Aside from the obvious in having (touch wood) an uninterrupted pre season and players being ready to hit the ground running, what are you clinging to when looking towards 2020 with any optimism?

There is the old adage of “we couldn’t possibly be as bad”. But the fact is, we could be.

For me, I keep returning to the first three quarters against West Coast, in particular the middle two quarters where we had all but total control of the game.

We were scoring from chains starting in our defensive 50. We were winning clearances and scoring from forward half stoppages. We were taking contested marks, winning contested possession, tackling inside 50 and dominating inside 50s.

It is that last measure that was a continuation of a theme particularly in the early part of the season; dominating the inside 50 count but not capitalising upon it. We generated 25 shots from 62 inside 50s (40%) and scored 9 goals. That obviously isn’t good enough. But the other indicators were all very positive.

Of course ee fell apart in the final quarter which was the more accurate representation of the year we have had. But in terms of looking forward, it’s hard not to take heart from performing in that fashion for the bulk of the game against the reigning premier and likely Grand Finalist for this year.

Is it fool’s gold? Am I being desperate? Maybe.

But we all need a life raft at this stage.

What’s yours?

Edited August 23, 20195 yr by P-man

 

108 seasons

I think we still have 54 left to go? Not long now....

Im having a bit of fun... but sometimes all you got is hope.

 

Edited August 23, 20195 yr by Unleash Hell

I will be Daniheresque. It is an even year.

We haven't lost a game in 2020.

Anything better than the crap that was dished up this year. Surely that can’t be too hard. 

We do best in even numbered years.

At this stage not much. 

What will give me hope next season is when I see our team play good, SKILLFUL consistent footy as a team. 

Hoping That the collapse of this year combined w dean Burgess, stings then into attacking the  pre season attack unlike all others before , and as a result a fitness level above other teams. 

So..that will mean  running over teams in last quarters ang gathering team confidence as we win . ,

2018 showed we could do it but ran out of puff.

2019 at times we showed that we could do it at times but not sustain it.

Fewer surgeries.

Fewer injuries. (Apparently b.bears have only one injured player).

Longer, more gradual pre season.

Fewer week to week changes due to injuries that unsettle the team.

Most key players will have five years behind them and should be ready for top level AFL footy (McCartney's theory).

A solid core of players who have played 50-70 games together (the late Dean Bailey's theory).

It will be 2020 - 1+9+6+4= 20. What an omen.

 

 

Goody realising that a focus mainly on crash / bash & overwhelm inside style of footy isn't going to win many games in the medium to long haul if this is your main go to method.

Speed on outside, spread and an attacking overlap game style taking over.  Also becoming expert at tempo / possession option when needed to ice match or protect a lead etc.

Getting the inside/outside structures  right - BALANCE.  Getting smalls and mediums front and square more often.

MASSIVE reduction in turnovers via improved skills, particularly by foot.

Flow on - hitting a stack more targets inside 50 (and generally), resulting in greater ball retention and control of game/momentum.

Big M as the new captain.  Viney & Jones getting a full pre-season in.  AVB making a miraculous comeback.

Snatching a key forward, 2 quality smalls and a classy outsider in the trade.

Burgess turning Tracc into an inside/outside beast who can tear a game apart through the mid field on a regular basis.

Clarry as per Tracc.  Get some run/gun and finish out of congestion...more kicking, fewer suicide/look away hand balls and instead looking to give first option to runners on the outside wherever possible.

A broom through many NQRs on the list in place of pace/burst power marking and finishing skills including at goal.

Uncovering a potential gun in the draft with serious X factor who can turn a match in 15 to 20 minutes of pulsating ball bursting footy!

Goal kicking accuracy generally!

Edited August 23, 20195 yr by Rusty Nails

3 minutes ago, tiers said:

2018 showed we could do it but ran out of puff.

2019 at times we showed that we could do it at times but not sustain it.

Fewer surgeries.

Fewer injuries. (Apparently b.bears have only one injured player).

Longer, more gradual pre season.

Fewer week to week changes due to injuries that unsettle the team.

Most key players will have five years behind them and should be ready for top level AFL footy (McCartney's theory).

A solid core of players who have played 50-70 games together (the late Dean Bailey's theory).

It will be 2020 - 1+9+6+4= 20. What an omen.

 

 

Add to that pick 3 in the draft and a much easier draw.

Aside from the cluster F that was the Sydney game, we haven't been too far off the mark since the bye round:

Fremantle - good win against a side on a 4 game winning streak (although they were down to 2 men)

Brisbane - good first half. Lost our way in the second half. Who knows what would've happened if Hipwood didn't kick 5 goals in 5 minutes.

Carlton - That win stacks up now, as underwhelming as it was at the time, 40 odd points up at one stage with T Mac kicking 6 goals in 3 qtrs. 

W Bulldogs - An 8 point loss against a team that has caught fire since the break is a decent effort. One of the rare games Lever and May played together.

West Coast - Another more than competitive effort against the reigning premiers, as we were in front at 3 qtr time. This performance was better than some of our (rare) wins. Again, Lever and May played together.

St Kilda - Bitterly disappointing performance to lose against what I consider a poor side but we lead with 10 minutes left, before our skills and fitness fell off the cliff. May didn't play.

