What COULD hold us back (2024 edition).

[josie]

Holding us back:

1. Goal kicking - The games we lost last year by small margins, a little more accuracy would make a difference.

2. A genuine game plan to shut down oppo runs - We can't go this year with 5 or 6 goal runs against us.

3. Injury - I love to look of some of the younger players but we lack a little in the Ruck, Mid and outside run.

4. Game plan - we have a great and mobile fwd line, but we need to move the ball better / faster.

5. FWD line continuity - They need to work together better. Shepherd for each other, run those dummies, engage the interceptors etc.

Agree with you Dadbod.

I'd add a bit of mongrel/tenacity. We saw when Libba went down in Hawks game just how much we rely too heavily on him for that bulldog spirit.

[Uninformed]

We do have a lot of talls.

Naughton, Jones, Jamarra, English and Lobb are all going to play.

Then you need another key back.
And you haven't selected Darcy or Croft (unless Darcy is the key back you selected to the line above).

Others on the list include JOD, Gardner, Keath etc...there's a LOT of talls.

It's a lot. "Investment" implies there will be a payoff 'down the line'...maybe there will. But it's hard to see them all fitting in right now.

Using our riches a classic spine could be Naughton, Jamarra, Jones Darcy. JOD could be your speedy interceptor and Lobb relief ruck.

But if that is too top heavy for todays game you could go Jamarra and Darcy forward with Darcy relief ruck. Jones Naughton back and the rest a bunch of athletic athletic marking mediums and speedy smalls. Would you be vulnerable with that? Or would it give an edge over going tall?

[jeemak]

Continuity in either our first defensive line up or our second string cobbled together lineup across all of the smalls, mediums and talls is what I worry about most.

No doubt we need to get more players around the ball more often to de-risk a Libba in the Hawthorn game at Tassie situation, but that should be an easy enough fix if players commit to getting in the best condition they can and put the work in - with the coaches actually rotating them (and by in the best condition I mean Libba condition. He is fit as **** and it's an overlooked attribute of his game).

Looking back on 2023 we played our best footy when Jones was fit, and we had some stability in the support cast of running or creative defenders. As soon as that came apart with a few injuries, particularly to Jones, JJ and Richards, with inconsistent form and fitness for Gardner and Keath things just stopped being functional.

It meant we couldn't move the ball, and our forward entries were shallow and narrow, stodgy and unclean deep, or to the opposition interceptors. You could see how it was going to unfold, a turnover, quick movement, and a disorganised and low quality defence hung out to dry.

I wouldn't really know a thing about game plans and maximising the talent we have with strategy and set ups.....blah blah blah. Ditto with what's happening with coaching. But, I do know that if you're already thin in an area talentwise, and that area gets hammered with injury and continuity suffers, then you're probably up against it.

If the defence functions well, gets clean ball and uses it quickly and efficiently, then we're more likely to score or at least hold the footy in deep forward. If we can do the latter then our defence is protected, and can do more of the former.

[D Mitchell]

...
I am intrigued at your argument that we have invested too heavily in talls.

..... do you think we would be better off with less very-talls and more of the athletic, Jeremy Howe, Sicily, Bedendo types?

Invested: Naughton looked good from the start as a defender. I imagine it was his marking prowess but he was then shifted to the forward line, then Ugle-Hagan was recruited, Bev starts relieving English of 'round the ground duties and sending him forward. Then in comes Lobb; Darcy and O'Donnell spend their first few games forward. It will be interesting where Croft will be played. I interpret that as a deliberate policy of playing a talls dominated forward structure.

Better off with fewer very-talls: My gripe is that the 3 main targets in the forward line don't score enough and reduce overall defensive capacity. Far be it for me to criticise a game plan devised by a premiership coach and his 24/7 football cohort so I hesitate to say that the tactic of 3 talls is wrong, it may be that the Club has identified that structure as the way for the future. It's not so much the centimetres as the way they play. I'd like to see a Sicily, Tory Dickson, Clay Smith, Liam Picken type in the mix.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Great convo. I don't have anything to add, but it's great reading.

[Bullies]

Using our riches a classic spine could be Naughton, Jamarra, Jones Darcy. JOD could be your speedy interceptor and Lobb relief ruck.

But if that is too top heavy for todays game you could go Jamarra and Darcy forward with Darcy relief ruck. Jones Naughton back and the rest a bunch of athletic athletic marking mediums and speedy smalls. Would you be vulnerable with that? Or would it give an edge over going tall?

I would like to see Busslinger as our intercept defender which is a role he played so well in prior to being drafted. I think JOD sooner than later will play wing. So hard to match up on with his height and speed and wouldn't surprise to see him become the "go to" player out of defence.

