Match Day Thread Rnd 12 Sydney V Western Bulldogs. SCG. 19.20 pm.

[Nico]

That was as good as centre clearance work gets. Finally, all out players did was go straight for the footy. They have clearly changed things up there. Noticed also that at a ball up in our forward line our players got centre side of the contest and many times we got a clean run to goal. If the tap went goal side we just swarmed all over them. Maybe we always do this but it seemed so obvious last night.

[dejavoodoo44]

Josh Kennedy made a bee line for Hewee after the game and put his arm around him and ruffled his head, obviously saying 'Great game kid'. He killed Johanison tonight. He took him out. How did he do that? A player who is by far too slow to keep up with him? He didn't allow him space and niggled him all night.

Yes, maybe the sheepskin rug, that Johannisen wears on his head, makes it easier? Just keep that in your peripheral vision and you're never too far away to influence the contest.

[Beerman]

On 'Ronan' he might have a word or two about his game: Ronan's kick with Buddy - sydneyswans.com.au

:-)

Like I said - doesn't have the tank. Needs some games in an easier comp because I don't think there is a place for him in our best 22 right now. Might still come good though. But enough about Rohan [boom-tish!].

Seriously though, we probably are a better side with Gary playing, but my heart doesn't exactly sink when he's not available.

He does a couple of great things each game. I *love* it when he uses his closing speed to spoil a mark or pressure the ball carrier into an error, but I want to see him do it all game. I want to see him fight for every loose ball and at the very least make sure it stays loose and not in the other teams hands. That's what I saw last night that I want to see more of from Rohan.

It's probably not his role, and he might have different instructions and KPIs from the coach, but I love it when we lock it up so tight in our forward 50 and make the opposition struggle for every score.

[dejavoodoo44]

I don't think our skill levels were particularly great tonight - a lot of fumbles and slips but we can attribute that to the conditions. 28 scoring shots generated from 71 inside 50s is below par

What was really impressive though was the pressure, particularly in the forward half of the ground. It was hard, tough and unrelenting and forced the Bulldogs into rushed kicks and handballs and eventually into turnovers. 24 tackles inside 50 (out of 63 tackles) really illustrates this point.

Also emphasising that, was the 'pressure acts' stats. Papley recorded a game high 33, while Hayward was third on our list with 22. Sometime forward, Parker, had 29.

[BRISWAN]

Marvellous how effective one on one can be.

[707]

Hayward is going to be a gun, and he's a quick gun too.

Papley, Hayward and Rohan as forwards gives a lot of variation and a lot of pressure. Liking the make up of the side as we go forward.

[DA_Swan]

Good to see the real Luke Parker up and about and he will only get better as the season goes on

[WauchopeAnalyst]

[QUOTE=bloodspirit;727359]Great to get another win and a good performance. At half time I was frustrated by the poor conversion and worried that the Dogs might come back even though we had totally dominated to that point. Got better from there as we kicked more goals.

I was really interested in WauchopeAnalyst's point about a new game style. I hope you will elaborate more. Then I wondered what wolftone would think and he was happy too.

I hope to hear more from WA and wolftone and the mysteriously subdued Ludwig.


Dot points. 2nd game, this year, with similar style this year

Individual defending - attack the man with ball but also start closing down his outlets and more hack kicking from them. That creates pressure and turnovers.

Fowards - if you kept forwards as forwards you stretch defences and relieves pressure for backs and mids as you always have a target and most times 1 on 1. Oh and you score more or more scoring chances (behinds)

Skill - i have heard for 5 years we have no skill. Rubbish. Was a slippery ground, wet ball, yet, apart from kicking at goal, we hit targets, we marked, we handpassed to the body, not near them.

Structure - a few right inside at the contest but at times holding men out and allowing easier HP to players with more space, ergo, more time and less pressure.

Movement - the easiest way to defence is north - south attack, our old style of us.

Changing angles, 45 degree kicking and HP and good spacing is a nightmare. Guess what, Hello Dean Towers, a beautiful 45 degree, 35-40m kick to Hewett and opened up the dogs. Another similar one, cant remember who, hit Newman with a great kick and bang 50m to Buddy.

