3 things learned from Rd 24 vs GWS 2024

[Danjul]

Re: 3 things learned from Rd 24 vs GWS 2024

Jones and JOD - Good enough for the MC at times this and last year. Khamis - returned to the team as an intercept player which he could have been doing with Jones and JOD if we wanted. Had some good moments and some bad.

Point is there were options. It wasn't just desperation. I know you have been critical of the MC and their decisions in recent history but dismissing something they did right doesn't lend credence to criticism.

I'd also argue Lobb succeeding as a defender has been less vital to our defensive performance than the team wide commitment and up the field pressure applied that allows him to back himself and simply mark the ball better than his opponent.

Cannot agree with the Jones/O?Donnell combination being adequate last year. O?Donnell was played too early and was like a fish out of water. Interestingly he did show improvement when he came back for the last three games. he stood up well when the forwards failed badly. This year he has improved further and will be an excellent third backman as he masters the craft. Looking forward to good things.

The experiment with Khamis as a key position player was not a success. Unsurprising considering that he spent all last year learning his forward craft, particularly the getting away from your opponent part. When Hawthorn played through him so an injured Sicily could take 9 marks and kick the winning goal our whole season was shaken to the core. Khamis was not strong enough and was not tall enough and got badly mauled.

As with the previous Essendon and Fremantle games we proved again that Liam Jones and two beginners did not make a backline. Yes we could beat West Coast and Richmond by a lot but too fragile otherwise.

One spectacular difference in how the backline operates with Lobb down there is I am not seeing all the backmen trying to spoil the one opposition forward. That?s been a signature move for years. Now all the backmen are displaying more confidence in teammates and holding their own space. That is allowing a more direct running path out of defence. Far less kicking sideways and stalling. Quicker into the forward line against the good teams.

our problem was not lack of speed but lack of directness. Lobb has fixed that.

Having a key player with height, strength and natural footy ability at centre half back has been a whole new play book and finally got rid of the old script that had everyone except the spectators trying to spoil and knock the ball over the boundary line.

Was this the reason for getting Lobb out of the vfl side? No. It was to overcome the Naughton problem. Was it a surprise that he was kept in the team when Naughton returned? No. He was playing too well. Was it a surprise when Keath and O?Donnell were injured? No. One was regularly Breaking down and the other was regularly running into opponents and getting concussion.

Was it a surprise that Lobb was put in the backline? No. There was nobody else.

So brilliant strategy by the MC? Not in my opinion. Am I glad they did it? Certainly.

Was it genius? Far from it. It was simply a miracle. I don?t know why it took god so long to intervene, she is usually much quicker interfering in other aspects of my life.

[jazzadogs]

Re: 3 things learned from Rd 24 vs GWS 2024

One thing I've learned is that it's better to take the joy from watching my team make the finals, than focussing negatively on the past.

Trying to disconnect from the negative stuff and focus on the positives has made football a much better experience (and made me a better spectator for the most part).

I'm very proud of our playing and coaching group for their finish to the season, and commitment to the task. I'm excited to see what the finals hold for us!

[hujsh]

Re: 3 things learned from Rd 24 vs GWS 2024

Cannot agree with the Jones/O?Donnell combination being adequate last year. O?Donnell was played too early and was like a fish out of water. Interestingly he did show improvement when he came back for the last three games. he stood up well when the forwards failed badly. This year he has improved further and will be an excellent third backman as he masters the craft. Looking forward to good things.

The experiment with Khamis as a key position player was not a success. Unsurprising considering that he spent all last year learning his forward craft, particularly the getting away from your opponent part. When Hawthorn played through him so an injured Sicily could take 9 marks and kick the winning goal our whole season was shaken to the core. Khamis was not strong enough and was not tall enough and got badly mauled.

As with the previous Essendon and Fremantle games we proved again that Liam Jones and two beginners did not make a backline. Yes we could beat West Coast and Richmond by a lot but too fragile otherwise.

One spectacular difference in how the backline operates with Lobb down there is I am not seeing all the backmen trying to spoil the one opposition forward. That?s been a signature move for years. Now all the backmen are displaying more confidence in teammates and holding their own space. That is allowing a more direct running path out of defence. Far less kicking sideways and stalling. Quicker into the forward line against the good teams.

our problem was not lack of speed but lack of directness. Lobb has fixed that.

