Bluemour 'Silly Season' Edition XXXIV

[JuddgementDay]

Not disputing that there are “layers” to be added to the game plan, but the major reason we missed finals was because the list was cooked physically and in a couple of cases mentally. We were coming from a long way back, both through injury issues and Teague demanding access to the list for incessant match simulation and denying Jack Russell access to the group for much needed conditioning.

We were conditioning on the run. A number of developing players did not have the luxury of “tapering” through the season. They experienced solid training loads throughout, with a mind to “catching up” within a couple of years. An off season respite prior to pushing in to a very stringent and focussed pre season will set many up. I am expecting much quicker development from TDK, Kemp, Mirkov, Carroll, perhaps Dow and LOB and our young forwards in particular. Hopefully Philp and Cuningham have a solid base to build on with McGovern, Martin, Marchbank, Williams as well as the likes Fogarty, Boyd, Owies and Newman free from set backs from last season.

The upside is huge, Hewett, Kennedy, Pittonet and C.Durdin were our players undertaking significant surgeries and all are projected to be ready for round 1.

It is difficult to add layers to a game plan when significant numbers from the list are unavailable or under done and restricted to minimal training between games.

Agreed

We don't have to look too far, the Cats were able to give Danger plenty of time to recover as they had a good injury list and therefore able to manage their players better

They also have a mature group so they can afford to have Danger out longer than necessary and keep him fresh for the run home and finals

 

[ABigOlDoofus]

Simmo in the wees and poos, absolutely distraught at the thought

 

[Jimmae]

Whose minutes does he take up forward do you think? JSOS appears most likely, especially if we persist with TDK/Pitto duo.

If that’s his best position, it’s a boon for us because we really lack that medium tall/3rd option type down there. More depth in the midfield also good.

I'd pick him ahead of Owies, while still picking JSOS. I think if they're smart about using that combo through the midfield will squeeze Kennedy out of the team pretty quickly.

Could easily look like this:

FB: Docherty, Young, McGovern
HB: Williams, Weitering, Saad
C: Acres, Cerra, O'Brien
HF: Walsh, C.Curnow, Martin
FF: Silvagni, McKay, Motlop

R: TDK, Cripps, Hewett

Int: Kemp, Marchbank, Durdin, Fisher

Enormous pressure on Kemp, Durdin and Fisher to perform with a slew of midfielders + Honey + Cuningham right on their tether. Marchbank perhaps under pressure from Newman and Boyd.

 

[katmanblue]

Simmo in the wees and poos, absolutely distraught at the thought

Probably a good thing if we can replace him with quality.

I have my doubts that we will. Hopefully they are unfounded.

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[gbatman]

Not disputing that there are “layers” to be added to the game plan, but the major reason we missed finals was because the list was cooked physically and in a couple of cases mentally. We were coming from a long way back, both through injury issues and Teague demanding access to the list for incessant match simulation and denying Jack Russell access to the group for much needed conditioning.

We were conditioning on the run. A number of developing players did not have the luxury of “tapering” through the season. They experienced solid training loads throughout, with a mind to “catching up” within a couple of years. An off season respite prior to pushing in to a very stringent and focussed pre season will set many up. I am expecting much quicker development from TDK, Kemp, Mirkov, Carroll, perhaps Dow and LOB and our young forwards in particular. Hopefully Philp and Cuningham have a solid base to build on with McGovern, Martin, Marchbank, Williams as well as the likes Fogarty, Boyd, Owies and Newman free from set backs from last season.

The upside is huge, Hewett, Kennedy, Pittonet and C.Durdin were our players undertaking significant surgeries and all are projected to be ready for round 1.

It is difficult to add layers to a game plan when significant numbers from the list are unavailable or under done and restricted to minimal training between games.

I don't think there is any excuse for our tactical issues. Other teams who have struggled have proven to be able to switch from one game plan to another, it's not that hard.

Teague was last year, same as Buckley was last year for Collingwood.

List wasn't cooked, a lot of the early round games were games where we missed finals.

I'm not focusing on who is and who isn't on the field, I'm focusing our positioning, how we are playing and how all areas of the ground work together.

How hard is it to walk out ad a coach with a big lead against Hawthorn or Port OT when losing to Gold Coast Sun's and say "ok they are going to bring pressure to try get back in", or with GCS game "they are bringing the heat and what we are doing is not working", "Let's change it up", "mids play close, fight for front position, first hands on but be close enough to lay a tackle, cut off outlets, make every kick a pressure kick forward", "backs, take the game on, play in front, take risks and play off your man, ball should be coming forward blind, give us some intercept and run", "forwards tighten up, give us a contest, watch the lose defenders, sacrifice your game if you have to, no lose defenders, can't have intercept marks".

What I mentioned above we should be able to initiate during the break. Its not that hard. All the decent teams can fall back to playing this way, it would have got us wins against so many teams we lost to. Gold Coast, Collingwood, Richmond just some examples and would have seen us hold leads against teams like Hawthorn and Port. Then there is our terrible team defence where our forwards didn't push into the corridor and we let teams switch and go up the middle. Get there's things right and we give the top 4 a real shake.

