3 things learned from Rd 1 vs Melbourne 2024

[Ozza]

1. Tim English is a very, very, very ordinary ruckman. Many of his 'efforts' in the ruck were completely uncompetitive and bordering on comical. Tim's saving grace is that he can accumulate touches around the ground, but that isn't what we need from our ruckman, especially one that is coming out of contract and believes he is deserving of $1 million per season for his ongoing services.
2. You can replace every employee in the entire football club, yet keep the head coach in place and nothing will change. Poor team selection, outdated game strategy, impotent game day coach's box, same outcomes as previous years. We made a mistake in sacking the assistants when real change was required.
3. Our bottom 6 payers are genuinely terrible and it appears that nothing will change in this respect, but what genuinely concerns me is our top 6 players (outside Marcus) looked poor yesterday. Hopefully this was a one off and not a glimpse into our future

To an extent - the bottom 6 in any team are not going to be great. The key is finding the right roles for these players to play - and having them completely dedicated to a game plan and completely understanding what they need to do.

Watching St.Kilda play - I don't think their talent is anywhere near ours - but I see a team that absolutely understands what they need to be doing - and as a result they have become hard to beat despite the lack of talent. And that goes down to the bottom 6.

What about Sydney - are their bottom 6 any better than ours? Do they have more talent than us? Just think they are a significantly more organised team.

How many quick kicks out of packs went straight to a Melbourne player yesterday? How many spoils bounced straight to them? Its not all luck. Its being organised.

[Bullies]

To an extent - the bottom 6 in any team are not going to be great. The key is finding the right roles for these players to play - and having them completely dedicated to a game plan and completely understanding what they need to do.

Watching St.Kilda play - I don't think their talent is anywhere near ours - but I see a team that absolutely understands what they need to be doing - and as a result they have become hard to beat despite the lack of talent. And that goes down to the bottom 6.

What about Sydney - are their bottom 6 any better than ours? Do they have more talent than us? Just think they are a significantly more organised team.

How many quick kicks out of packs went straight to a Melbourne player yesterday? How many spoils bounced straight to them? Its not all luck. Its being organised.

Good point you make on the Saints - You can see the Saints are all in on what they want to achieve. Might not have the talent/list we have but they work together as a team and have the buy in. We just don't have the same unity and the players are not willing to get hurt for each other. Treloar just look likes he doesn't want to be there - Does what he has to but nothing more. 2016 there was manic pressure in our forward line and caused turnovers. Now guys are happy to stand in a zone and let the ball out.

[Mofra]

To an extent - the bottom 6 in any team are not going to be great. The key is finding the right roles for these players to play - and having them completely dedicated to a game plan and completely understanding what they need to do.

Are they?

Going into round 1 you could argue West and Bramble were in our 'bottom 6' and they emerged with their reputations enhanced.
The senior guys on big money should be getting more heat than Fringey McRookie who has busted a gut with limited talent to just get near an AFL list.

[hujsh]

Are they?

Going into round 1 you could argue West and Bramble were in our 'bottom 6' and they emerged with their reputations enhanced.
The senior guys on big money should be getting more heat than Fringey McRookie who has busted a gut with limited talent to just get near an AFL list.

Treloar out for Macrae?

[Can Bar]

No more Rd 1 Away games against Melbourne. A home game would be nice for a change.
Never liked the concept post Melb GF win, and I think it continues to haunt us
we have not coped with it in the past and suspect it will takes us weeks to snap out of it. Rinse and repeat.

[Mofra]

Treloar out for Macrae?

Harmes is suspended - it seems a pretty simple swap for Macrae for mine.

[Mantis]

Treloar out for Macrae?

Yes.

Our 3 core midfielders (Treloar, Libba & Bont) don't defend and it ****ing kills us.

Bont is a genuine star and if others carried his load we could get away with him not busting a gut with his defensive running, but when the rest of his team-mates can't/ don't get out of 1st gear we expose our defence.

