The Teague Delay

[therubbernub]

Teague, his match committee/coaching panel and club management need to have the courage to see the rebuild through to the finish.
We have invested everything in terms of resources and 5 long painful years into the rebuild and we should be close to coming out the other end.
I fear some may be feeling the pressure to win and are being seduced by birth certificates in the misguided hope that they will provide the wins they crave.
Deckchairs are almost always never the answer.
Band aid policy will in the end bring everyone down, usually starting with the coach.
Teague would do well to ponder this.
The cornerstone of Silvagni’s tenure was building a team to win premierships as against just joining the pack in the middle of the road.
My old grandfather always used to tell us kids :
If you start something, you had better be prepared to finish it ...

i find this with pizza

 

[chunkylover53]

Fair point. But we are still a bit BiPolar- lots of older players and younger players. Still missing the mid aged players that most clubs have. Or the ones we have are hit and miss

We have plenty of mid-aged players now. Our 'young' players are now 22-23 and not 'young' anymore in my eyes. They've been in the system 4+ years and should be expected to perform better than their previous standard.

Docherty - 26
Cripps - 25
Samo - 22
Gibbons - 25
Pittonet - 24
Setterfield - 22
Martin - 25
Weitering - 23
McKay - 23
Cunningham - 23
McGovern - 25
Plowman - 25
Jones - 29
Lang - 24
Newnes - 27

We had 1 player (Walsh) under the age of 22 yesterday. We now have a list with a decent age and experience balance. The excuses are over for the inconsistency.

 

[thylacine60]

It’s a bit early to comment on this one but can I pinch the thread title.

A book or a movie. The Teague Delay is one man’s battle to drag an organisation out of the depths of despair to an epoch of sustained success. It’s a cracker of a journey.

Very Ludlum.

 

[Robbo's my hero]

We have plenty of mid-aged players now. Our 'young' players are now 22-23 and not 'young' anymore in my eyes. They've been in the system 4+ years and should be expected to perform better than their previous standard.

Docherty - 26
Cripps - 25
Samo - 22
Gibbons - 25
Pittonet - 24
Setterfield - 22
Martin - 25
Weitering - 23
McKay - 23
Cunningham - 23
McGovern - 25
Plowman - 25
Jones - 29
Lang - 24
Newnes - 27

We had 1 player (Walsh) under the age of 22 yesterday. We now have a list with a decent age and experience balance. The excuses are over for the inconsistency.

Couldn’t agree more but I’m a fatalist here. All I‘m seeing is the prospect of a wasted year for the competition.

 

[Jimmyonesix]

I still think he needs to replace Murphy with SPS in the middle as at least SPS provides tackling pressure and works well off cripps back pocket -- early games last year they went well against good midfield and if it hadn't been Bolton's resistance to tag O'Meara we would of beaten hawthorn is Tasmania .. understand Teague going to Murphy last year but an off season to still be going to Murphy is a real worry for me as he is unable to tackle in his current state -- yes he has value on the periphery -- if not SPS run Martin in there-- if curnow is playing a lockdown role (which is all he is good at) you don't want two slow mids you want a bull and a ball user and a ruckman who follows up with body work -- very simple --

 

[Lukeblueboy]

Yes gibbons is another player that should be playing in the guts!! Pretty sure that’s what his bread and butter was in the vfl!! We can’t be much worse!! Give him a chance

 

[Jimmyonesix]

Yes gibbons is another player that should be playing in the guts!! Pretty sure that’s what his bread and butter was in the vfl!! We can’t be much worse!! Give him a chance

Plus he runs two ways and tackles

 

[KnaveyBlue]

I still think he needs to replace Murphy with SPS in the middle as at least SPS provides tackling pressure

I dunno, SPS was incredibly soft last night.

 

[chunkylover53]

I dunno, SPS was incredibly soft last night.

Gibbons into the guts for Murphy. He adds heaps more.

Dominated VFL for years as a pure midfielder.

 

[My Hat]

It's basically this. Our midfield is reliant on two small, older blokes who lack physicality, plus Cripps and an undersized ruckman, and then we rotate through young blokes. Teams put a hard block on Cripps, monster Murphy/Curnow and the young blokes at contests, and blow us out.

