18 Likes
Itās the change up in game that pleases me. Early on, seemed to favour going long to Weed and it wasnāt really working. After half time, switched to short kicking, heavy possession and we extended the lead.
Nice change versus the persistance with failure.
16 Likes
Iām feeling optimistic for the first time in 10 years. Thanks Brad.
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He just seems so level headed and never willing to get ahead of himself or let the players. He is the exact coach we needed and I can see him being with us for a decade. Thank goodness we didnāt get Clarkson or Hird. Phew!
6 Likes
We are playing a slightly modified game style now to what we were a month ago.
There is much less kicking to a pack 30m from goal than earlier in the year. This is more due to player availability than anything else.
Weāre developing plan B.
Once 2MP comes back, weāll switch between plan A and plan B.
I like that we focus on defence first footy. Even against poor sides. It keeps the opposition in the game for longer, but it means we can continue perfecting it and get into habits so that it holds up against the better teams.
Iām sure weāll have that disappointing loss sometime soon. But to go 6-5 to this point is definitely a positive. Hopefully, weāll finish off the season as well (if not better) as weāve started.
3 Likes
Iām enjoying hearing both BDB and Merrett talking openly about stuff like our record against bottom of the ladder teams, or the streak of Richmond losses, and making sure the players know the games mean more than just 4 points
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Or Lyon even.
Thereās a lot to play out but I am confident this is one coaching appointment we have absolutely nailed.
People will mention (and fair enough) the first season āhoneymoonā of Worsfold and Rutten and then the eventual fall as a reason to be scepticalā¦ but this feels a lot different. More sustainable.
21 Likes
Perhaps the job Heppell was there to do then was, to keep the troops from leaving, calm the waters and be everyoneās friend and confidant.
Just as Woosha was bought in for much the same reason. It was not about winning games of footy, it was about holding the club together so it wouldnāt crash and burn.
1 Like
I reckon this is where our improvement comes in the next few years. BDB is coaching them to be adaptable week to week, but when we have a bonefide game plan as a base (built around the cab abilities we have got) with only minor tweaks week to week, I reckon we go to another level.
1 Like
I think being a captain or a leader is a role that requires many hats. One of those hats is showing empathy, as you rightly point out. The primary role should be first and foremost winning games of football and inspiring those around them to achieve this. Clearly being their āmateā and āconfidantā didnāt work for Heppell.
One thing that looks to have improved is our foot skills. We arenāt alone in the ability to short pass and find open players near the boundary, other teams are also capable, and it seems that with every pass that finds its mark, a little confidence grows. A few players like Zach and Martin are capable of and prepared to take a riskier kick and more players will follow them as the practice becomes more ingrained.
We looked a lot better when we slowed our ball movement down and moved the ball methodically forward than rush it forward to a player in Weideman who is poor in contests.
2 Likes
Itās an interesting comment.
He of course, does have a game planā. However, it isnāt the kind of game plan that Merrett is accustomed to. Possibly because it is not complicated and/or micro-managed.
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Howās Laverde on Redman ā¦ āget back here, mate - defenseā¦ā
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Itās pretty amazing what happens when you allow players to play where they perform best and where they want to be. And not over complicating things.
Collingwood, right now, are the best example of this but we are getting there.
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Indeed. Looking at the games weāve won and lost compared to the form line of the sides we played, reckon we havenāt lost a game we expected to win.
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Some of Bradās comments in the presser donāt make Rutten (or the squad under his leadership) come off very well.
āthe bombers came over here last year over similar circumstancesā¦ by the players own admission thought it was going to happenā
āyou get what we deserve over timeā
āif we think itās going to happen weāll get embarrassedā
āā¦we had a tangible example of what happened here (last year) under similar circumstancesā
An absolute indictment that a guy like that was in charge.
10 Likes
That wasnāt a new phenomenon under Rutten. Been happening for years right back to when we lost to a winless Melbourne in about round 11.
Iām just pleased they are acknowledging it, owning it and doing something to rectify it.
13 Likes