Lyon outlines how beveridge can turn the bulldogs around

[Sedat]

Why are we shooting the messenger. Loinchop is bang on the money about our meek and mild intensity levels. It's ok for mjp to rightly compare our team to basketballers but not Lyon?

We've lost by 13 goals and 9 goals and have been beaten in the tackle count both weeks. That is lack of workrate and lack of defensive intensity writ large.

[hujsh]

And now that our list profile has changed what core elements are we making a focus for the current game plan?

Great question that I've been wondering myself these last two weeks.

[Greystache]

And now that our list profile has changed what core elements are we making a focus for the current game plan?

Nothing that I can see or know of. I don't see any particular focus we're trying to make our own. Which is why I'm very concerned about our football department, very concerned.

[Sedat]

Nothing that I can see or know of. I don't see any particular focus we're trying to make our own. Which is why I'm very concerned about our football department, very concerned.

Men of mayhem and handball club were very effective tools in developing a gameplan that was incredibly difficult to play against. Our time in forward half was off the charts and allowed our poorish forward line sufficient opportunities to kick a winning score most weeks. It required a midfield to work hard both ways and dominate stoppages, with first hands to the ball and subsequent clearances.

I have no dea what our game plan is right now. We walked away from what made us successful in 2015/16 but haven't replaced it with anything different (at least to my untrained eye). Why did we trade and draft so tall and yet still have the same structural problem that we had previously as a shorter team?

[Ozza]

Men of mayhem and handball club were very effective tools in developing a gameplan that was incredibly difficult to play against. Our time in forward half was off the charts and allowed our poorish forward line sufficient opportunities to kick a winning score most weeks. It required a midfield to work hard both ways and dominate stoppages, with first hands to the ball and subsequent clearances.

I have no dea what our game plan is right now. We walked away from what made us successful in 2015/16 but haven't replaced it with anything different (at least to my untrained eye). Why did we trade and draft so tall and yet still have the same structural problem that we had previously as a shorter team?

To me, it is indefensible and inexcusable - that we could go into a season, actually concerned that we have too many tall players - and then in round 2 - for a significant portion of the match - have a forwardline where Billy Gowers, Josh Dunkley and Lin Jong were our marking targets.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

To me, it is indefensible and inexcusable - that we could go into a season, actually concerned that we have too many tall players - and then in round 2 - for a significant portion of the match - have a forwardline where Billy Gowers, Josh Dunkley and Lin Jong were our marking targets.

Exactly. It doesn't make any sense. Either our recruiting and drafting needs was not in line with coaching needs (which is a huge problem) or the talls we have are really really hopeless. Personally i struggle to see how Boyd or even Schache could be any worse than what the medium tall forward line has provided in the first 2 weeks

[Sedat]

To me, it is indefensible and inexcusable - that we could go into a season, actually concerned that we have too many tall players - and then in round 2 - for a significant portion of the match - have a forwardline where Billy Gowers, Josh Dunkley and Lin Jong were our marking targets.

If we had Boyd deep and Schache roaming the arcs with his tank and maybe a Gowers/Dickson type as 3rd tall and a couple of defensive animals like Dahl and HC to provide the pressure, we would probsbly forgive the transition from our previous game plan and structure. But the first 2 weeks has just been a more pissweak version of what we already had, with long bombs to Snake but no Snake down there.

[Ozza]

Exactly. It doesn't make any sense. Either our recruiting and drafting needs was not in line with coaching needs (which is a huge problem) or the talls we have are really really hopeless. Personally i struggle to see how Boyd or even Schache could be any worse than what the medium tall forward line has provided in the first 2 weeks

And look, I don't think Tom Boyd is much of a player - but one thing he does do when playing as a forward, is that he at least draws a crowd and rarely does that result in the opposition defender marking the ball. Its a old adage - but he will 'straighten us up' and gives us the long target, and Redpath and others should give us the leading target. Hopefully down the track a bit, Schache pushes himself ahead of Red, but I won't be holding my breath just yet.

