Autopsy The gentle dogs go down in a thriller

[Lex22]

Clearly the Bont/Libba/Treloar trio is not working as a core midfield group, at least in the current structure. I don’t know why because individually they’re all excellent but for whatever reason as a group they just get belted. I can only suppose that they aren’t drilled well enough and don’t have clear enough responsibilities defensively (Lade).

Bont is our best defensive mid but we want him winning the ball. He’s also the priority focus of the opposition anyway.

Is it that Libba and Treloar are both ball hunting when we need one to shift their focus away from this? Is that why Richards taking Libba’s spot for a few weeks seemed to work?

We should have had Libba go head to head with Neale after the first 3 minutes. Like he did with Rowell early in the year

The most frustrating thing is that the 2-3 times a year when we decide to run with an opposition mid, it works.

I was at the game last night and the space Neale had throughout the game really stood out.

Fair enough in the back half, but he was waltzing through the front half and clearances with no one even close to him.

If that was a peak Danger/Petracca, I.e. a more explosive mid, they would’ve had the best individual games in the history of the sport.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

He was pathetic all night before the ankle injury

He played well last week when he had some semblance of a forward line around him.

 

[Dogs Rule]

Disappointed in the Bronx cheer from our fans, hurt his ankle and like the rest of the team was up against it last night. No wonder we can’t attract other players.

Do you blame the crowd though?

Clearly he or his manager have told the club he'll be looking elsewhere this year and we get substandard efforts since he arrived at the club.

Can't think of one game where I've thought 'Gee, Lobb played a belter of a game'. Overpaid and underperformed (but far from alone on that front).

 

[Bulldogs85]

He played well last week when he had some semblance of a forward line around him.

I give you that he played well last week hopefully he plays well against Fremantle

 

[HeadofSelectionCommittee]

effectively its saying the Sanders into the middle on Neale move was diabolical,
still, we need to get those experiences into the kid for his development, does Bevo have one eye on the future

Reminded me of last week screaming at the TV why we had Gallagher on Daicos at every centre clearance. Its like our mids go to the centre circle and let the other team decide who wants to play on who.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Do you blame the crowd though?

Clearly he or his manager have told the club he'll be looking elsewhere this year and we get substandard efforts since he arrived at the club.

Can't think of one game where I've thought 'Gee, Lobb played a belter of a game'. Overpaid and underperformed (but far from alone on that front).

I think we have already discussed Lobb to death, he is not getting overpaid by all reports he on a moderate salary. If we don’t use Lobb to ruck, who do we have when Darcy is out? A midfielder?

Fortunately Darcy has come on quicker than expected but I don’t regret getting Lobb. By all reports he is popular with the players as well.

Still is a bad look for players contemplating coming to the club.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

I think the other point I would like to make, is some of our young players are due a rest but we can’t afford to do that because of injuries.

 

[Dogs Rule]

I think we have already discussed Lobb to death, he is not getting overpaid by all reports he on a moderate salary. If we don’t use Lobb to ruck, who do we have when Darcy is out? A midfielder?

Fortunately Darcy has come on quicker than expected but I don’t regret getting Lobb. By all reports he is popular with the players as well.

Still is a bad look for players contemplating coming to the club.

All I'll say is that I don't think we're ready to move to a stage like the NRL where players announce early season or mid season they're leaving.

Whether the report on Lobb was accurate or not, it's now stuck in people's minds and probably has some substance. Add that dumb video Lobb made and it's a bad look.

I understand the anger it all generates in supporters and when that player has a poor game or is seen to be consistently underperforming (I won't mention not trying because I would hope that's never the case) then of course it's going to foster some anger and resentment. It's only natural. It's a tribal game.

 

[hutchy31]

The most frustrating thing is that the 2-3 times a year when we decide to run with an opposition mid, it works.

I was at the game last night and the space Neale had throughout the game really stood out.

Fair enough in the back half, but he was waltzing through the front half and clearances with no one even close to him.

If that was a peak Danger/Petracca, I.e. a more explosive mid, they would’ve had the best individual games in the history of the sport.

Completely agree.

We saw what it looked like with Petracca already - he won a Norm Smith against us with 39 and 2. Neale with 38 and 2 last night.

It wasn’t the only problem last night obviously, but there’s evidence that Neale can’t deal with a hard tag done well. Why it wasn’t done is baffling.

We can blame injuries or umpiring if we like. But it’s another example of the inconsistency in team selection, coaching and team performance that’s been happening for nearly three years now. There’s a decent chance we’ll be 6-8 at the bye with games against Port, Sydney, Geelong, Melbourne and GWS to come - the first three away from home. Finals are gone, and we’ll once again finish in no-man’s land - with a top 10 pick going to GC.

If the board doesn’t have a clean out of the administration and the footy department at the end of the year I’m not sure what we’re doing.

 

[Lex22]

Completely agree.

