The 2018 prelim saw two clearly different teams match up against each other: traditional KPPs vs a dynamic contested possession focussed game style. 

I for one believe in the contested game style, my question is: 

do we need to acknowledge the eagles game, or do we back ourselves into 2019 with our existing blueprint?

the new 6-6-6 rule may have influence...

The prelim showed some weaknesses in our list which may or may not be addressed in this trade/draft period. I think the game style is fine more so the composition of our list is still coming together. 

Going into the trade period I saw the following weaknesses:

- second ruck

- key position defence

- wing x 2

- half forward flank / forward pocket speed and skill

Bringing in May & Preuss goes halfway to addressing the weaknesses. The jury is out on KK, he may become a good wing player, I have my doubts whether he can slot into the midfield. I think he'll end up on the HBF. Gaff would have been ideal but it wasn't meant to be. So we are left with two areas of weakness IMO. 2 wings that can also play in the midfield rotation and cover good ground, as well as a skilled small forward type player with speed. Perhaps Stretch can become one of the wings but he's no gaurantee. It will be interesting to see who Taylor drafts with the picks they have as I'm not sure we have the players internally to fill those roles. Jones and Tyson filled the role at the end of the year however they are both not suited to it IMO and teams will look to exploit this.

It's been mentioned elsewhere on D'Land, I'm of the opinion that the Hogan trade needed to get us more in return than what it did to strengthen the list. May will be a good player but what happens with KK and 23 is anyone's guess. Easy to be critical from the cheap seats I guess.

 

 

Weaknesses I see are Jones + Lewis in same side, too slow, if anything Lewis is ahead as he's a better kick, however 10m chip passes are easy, Jones either looks backwards for the easy handball or turns it over by foot. Oscars lack of speed, still no crumbing forward (spargo is smart, but doesn't hit the scoreboard enough but still young), but so is Stephenson. Petraccas scoreboard ability, he's an awful set shot and now looks to pass off just about every time. I would play KK at HBF and release Salem to the wing to provide run, carry and drive with his foot skills into F50.

For me Salem off HBF but would consider Frost on the wing. He has the pace but the problem is when he got to get rid of the ball.

1 hour ago, SFebes said:

Weaknesses I see are Jones + Lewis in same side, too slow, if anything Lewis is ahead as he's a better kick, however 10m chip passes are easy, Jones either looks backwards for the easy handball or turns it over by foot. Oscars lack of speed, still no crumbing forward (spargo is smart, but doesn't hit the scoreboard enough but still young), but so is Stephenson. Petraccas scoreboard ability, he's an awful set shot and now looks to pass off just about every time. I would play KK at HBF and release Salem to the wing to provide run, carry and drive with his foot skills into F50.

Valid points and agree with these often overlooked characteristics. Footy today is about disposal - not just possession. If Salem goes to the wing he may be restricted across a game with 2-way running for 100 mins and be too short to challenge in the air, whereas the idea of Frosty moving to the wing is a little more possible but only because some (a few) of us would not have OMac down back. 

27 minutes ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Valid points and agree with these often overlooked characteristics. Footy today is about disposal - not just possession. If Salem goes to the wing he may be restricted across a game with 2-way running for 100 mins and be too short to challenge in the air, whereas the idea of Frosty moving to the wing is a little more possible but only because some (a few) of us would not have OMac down back. 

Frost is a poor user, with Hogan gone I personally think Salem to a wing for more precise delivery will be most helpful. Salem is the same height as Gaff who plays wing. I personally don't like the idea of Frost on a wing, I'd prefer Hunt and/or Salem.

1 hour ago, Deemania since 56 said:

Valid points and agree with these often overlooked characteristics. Footy today is about disposal - not just possession. If Salem goes to the wing he may be restricted across a game with 2-way running for 100 mins and be too short to challenge in the air, whereas the idea of Frosty moving to the wing is a little more possible but only because some (a few) of us would not have OMac down back. 

Key points.

Possession and disposal.

WC nailed us because they killed us in the midfield and defence, as we allowed them to run and spread and hit their forward targets. We were not allowed to play our manic possession brand as WC just ran away from us and out marked us up forward. 

