Adam The God

Yep, the problem is this very likely won't work all season and we don't do it every time, but I'm hopeful our coaches have a few extra aces up their sleeves as the season progresses. It reminds me of the Diamond Defence. It was innovative, but combatted pretty quickly. The wingers defending in this way means that the opposition could well have an outnumber at the stoppage or at contests in the middle of the ground. This is where our contest game comes up trumps and where our ability to use the ball better from half back forward means we don't get exposed by those opposition wingers.

We could never defend our defensive 50 like we can now. That Richmond first quarter would have seen 4 or 5+ goals against in 2018. It's not just defensive personnel, it's system. We clog up space so much better, we're well organised, which leads then to the inevitable long kick to a contest inside 50, and it's usually to a bunch of contests/10-15 players. Our mids and backs defend the drop of the ball and try and use this situation as a way of slingshotting back the other way or getting it out of bounds for a reset. In other words, the manic forward pressure from 2018 and this year, is now in our defensive 50 too. The only way Richmond could score from this sort of play was from a mistake, kicking an arsey or freakish goal (see Riewoldt nutmegging Tomlinson and soccering from the boundary) or a big contested mark (see Bolton a few times). The commentators were saying as much on the night. And given we clutter up the D50 so heavily, it's a very low percentage play for the opposition kicking to such a big contest. It makes them second guess themselves. In previous years that wouldn't bother a team like Richmond, because their smalls would hit that drop zone of the Riewoldt, Lynch or Martin contest. But that's harder to do with Max dropping back in front of their talls and the greater defensive intensity and hardened bodies of our mids and defenders at the drop of the ball.

Agree with a lot of this, but I think you're downplaying the significance of the shift in team defence and that goes for defending when we have ball in hand too - in that we're being more methodical with our ball movement when not on a fast break. Utilising Max or LJ or Tom as the get out target and ensuring we have numbers at the foot of the pack is both very Bulldogs 2016 and Richmond 2017-2020. As you say though, we basically played a frenetic press with an anchor/goalkeeper like Frost at the back in 2017-2018, and I'd say in 2019 too, although it was shifted to a half team press in 2019 rather than a full 18 player press. This I suspect was partly due to our lack of fitness, to conserve energy, and partly because we knew the full 18 man press left us far too vulnerable out the back. Now all back 6 try and play as close to each other as possible, so Lever or May or Tomlinson or Rivers or Salem can intercept. I think having Lever in the team enables us to play the system much better than having Frost play the goalkeeper. Lever reads the play beautifully and Frost has little to no idea. The addition of Langdon and now Brayshaw's defensive running also means that our wings are used to cover our back 6, as well as then launch counter attacks. It's a very different look to 2018. It's quite similar to how Hawthorn used Hill and Smith on their wings, to fold back, but also then counter attack. We then have our mids like Oliver and Viney getting back to cover the defence and suddenly it's an impenetrable wall that the opposition faces. And that's before even mentioning Max sitting in the hole. We also use the wings more to attack now, whereas in 2018 we were a corridor team when we were up and about. I'd also say our forwardline is quite different from the 2018 incarnation. We have gone back to the pressure game, but we're holding our structure much better than we ever did or tried to in 2018. Our forwards no longer all get sucked up to half forward. We also clearly target 40m/the high forward pocket and are happy with repeat entries there, whilst also retaining a deep forward in the square. Conversely, in 2018, we were using angles more to try and hit that 30m danger area directly in front of goal. But that was pretty finicky and we don't have the forward pace at ground level. It's a far simpler strategy now and catered to our list. Sure, we're happy to hit up passes in the central channels inside 50 if they're available, but often that's not the case unless we can move the ball quickly or turn the ball over between centre wing and our forward 50. In this sense, I wonder if the 'simple game plan' that a few of our players have referred to is actually more about predictable inside 50 entries that go to that pocket, as opposed to the top of the square and crumbers that we used in 2019-2020. The pocket means we are limiting exits that the opposition can use, particularly in comparison to if we were aiming at the top of the goal square. It's harder for the opposition to hit the corridor from the pocket too and it's risky and could lead to a turn over. Against Hawthorn in that last quarter just about every one of Jordon's kicks went to that left forward pocket. If you think about a young player like Jordon coming in and playing his role, that sort of predictable ball movement, knowing that he'll have an option in that area of the ground like a Max or an LJ, it would make things so much easier. Instead of it potentially being whisked away after a kick to the top of the goal square, most of the kicks actually end up over the boundary line for a reset. But in this instance our team isn't hurt and therefore someone like Jordon doesn't go into his shell when he gets it next time, he goes to the same spot again. This simplified strategy would explain the growth in some of these younger guys too. If the KPIs are simple, things like tackles and knowing where to be to receive, and where our guys will also be, it makes it much easier for players to play their role. Using the boundary pocket as extra defensive cover is also similar to the way Malthouse's 2010 Collingwood team used the boundary lines to limit opposition exits.

I admit I'd lost trust in Goodwin too, but winning has started to regain that trust. Footy is very fickle and if we had started the season say 3-3, even 4-2, I'd still have some reservations, but at 6-0 it's hard to have too many reservations. The game style is stacking up. However, I like the philosophy that nothing is ever as good or bad as it seems in footy. My MFCSS will have reservations somewhere until we win a flag. Can we continue this form and perform in September/October? Will injuries curtail our season? Will the opposition figure out our defensive structure and be able to unlock it near the back end of the season? Will COVID rear its ugly head etc. These are all questions on my mind at the moment, but as a few commentators have said in the press this week, we just have to enjoy it as much as possible. Things seem built on solid foundations. The maturity/age bracket of our core is about right (maybe a year or two too early); we have Goodwin, Yze and Williams who have all been involved in premierships at a playing or coaching level and this experience should hold us in good stead.

