Autopsy Round 18, 2022: Western Bulldogs v St.Kilda

[Kennedy84]

Cause of death: Missing In Action.

 

[AirWinmar]

Not going to rant, atrocious game of footy. Blessed to not lose as much percentage as we deserved. Let's just stop playing night matches until we know we're good enough. It's embarrassing for the club

 

[sauce_head]

Sharman in defence was alright?

Anything else?

Wilkie best on ground. Ben Long shoes he always needs to be in the team. That’s about it.

 

[Hayes4PM]

Worst we've dished up all season. Dogs with about 6 forced changes as well fielding a hugely compromised 22, and they made us look VFL level. Then, in typical fashion, the club gave us a tease in the last quarter after 3 quarters of flaming hot garbage.

Wilkie, Battle and Sinclair played alright, but I guess that's because the ball was around them about 80% of the time in their back line.

I want Zak Jones

3

Zak Jones

Age

29

Ht

182cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.8

4star

K

10.0

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.0

5star

CL

1.7

4star

D

19.1

4star

K

10.6

4star

HB

8.6

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.1

4star

CL

4.9

5star

D

7.0

2star

K

2.8

1star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.0

1star

T

1.6

4star

CL

1.0

3star

out, too much arms out and face pulling when we don't get frees or something doesn't work out.

Putting games into Mason Wood

32

Mason Wood

Age

31

Ht

192cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.8

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.3

2star

D

8.3

2star

K

2.7

1star

HB

5.7

3star

M

1.7

2star

T

1.3

2star

CL

0.0

1star

D

15.8

4star

K

8.6

4star

HB

7.2

5star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

is like putting games into Beau Maister

Beau Maister

Age

38

Ht

194cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.5

3star

K

6.9

3star

HB

4.5

3star

M

4.9

5star

T

1.3

3star

G

0.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

14.0

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.2

3star

, except this time we're not in a rebuild. **** him off.

Gresh is a bit of a FIGJAM and needs to know when going the easy option/pass is better than hoofing small chance shots on goal. He might get a goal a game on average like the commentators were lauding, but he hoofs and misses/bombs the ball in 3 or 4 times a game going for it. Needs to learn to do that in moderation.

Higgins and Butler turn to water when the team turns to water.

Paton ain't where he was 2 years back, can't really give him too much crap for that, he had a horrific injury.

We have not tall key position defender depth. Dougal can be frustrating occasionally with not going for marks when he probably should and some of his candy selling attempts and kick ins aren't fantastic, but he's alright. Joyce isn't alright though, and right now he's our only option.

So many blokes plodding around and the group seems to be developing a case of "here we go again" mentality when things unravel, because a lot like when Windhager came on as the sub in his first game and showed some heart and commitment that had been lacking and the group lifted, Long did it in the last quarter. It's like it's contagious and once the signs show up they all wilt. I think we need to look at some (extra) training or development in the off season for mental toughness, coz it's just not there at the minute. There seems to be no belief, and the slightest sign of us losing control or losing at contests and we just fold.

 

[gringo2011]

I’d like to preface this by saying that I’m usually a very positive/idealistic supporter of the club. But honestly, you can’t BS your way out of our recent performances.

Turning it on in the 4th qtr shows that there’s life but it’s simply not good enough, and makes us look like a really *ing selective team with where we put our effort. I mean the fact that we could’ve had the biggest comeback in AFL history if we had kicked straight in the fourth literally is damning to the effort we put In for the first three quarters.

We were TOP FOUR AT THE BYE. What can I possibly say that hasn’t already been said?

We are a club who, from the outside looking in, lack accountability. And that’s not simply acceptable, and will get us absolutely no where. A major reset is needed. No more of this half arsed half rebuilding, half contending crap. We are severely missing leadership and conviction on and off the field.

Simply, our input does not match our desired output. Hell it doesn’t even match an adequate level of output.

And that means the club is dysfunctional.

2020: Barely made finals after fumbling through the second half of the year.

2021: Started atrociously but looked ‘ok’ by years end.

2022: First half we were top 4 quality. Second half? Won ONE out of a possible SIX games, thus far.

For a game as omni-directional as AFL, we has repeatedly shown ZERO ability to adapt strategies. Shallow forward 50 bombs galore, without respite. Senseless turnovers without respite. And even if we even the forward 50 bomb we have no set up around the ball. Honestly feels like we are tanking because the strategy is nonsensical. There’s no accountability, there’s no conviction.

No more half measures, honestly. There’s zero point from a business or a football perspective to be a middling team. I don’t believe in all that “woe is me, I’m a saints supporter s**t”, the truth is we have the capacity to be a great team. And this loss has nothing to do with our history, so get over that. In the present now, we could’ve been much better, we could’ve played with integrity and we didnt. We are not even close to scratching that our capacity right now, for whatever reason, and honestly, watching us trying to figure that out is downright insanity.

