Analysis Where to from here?

[And_ROOS]

Melbourne are looking likely to win a GF and Nathan Jones is on a flight back to Melbourne.

We got absolutely ****ing embarrassed and we had Joel as the ONLY player at times putting in effort.

New coach. New voice. New gameplan and strategy. And time to make players earn their ****ing spots.

 

[Live in hope]

While I would love it for the club to prioritise bringing in young talent by draft and trade in reality the lack of ND picks, maxed salary cap and longer contracts on some older players means minimal change likely for next year.
At best, we can hope for the next crop (SDK, Evans, Holmes, Simpson and possibly Nic Stevens) get regular games and chances for Kreuger and Cooper S if fit and hit form. Suspect that Narkle and Clark and Fort will request trades - hopefully we get a good deal and can find good young ruck or fast mid with good footskills.

So much next year depends upon the recovery of Stewart and injury free pre season.

Game plan- might see some tweaking but the absence of fast/contested ball mids means that we’ll probably have to rely on possession game to be competitive.

 

[And_ROOS]

While I would love it for the club to prioritise bringing in young talent by draft and trade in reality the lack of ND picks, maxed salary cap and longer contracts on some older players means minimal change likely for next year.
At best, we can hope for the next crop (SDK, Evans, Holmes, Simpson and possibly Nic Stevens) get regular games and chances for Kreuger and Cooper S if fit and hit form. Suspect that Narkle and Clark and Fort will request trades - hopefully we get a good deal and can find good young ruck or fast mid with good footskills.

So much next year depends upon the recovery of Stewart and injury free pre season.

Game plan- might see some tweaking but the absence of fast/contested ball mids means that we’ll probably have to rely on possession game to be competitive.

So in other words, more of 2021/2019/2018/2017...

 

[Partridge]

Not only what pick they were taken but the type of player and what they've become.
Rohan at pick 6 is a joke, Hendo at 8 is a stretch. Of those top 20 from the Cats only 3 make it into the Melbourne team last night, Selwood, Danger, Smith.
IIRC the 09 draft was very thin, which their 13/14 haul is akin to our 99/01 haul. Great picks in great drafts.

This is half the reason why I'm not a fan of looking to reset/rebuild right now, but rather in 12-24 months. Drafts coming over the next 2 years are close to turkey shoots with the lack of underage football.

On current form I'm not sure any of them make Melbourne's team to be honest. Selwood and Dangerfield don't. Dangerfield got torn apart.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

A lot of emotional reactions here but the loss doesn't change anything. Strategy is set by the tools you have to solve the problem you've got. If we had of beaten Melbourne by 20 goals we'd still be going to the draft for mids and retiring probably Hendo only with bulk retirements next year.

 

[hoopla]

Any chance of getting Clarko down at the club as a consultant?

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Any chance of getting Clarko down at the club as a consultant?

Soft cap? Probably not

 

[Strange Cat]

So in other words, more of 2021/2019/2018/2017...

Sadly with this virus leak it has all but confirmed that nothing will change

sighs

at least we will know how next year will go I guess

 

[Strange Cat]

Soft cap? Probably not

Plus I doubt Clarko would be open to that idea anyway

 

[joe444]

That's the issue with the club and not him, at this stage of his career he shouldn't have to!
The fact they continue to rely on him to hold the midfield together is a ******* indictment on the MC and recruitment/development.

In another era he'd be playing his sunset years in the back/forward pocket. We actually used to swing him forward in 2013/14. He shouldn't be playing 100% mid at this stage of his career. I'd happily have him up forward rather than Close/Dahlhaus.

 

[Poetic Justice]

On current form I'm not sure any of them make Melbourne's team to be honest. Selwood and Dangerfield don't. Dangerfield got torn apart.

Yeah but put those players around some of the Dees and they would start to have a bit of a sheen about them. Selwood getting service from Gawn? That would be titillating.

Smith gets in to that side too based on his form and experience.

 

[Poetic Justice]

Any chance of getting Clarko down at the club as a consultant?

Consultant for what?

If you have to concede that Chris Scott needs considerable help after 10 years as our coach you may as well move him on.

Regardless of his win/loss and achievements based on years and experience Chris is now a veteran coach of the game.

