Review Round 3, 2023 - Bulldogs vs. Brisbane Lions

[Pride of lions]

Hipwood is a large investment that needs a new start, athleticism aside his forward craft is crude and unaware.

Maybe we could try him down the ground, as a link up wing, perhaps having smaller packs and more space to roam will help his marking.

Or as this article suggests reinvented as a tall back, he may make a great intercepting mark/puncher, god knows he has the reach.

The damning rating that highlights why key Lion should play down back

He was quiet on the weekend.

www.sen.com.au

I think playing him on the wing might be a chance but having him as a key back would be frightening! He is hopeless in a 1 v 1 contest,constantly out marked by smaller opposition and has a massive turning circle when the ball hits the ground, and can’t keep his feet anyway. He really seems to be lacking in confidence atm,hopefully he can turn it around very soon.

 

[Lions Flag 2020]

I wonder whether throwing all the line coaches names in the air and seeing where they land and coach this year means we are confused in how to play and implement our game plan. A couple of years ago I could go to games and tell my boys exactly what was going to happen before it happened. We were really consistent with how we played. Because of this the players knew where to stand and run. For the most part it worked. In my mind we fell over in finals because we didn’t quite have enough talent - as simple as that.
We now have more talent on the list and our young players are now in their mid 20s so we should be better. Unfortunately we have digressed in playing style and it appears the players think our talent will simply get us through. That’s why they are playing selfish and ill-disciplined.
I have no doubt we will make the top 8 but unless we get our game style more consistent and the team starts playing for each other we won’t do well in finals.
Pies will clean us up next week on attitude alone.

 

[alscotoz2]

Still think its only a tweak or two away from clicking week in week out. We'll be fine.

What evidence are you basing that on? Genuine question.

 

[Tom14]

What evidence are you basing that on? Genuine question.

Only hope I have is that we somehow turned it on and belted Melbourne at clearance. But feels more like a weird one night anomaly at this point given our usual midfield performance over the last year.

 

[martinson]

Only hope I have is that we somehow turned it on and belted Melbourne at clearance. But feels more like a weird one night anomaly at this point given our usual midfield performance over the last year.

Surely a lot of it is mental. We played as if our life depended on it against Melbourne until the lights went out and since then we've been clueless, rudderless.

It's such a massive turnaround in attitude and performance I really do wonder how much this group of players really care.

It hurts to say that but you can't just turn off the way we have without some serious questions being asked about motivation.

It's early in the year ,maybe we're just taking time to gel or think it'll all happen for us as the year progresses. Next Thursday night is a crucial game for lots of reasons . It's on our own deck ,they're travelling off a short break, we need to throw the kitchen sink at them if we're fair dinkum.

 

[Saucery]

Surely a lot of it is mental. We played as if our life depended on it against Melbourne until the lights went out and since then we've been clueless, rudderless.

It's such a massive turnaround in attitude and performance I really do wonder how much this group of players really care.

It hurts to say that but you can't just turn off the way we have without some serious questions being asked about motivation.

It's early in the year ,maybe we're just taking time to gel or think it'll all happen for us as the year progresses. Next Thursday night is a crucial game for lots of reasons . It's on our own deck ,they're travelling off a short break, we need to throw the kitchen sink at them if we're fair dinkum.

Clueless? Rudderless? I don't think we are anywhere near that.

One poor loss, one great win and one game that got away due to poor kicking (yes ok again)

 

[western royboy]

I had the same argument before round 1 when I suggested Gunston wasn't a good McStay replacement

Gunston was never a straight swap for McStay - unfortunately we would have been better off keeping him, adding Gunston and getting rid of one of the talls from a structure point of view

 

[mpal6]

Gunston was never a straight swap for McStay - unfortunately we would have been better off keeping him, adding Gunston and getting rid of one of the talls from a structure point of view

Playing both our rucks who are ok full forwards and decent marks willl address this. Match committee need to make the move.

 

[mpal6]

Is Mathison our only junk yard dog?

Do players with skills far above the junk yard dog respond when the JYD embarrasses them with effort?

And if so, can we manage a midfielder on 60-65% on field time? Maybe start him and if there are no injuries he is subbed off at half time.

I think give him a three week stretch to prove he can drag players to play their best.

But don't expect silk or improved endurance. Not going to happen.

