Coach Justin Longmuir Pt 2

[james haish]

Hello Damien Drum.

Remember how you instructed players to tackle at all costs getting sucked into the ball but that left exits out of contests, create overlaps, and easy switches.

Pressure includes stopping easier exits, closing space to force a high kick allowing your interceptors time and defense to set up and forcing kicking or handball errors creating turnovers.

Tackling is a deceptive stat as not all tackles are equal. A player can get sucked into the ball in a contest and get his tackle stat up, but he hurts the team on spread of the contest.

Fyfe, Walters and O'Meara get tackles in the contest but hurts us defensively as they are slow from the spread, never cover outlets and are slow in reducing space outside of the contest. It be ok if they won the contests like they once did.

How is any of this a defence of Longmuir?

 

[eastfreo75]

How is any of this a defence of Longmuir?

Longmuir has improved our defensive structure around the contest. I am more critical of his inability to take the difficult decisions, team selections and his predictability in his offensive game style especially our forward structure.

 

[ilikepotatoes]

Minimal changes but what other levers did you think we had to play? Reidy and Noddy came in, aside from that, is it drop Fyfe for Ras or Brodie? Simpson instead of Walters I suppose?

I'm not sure there were many other changes to make.

Like, they were coming up just short each time. What else did you expect to change?

Our biggest weakness for the last 2 seasons and I would say the biggest reason we did not make finals is our inability to start games effectively - so let's look at the changes to our starting line up in those last 4 games:

V Cats: 2 forced changes
Out: Darcy, Treacy
In: Taberner, Voss
V Giants:
Out: Taberner
In: Voss
V Giants:
Out: Sturt
In: O'Driscoll

In all 4 games we were behind by the 15 minute mark and conceded the first goal in all bar the Bombers game. In fact our starts were so bad we we lost 3 out of the 4 games by less than the margin we were down by in the first 15 minutes.


I'll make it very clear that we obviously aren't privy to what instructions and preparation the players are given however the most obvious changes you could make in my opinion is making changes to a lineup that is clearly underperforming in a crucial part of the game. We made 2 total that weren't forced by injury.

There's a few more concerns I'll get to about JL later but the lack of apparent change at the start of games killed us and from the outside looking in I can't see any actual effort to change that. Especially for a problem that has plagued us for years.

 

[wakojako]

Our biggest weakness for the last 2 seasons and I would say the biggest reason we did not make finals is our inability to start games effectively.

I think our biggest weakness is our system and how we counter the opposition's game plan. Sydney start games just as bad as we do and finished first.

 

[WilloTree]

Under RTB you could be confident that Crowley and deBoer would go to someone and those 2 players would have a tough day. I'd love to see us find a role player with a bit of niggle. Bontempelli seems to get 30 and 2 goals every time we play them.

Nice hypothetical. Crowley to Green and DeBoer to Whitfield?

 

[WilloTree]

Why can’t Frederick or Banfield?

This piqued my interest so I had a quick look at the stats. I was under the impression Banfield was pretty good at applying pressure and it seems the stats back that up. I was a bit surprised by Sturt in the top 10, which was very pleasing. Reidy's sample size is probably too small to read into too much. Could have guessed the top 4.

Top 10 Pressure Acts Fremantle 2024

 

[Freomaniac]

C'mon mate, "he went 10 years cupless" is a dumb argument. Look at his track record in those ten years below. He has only missed finals once! Any coach with that record would be celebrated. Premierships are hard to win so repeated finals appearances is the best chance of winning one. JLo's record is not poor, it's just extremely average.

Year	Ladder Position	W	L	Finals' Result
2011	2nd	19	3	Premiers (9)
2012	6th	15	7	Lost Elimination Final
2013	2nd	18	4	Lost Preliminary Final
2014	3rd	17	5	Lost Semi-Final
2015	10th	11	9	DNQ
2016	2nd	17	5	Lost Preliminary Final
2017	2nd	15	6	Lost Preliminary Final
2018	8th	13	9	Lost Elimination Final
2019	1st‡	16	6	Lost Preliminary Final
2020	4th	12	5	Runners-up (10)
2021	3rd	16	6	Lost Preliminary Final
2022	1st‡	18	4	Premiers (10)
2023	12th	10	12	DNQ
2024	3rd	15	8

Not bad....

Purple Jesus you want that type of finals record? Happy to get 2 flags, 10 or 11 years apart? LoL

 

[Boomer93]

I agree that the most worrying trend for me under JL is our slow starts.

I used to think it was just a random trend however it's been a problem for multiple seasons now.

Even against the dee's when we won by 100 we were 2 goals down to start the game.

 

[Dockeroo]

I agree that the most worrying trend for me under JL is our slow starts.