We saw what it looked like with Petracca already - he won a Norm Smith against us with 39 and 2. Neale with 38 and 2 last night.

It wasn’t the only problem last night obviously, but there’s evidence that Neale can’t deal with a hard tag done well. Why it wasn’t done is baffling.

We can blame injuries or umpiring if we like. But it’s another example of the inconsistency in team selection, coaching and team performance that’s been happening for nearly three years now. There’s a decent chance we’ll be 6-8 at the bye with games against Port, Sydney, Geelong, Melbourne and GWS to come - the first three away from home. Finals are gone, and we’ll once again finish in no-man’s land - with a top 10 pick going to GC.

If the board doesn’t have a clean out of the administration and the footy department at the end of the year I’m not sure what we’re doing.

I lost count at the amount of times a Brisbane player was kicking into their forward 50m-60m and there wasn’t an opponent within 20 metres of them.

You can be beaten through the middle, sure and that’s as well as the Lions have played this year, but it’s training drill areas when Neale needs binoculars to find his closest opponent.

 

[Al dente]

Check this out he hasn’t even won one

if English gets a big re-signing contract ill spew up

 

[lachy]

Completely agree.

We saw what it looked like with Petracca already - he won a Norm Smith against us with 39 and 2. Neale with 38 and 2 last night.

It wasn’t the only problem last night obviously, but there’s evidence that Neale can’t deal with a hard tag done well. Why it wasn’t done is baffling.

We can blame injuries or umpiring if we like. But it’s another example of the inconsistency in team selection, coaching and team performance that’s been happening for nearly three years now. There’s a decent chance we’ll be 6-8 at the bye with games against Port, Sydney, Geelong, Melbourne and GWS to come - the first three away from home. Finals are gone, and we’ll once again finish in no-man’s land - with a top 10 pick going to GC.

If the board doesn’t have a clean out of the administration and the footy department at the end of the year I’m not sure what we’re doing.

That's fine in theory but given by far our best run with player is injured who is going to run with Neal?

As for selection who missed out that should have been in?

The only issue with team selection given the outs was if we were going to play JOD forward to provide an option to quieten down Harris Andrews surely Buss should have came in.

Not doing that and pushing Williams back where he is a liability and has been since the 21 GF had Daniel on a wing which other than Full Back is.his worst possible position so gave us three losses.

Also it was not the selection that was the issue when it comes to our midfield.

We should have been rotating the Mids including Garcia and West Forward. Do we remember the mid set up in the last quarter against Sydney?

There are bog ordinary players getting a game as there is no one left other than Buss to bring in. Yes I would have played Cleary instead of Bramble but would have done so many times this year but not sure that would win us the game

On SM-S926B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Bulldogs85]

if English gets a big re-signing contract ill spew up

I would also spew up

 

[Dogs Rule]

Completely agree.

We saw what it looked like with Petracca already - he won a Norm Smith against us with 39 and 2. Neale with 38 and 2 last night.

It wasn’t the only problem last night obviously, but there’s evidence that Neale can’t deal with a hard tag done well. Why it wasn’t done is baffling.

We can blame injuries or umpiring if we like. But it’s another example of the inconsistency in team selection, coaching and team performance that’s been happening for nearly three years now. There’s a decent chance we’ll be 6-8 at the bye with games against Port, Sydney, Geelong, Melbourne and GWS to come - the first three away from home. Finals are gone, and we’ll once again finish in no-man’s land - with a top 10 pick going to GC.

If the board doesn’t have a clean out of the administration and the footy department at the end of the year I’m not sure what we’re doing.

Add the Board to that cleanout as well. Get rid of the boys club that is keeping the status quo (setting aside the window dressing off the off season).

 

[Al dente]

Getting more and more obvious that Naughton and Darcy are our best two forwards. I’ve got time for JUH but he hasn’t really clicked yet.

Neither JUH or Lobb are much good at standing under the high ball - something Darcy and Naughton excel at.

Without those two and Weightman our forward line is lacking. Not a lot of confidence the forward line we’ll have next week will be enough to get through a very good Freo backline.

correction. Lobb hunches under the high ball, not stands

 

[Dog 36]

I’m an era where we have coaches, assistant coaches, line and development coaches and opposition analysts the list goes on HOW NEALE WAS GIVEN SO MUCH SPACE SO LITTLE ATTENTION SO
LITTLE PLANNING IS OUTRIGHT NEGLIGENT

 

[Dogs Rule]

I’m an era where we have coaches, assistant coaches, line and development coaches and opposition analysts the list goes on HOW NEALE WAS GIVEN SO MUCH SPACE SO LITTLE ATTENTION SO
LITTLE PLANNING IS OUTRIGHT NEGLIGENT

Like the on field, the off field is just as wildly inconsistent. It goes from having a good or semi decent plan to seemingly having none at all or just being deer in the headlights.