I believe Wilmot can be equally single minded and scrap for footy. He lacks a mature body still but goes for it when he has to. Better disposal and footy smarts as well compared to say Matho or Answerth.

 

[SRH17]

Thought we gave Oskar Baker

13

Oskar Baker

Age

27

Ht

184cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

D/M

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.8

4star

K

8.8

3star

HB

5.0

4star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.7

4star

MG

277.8

4star

No current season stats available

D

16.0

4star

K

10.8

4star

HB

5.2

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

2.0

4star

MG

333.6

5star

far too much latitude, number one for score involvements and number one for metres gained. He would have been primed for this one given we didn’t take him in his draft year or last year when he was cut by the Demon’s.

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

I believe this is a coached thing.
I'm pretty sure it was Wilmot.
Bulldogs player close to the centre wing boundary with possession.
Willmot advances to tackle harrass him, bulldogs player slows, pivets and sees whats available with Wilmot 3 meters off him.
Wilmot stops his progression and holds off to guard for a second.
I for the life of me can not understand why we don't continue and tackle , why hold of and mark the advancing space that the player was running to when you can tackle them , kill the ball then and there.
The said player then gets time to get a kick or handball away.
Why stop , maybe it's a aussie rules thing .
It's a soccer stategy as you can't actually tackle your opponent with a body tackle.
Mitch Robbo would of smashed him back over the fence.
You see it a lot in our team, players holding off when they can advance , Why?
It's not like he was defending two players just the one.
We need some serious tackling techniques to be taught to these men.
You don't have to smash your opponent , just tackle if you have the opportunity.
There is no better opportunity to tackle when your opponent hesitates or stops and you are still advancing .

 

[FeastOrFamine]

I believe this is a coached thing.
I'm pretty sure it was Wilmot.
Bulldogs player close to the centre wing boundary with possession.
Willmot advances to tackle harrass him, bulldogs player slows, pivets and sees whats available with Wilmot 3 meters off him.
Wilmot stops his progression and holds off to guard for a second.
I for the life of me can not understand why we don't continue and tackle , why hold of and mark the advancing space that the player was running to when you can tackle them , kill the ball then and there.
The said player then gets time to get a kick or handball away.
Why stop , maybe it's a aussie rules thing .
It's a soccer stategy as you can't actually tackle your opponent with a body tackle.
Mitch Robbo would of smashed him back over the fence.
You see it a lot in our team, players holding off when they can advance , Why?
It's not like he was defending two players just the one.
We need some serious tackling techniques to be taught to these men.
You don't have to smash your opponent , just tackle if you have the opportunity.
There is no better opportunity to tackle when your opponent hesitates or stops and you are still advancing .

It's not helped by the fact that we can't stick tackles. We seem to get shrugged off more than any other team

 

[Gadzorks]

I believe Wilmot can be equally single minded and scrap for footy. He lacks a mature body still but goes for it when he has to. Better disposal and footy smarts as well compared to say Matho or Answerth.

Can he drag the older players with him?

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

Can he drag the older players with him?

He's one new player that has a real crack, and most likely to put him self in a position to get a handball and reel off.
I just used him as an example in our bad tackling , guarding techniques , but to me he is one player that will progress naturally .
Has a spirit about him that will go the contest , that has to be inspirational to the other players. Got to nurture that.
Still early days with him , but the signs are good , this one has mungel in him.

 

[SizeMatters]

Calling for Wilmots sacking is such short sighted emotional driven BS. Glad you're not our list managers. Joyce deserve another chance after being slaughtered by the umps but he is a great match with Andrews and Payne down back. Covers ground well, puts his body on the line and is accountable. But that pathetic umpire giving arguably JUH the softest free kicks I have ever seen.

Honestly, I probably wouldn't change much. One last chance before mass sackings.

Playing at the GABBA so I fully expect the blokes to turn up... unfortunately we can only play at the GABBA.
But Pies are the type of team that will destroy us. Our blokes are front runners... Pies feast on that kind of selfish footy.

 

[Nuggo]

For me it was really just a poor effort. Effort as in work rate and effort as in attention to basic footy techniques. Our system serms to be more of an offensive based system which is fine but if effort is not applied to the basic of footy then any system will break down which our has in the start to this season.

