Sharp Axes

[jeemak]

But what club has those pieces consistently in place? And what smaller club like ours without the benefit of being able to recruit those elite players to top up a list does?

All lists have deficiencies and gaps, either through design, misses, injuries etc. it’s really about making the most of what we’ve got more consistently and finding the right players the right roles. 2016 was cobbled together in many ways but the sum of the parts managed to be greater than anyone dares dream over a four week period. 2021 was very nearly the same.

That's true to an extent, though I think our talent drop off in these areas versus our less vulnerable areas are more pronounced than they have been in the past and versus other teams.

But it would be hypocritical of me to say that's the only thing impacting performance. I'm sure some of it's on Bevo, I'm sure some of it's on the players who take the field every week. Some of it's beyond the control of Bevo and the players. Just some balance in discussion would be less frustrating.

[Go_Dogs]

That's true to an extent, though I think our talent drop off in these areas versus our less vulnerable areas are more pronounced than they have been in the past and versus other teams.

Our list is in transition and we?re reactive to some trends with our scatter gun approach to address areas of weakness. It seems we?re trying to target players with a different athletic profile the last few years which should hold us in reasonable stead if we get the talent identification and development right and these players become members of the side.

I guess my point still stands that most teams are very similar - they?re just perhaps better at papering the cracks than we are and finding a way. Maybe that?s system, or culture, or talent identification or development in some ways too.

[lemmon]

Our list is in transition and we?re reactive to some trends with our scatter gun approach to address areas of weakness. It seems we?re trying to target players with a different athletic profile the last few years which should hold us in reasonable stead if we get the talent identification and development right and these players become members of the side.

I guess my point still stands that most teams are very similar - they?re just perhaps better at papering the cracks than we are and finding a way. Maybe that?s system, or culture, or talent identification or development in some ways too.

Can you be a bit more specific with which players you're referring to in that? I think we've resisted transition and continued to add mature-aged guys with the idea that our window is now and we just need to tweak things around the edges.

[SonofScray]

W-L % for regular season games has dipped below Eade and Wheeler.

The untouchable element of the case for Bevo staying is out the window now, and should never have been a serious part of the discussion. The pressure that is mountain can?t be hand waved away.

Start winning and playing compelling, coherent, competitive football and it goes away.
Make a change and it goes away.

Bumpy ride up ahead, I think we can settle into some good footy and get plenty from the season. Hopefully as is, and will still feel that way if not.

[bornadog]

Can you be a bit more specific with which players you're referring to in that? I think we've resisted transition and continued to add mature-aged guys with the idea that our window is now and we just need to tweak things around the edges.

More than half the team has played 60 games or less. The next highest is B Smith with 103. I would say these guys are in transition. 8 players are 30 plus this year

3 Weightman, Cody 60 23yr 2mth 15 Jan 2001 179cm 75kg Dandenong Stingrays Forward 28 Scott, Anthony 57 29yr 28 Feb 1995 181cm 79kg Footscray Midfield Forward 17 Coffield, Nicholas 53 24yr 4mth 23 Oct 1999 191cm 90kg Northern Knights Defender 43 Gardner, Ryan 53 26yr 9mth 1 Jun 1997 197cm 94kg Burnie Dockers Defender 2 Ugle-Hagan, Jamarra 46 21yr 11mth 4 Apr 2002 197cm 91kg Oakleigh Chargers Forward 23 Vandermeer, Laitham 45 25yr 1mth 3 Feb 1999 182cm 78kg Murray Bushrangers Defender 30 McNeil, Lachlan R 43 22yr 6mth 2 Sep 2001 184cm 79kg Woodville-West Torrens Forward 14 West, Rhylee 38 23yr 8mth 12 Jul 2000 183cm 82kg Calder Cannons Forward 13 Baker, Oskar R 33 25yr 9mth 25 May 1998 184cm 87kg Aspley Midfield 29 Bramble, Lachlan R 31 25yr 11mth 19 Apr 1998 182cm 77kg Box Hill Defender Midfield 25 Poulter, Caleb 21 21yr 5mth 12 Oct 2002 194cm 84kg Wwt Eagles Midfield 38 Garcia, Riley 19 23yr 1mth 30 Jan 2001 178cm 75kg Swan Districts Forward 32 Jones, Arthur 13 20yr 8mth 18 Jul 2003 180cm 71kg Claremont Forward 18 O'Donnell, James R 12 21yr 6mth 31 Aug 2002 197cm 88kg Cricket Defender 24 Khamis, Buku R 11 23yr 11mth 24 Mar 2000 191cm 87kg Western Jets Forward 10 Darcy, Sam 7 20yr 8mth 19 Jul 2003 208cm 97kg Oakleigh Chargers Forward 36 Cleary, Luke 5 22yr 5 Mar 2002 191cm 81kg Sandringham Dragons Defender 26 Bedendo, Dominic 2 21yr 8mth 9 Jul 2002 191cm 80kg Murray Bushrangers Midfield 12 Gallagher, Harvey 1 20yr 5mth 26 Sep 2003 181cm 78kg Bendigo Pioneers Forward 9 Sanders, Ryley 1 19yr 1mth 21 Jan 2005 186cm 86kg Sandringham Dragons Midfield 5 Busslinger, Jedd 0 20yr 11 Mar 2004 198cm 85kg East Perth Defender 8 Clarke, Charlie 0 20yr 2mth 4 Jan 2004 183cm 81kg Sandringham Dragons Forward 16 Croft, Jordan 0 18yr 10mth 12 May 2005 201cm 81kg Calder Cannons Forward 27 Freijah, Joel 0 18yr 4mth 14 Nov 2005 191cm 88kg Greater Western Victoria Rebels Midfield Forward 37 O'Driscoll, Aiden 0 18yr 7mth 22 Jul 2005 176cm 70kg Perth Forward 40 Smith, Lachlan 0 18yr 5mth 5 Oct 2005 203cm 101kg Gippsland Power Ruck

