Autopsy 2022 Rd 21 Last quarter surge masks woeful performance

[Blue1980]

I wrote I think a week ago about expectations potentially becoming an issue.

We were not expected to be that good early in the season, but we were. We were not expected to be in contention for top 4, but we were. We were able to deal with injuries longer than we thought we would before we dropped away. Our smalls inside 50 - Durdin, Mots, Honey - are a few years away: Fisher is a makeshift half forward, and Owies a battler in there for pressure. Our wings have been a revolving door, without any level of consistent performance due to a change of personnel and/or the replacements - whoever they are - being below AFL quality.

If you had said that we expected to beat Brisbane - who are top 4 - away, with two of our starting 4 mids out, Newman out, you'd be laughed at. So, at some point - let's say, round 3-4 - we all adjusted our expectations. We looked up, started to trust.

Let me put it this way: we were never going to beat them up there!

We stand a better chance of knocking of Melbourne and Collingwood than we did this week, because home ground advantage is huge in the AFL. They pulverise sides up there. They can score up there like no-ones business. This is usually where someone could reply with, "hang on, didn't they lose to essendon up there, almost lost to the Aints?", in which case the response is this: in the former, they had a good 8 of the 22 missing from covid, and the Aints aren't that bad when they're on. Playing with a real home ground advantage is of huge benefit when you're good, because it lets you bank wins at home against poor to medium opposition, and they're pretty ******* good.

I'm encouraged some by the final term, but we picked the only year in which 12 wins are not enough to make finals to do this. We need to drag just one, and we're on our way.

Dare to hope, just for two more weeks. Dare, and dream of better days.

Correct, things are never as good or bad as they seem.

I think we are largely reverting to the mean of where we thought we were at before the season.

 

[carltonchelsea]

That was ******* woeful, Voss has absolutely no idea what our strengths & weakness are.
Disgusted with that effort



*Mod edit: DON’T evade the swear filter

Yep, I’m just gunna come right out and say that this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever read, ever!!
Congrats!

 

[RAPPA]

Would almost trust Gov and Marchy’s body over Martin’s this stage. His legs are made of glass.

 

[Abers]

I wrote I think a week ago about expectations potentially becoming an issue.

We were not expected to be that good early in the season, but we were. We were not expected to be in contention for top 4, but we were. We were able to deal with injuries longer than we thought we would before we dropped away. Our smalls inside 50 - Durdin, Mots, Honey - are a few years away: Fisher is a makeshift half forward, and Owies a battler in there for pressure. Our wings have been a revolving door, without any level of consistent performance due to a change of personnel and/or the replacements - whoever they are - being below AFL quality.

If you had said that we expected to beat Brisbane - who are top 4 - away, with two of our starting 4 mids out, Newman out, you'd be laughed at. So, at some point - let's say, round 3-4 - we all adjusted our expectations. We looked up, started to trust.

Let me put it this way: we were never going to beat them up there!

We stand a better chance of knocking of Melbourne and Collingwood than we did this week, because home ground advantage is huge in the AFL. They pulverise sides up there. They can score up there like no-ones business. This is usually where someone could reply with, "hang on, didn't they lose to essendon up there, almost lost to the Aints?", in which case the response is this: in the former, they had a good 8 of the 22 missing from covid, and the Aints aren't that bad when they're on. Playing with a real home ground advantage is of huge benefit when you're good, because it lets you bank wins at home against poor to medium opposition, and they're pretty ******* good.

I'm encouraged some by the final term, but we picked the only year in which 12 wins are not enough to make finals to do this. We need to drag just one, and we're on our way.

Dare to hope, just for two more weeks. Dare, and dream of better days.

You are ignoring some of the absolutely pathetic footy played today. The result is not surprising, the ease with which we let it happen is.

 

[slowhand clape]

I always try to be positive but this is our most disappointing season for 20+ years.

I really believe this list should be top 4.

Injuries have been savage and our season has gone in to a tailspin since the Pies game but we can't just spin out the "Work in progress" line.

I'm not sure we're in a better position than two years ago

 

[thylacine60]

Yep, I’m just gunna come right out and say that this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever read, ever!!
Congrats!

But wait, there's more!

 

[Blue1980]

Least I can says i haven't been this stage out of losing emotional investment in team at this stage of the season in years.

So that is something
Just play the kids for the rest of the season, even if we somehow Bradbury our way into the finals, we would just get steamrolled anyway

Send the players who need off season surgery to get it already and plan for season 2023 already.

Embrace being #eco and start the pragmatic approach of preparing for season 2023 and beyond.

If we end up making finals, who knows what could happen.

If we are there put your best foot forward. Another 10 clubs would love to be there.

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

Least I can says i haven't been this stage out of losing emotional investment in team at this stage of the season in years.

So that is something
Just play the kids for the rest of the season, even if we somehow Bradbury our way into the finals, we would just get steamrolled anyway

Send the players who need off season surgery to get it already and plan for season 2023 already.

Embrace being #eco and start the pragmatic approach of preparing for season 2023 and beyond.

Wtf. We have been in the 8 all season and are still a game clear of 9th.