 

[On the quiet]

The most disappointing aspect for me is the lack of improvement in a number of our guys who have played around 100 games now and who just aren’t showing the improvement you would expect from them at this stage of their careers. Hipwood,McCluggage,Rayner,Berry and Bailey are all in this category at present. Without them lifting in form and consistency we are going to struggle to reach premiership level. And they all appear to have flatlined or even regressed at this stage of the season when they should be the ones taking charge when we are under the pump.

Yes you make a good point. Although I thought he was pretty good against Dogs, Starc has been down a bit also. That is why if we regress there just has to be a serious examination of some of the assistant coaches. Some of them have been there a considerable time.

Sometimes it takes a fresh set of eyes, a new voice and perspective and players respond. Look at how Oscar Baker played for Dogs on Thursday night compared to some of his games for the Dees.

 

[mpal6]

Can he drag the older players with him?

I think he can, his energy is infectious and I believe others will get onboard if he lights the fire with a big tackle in the forward line.

 

[Happy_Neale]

Still think its only a tweak or two away from clicking week in week out. We'll be fine.

Completely agree, can’t believe the overreactions over a 2 goal loss away against a team under the pump in the media all week.

JUH and Lobb kicked 7 of their 10 goals and we also had more scoring shots than them as a team. We didn’t play well for much of the match either, so I’m actually not that concerned with dropping that one considering we’re only three weeks into the season.

 

[martinson]

Completely agree, can’t believe the overreactions over a 2 goal loss away against a team under the pump in the media all week.

JUH and Lobb kicked 7 of their 10 goals and we also had more scoring shots than them as a team. We didn’t play well for much of the match either, so I’m actually not that concerned with dropping that one considering we’re only three weeks into the season.

From what's been said we deluded ourselves that pre season form meant something and thought we'd really improved.

Certain good players dropped off their work rate.

This week we're under no illusions and have a lot in our favour so that should give us a good idea as to where we're at.

 

[Lockie]

after being at the game tonight and watching the seconds as well IMO i thought DEV was a standout in the seconds.
The bulldogs applied pressure on us the whole game. We continually tried to try our handball game but from the start to the end of the game they were on our tails the whole game. What i did not like being at the game was that we did not seem to try and change our game style once during the game. We continually tried to handball through the whole night to players that were under pressure all the time. Even when dunkley took the mark late in the game we tried to run the ball through the midfield with handball and stuffed it up again. Frustrating tonight, bulldogs were happy to get down and dirty and in for the fight and scrape and we did not have that same ferocity and did not seem to have another gameplan to go to or even try. Went to the after match function and not much was going on there as well. Could not get photos or signatures of the player of the ones who turned up or any of the seconds players who were present. Overall what a real shitty night.

Watched the second and agree we Dev. We certainly lacked grunt and pressure In that main game. There was a bit turnout of Lions supporters especially where I was down in the forward pocked on Level 1 cheer squad end. Good on you Paul Mac for staying back as myself with heaps of other lions were peeved off and we’re out of there on the sound of the siren and heading for Southern Cross. That’s disappointing about the lack of players turning up and no to photos. Given the few game we get in Melbourne that is crap.

 

[scott_the_man]

Who makes way, Payne?

Also did Hipwood play down back in the juniors?

Hippy was a bit of a swingman before he was drafted. From memory he was an u18 All Australian centre half back.

I'm all for trialling him in defence.

 

[On the quiet]

Hippy was a bit of a swingman before he was drafted. From memory he was an u18 All Australian centre half back.

I'm all for trialling him in defence.

I think he will get out muscled 1 v 1 and I reckon with Payne developing Harris is going well intercepting

 

[Tom14]

Hippy was a bit of a swingman before he was drafted. From memory he was an u18 All Australian centre half back.

I'm all for trialling him in defence.

He's not a good enough mark and definitely not a good enough kick. He'd be more of a liability in defence than he currently is in attack.

While he played a bit of time in defence in u18s it wasn't even the majority of championship games from memory - he had a lot of time up forward too.

 

[Paul Mac]

Watched the second and agree we Dev. We certainly lacked grunt and pressure In that main game. There was a bit turnout of Lions supporters especially where I was down in the forward pocked on Level 1 cheer squad end. Good on you Paul Mac for staying back as myself with heaps of other lions were peeved off and we’re out of there on the sound of the siren and heading for Southern Cross. That’s disappointing about the lack of players turning up and no to photos. Given the few game we get in Melbourne that is crap.

Cheers Lockie.
We were on fence in forward pocket level 1 so not far from you.