The Travel Factor

[Diamond_Jim 11,747]

4 hours ago, Clintosaurus said:

Just read the AFL are letting the Bulldogs fly to Cairns the day before they play Freo in Round 18. What a joke. We were not allowed to, and the article says the club were furious at being forced to travel on game day. Dogs also fly to Adelaide the day before this weekend too.

Anyone think the whole thing is not rigged?

Not much use screaming about this now

Mc Guire etc would have been on the front foot weeks in advance with a well orchestrated media run.

Hell if we had known, crowd funding would have paid for the flight.

Amateur club = !!!!

 

[Fanatique Demon 2,398]

So we're finally on top of the ladder... the flights km ladder. 

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 380]

It’s interesting because under Goodwin we’ve actually performed pretty well on the road. But clearly this schedule is punishing and I think would have exposed any weaknesses in a number of areas, from the discipline of individual of players in their preparation approach and through to the football department’s planning and operations.  

[SFebes 4,692]

41 minutes ago, Deetective Sgt. Taggert said:

It’s interesting because under Goodwin we’ve actually performed pretty well on the road. But clearly this schedule is punishing and I think would have exposed any weaknesses in a number of areas, from the discipline of individual of players in their preparation approach and through to the football department’s planning and operations.  

Punishing? Before the last two embarrassing losses we’d won 4 out of 5? Albeit lowly teams in there but ran games out well and even in the last two losses we finished with plenty of energy, even Trac says it’s not even an issue. What was our excuse early in the year when we were playing the same? I think we are quite undisciplined but that doesn’t excuse no structure and not turning up, which is a common theme for years. Travel excuse is a way for them to get an out, but there’s deeper issues that have been lingering for a long time.

[Engorged Onion 9,262]

6 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Not much use screaming about this now

Mc Guire etc would have been on the front foot weeks in advance with a well orchestrated media run.

Hell if we had known, crowd funding would have paid for the flight.

Amateur club = !!!!

 

Walk me through how the club is amateur. 

All the clubs that have had difficulties over the years when it comes to scheduling or the like... don't [censored] and moan about it publicly. To infer that the club don't deal with these things responsibly, just because YOU AND I don't get to hear about it means that YOU don't understand how the clubs and the AFL interact in keeping raised issues in house.

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 380]

39 minutes ago, SFebes said:

Punishing? Before the last two embarrassing losses we’d won 4 out of 5? Albeit lowly teams in there but ran games out well and even in the last two losses we finished with plenty of energy, even Trac says it’s not even an issue. What was our excuse early in the year when we were playing the same? I think we are quite undisciplined but that doesn’t excuse no structure and not turning up, which is a common theme for years. Travel excuse is a way for them to get an out, but there’s deeper issues that have been lingering for a long time.

Therein lies my point. That the travel exposed weaknesses/issues that were there already and need to be addressed. 

[SFebes 4,692]

1 minute ago, Deetective Sgt. Taggert said:

Therein lies my point. That the travel exposed weaknesses/issues that were there already and need to be addressed. 

What was our excuse early in the year? Not an issue before the last two games when we were 4 from 5? We ran out both games well. The issue is when sides come with a plan, Goodwin has no idea how to fix it. Even Trac said we struggled to cope last two games when sides dropped a spare man back. It beggars belief. Not having a go at you mate, I’m just not copping the travel excuse, it was all there to see early in the season also.

[Demon Dynasty 15,422]

7 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Not much use screaming about this now

Mc Guire etc would have been on the front foot weeks in advance with a well orchestrated media run.

Hell if we had known, crowd funding would have paid for the flight.

Amateur club = !!!!

 

THIS ?

Always ahead of curve and on the front foot ...NOT

Still an amateur club on and off the field that folds like a cheap suit.

We are irrelevant / expendable to the AFL and that's how we're treated.

[Lucifers Hero 37,009]

11 hours ago, Clintosaurus said:

Just read the AFL are letting the Bulldogs fly to Cairns the day before they play Freo in Round 18. What a joke. We were not allowed to, and the article says the club were furious at being forced to travel on game day. Dogs also fly to Adelaide the day before this weekend too.

Anyone think the whole thing is not rigged?

Its clear who the AFL wants in the finals.  If we win our last two and WB lose either of Crows or Freo we make finals and they don't. 

The favouritism is appalling! 

WB haven't had a 2nd condensed fixture.  At a quick glance shows they had and will have 6-7 days between games, in SE Qld or fly in the day before.  Compare that to our horrendous stretch 4/5 day breaks, travel schedule and sleep deprivation after Alice.

I had thought we just weren't good enough but now that the inequities are being exposed I really feel the AFL has favoured the big clubs and its perennial favourites.  We are neither.

[Clintosaurus 6,437]

Dogs have had 2 runs of 4 straight games at Metricon, and they had 3 in a row at Marvel to start the season. How nice would that have been?

