Autopsy Brave Bulldogs go down by 14 points

[dogwatch]

11 players with close to 90% or more TOG on a five day break, pretty ridiculous to have a short turn around like that.

Yes we had 9 players with over 90% ToG. Swans had 2.
Just shocking luck to cop all those injuries after our only 5-day break all season.

 

[dogwatch]

How do we get those minutes though? They got them last night because Libba & Ed were injured and Bont was moved forward. All 3 are a walk up start in 2 weeks time.

It’s not easy. Does the club push out Treloar & Libba from the midfield next year to fully make way for these guys? Otherwise they just have to be patient until those guys ‘move on’.

In 2024 you potentially have Bont, Treloar, Richards, Libba all still going and have to find minutes for Smith (maybe), Sanders, West, Gags, Garcia etc. It just doesn’t work.

It has often been stated here that we have the league's highest concentration of CBAs in a small number of players. I'll take it as true for the moment.

If other clubs with good midfields can find a way then I reckon we can.

Besides, the chances are we'll have one or more midfielders out injured in any given week (3 next week for example) so we need to know that others are ready to play that role. They need regular shifts there.

 

[maddog37]

Sanders is a young lad but to be honest I have been a little disappointed in physicality around the contest. No doubt the kid can find the ball but defensively needs to improve as well.

So many times he seems to find the ball inside 50 but is very histatnt to have a shot or snap and seems to give hands to a team mate under pressure.

I guess he is adapting, but I expected a little more for someone so high up the draft order based on what others have produced.


Still excited to have the kid on board and hoping he develops quickly

I just see a young fella finding his confidence and trying to be a team player.

He has come from an environment where he was the main man and had no reason to second guess himself to being the link in a chain surrounded by Bont Treloar and Libba etc.

Give him two dozen more games and then reassess him. Looks like a great kid with a fantastic attitude.

 

[Hutchymundo]

Can’t fault the effort, frustrating, naughts and Ed stay on the pitch we win that game, for the love of god tho kick the ball bloody straight would help.
Still not sold with bramble and Freijah in the backline can’t have 2 players trying to pull off unnecessary risky kicks that they can’t execute, would prefer Freijah to stay up on the wing.

 

[maddog37]

Foot skills are the one thing our whole group needs to tidy up. If we can improve by 5% in this area we will take the next step imho.

Not sure if its purely skills or lack of clarity in decision making.

 

[LondonBulldog]

A lot of people are critical of Bramble.

He is getting to a lot of contests, working his backside off and at times not having the support he should be getting in the backline.

He is prone to mistakes, yet I would persist a bit more, don't think he deserves the chop just yet because the effort and intensity in generally there.

 

[Doggies_13]

I’d love to see us give Sanders a tagging role for a few weeks. Let him see the running you have to do and learn that defensive running that’s been discussed. A few weeks of that could set him up for years to come and he can’t get that at VFL level in my opinion

 

[Doggies_13]

A lot of people are critical of Bramble.

He is getting to a lot of contests, working his backside off and at times not having the support he should be getting in the backline.

He is prone to mistakes, yet I would persist a bit more, don't think he deserves the chop just yet because the effort and intensity in generally there.

My concern with bramble is decision making, he ignores the first option a lot and then seems to panic

 

[Libbaaaa]

My concern with bramble is decision making, he ignores the first option a lot and then seems to panic

This. Plus one of his supposed weapons, his speed is really only present as an overlapping receiver. His first few steps are very slow and invite pressure.

 

[maddog37]

My concern with bramble is decision making, he ignores the first option a lot and then seems to panic

If he simplifies things he could be ok. A bit of clear instructions from the coach will sort it out.

Having said that it is highly possible he is being encouraged to take the game on at every opportunity. His mistakes are generally from trying to do too much.

Imho if he gets rid of the odd horrible Clanger we would look at him in a more favourable light. It’s the magnitude of the errors that stick out like dogs balls.

 

[maddog37]

This. Plus one of his supposed weapons, his speed is really only present as an overlapping receiver. His first few steps are very slow and invite pressure.

Opposition teams know what each players role is. They know Dale etc are release and carry players and focus on chasing them accordingly. Bramble needs to be ignored if he is looking to receive in traffic and keep his width more.

 

[Doggies_13]

If he simplifies things he could be ok. A bit of clear instructions from the coach will sort it out.

Having said that it is highly possible he is being encouraged to take the game on at every opportunity. His mistakes are generally from trying to do too much.

Imho if he gets rid of the odd horrible Clanger we would look at him in a more favourable light. It’s the magnitude of the errors that stick out like dogs balls.

100% agree.

And he is likely being told to take ground and take the game in etc.

But that play on the wing last night really showed a lack of game awareness, he had taken the game on he had drawn opponents, had two options to his outside which if he gives it opens the swans defence up but he sidesteps into trouble gets out of it and can kick but sidesteps back into trouble and holding the ball

 

[Whoyagot]

Despite the loss that was the best collective performance by the dogs since the Melbourne win in 2022.

Biggest takeaway for me is that our new head of fitness from GWS is starting to have a real impact on our stamina and running game. To keep pushing the swans off a 5 day break from a wet interstate game with 2 down on the bench is very impressive.

