Autopsy Roast & toast vs Western Bulldogs and changes for round 22 vs St Kilda

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We dont' have the cattle any more, and we don't have the fitness levels required to match it with the top teams. That means that we can play well in spurts, or as we saw in Cotch's 300th for one entire game, or last week v Dees, the first 3 quarters, but that's it. Every time we front up the week after one of those elevated intensity performances, we are completely spent. We are as slow as all get out. We can't lay tackles that stick and earn frees (alright, umps have a fair bit to do with that) anymore. Our pressure, and intensity in hunting the ball is not there anymore, but I'm sure that comes down to fitness. We just don't have the levels required for the repeat efforts. We used to be the hunter, but not anymore. Sides don't fear coming up against us anymore, because they know they will get first use of the footy, and be off and running before we realise it. Keep us running around chasing, and we are worn down quickly.
We have kept our ageing champs playing when form doesn't warrant it. Playing players out of position only robs Peter to pay Paul as they say, and that only results in sapping the confidence. We used to have guys that could come in and fill a role when our champs were injured or rested, and they wouldn't miss a beat. Now the well is dry. No surprise this week that Cotch and Grimes rested/dropped, but what the hell's with Dusty being 'managed'? Do or die match, and we just roll over. We needed to be more ruthless in our selections last year, but loyalty and or stubbornness got in the way.
Bachar was still playing great footy when tapped. Grigga was playing fine when tapped, but the older guys now are just too slow and banged up to warrant selection. For those about to cry out that we owe them respect etc, and to be allowed to go out at their own choice, well we are about to find out what happens when you wait too long and have everyone bow out at the same time. Because that day is coming fast! Grimesey another contracted year, spare me! Co-captains who are not up to it, spare me! As a club, taking the inconsistency in how we are umpired, week in week out, spare me! Mismanaged injuries, and poor fitness, spare me! Mini for the job, spare me! We need someone who can make sure our players are fit, switched on, and have the hunger to succeed. We may have been the destination club that everyone wanted to play for, and maybe that just resulted in players coming in and just expecting to be taken along for the ride. Well guess what, success doesn't come without effort and the desire. It's tough getting to the top and harder staying there, and just being allowed to retain your spot on average performances week in week out, regardless of reputations, doesn't cut it. We are in for a heap of pain, so we better just accept that a complete sweep out and rebuild is about to happen.
Well said
We need as a collective to make some hard decisions and move on some greats of our club Jack Cotch Grimes players like KMac Vlaustin need to be seriously looked at
Bring in some youth and speed
Bring in some outside coaches for new blood and thoughts
Fitness staff need addressing we look slow our tackles don’t stick and our players seem to take forever to recover from injuries I mean who ever heard of a season out for a hamstring
Time for some hard decisions which need to be made NOW
 
From this point, our wins are hollow. We should start physical recoveries and roll some in game structures that can be used from 2024:
  • Select and play the cubs.
  • Get some tagging experience into Nigel
  • Rest our sore / beat up seniors (Dan needs a rest for his ankle, Hopper has a week, JR8 is cooked, Kmac is last legs)
  • Have Vlas / Mint Cans lead the backs
  • Bakes / Dusty lead the forwards
  • Meat / TT lead the mids
Nothing to lose here. The cubs need to see the coalface. Some could be fighting for their career, desperation will be in play. Class and skill need to be tested.
 

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We dont' have the cattle any more, and we don't have the fitness levels required to match it with the top teams. That means that we can play well in spurts, or as we saw in Cotch's 300th for one entire game, or last week v Dees, the first 3 quarters, but that's it. Every time we front up the week after one of those elevated intensity performances, we are completely spent. We are as slow as all get out. We can't lay tackles that stick and earn frees (alright, umps have a fair bit to do with that) anymore. Our pressure, and intensity in hunting the ball is not there anymore, but I'm sure that comes down to fitness. We just don't have the levels required for the repeat efforts. We used to be the hunter, but not anymore. Sides don't fear coming up against us anymore, because they know they will get first use of the footy, and be off and running before we realise it. Keep us running around chasing, and we are worn down quickly.
We have kept our ageing champs playing when form doesn't warrant it. Playing players out of position only robs Peter to pay Paul as they say, and that only results in sapping the confidence. We used to have guys that could come in and fill a role when our champs were injured or rested, and they wouldn't miss a beat. Now the well is dry. No surprise this week that Cotch and Grimes rested/dropped, but what the hell's with Dusty being 'managed'? Do or die match, and we just roll over. We needed to be more ruthless in our selections last year, but loyalty and or stubbornness got in the way.
Bachar was still playing great footy when tapped. Grigga was playing fine when tapped, but the older guys now are just too slow and banged up to warrant selection. For those about to cry out that we owe them respect etc, and to be allowed to go out at their own choice, well we are about to find out what happens when you wait too long and have everyone bow out at the same time. Because that day is coming fast! Grimesey another contracted year, spare me! Co-captains who are not up to it, spare me! As a club, taking the inconsistency in how we are umpired, week in week out, spare me! Mismanaged injuries, and poor fitness, spare me! Mini for the job, spare me! We need someone who can make sure our players are fit, switched on, and have the hunger to succeed. We may have been the destination club that everyone wanted to play for, and maybe that just resulted in players coming in and just expecting to be taken along for the ride. Well guess what, success doesn't come without effort and the desire. It's tough getting to the top and harder staying there, and just being allowed to retain your spot on average performances week in week out, regardless of reputations, doesn't cut it. We are in for a heap of pain, so we better just accept that a complete sweep out and rebuild is about to happen.
I was going to write a response .....