1 hour ago, SFebes said:

Frost is a poor user, with Hogan gone I personally think Salem to a wing for more precise delivery will be most helpful. Salem is the same height as Gaff who plays wing. I personally don't like the idea of Frost on a wing, I'd prefer Hunt and/or Salem.

I see your point but Frosts pace is something we lack across the middle. Sides like the filth and richmond are a worry coz of pace. It is I believe our sorest point as a team.

1 hour ago, dl4e said:

I see your point but Frosts pace is something we lack across the middle. Sides like the filth and richmond are a worry coz of pace. It is I believe our sorest point as a team.

Pace is handy and people get caught up in it, but personally I'd rather someone a little slower who can hit targets. Salem definitely isn't slow, he's quite quick but can't use that as a weapon playing the role he currently is. How many of Frost's pacy runs end up with a kick that hits a target? It looks good but achieves very little IMO.

Footy is always about possession and territory. Those teams who can win the ball and maximise territory gain will ultimately prevail so long as they can retain possession where it counts in the forward line.

Our problem in the past has been that, notwithstanding a majority of forward entries (i50s), we have not been able to retain possession and score often enough due to our inablity to retain possession and defend quick exits.

Getting the ball through the midfield to the forward line has not been the problem. So, in order to improve, we must keep the ball inside 50 for longer periods and develop methods to score from those opportunities. One way to keep the ball in the forward line is to deliver the ball with more precision to a teammate. Weagles showed us up badly in the PF by their ability to deliver precisely.

Another way is to deliver the ball quickly and deeply into the forward line and then hold it in, the so called manic/chaos theory. Players like Frost and Hunt who have both mongrel and pace can carry the ball through the midfield and deliver it deep. Tracca, AVB, Jones and others can then hold it in to create scoring opportunities.

Both game plans have merit but require a mix of players who can rotate through the wings eg Frost, Hunt, Salem, Stretch, maybe KK, Fritsch, Hannan and perhaps more as 2019 proceeds.

Speed is good but let's not get fixated on one plan and one style. If speedy wingers are available to be drafted, then good. If not, than let's adopt a different plan for success. We have the players for both and a coaching panel that can modify its plan to suit the players we have.

Go dees,

2020.

A few things because one size doesn't fit all and not everything is black and white.

The signs were there against the Hawks that we were starting to look fatigued

Don't underestimate how much the previous back to back 4 must win elimination games we had effected our players emotionally. We were on a knifes edge coming in against the Eagles.

They should have been done week 1 at home against the Pies and without the week off Kennedy would have been in trouble, but somehow they dug out a win. Good luck to them they hung in and the Pies ran out of legs

In the prelim we started nervously and bang it was almost gone. Players come out after quarter time in their shells and bang bang two quick goals and that is it, the mountain is to high and we were officially cooked.

We had the weaknesses down back going in which were magnified by us getting smashed at the clearances allowing them easy delivery.

I like our game style it stands up but needs some tweaks and some greater outside polish. We saw in the later part of the season much improved delivery inside 50 and cohesion moving forward in waves with quick ball movement.

Not finishing top 4 cost us dearly, I honestly believe with the build up and emotion we brought into week 1 of the finals that we would have beaten any side in front of us, but we shall never know

The ball moves quicker than any player will and you never look slow controlling the game. Take the prelim out of it and I seen a lot to be pleased with and a lot, which I have seen in previous contenders just before they hit their straps.

Lewis has been great for us as was Bernie but the baton started to be passed this season with many of the younger players becoming on field leaders and taking the game by the neck.

I expect Lewis will be depth come mid 2019 and when we get the 80-100game mark into our nucleus we will see flexibility in our side, we will have the combative game style but we will see players controlling and taking the sting out of games regularly. 

The biggest hurdle we face next season is for the player group to not believe in natural progression, if we do we will be caught out. We were the hunted in the Prelim and didn't deal with it.

We must work hard from the outset, set standards in workrate, preparation, discipline and hardness. We have the cattle, we have the gamestyle and are so close now but nothing comes easy no matter how good you are

Edited October 26, 20186 yr by Pennant St Dee