Sharp Axes

[Vred]

Re: Sharp Axes

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.

Pretty much summed up my feelings exactly. It seems like everything I saw in the pre-season was completely abandoned for our 2023 game style.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Sharp Axes

Centre Bounce Attendance
26 - Bontempelli, Liberatore
22 - English, Treloar
7 - Lobb
5 - Sanders
4 - Harmes
3 - Gallagher
1 - Daniel

Coaching.

[lemmon]

Re: Sharp Axes

Centre Bounce Attendance
26 - Bontempelli, Liberatore
22 - English, Treloar
7 - Lobb
5 - Sanders
4 - Harmes
3 - Gallagher
1 - Daniel

Coaching.

Same strategy as last year in terms of not rolling numbers through there.

Bevo identified that we were losing at the coal face, so apart from swapping Lobb for English, what else was done to change things in the middle?

[Grantysghost]

Re: Sharp Axes

Centre Bounce Attendance
26 - Bontempelli, Liberatore
22 - English, Treloar
7 - Lobb
5 - Sanders
4 - Harmes
3 - Gallagher
1 - Daniel

Coaching.

That's last year's formula.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Re: Sharp Axes

Well it?s ish kick both those goals, JUH nailed the banana and Lob did t miss our tails would have been up and maybe a different result.

The only problem really is this is the same problem as the entire Bevo tenor

[DadBod]

Re: Sharp Axes

Bont was good but faded.
Marra was solid apart from kicking.
Sanders was solid for his first proper AFL game.
Buku was OK.
Jones was good, but can't do it all.
Bramble was OK disposal wise.

Thats really about it.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Sharp Axes

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.

This is a great post. It feels like we were too clever by half.

We need some continuity and clarity on the plan and roles, and then repeat repeat repeat the one wood. We?re so reactive. It?s hard to know what we?re trying to do. I?m sure the coaches and players know - but it can?t be easy to execute if you?re doing slightly different things game to game, for individuals and the team who need it to be more predictable than it is.

[Mantis]

Re: Sharp Axes

How this one is on the coach is beyond me.

Our midfielders got shat on by Melbourne's. The rest of the team didn't take the game on and fluffed their lines when opportunities were presented.

Giving it until round four. If nothing changes then he's in trouble.

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.

Based on 2 games against Hawthorn who are pretty much a lock to finish bottom 4.

In 2023 we played our only practice match against North who finished 17th and this year it was Hawthorn who will finish 15th-18th... how can we determine if our players are ready for Rd 1 if they aren't playing against decent opposition?

[Danjul]

Re: Sharp Axes

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.

May was on Naughton and got 25 disposals and 13 marks, (against 6 and 1). How on earth did he have energy left to take on anyone else?

[Happy Days]

Re: Sharp Axes

I’m gonna go a bit easier on Naughton as I think playing him deep was a tactical ploy to keep May occupied. It’s dumb and it didn’t work but it isn’t fully Naughton’s fault.

[Ozza]

Re: Sharp Axes

I’m gonna go a bit easier on Naughton as I think playing him deep was a tactical ploy to keep May occupied. It’s dumb and it didn’t work but it isn’t fully Naughton’s fault.

Naughton played his normal role against a top line full back - be a non factor.

We will never know how good he could have been. As a forward, he would be the leagues most overrated player.

Its the most bloody obvious thing in AFL footy to play him in defence. Its stuffing up the whole team balance.

[Danjul]

Re: Sharp Axes

I?m gonna go a bit easier on Naughton as I think playing him deep was a tactical ploy to keep May occupied. It?s dumb and it didn?t work but it isn?t fully Naughton?s fault.

That is the most marks May has taken in his last 50 games and 1 short of his career high against North who were struggling years ago .

Four Melbourne backmen combined to get over 40 marks.

Our forward tactics need a thorough overhaul. They set up losses.

[Grantysghost]

Re: Sharp Axes

That is the most marks May has taken in his last 50 games and 1 short of his career high against North who were struggling years ago .

Four Melbourne backmen combined to get over 40 marks.

Our forward tactics need a thorough overhaul. They set up losses.

The problem was compounded up field. Early on, JJ was doing what we want him to do and breaking the lines and piercing deep inside 50 (within 35 metres). All of our talls got on the board early, happy days. Then they stopped this run

What we don't want is to be held up at half back and kick to around 70-50 out as that's where Lever and May work in tandem to clean things up.

My question is, where was the outlet player? Why wasn't one of the talls pushing up to the wing to at least force a stoppage. I have no idea what our plan was.

[Sedat]

Re: Sharp Axes

I didn't see the game yesterday but I'm happy to give the team a mulligan when there are 5 debutants and a completely new coaching panel. We are going to have teething problems and disjointed performances whilst we bed down the new game plan - see GWS/Kingsley in the first half of 2023. Surely Bevo knows he is finished in a matter of weeks if the game plan does not significantly change, or if personnel keep getting selected who do not adhere to the new game plan (or both).

Melbourne are a high quality team who have barely lost a game in H&A the last 3 seasons and have only underperformed at the pointy end in the last 2 seasons.

[Topdog]

Re: Sharp Axes

Well it?s ish kick both those goals, JUH nailed the banana and Lob did t miss our tails would have been up and maybe a different result.

The only problem really is this is the same problem as the entire Bevo tenor

They had 10 more scoring shots than us, dont think we can blame kicking 9 goals from 19 shots. You dont win many games when you only have 19 shots.