I’ll continue to support, but I’m not sure if I’ll be putting my money into the club any time soon. I don’t have much money to my name, and it seems like not buying membership is the only way I can voice my discontent in how this club is being managed. There’s no accountability otherwise. It’s pretty saddening, but for as optimistic as I am, it makes no sense to reward our clubs inability to adapt to regular challenges in the AFL.

Signing Ratten up for two more years really just isn’t a good look right now. Sure, we MIGHT, rebound massively in the next two years and looks like geniuses, but that’s the same type of thinking which leads up to repeatedly bomb it forward hoping something genius will happen. Dysfunctional club in a nutshell.

TLDR:

We were not up for the fight. Anyhow, take a break, do something you love this weekend, find gratitude outside of football, ebbs and flows.

Dunstan came in and we started winning. Funny enough I was told that Dunstan was dropped in the last round for not following team instructions because he was winning clearance and bombing the ball in long and quickly. Ratts wanted us to go in the forward line slow and controlled. He didn't want to adjust to the stand rule when everyone else did.

Most of the best sides now bring the ball in fast to avoid the defensive zones setting up. We have decided to use slow chip mark footy that we aren't skilled enough to do and pressure which as Narkles Helmet said doesn't work for sides that move the ball too fast. It's like we are trying to replicate early 2000s Carlton. King in the hole is not working and makes all our other forward useless. We aren't the 1980s Saints that rely on Lockett to kick 13 goals to lose by 5.

 

[Ads734]

Seriously what happaned during the bye? Questions have to be asked. Like seriously wtf. We've lost our ability to score. How can we have forwards who are genuine liabilities when kicking for goal.

 

[_Maximus_12]

We saw how effective it was in the brief period last year when Max King would make leads.
Why won't he do it now?

Is it the coaches telling him not to do it? Is it their instruction that has him going into almost every marking contest on flat feet?

Or is it that he simply doesn't have the work ethic to put in the effort? I'm starting to think him - just like most of the squad around him - aren't interested in putting in the hard yards. Why would they? they get paid week after week regardless.

Think it’s got more to do with the extra handball through the middle of the ground that allows the defenders to drop in his leading space. We **** around with the footy instead of moving it fast to a one v one and when we do move it fast we butcher the entry

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Any changes for next week apart from Ryder or just go in with the same mob?

 

[StFly]

We saw how effective it was in the brief period last year when Max King would make leads.
Why won't he do it now?

Is it the coaches telling him not to do it? Is it their instruction that has him going into almost every marking contest on flat feet?

Or is it that he simply doesn't have the work ethic to put in the effort? I'm starting to think him - just like most of the squad around him - aren't interested in putting in the hard yards. Why would they? they get paid week after week regardless.

We sacrifice Members when we're losing, which this season is very early since it was 3rd quarter power spike, not first quarter. That leaves Ming with him v 4 as a KP since Wood is undersized and it was Ryder or Row "resting" as then the GOP KP instead of an extra.

So likely it's a "lead as a hit up and rest deep for long ball" thing, as obviously, every man and dog, even the dead ones, especially so, know our entry is going to Ming so at least be as deep as possible mate, use that reach...

He's still young, doesn't have the tank for repeat after repeat after repeat, but effectively he's having to play 3 roles as everyone but Row or Ryder is undersized for us except him, and he's the only legit KPF we have.

 

[aussierulesrules]

We took a whopping 148 uncontested marks (to their 91) tonight. I wonder if we tried a new style of play and just completely botched it?

 

[Veer Right]

For three and a half quarters,

Effort - poor
Decision making poor
Skill execution - putrid

Lot of Ratten hate but when does the buck stop with the individual? How many of the starting 22 played to VFL standard? It's a game we could have thumped the dogs tonight if they actually turned up to the required level. Having no on field leadership doesn't help. Only one taking the game on and executing properly is Sinclair. Should be the captain and the only one in the leadership group.

Standards have clearly slipped.

 

[SaintSteele9]

We were absolutely chasing and barely had the ball for the first half and laid **** all tackles. Effort? I mean, “elimination final in July” and we dish that up.

But this now paints us for exactly what we are and where we are at. Pull out the odd semi-consistent effort that can roll a top side (HOW did we beat Geelong…?!) but reality is we can’t back it up or maintain it.

Why? It’s got to be ******* addressed

 

[Ads734]

The first half was a disgrace. The players looked either disinterested or angry. The kicking was a joke.

To me there are actually positives to take from the game despite how disappointing it was:
- Wilkie and Battle. Absolute gun games from both. Especially Wilkie. He destroyed Bruce and was just immense. Also thought Sharman back actually worked.

- Marshall into the ruck.
Now I feel bad because I started that thread about our rucks and it looks like Paddy may have gotten injured and be done, but seriously, we looked like a completely different side when Marshall went into the ruck.