 

[Down at K Park]

18/22 were drafted. We traded for Tuohy, Cameron, Rohan, Dangerfield, Higgins, Smith, Henderson and Stanley. Doesn’t include Dahl who played most of the year. Interesting comparison.

Smith was a free agent, as was dahl.

 

[year of the cat]

Smith was a free agent, as was dahl.

Sure, but same applies that we are bringing players in from other clubs that are taking list positions of kids that we would otherwise get via the draft.

 

[jim boy]

So Melbourne had 5 top 10 picks compared to 4 for Geelong, and both had 6 picks inside the top 20. It's not the vast gulf it's made out to be.

Its not even as wide as that. You should really include Tom Hawkins as a top 5 pick as there no doubt he would have gone top 5 but for the vagaries of the father-son rules at that time.

 

[Sticksman]

In another era he'd be playing his sunset years in the back/forward pocket. We actually used to swing him forward in 2013/14. He shouldn't be playing 100% mid at this stage of his career. I'd happily have him up forward rather than Close/Dahlhaus.

Good to read a sensible suggestion.

 

[Down at K Park]

Those first rounders we burned on cocky, smedts, lang etc have really killed us.

 

[Partridge]

Those first rounders we burned on cocky, smedts, lang etc have really killed us.

Definitely one factor, but I think just as crucial are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounders we didn't have because of players we brought in. And some were justified of course - Dangerfield the obvious one. But going back to McIntosh costing us a 2nd round pick, Higgins insanely costing us pick 30 and so on. It eventually adds up, and it has.

 

[Partridge]

Sure, but same applies that we are bringing players in from other clubs that are taking list positions of kids that we would otherwise get via the draft.

That's the second worst part. The worst part is they are also taking positions in the senior team. Week after week after week.

 

[PhatBoy]

Was holding my breath until finals. Unfortunately the way the list has been built, the combination of the home ground, fixture doesn't tell us the real story until September.

10 years and 10 attempts and I got one right, did I just miss 9 straight flags or something in an alternate universe? We've been right all along.

oooh congrats on picking who WOULDNT win a flag, that’s a ballsy call

 

[bellpark]

The only way to change is to admit you have a problem. Constant comments like “our best footy is good enough to beat anyone”- from Scott is plain wrong and he has to change himself in that belief or we are wasting our time. Then to see Joel’s interview today where is all about this group working harder, etc for the challenge ahead, also makes me so sad. No one can question his commitment. But he is deluded about where we are at. I want to know who is the responsible adult at the club who can hold the footy dept to account and get them to realise that they are wrong and what they are doing doesn’t work in finals therefore why bother. Give me the Bulldogs journey down after 2016, to genuinely buiild another finals team That is a hard contested ball team all over the ground. No-one can say our performances against Port or the Dees weren’t the opposite of a hard ground ball team desperate for the contest and prepared to do every little thing to compete. We are miles away.

 

[geelong_boy]

We really need some quality, young, inside midfielders to build the next core around. Problem is you don't get access to them unless you finish near the bottom of the ladder.

SDK must play 15-20 games next year.
Same for Evans.
Keep some senior guys on to give some of the youngsters a chop out.
It may not be a bad idea to give the captaincy to someone who isn't going to retire shortly (ie while the senior guys are around for support).
Give Shannon Neale a taste of senior footy. He seems to have a sensible head on his shoulders, blood him slowly.
Use the picks we have this year; with any luck one or two will stick long term.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

I can't see us doing anything at least for 2022, we'll (rightly or wrongly) reload and go again.

 

[Geelong Fella]

I can't see us doing anything at least for 2022, we'll (rightly or wrongly) reload and go again.

Yep. Nothing from the post-game suggests otherwise. Leaking excuses to the media, Scott standing on a hill questinoning the idea of going down an alternative path, overall club messaging that 'we'll be back again'. Going to be a fun off-season.

 

[Down at K Park]

Yep. Nothing from the post-game suggests otherwise. Leaking excuses to the media, Scott standing on a hill questinoning the idea of going down an alternative path, overall club messaging that 'we'll be back again'. Going to be a fun off-season.

We can go one better next year. Straight sets.