Have some faith ffs.

 

[La Dispute]

Be nice if it wasn't a one game make or break and if he played in a better midfeld.

He should get a game next week with the players out.

Doesn't help himself though, I'll give you that.

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I’m sick of the excuses for him.

With Hewett and Kennedy out this was the perfect opportunity to stamp himself on a game and he was poor.

He’s now in his 5th year, is still unfit, undersized, and has no nuance as a player. His entire game is built around jumping on a loose ball at a stoppage and handing it off to the next player in line.

If he was notching 25 touches you could cop it, but he had 13 across an entire game (5 in the second half) playing at the coalface.

Time to cut our losses.

 

[branedotorg]

Disagree. This was always going to be a building year with Voss coming after trade week and the draft.

He's had a good look at virtually everyone.

Next year should see us build. Need to consolidate and get the list healthy.

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Couldn't agree more, preseason the consensus on here was 6-10 with systematic improvement.

They way we achieved it has been a bit dispiriting but it's about right, outcomeswise

 

[KoutaGnome]

Kicked 4 goals in 3 quarters of footy. In perfect conditions. Inexcusable. Auskick level performance.
Hope last 2 weeks of deplorable, unacceptable and woeful team performances causes acute shame, humiliation and pain for every damn player.

How many yrs of ineptitude, mediocrity and lack of mental fortitude has this team dished up? It's sickening.
Players like H need to start walking the walk. Enough of empty hollow meaningless words. Perform because this season and numerous careers depend on it.
Team has 2 weeks to demonstrate they're not overpaid, pea hearted squibs.

 

[Blue1980]

I always try to be positive but this is our most disappointing season for 20+ years.

I really believe this list should be top 4.

Injuries have been savage and our season has gone in to a tailspin since the Pies game but we can't just spin out the "Work in progress" line.

I'm not sure we're in a better position than two years ago

Recency bias.

No way is it the most disappointing, we are still in the hunt at least.

No way you enjoyed those 2-5 win seasons more at the time than this.

We are a work in progress, but need to keep improving the list and side.

 

[rp84]

Least I can says i haven't been this stage out of losing emotional investment in team at this stage of the season in years.

So that is something
Just play the kids for the rest of the season, even if we somehow Bradbury our way into the finals, we would just get steamrolled anyway

Send the players who need off season surgery to get it already and plan for season 2023 already.

Embrace being #eco and start the pragmatic approach of preparing for season 2023 and beyond.

Oohhh don't say Bradbury. It offends some people.

Really it offends Bradbury because at least he stayed on his feet.

 

[Zlatan]

Would almost trust Gov and Marchy’s body over Martin’s this stage. His legs are made of glass.

The Martin, Gov, Williams contracts (especially length) are nooses around our necks. Can hardly get games out of them, let alone pass grade performances.

Govs end next year(?) and we can offer the bare minimum, Martin delisted when possible and we’re stuck with Williams for 4 more years so nothing we can do about that.

 

[aristeas]

Bad News: We're a second rate side.
Good News: We were a fourth rate side.

Voss has worked wonders given what he started with. Next year will be better.

Sadly my prediction of a month ago is on track.
We will hang on like a sticky dag until Collingwood put us out of the eight on the last day.

 

[teknodeejay]

Missed the start of the game on account of being at a function. Checked the quarter time score. Decided not to go watch any of it. Seems I made the right choice. Did see the Cripps hit though. He will get 2-3 for that so he’s done for the year.

Season is well cooked anyway and was last week. Won’t win either of the next two and both Richmond and Bulldogs will happily take the finals spots we obviously don’t want.

Back to the drawing board. A lot of disappointment and changes to be made with this team. We seemed to play better when half the preferred lineup was in the medical tent.

 

[dragonsblues]

We have two weeks to find a win and salvage the season. I can’t see it next week against Melbourne, Collingwood is the only chance.

I wonder whether we go back to Teague Train Ball and just release the shackles and go all out attack.

Because it’s the only time we look okay. The ball movement for the first 3 quarters were painful

Who can come into the middle with Cripps out?

 

[Recon_29]

Was at the ground. Absolutely heartless display, completely different team to the one I watched earlier in the year. Andrew Russell has to be looked at whenever his contract is up. Unpopular opinion on this forum and I'm sure I'll get slammed but every side above us has an almost clean bill of health. Brisbane had all 22 players available today. You cannot expect to finish out a season strongly with a dozen blokes still in the shed. Diabolical. And the ones who have come back have been incredibly underdone and not upto it.

This does not excuse what we have dished up the last 2 weeks of course. But our S&C & fitness staff have to come into question. Jack Martin

21

Jack Martin

Age

29

Ht

186cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.2

4star

K

10.0

4star

HB

6.3

4star

M

4.9

5star

T

3.7

5star

G

0.9

4star

D

14.9

4star

K

7.9

3star

HB

7.0

4star

M

4.3

4star

T

3.6

4star

G

1.1

5star

D

8.2

2star

K

4.6

2star

HB

3.6

3star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.0

4star

G

0.6

3star

could barely walk at training yesterday. Why was he playing? Why cant this fitness guru we spent a fortune on get anyone right?

