Lil_red_fire_engine

We need to freshen up and may tinker with structure but sudden changes in role of key players wont happen. We lack run (1 of top 7 in metres gained last night) and polish at present. Some of the players the season has got too long for them to impact as they were and we have an imbalance of grunt vs polish. We wont make this many changes even if it is to freshen but I would like to see these considered over the coming weeks. Out: Jackson, Harmes, Jordon, Spargo, Rivers/Hibberd In: Weid, Melksham/Jones, Declase, Bedford, Bowey

6 Oliver 5. Lever 4. Hunt 3. Trac 2. Gawn 1. Viney

As usual dont take our chances. You cant have half efforts from players in these conditions (call out to Salem and Brayshaw). Happy to be second to contest and players generally not clean enough.

Like last week yeah?

Bevo playing a taller forward set up is already admittance that their best playing their way cant beat ours. The question is whether we still have any of our best in us. Gawn needs to be aggressive at the stoppages with his ruckwork. Viney, Harmes and Jordon need to play defensively well and let Oliver and Trac off the leash and get back to brilliant basics not Hollywood footy. Brayshaw back to the wingers club to assist with hard defensive run. Our half backs rebounding fast and aggressive when we have the ball and forwards who separate and take advantage of players lowering their eyes to hit them. Most importantly for the love of god take your chances. Our speed forwards need to back to Port style inside 50 pressure to contain and turn it over in our half. Not much to ask really. Get back to doing all these well and it wont matter what set up the bulldogs play. Our best is the best in the comp we are just the least trusted to bring it every week.

Don’t agree with the trade thread but also those that think he had positive impact last night need to lift their head from the stats and watch the game. On numerous occasion he got in the way of others, tried to do too much and fluffed various kicks in the forward half. I am pretty certain he was standing next to Mitchell for most of last night as Tom worked his way to 39 possessions. Our midfield is lesser with him in it at the moment.

Who wouldn’t prefer Zac Bailey but that’s not Bedford. I am a Bedford fan as he has serious speed and endurance but is inconsistent in game and have lesser execution than ANB.

We seem to be preferencing continuity, hardness and role over warranted changes. Based on that I don’t expect this to happen but we need to balance the hardness with some speed and polish. We are starting to play half a man down with Jackson as he tires. Rivers also looks like a spell may be warranted. This is the week to do it in the NT. Out Jackson, Viney (but it will be Vanders), Rivers In: Melksham, Declase, Bowey

ANB had 27 pressure acts, more than Pickett and Spargo combined. Do you want the guy who runs himself dog tired and fluffs the execution or the guys who look fresh as a daisy for the small moments they get it but have not run themselves into the ground? None will go but it is short sighted to go ANB whose primary role is defensive pressure.

Other than the goal he kicked did Wines hit a target by foot?

JUH was less ready for that debut and had equivalent impact to Watts on QB. But the commentators talked him up at every opportunity. What a joke. Not even close to ready for AFL and certainly not against the Swans.

Watching the VFL today suspect we we will go unchanged unless they bring in Melksham for Harmes.

Typical VFL game where the AFL listed players wear down the VFL players and scoot away on the scoreboard. Thought Melksham and Déclassé were the best if needed. Bowey strong first half then quiet second. Would love to see Bedford and Chandler do more to put some pressure on to play a fourth speed forward but they are a long way off it.

6.Trac 5. Tmac 4.May 3.OLiver 2.Salem 1. Petty

At no point did I say we are not trying to move the ball forward. It’s actually being slowed because we look up and our forward line is between half forward and the wing. We are either then forced to slow it or we bomb to their outnumber or we are forced to hold it up until our forwards (and their backs) make their way down there.

In Brown, Melksham, Bedford (but suspect this will be AVB) Out Sparrow, Viney, Spargo It could be Spargo or Pickett but I will still take Picketts 41 pressure acts over the last 2 weeks to Spargos 18. Suspect AVB will find his way in there somehow but we need more. Would not be surprised if we drop Harmes over Viney.

We definitely looked flat today. The game was lost by our inability to win a clearance and then by no forward connection due to no one forward to connect with or stagnant movement that allowed them to also shuffle back. I love our defence first mantra but we have overcorrected and its defence only at the moment. We are saying we are playing a role based game but we have players who are playing in roles that dont exist like midfielders playing 65% or less time with half of it in forward positions. Time to get back to defending hard when they have the ball but hold some forward structure and get some speed and dare back. Whilst we weren’t flying in clearances prior Viney into the side he has not assisted our clearance and stoppage work and we are carrying him to gain touch and fitness at the moment. A short turn around allows us to try some things and “manage” some players as I fear if we dont we will not be able to correct the path we are on and we will just make up the September numbers.

It depends what you see him as, I assume you see him as a key forward considering the Hogan comparison? He is a second year kid who holds his own in the ruck (could argue we look better at stoppage when in there) and is 6th in the comp for forcing turnovers (everyone else in the top 5 is a small forward). He is a freak and when not if the marking comes the sky is the limit. Jordon has had an amazing year but if I was choosing the nominations in a draft its clearly LJ in my book.

I have always thought once nominated the winner of the rising star should be a player that has played 10+ games in the season and if you were redrafting those nominated with 10+ Games what order would you take them in. Jackson for me.

Unless you’re dropping LJ he is not playing a roaming role as a an undersized ruck or high CHF in the AFL. When in 50 he dropped marks and missed the changes he got (bar one). One of the reasons I want Brown in the side is we will kick the ball into 50 deeper and more central. One of the reasons I think we have poor set shot accuracy is the shots inside 50 are wide or shallow. Brown will assist that. Jones played a great VFL game in a role he wont play at AFL. Sparrow had significant impact in his 50% game time offensively and defensively. Pickett is not offensively kicking goals but I believe he had double the amount of repeat sprints than the next player. The only option I see to trial Brown is Fritsch who has been ok but not great in the last month. I would prefer a dynamic of true talls and true smalls than tweeners. Its Brown in for Fritsch for mine but I reckon they will go Sparrow if they make the move.

I am a massive Bedford fan but he hardly impacted today (had 8 touches). Brown and Jones are the only two today that should be seriously considered for playing the Giants, Definitely something to work with in both Turner and Declase.

Our team defence was back to its miserly best, watching Essendon kick it to May and Lever continually was a thing of beauty. If anything it felt like we over corrected on team defence to stifle their run leaving us with no one inside 50 on counter on numerous occasions and on the worst occasions kicking it on the head of smalls surrounded by Bombers. Our wingers really showed them how its done but our mids have some worrying signs. Too much bees to the honey pot and hollywood handballs. We are at our best when one attacks the stoppage, one holds their width outside and one defends the back. Time for this to rectified. Viney was rusty but energy important (34 pressure acts). Forwardline and connection still a worry. If I was asked to force prioritise our team into order based on 5 week form it would be tough but I suggest most of the bottom positions would be forwards. Also felt our inside 50 pressure was poor particularly first half. Well played number 1, number 8 and number 10.

ANB with 30 pressure acts will not be going anywhere. With Viney back who whilst rusty had 34 pressure acts I feel if it’s about roles, you cant play all three of Harmes, Jordon and Sparrow. Jordon ain’t going anywhere so toss of the coin on the other two. If Brown looks ready today, Brown must come in. Granted if we want to play a forward half with no one inside 50 like we did yesterday it makes no difference. Pickett would want to lift his output and strip back to basics if Chandler or Bedford show strong form today as he has been poor-ok the last few.

6. May 5. Lever 4. Brayshaw 3. Hunt 2 Trac 1. Langdon

The same people who were kicking them for the first 6 rounds maybe?