Harmes is suspended - it seems a pretty simple swap for Macrae for mine.

Did we learn nothing last year?

For me either Macrae comes in as a 1st choice midfielder or he doesn't play.... him playing as a HF who has a few CBA's and roles up is a waste.

[hujsh]

Yes.

Our 3 core midfielders (Treloar, Libba & Bont) don't defend and it ****ing kills us.

Bont is a genuine star and if others carried his load we could get away with him not busting a gut with his defensive running, but when the rest of his team-mates can't/ don't get out of 1st gear we expose our defence.



Did we learn nothing last year?

For me either Macrae comes in as a 1st choice midfielder or he doesn't play.... him playing as a HF who has a few CBA's and roles up is a waste.

If Macrae is committed to playing a more defensive focused game rather than ball chasing I'd having him in the middle ahead of Treloar who can play half forward rolling up probably better than Macrae could anyway.

[Sedat]

Are they?

Going into round 1 you could argue West and Bramble were in our 'bottom 6' and they emerged with their reputations enhanced.
The senior guys on big money should be getting more heat than Fringey McRookie who has busted a gut with limited talent to just get near an AFL list.

Agree, but I think our senior core deserve the opportunity to make amends this week. All the senior players you mentioned had above average seasons in 2023 - it's probably a better sign that we lost with poor output from our senior core as opposed to the same group having banner seasons in 2023 and we somehow still missed finals.

My generosity to the senior core is limited to this week. Attitudes have to change with our entire team defence when the opposition has the ball (including our entire midfield group) - if we cannot develop a strong turnover game and/or an elite kicking game (preferably both), we will be turning over the coach and probably a chunk of senior players in the next 18 months until we do.

[bornadog]

Agree, but I think our senior core deserve the opportunity to make amends this week. All the senior players you mentioned had above average seasons in 2023 - it's probably a better sign that we lost with poor output from our senior core as opposed to the same group having banner seasons in 2023 and we somehow still missed finals.

My generosity to the senior core is limited to this week. Attitudes have to change with our entire team defence when the opposition has the ball (including our entire midfield group) - if we cannot develop a strong turnover game and/or an elite kicking game (preferably both), we will be turning over the coach and probably a chunk of senior players in the next 18 months until we do.

surely the new backline coach has been working on changing things up.
Time will tell.

[1eyedog]

1. I'm done with the Dogs

2. In 2028 I will be a fully fledge Tassie Devils member and will enjoy watching footy again.

3. I wish the Bulldogs nothing but happiness and success, but it's time to move on.

[azabob]

1. I'm done with the Dogs

2. In 2028 I will be a fully fledge Tassie Devils member and will enjoy watching footy again.

3. I wish the Bulldogs nothing but happiness and success, but it's time to move on.

User name does not check out!

Stay a little bit longer to see if we drag ourselves out of this mess?

[bornadog]

1. I'm done with the Dogs

2. In 2028 I will be a fully fledge Tassie Devils member and will enjoy watching footy again.

3. I wish the Bulldogs nothing but happiness and success, but it's time to move on.

Not true

[Danny the snakeman]

1. I'm done with the Dogs

2. In 2028 I will be a fully fledge Tassie Devils member and will enjoy watching footy again.

3. I wish the Bulldogs nothing but happiness and success, but it's time to move on.

See ya , hopefully mods will delete your account.

[FrediKanoute]

Good point you make on the Saints - You can see the Saints are all in on what they want to achieve. Might not have the talent/list we have but they work together as a team and have the buy in. We just don't have the same unity and the players are not willing to get hurt for each other. Treloar just look likes he doesn't want to be there - Does what he has to but nothing more. 2016 there was manic pressure in our forward line and caused turnovers. Now guys are happy to stand in a zone and let the ball out.

This is a coaching issue. Sure player's attitudes play a part, but it's coaching ultimately.