Autopsy Brave Bulldogs go down by 14 points

[BrisDog]

I think we could see Richards move onto a wing when Libba returns, and rotating through some centre bounces. I love what he has brought to our forward half in terms of burst, pressure and ball use. Appears to have all the traits of a quality wingman we’ve been crying out for.

Libba Treloar and Bont supported by Richards/Macrae/Sanders at centre bounces.

West/Garcia/Gallagher can all roll through there too. Leaves us with plenty of options and an interesting blend of skills, experience and youth.

No. Richards is now a full time mid now. Others can make way for him.

 

[Dogs Rule]

Gosh darn, we're two games out of the eight.

Having said that, no excuses next week the week after and the week after. Collingwood, Brisbane, Freo then North.

If we're serious and play like we have done the last three weeks, we win all four.

 

[stefoid]

Longmire said they were tossing up before the game wether to tag bont or Ed. Big compliment

 

[MrChristo]

It’s a good point (no pun intended) but suspect there was a “no score” or two making it a little worse again including when Jamarra hit the belly of the ball with his right foot snap.

I'm not suggesting that our forward line functions all that well, but we'll see plenty more of that with 20-30 players camped in our 50.
So many times players couldn't even get a quick snap away because there was always someone right there.

There'll be enormous pressure on anything but a set shot...
...which, in turn makes set shots all the more important.

As a side note, Sydney's connection from their mids to forwards is a big reason they're 9-1.
Watch the 1st quarter and you get players (mainly left footed now I think about it! Gulden, Blakey, Warner) who are running wide and Jones/Keath were guarding space where 90% of balls would go (wide to the pocket), but at the last second a Sydney forward would drop off into space in the middle and the kicker darted a kick back 45+ degrees.
It takes great skill from the kicker, but it's also clearly a 'play' that the forwards expect.

We don't seem to have that connection.

(Fwiw, I don't recall a goal like that after 1/4 time, so we adjusted well), but the point stands that 2-3 set shots early from 35m out directly in front for them was genuinely the difference).

 

[DiamondDogs8]

No. Richards is now a full time mid now. Others can make way for him.

Are you suggesting Bont, Libba or Ads make way for him?

 

[BrisDog]

Are you suggesting Bont, Libba or Ads make way for him?

Libba would be my first pick. We look so much better with Richards in the guts.

 

[DiamondDogs8]

Libba would be my first pick. We look so much better with Richards in the guts.

Don’t get me wrong I’ve been incredibly impressed by Ed in there and I can’t wait to see him in the midfield long term. I just can’t see a world where Libba doesn’t come straight back into the middle.

 

[PurpJuice]

Are you suggesting Bont, Libba or Ads make way for him?

Someone has to make way, maybe Bont fwd, Richards is that good.

 

[Del165892]

Richards is my first picked mid currently. I'd move Bont forward before moving Richards out of the guts.

 

[my plums]

Surely we can have mix of all the mids in there when they are healthy. More rotation is better

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

First Crack, Joey raves about Sydney getting on top in the second half, no mention of Richards going down. King corrected him and said Richards was best on ground in the first half and he was the player we could least afford to lose.

 

[Doggy]

First Crack, Joey raves about Sydney getting on top in the second half, no mention of Richards going down. King corrected him and said Richards was best on ground in the first half and he was the player we could least afford to lose.

Montagna genuinely does not like the dogs and makes no effort to hide it

 

[TiAn_]

Richards is my first picked mid currently. I'd move Bont forward before moving Richards out of the guts.

Beveridge would be stoked with the midfield revolución Richards has wrought. He’s been a complete package in there, ball winning, run and carry, defensive application. He’s got the capacity to be the player we all wanted Bailey Smith to be.

It’s a shame that Libba and Richards are out currently as I think Bont is our best hope for replacing Naughton in the short term. Libba, Richards, Treloar and Macrae with Sanders, Harmes and West rolling through could cover us over that period. Alas.

 

[TiAn_]

Gosh darn, we're two games out of the eight.

Having said that, no excuses next week the week after and the week after. Collingwood, Brisbane, Freo then North.

If we're serious and play like we have done the last three weeks, we win all four.

I think our injuries give us a bit of an excuse. As long as the effort is there, I won’t mark too hard if we don’t get over the Pies and Lions.