I think we had hoped that young guys would step into this spot but the bigger bodied blokes (Setterfield and Kennedy) haven't been up to it, and our best options have been smaller (Fisher, Gibbons, to a lesser extent Dow) which is good on them, but doesn't help the problem. We also thought we'd get a Dylan Shiel or Devon Smith or... someone but whiffed on that repeatedly too.

As the game goes on, fitness seems to matter more, and we've got big targets to kick to. Murphy and Curnow start to have more impact, Cripps deals with the tag, we come back.

Then in the last few minutes, the game tightens up again and suddenly we're getting monstered. We're about 50/50 in these situations though - Murphy is a surprisingly clutch player with the capacity to find space in important moments, Cripps is Cripps (and particularly tough when his opponent is worn down) and the big blokes are also better against tired opponents or when teams have to push numbers to the ball and they get more space.

We can complain all we like about 'intensity' but all the intensity in the world isn't going to let Murphy beat a fresh Jack Viney to a contested ball in the first 5 minutes of the game.

Great post.

This is what so many of those posts bashing Murphy miss -- he's being asked to play a role he's not really suited to any more. I imagine Murph himself would be more than happy to move to a more outside role at this stage in his career, but for that to happen we need someone else to step up on the inside, or we need to finally land a quality mid via trade.

 

[Jimmyonesix]

I dunno, SPS was incredibly soft last night.

Soft or just not really solid in defensive mindset -- he looked like a headless chook when he was turned back to goal but he always solid with ball in hand he is happy to take time and contact to dispose.. but if he is our hope to play half back we in Big trouble For a Long time -- there is a reason we get slaughtered week in week out by small half forwards -- hunt kicked 3 yesterday I think .. but seems many always blame plowman ...

 

[MckayMagic]

I think our main issue is we are relying on Murphy and Ed in the middle at the start of the game. The have been great for the club for a long period of time but Murphy in particular needs to be used in our second rotation of midfielders.
We have got the forwards and backs sorted now we have to get the midfield. If we can get minimum one class midfielder that will help not only our starts but will give us more class and run on the outside allowing in particular Murphy to use his smarts, running capacity and skills on the outside.

 

[SurreyBlue]

Correct, it was the most experienced team we could put out on the park, only Walsh had <21yrs
No excuse on that front, and 4th year players need to be stepping up.

Which is why it hurt even more.

 

[Crippa#9]

Good thread.
Best example is Marc Pittonet.
You can visually see an increase in aggression and effort from him in the 2nd quarter onwards. And that is incredibly frustrating.
Why the f**k do our players not bring that determination from the first bounce of the game. It’s got to be mental and it’s a worry as it tells me these players go in with a mindset that they’ll simply “warm into it”.
Let’s not fool ourselves. The comeback was flattering. Imagine if it was a top 4 team we were playing.

 

[Bluebag13]

Good thread.
Best example is Marc Pittonet.
You can visually see an increase in aggression and effort from him in the 2nd quarter onwards. And that is incredibly frustrating.
Why the f**k do our players not bring that determination from the first bounce of the game. It’s got to be mental and it’s a worry as it tells me these players go in with a mindset that they’ll simply “warm into it”.
Let’s not fool ourselves. The comeback was flattering. Imagine if it was a top 4 team we were playing.

We played a top 4 team in r1 and it was the same game

On SM-G973F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[ITCHY EYEBALLS]

Obviously our slow starts are a major concern, but the match day coaching, players buying into the coaches message seem to get through.......eventually. Hence our continued comebacks.
I’m more concerned about the development of our young players.
With all the high draft picks we’ve had we should be doing much better.
Look at Kangaroos, Shaw has them playing competitive tough footy from day one without the luxury of all the high picks.
Shits me to tears that we’ve had no spike in improvement like other clubs have.
Even GC.......ffs

 

[ITCHY EYEBALLS]

Yes gibbons is another player that should be playing in the guts!! Pretty sure that’s what his bread and butter was in the vfl!! We can’t be much worse!! Give him a chance

Lambert does it well for the Tigers......Gibbo is his equivalent

 

[Blue Flame]

One thing I think we're missing is that our side, particularly the midfield, is far less athletic than other sides.
This means other teams are faster, jump higher, can beat us to the ball and get away from us on a lead.
We are fit, however, and once their initial dynamism wears down, we can come back into the game.