I have a few qualms about Ratts at the moment and this is one of them. We've basically hamstrung ourselves for the majority of the season because we don't use Ryder and Marshall properly. Every game Ryder rucks as majority ruck, bar a few, he barely touches the ball. Then we have Marshall hardly getting into games in the forward line. Tonight was a great example, when Marshall went into the ruck he destroyed his opponent. Imagine if we'd had him there the whole game? The mind boggles for me what this season could have been if we'd used Marshall as our first ruck all year and used Paddy as a forward who can go into the ruck when we need him.

The other thing with Ratts is his media messaging. His messaging about how we need to be risky with the ball, it just got so muddled up for the players I think and the last two weeks we've killed ourselves with stupid turnovers. We didn't look like a team that knew how we wanted to play.

I'm really pissed off because tonight was a missed opportunity again. We showed in the last quarter how average the Dogs are but we just played dumb insipid football for too long and cost ourselves the game.

The only real positive you can take is if we can play like we did in the last quarter for the rest of the year we're still a chance at finals. But the chances are we s**t ourselves again.

The thing that frsutrated me was that in the first quarter they were not good at all we literally gifted them 5 goals from turnovers. Legit 5 and it kille dour confidence. We were defendning well, the other thing with turnovers is the goals are easy chances for them.

 

[Geary Is GOAT]

Wilkie best on ground. Ben Long shoes he always needs to be in the team. That’s about it.

Yeah Longy was magnificent while he was on the ground.

 

[phantom13]

It’s about what a few of us expected when we dropped the Essendon game. I find it hard after 35 years supporting this team and especially the last 10-11 years to be shocked or hurt by this sort of gear, I think we probably should just accept we’re at best ordinary and at worst pathetic.

 

[The_Snake26]

The game plan is dog $hit. Chip it around the back half. Send it out wide. Bomb one down the line. Rinse. Repeat.
We are so easy to coach against it’s not even funny

 

[Hubnester]

Hey George I did ask this once before - please can you leave the game day thread open longer for another day or so, people can still reply to posts on there for a while.

Aside from that….
rabble
rabble
rabble….

disgraceful what they put their supporters through.

That was me tonight.

You can still reply to posts, tap the +Quote button on them and you can insert them into a post in the new thread.

 

[Grav]

 

[lewdogs]

The thing that frsutrated me was that in the first quarter they were not good at all we literally gifted them 5 goals from turnovers. Legit 5 and it kille dour confidence. We were defendning well, the other thing with turnovers is the goals are easy chances for them.

That has been the issue the last two weeks. Ridiculous turnovers for easy goals.

 

[gringo2011]

Do we think any of the dogs mids saw what we dishes up and thought

“I’d love to get traded there and be a part of that”

?

They might want to get paid to holiday.

 

[Dard Ball Get]

 

[70s sainter]

Absolutely atrocious - they are no longer playing for the coach or the club.

I cant believe how poor our systems have become? Nearly every handball tonight was given to a stationary player. Its like they have been practicing stationary handball drills and forgot that you need moving players?

Then attempting kicks off no steps again no momentum, or second guessing who to kick to and missing so many targets it was embarrassing.

They are a group if confused footballers who as soon as things dont work they emotionally cave in. That mental susceptibility is not that of a happy or well coached group of footballers.

There are significant issues at Moorabbin and unfortunately it all points towards the coaching group. If you think otherwise you are not being realistic.

Agree with all this .
It’s the coaches job to get the team up and about mentally and actually enjoy their footy .
Instead they’re a shot duck whenever the attempt that kick into the corridor.
It’s like their scared of failure rather than excited about what it could actually lead to.
Same when kicking for goal. Choke city.
Why can’t Ratten see this and rectify it?
Basic skills that professional players should be all over .

 

[Grav]

They might want to get paid to holiday.

Wonder if Buddy wants Hanners money? One game at Sandy a year & paid to party..

 

[mighty_sainters]

There’s more ads on this page than goals scored by us tonight.

 

[Jade Buddha]

Starts in the middle
Time to move on from Ryder, sorry Paddy but it’s time and you’re not helping the team.
Watching the bulldogs just run around our mids to feed off Ryder and Marshall is excruciating.
Ryan Byrnes

13

Ryan Byrnes

Age

23

Ht

181cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

5.0

1star

K

2.0

1star

HB

3.0

3star

M

0.0

1star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.0

1star

D

5.0

1star

K

2.0

1star

HB

3.0

2star

M

0.0

1star

T

2.0

3star

CL

0.0

1star

D

5.0

1star

K

2.0

1star

HB

3.0

3star

M

0.0

1star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.0

1star

should never play AFL again. A good VFL player.
The players are playing with zero confidence and have seriously lost faith in what they are being asked to do. The coaching has arrived at ground zero. No inspiration, no idea.