At least if we had a decent plan week after week and some consistency but just outplayed, that's fine, but you never know what to expect from us. It'll either be switched on or like last night, completely hopeless and without direction or a clue.

 

[Dazb86]

Just belted out of the middle guys. It is what it is.

I think Richards is a better option than Libba in the middle nowadays. Time to see more rotation through there if it's not going well.

Also some effort to stop the oppositions best mid wouldn't go astray.

 

[Bald]

Personally, I don't have an issue with the team and the result. I felt it was going to happen and said as much prior to the game. If we jag any of the games earlier in the year that we won on "expected score" then this result isn't a big deal. At the end of the day, the injuries are catching up, players are a little more battered than a team who's had two byes.

A conversation is likely going to need to happen about the make up of the midfield though. If Ed Richards

20

Ed Richards

Age

25

Ht

188cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

2.5

3star

T

2.4

4star

MG

201.4

3star

D

11.3

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

5.3

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

2.5

3star

MG

198.3

3star

D

14.6

4star

K

9.8

4star

HB

4.8

4star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.6

4star

MG

232.4

4star

is healthy, I don't think Liberatore or Treloar can start in the midfield, but I don't think either of those players are capable in other areas of the ground, so it's going to be awkward given both are contracted for 2025.

 

[cherrypie]

lf Ed Richards is healthy, I don't think Liberatore or Treloar can start in the midfield, but I don't think either of those players are capable in other areas of the ground, so it's going to be awkward given both are contracted for 2025.

Treloar’s been arguably our best player this season. Richards coming back has no impact on him

 

[Libbaaaa]

Thoughts on last night:

- Last night was a genuine 50/50 going in, the odds having us comfortable favourites was laughable. Brissy was always going to be the hungrier and more desperate team, it was literal season on the line stuff for them. However the manner in which we got dominated from first bounce was real disappointing.

- Hipwood and to a much lesser extent Daniher while being flakey are exactly the type of forward we have no match up for. Quick, push up and the ground and can mark, poor Keath was abused all night. Jones still did some real good things but his natural tendency to push up in the space was exploited by Hipwood and Daniher having the legs to just get in behind time and time again.

- Fagan basically admitted 5 mins before the game that Berry will go to Bont. We have seen Berry do outstanding jobs before while more importantly hurting you the other way. Props to the lads trying to give Bont some support but the indisciplined free kicks given away by Libba just set the tone for the night. I would have loved to see Bont go to Neale in that situation and force Fagan to make a choice about his matchup. But we basically let Brissy do what they wanted, I don’t blame Marcus, he isn’t the type of player to just run off a tag with pure run.

- English as many others have said was just super disappointing. Getting bent over in the ruck isn’t surprising, but Big O absolutely worked him over all night around the ground. If Tim is getting beaten in that department he is basically 6’ 9” of floating nothing.

- Freijah looks like an absolute gem.

- Time for the Bramble experiment to take a week off. I’d rather Richards just goes back there and we take our chances again the in the middle.

- Next week now becomes our mini elimination game. Win and we are still right on the finals mix. Loose and it is almost curtains. Freo coming off the bye fresh is less worrying for me, they won’t be as desperate as the Lions and they still don’t have enough credits in the bank to be trusted not to lay an egg. We need to make it an ugly first ye to score 70 wins game, we don’t have the cattle to get into a shoot out. And for Pete’s sake don’t send Caleb to Serong.

 

[Bald]

Treloar’s been arguably our best player this season. Richards coming back has no impact on him

It does if you're playing Libba in the midfield as well. One of the three starting midfielders needs to run defensively and none of Bont, Liberatore or Treloar are as good at it as Richards is.

Liberatore and Treloar bring different things to the table and you're never going to throw Bontempelli out so if you want the defensive mid qualities brought to the team by Richards it must be at the expense of either Treloar or Liberatore.

 

[dergert]

Think the criticism of JOD has been harsh- thought he did okay up forward.

Odd that he shuffled back in the second quarter for a period.

Buku was an odd choice for sub imo.

 

[Marsy]

Probably verging on utter sacrilege and I feel dirty posting it because he’s my favourite player but does the midfield work better without Lib?

Yes. Libba can play in the forward line when Richards comes in. Sanders can play in the VFL.

 

[Hutchymundo]

Usually after a loss like that, like to spit the dummy, but honestly going in to last night wasn’t overly confident, injuries to, to many important players that hurt they way we structure up being out, was always going to be a stretch, on top of a team that’s had 2 byes before our 1, also add the umpire, was on a all new level of crap, to have the first half 20-5 Derek kick count, with everytime we get the ball and got tackled, we’re pinned for holding the ball, but they were aloud to just drop the ball and play on, and to top off the first half Neal kicks a goal about 3-4 seconds after the clock runs out, was a perfect storm last night. Hopefully we bounce back.