Good decision.
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So the buzz words/phrases the last few seasons “They’re a back half team, and they need to be a front half team”
How hard is it to change this in 1 off season? Are we trying to become a front half team?
Is it all fitness? I’m thinking yes.
#1 non negotiable for me in the off season is to get another Ruckman. Bellchambers is on his last legs and shouldn’t be our #1 next year
Spend whatever money we have luring someone decent. We cannot go into the season with a cooked belly, a bloke who hasn’t played a game and Clarke
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We are only a back half team as we constantly turn the ball over and then invariably as we aren’t setup properly get transitioned against to our half back line again. It’s not by design.
Fitness will play a part in our overall pressure and run
But better ball movement / use is the the key to it all IMO.
Caracella has a big job.
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Essendon’s mid section needs a re-tread.
They have plenty of ‘get the ball, kick the ball types’ but glaringly few that can do it with regular precision. If you’re going to play fast from the defensive half, you must hit the target upfield. And those upfield have to present. All the time. Daniher’s (if not with Sydney teehee…) presence will help greatly with this.
And further to that, I’d award this year’s B+F to the entire backline. Having to deal with repeat stuff-ups upfield has to come with some rewards. They need a break in 2020.
All doable with some tweaking.
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We are a back half team because we are poor at contested possession, clearances and inside 50’s so the ball ends up there all the time.
We only turn the ball over 2 more times a game than Richmond for example. Of course when Richmond turn it over their players chase and apply pressure and they are set up better in the back half.
We have clearly built a list for speed and exciting football and play 2 of those players as defenders instead of elsewhere. We can only move the ball one way, with any regularity, which makes us easy to shut down.
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I’m not saying we won’t change things, or that we need to, but most of last year including into finals the way the eagles were playing definitely couldn’t hold up to the elite pressure teams, especially not once finals intensity kicked in. Nobody would let them take their intercept marks so easily, their small forwards wouldn’t be allowed to run so free. Darling choked in finals series. Turns out that was all crap.
I don’t trust anyone in the media to be able to differentiate between “that’s not how the last couple of premiers played” and “that’s a bad plan”.
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Agreed on those other aspects
If you are talking direct turnovers as in opposition gains possession then yes perhaps
But as far as actually costing ourselves clean runs of play I think we’d have to be the worst.
Heppells loopy kick to an open Brown that cost a shot on goal a prime example.
The inability to kick to advantage is a massive frustration. Hate to be a fwd in our team. Smack had every ball put on his head.
IMO he has the full support of the board currently.
But without a contract extension the heat will be on him next year from the media early.
He needs to hit the ground running with a competitive preseason campaign.
Play a early practice match and blood some kids there against the Hawks @ launceston in Tassie for a extra warm up match. And for all the Tassie fans. @Catherine_Lio
Just wait for the response after about Round 7 when a free flowing Carlton smash Essendon by 60 points. Wonder what the learnings will be then?
10/10 weekend at burnieness
I can’t believe this thread is going to end in 82 posts. What a sad day for the internet.
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There will be at least another two next year.
Oh I believe another one will reach 10,000 before the end of pre-season!
Not that I watch them much, at all, but GWS are supposed to also be a team with a game plan like ours. ( attack mostly from the back half) . They have a much vaunted, highly skilled list, with a good midfield and fast running players.
They won 1 more game than Essendon in 2019, had lots of injuries, but played a home final, but unlike Essendon actually won a final.
Lets see how far they go, and judge whether the back half game plan wins more than one final, or even takes them to the Granny.
Then do an honest appraisal of whether the back half game plan works in finals and see what they add to it to make it work. and whether our list is actually able to execute it.
Or are we going to suddenly completely change our minds on the “way want to play” over the pre-season?
I hope the thread goes out with an expletive ridden tirade against Woosha.
It’ll be a contest between Rosso, Robbo and Wim to see who can stick the boots in last!
I presume we’ll be reviving this thread
which was the thread before this thread became the thread.
Mods will advise us accordingly.
There were a few elements to the criticisms. My main one was that his game plan executed by our players appears to be incapable of winning a final and twice by 10 ish goal margins. I am still not convinced .
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