3 things learned from Rd 20 vs GWS 2023

[bornadog]

If Lobb failed up forward being the lone tall in lieu of Naughton going back the coach would be getting smacked for it. It was a no-win situation.

Also we were trying to cover for two Key backmen out with one forward.

as GG said earlier, take out Lever and May and see what happens to Melbourne. Out coached is a bullshit statement.

[Mantis]

We didn?t have to get many goals, we were 5 up. All we had to do was

Naughton back to prevent 3 behinds.
English forward for a while to kick 1 behind.
Lobb to the ruck to simply body their bloke.
Bont forward to make a target and put his tag under pressure.
Weightman to centre for a while to get him into the game.
JUH to anywhere. (but he did not look fit?)

Lobb did play in the ruck in the 2nd half, Bont did play in the forward line in the 2nd half, Weightman did push up the ground to get involved.

To suggest that we did little to try and maintain or build on our lead is factually incorrect.

[G-Mo77]

Cleary looks likely but needs to put on strength and size.

I copped shit for suggesting Melbourne have a good list manager/draft identification/talent management/savvy trading but they found a small defender in the form of Judd McVee via the rookie list.

We really are struggling to identify talent at the back end of the drafts (including the rookie draft).

Have we nailed any late picks since Dalrymple left? We've had some free hits the last few drafts and lots of picks eaten by F/S and Academy so that hasn't helped in that regard. Seems like we've shot blanks on the very late picks and rookie drafts.

[bornadog]

Have we nailed any late picks since Dalrymple left? We've had some free hits the last few drafts and lots of picks eaten by F/S and Academy so that hasn't helped in that regard. Seems like we've shot blanks on the very late picks and rookie drafts.

Absolutely agree, has been a big problem and that is why we don't have depth

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Have we nailed any late picks since Dalrymple left? We've had some free hits the last few drafts and lots of picks eaten by F/S and Academy so that hasn't helped in that regard. Seems like we've shot blanks on the very late picks and rookie drafts.

How many picks have we nailed at all since Dal left? We've had a couple f/s and academy picks requiring little work. Our top picks have been fine but even our 2nds have been dubious. I'm not going to write off Clarke just yet but he hasn't really shown anything at vfl level.

It's tough to assess the drafting given picks being eaten up but you're absolutely right. Finding gold late in drafts would have been a huge boost for us lately.

[Grantysghost]

How many picks have we nailed at all since Dal left? We've had a couple f/s and academy picks requiring little work. Our top picks have been fine but even our 2nds have been dubious. I'm not going to write off Clarke just yet but he hasn't really shown anything at vfl level.

It's tough to assess the drafting given picks being eaten up but you're absolutely right. Finding gold late in drafts would have been a huge boost for us lately.

It's alert not alarmed stage for me presently with out later picks over the last 5 or so years.

[bulldogtragic]

Have we nailed any late picks since Dalrymple left? We've had some free hits the last few drafts and lots of picks eaten by F/S and Academy so that hasn't helped in that regard. Seems like we've shot blanks on the very late picks and rookie drafts.

I don’t think we as a rule like using rookie draft picks on kids. Cavarra, Hayes, Scott (SSP), Gowers, Baker (SSP), Roarke rookied three times, McComb etc. As far as genuine rookie types go, McNeil, La Young, Parker & Sweet are about it recently. It’s great we’ve tried some Cat B’s, but Buku, Raak & Tweedie haven’t delivered big results and we live in hope on JOD. There’s some great young players from the rookie draft, but we will never know. We seem to be very strong in our philosophy on how to use the rookie list for VFL players, recycled players and our own delisted players.

And then later ND picks like Porter, Butler & Green got cut reasonably quickly.

I’m hoping this year is the year we cut and look to find some kids to regenerate an old list with depth problems.

[GVGjr]

Have we nailed any late picks since Dalrymple left? We've had some free hits the last few drafts and lots of picks eaten by F/S and Academy so that hasn't helped in that regard. Seems like we've shot blanks on the very late picks and rookie drafts.

It's somewhat complicated but the club had faith that topping up would be sufficient.
In 2020 covid wrecked most of the junior comps so it would have been a bit risky to be selecting late and then we've had the Marra and Darcy picks to contend with. We will probably have the same challenge with bringing in Croft. We should have done a lot more last year and taken some chances.
Our 'lack of depth' is because of our retention of marginally talented players more than anything else and our course the club rates the list as strong enough and has been topping up. We now have to break the cycle and cut into the list deeper than we traditionally have.

[Curly5]

They seem to lack belief that they are good enough to get there. "Why not us?" which we started, has been forgotten, and has been taken over by opponents.