 

[Lukeblueboy]

One thing I think we're missing is that our side, particularly the midfield, is far less athletic than other sides.
This means other teams are faster, jump higher, can beat us to the ball and get away from us on a lead.
We are fit, however, and once their initial dynamism wears down, we can come back into the game.

This exactly!! Worries the shizen out of me! Our pace is a worry around stoppages and other teams seem to move the football with ease at times out of them but it’s hard work for us

 

[DirtyLeeds]

I know everybody is scoffing at the two comebacks from the first two rounds, but they have to be taken into account. Last years premiers gave up a 52 point lead, and if JSOS and Paddy had converted their shots we would have been a goal down with momentum. Last night the over rated D's gave up a 42 point lead, and had Cripps kicked one more, Jack didn't hit the post and Eddie converted the soda (And McGov had scored ANYTHING) we would be all very chuffed and happily sitting in the mix undefeated!
In Any Given Sunday Al Pacino described his game as a game of inches, and the analogy holds in our game too. If you are prepared to fight and scrap for that inch, you win games, if you don't, you loose the close winnable ones. We currently are scrambling for those inches, and getting closer.
Teague continues to "back the boys" and so he should, they are obviously the fittest team going around as they continue coming, but as everyone (and I reckon it is THE conversation at the club right Now) has identified the first quarters must be fixed. We don't have to win, just not be too far off the opposition at quarter time because our fitness alone should see us home.
Next week in Geelong throw the pace onto the wings, the narrow ground should play the wings like the middle of Flemington, a fast corridor either side. Williamson and Jack Martin. We can afford to go a little slower in the guts as Selwood, Dangerfield and Duncan/Guthrie are not quick. Cripps, Ed, JSOS, Samo, Gibbo would fight for those inches. I'd play both Murphy and Walsh as high forwards, Geelong wouldn't be expecting that.
Next week is eminently winnable, as long as the whole team are prepared to fight for those inches from the get go and the coaching staff go on the offensive straight away and are willing to react immediately to any Geelong counter move.
It's one of those games where it's more likely that an upset occurs, simply because it's considered to be a foregone conclusion.

 

[Own The Future]

Obviously our slow starts are a major concern, but the match day coaching, players buying into the coaches message seem to get through.......eventually. Hence our continued comebacks.
I’m more concerned about the development of our young players.
With all the high draft picks we’ve had we should be doing much better.
Look at Kangaroos, Shaw has them playing competitive tough footy from day one without the luxury of all the high picks.
Shits me to tears that we’ve had no spike in improvement like other clubs have.
Even GC.......ffs

It is quite concerning seeing the improvement in some of the teams around the same ladder position as we are predicted to finish - StK, NM, GC, even Freo. They look quick, hungry, well-structured. I know it’s a tiny sample size, and we may improve while they plateau, but we need to take a leaf from their books and play a more aggressive style.
StK in particular look like they have a nice blend of skill, pace and mongrel. Their mids look to hurt their opponents, and take the game on. Would be encouraging to see that in our boys.

 

[rampar]

Majority of the SOS recruits and drafts are simply not coming along. We get one break out game per year from each recruit and that's it.

 

[JustaBattler]

Majority of the SOS recruits and drafts are simply not coming along. We get one break out game per year from each recruit and that's it.

SOJ was sick, Dow was injured as is Fisher as is Charlie - Stocker was an emergency and Kemp is out for the year - I dont understand what you dont understand about the situation - how about you read what is going on at the Club re-availability before churning out the same meme as a bunch of other nuff nuffs - "rebuild is a fail blah bah blah"

Slow start is a failure of coaching and midfield set ups - as soon as this was rectified CARLTON dominated the game - why not watch it again and make yoursel(ves) happy ffs!

 

[rampar]

It's all excuses mate. Every ****ing year, every ****ing game.

Even when the game is there to be won we fluff gimme shots at goal or make dumb decisions.
.

 

[Eiffel 65]

Last year Bolton played 1-3 year players in key roles.

When Teague took over, it looked like we were destined for a one win season.

As for this year, we played the reigning premiers, and had a three month break before playing a team that had bigger, more physical bodies around the contest.

We're still a young team and probably weren't as mentally prepared as our opposition given the circumstances of this season.

Things will change throughout the season. Just give it time.