5 areas where we need to improve the most, on the field

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I posted this on BF but the knuckle-dragging drongos would have nothing of any sensible footy discussion, preferring to stick with Judd V Cousins comparisons and who has the youngest list or largest membership base.

So, I thought I'd post it here so the RWO drongos can discuss it in detail.

Here's my top 5, feel free to make your own (that's kind of the point)

1. Quick ball movement. With McVeigh finally playing like a top 5 draft pick and the likes of Jack and Vespa coming through, '09 has to be the year we pick up the pace.

2. Continue giving the young guys a chance. This year we saw some really promising kids getting game time and this has to be the policy next year. I'll be disappointed if prospects such as Currie, Thornton, Murphy, Vez and White aren't given at least 5-7 games to show something.

3. Smarter coaching. Roos needs to lift his game, he was full of new ideas during the first few years of his senior coaching career but of late has become stale. Against Adelaide, St. Kilda and Collingwood he showed very little imagination.

4. Malceski's knee. If we're to believe the latest article, his poor form was due to lack of match fitness rather than the knee operation. If he can get back to the 2006/2007 model and even improve on that, it'll give us that spring and x-factor we lacked during most games.

5. Drop the buddy system and leadership group. Players like Leo, Ablett, Hall, Buchanan etc need to know they can be dropped or even delisted if it's best for the team. I think Leo announced 2009 as his last year, but a few of the older heads must be put on notice and made well aware of it.

[timthefish]

kickin'
chasin'
taklin'
talkin'
heart

[sharp9]

At the risk of party pooping, DA, you've got all the bases covered....we need to play better and be coached better.

It's a bit like Fozzie doing his stand-up...thangs aren't going too well...Kermit poked his head through the curtains...

"Hey Fozzie...Faster, and Funnier"

Or, there's only three things wrong with this story, the beginning, the middle and the end.

[j s]

Forward fifty
Centre square
Back fifty
Right wing
Left wing

[2005]

Play Freo 6 Times !

[Cant turn right]

Not getting injured. It's well documented that a big reason for our success in 2005 was lack of injuries and the fact that with those players that did play injured did so undetected. Unlike 2008 where is was pretty obvious there was a few playing injured.

[Nico]

Centre clearances. It has been a big problem for a long time. For the life of me I cannot understand how this has gone unremedied for so long given we have MOL and Barry Hall just waiting for the quick, clean clearance. MOL has proved time and again over his career on the odd times it happens, that he reads the play from the centre better than any forward.

Have you noticed that he is always in front when we get a clean clearance.

We hear the talk about "crumbers" on RWO continuosly but it is no good if you can't create spontaneous panic to defenders.

Geelong are absolutely brilliant in this department.

[Dalai Lama]

facts

If we are in front on the score board at the end of the game - we will win more often than not?

[The Big Cat]

5. Drop the buddy system and leadership group. Players like Leo, Ablett, Hall, Buchanan etc need to know they can be dropped or even delisted if it's best for the team. I think Leo announced 2009 as his last year, but a few of the older heads must be put on notice and made well aware of it.

Don't you realise that the ONLY (repeat ONLY) reason we won a premiership and were robbed of a second is the very leadership and accountability program you are now saying they should wipe out. In Roosy's time at the club we had the ability of a lower final 8 team yet we won a flag and damn near got another. It's the Ray MacLean factor. (Ask Geelong as well).

[jdow]

Don't you realise that the ONLY (repeat ONLY) reason we won a premiership and were robbed of a second is the very leadership and accountability program you are now saying they should wipe out. In Roosy's time at the club we had the ability of a lower final 8 team yet we won a flag and damn near got another. It's the Ray MacLean factor. (Ask Geelong as well).

It may have been part of the reason, but I think you are going way over the top to say the ONLY reason I don't believe your so called accountability program was as important as you think no more than many other clubs just was marketed as an x-factor.

[SCGonasunnyday]

Hmm I've got no idea. Kick it to Magic works for me.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Don't you realise that the ONLY (repeat ONLY) reason we won a premiership and were robbed of a second is the very leadership and accountability program you are now saying they should wipe out. In Roosy's time at the club we had the ability of a lower final 8 team yet we won a flag and damn near got another. It's the Ray MacLean factor. (Ask Geelong as well).

Only reason? I guess it had nothing to do with having one of the best power forwards, the tightest defences, one of the best tap ruckmen, guns like Williams and Kirk at peak fitness and form, the perfect balance of youth and experience? Goodes in the middle of two Brownlows?



Even if it were the only reason, and it's not, tempo football and taggers were winning games back then but things change. Just because the leadership thing worked for us in 2005/2006, it doesn't mean it's the going to be the best way to go about things in 2009.

It's not the leadership group alone that annoys me, it's the way they seem to be given a free access pass to have as many bad games as they like knowing they'll be safe the next week. All players need to be under pressure to perform, week in and week out, no exceptions.

[Mr Magoo]

One area we are woeful in is kickins. We are so slow while other teams are so good at exploiting the new(ish) rule.

They need to start taking advantage of a quick kick in to move the ball down field as fast as possible.

[timthefish]

Don't you realise that the ONLY (repeat ONLY) reason we won a premiership and were robbed of a second is the very leadership and accountability program you are now saying they should wipe out. In Roosy's time at the club we had the ability of a lower final 8 team yet we won a flag and damn near got another. It's the Ray MacLean factor. (Ask Geelong as well).

i thought you were goin' fishin' with that one, but the responses made me realise you were serious.

was a huge factor, but eventually ideology turns to fundamentalism and a fresh approach is needed.

[Jeffers1984]

One area we are woeful in is kickins. We are so slow while other teams are so good at exploiting the new(ish) rule.

They need to start taking advantage of a quick kick in to move the ball down field as fast as possible.

Bingo.