 

[btdg]

Least I can says i haven't been this stage out of losing emotional investment in team at this stage of the season in years.

So that is something
Just play the kids for the rest of the season, even if we somehow Bradbury our way into the finals, we would just get steamrolled anyway

Send the players who need off season surgery to get it already and plan for season 2023 already.

Embrace being #eco and start the pragmatic approach of preparing for season 2023 and beyond.

Serious question - What kids?

We traded out of the top end of the last two drafts, so as far as I can see the players classed as 'kids' would be:

• Motlop (18) - currently in the team
• Carroll (19) - second year player, former pick 41, yep, could qualify I guess. Worth giving a run
• Durdin (20) - second year player, currently in the team
• Honey (20) - third year player, in and out of the team at the moment, questions around fitness I think?
• Philp (20) - third year player = injured, unavailable
• Kemp (20) - third year player, has had a few chances this year and looked off the pace. I guess it's worth giving him a shot before delisting?
• Parks (21) - injured
• Walsh (21) - already in the team
• Cottrell (22) - already in the team
• Stocker (22) - fourth year player, looked off the pace, not sure about physical or mental health being the case, and he's had chances this year
• Dow (22) - already in the team (5th year player)
• Cerra (22) - already in the team (5th year player)
• O'Brien (22) - already in the team (5th year player)
• De Koning (22) - already in the team (5th year player)

I'd say the cupboard is pretty bare when it comes to having kids to play, sadly. While I agree with the sentiment, and I guess we could give Carroll and Kemp a run to see out the year (maybe instead of Owies and Newnes?), the frustrating thing for us is that in list terms this is pretty much it.

 

[Mondyboy]

How to destroy fan good-will in a fortnight.

I know we’ve won 12 games. I know we could still stumble into the 8. But I feel like this has been another wasted season where any respect we got from the competition early doors has been frittered away.

I want to believe that a full preseason under Voss will rectify these mental issues and our never ending injury list. But I’m probably kidding myself.


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[LanceRomance]

It isn’t over till it’s over for this season but doesn’t look good.

Guessing Cripps is suspended for 2-3 matches as well.

Maybe not 3 lol

 

[footyfan1978]

A contested / clearance side that gets smashed in the clearances is a problem.

We setup in such a way that we look extremely vulnerable if we lose the clearance, which lately we have been often.

Last quarter just a facade - Brisbane stopped. When the heat was on we were nowhere near it.

More than a few players not up to AFL level if we're going to be contender.

Lack of continuity and lack of playing time together for several players really showed out there today.

Decency summary.
We were murdered in ruck in centre. Oscar killed us. Seemed like he let TDK out jump in and Oscar would simply grab the ball a number of times and have Brisbane go forward. Certain players on wing fluffed chances in first quarter then undid some good work by others to try to change early momentum Lions way.
I went into this match with lots of questions for our team, structure and certain players role or worthiness to be part of best 22.
I think I wrote down 11 questions for myself to look for answer during this match.
I've not looked at paper I wrote down them on yet but most of them will not have answers I hoped for.
One question I did not have came up during the match in my mind as a change needed next season.
I think it will be better for Crippa and our team that we pick a different captain next year. Sometimes he just tries to do too much and makes bad decisions that I doubt he would make if he was not captain.
Twenty matches into the season and think Voss as coach has much better idea of our group strengths and weaknesses.
I think team selection will be a lot clearer for him going forward as a few players in recent weeks have showed they too far off best 22 to be counted on with a few injuries. I thought and hope we had some quality depth to 30th player on list but no...

 

[Blue1980]

I’m sick of the excuses for him.

With Hewett and Kennedy out this was the perfect opportunity to stamp himself on a game and he was poor.

He’s now in his 5th year, is still unfit, undersized, and has no nuance as a player. His entire game is built around jumping on a loose ball at a stoppage and handing it off to the next player in line.

If he was notching 25 touches you could cop it, but he had 13 across an entire game (5 in the second half) playing at the coalface.

Time to cut our losses.

Agree.

What more opportunity does Dow need?

He got an extended run 2nd half of last year and was ok in some games, but fairly average.

But you keep getting excuses for poor games, like he only came in for one game, opposition too good, we were too week etc.

Well he will get at least the last 2 rounds to show his wares now, let’s hope he does.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

If we end up making finals, who knows what could happen.

If we are there put your best foot forward. Another 10 clubs would love to be there.

Do you honestly believe in your heart we could pull out a 2016 Western Bulldogs miracle out of the hat ?

Wish I had your confidence mate.
If we could beat either the Pies or Dees I might
Unfortunately I tend to be a glass half empty sort

 

[Blue1980]

The Martin, Gov, Williams contracts (especially length) are nooses around our necks. Can hardly get games out of them, let alone pass grade performances.

Govs end next year(?) and we can offer the bare minimum, Martin delisted when possible and we’re stuck with Williams for 4 more years so nothing we can do about that.

Williams output when he plays is certainly a lot better than Martin or gov