What COULD hold us back (2024 edition).

[SquirrelGrip]

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.

Don't think Sanders is the answer for pace in the midfield. He is more likely to be still running in the last quarter as the others slow down, but don't expect him to burn others with pace. The answer to stop opposition mids streaming down the ground is for our mids to have a more defensive mindset. Harmes will have that. Will be interesting if the new assistant coaches can improve us in this area.

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.

Charlie Clarke is our hope here. I'm expecting Arty to have a slow start to the season following his injury recovery over summer. Last year he was the "one to watch" coming into Round 1. Clarke I think has that tag this year.

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.

New fitness boss, new approach. You're right OD, fitness is critical. Bevo openly said Round 1 will be the fittest team in his tenure. Let's hope he's right.

[GVGjr]

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.

I'm not too concerned about the pace of the midfield but I agree Sanders and Harmes will add a bit there although they're not speedsters. The run has to come from hard work and having additional depth in our rotations.

The crumbing forward role might fall to Charlie Clarke who's had a terrific preseason and fits that role requirement other than that I assume we will also be relying on West and Vandermeer to support Weightman. I could see Sanders spending some time there as well.

If our fitness levels can be gauged on some increased running drills and having vastly less players rotating through the rehab group then we have to be a long way ahead of where we were 12 months back.

I agree we have some gaps but perhaps they're not as pronounced as they were last year.

[mjp]

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I like the 'suffocate' terminology.

[Sam]

Our coaching ie Bevo trying to do too much and not working with the other coaches

[bornadog]

Our coaching ie Bevo trying to do too much and not working with the other coaches

why do you think that?

[Sam]

why do you think that?

Just things I have heard re Bevo and his my way approach and the turn over of assistance as a consequence.

[mjp]

Just things I have heard re Bevo and his my way approach and the turn over of assistance as a consequence.

Has there really been that much turnover?

There was a bit post 2021 GF but the group has been pretty stable really...Smith departure the end of 2023 didn't seem like either Bevo's idea OR Smith's idea.

I think a lot has been made of not much here...I mean, the Hansen departure was a blow but who else are we talking about??

[bornadog]

Has there really been that much turnover?

There was a bit post 2021 GF but the group has been pretty stable really...Smith departure the end of 2023 didn't seem like either Bevo's idea OR Smith's idea.

I think a lot has been made of not much here...I mean, the Hansen departure was a blow but who else are we talking about??

Either way we needed to make some changes, and I think they are all positive.

[Sam]

We have had quite a few leave, I know they blamed Covid for a lot of them.
You could also say some were poached but why would they all leave if it was such a good environment to be in.
We threw everything at Leppitsch and he stayed at Collingwood, why couldn’t we keep our coaches after all they won a flag together
and then Bevo threw them all into different rolls, why?
I won’t go into the Dalrymple debacle.
finally if you read between the lines on the review findings released by the club it sounds like they are saying Bevo needs to change without saying it.
we have too much young talent on this list to balls it up and I don’t want history to repeat itself and
it is a long history I might add.

[mjp]

We have had quite a few leave, I know they blamed Covid for a lot of them.
You could also say some were poached but why would they all leave if it was such a good environment to be in.

I guess this is what I'm asking. Who (WHOM) are you specifically talking about??

We threw everything at Leppitsch and he stayed at Collingwood, why couldn’t we keep our coaches after all they won a flag together and then Bevo threw them all into different rolls, why?

1/. Wasn't Leppitsch simply using our offer to get 'more' from his current club?
2/. WHY would he leave Collingwood for anything other than a senior coaching role?
3/. WHY are we convinced that recruiting him is a good idea?

I won’t go into the Dalrymple debacle.

Happy to discuss it - he wasn't a coach (well, I guess he was back in the Northern Knights days!) but pretty sure Bevo had very little to do with his move to Sydney...just as Longmire had little to do with his move to the Saints.

[Mofra]

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I like the 'suffocate' terminology.

That sounds like the NBA equivalent of Richmond's small forward pressure during their 2017-2020 run.

They let more 'talented' smaller forwards walk (Sam Lloyd) in favour of guys who were more defence first, forward second and it worked.

(Ignoring the 6-6-6 rule put a stop to teams replicating that e.g. Hardwick going 4-6-8 whenever Grigg chopped out in the ruck)

[GVGjr]

WhatsApp Image 2024-01-25 at 09.50.30.jpeg

I like the 'suffocate' terminology.

I've got a good mate who's been preaching something close to this for years. I've just sent him that and he will be pleased.