Also far less HP to players standing still. You win more of the ball moving in and outside at contests and harder to defend as most players are waiting to see who is going to win the ball. (Different rules for defenders)

Hewett - early last year i said that Hewett is our most complete player (not best just complete) and have been howled down. Still
improving but having someone who can kick and HP on both sides, real footy smarts, nearly best kick for goal inside 35m, and tough. Goodbye Johannsien, hello Bachar Houli. (Example: Newman might best kick but one sided and i saw him HP from the wrong side also. No right hand HP or kick)

Giraffes - beautiful animals but have to bring more to the table. Dogs have no rucks so no comment about HO. Naismith did more pressure acts and tackles in one game then Tippet does in half a season. Sinkers is having a go and brings effort, he has a lot to go but is adding to the team. (Longmire apoplectic about Sinkers kick for goal but their were plenty of others.)

Defence - Grundy is our key defender. Period. Smooch back to his level with his body check (chest) at marking contests. Melican being solid. Rampe still building up. Mills brave as all get out, but a bit like Newman, not natural defenders. Holding free and another for a push were not needed.

Papley - workrate was elite. Great in F50 and winning the ball in mids but decision making has a lot of work and needs to be able to evaluate options much quicker.

Reid - dominates the dogs defence both times this year. Can
mark, kicking fluctuations, but we need him. We have no other forward target and will mark in defence.

JPK, Hanners, Parker, Buddy, tick, tick, tick, tick.

The post is long but plenty more to come in the future.

If I was in the coaching box I would be very happy in the execution of this game style, but in the future i feel that we will go back to 10 players within 10m of the ball and hacking it forward with Buddy 1 on 3 and 10 defenders leaking goals in a soft zone.

Longmire should have been content during the game but looked sour for most of the game. Players make mistakes but move on.????


PS: Hayward - the perfect mid forward. Smart and fast and 100% effort. 2019 will his year and plenty more good years

Just allow Jones and Lloyd to do their things and our team will be better.



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[barry]

Sinclair had a shocker. Even the marks he took he fumbled. How can someone be so bad at marking ?

Towers had a game for the ages. A lot of our first half goals were caused by decisive, incisive play by towers a possession or two prior.

[barry]

First game in 2017 where I thought to myself we kept the right ruckman. Cracker by Nainsmith.

[barry]

Only 20,000 turned up. Thats like a giants crowd !

[neilfws]

Paps is a real gem! At last we have a player who has niggle, bump, dig, annoy etc in his DNA! He has the ability to lift the team with his style of play even when he makes a mistake or two, or three. Totally unperturbed when he cops a bit back.

Every time I see him on the big screen he's mouthing off at someone. It's hilarious. He was clearly telling Hodge that he was over the hill during the Hawks game.

And he kicks timely goals too.

[Beerman]

Ronan is starting to fill me with dread and disappointment. (Maybe it's his lack of tank). One thing is clear, if Ronan plays, then he has to play forward and apply lots of defensive pressure.

Obligatory xkcd reference:

xkcd: Lunch Order

[mattybloods]

I loved the effort last night, if there was a let down it was a few skill errors but even then heads never dropped and we had great 2nd and 3rd efforts. I love watching Naismith's ruckwork, so many times tapping to our players or open space to run into really is the best at his craft on our list. Tippett can stay in the NEAFL for a while, if we want him playing key forward in the seniors he needs to be in that position in the NEAFL not rucking.

All around a fantastic game to watch. Missing the 8 this year is no big deal, we can get games and form into our young players and build to next year.

The only 2 I wouldn't mind coming in for next game are Rohan (if fit) and Aliir (hopefully has a good game on the weekend) but who do you drop? Better to reward a great team performance by going unchanged into next game

[Hotpotato]

Marvellous how effective one on one can be.

In the first 5 mins , you could see there was a decree to go one on one , and I thunk, yep we will win this game.