What no-one has been waiting for!

[mjp]

4x Theories about the Dogs in 2024.

#1: It's not about the spine.
I've been a long believer that you go the way your best players go...but not with this team. We need to have strong, consistent and TRUSTWORTHY efforts from our wingers, flankers and pockets (the fact they aren't positions in 2024 is another issue). We have battled for what seems like forever to have players the coaches can TRUST to provide strong efforts in those roles has really hurt us...the MC needs to SOLVE THIS PROBLEM and the players they choose just have to reward the faith. We can't have Artie Jones getting 3 possessions or Lachie McNeil missing simple goals. The players on the edge just must play with TRUE GRIT and deliver for their team-mates.

#2: It's not about the spine - but it IS about help for Jones.
SOMEONE - anyone really - needs to stand up and take that second key defender position and make it their own. From the outside, we have some who don't appear ready (Buzz, JOD), some who it has past by (Keath) and some who never will be (Gardy, Buku)...but between them ONE player needs to step up and own it. Do I care who it is? Not a care! Do I know who it might be? Not a clue! But someone needs to do it or this season will drift...

#3: Who will sacrifice? It simply MUST be everyone!!
Talent can only be shown from the playing field...and right now we need a group of players who is prepared to do what they haven't over the last couple of seasons. Make an unfamiliar role their own (eg. Liber to half-forward). Make the coaches job easy by contributing CONSISTENTLY and with effort no matter where their magnet is. And maintain positive body language/attitude whilst doing it. And yep, this means the biggest 'names' in the club - Bont, Treloar, Macrae, Liber, English, Naughton, Jamarra...they need to show the way with actions and not just talk a good game in meetings.

#4: Recognise the moment(s)
There are times when a tackle simply must stick and a goal just MUST go through. It feels like on so many occasions in the post COVID era we have been unable to recognise these moments and treat them with the respect and attention they deserve. The 2021 GF was example #1, #2 and #3 but there have been more than a few others since. Until the group can just get that '6th sense' that what is happening 'right now' is more important that anything that has come before it, well...Anyway, this is leadership, it is togetherness and it is (ultimately) coaching. And it has been lacking...it needs to be sorted out and quick.

[bornadog]

Great Post MJP, really can't argue against any of that.

However, for discussion, who will the players be that stand up, be selfless, and follow the game plan?

I am still worried about CHB and the gorilla forwards that we will come across throughout the season. We will be relying on JOD, Buku, Gardy and to a less extent Keath (as you have pointed out) Jones can';t do it all. - this to me is the biggest worry going into the season.

Your #1 - If we don't worry about the spine, then who fills the roles? Again, will it be a matter of trying many players to fill the roles? (I hope not.)

[mjp]

Your #1 - If we don't worry about the spine, then who fills the roles? Again, will it be a matter of trying many players to fill the roles? (I hope not.)

Well - this is the problem. We actually don't know.

This is why it always seems like we have depth - because we have a group of players who are all 'the same' and no-one is able to stand-out from anyone else. I don't really care WHO it is...for example, if McNeil gets first crack ahead of Jones, Clarke et al as a small-medium type forward...but get in there and bloody well deliver. Am I expecting 3 or even 2 goals per game? Of course not. But STICK your tackles when you need to, stick your head over the footy when it's your turn, don't fumble and hit targets by hand and foot.

No-one needs him to kick a goal from 45m out on the boundary...that's stuff for Bont to do. But they do need to consistently get a completion on a 25m hit up lead and kick goals in that 0-35m range in the "V".

Same down back. Make solid mark vs spoil decisions, seal the contest to create separation in 2v1's and cover the ball inside and outside the contest...don't run around it, don't tap it, don't fumble and don't guess and what might happen next. COVER the thing.

I am getting annoyed just thinking about this stuff...lucky I have to work on Sunday and will be watching a replay.

[Bigdog]

Great Post - This is the big one for me:

#3: Who will sacrifice? It simply MUST be everyone!!
Talent can only be shown from the playing field...and right now we need a group of players who is prepared to do what they haven't over the last couple of seasons. Make an unfamiliar role their own (eg. Liber to half-forward). Make the coaches job easy by contributing CONSISTENTLY and with effort no matter where their magnet is. And maintain positive body language/attitude whilst doing it. And yep, this means the biggest 'names' in the club - Bont, Treloar, Macrae, Liber, English, Naughton, Jamarra...they need to show the way with actions and not just talk a good game in meetings.

We have been a selfish team since 16. We need players to sacrifice there own game for the team.

[bornadog]

Well - this is the problem. We actually don't know.

This is why it always seems like we have depth - because we have a group of players who are all 'the same' and no-one is able to stand-out from anyone else. I don't really care WHO it is...for example, if McNeil gets first crack ahead of Jones, Clarke et al as a small-medium type forward...but get in there and bloody well deliver. Am I expecting 3 or even 2 goals per game? Of course not. But STICK your tackles when you need to, stick your head over the footy when it's your turn, don't fumble and hit targets by hand and foot.

No-one needs him to kick a goal from 45m out on the boundary...that's stuff for Bont to do. But they do need to consistently get a completion on a 25m hit up lead and kick goals in that 0-35m range in the "V".

Same down back. Make solid mark vs spoil decisions, seal the contest to create separation in 2v1's and cover the ball inside and outside the contest...don't run around it, don't tap it, don't fumble and don't guess and what might happen next. COVER the thing.

I am getting annoyed just thinking about this stuff...lucky I have to work on Sunday and will be watching a replay.

There was a video on the club website where they asked players " Which is the hardest role to Play", the majority said either high half forward or small forward.

We have said this for awhile, and at this stage, we haven't cracked it.

[Mofra]

There was a video on the club website where they asked players " Which is the hardest role to Play", the majority said either high half forward or small forward.

We have said this for awhile, and at this stage, we haven't cracked it.

We did in 2021. Baz was incredible at it.

I'm expecting we get a mixture of West, Weightman, McNeill, Harmes, Sanders and perhaps Daniel rotating through there