Richmond - A meritorious first half going into the sheds on even terms. Kept the margin somewhat respectable.

Collingwood - Bitterly disappointing middle 2 quarters however had a rare good last quarter. Inaccuracy cost us dearly in this one as we lost by only 17 points.

Sydney - A disgrace.

Hopefully next year, the Dogs, WC, St Kilda and Collingwood losses are turned into wins.

What gives me hope is the way that we completely dominated contest and territory last year, and put it on the scoreboard most weeks - whereas this year, we still did ok in contest and territory most weeks but couldn't put it on the scoreboard.  We hold some sort of record for most inside 50s and inability to score this year or something?  Surely that can't go on next year with better availability up forward and hopefully, some smart recruiting.  

The games against West Coast also give me hope - in both matches, we should have been 5 goals up at 3/4 time.  They proved that the ability in terms of dominating the midfield and territory (through decent ball movement) is still there.  However, we continually get exposed defensively and in terms of outside spread, and this has been shown up this year to such an extent that the club must be focusing on targets that help to address this.  Our ball use is just deplorable and as much as we will focus on fitness this year, I hope that ball use, spread and running patterns are focused on just as much because it doesn't matter what Goody's game plan is, if our players can't hit targets by hand or foot, we will get beaten in most weeks.

I'm expecting a bounce, but probably to around mid-table rather than top four. 

A premiership

1 hour ago, Rusty Nails said:

MASSIVE reduction in turnovers via improved skills, particularly by foot.

Hopefully a better pre season will result in better fitness which will result in better skills.

1 minute ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Hopefully a better pre season will result in better fitness which will result in better skills.

We will know by about Rnd 8 or so in 2020 BBP.  8 months is quite a wait!

The softer draw gives me hope, hope that we'll win more, hope that i'll  spend less time in the MCC bars as a result, hope that I save money as a result 

That winning feeling. 

Oh and a flag!?

3 hours ago, tiers said:

2018 showed we could do it but ran out of puff.

2019 at times we showed that we could do it at times but not sustain it.

Fewer surgeries.

Fewer injuries. (Apparently b.bears have only one injured player).

Longer, more gradual pre season.

Fewer week to week changes due to injuries that unsettle the team.

Most key players will have five years behind them and should be ready for top level AFL footy (McCartney's theory).

A solid core of players who have played 50-70 games together (the late Dean Bailey's theory).

It will be 2020 - 1+9+6+4= 20. What an omen.

 

 

Not only that, it will be 2020. 

So does that make it like 1964 Mk II.

Perhaps it means that we can subsequently also me that we can have the pre 1964 success in the decades post 2020, like working our way backwards from 1964.  Could well handle a couple of three peats.

After holding out all this time the thought of multiple premierships - now that gives me some optimism!

In all seriousness though, if I have to boil it down, I'm optermisitic that we can bounce back and go places, because the core of our list is young and good enough to still have plenty of potential development ahead, but mature and experienced enough to stand up and start playing like men, not like boys, whilst other rivals have peaked and/or are stacked with players well into or past their prime.

4 hours ago, DemonOX said:

At this stage not much. 

What will give me hope next season is when I see our team play good, SKILLFUL consistent footy as a team. 

I feel the same, DOX, but sometimes - regularly in fact - I feel that I am asking too much. 

3 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Aside from the cluster F that was the Sydney game, we haven't been too far off the mark since the bye round:

Fremantle - good win against a side on a 4 game winning streak (although they were down to 2 men)

Brisbane - good first half. Lost our way in the second half. Who knows what would've happened if Hipwood didn't kick 5 goals in 5 minutes.

Carlton - That win stacks up now, as underwhelming as it was at the time, 40 odd points up at one stage with T Mac kicking 6 goals in 3 qtrs. 

W Bulldogs - An 8 point loss against a team that has caught fire since the break is a decent effort. One of the rare games Lever and May played together.

West Coast - Another more than competitive effort against the reigning premiers, as we were in front at 3 qtr time. This performance was better than some of our (rare) wins. Again, Lever and May played together.

St Kilda - Bitterly disappointing performance to lose against what I consider a poor side but we lead with 10 minutes left, before our skills and fitness fell off the cliff. May didn't play.

Richmond - A meritorious first half going into the sheds on even terms. Kept the margin somewhat respectable.

Collingwood - Bitterly disappointing middle 2 quarters however had a rare good last quarter. Inaccuracy cost us dearly in this one as we lost by only 17 points.

Sydney - A disgrace.

Hopefully next year, the Dogs, WC, St Kilda and Collingwood losses are turned into wins.

You know it's been a [censored] season when people put a positive spin on a 6 game losing streak. Fmd. We never looked like winning in any of those aside from the Carlton and Freo games, which were awful anyway. We were always going to lose the other matches. Open your eyes.

Just had a look at the AFL ladder and were 17th, only above lowly Fold Coast. I was getting ready to book tickets for September, what the [censored] is going on? 

13 minutes ago, praha said:

You know it's been a [censored] season when people put a positive spin on a 6 game losing streak. Fmd. We never looked like winning in any of those aside from the Carlton and Freo games, which were awful anyway. We were always going to lose the other matches. Open your eyes.

Sad isn’t it...