I used to think it was just a random trend however it's been a problem for multiple seasons now.

Even against the dee's when we won by 100 we were 2 goals down to start the game.

I feel like it’s a concentration thing amongst the players.
Ultimately the coach does bear some responsibility though.
Several times this year some individual players have done stupid things at the start of games too, giving away cheap 50s ( Clark in the port game a great example and that’s happened several times) and a soft goal to get opposition up and running.

 

[The Feeder Club]

It might just be the emotional aftermath of bombing out in the finals, but there seems to be a lot of chatter that both Bevo and Voss are on a "prelim next year or get the sack" trajectory too, like many on here think our coach is. I didn't actually realise Bevo was also out of contract at the end of next year.
It would certainly complicate looking for a replacement if we are competing with several Vic teams with good lists. Would one of them even be sounding our bloke out? For all his obvious faults, he's never done anything as diabolically stupid as crazy Vossy's team and sub selection this weekend, so maybe Carlton will come calling?
I'll say it again, we need to be doing or due diligence now on potential replacements, or if the club really does think he's a premiership coach they should be extending his contract early. Five years is enough time to make a judgement one way or another.

 

[Raz]

Not bad....

Purple Jesus you want that type of finals record? Happy to get 2 flags, 10 or 11 years apart? LoL

One flag is better than none. lets hope eventually our run is better than St kildas.

 

[Freomaniac]

One flag is better than none. lets hope eventually our run is better than St kildas.

I am not asking a lot. I am hoping Freo gets a flag by the end of this decade. It's possible for this current playing squad to win a flag or at worst get to a grand by 2029.

I look at Brisbane for example. Made finals in 2019. Yep they made top 2 and got out in straight sets. But they were a young squad and didn't make finals once between 2010 to 2018.

They won a final in 2020, straight sets in 2021 and won 2 finals in 2022.

They made a grand final in 2023.

People on here are saying Justin Longmuir needs to make a preliminary final next season or get sacked.

In my view, he needs to get at least finals or bust. 5th to 8th spot should be the aim at a bare minimum.

 

[Jezzitizle]

I am not asking a lot. I am hoping Freo gets a flag by the end of this decade. It's possible for this current playing squad to win a flag or at worst get to a grand by 2029.

I look at Brisbane for example. Made finals in 2019. Yep they made top 2 and got out in straight sets. But they were a young squad and didn't make finals once between 2010 to 2018.

They won a final in 2020, straight sets in 2021 and won 2 finals in 2022.

They made a grand final in 2023.

People on here are saying Justin Longmuir needs to make a preliminary final next season or get sacked.

In my view, he needs to get at least finals or bust. 5th to 8th spot should be the aim at a bare minimum.

5th I could swallow, 8th, assuming no injury crisis, is not good enough now.

I’d be disappointed if the club aren’t targeting a flag internally, the training wheels are off, and it’s time to deliver.

 

[Freomaniac]

5th I could swallow, 8th, assuming no injury crisis, is not good enough now.

I’d be disappointed if the club aren’t targeting a flag internally, the training wheels are off, and it’s time to deliver.

going from 10th in 2024 to flag in 2025 is a bit steep.

I can tolerate 7th or 8th spot next season, especially if we play some attractive footy.

 

[pK75]

going from 10th in 2024 to flag in 2025 is a bit steep.

I can tolerate 7th or 8th spot next season, especially if we play some attractive footy.

Nah, we were top 4 with a month to go, add Bolton and we should be planning a top 4 finish and a crack at the flag, falling short in a prelim or GF would be a pass mark, anything less and questions should be asked.

 

[Freomaniac]

Nah, we were top 4 with a month to go, add Bolton and we should be planning a top 4 finish and a crack at the flag, falling short in a prelim or GF would be a pass mark, anything less and questions should be asked.

maybe so.

But with 8 finals spots and 18 sides , less than 50 percent chance of making finals.

 

[chaosball32]

5th I could swallow, 8th, assuming no injury crisis, is not good enough now.

I’d be disappointed if the club aren’t targeting a flag internally, the training wheels are off, and it’s time to deliver.

He’s coming into his 6th season. Training wheels have been off for a few seasons now.

 

[chaosball32]

For all his obvious faults, he's never done anything as diabolically stupid as crazy Vossy's team and sub selection this weekend

Disagree, not playing Brodie in the Essendon game was inexcusable.

Taberner in the Geelong game was understandable given Darcy a late out and Reidy was playing for Peel the same day so they threw Jackson in the ruck and Taberner up forward to maintain the 3 tall forward structure. Didn’t work out obviously but I could at least see the reasoning.

Brodie in for the Essendon game with Fyfe suspended was a no-brainer like-for-like direct swap. Instead they put Erasmus in and we get destroyed in the midfield because we lacked the bigger body around the stoppages. Including the last 30 seconds when the game is tied up and they burst out of the midfield completely unobstructed and kick a behind in less then 10 seconds to win the game.

