Sharp Axes

[jeemak]

Re: Sharp Axes

Yep fair call. Naughts was shit house.

Both can be true.

I have massive question marks over the coach. Just need a few more weeks for formulate a view.

[Mofra]

Re: Sharp Axes

As for selection. Both McNeil and Khamis had to play after their late preseason form. It doesn't mean they should play next week. Others like Naughton and Lobb need to be on notice. Harmes can have another week, but can't put in two games like that in a row.

The question is - who do we replace them with?

After a pre-season of being a 'small forward' McNeill sure did spend a lot of time up the field. It may have been Goodwin's coaching that dragged him up, but Daniel becomes a possibility. Bedendo played well apparently but is he still underdone? West was very very good so we can try to get him to play with Flea a bit deeper.

Buks gets another game for me, He's undersized and battling but at least took intercept marks and there are precisely zero tallish defenders ready to come in, now JOD had gotten himself a head knock.

[MrMahatma]

Re: Sharp Axes

The problem is hujsh our game plan has not changed one iota. Tactically what has changed?

Thought our fwds led more and where targeted more rather than bombing. We still bombed and panicked at times but we seemed to lower our eyes a bit.

[Bornadog]

Re: Sharp Axes

Appalling to bring this thread up

[EasternWest]

Re: Sharp Axes

We can't sack 20 players.

Well, certainly not with that attitude.

But give me some can do and a big scythe and we can start again.

[hujsh]

Re: Sharp Axes

The problem is hujsh our game plan has not changed one iota. Tactically what has changed?

I just want to see how we look when on equal footing with another team

[comrade]

Re: Sharp Axes

We?re shit.

[mjp]

Re: Sharp Axes

Appalling to bring this thread up

I'm not a fan of doing it either mate but don't you think the coach and MC bring this sort of discontent on themselves?

I 100% get that we said we would go in with the fittest, readiest, whatever else-est team ever...but the closer the game got the more it felt like that was being used as a reason to hold out players.

When I think back to the year that Bevo 'built', he took a team to Perth that was CLEARLY unfit and under-prepared...but filled with 'his' players who he KNEW would deliver. I'm pretty sure Macrae was one of the 'injured' group who wouldn't have played without the pre-finals bye...why does he not get that level of respect and support now?

I'm no more (or less) frustrated than anyone else but - and this is harsh - you just CANNOT select McNeil and VDM ahead of Caleb Daniel. Daniel was a high finisher in the B&F last year...McNeil was delisted after last year. How did we come to this decision? And yeah, I 'get' that it isn't the same role but, well...it is, isn't it? And I get that VDM is pretty much selected 100/100 times that he is fit....but at some point can we get an idea why? What is he bringing to the team?

Do I think playing Daniel from the start and leaving VDM out and rewarding McNeil for his summer by making him the sub would have led to victory? NO. But - back to the thread - what it would do is lessen my frustration at players who are on the rookie list make mistakes whilst AA players coming off a season when they were top 5 B&F (voted by the COACHES!!!) is sitting on his hands in the dugout.

[angelopetraglia]

Re: Sharp Axes

I'm not a fan of doing it either mate but don't you think the coach and MC bring this sort of discontent on themselves?

I 100% get that we said we would go in with the fittest, readiest, whatever else-est team ever...but the closer the game got the more it felt like that was being used as a reason to hold out players.

When I think back to the year that Bevo 'built', he took a team to Perth that was CLEARLY unfit and under-prepared...but filled with 'his' players who he KNEW would deliver. I'm pretty sure Macrae was one of the 'injured' group who wouldn't have played without the pre-finals bye...why does he not get that level of respect and support now?

I'm no more (or less) frustrated than anyone else but - and this is harsh - you just CANNOT select McNeil and VDM ahead of Caleb Daniel. Daniel was a high finisher in the B&F last year...McNeil was delisted after last year. How did we come to this decision? And yeah, I 'get' that it isn't the same role but, well...it is, isn't it? And I get that VDM is pretty much selected 100/100 times that he is fit....but at some point can we get an idea why? What is he bringing to the team?

