Sharp Axes

[Grantysghost]

I have zero regrets that Lipinski isn't at our club anymore, and I'm happy he's going well.

Your second point almost won me back over. Impossibly dreamy.

Bob Murphy called him the eclipse because you couldn’t stare at him for too long.

[1eyedog]

Anyway, back on topic.

The team, to MJP's point, is actually playing committed football at the moment and outside of butchering shots at goal vs. Geelong and passing vs. Port has been up to its eyeballs in a very tough three game stretch - after a pretty tough start to the year fixture/ travel wise.

If we were putting in efforts like the first two rounds or losing to shit kickers I'd understand the angst, but right now I don't get the level that's being projected. I get there's things that need improving across selection, list management and a few other things, but the willingness to panic and pile on at the moment is over the top for mine*.

*Lose against Norf and I'm right into it, however!

Dude you pile on in the game day thread every single week lol!

Anyway, one loss away from shit throwing is close enough I spose.

[jeemak]

Where?s the bullshit? My opinion is bullshit? I think I?ve provided reasonable explanations cmon you?re better than that.

I believe we pushed him out with poor management, ergo jettisoned. Why make him a winger it?s so not his go, especially when he was played as an inside mid in the VFL. As for spots when he left we did play McComb high half forward so that?s just a moot point (no spots). We just didn?t manage his skill set well or sell a vision for a future that he was part of. That?s on the club I believe.

First I?ve heard of him being asked to improve his speed, it?s certainly not a strength and something you?d expect him to work on though.

I know that he was asked to work on his tackling.

I?ll leave it there as it appears to be touching a nerve for some reason unbeknownst to me.

Did you start a trade Lipinski thread I missed?

Here's the reference to the speed and tackling piece.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/af...4774e78388bef7

Apologies for the blunt language, but I actually think we did what we could to get him into the side due to his talent, it's just the role that was available didn't suit him.

With respect to your points around Robbie McComb, they weren't on the list at the same time, so inserting him into the conversation is just conflating the issue to suit a point and I don't really get it.

[jeemak]

Dude you pile on in the game day thread every single week lol!

Anyway, one loss away from shit throwing is close enough I spose.

Narc!

It's the game day thread. It's specifically there for un-nuanced commentary whilst the game is on, and sober/ balanced reflection once it's finished. I think my posting record in that particular thread is on point thanks very much!!!!

[Topdog]

Dude you pile on in the game day thread every single week lol!

Anyway, one loss away from shit throwing is close enough I spose.

Game Day thread is a safe space for those of us with emotions running high

[GVGjr]

This week was the first time I've heard Bevo imply that the list isnt as good as he thought when he said we're a rung below the top 4 teams. That was a big concession for mine because prior to that it has always been we can beat anyone.

It's okay if we think we got it wrong but the devil is in the detail here and the actions at the end of the season need to match how we perform.

[mjp]

It's okay if we think we got it wrong but the devil is in the detail here and the actions at the end of the season need to match how we perform.

You don't need the best list to win the Grand Final. We actually CAN beat anyone...if we didn't all believe that then threads like this wouldn't exist.

[GVGjr]

You don't need the best list to win the Grand Final. We actually CAN beat anyone...if we didn't all believe that then threads like this wouldn't exist.

Absolutely agree, and it's one of the reasons why I don't easily accept the list isn't strong enough whenever we go through a rough patch. For clubs to be successful it's often a combination of a few things going right for them.

[mjp]

Absolutely agree, and it's one of the reasons why I don't easily accept the list isn't strong enough whenever we go through a rough patch. For clubs to be successful it's often a combination of a few things going right for them.

Yep. I just get frustrated when the "our list is super talented and it's all Bevo's fault" is also accompanied by an argument that talks about the short-comings of a large number of players on our list...Seriously, whether we roll with Hannan, West or McComb does anything REALLY change? We need Bont fit and Naughton back in form...

[Grantysghost]

Yep. I just get frustrated when the "our list is super talented and it's all Bevo's fault" is also accompanied by an argument that talks about the short-comings of a large number of players on our list...Seriously, whether we roll with Hannan, West or McComb does anything REALLY change? We need Bont fit and Naughton back in form...

So true we spend so much conversation energy on the 16-23 players(who let's face it need to be solid role players at best) we overlook the more important things. We sound be focusing more on Macrae, Smith, Lobb, McNeil the real difference makers. That 6-15 crew.

[EasternWest]

So true we spend so much conversation energy on the 16-23 players(who let's face it need to be solid role players at best) we overlook the more important things. We sound be focusing more on Macrae, Smith, Lobb, McNeil the real difference makers. That 6-15 crew.

Ha ha

[Sedat]

Yep. I just get frustrated when the "our list is super talented and it's all Bevo's fault" is also accompanied by an argument that talks about the short-comings of a large number of players on our list...Seriously, whether we roll with Hannan, West or McComb does anything REALLY change? We need Bont fit and Naughton back in form...