 

[Dogs Rule]

I think our injuries give us a bit of an excuse. As long as the effort is there, I won’t mark too hard if we don’t get over the Pies and Lions.

Nah, Pies also hit by injuries, Lions just rubbish, Dockers aren't crash hot. Should be winning all three. Then the Bye (North).

 

[GetDimmaBack]

Then the Bye (North).

Careful, DR.

The ghost of the 2023 Eagles game still walks among us...

 

[Outback Footy]

The subsequent suspension, even if automatic, would still be subject to the usual expensive silks trying to get their lad off.

But the sin-bin works because it's immediate, can't be appealed and puts your side at a big disadvantage for the duration of the bin time.

As such it's fairer across the board. It would not be a system that favours the clubs who like to appeal everything and can afford it. It would thus be a genuine disincentive to committing the crime.

Sin bins would also discourage the [Hawthorn player who I won't name] type of thuggery in a GF. Who cares if you miss the first four weeks of the next season if you've got a premiership medallion because you laid out one or two of the opponents' best players in the first quarter? Sin-binning would definitely discourage that sort of thing.

Too much nuance in AFL for sinbinning in my opinion. It works in RL where the ref is always close to the line of tackle and the ball and players are always moving in predictable directions, completely different to AFL. Too much grey. Imagine the media the next day!!

Ive previously advocated it when players are concussed or injured but have rethought it, accidents do happen in our sport. Look at Scott on thursday night, that head clash wasnt deliberate.

 

[LondonBulldog]

Are you suggesting Bont, Libba or Ads make way for him?

Oh course. Richards is the future and is more damaging. Breakway speed and skill from the stoppage is about the most important aspect of modern footy. They can all share with likely Libba spending more time forward, where he can be dangerous around goal.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Plenty of teams run five and six-man rotations. We've managed to phase Macrae out of centre bounces after playing him there this season, there's no reason why we can't phase another player back in with a balance similar to when Macrae was there.

Treloar basically hasn't played a minute on the field this season that's not on the ball, and he's leading our best and fairest. He'll attend 85% with 15% on the bench. That gives us 215% to rotate between Libba, Richards, Bont and Sanders can split 215% for an average of 54% each. I don't see a huge issue with that.

 

[Next Waiting]

Oh course. Richards is the future and is more damaging. Breakway speed and skill from the stoppage is about the most important aspect of modern footy. They can all share with likely Libba spending more time forward, where he can be dangerous around goal.

Centre Bounces these days are like special teams in the NFL.

It's one of the closer situations you can get to a set play.

And speed is critical. The speed to go  and the speed to stop.

 

[Golden_6]

Oh course. Richards is the future and is more damaging. Breakway speed and skill from the stoppage is about the most important aspect of modern footy. They can all share with likely Libba spending more time forward, where he can be dangerous around goal.

Libba is a bit of an issue IMO. He's an AA level inside mid but he certainly has his limitations in that he's slow on the spread and hasn't shown he can make any major impact outside of being a midfielder. Replacing Libba with Richards has transformed the look of our midfield overall for the better.

I'm in no way suggesting Libba should be booted from the midfield but if he's going to be in the side, it needs to be as a 70-80% midfielder which means someone has to make way. Does that help the team long term?

 

[stefoid]

Libba is consistently in our top 2 for pressure when he plays. He doesnt lack defensively.

Youd be crazy not to include him in the rotation. Just depends on who else is in there with him

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Libba is a bit of an issue IMO. He's an AA level inside mid but he certainly has his limitations in that he's slow on the spread and hasn't shown he can make any major impact outside of being a midfielder. Replacing Libba with Richards has transformed the look of our midfield overall for the better.

I'm in no way suggesting Libba should be booted from the midfield but if he's going to be in the side, it needs to be as a 70-80% midfielder which means someone has to make way. Does that help the team long term?

It was only two months ago that Libba went head-to-head with the next best contested ball winner in the league and thrashed him comfortably (vs. Rowell in Ballarat). It is absolutely true that pure speed at centre bounces has become a more necessary skill over the last few years, but it doesn't mean that you throw out the value of all other skillsets. It's not an issue at all.

 

[maddog37]

Libba is going to explode when they let him back on the ground.

Injury free, fresh legs

 

[Dogs Rule]

Careful, DR.

The ghost of the 2023 Eagles game still walks among us...

Indeed it does. We all know what happens when we get cocky with this club and its performance.