But I'll spare you lol
 

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Thought I'd try to alleviate the pain from last night and head down to Williamstown to watch the VFL. Perfect day for football, surface perfect and virtually no wind. Ideal conditions for goalkicking but not for our boys. Missed regulation shots and some of the field kicking was also poor. What stood out for me was the poor connection between players up the ground and the tall forwards. Willy players easily found space in their forward line and often converted. We on the other hand, kicked long to a contest which seldom resulted in a mark or even a neutralised contest. I can't remember even 1 contested forward line mark. The cohesion between forwards and the rest of the team just not there, you could see the forwards demanding the ball in one part of the ground and the player up the ground kicking it to our forward's direct opponent's advantage. Richmond could have easily won the game if they were more efficient and the players genuinely tried, it's a skill issue which in turn means that the recruiting has been well below par. The only players that stood out were Dow and Brown but I'm still uncertain that either will become 100 game players. After last night and today and reflecting on 3 mediocre seasons since 2020 it will take some targeted and brilliant recruiting to challenge again.

Today at Willy the boundary umpire was the highlight and in fact our umpire-assisted goals were also a highlight, I'd forgotten what it was like to receive them. Was a little dejected about the loss when I got home but I cheered right up when I heard Colonwood lost to the Hawks.
 
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Grimesy my favourite player and it's killing me watching his rapid decline.
Mine too. To see it happen so rapidly with him is still a shock to the system. He still defends one on one reasonably well, but his decision making when he has the ball has dropped off alarmingly. Plus he's now panicking more and more when he used to be the coolest head in the team.
 
We dont' have the cattle any more, and we don't have the fitness levels required to match it with the top teams. That means that we can play well in spurts, or as we saw in Cotch's 300th for one entire game, or last week v Dees, the first 3 quarters, but that's it. Every time we front up the week after one of those elevated intensity performances, we are completely spent. We are as slow as all get out. We can't lay tackles that stick and earn frees (alright, umps have a fair bit to do with that) anymore. Our pressure, and intensity in hunting the ball is not there anymore, but I'm sure that comes down to fitness. We just don't have the levels required for the repeat efforts. We used to be the hunter, but not anymore. Sides don't fear coming up against us anymore, because they know they will get first use of the footy, and be off and running before we realise it. Keep us running around chasing, and we are worn down quickly.
We have kept our ageing champs playing when form doesn't warrant it. Playing players out of position only robs Peter to pay Paul as they say, and that only results in sapping the confidence. We used to have guys that could come in and fill a role when our champs were injured or rested, and they wouldn't miss a beat. Now the well is dry. No surprise this week that Cotch and Grimes rested/dropped, but what the hell's with Dusty being 'managed'? Do or die match, and we just roll over. We needed to be more ruthless in our selections last year, but loyalty and or stubbornness got in the way.
Bachar was still playing great footy when tapped. Grigga was playing fine when tapped, but the older guys now are just too slow and banged up to warrant selection. For those about to cry out that we owe them respect etc, and to be allowed to go out at their own choice, well we are about to find out what happens when you wait too long and have everyone bow out at the same time. Because that day is coming fast! Grimesey another contracted year, spare me! Co-captains who are not up to it, spare me! As a club, taking the inconsistency in how we are umpired, week in week out, spare me! Mismanaged injuries, and poor fitness, spare me! Mini for the job, spare me! We need someone who can make sure our players are fit, switched on, and have the hunger to succeed. We may have been the destination club that everyone wanted to play for, and maybe that just resulted in players coming in and just expecting to be taken along for the ride. Well guess what, success doesn't come without effort and the desire. It's tough getting to the top and harder staying there, and just being allowed to retain your spot on average performances week in week out, regardless of reputations, doesn't cut it. We are in for a heap of pain, so we better just accept that a complete sweep out and rebuild is about to happen.
One word springs to mind to describe 2021-23: hubris.
 
Just watching the hawks. They have a great group coming. Talls are good. Style good. They will be in front of us in the next 5 years.
I would say within next few years. Can see the improvement within their group.
 
Watched 2020 grand final. Prestia, Cotchin, Martin, Vlastuin, Grimes, Graham , Pickett, Broad, Riewoldt, Nankervis all looked a lot faster in 2020 - that’s almost half our regular team being slower - not getting to contests or able to put the same pressure on. Add Hopper and Taranto for Lambert and Edwards.

stand
 
Just watching the hawks. They have a great group coming. Talls are good. Style good. They will be in front of us in the next 5 years.
They'll be in front of us next year the way we're going.
 

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Autopsy Roast & toast vs Western Bulldogs and changes for round 22 vs St Kilda

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