[Grantysghost]

I think we're giving the recruiting and list management personnel a bit of a free pass by saying this is solely Bevo's team. Same with Chris Grant and Ameet Baines who play a huge part in rubber stamping list management strategies.

We have no wings, no genuine mid-size or small forwards who are reliable outside of Weightman, and no quality defensive talls capable of consistently intercepting. Major structural deficiencies to cope with the modern game and this is all on Bevo?

It's simpler to point the finger at Bevo instead of the players, it's simpler to point the finger at Bevo instead of the football department structure. But it's the simplicity in how many are looking at our current situation that I find frustrating.

Imagine if the strong message from the club in the face of media scrutiny that focuses overly on the coach was we need to be better across the board. Imagine if the strong message from the likes of Bont, Libba and Treloar was we decide if we want to chase, we decide if we want to follow instructions, and it's up to us to make sure we do that more consistently. We are accountable for what we dish up, no excuses.

Not sure I heard much of that this past week, nor the second half of last year. We're just letting our coach cop it, and maybe that's the plan.

Is it Bevo's team if we win?

[Go_Dogs]

Can you be a bit more specific with which players you're referring to in that? I think we've resisted transition and continued to add mature-aged guys with the idea that our window is now and we just need to tweak things around the edges.

Couple of points I’m trying to make:

I look at recruitment of players like Poulter, Baker etc as attempts to address a need / weakness on the list. The same can be said for key defensive posts with Keath, Jones (got lucky) and Gardner to an extent, along with JOD.

We’ve also gone for players like Gags, Clarke, Sanders, AOD, JOD, Freijah, who all seem to have elite running traits (either endurance or power) and a level of agility that we haven’t always recruited for.

Just my observation of course. By a list in transition, as more of this second group begin to cement themselves and we continue with the philosophy of drafting players with a certain athletic profile, we’ll be more equipped to deal with some other sides who are more advanced in these areas.

[jeemak]

Is it Bevo's team if we win?

Yeah, for sure. I'm a Bevo acolyte who can only look at things broadly when it suits me.

[DadBod]

It's an interesting time to be alive. If the season continues like this I can't see Bevo lasting past round 5. I want him to succeed, because if he does, then we do but I can't see it at the moment, really since the 2021 GF. Since then, there seems a distinct lack of "Giving a shit" by the team. If he does go, his replacement will be interesting. Lade would probably take over, but maybe we'd go after King, or Cameron.

[my plums]

I’ll unhappily watch this week but I think I’m done if we dish up the same old boring footy.

[EasternWest]

I’ll unhappily watch this week but I think I’m done if we dish up the same old boring footy.

We're Bulldogs fans. We're carved from misery. We always come back.

[angelopetraglia]

We're Bulldogs fans. We're carved from misery. We always come back.

It is in our DNA. Losing seven Prelims in a row builds all kinds of resistance.

[EasternWest]

It is in our DNA. Losing seven Prelims in a row builds all kinds of resistance.

I hate that this is true!

[Happy Days]

It is in our DNA. Losing seven Prelims in a row builds all kinds of resistance.

We’ve fixed that to be fair. Now we lose grand finals and also home and away matches in rounds greater than 18. Prelims were automatic though.

[Sedat]

We?ve fixed that to be fair. Now we lose grand finals and also home and away matches in rounds greater than 18. Prelims were automatic though.

Hell yes, the best football we've played in our entire history was in a PF less than 3 years ago. I lived through the 0-7 PF years of 1985-2010 and I much prefer the 2-0 PF years of 2016-2021.