[Clintosaurus 6,437]

13 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Its clear who the AFL wants in the finals.  If we win our last two and WB lose either of Crows or Freo we make finals and they don't. 

The favouritism is appalling! 

I had thought we just weren't good enough but now that the inequities are being exposed I really feel the AFL has favoured the big clubs and its perennial favourites.  We are neither.

In a normal year it can't really be done (other than Richmond having 7 in a row at the G to finish the season), but this year has been a massive free hit for the AFL to favour some teams over others and haven't they taken advantage of it!!

[Lucifers Hero 37,009]

22 minutes ago, Clintosaurus said:

In a normal year it can't really be done (other than Richmond having 7 in a row at the G to finish the season), but this year has been a massive free hit for the AFL to favour some teams over others and haven't they taken advantage of it!!

I read somewhere that 'the AFL approved WCE's request' to have their rnd 18 game on a Thur night so they could have an extended rest in WA before finals.  Add the WB travel approvals and it suggests the AFL asked teams 'in contention' for their 'wish list' in the last rounds of the season. 

I guess they didn't see us as being in contention...

I had been lulled into the belief we wouldn't good enough but now I'm think we've had our hands tied behind our back for most of the season.

btw do you have a link to the article about the WB early travel etc

[Clintosaurus 6,437]

31 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

I read somewhere that 'the AFL approved WCE's request' to have their rnd 18 game on a Thur night so they could have an extended rest in WA before finals.  Add the WB travel approvals and it suggests the AFL asked teams 'in contention' for their 'wish list' in the last rounds of the season. 

I guess they didn't see us as being in contention...

I had been lulled into the belief we wouldn't good enough but now I'm think we've had our hands tied behind our back for most of the season.

btw do you have a link to the article about the WB early travel etc

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/afl-set-to-lock-in-grand-final-time-as-round-18-floating-fixture-begins-to-take-shape/news-story/3a914223c5bb33d6a65b40b0248cb230

[SFebes 4,692]

1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Its clear who the AFL wants in the finals.  If we win our last two and WB lose either of Crows or Freo we make finals and they don't. 

The favouritism is appalling! 

WB haven't had a 2nd condensed fixture.  At a quick glance shows they had and will have 6-7 days between games, in SE Qld or fly in the day before.  Compare that to our horrendous stretch 4/5 day breaks, travel schedule and sleep deprivation after Alice.

I had thought we just weren't good enough but now that the inequities are being exposed I really feel the AFL has favoured the big clubs and its perennial favourites.  We are neither.

Why would the AFL want WB in the finals? Especially after their flag. And why would they want them over us?
 

also in your own stats we have had less four day breaks than our opponents.

Edited September 9, 2020 by SFebes

[Mazer Rackham 14,969]

13 hours ago, Clintosaurus said:

Just read the AFL are letting the Bulldogs fly to Cairns the day before they play Freo in Round 18. What a joke. We were not allowed to, and the article says the club were furious at being forced to travel on game day. Dogs also fly to Adelaide the day before this weekend too.

Anyone think the whole thing is not rigged?

Loser clubs get kicked around. It's always been that way. Let's start winning and let some other clubs get kicked around. Our destiny is in our own hands.

[SFebes 4,692]

51 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

I read somewhere that 'the AFL approved WCE's request' to have their rnd 18 game on a Thur night so they could have an extended rest in WA before finals.  Add the WB travel approvals and it suggests the AFL asked teams 'in contention' for their 'wish list' in the last rounds of the season. 

I guess they didn't see us as being in contention...

I had been lulled into the belief we wouldn't good enough but now I'm think we've had our hands tied behind our back for most of the season.

btw do you have a link to the article about the WB early travel etc

Wouldn’t it be those teams asking, not the AFL asking the teams? We aren’t good enough, as seen very early in the season, before “travel” excuses. Unsure how you come up with the AFL asking teams in contention LH.

Edited September 9, 2020 by SFebes

[Lucifers Hero 37,009]

52 minutes ago, SFebes said:

Wouldn’t it be those teams asking, not the AFL asking the teams? We aren’t good enough, as seen very early in the season, before “travel” excuses. Unsure how you come up with the AFL asking teams in contention LH.

Because that is what they do every year when in preparing the fixture.  They then 'negotiate' decide who to favour with FTA, Night games, travel etc etc.  The latest condensed fixture/travel for  WB & Dees (and maybe other less favoured teams) looks to have the same in equitable AFL treatment they use for annual fixtures.

[Diamond_Jim 11,747]

1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

I read somewhere that 'the AFL approved WCE's request' to have their rnd 18 game on a Thur night so they could have an extended rest in WA before finals

Eagles originally asked for the game against North to be played in Perth. They shaped the playing field and got the compromise of the Thursday fixture.