If you look at every premiership team in the last 20 years (probably longer), there is always a sprinkling of role-players and fringe types who share the dais with the superstars - save for the worst 8 minute patch in our club history, the likes of Hannan, Roarke Smith, Schache, and one-legged pensioner Stef Martin would have premiership medals.

Like any team, we need our superstars in peak form in order to be a high quality finals team - when Naughts and English don't fire, or if Bont or Libba is quelled and kept quiet, we lose more often than not, same as any club really.

The more interesting question is if our game plan in 2023 is amenable to future success. This game changes quickly, and I hope Bevo is nimble enough to understand and adjust accordingly. I thought we made adjustments in our defensive profile from R3-10 to make sure we contend at the business end this year, but the ease with which we are being scored against in the last 3 weeks is a concern. We ae being sliced open, which has been a consistent theme of this team since 2019 when we notionally started contending again after our mini-rebuild post GF. The last 3 weeks aren't a surprise - my worry is that rounds 3-10 are the outlier and we still don't have that consistent defensive capability to defend the entire ground off turnover nailed down.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

If you look at every premiership team in the last 20 years (probably longer), there is always a sprinkling of role-players and fringe types who share the dais with the superstars - save for the worst 8 minute patch in our club history, the likes of Hannan, Roarke Smith, Schache, and one-legged pensioner Stef Martin would have premiership medals.

Like any team, we need our superstars in peak form in order to be a high quality finals team - when Naughts and English don't fire, or if Bont or Libba is quelled and kept quiet, we lose more often than not, same as any club really.

The more interesting question is if our game plan in 2023 is amenable to future success. This game changes quickly, and I hope Bevo is nimble enough to understand and adjust accordingly. I thought we made adjustments in our defensive profile from R3-10 to make sure we contend at the business end this year, but the ease with which we are being scored against in the last 3 weeks is a concern. We ae being sliced open, which has been a consistent theme of this team since 2019 when we notionally started contending again after our mini-rebuild post GF. The last 3 weeks aren't a surprise - my worry is that rounds 3-10 are the outlier and we still don't have that consistent defensive capability to defend the entire ground off turnover nailed down.

I think we know the answers to the bolded part.

Bevo is stubborn. I've always said it's part of what delivers out-of-world results (2016 and largely 2021) but also regular failures (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023).

What has evolved / changed? There's always little things, but the core principles of HOW we play remain the same i.e. flicking the ball around, no tag, defenders playing in front, extra forward up at stoppage, player flexibility, second ruck (although that finally changed this year).

I have zero confidence he can or will change the nucleus of how we attack and defend. Out the back goals have been the norm for years, as has being sliced through the middle of the ground, as have mid-forward connection struggles and bulk I50 entries for modest to little return.

He is who he is. We won the flag in 2016 and were a goal away from doing it again in 2021, but everybody has an expiration date.

[Bulldog Joe]

I don't see the issue as being the list.

It is a competitive list and all the top teams have role players doing their job who are not and will not be stars.

My issue is game plan where we continually have a congested forwardline limiting the options for forwards to lead.

It requires someone to almost take mark of the year every quarter because there are very few options to lead up and take uncontested marks within goal scoring distance.

We switch and switch until we turn it over and then the opposition has an unimpeded run towards their goals.

It has never been a sustainable method, but we persist with it.

This is on the head coach.

[kruder]

If you look at every premiership team in the last 20 years (probably longer), there is always a sprinkling of role-players and fringe types who share the dais with the superstars - save for the worst 8 minute patch in our club history, the likes of Hannan, Roarke Smith, Schache, and one-legged pensioner Stef Martin would have premiership medals.

Like any team, we need our superstars in peak form in order to be a high quality finals team - when Naughts and English don't fire, or if Bont or Libba is quelled and kept quiet, we lose more often than not, same as any club really.

The more interesting question is if our game plan in 2023 is amenable to future success. This game changes quickly, and I hope Bevo is nimble enough to understand and adjust accordingly. I thought we made adjustments in our defensive profile from R3-10 to make sure we contend at the business end this year, but the ease with which we are being scored against in the last 3 weeks is a concern. We ae being sliced open, which has been a consistent theme of this team since 2019 when we notionally started contending again after our mini-rebuild post GF. The last 3 weeks aren't a surprise - my worry is that rounds 3-10 are the outlier and we still don't have that consistent defensive capability to defend the entire ground off turnover nailed down.

Yep bang on Sedat.

Melbourne didn't win yesterday because their forward line was a thing a beauty, it won because their defence was excellent and their leaders stepped up when it counted. I was at the Geelong game and it was like I was transported back to 2022 with the way we defended the turn over that night, how many games do you win when you give up more than 85 points? I'm more down on the forward line in regard to pressure, Port got so many easy goals that started deep in our back half the other night.

I know the stats don't show it but even against Port we lost centre clearance at the wrong time and were unable to get a stop when it counted to allow us to build some momentum in the game.

We could get the best forward line coach in the country but it wouldn't matter because for what ever reason we haven't been able to defend for a number of years now.