Having a key player with height, strength and natural footy ability at centre half back has been a whole new play book and finally got rid of the old script that had everyone except the spectators trying to spoil and knock the ball over the boundary line.

Was this the reason for getting Lobb out of the vfl side? No. It was to overcome the Naughton problem. Was it a surprise that he was kept in the team when Naughton returned? No. He was playing too well. Was it a surprise when Keath and O?Donnell were injured? No. One was regularly Breaking down and the other was regularly running into opponents and getting concussion.

Was it a surprise that Lobb was put in the backline? No. There was nobody else.

So brilliant strategy by the MC? Not in my opinion. Am I glad they did it? Certainly.

Was it genius? Far from it. It was simply a miracle. I don?t know why it took god so long to intervene, she is usually much quicker interfering in other aspects of my life.

I didn't say Jones and JOD were good enough as a duo, I said they were good enough for the MC who paired them together last year and this year. Lobb was more of a beginner than JOD or Darcy as far as experience in defence goes but they tried him there and it worked. I'd have played Darcy or Naughton back but they saw something and backed him in.

If you can't admit they made a good call I don't think there's anything left to discuss. We had our 2 preferred key defenders but went out of our way to remake Lobb. The Ballarat game makes me think they thought he had the attributes even if it didn't work mid match.

[whythelongface]

Re: 3 things learned from Rd 24 vs GWS 2024

Lobb has played 174 AFL games. How many of these as a CHB? Less than 10. I can’t understand why supporters wouldn’t recognise the masterstroke to firstly throw him in the backline to see how he performs (maybe it was due to the lack of options but who cares you still need to have guts to make that call) and secondly to work on his craft to play this role in a more than accomplished way (sure early days but what we have seen is very good). Why can’t people recognise that this is a very astute move by our coaching group that hasn’t really been thought of in the previous 10 years plus that Lobb has been on a playing list. To brush it off as a desperate move doesn’t give our coaching group the credit they deserve (not they want it anyway) to make this call.

[Bornadog]

Re: 3 things learned from Rd 24 vs GWS 2024

Lobb has played 174 AFL games. How many of these as a CHB? Less than 10. I can?t understand why supporters wouldn?t recognise the masterstroke to firstly throw him in the backline to see how he performs (maybe it was due to the lack of options but who cares you still need to have guts to make that call) and secondly to work on his craft to play this role in a more than accomplished way (sure early days but what we have seen is very good). Why can?t people recognise that this is a very astute move by our coaching group that hasn?t really been thought of in the previous 10 years plus that Lobb has been on a playing list. To brush it off as a desperate move doesn?t give our coaching group the credit they deserve (not they want it anyway) to make this call.

Spot on WTLF

[mjp]

Re: 3 things learned from Rd 24 vs GWS 2024

To brush it off as a desperate move doesn’t give our coaching group the credit they deserve (not they want it anyway) to make this call.

It's not good coaching mate - it's actually incredible coaching. Don't dismiss the impact on the playing group of showing you are prepared to try players in different roles...it really does drive them to keep pushing when they feel like they are '4th in line' for a spot...

Just knowing that the coaches have an open mind and are prepared to try things is a real positive amongst players (most of whom think they could play pretty much anywhere!).

[GVGjr]

Re: 3 things learned from Rd 24 vs GWS 2024

Lobb has played 174 AFL games. How many of these as a CHB? Less than 10. I can’t understand why supporters wouldn’t recognise the masterstroke to firstly throw him in the backline to see how he performs (maybe it was due to the lack of options but who cares you still need to have guts to make that call) and secondly to work on his craft to play this role in a more than accomplished way (sure early days but what we have seen is very good). Why can’t people recognise that this is a very astute move by our coaching group that hasn’t really been thought of in the previous 10 years plus that Lobb has been on a playing list. To brush it off as a desperate move doesn’t give our coaching group the credit they deserve (not they want it anyway) to make this call.

I'm of the understanding that Lobb asked the coaches to trial him as a key defender over the preseason so we probably can't give the MC maximum points for the eventual move. The player has won over everyone because he's knuckled down, taken on the challenge and adapted to the changes better than anyone would have thought.