Tactics has been a real weak point for us.

I'm hoping we add layers but last year was a big fail due to being unprepared tactically for the season. We seem to have a lot of excuses.

I'm going to be keen to see what changes we make in terms of how we can change our game plan.

Can't have us crumble when teams go to their pressure game, can't have opposition defenders taking heaps of intercept marks against us, can't keep being one trick ponies where we lose when we don't dominate clearances and possessions etc.

Yep having better and fitter players will help and gloss over weaknesses but if the tactics aren't there we are limited how far we go.

 

[gbatman]

Agreed.

I like what Voss has achieved so far but I think he’s going to need a game day strategy type assistant. Filth have got Bolton and knuckle head failed coach from lions.
Ferals have got Teague. Swans have ex crows coach. Dees have Williams. Etc etc

100% our coaching panel needs to invest in opposition analysis and game day tactics. As you said, teams who have it's paid off for them. It's our weak spot. We underachieved and it cost us finals this season, we should have still been giving top 4 a shake regardless of excuses.

 

[Wickzki]

I'd pick him ahead of Owies, while still picking JSOS. I think if they're smart about using that combo through the midfield will squeeze Kennedy out of the team pretty quickly.

What's wrong with Kennedy?

Smart footballer. Strong hands for a mid. Capable goal kicker.

Tires easily but I wonder if they can keep building him up so that he can physically overcome that.

We need more goal kicking power from our mids and he's one of our best.

 

[Stamos]

What's wrong with Kennedy?

This is not to say that he's not in our best team, but the issue with Kennedy would be balance in our midfield.
When he's 'on', it's not an issue and our mids are dominant. When he's not having a good game, we can be exploited through lack of pace/run.

 

[Jimmae]

What's wrong with Kennedy?

Smart footballer. Strong hands for a mid. Capable goal kicker.

Tires easily but I wonder if they can keep building him up so that he can physically overcome that.

We need more goal kicking power from our mids and he's one of our best.

This is not to say that he's not in our best team, but the issue with Kennedy would be balance in our midfield.
When he's 'on', it's not an issue and our mids are dominant. When he's not having a good game, we can be exploited through lack of pace/run.

This, exactly.

And then you have Kemp, who should be able to offer a similar endurance base at the least, but with bursts of game-breaking speed. The only question is his understanding of when to defend and attack at the stoppage. Kennedy's athleticism makes that a pretty basic decision for him: he defends the inside of the bubble unless an opportunity opens up for him to receive.

Between Kemp, Cripps, JSOS, and Dow, we've got to try and figure out a system where 2 or 3 ball winners will read when to be the bull, when to make a path for them, and when to defend. It may even wind up that our default position is to let the opposition win first possession while we pressure the exit, because that's how a lot of successful teams do it.

Why waste energy on a mediocre strike rate and result when you can instead get the ball back in 2-3 disposals with a better opportunity against a wrong-footed opposition? Take the easy exits when offered, but otherwise let the opposition work themselves over for the lower percentage stuff.

 

[Arr0w]

What's wrong with Kennedy?

Smart footballer. Strong hands for a mid. Capable goal kicker.

Tires easily but I wonder if they can keep building him up so that he can physically overcome that.

We need more goal kicking power from our mids and he's one of our best.

Think if Kennedy is fit, he will be starting 22

 

[4flagsin5yrs]

Think if Kennedy is fit, he will be starting 22

every day of the week.

Our midfield is the least of our problems.... well, a fit Pitto helps too (and clearly he was way off the pace - his own pace - when he returned)

 

[Michael Jezz]

Kemp has it. Watching his reserves performance, tells you that. Kemp has not been given the opportunities playing only 6 games. Too many line ball selections choosing plowman over kemp or playing 3 under developed smalls over Kemp. Yes, his ground ball game needed to improve but sometimes you have to have faith in a kid. Voss should take the pressure off him and give him the first 6 games

 

[Coona Blues]

Kemp has it. Watching his reserves performance, tells you that. Kemp has not been given the opportunities playing only 6 games. Too many line ball selections choosing plowman over kemp or playing 3 under developed smalls over Kemp. Yes, his ground ball game needed to improve but sometimes you have to have faith in a kid. Voss should take the pressure off him and give him the first 6 games

Agree with most of that. I want Kempy in the side, but positions are hard to come by, he must earn one.

 

[bmaurizio]

Agree with most of that. I want Kempy in the side, but positions are hard to come by, he must earn one.

Precisely, kempy has to earn inclusion in the side, there's no easier way about it, playing senior footy requires a very good preparation pre season and putting his best foot forward with much hard work, wish him all the best in 2023. Go blues

 

[CJMB]

What's wrong with Kennedy?

Smart footballer. Strong hands for a mid. Capable goal kicker.

Tires easily but I wonder if they can keep building him up so that he can physically overcome that.

We need more goal kicking power from our mids and he's one of our best.

An extra player on the bench helps there too. Assuming you’ve got a couple of keys at each end playing 95%, then the remaining players have their average TOG reduced by about 3-4%.

