How do we fix our defence?

[Dazb86]

For years and years we have been putting stock into our attack through draft capital. It's starting to pay dividends with the emergence of a few guys which has us sitting as the 2nd best attacking side in the comp so far this year.

Our midfield numbers are also elite. Clearances, disposals and disposal efficiency are all elite. The midfield has been and currently is one of the best in the comp purely from a numbers standpoint.

Then why are we 9th?

Because our defence is appalling.

We simply can't win games unless we at the very least break even in the midfield. On the flipside we can lose while winning the midfield battle. I'm not sure I've ever seen us win a game after losing it in the centre.

What is it that makes our defence so bad? Are we too aggressive? Do we simply not have the players or is it the game plan?

Why do you think we can't stop the opposition from scoring?

How do we move away from being so reliant on our midfield determining our W/L column?

 

[Bald]

I realise our defense isn't the best in the competition but there are 5 clubs currently in the top 8 with a higher points against than us, and on the expected score I believe we're second or third, so perhaps it's the wrong end of the ground to worry about right now?

For what it's worth, clearly we need to look to the future down back.

 

[fargy]

We’re the third best for points for, and eighth best for points against. Our defence has been reasonable, we’ve kept teams quiet for large chunks. We do leak goals when our mids get smacked, rather than the break even from my eyes. Our mids have some great games, mixed in with a couple of absolute stinkers (Brisbane, Freo away). It’s hard to judge the backs on those games imo.

Agree it’s an area of need going forward (so is the midfield).

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Draft and Trade

Jones and Keath are old now while Gardner is no good

 

[Dazb86]

We’re the third best for points for, and eighth best for points against. Our defence has been reasonable, we’ve kept teams quiet for large chunks. We do leak goals when our mids get smacked, rather than the break even from my eyes. Our mids have some great games, mixed in with a couple of absolute stinkers (Brisbane, Freo away). It’s hard to judge the backs on those games imo.

Agree it’s an area of need going forward (so is the midfield).

I wonder how many games we win with less i50's than the opposition.

 

[TiAn_]

Jones and Duryea aside, our defence is populated by players that aren’t good at defending.

 

[RWnBluey]

Nothing we didn’t already know but Midweek Tackle just reiterated our interest in Tom Barrass

37

Tom Barrass

Age

29

Ht

197cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.2

3star

K

8.8

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

6.1

5star

T

0.9

3star

MG

158.5

3star

D

10.1

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

2.1

2star

M

5.6

5star

T

0.3

1star

MG

139.6

2star

D

11.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

4.2

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

0.4

3star

MG

160.0

3star

.

 

[hutchy31]

Nothing we didn’t already know but Midweek Tackle just reiterated our interest in Tom Barrass.

Where do we sign?

Would take a lot, but would be an awesome get. It looked like Melbourne screwed up spending so much draft capital in May and Lever but it got them a few years in the top four and a flag.

Likely issue is that what it would take would likely clean out our first rounders for the next two years (not counting anything we get for Smith, but then we'd need to find a high pick mid to bolster the ground there).

Suspect it's just media chat though. He's probably in line for the captaincy and they might be decent again in a couple of years.

 

[stefoid]

Its complex - the way we defend all over the ground has the biggest say in how easy the ball is delivered into the F50. That is the 'easiest' to fix because no player changes are required. its a work in progress.

I reckon our small defenders are probably more important than our key defenders in keeping the opposition to a low score. When they are on, they are whipping the ball out of our defensive half and getting us into an attacking mode that takes the ball far away from the danger zone. When they are off, we are stagnant and prone to repeat opposition F50 entries because we are kicking to contests or worse, causing turnovers in our defensive half.

Even the best defenders struggle when the ball is put into space in front of forwards.

 

[CarnTheScray]

Jones and Duryea can defend. The rest pick and choose, Dale has had moments where he doesn’t want to, Bramble too but has found form, JOD can, the other spot is a revolving door of VFL players like Khamis that sometimes give the opposition 2-3 goals a game.

Think just finding another key tall that can defend to help Jones out and another medium defender would be enough.

 

[bigdog54]

Sign either vlaustin or broad...

 

[TMoney22]

We defend the middle of the ground a bit too much as a team. That's too difficult to consistently win games and put us top 4. And also inflates our disposal numbers.

 

[_Mike_]

Buss was recruited to play as a KPD 2 years ago and still hasnt gotten a game.. If he's not being selected to play why did the club draft him?

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Buss was recruited to play as a KPD 2 years ago and still hasnt gotten a game.. If he's not being selected to play why did the club draft him?

Perhaps knowing he needed 2 years of development

 

[dogwatch]

Perhaps knowing he needed 2 years of development

And that his first year was always going to be a write off because of shoulder surgery and no preseason.

 

[_Mike_]

Perhaps knowing he needed 2 years of development

Risk is that hes OOC at the end of the year and rumors of heading back to WA

 

[Dazb86]

Buss was recruited to play as a KPD 2 years ago and still hasnt gotten a game.. If he's not being selected to play why did the club draft him?

Having seen some of his 1v1 efforts at vfl level I dont think hes ready.

Great intercept and ball use for a tall but he's not ready for a key role in the 1sts yet.

 

[_Mike_]

Having seen some of his 1v1 efforts at vfl level I dont think hes ready.

Great intercept and ball use for a tall but he's not ready for a key role in the 1sts yet.

shame.. could lose him to WA before he's ready to field a spot

 

[Hoges64]

How did none of you think of "Rory Lobb

7

Rory Lobb

Age

31

Ht

207cm

Wt

106kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.0

3star

K

6.7

3star

HB

4.4

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.4

4star

G

0.9

4star

D

11.3

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

3.3

2star

M

4.6

4star

T

1.4

2star

G

1.0

4star

D

7.0

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.6

3star

" as the answer....

 

[X_box_X]

Lobb was recruited to play as a KPF 2 years ago and can't get a game.. If he's not being selected to play fwd, should we consider strengthening our defence by moving him into defence? Big chance we concede record breaking low totals from turnovers with Lobster in defence.

Nails it

 

[BrisDog]

How did none of you think of "Rory Lobb" as the answer....

Bleached blonde hair, f*cks it off and we have the next Glenn Jakovich.