View Full Version : Not as fast as we think?
We've been smashed by speedy blokes from Richmond and Essendon in the last 2 weeks. Is it slow and sloppy ball movement by us and lack of accountability or are we not as fast overall as we and commentators think? (I know we have turbos like Cooney and Griffen but are the others super quick or just good runners?) Interested in your thoughts
OldSchool
20 Apr 2008, 23:04
We've been smashed by speedy blokes from Richmond and Essendon in the last 2 weeks. Is it slow and sloppy ball movement by us and lack of accountability or are we not as fast overall as we and commentators think? (I know we have turbos like Cooney and Griffen but are the others super quick or just good runners?) Interested in your thoughts
There is a price to pay for adding the extra weight across so many players. The main thing is that we are not fading in the last quarters.
boydsno1
20 Apr 2008, 23:06
also farren ray is a player that adds speed to our team also. so he has been missing.
ReservoirDog
20 Apr 2008, 23:10
We've been smashed by speedy blokes from Richmond and Essendon in the last 2 weeks. Is it slow and sloppy ball movement by us and lack of accountability or are we not as fast overall as we and commentators think? (I know we have turbos like Cooney and Griffen but are the others super quick or just good runners?) Interested in your thoughts
Some people on this board think we are still a quick side. They haven't realised that it's not 2006 and that other teams have passed us by in the speed stakes. No use being all bulked up if your opposition sprints away from you and gets an easy entry into there forward line.
Slash_LP
20 Apr 2008, 23:39
Some people on this board think we are still a quick side. They haven't realised that it's not 2006 and that other teams have passed us by in the speed stakes. No use being all bulked up if your opposition sprints away from you and gets an easy entry into there forward line.
Helps with injuries though.
ReservoirDog
20 Apr 2008, 23:46
Helps with injuries though.
I want to win the game first and avoid injuries second. I know you can only play with what you have, but at the moment we look a tad slow.
dogupya
20 Apr 2008, 23:48
There is a price to pay for adding the extra weight across so many players. The main thing is that we are not fading in the last quarters.
Very good point, also Richmond were very good at denying us space and holding onto our midfielders in the congestion, thus blocking their run at the footy and we found ourselves flat footed several times today from richmods midfield tactics.
Dogs Rule
21 Apr 2008, 00:07
I still think we're one of the faster sides in the competition.
The difference between this year and 2006 is that nearly every side is as quick or quicker than us.
Anja_Nees
21 Apr 2008, 00:34
I don't think a lack of pace is a problem. We still have plenty of good runners and to be honest, it's all about ball movement. Besides, we had a hell of a lot more pace than Sydney in '05 and probably Geelong of '07. They won flags, we didn't.
kookadog
21 Apr 2008, 01:32
I don't think a lack of pace is a problem. We still have plenty of good runners and to be honest, it's all about ball movement. Besides, we had a hell of a lot more pace than Sydney in '05 and probably Geelong of '07. They won flags, we didn't.
It's hard strong bodies that win finals.
Speed will win you a few games but when it comes to the crunch you need strength, ala swans, eagles, cats.
We have a pretty good balance at the moment.
We have played 4 out of our first 5 games at the dome. The game away was against Melbourne! The hard ground must be taking its toll.
SOTW 73
21 Apr 2008, 08:55
There are different types of speed - pure leg, quick hands/decision making and you actually look quicker when you have the ball not chasing!
I believe that our leg speed advantage (over other sides as diminished) although I wouldn't say that we are slow!
Richmond played well yesterday and blocked our run. We were beaten in both hardness (we were behind hall ball gets 33 to 23 at 3 qtr time, not sure how it finished) and Richmond had the ball more (358 to 308? possesions) which contributed to us looking slower
lindsay_bulldogs
21 Apr 2008, 09:37
We have to many slow players in the middle that is a fact and anyone saying oh we should be quicker with our ball movement etc it bull. Essendon and Tigers show us how slow we can be. The last seven games off last year also showed it. Afraid players like Boyd are just to slow.
OldSchool
21 Apr 2008, 09:48
We have to many slow players in the middle that is a fact and anyone saying oh we should be quicker with our ball movement etc it bull. Essendon and Tigers show us how slow we can be. The last seven games off last year also showed it. Afraid players like Boyd are just to slow.
We had Griffen and Cooney in the middle when the Tigers took charge of the midfield so speed alone isn't everything.
Whilst people can be critical of Boyd, some of his efforts in the last quarter is what got us into the position of winning the game. His kick to Griffen in the forward 50 was critical as was a tackle he completed in the Tigers forward line was also pivotal.
I agree with the general principal that we need more speed in the midfield but Boyd's lack of toe isn't the reason why we struggled yesterday.
Ray and Everitt will add more pace to the team. They will probably come in at some stage for Addison (slow/poor skills) and Harbrow (has pace, but dosnt get the ball enough to use it)
Benno From Berwick
21 Apr 2008, 11:25
i think we are justing having a little slump. We looked slow, tired and leg weary.
this might come down to training really hard, this seems to be a modern day trend.....of working hard and then tappering off.....
I am no expert......like most here!!!
MrChristo
21 Apr 2008, 11:44
I don't think speed is an issue at all...
...We are not as SKILLFUL as we think.
Turning way too many balls over atm...also against Ess...which hurts every side going back the other way.
Was listening to the radio yesterday (delayed tv :mad:)...we had something horrible like 55% efficiency in the first quarter.
Not sure how much it improved during the day.
You miss targets, the opp is always going to be in space.
lindsay_bulldogs
21 Apr 2008, 11:46
We had Griffen and Cooney in the middle when the Tigers took charge of the midfield so speed alone isn't everything.
Whilst people can be critical of Boyd, some of his efforts in the last quarter is what got us into the position of winning the game. His kick to Griffen in the forward 50 was critical as was a tackle he completed in the Tigers forward line was also pivotal.
I agree with the general principal that we need more speed in the midfield but Boyd's lack of toe isn't the reason why we struggled yesterday.
To be a top four team Griffen and Cooney's pace must be the average pace off players playing in there not the exception. When a spill comes if Griffen or Cooney are out off contention the others can't chase or pressure the ball carriers off the oposition because they simply put on the after burners. Cooney looks faster this year and would say he is the fastest in the middle but even he was ran away from at times. Boyd, Cross, West and Addison just can't put enough pressure on when the opposition get it as they can't catch them, ball skills aside your behind the eight ball before the bounce if you can't catch them. Secondly if Griffen or Cooney are not on the end off handballs then the others get run down time and again. I think it really needs to be looked at.
Bodicifer
21 Apr 2008, 11:56
You need to benchmark our runners against the likes of Geelong and Hawthorn...we definitely have the speed to match, no worries, but we need to do it for 4 quarters and not for 2. We were lazy yesterday and were leaving it up to someone else. We didn't put pressure on the opposition ball carrier and if you do that against Hawthorn or Geelong with targets like Franklin, Mooney, Roughead, Hawkins...we will be killed. Our game is won or lost with our gut running.
Yes very slow in the midfield yesterday - Eagleton, Hahn and Aka in particularly. I think the speed stakes would lift significantly when Ray and Everitt comes back. However, I would like to see Ward given a chance this week. This kid has speed to burn.
In saying all that the tigers were very quick especially Delidio and Foley.
The eagles will be super desperate this week and they will look to exploit our lack of defensive pressure in the mid-field. So I'm hoping a couple of changes will be made and I agree Eagleton and possibly Harbrow should go to the seconds this week for West and Ward