Strategy Changes & Pre-match Discussion - Round 24 vs. Essendon, MCG, Fri 25/08, 7:50pm

[eyeroller]

Could it be more than coincidence that this drastic change in score conceded coincides pretty much exactly with when we've had a top 4 then top 2 spot pretty much locked in? Genuine question. Maybe I'm grasping at straws.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Could it be more than coincidence that this drastic change in score conceded coincides pretty much exactly with when we've had a top 4 then top 2 spot pretty much locked in? Genuine question. Maybe I'm grasping at straws.

It also coincides with injuries to Moore DeGoey Hill Naicos Sidebottom and game day injuries to Murphy and probably others I forgot to mention

 

[sr36]

I think our main problem over the last month has been our mindset. Fly would be reluctant to change anything due to the fact that what he's drummed into the players all year. He has the side believing in all our systems and processes. to change things now would send a negative and contradictory message to the players. I still think our form slump is due to having our heads already in the finals. We saw against Geelong that when we believe, we will always win. The first week of the finals will tell the story but I think we'll go up a few levels in September

They tweak things every week and then within games based on the opposition and how they attack and defend.

 

[LuckyLee]

Why? You assume Carlton who just barely got over the line against Gold Coast are sure winners week 1? If curnow doesn’t play well, Carlton will struggle to win a game, they are more one man reliant than geel with Cameron. If all we view is a teams form then GWS and syd are arguably flag favourites too.

Carlton reeled in a 40 point deficit in one quarter. When they get on a roll, they can score brutally fast. They are the best-performed team in the comp right now.

Surely you can’t seriously prefer to play the Dees then Carlton if we lose, over playing Port at The G and then Saints/Swans also at The G in the unlike event that we lose to Port? Finishing the H&A season in 2nd instead of 1st leads to a much easier path to a Prelim Final.


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[Lifelong Pie]

Could it be more than coincidence that this drastic change in score conceded coincides pretty much exactly with when we've had a top 4 then top 2 spot pretty much locked in? Genuine question. Maybe I'm grasping at straws.

I think any side that's missing it's 3 best players would struggle to beat the side that's second on the ladder. I also agree with you though that it's been ever since we locked in top 2, we rely on pressure otherwise everything else in our game breaks down, if we get the pressure back which there is no reason we can't then we can defend properly and hopefully the rest of our game falls into place along with it

 

[manicpie]

They tweak things every week and then within games based on the opposition and how they attack and defend.

Tweak is the key word but we won't be changing any of our main structures. I think it's come down to mindset more than anything in the last month

 

[manicpie]

Could it be more than coincidence that this drastic change in score conceded coincides pretty much exactly with when we've had a top 4 then top 2 spot pretty much locked in? Genuine question. Maybe I'm grasping at straws.

That's exactly the reason

 

[sr36]

Tweak is the key word but we won't be changing any of our main structures. I think it's come down to mindset more than anything in the last month

Yep. We'll keep the front half zone, but try to make it more accountable.

 

[legendstatus]

I’ve been saying this for a month, (started a thread on it a few weeks ago - Is September calling)the win over Port secured us Top 2 essentially and the boys have gone into preservation mode since.
The pressure game has dropped as a result, but you can see it’s there ready to be switched on when we want, geelong game last week the perfect example.

It’s time now to switch to our finals run, tune up with a strong showing against the bombers to start our run to the flag.

We’ve had 5-6 injuries and suspensions since then so yeah how’s that playing out?

 

[stormskye]

Carlton reeled in a 40 point deficit in one quarter. When they get on a roll, they can score brutally fast. They are the best-performed team in the comp right now.

Surely you can’t seriously prefer to play the Dees then Carlton if we lose, over playing Port at The G and then Saints/Swans also at The G in the unlike event that we lose to Port? Finishing the H&A season in 2nd instead of 1st leads to a much easier path to a Prelim Final.


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I’d take port in Melb of course. My point was you just assume Carlton win, and I don’t believe that’s the case.

 

[manicpie]

I’d take port in Melb of course. My point was you just assume Carlton win, and I don’t believe that’s the case.

