Art Vandelay_
TheBrownDog
- Oct 28, 2012
- 107,978
- 149,916
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- Bushrangers - Tottenham
This easily could have been a 'roast' prefixed thread but chose to leave it open for opinions rather than somewhere to rant or vent.
But in all seriousness, what are we trying to do this season. We don't appear to be going for the flag, or anywhere good enough to go for the flag.
But we're also not a bottom 4 club pumping games at will to anyone under 22.
So what we have is a sprinkling of youth learning the game, learning their craft and finding their feet at league level. While also having to take up some of the slack that fading veterans are no longer able to absorb by themselves anymore.
Defensively we appear to have taken steps backward in terms of ability, cohesion and understanding. Stewart is getting tagged, Henry has been up and down. SDK still looks timid. Only Zuthrie and Kolo seem to either have held ground or continued to improve.
In the middle is where the real issues lie, it's not just that we get belted in clearances and contests but it's also that when the game is at its hottest in first halves we get obliterated. We wear out our backline defending grimly and only start to come into games once the sting has gone out of it.
On the one hand lots of these guys like Holmes, Conway, Clark, Bruhn, Bowes appear to have many years left in the game and some improvement as years go on should be expected. Worryingly we're still reliant on 34yo Dangerfield to be remotely competitive in the midfield.
The conundrum is whether sticking with it now for the very bad short term pain will lead to long term gains, or should we pivot and get different looks in there and reward VFL form.
Hawkins, Cameron and Neale are also becoming troublesome. JC has had a role flip that hasn't been working. Hawkins is on his last legs, 3 months from retirement. But Neale still struggles to impress. Ollie Henry when we're not getting supply is also a worry and clubs are now putting attention into Miers. Should Stengle leave we are all of a sudden short of goal kicking small forwards as Close and Dempsey are inconsistent scorers.
IMV I think we need to concede that even if we make finals, and finals experience would be good for our young group of players, that we are not winning it this year. So would like to see the next 6 weeks used to try some new things. SDK in the ruck tonight. Give Humphries a look at HBF. Try Stewart in the midfield. Give Mannagh and Hardie a crack. There'd be others as well.
I'd like to see Blicavs and Atkins dropped. See what football without them looks like.
Hawkins is injured tonight so likely get another look at Neale. Send Mullin back to learn midfield in the VFL.
We're rolling out the same core group, with the same basic structure. And we're getting the same results playing the same dour and boring style.
Time to try something new, and to try different personnel or roles.
But in all seriousness, what are we trying to do this season. We don't appear to be going for the flag, or anywhere good enough to go for the flag.
But we're also not a bottom 4 club pumping games at will to anyone under 22.
So what we have is a sprinkling of youth learning the game, learning their craft and finding their feet at league level. While also having to take up some of the slack that fading veterans are no longer able to absorb by themselves anymore.
Defensively we appear to have taken steps backward in terms of ability, cohesion and understanding. Stewart is getting tagged, Henry has been up and down. SDK still looks timid. Only Zuthrie and Kolo seem to either have held ground or continued to improve.
In the middle is where the real issues lie, it's not just that we get belted in clearances and contests but it's also that when the game is at its hottest in first halves we get obliterated. We wear out our backline defending grimly and only start to come into games once the sting has gone out of it.
On the one hand lots of these guys like Holmes, Conway, Clark, Bruhn, Bowes appear to have many years left in the game and some improvement as years go on should be expected. Worryingly we're still reliant on 34yo Dangerfield to be remotely competitive in the midfield.
The conundrum is whether sticking with it now for the very bad short term pain will lead to long term gains, or should we pivot and get different looks in there and reward VFL form.
Hawkins, Cameron and Neale are also becoming troublesome. JC has had a role flip that hasn't been working. Hawkins is on his last legs, 3 months from retirement. But Neale still struggles to impress. Ollie Henry when we're not getting supply is also a worry and clubs are now putting attention into Miers. Should Stengle leave we are all of a sudden short of goal kicking small forwards as Close and Dempsey are inconsistent scorers.
IMV I think we need to concede that even if we make finals, and finals experience would be good for our young group of players, that we are not winning it this year. So would like to see the next 6 weeks used to try some new things. SDK in the ruck tonight. Give Humphries a look at HBF. Try Stewart in the midfield. Give Mannagh and Hardie a crack. There'd be others as well.
I'd like to see Blicavs and Atkins dropped. See what football without them looks like.
Hawkins is injured tonight so likely get another look at Neale. Send Mullin back to learn midfield in the VFL.
We're rolling out the same core group, with the same basic structure. And we're getting the same results playing the same dour and boring style.
Time to try something new, and to try different personnel or roles.
.