[Greystache]

To me, it is indefensible and inexcusable - that we could go into a season, actually concerned that we have too many tall players - and then in round 2 - for a significant portion of the match - have a forwardline where Billy Gowers, Josh Dunkley and Lin Jong were our marking targets.

Or that we don't rate ruckmen but then we're playing Roughead, English, Boyd, Schache, and Trengove substantial minutes in the ruck, while we have Gowers as our key forward and Caleb Daniel marking the resting opposition ruckman in defence. So many things make absolutely no sense at the moment.

[Rocket Science]

Why are we shooting the messenger. Loinchop is bang on the money about our meek and mild intensity levels. It's ok for mjp to rightly compare our team to basketballers but not Lyon?

We've lost by 13 goals and 9 goals and have been beaten in the tackle count both weeks. That is lack of workrate and lack of defensive intensity writ large.

Because the messenger's a vindictive knob in a captain obvious suit. I'm sure Bevo's taking notes whenever Garrrrrrry speaks.

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Even if he's not hauling them in playing Boyd deep would at least force defenders to be honest and give us a better chance than none of profiting from our aimless high roosts.

Who knows, he might actually improve at this if allowed to settle, not to mention building some chemistry with our small-mid sized crumbers who can work with chaos ball but not long bombs placed on top of their heads while giving a foot away to an opponent. Christ, even if he treats the roosts like ball ups and palms them to the advantage of Dickson, Dahlhaus, McLean & Co.

[bornadog]

We've lost by 13 goals and 9 goals and have been beaten in the tackle count both weeks. That is lack of workrate and lack of defensive intensity writ large.

Who cares about tackles, I am worried about the contested possessions. We are getting smashed in this area.

In 2016, we were way down in tackles because we always had the ball. We must address the cont.poss quickly.

[bornadog]

Or that we don't rate ruckmen but then we're playing Roughead, English, Boyd, Schache, and Trengove substantial minutes in the ruck, while we have Gowers as our key forward and Caleb Daniel marking the resting opposition ruckman in defence. So many things make absolutely no sense at the moment.

When have Boyd and Scache played a game this year, and I am not talking JLT? Boyd has had an interrupted preseason so not playing and same with Scache. Trengove spent 3/4 at FB on Sunday, but then had to fill in for Roughy with concussion, with English getting smashed in the ruck.

[hujsh]

Who cares about tackles, I am worried about the contested possessions. We are getting smashed in this area.

In 2016, we were way down in tackles because we always had the ball. We must address the cont.poss quickly.

Even when we win the contested ball we're being tackled and harassed into giving it back. In contrast it looks all too easy for our opposition to waltz out of the area once they win the ball. I daresay evening up the tackle count will be a good step to addressing that

[bornadog]

Even when we win the contested ball we're being tackled and harassed into giving it back. In contrast it looks all too easy for our opposition to waltz out of the area once they win the ball. I daresay evening up the tackle count will be a good step to addressing that

The way all AFL games are currently being played, no one has a defensive bone in their body.

I just checked the weekend games and most of the teams that lost, also won the tackle count. We lost the tackle count by 7.

Richmond had 73 tackles to Adelaide 48 - that one I find incredible.

[Greystache]

When have Boyd and Scache played a game this year, and I am not talking JLT? Boyd has had an interrupted preseason so not playing and same with Scache. Trengove spent 3/4 at FB on Sunday, but then had to fill in for Roughy with concussion, with English getting smashed in the ruck.

Boyd's played the past two VFL practice matches and was the emergency for the two JLT matches for no particular reason. Schache played two JLT games and the first VFL practice match. Each time they both played substantial ruck minutes including interchanging off the bench to play ruck.

If you don't count JLT then how could we possibly have played Bont, Macrae, and Libba in round one given none of them had played a game this year, because I'm not counting JLT?