Well if that's your plont, then who are we to argue

 

[stormskye]

Well if that's your plont, then who are we to argue

There’s no doubt they are playing well, but they are just so bloody reliant on one player IMO. If you can negate curnow they lack game winning scoring. I’d argue us, Melb, bris are not reliant on one forward to kick a bag to win like they are, that’s just my opinion though mate. Outside of that, the other top 8 teams in syd and gws are playing well, they aren’t gonna be easy beats if blues face them

 

[Kes1984]

Could we argue down medium impact? Not only was the player not injured, he didnt even go off. The impact was the equivalent of a regular hard tackle.

He also only pinned one arm. Players need to drop the ball and protect their own heads.

 

[legendstatus]

C9 Sunday footy show ripped into the Dons big time - can only mean one thing for Friday night..........

 

[Kes1984]

Howe to defence is what we must do. His leadership and direction is missed.

Last 3 games, Howe has played forward and teams have kicked over 100 points.

https://x.com/sirswampthing/status/1692509068240585054?s=46&t=HwNqD7Sv3vt3HNCm6NWQJA

Last two games. He didn’t go forward in hawthorn loss. I was at a loss as to why we didn’t try it again.

 

[PIEWITHSAUCE]

I hope Melbourne lose the next two games and Carlton sneak into 4th spot, how sweet it would be to beat them week 1 of the finals and then for Melbourne to knock them out in straight sets.

This is all provided we don't lose of course, that would be unbearable

I get the sentiment but I'd rather them not make top four and go out in one set..............7 less days of hearing about them

 

[Kes1984]

Yes, but we’ve also kicked 100 points in the last two games, and the forward line is working. It’s a conundrum.

It’s simple. We need two Jeremy Howes.

 

[Kes1984]

I hope Melbourne lose the next two games and Carlton sneak into 4th spot, how sweet it would be to beat them week 1 of the finals and then for Melbourne to knock them out in straight sets.

This is all provided we don't lose of course, that would be unbearable

Prefer they finish 5th and lose their one final.

 

[JuniorB]

Prefer they finish 5th and lose their one final.

That would be better for our 2nd round draft pick too.

 

[Kes1984]

That would be better for our 2nd round draft pick too.

Also better to shut up the Carlton bandwagoners!

 

[gouki88]

Carlton reeled in a 40 point deficit in one quarter. When they get on a roll, they can score brutally fast. They are the best-performed team in the comp right now.

Surely you can’t seriously prefer to play the Dees then Carlton if we lose, over playing Port at The G and then Saints/Swans also at The G in the unlike event that we lose to Port? Finishing the H&A season in 2nd instead of 1st leads to a much easier path to a Prelim Final.


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A lot of that was fed by GC ineptitude (100m penalty for one). They live and die by Curnow

 

[Finnishpie]

Could it be more than coincidence that this drastic change in score conceded coincides pretty much exactly with when we've had a top 4 then top 2 spot pretty much locked in? Genuine question. Maybe I'm grasping at straws.

I think that's a component but we probably need to take into consideration several factors: injuries, other teams catching up to our game style, the length of season and some players starting to struggle individually.

 

[Finnishpie]

Howe to defence is what we must do. His leadership and direction is missed.

Last 3 games, Howe has played forward and teams have kicked over 100 points.

https://x.com/sirswampthing/status/1692509068240585054?s=46&t=HwNqD7Sv3vt3HNCm6NWQJA

A lot of things have happened in the last few games as we've slumped. Howe going forward is just one of them. Nowhere near as significant as the decline of our midfield, which looks old, slow, uncompetitive at times.

I'd move Howe back until Moore returns (if he does) because he's an elite interceptor. But it's nowhere near the dilemma that our centre-square setup is.

 

[windchimes]

I think that's a component but we probably need to take into consideration several factors: injuries, other teams catching up to our game style, the length of season and some players starting to struggle individually.

I think the latter two things may be sub-components of the mental factor though. It looks like a fair few of our older guys are trying to self-preserve until finals.

 

[magpies42]

My preference is we have one ruck in the 23.

This is me also, and I think this should be Cox. Only challenge is neither are as fit as Grundy was…rucking is also crucial in finals. Our ascendency in the third shifted with a fresh Cox in the ruck…