A very simplistic look at it, and there’s going to be some who stay on the park as much as they do now (because they’re fit enough and they’re our better players), but going from 78% down to 74% (about a 5% reduction) would make a difference to quite a few players.

 

[SurreyBlue]

Our lack of talls has made us play Kemp KP. Which is obvious he is not. Let’s hope we have a better list balance and play the kid through the midfield/wings where he is best.

Kennedy is best 22 every day of the week. Anyone thinking otherwise, has not been paying attention in the last 18 months.

Then again, what do I know.

 

[JustaBattler]

This is how I rate the Carlton mids who can win their own ball and do something with it - which leaves Lob and Cottrell out

Cripps
daylight

Walsh (when fit)
Hewett| Kennedy and I expect both to be injury hampered on and off - for the remainder of their football careers.
Cerra - needs to up the intensity a bit...

fingers crossed for Carroll/Cuningham/Kemp to push into the rotations

do not rate Cottrell or Lob and have no idea about Acres, although anyone from any other team would do a better and more consistent AFL job than either for Cottrell or Lob - on a bad day.

Fixing wings and getting on ball team fit and healthy is the big ask for this pre-season.

 

[Blue Flame]

This is how I rate the Carlton mids who can win their own ball and do something with it - which leaves Lob and Cottrell out

Cripps
daylight

Walsh (when fit)
Hewett| Kennedy and I expect both to be injury hampered on and off - for the remainder of their football careers.
Cerra - needs to up the intensity a bit...

fingers crossed for Carroll/Cuningham/Kemp to push into the rotations

do not rate Cottrell or Lob and have no idea about Acres, although anyone from any other team would do a better and more consistent AFL job than either for Cottrell or Lob - on a bad day.

Fixing wings and getting on ball team fit and healthy is the big ask for this pre-season.

Does daylight run through the middle?

 

[BigBreakfast]

This is how I rate the Carlton mids who can win their own ball and do something with it - which leaves Lob and Cottrell out

Cripps
daylight

Walsh (when fit)
Hewett| Kennedy and I expect both to be injury hampered on and off - for the remainder of their football careers.
Cerra - needs to up the intensity a bit...

fingers crossed for Carroll/Cuningham/Kemp to push into the rotations

do not rate Cottrell or Lob and have no idea about Acres, although anyone from any other team would do a better and more consistent AFL job than either for Cottrell or Lob - on a bad day.

Fixing wings and getting on ball team fit and healthy is the big ask for this pre-season.

Harsh but fair. I hope they are getting this type of feedback early in the Preseason.

Walsh is in the Cripps brackets, if just a hair below. An A- to Crippa’s A in school vernacular.

Reckon there is a bit more to the Tier 2 types like Hewitt, Kennedy, Cerra and Doch probably fits in there too.

Bit players like Fisher, Carroll offer plenty but not consistency. Who knows with Cuningham???

Acres is a significant upgrade on the wing and I couldn’t agree more on LOB and a Cottrell. I wonder if Honey is worth a stab on a wing? Happy for feedback there. Is this Cuners role to win with a tank to match the requisites?

Effective depth in the midfield, particularly their ability to contribute to scoring via direct goals or creating opportunities is the key to our growth. We have the forward to capitalise and the backs (when fit) to repel. The engine room needs to grind and hit the pedal more consistently.

 

[bmaurizio]

Harsh but fair. I hope they are getting this type of feedback early in the Preseason.

Walsh is in the Cripps brackets, if just a hair below. An A- to Crippa’s A in school vernacular.

Reckon there is a bit more to the Tier 2 types like Hewitt, Kennedy, Cerra and Doch probably fits in there too.

Bit players like Fisher, Carroll offer plenty but not consistency. Who knows with Cuningham???

Acres is a significant upgrade on the wing and I couldn’t agree more on LOB and a Cottrell. I wonder if Honey is worth a stab on a wing? Happy for feedback there. Is this Cuners role to win with a tank to match the requisites?

Effective depth in the midfield, particularly their ability to contribute to scoring via direct goals or creating opportunities is the key to our growth. We have the forward to capitalise and the backs (when fit) to repel. The engine room needs to grind and hit the pedal more consistently.

Yup a strong bodied midfielder hopefuly durable that can impact the scoreboard too is a rare commodity and worth plenty.
Reckon that if the noise around Ed Allen continues and he bolts, one of the bigger bodied mids in Humphrey or Phillipou just may be still on the board. We're due for some luck, got the fingers crossed.

 

[BigBreakfast]

Yup a strong bodied midfielder hopefuly durable that can impact the scoreboard too is a rare commodity and worth plenty.
Reckon that if the noise around Ed Allen continues and he bolts, one of the bigger bodied mids in Humphrey or Phillipou just may be still on the board. We're due for some luck, got the fingers crossed.

Noice!

 

[manang magoos]

Does daylight run through the middle?

Pretty handy in a twilight game

 

[katmanblue]

Does daylight run through the middle?

Usually when slots between Dow and his opponent when we don't have the ball.

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[azlou]

Pretty handy in a twilight game

Goes missing in the night games

 

[Wickzki]

Pretty handy in a twilight game

Fades late tho