Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

[bulldogtragic]

To all, especially those at the ground, what positive changes did we go with this week? The team was virtually unchanged, but last week to this week is phenomenally different and I'm trying to work out why and how, as will the Port coaches even more so now.

Was there at a different set up at the stoppages?
How was the forward line structured, I don't recall too many times when we were caught out flooding and trying to counter attack?
Did Collingwood try to put a loose man behind the ball to clog us up like the last few weeks? If so, what did we do?
Did we go one man behind?
Griffen had one of the best taggers and served him his arse on a plate. Did we have players blocking the tag or protecting space?
Was the gameplan essentially the same?
Anything else you noticed?
Or was it just work rate?

There were a lot, a serious lot, of positives from last week to this week. I think Macca gets a tick and we are all lucky Gia got on early as I think he was instrumental at crucial times all game. But it was good to watch, was high scoring and very satisfying. Can't ask for too much more.

[westdog54]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

Watching it at home, it seemed there were two golden rules: don't stop moving it forward; run, run and then run some more

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

I thought that we played well up forward and didn't let a spare man float around making life difficult for our forwards, they seemed to lead to different areas (Not at the ball) creating space, we got it in quickly to the forwards with flatter kicks not high bombs and only had one up not two or three.

Gees they were terrific today, keeps the heart pumping and the optimist coming o the front.

What a difference game time and match fitness makes to our gun Griffin.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

Reminded me of the pivotal Dogs v Lions game early in Eade's tenure, where we just took them on and kept going for 4 Qtrs

[Scorlibo]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

Whilst I have no doubt that the work rate was better this week than in weeks previous, our improvement mightn't be down to this alone, or even any tactical change. It gets to a point where the team begins to 'gel', and that might sound a little intangible but there's no other way to describe it really. Players begin to know each other on the field, begin to know what to expect when certain players have the ball and are on the same page in terms of what the play should look like. Bontempelli really made a difference, Gia was influential forward as you've said, BT. Grant was very important I thought as a clean, link-up player at half forward.

If anything, I think the midfield mix was as good as I've seen. Griffen and Libba winning clearances, Wallis making good decisions in the contests, Macrae and Bontempelli getting the ball moving in the right direction with some vigour.

We improved, but the message and game plan would have remained the same.

[F'scary]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

I only watched it on the box as wife was working but I thought this week we had some genuine forward targets, Jones and Grant in particular, whereas in many of the previous games it was only Crameri. Seemed to make a big difference.

[azabob]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

I think you have summed it up really well Scorlibo.

[wimberga]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

This is more them than us but the commentators mentioned that Collingwood refused to play a 7 man defense, instead choosing to play 6v6. This may have aided us, as that loose man has killed us in recent weeks.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

This is more them than us but the commentators mentioned that Collingwood refused to play a 7 man defense, instead choosing to play 6v6. This may have aided us, as that loose man has killed us in recent weeks.

Yes and you wonder why our coaching staff have refused to man the extra up week in week out.

[Maddog37]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

Minno had more impact this week too. He is a real barometer for us.

[SonofScray]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

I thought we set up much better at Collingwood kick ins from Full Back. A more man on man approach right across the ground. We really contained them well from that scenario almost all day. We had a lapse early in the 4th but we were able to lock down the next kick still so didn't get burnt.

A huge difference to the zone approach where they'd have just let opponents find space and have a good 3 or 4 possessions uncontested until the footy got up into the wing/hb line.

That was the most visually stark difference in our tactics today compared to all year.

[boydogs]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

Crameri played the role that Jones has been playing for the last few years in being the target for the high ball coming in that gets double teamed, but now we had Jones and Grant on lesser opponents. This gave us confidence to get the ball in quickly which created opportunities for our small forwards and midfielders

[Greystache]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

I just posted this in the game day thread.

Fantastic game, not just because we won, but the way we played. We played like we did in the back half of the last year, win the contest, spread, and move the ball quickly. Then we they have it, tackle, pressure, and harass. Not the dour stoppage fests we've been playing. Was it deliberate or was it just the way the game unfolded? Is this a paradigm shift? Or will we be looking to close the game down next week?

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

I just posted this in the game day thread.

Quoting yourself, I hope you didn't do that academically.

[Greystache]

Re: Positive Changes This Game vs Collingwood

Quoting yourself, I hope you didn't do that academically.

Of course not. I quoted Wikipedia, just like every current day university student