Bevo's Experiments - The Backline

[bornadog]

With a number of players going down (Daniel, Doc), or out form (Cordy, Williams), the backline has changed dramatically this year.

Cordy can't get back in the side (some say thankfully), and Treloar, and Hannan, plus Buku have been thrown back there. Williams has moved up the ground.

Have we improved by the changes?

How are the players performing?

Treloar has racked up the possessions in the backline, with games of 32, 25 and 28 disposals.

Hannan and Buku have been serviceable?

Should we have made different changes, and what are they? and has it been successful

[angelopetraglia]

Robbo's take from the Tackle.

1. Spinning the magnets

Luke Beveridge is a brave, creative and intriguing coach who, more than any other coach, is prepared to swing the magnets on his team board. It’s funny how many times he makes a move, is criticised in the media and among fans for it, only for the player to excel in his new position. Essendon great Kevin Sheedy was lauded for demanding his players to be versatile, but the same accolades are not layered on Beveridge. That has to change. The Bulldogs’ grand final back seven was Alex Keath, Bailey Dale, Caleb Daniel, Zaine Cordy, Easton Wood, Bailey Williams and Taylor Duryea. On Saturday night, it was Keath, Dale, Ryan Gardner, Buku Khamis, Ed Richards, Adam Treloar and Mitch Hannan. Only two players – Keath and Dale – are the constants. Form and injury has hurt the defensive group, but the coach still has to find defenders, still has to instil confidence and synergy, and, against the Demons anyhow, still had to back in an inexperienced group to shut down the premiers. Of them, Richards has developed into a promising defender. He can intercept, he can attack and he played on Kozzie Pickett on Saturday, who was fresh off six goals in Alice Springs. I don’t know about Adam Treloar’s defensive instincts, but he’s there to create in Caleb Daniel’s absence. Buku Khamis also is promising and Mitch Hannan might be the surprise of the lot of them. He’s played as a mid-sized forward all of his career, but has played defence for the past three weeks. If magnet tossing was a sport, Beveridge could represent Australia.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

In the glow of our great victory ap your thoughts are supreme to me. Great assessment of players, coach and where we are now.
EDIT: Haha Just noticed it was Robbo not you ap!
I feel violated by myself in praising Robbo.
MURDOCHROYALCOMMISSIONNOW!

[Mofra]

Khamis was recruited as an intercepting defender so that's not too much of a change.

Treloar is an interesting one, he's very good as a rebounder but will he stay there or rotate their often?
Williams has been tried up the field with mixed success in the past. Shows promise on the wing.
I'm still not convinced by Hannan behind the ball.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Khamis was recruited as an intercepting defender so that's not too much of a change.

Treloar is an interesting one, he's very good as a rebounder but will he stay there or rotate their often?
Williams has been tried up the field with mixed success in the past. Shows promise on the wing.
I'm still not convinced by Hannan behind the ball.

How about Bruce behind the ball?

[bornadog]

Robbo's take from the Tackle.

1. Spinning the magnets

Luke Beveridge is a brave, creative and intriguing coach who, more than any other coach, is prepared to swing the magnets on his team board. It’s funny how many times he makes a move, is criticised in the media and among fans for it, only for the player to excel in his new position. Essendon great Kevin Sheedy was lauded for demanding his players to be versatile, but the same accolades are not layered on Beveridge. That has to change. The Bulldogs’ grand final back seven was Alex Keath, Bailey Dale, Caleb Daniel, Zaine Cordy, Easton Wood, Bailey Williams and Taylor Duryea. On Saturday night, it was Keath, Dale, Ryan Gardner, Buku Khamis, Ed Richards, Adam Treloar and Mitch Hannan. Only two players – Keath and Dale – are the constants. Form and injury has hurt the defensive group, but the coach still has to find defenders, still has to instil confidence and synergy, and, against the Demons anyhow, still had to back in an inexperienced group to shut down the premiers. Of them, Richards has developed into a promising defender. He can intercept, he can attack and he played on Kozzie Pickett on Saturday, who was fresh off six goals in Alice Springs. I don’t know about Adam Treloar’s defensive instincts, but he’s there to create in Caleb Daniel’s absence. Buku Khamis also is promising and Mitch Hannan might be the surprise of the lot of them. He’s played as a mid-sized forward all of his career, but has played defence for the past three weeks. If magnet tossing was a sport, Beveridge could represent Australia.