[Uninformed]

I would like to see Busslinger as our intercept defender which is a role he played so well in prior to being drafted. I think JOD sooner than later will play wing. So hard to match up on with his height and speed and wouldn't surprise to see him become the "go to" player out of defence.

He is a great kick.

Buss. the kick out to JOD advantage. No one will out mark him. Dale takes the handpass. JOD runs with him and either one of them capable of spearing it into Marra who has a good five metres clear on a perfectly timed lead. Maybe in range. If not, who is that short-arse on Darcy.

With Johno's impeccable method, certain goal.

[DadBod]

Josie, that's an excellent point. I look at young Sanders and he can certainly play that roll, just not yet and I think West can be an extractor as well. It's part of the reason I think we need to get Macrae back in the centre and we should've kept McLean.

[josie]

Josie, that's an excellent point. I look at young Sanders and he can certainly play that roll, just not yet and I think West can be an extractor as well. It's part of the reason I think we need to get Macrae back in the centre and we should've kept McLean.

Yep we?re almost in 100% agreement there too, except I think Toby had lost a lot of agility and pace. He was one of my faves however I think even he would agree it was time after being cruelled by injuries. At least he was in GF winning side (and was magnificent in that PF against Plastics) as some solace for him and his fans.

Apart from Libba and possibly Bailey Smith & Bont, I think we miss players like Clay Smith and Picken who flew the flag, even Cordy too. I?m hoping some of the younger brigade like Sanders can provide a harder edge.

[Pleather Sole]

I?m loathe to suggest this but an injury to Bont would be a disaster

Thats what we thought when Murphy went down. It was truly awful and I absolutely don't want Bont injured. Our team's reliance on him is stifling. Other players having to step up out of his shadow via another method would be great, Coaches have to find a way to address and instill that, its a big shift in team dynamic. So, sharing and exceeding the workload along with a sound structure, more realistic gameplans that give reward for effort will be a lift. Also, plan B's and C's.

[ShibbyUp]

Agree with you Dadbod.

I'd add a bit of mongrel/tenacity. We saw when Libba went down in Hawks game just how much we rely too heavily on him for that bulldog spirit.

This is why I'm keen to see what Harmes can do. I know he's not highly rated but if there's something he can bring, it's mongrel and a bit of defensive effort. Will be good to see if he can be go in to CB when momentum is against the Dogs and shut down the opposition run out of the front of the square.

[AshMac]

I thought at off-season we needed 3 things. A key defender, effective small forward and a good midfielder. To me, we only addressed one of those needs.

I think our backline will let us down this year.

Other issues I see are similar to those in OP?s opener - but fitness was a key last year and all the hype suggests it?ll be a factor again this year.

[DadBod]

This is why I'm keen to see what Harmes can do. I know he's not highly rated but if there's something he can bring, it's mongrel and a bit of defensive effort. Will be good to see if he can be go in to CB when momentum is against the Dogs and shut down the opposition run out of the front of the square.

It's a fair point with Harmes too. Forgot about him but he adds some two way running and as you said, definite mongrel.

[GVGjr]

This is why I'm keen to see what Harmes can do. I know he's not highly rated but if there's something he can bring, it's mongrel and a bit of defensive effort. Will be good to see if he can be go in to CB when momentum is against the Dogs and shut down the opposition run out of the front of the square.

I'm a bit interested in both how we are going to use him and if he will be given some defensive assignments.
It appears we quickly acknowledged that players who can do some defensive jobs was a bit of a gap in the list and traded for Harmes and quickly brought in Bramble when the window opened.

[Olddog]

Things that could hold us back in 2024

1. Lack of pace in the midfield which too often sees the opposition mids streaming down the ground with our mids in their wake after a turnover - hoping Sanders and Harmes can help to lessen this problem.

2. Lack of a true crumbing forward deep in our forward structure - love Cody W but he prefers to sit on peoples heads (including
those of his teammates) and when he does stay down is just an average crumbed.

3. Not being one of the fittest teams coming into round 1. The debate rages as to best plan around fitness - be super fit to start the season and risk fade out late or come into season a little under done and hopefully come home strong. My observations of recent seasons is that we have trended toward the latter but for me early wins are gold in the bank. There are certainly cases of teams winning flags who have not been at full fitness starting the season but just about all those teams have had the class and skill to win early games and stay in or about the top 8 before powering home - I don’t think we are one of those teams so for me we should aim to be in the top few sides for early season fitness and being able to cover ground for 4 x 30 mins of footy.