As the Bulldogs showed last week, the Dees are vulnerable to pace and quick ball movement.  The run of Johannisen, Smith, Hunter and evening Crozier out of defence.  There was no plan to stop it or defend with an extra.  Or indeed a tag on the ball magnets like Bont and Macrae.

It was actually surprising to see guys like Harmes and Lockhart dropped this week as we go in against the Saints.  We bring in oscar and JWagner to the defence.  
 

The Saints have usually beaten us up by having midfield pace and run to create open forward line chances and last year was no difference. 
They have a lot of small forwards and midfield pace. Hill, Zac Jones, Long, Butler, Billings, Hind , Sinclair, Kent, Phillips. Our midfield run is Langdon and that’s it.  Our outside mids are Vandenburg and Jones and Brayshaw.  
 

We need outside mids desperately and another fast forward to go alongside Kozzzzzy.  Melksham and Bennell and Hannan and Fritsch and even Vandenburg are ok for two spots across half forward but not quick and don’t push up and back. 
 

Speed.  Our Achilles heal. 

Whilst speed is helpful against us, it's stoppage set ups and pressure around the ball that really counts. We get done on the spread, which is a work rate thing more than pace. We also fail to pressure outside runners adequately around contested situations. 

IMO the speed is handy, but it's overplayed in the case of discussing our game. Our biggest hurdle is consistency. We're horribly inconsistent. If we bring the required work rate today we'll win, if we don't, we'll lose. As simple as that. 

  On 29/08/2020 at 05:46, A F said:

Whilst speed is helpful against us, it's stoppage set ups and pressure around the ball that really counts. We get done on the spread, which is a work rate thing more than pace. We also fail to pressure outside runners adequately around contested situations. 

IMO the speed is handy, but it's overplayed in the case of discussing our game. Our biggest hurdle is consistency. We're horribly inconsistent. If we bring the required work rate today we'll win, if we don't, we'll lose. As simple as that. 

I agree - the speed usually happens with the 3rd or 4th chain of a movement. If we stifle and pressure the ball in our forward line, it reduces the chance of the quicker players getting their hands on it. Our game plan relies on intense forward pressure - when it’s on, we are very good but when it’s not, we are done.

  On 28/08/2020 at 22:08, spirit of norm smith said:

As the Bulldogs showed last week, the Dees are vulnerable to pace and quick ball movement.  The run of Johannisen, Smith, Hunter and evening Crozier out of defence.  There was no plan to stop it or defend with an extra.  Or indeed a tag on the ball magnets like Bont and Macrae.

It was actually surprising to see guys like Harmes and Lockhart dropped this week as we go in against the Saints.  We bring in oscar and JWagner to the defence.  
 

The Saints have usually beaten us up by having midfield pace and run to create open forward line chances and last year was no difference. 
They have a lot of small forwards and midfield pace. Hill, Zac Jones, Long, Butler, Billings, Hind , Sinclair, Kent, Phillips. Our midfield run is Langdon and that’s it.  Our outside mids are Vandenburg and Jones and Brayshaw.  
 

We need outside mids desperately and another fast forward to go alongside Kozzzzzy.  Melksham and Bennell and Hannan and Fritsch and even Vandenburg are ok for two spots across half forward but not quick and don’t push up and back. 
 

Speed.  Our Achilles heal. 

Please refer to my need for outside midfielders thread. I have been saying this since early 2018, not sure why this is all being said now when it has been a glaring issue for years

Edited August 29, 20204 yr by Elegt
error

  On 29/08/2020 at 05:55, 3183 Dee said:

I agree - the speed usually happens with the 3rd or 4th chain of a movement. If we stifle and pressure the ball in our forward line, it reduces the chance of the quicker players getting their hands on it. Our game plan relies on intense forward pressure - when it’s on, we are very good but when it’s not, we are done.

I'd go one step further and say it relies on pressure across the ground. If our mids are off, it doesn't matter how much our forwards are bringing and the opposite is probably true as well.

  On 29/08/2020 at 06:01, A F said:

I'd go one step further and say it relies on pressure across the ground. If our mids are off, it doesn't matter how much our forwards are bringing and the opposite is probably true as well.

Yes - I probably should have said pressure in our forward half.

We have one wing covered with Ed.

Still waiting with crickets nip nipping on the other.

Was hoping it might end up being Bennell in 2021 but who knows.  Unlikely but hopeful.

Rivers will be critical on one HBF and we might get another year or so from Hibb on the other.  That's reasonable speed off HB.

We need a class running winger on the opposite Ed wing who can impact forward and hit the scoreboard from 50ish a la Burgoyne.  Ok so that sort of quality / class doesn't grow on trees.  Find someone who goes close pls.

Need a big KF to clunk marks and kick the odd goal at CHF.  Weid the 2nd go to looks ok from here.  That big KF may well be LJ next season or two.  Fingers crossed.

Two of Kozzy, Bedford and / or Spargo need to start hitting the scoreboard regular or we go find the other two.  Very confident Kozzy will get there given a season or two.

We still have too many contested inside ball winners in Viney, Clarry & Sparrow (ok so he is now injured but when he's in) or ex/part time ones in Jones & AVB.

We have three potential break away inside / outside mids in Clarry, Gus & Tracc and there is another under those that can also chip in in Harmes but he's not in Goody's black book.  All three of those should be rotating through the middle and part time up forward.  Harmes also but just less time unless needed to play a tagging role where he replaces Viney.  Viney plays forward for Spargo.

We are badly overweight contested mid types when all three or even two of Jones, Sparrow & AVB are playing together. The first two are handy and AVB is a great competitor but they aren't what we need.  Neither is sparrow imv.

Replace those three with a class winger and two speedy  inside / outside mids who can run both ways, push forward and kick goals.  Add Viney to that significant time forward mix or trade for the two classy outsiders, both of whom should be capable of also playing on the wing a little.

Gus, Tracc, Clarry (the latter two pushing forward at times) & Big M as the starting four.