That's a legit possibility. Haven't multiple people initially tested asymptomatically and later been found to have contracted it? Isn't that what happened to the guy that caused the Perth lockdown?

Fair enough. Didn't mean to imply you don't watch the game closely mate. We all watch it differently anyway. I'm particularly triggered by the Spargo selection conversation as I'm constantly defending him within my family. :P

People just look at his stats and maybe even his leg speed and think he's not good enough. His pressure acts, 1%ers, tackles and disposal are elite.

Well, also, 2,500 QANTAS employees lost their jobs last year, while JobKeeper went to profits. Michael West has done a lot of good investigative reporting on this.

And yet having laid off thousands of employees, they made a billion dollar profit last year as a result of JobKeeper. A multinational, led by an Irishman. Renationalise the bloody organisation. They're a joke.

You really do post some nonsense at times.

Yeah, not really sure what they were watching. Nankervis was bog ordinary. I'd even say McEvoy did a better job against Max and Max took 8+ marks on him.

Gee, he's impressive is Tommo. Good on him. Loving his contribution to our team. For mine he's been our best defender this year. He's not flashy or demonstrative like May or Lever, but he just keeps winning contests. Love all three of them back there. Another thing I wanted to say is regarding the Video of the Week, Petracca's goal, the TV coverage does not do it justice. It makes it look as though Petracca is almost by himself when he gets the ball and it's an uncontested burst onto the footy, but in the lead up to the forward entry, Petracca used his body brilliantly to outmuscle and out position his opponent before bursting onto the ball. It was sublime. Imagine the extra lift the side will get if Petracca recommits in the next few weeks.

Can't see Gutwein winning the election either. When your own speaker crosses the floor multiple times against you, it's game over. He's one of the more progressive Libs going around, more like a small L lib like Menzies than anything post 1970. I'll be surprised if the game goes ahead in Tassie, the optics are terrible.

Hence that snow-capped mountain, hey, mate? ?

I want to follow this one up. Would Essendon stand in his way? They do have a rep as we know, down at Essendon...

Completely agree. And this is where you convert supporters too. Either new migrants or you get the bandwagoners. Just look at Hawthorn, many of their supporters are ex-Demons who couldn't cop losing and started supporting a side who won 12 flags in 50 years. :P

When our team and club is up and about, they have nothing else to attack us on, except our supporter base. Not many other clubs ever cop this. It's also a bit of a pathetic put down. "YOU HAVE MONEY!!!!" And no, I've never been to the snow.

Looked very sore tackling to me. He was a liability on a few occasions with that hand. Dangerous as always as a marking forward and goal kicker, but if his hand isn't 100%, I'd look at this change.

Very risky. I'd be keeping Weideman if we think he is good enough. McDonald and Brown are both 28. The thing about taking those two guys out of our side is there goes 450 games of experience. When it comes to the pointy end that experience could be invaluable.

I'm wondering if they might give Fritsch a week off and play Brown in his place...

As stupid as it sounds, Carlton is a danger game. They match up well against us. I disagree. This is not where we're at as a football club anymore. Young players, health of the AFL 22 permitting, should have to wait until their form demands selection and until there is an available spot on offer in the AFL 22. We don't just get games into players for the sake of it. It's a long season, so if the guys at Casey continue to put their hands up, they'll eventually get their chances organically.

Spargo? Not sure I agree mate. No Spargo and no Kozzie? Unless Chandler can bring any sort of pressure like them it'll change the effectiveness of our system significantly. Our talls play mobile though and not all our smalls or mediums play a pressure game (see Melksham and Fritsch, although they may be improving in this area). IMO we can afford to take out Melksham and bring in Brown, because it's goals we're trading there, not tackles. I would keep Jones in there though, because he allows us an extra mid rotation. Melksham can play there too, but isn't particularly contested. If Harmes puts in a solid performance for Casey and Jones struggles, I'd make that move the following week.

I'm hearing Brown comes in this week, but not sure who will make way just yet. I'd say it'll be Melksham.

Good get mate. It was Viney too.

I'm sure we'd love to get this connection right, but I think we're happy to sacrifice some stoppage work to ensure our defensive system behind the ball is rock solid. Around the ground at stoppages, particularly at throw ins, we have often continued to go with one less at the stoppage, and one extra behind the ball - credit to @Axis of Bob for pointing this out weeks ago. This so often allows May or Lever or Salem to peel off behind the ball as the spare interceptor. It's a brilliant move and because our mids are so strong and Max is so dominant/Jackson rucks as an extra mid, we don't lose a whole lot by going one less in at stoppage. I think in the first quarter our centre square stoppages weren't as well set up. Our mids were too close to the rucks, with not enough separation. I think Oliver should almost always start well wide of the ruck contest, so that he can hit the ball drop at speed. It takes his opponent almost completely out of it, as Oliver has such an elite burst of speed when he hits the ball. The other addition to our armour at around the ground stoppages is playing Salem defensive side for the handball receive. We used this on two or three clear occasions last night in obvious set plays. But we were so clean with our disposal that we could flick handballs around and get it to an elite user on the outside. It surprised me that Richmond didn't roll an extra up closer to the stoppage to pressure Salem, because he was so often peeling off by himself. The Bulldogs will absolutely do this with Daniels this week. In fact, I'm starting to see the Bulldogs handball game in the way we're playing.