 

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 380]

3 hours ago, SFebes said:

What was our excuse early in the year? Not an issue before the last two games when we were 4 from 5? We ran out both games well. The issue is when sides come with a plan, Goodwin has no idea how to fix it. Even Trac said we struggled to cope last two games when sides dropped a spare man back. It beggars belief. Not having a go at you mate, I’m just not copping the travel excuse, it was all there to see early in the season also.

Well earlier in the season the team was likely affected by a lack of continuity in training and matches. So that might explain why it took a while to see any resemblance of a coherent team, which became more apparent in the middle of the season when we got on a bit of a roll.   

I’m not saying that’s acceptable but clearly many of those factors were out of our control.
 

While the players may have sufficient fitness the tight schedule and travel means everything is compressed, including time for reviewing games, identifying issues to be addressed, preparing and communication messages to players via lines coaches, opposition analysis and strategising, etc. I suspect those are the areas where our footy departments weaknesses have been exposed recently. 

Edited September 10, 2020 by Deetective Sgt. Taggert

[Skuit 9,169]

Things are not always or even rarely ever one thing. 

We're not mature or good enough yet to be consistently at the top.

Our travel burden and rotten luck this year has compounded those issues. 

For the AFL fixer brigade though - I agree that we've been poorly treated in some respects. 

But much of what has transpired is due to seriously bad fortune and scheduling on the fly. 

In an alternative universe we could have spent the majority of the season in Manly. 

We drew the Cairns straw because the AFL ran out of other options and had to please QLD. 

 

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,397]

5 hours ago, Rusty Nails said:

THIS ?

Always ahead of curve and on the front foot ...NOT

Still an amateur club on and off the field that folds like a cheap suit.

We are irrelevant / expendable to the AFL and that's how we're treated.

Such a terrible expression. Cheap suits don't fold, they just get crushed. Expensive, wool suits, on the other hand fold the best.

As to the issue being discussed? I'd hate to think the club or the players will look back on 2020 and use the travel issues as an excuse. I don't understand how travelling means a player can't nail a handpass or kick in Q1 of any game. Yes, I could see the argument that by the end of a game the players are tired, but our losses generally haven't happend that way.

[58er 5,608]

35 minutes ago, SFebes said:

Wouldn’t it be those teams asking, not the AFL asking the teams? We aren’t good enough, as seen very early in the season, before “travel” excuses. Unsure how you come up with the AFL asking teams in contention LH.

Febes the season is 17 rounds not just 1-4 and as you know teams have good and bad results at different stages of the season. No real excuses but season is nit over fully yet.

[titan_uranus 22,358]

24 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Such a terrible expression. Cheap suits don't fold, they just get crushed. Expensive, wool suits, on the other hand fold the best.

As to the issue being discussed? I'd hate to think the club or the players will look back on 2020 and use the travel issues as an excuse. I don't understand how travelling means a player can't nail a handpass or kick in Q1 of any game. Yes, I could see the argument that by the end of a game the players are tired, but our losses generally haven't happend that way.

I'm not sure that fatigue is a factor in any of our losses except, maybe, the Port loss.

I'm someone who has raised the fixture issue though. I think there is more likely than not to be an impact to our overall performance from the constant moving from venue to venue on a weekly basis.

One of our problems is consistency. There is none. Another is cohesion. Again, there is none. We don't adjust to different conditions well, we don't adjust to wider grounds well.

Maybe our season could have panned out differently if we'd had 8 games at Metricon like some other clubs did, or we had fewer grounds to learn to play on?

Maybe the focus on rehab, travel, adjusting, flying, bussing, etc. could, in different circumstances have been time spent on game plans, tactics, etc?

I have no idea. It's all maybes, as we'll never know. Although we do know that Geelong had a similarly difficult fixture and had seemingly no issues with any of this.

But I think the fixture we've had this year provides more issues to consider than simply fatigue.

[Bring-Back-Powell 13,160]

3 hours ago, Skuit said:

But much of what has transpired is due to seriously bad fortune and scheduling on the fly. 

In an alternative universe we could have spent the majority of the season in Manly. 

We drew the Cairns straw because the AFL ran out of other options and had to please QLD. 

 

100% spot on. We drew the short straw because we hadn't yet played Sydney and Freo. It's all to do with bad luck with respect to the scheduling. But we can't blame the AFL for the slop we've dished in Cairns.

As you said, in a perfect world we would've stayed in Manly and played our home games at Giants Stadium where we played very well in July. Goody made it clear that the club was happy in Manly, prior to being shipped out again after only 2 weeks.

I'm done with this season. Let me know when the games are proper length and most of us around here can actually attend the games.

 

[gregdemon 530]

Just write year off now. Built new year. Interesting to see what we get for Harmes  (cause he is leaving)   with a fitter Ton McD next year  and hopefully back to normal re covit   I am giving Goody to next year to make finals.