I started this thread having not seen this.

[Go_Dogs]

Hannan down back appears to be working out OK. He was rusty week one but was always going to be after a long lay off.

Treloar adds some pace down back, and it means we get others a look through the middle. Doubt it’s a long term thing, but terrific Adam has taken the role on and he’s done remarkably well so far.

Gardner should have probably played in the GF.

[GVGjr]

Hannan down back appears to be working out OK. He was rusty week one but was always going to be after a long lay off.

Treloar adds some pace down back, and it means we get others a look through the middle. Doubt it’s a long term thing, but terrific Adam has taken the role on and he’s done remarkably well so far.

Gardner should have probably played in the GF.

All good points.
Hannan needs to make the back flank spot his own because with Bruce returning, Naughton and now Ugle-Hagan in form he will find it harder to get a spot up forward.

Treloar has done OK off half back as well and certainly better than I thought he might. Still prefer to see him on a wing but the move has worked.

Gardner is becoming a better player, he will occasionally put in an average performance but he's clearly made progress this year.

[comrade]

If everyone was magically fit next week, what’s our best defensive 6 + 1 on bench?

[Mantis]

All good points.
Hannan needs to make the back flank spot his own because with Bruce returning, Naughton and now Ugle-Hagan in form he will find it harder to get a spot up forward.

Treloar has done OK off half back as well and certainly better than I thought he might. Still prefer to see him on a wing but the move has worked.

Gardner is becoming a better player, he will occasionally put in an average performance but he's clearly made progress this year.

Saw on the Fox Footy program First Crack that Ryan is coming 3rd for defenders conceding the most goals to their opponent with 37.... Laverde is at 41 & Moore 39.

He's improving, but prone to concentration lapses which has him out of position... big test for him on Cameron this week as he got comfortably beaten by him earlier this season.

[Bulldog4life]

Saw on the Fox Footy program First Crack that Ryan is coming 3rd for defenders conceding the most goals to their opponent with 37.... Laverde is at 41 & Moore 39.

He's improving, but prone to concentration lapses which has him out of position... big test for him on Cameron this week as he got comfortably beaten by him earlier this season.

I like this footy show. Dixon, King and Joey are good to listen to.

[Happy Days]

I like this footy show. Dixon, King and Joey are good to listen to.

Yeah it’s the best show by far. They actually talk about why teams have success and how they do it supported by footage. As opposed to Footy Classified which is just an hour of Cornes telling you that everyone sucks.

[Mantis]

I like this footy show. Dixon, King and Joey are good to listen to.

Yeah it’s the best show by far. They actually talk about why teams have success and how they do it supported by footage. As opposed to Footy Classified which is just an hour of Cornes telling you that everyone sucks.

I tune in most weeks too.

Gives a good analytical breakdown of the games without the ego's and lots of behind the goals footage which gives lot of context to playing styles & strategies... some really good points about our game which have been discussed already on here.

[bornadog]

Saw on the Fox Footy program First Crack that Ryan is coming 3rd for defenders conceding the most goals to their opponent with 37.... Laverde is at 41 & Moore 39.

He's improving, but prone to concentration lapses which has him out of position... big test for him on Cameron this week as he got comfortably beaten by him earlier this season.

Keath mainly played on Cameron that night, which I thought was a blunder

[jeemak]

If everyone was magically fit next week, what’s our best defensive 6 + 1 on bench?

Khamis, Keath, Richards
Dale, Gardner, Duryea
Daniel (rolling back in our structure as the rest rotate)
Williams (cover)

Khamis has made it really hard to pin it down to just six plus one. All probably deserve their spot, with Williams being on thinner ice than he would like to be.

Credit to Beveridge with some ballsy change-ups in lieu of Williams not being great form and some personnel out injured.