7 hours ago, bazza226 said:

Our main issue seems to be shocking conversion rate of our inside 50s. We should have iced many of our losses by half time if we had kicked straight for easy set shot goals.

Exactly ..... mentally deflating after all the work to get the ball up forward, then not scoring a goal.  Salem should be ashamed, not amused, at laughing at his crucial miss on the ¼ time siren.  (Reminded me of Slow Joe Daniher's carry on).

What may be forgotten re fitness, stamina, training loads etc  is that 2021 lasted 5 weeks longer than most of the rest of the pack, with preseason starting that much later too.  Whether this can be managed better remains to be seen.

Look at the amount of effort we put in to keep it in our F50, virtually lived there in the first half. Then after all of that effort and not taking our opportunities, Collingwood would slingshot it out and virtually get a goal every time. 
 

Massively deflating for us mentally and physically for no tangible reward. We dominated that game and lost because we didn’t convert goals and didn’t honour guys in space or leads. The pies are a good side and we’re always going to comeback at us. They’ve won so many games this year by running over teams and our defense couldn’t absorb the speed that they moved the ball. They’re a one trick pony but what’s the argument that we aren’t one? Seriously, what is our Plan B?
 

I also reckon that looking to last year is not helpful. We had zero injuries, came into a purple patch of form come finals and had not been worked out. 
 

If the game isn’t going our way, we are one dimensional, which has been the criticism of Goodwin for his whole tenure. Yes we won a flag on game plan A, but if that is being overcome, what else do we have? Many on here are way more knowledgeable than I am on footy, what moves do we make when things change mid game? 
 

In saying that, we’re still right in the hunt for the flag and I believe we’re good enough. But! We have to be able to respond when our game plan is either exposed or we don’t take our chances. The whole ‘sides have worked us out’ thing is only as damaging if we don’t change things up to suit the game in front of us.

 

In saying all of that, our conversion rate has and is our main issue. It *can* work for sure, but when our forward entries don’t work? Then what? Dominate the game but lose on the scoreboard. What else needs to be said?

Edited August 6, 20223 yr by BoBo

13 hours ago, layzie said:

I think if the blueprint for success is there in front of you for two years I think you would copy it at least 90% actually. Having understudies working with him means that you'd be producing more coaches in the same mould. So have to disagree there I'm afraid Ham.

Flat out wrong unfortunately, not how it works at all. If that were the case, every team would have the exact same program and there would be 0 need for high performance managers.