Do I think playing Daniel from the start and leaving VDM out and rewarding McNeil for his summer by making him the sub would have led to victory? NO. But - back to the thread - what it would do is lessen my frustration at players who are on the rookie list make mistakes whilst AA players coming off a season when they were top 5 B&F (voted by the COACHES!!!) is sitting on his hands in the dugout.

I think the decsiion making that drove this is due to a belief that we need more running ability. Our midfield is once paced with Treloar, Libba and Bont. Add Macrae and Caleb into that mix. It looks worse.

So we tried to overcompensate by injecting pace and running ability into the team and that is why the likes of VDM and McNeil were selected. I'm not saying it was the right or wrong strategy, but that is why I believe it did happen.

However, based on today and what we have seen over those two players football journeys, it doesn't matter if you have great athletic ability if you fumble, don't have footy smarts or can't get enough of the pill.

p.s. VDM 10 touches from 82% game time. Caleb 12 touches from 29% game time.

[MrMahatma]

Re: Sharp Axes

I’ve been aboard the Bevo train forever.

I’m now a swing voter and keen to understand the policy stance.

[Grantysghost]

Re: Sharp Axes

His stocks took a massive dive for me today.

What the fk was that shit.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Sharp Axes

I think the decsiion making that drove this is due to a belief that we need more running ability. Our midfield is once paced with Treloar, Libba and Bont. Add Macrae and Caleb into that mix. It looks worse.

So we tried to overcompensate by injecting pace and running ability into the team and that is why the likes of VDM and McNeil were selected. I'm not saying it was the right or wrong strategy, but that is why I believe it did happen.

However, based on today and what we have seen over those two players football journeys, it doesn't matter if you have great athletic ability if you fumble, don't have footy smarts or can't get enough of the pill.

p.s. VDM 10 touches from 82% game time. Caleb 12 touches from 29% game time.

But VDM is fast…………………

[jeemak]

Re: Sharp Axes

His stocks took a massive dive for me today.

What the fk was that shit.

Where do you sit on player performance?

I know where you sit on the coach, and we are more closely aligned than you might think with that as I am of the view he's on notice.

[Grantysghost]

Re: Sharp Axes

Where do you sit on player performance?

I know where you sit on the coach, and we are more closely aligned than you might think with that as I am of the view he's on notice.

I thought they were horrendous as a team.

We were systematically ground into the dirt without giving a yelp.

May had Harmes in the gun and I didn't see one of our guys defend him.

The lack of fight and intensity has floored me considering what this game meant for the club and the build up.

I'm hoping it was a one off, but geez i think im seeing too much of a pattern with this side. They can't be trusted to turn up.

As for the team selection: Melbourne mates were texting saying why do you have four tall forwards and no tall defenders..?

Seriously good question. I had no answer.

[Virgin-Dog]

Re: Sharp Axes

The question is - who do we replace them with?

After a pre-season of being a 'small forward' McNeill sure did spend a lot of time up the field. It may have been Goodwin's coaching that dragged him up, but Daniel becomes a possibility. Bedendo played well apparently but is he still underdone? West was very very good so we can try to get him to play with Flea a bit deeper.

Buks gets another game for me, He's undersized and battling but at least took intercept marks and there are precisely zero tallish defenders ready to come in, now JOD had gotten himself a head knock.

The frustrating part about this game for me was that so much of what we did well in the practice/preseason games seemed to be entirely abandoned.

> McNeil thriving as a pressure forward, so we push him up the field.
> Our drive off half back was quicker and more powerful than it?s been in years, so we have Dale and Ed play lockdown roles.
> Harmes thriving in the centre, so keep him out of centre bounces.
> Naughton thriving when pushed further up the ground onto the wing, so have him play deep forward.

Sometimes it feels like we do these things to be clever and throw the opponent off, except none of them care because you can trust we?ll just do something self destructive.