB. There isn’t any shadow of doubt in my opinion that a urgent review of the MC is needed at season’s end.
The final nail in the coffin last night was in the last quarter when the experience and class of Boak Wines and Gray saw them slam on 3 goals in ten minutes of play. Our mid trumps in Bont Libba and Macrae have tailed off having carried the team for most of the season. Full marks however to Dale Williams and Duryea last night who kept us in the game for a long time.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

There are list deficiencies and then there is an absolutely stacked midfield that is severely underperforming. And this isn’t the first season where that’s happened.

[jeemak]

There are list deficiencies and then there is an absolutely stacked midfield that is severely underperforming. And this isn’t the first season where that’s happened.

When was the last time we had a midfield like this? From what I can remember of the last few seasons is that we had less quality in the midfield and less quality forward (injuries notwithstanding).

[bulldogsthru&thru]

When was the last time we had a midfield like this? From what I can remember of the last few seasons is that we had less quality in the midfield and less quality forward (injuries notwithstanding).

We’ve only added Treloar this year. Even before that our midfield was touted as one of, if not the best in the comp. Purely on paper though. I think they’re either too one dimensional or they’re not getting the coaching they need to improve. Honestly, apart from Bonts pure natural talent, not many have made much improvement from their first season levels. Skills don’t improve. Off the ball work and concentration doesn’t improve. That’s where I start believing they aren’t getting the right coaching they need.

[jeemak]

We’ve only added Treloar this year. Even before that our midfield was touted as one of, if not the best in the comp. Purely on paper though. I think they’re either too one dimensional or they’re not getting the coaching they need to improve. Honestly, apart from Bonts pure natural talent, not many have made much improvement from their first season levels. Skills don’t improve. Off the ball work and concentration doesn’t improve. That’s where I start believing they aren’t getting the right coaching they need.

Come on. I know we're emotional but really? Bont is the only midfielder who's improved from his first season of footy?

When they do all of the things we know they can do, is the coaching OK or is it just lucky? Or is it more likely they are getting the coaching, and it's the discipline and concentration, or effort that drops?

I'm all for a review, I'm all for changes to be made. But all of this has to be executed off the back of cool headedness and facts. Not emotion and anger.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Come on. I know we're emotional but really? Bont is the only midfielder who's improved from his first season of footy?

When they do all of the things we know they can do, is the coaching OK or is it just lucky? Or is it more likely they are getting the coaching, and it's the discipline and concentration, or effort that drops?

I'm all for a review, I'm all for changes to be made. But all of this has to be executed off the back of cool headedness and facts. Not emotion and anger.

How long do we accept these performances until we decide to shake things up? I assess performances for a whole season. If we just look at when we were playing well, then we’ll just keep repeating the cycle that’s been going since 2017. The last 3 weeks have been diabolical. On the back of a piss weak effort in the EF final last year which was on the back of an obliteration in the EF the year before which was on the back of two shithouse seasons after winning a flag. How many tokens does Bevo get?

[jeemak]

How long do we accept these performances until we decide to shake things up? I assess performances for a whole season. If we just look at when we were playing well, then we’ll just keep repeating the cycle that’s been going since 2017.

So if we look at the whole season, with fifteen wins and a percentage of 132.8 I would argue with some confidence that we have improved on the last two years. If we win a final then again, we have absolutely improved.

You say you look at a whole season but that's not coming through, because you seem to be focusing on the now. And that's completely fine. However coaching can't be OK when we're winning outside of other variables and then not when we're losing outside of other variable. It's more complicated than that.

We've had clear deficiencies in years past and we have them again this year. If Bevo is saying to Sam Power please don't get me a competent first ruck and by gosh don't get me another key defender, then up against the wall for him. But I don't think he'd be saying that. He's not that eccentric.

[SonofScray]

Cool heads have prevailed for long enough.

The reality is, the coach won a flag and for the overwhelming majority of the remainder of his tenure has taken a team who are capable of insanely good football to mediocre, or unsatisfying heights. He is a good coach, but has been challenged by rule changes and personnel and keeps coming up short.

Win a final and he buys some time. Hopefully he has two cracks at it.
Win two finals and there’s egg on my face that I’ll gladly consume.

If not…..spill some blood.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

So if we look at the whole season, with fifteen wins and a percentage of 132.8 I would argue with some confidence that we have improved on the last two years. If we win a final then again, we have absolutely improved.

You say you look at a whole season but that's not coming through, because you seem to be focusing on the now. And that's completely fine. However coaching can't be OK when we're winning outside of other variables and then not when we're losing outside of other variable. It's more complicated than that.

We've had clear deficiencies in years past and we have them again this year. If Bevo is saying to Sam Power please don't get me a competent first ruck and by gosh don't get me another key defender, then up against the wall for him. But I don't think he'd be saying that. He's not that eccentric.

Sorry, I meant I review the end result. Poor choice of words.

List deficiencies are a major issue and oversight of years prior, but I’m more concerned about internal progress. This midfield should not be getting dominated the way it has the last three weeks and seasons before.

[jeemak]

Sorry, I meant I review the end result. Poor choice of words.

List deficiencies are a major issue and oversight of years prior, but I’m more concerned about internal progress.

Roger. That makes sense.

Bruce's knee couldn't have gone at a worse time, and his future has become cloudy unfortunately. That means we need a ruck, a key defender and possibly a key forward. Add to that a natural small to medium sized forward with a bit of pace.......it's going to be tough to tick all of those boxes.