GWS were slow starters last year too but really ramped up in the middle and back end of the season. I’m not saying we’ll be able to make a prelim from here or even a final but seeing that effort and those new younger players taking charge was just so refreshing.

 

[grassman75]

I have been vocal and I keep it to the future thread where it belongs.

Quote me in there and no issue I’ll debate it.

Quoting me in here to a post where I acknowledge it was a good game by both the players and the coach and being proud of the team is someone trying to one up and use one result to say they are right.

My opinion is still the same and it will take sustained changes to change it, but that’s a discussion for the future thread

Fair enough - just know I wasn’t trying to deliberately have a go at you

 

[grassman75]

It doesn't mean he has always had one though.

I didnt say that

 

[Dogs Rule]

Despite the loss that was the best collective performance by the dogs since the Melbourne win in 2022.

Biggest takeaway for me is that our new head of fitness from GWS is starting to have a real impact on our stamina and running game. To keep pushing the swans off a 5 day break from a wet interstate game with 2 down on the bench is very impressive.

GWS were slow starters last year too but really ramped up in the middle and back end of the season. I’m not saying we’ll be able to make a prelim from here or even a final but seeing that effort and those new younger players taking charge was just so refreshing.

What I want from here is to not only take it up to, but to beat Collingwood and Brisbane and then pummel Freo and North. Get to 9-6 and get on a roll.

TBH if we don't beat Freo here and even Brisbane here, then we're not serious. Collingwood, well, I don't see why we can't win.

 

[perro_loco]

I just see a young fella finding his confidence and trying to be a team player.

He has come from an environment where he was the main man and had no reason to second guess himself to being the link in a chain surrounded by Bont Treloar and Libba etc.

Give him two dozen more games and then reassess him. Looks like a great kid with a fantastic attitude.

No doubt. He has a huge footy brain. I think there has been a change of attitude not only in the coaching but also in the players. Let's hope this keeps up. I think our backline is still a worry. do we bring busslinger in next week or buku? are we too short. not that impressed on bramble, but is he doing something right that i don't see because of my bias.

 

[dogwatch]

There has been a lot of discussion of our turnovers recently. It's not exactly a new thing for us but it has been particularly costly in recent weeks. Was it the Hawthorn game where all but 2 of the opposition goals came from turnovers?

So of course we want to limit them. But let's not go too conservative in doing that.

The thing to remember is we are starting to play a different game, one we had been crying out for. We are trying to play more direct, attacking football. This means cutting through the middle, playing the diagonal (not backward) switches, attempting the riskier passes and play-ons. The rewards are great but of course the risks go up too. When we get it wrong it looks face-palmingly bad.

Things like Freijah's and Dale's missed passes, Bramble getting caught HTB on the wing when trying to break the lines, and so on.

We'll get better at this but we're on a learning curve. At least we're enjoying watching footy again. We're starting to play an exciting style and it has made us competitive too.

I don't want to go back to that safe but tedious, predictable, easily defendable kick down the line every time.

 

[The Slitherin' Snake]

What are people's preferences for how we solve the Naughton sized hole down forward:

1. Lobb - has the height, not sure about the Lobb, Darcy, Jamarra combination impact on forward half pressure.
2. Bont - playing a mix of the Jeremy Cameron high forward role and what he was doing in the 4Q against the Swans.
3. Buku - proven as an undersized tall at VFL level, including up the ground, but not sure about forward half pressure.
4. Bedendo - at 191cm and good overhead he gives another marking target if taking the 3rd defender plus has the engine and fitness base to work defensively if the effort is there.
5. Clarke - **** it lets just roll with 2 talls in Darcy and Jamarra and play the extra small.
6. Other - some random classic Bevo move, e.g. bring in Buss or shift JOD forward

I wouldnt be playing Lobb just because he's tall and we need to replace naughton's height. More time forward for Bont would be my preference. We'll still have either Darcy or English down there as FF for most of the time

 

[maddog37]

Why did Jod miss?

 

[Dogsfan1]

Why did Jod miss?

Sick

 

[BEaston]

Bramble just isn't a smart player. He can't think his way through situations and just panics after he gets himself into trouble.

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

Wow, what an effort.
Won every single stat apart from the score.
That is the first game that Darcy has been soundly beaten - He'll learn from it and come back better.
Really proud of the boys and coaches after that game.
Any complacency in the team will be thrown out now with Astro, Ed and Libba being out.
Marra and Darcy need to step up and the young guys get their opportunity now.
Would love to see another debut soon from Bedendo, Busslinger or Croft.
This is the evolution that Bevo spoke about.

 

[DognBones]

Sanders reminds me a little of 'Plough' Wallace. He was never quick but a hard-at-it inside mid who tackled strongly and got plenty of the ball. If Sanders can carve out a similar career he'll be just fine.

 

[Norm De Guerre]

My concern with bramble is decision making, he ignores the first option a lot and then seems to panic

I don't think that he is any different than our other young and inexperienced guys in this regard.

He may be a 26 year old journeyman who looks like your average plumber having a parma and pot in the pub. But he doesn't carry much more experience at the level than some of the guys who get a free pass due to their inexperience.

He's clearly been tasked with the high risk. high reward job of taking on the game from deep in defence and driving us forward. It's not unusual to see many of the same errors from Dale, JJ and Richards before the move when they were doing the same. These guys live by the sword and die by the sword wielded by fans.