Not saying I rate Brodie over Erasmus but the decision made no sense at the time and given it started our downward spiral and subsequent 4 game losing streak which saw us fall out of the top 4 and then the top 8, I feel comfortable in saying JL’s stubborn refusal to never play Brodie no matter what played a hand in our late season collapse.

 

[pK75]

Disagree, not playing Brodie in the Essendon game was inexcusable.

Taberner in the Geelong game was understandable given Darcy a late out and Reidy was playing for Peel the same day so they threw Jackson in the ruck and Taberner up forward to maintain the 3 tall forward structure. Didn’t work out obviously but I could at least see the reasoning.

Brodie in for the Essendon game with Fyfe suspended was a no-brainer like-for-like direct swap. Instead they put Erasmus in and we get destroyed in the midfield because we lacked the bigger body around the stoppages. Including the last 30 seconds when the game is tied up and they burst out of the midfield completely unobstructed and kick a behind in less then 10 seconds to win the game.

Not saying I rate Brodie over Erasmus but the decision made no sense at the time and given it started our downward spiral and subsequent 4 game losing streak which saw us fall out of the top 4 and then the top 8, I feel comfortable in saying JL’s stubborn refusal to never play Brodie no matter what played a hand in our late season collapse.

Even worse than not playing Brodie was the decision to Sub Ras off, we were missing Fyfe and Johnson then subbed out Ras and brought in Aish, diabolical selection and sub. Brodie for Fyfe, Ras for Johnson should have been the call,

 

[Rhufus]

Our Coach is mediocre, he would come about 9th in a coaches ladder. Almost everything about our club comes about 9th.

Except our pressure which is about third last

 

[BStaff17]

It might just be the emotional aftermath of bombing out in the finals, but there seems to be a lot of chatter that both Bevo and Voss are on a "prelim next year or get the sack" trajectory too, like many on here think our coach is. I didn't actually realise Bevo was also out of contract at the end of next year.
It would certainly complicate looking for a replacement if we are competing with several Vic teams with good lists. Would one of them even be sounding our bloke out? For all his obvious faults, he's never done anything as diabolically stupid as crazy Vossy's team and sub selection this weekend, so maybe Carlton will come calling?
I'll say it again, we need to be doing or due diligence now on potential replacements, or if the club really does think he's a premiership coach they should be extending his contract early. Five years is enough time to make a judgement one way or another.

One Benefit of being a WA team no one gives a toss in the VFL media.

Longmuir only had the WA mafia to deal with.

 

[chaosball32]

Even worse than not playing Brodie was the decision to Sub Ras off, we were missing Fyfe and Johnson then subbed out Ras and brought in Aish, diabolical selection and sub. Brodie for Fyfe, Ras for Johnson should have been the call,

I forgot that Johnson didn’t play, just makes the Brodie snub even worse.

Fyfe and Johnson both out and he still doesn’t bring in Brodie, just mind bogglingly stupid. Brings in Erasmus then subs him out after half a game. No wonder our midfield got smashed.

You can point to many moments that cost us finals this year but I’d say the Essendon game was the worst of them all. Arguably worse than Voss’s team selection and subs this week.

 

[go_the_dockers]

I am not asking a lot. I am hoping Freo gets a flag by the end of this decade. It's possible for this current playing squad to win a flag or at worst get to a grand by 2029.

I look at Brisbane for example. Made finals in 2019. Yep they made top 2 and got out in straight sets. But they were a young squad and didn't make finals once between 2010 to 2018.

They won a final in 2020, straight sets in 2021 and won 2 finals in 2022.

They made a grand final in 2023.

People on here are saying Justin Longmuir needs to make a preliminary final next season or get sacked.

In my view, he needs to get at least finals or bust. 5th to 8th spot should be the aim at a bare minimum.

So much depends on what we do in the off season.

I think with our current squad finals is a must. If we can add Bolton or ... then the expectations need to go up.

 

[arsesmart]

Even worse than not playing Brodie was the decision to Sub Ras off, we were missing Fyfe and Johnson then subbed out Ras and brought in Aish, diabolical selection and sub. Brodie for Fyfe, Ras for Johnson should have been the call,

I haven't seen Brodie really shift the needle at AFL level since the first 2/3's of '22.

Hopefully he's fully informed of what he needs to improve.

 

[pK75]

I haven't seen Brodie really shift the needle at AFL level since the first 2/3's of '22.

Hopefully he's fully informed of what he needs to improve.

I don’t think he shifts the needle at all, but if you’re missing Fyfe and Johnson he’d definitely decrease the amount the needle drops with those outs.