Autopsy Rd 4 - Massive choke - Bottomed out again.

[Robbo's my hero]

Think we should all take a 5 minute break.

Lot of rash and silly comments being tossed about.

I went and worked around the house for an hour after the game. It was the only way to cope with the heartache of losing.

 

[bleednavyblue]

Nope. Couldn't have chosen better job security. Is so talented that he only needs to play one good qtr every week or so and he can earn 500k for the next 8 years.

Yeah stuff the wins, im getting paid!

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Bolton’s confirmed that bombing it long is part of the game plan. He made an on the fly change to structure to push his keys further up the ground, without thinking of the consequences that would be involved when he's training his midfielders to bomb it long - the way you train is the way you play. We're training a lot of these snap decisions. Bolts mucked up, bad.

He told his talls to come further up the ground after the first quarter. I'm positive he did not tell them all to do it at the same time. Every team has talls come up the ground. The last man left wasn't positioning themselves properly. I'd suggest that McKay was the offender this week. Work rate was well down.

Kicking long to our talls is part of our game plan. Take advantage of your strengths and all.

 

[thylacine60]

This is a really silly post.

Next time type, pause and reflect before hitting send. The bloke is coming back from a week out and is out of form but so far away from being dumped it isn't funny. Plus who do you play instead? There are a fair few to go out before him.

gotta say charlie looks rusty as shit..........

 

[TheCoach16]

you can't play that many talls in the same team. everyone on this thread knew that and everyone in the football universe knew that. Premiership coaches have thrown midfielders in the ruck to give the main ruck a rest before playing with 2 immobile rucks.

bolton plays all those talls because he simply has no idea how to move the ball up the field other than by kicking down the line to a big guy. and somehow with 4 tall marking players plus cripps to kick down the line to, the system still repeatedly collapsed to the point there they all got caught up the ground and there was no forward close to goal and they were bombing it on gibbons head.

I’m not disagreeing with you, but I don’t believe playing four talls was the problem...
The problem is, if you go with four talls, your game style needs to accomodate four talls.
This possession game we played today was ridiculous. Especially given our inability to hit a target.
We switch for the sake of switching. A good side, especially a good side with four tall forwards doesn’t switch, wait, go back off the mark, chip, wait, switch back the other way, wait, go back off the mark, and chip again.

Teams switch the footy and GO! The switch is meant to throw the opposition defenders off guard. Not give them time to set up all over again.

Four talls means you move the footy quickly. You dish off to a runner, or you wheel and go. You make your decision on the run. You play a manic brand that puts the opposition in panic mode.

We chipped the ball around today like we were Hawthorn in 2013! But with none of the skill.

I’m happy with the big forward line. Harry, Charlie, and McGovern are all athletic, mobile, big men. Casboult, I can take or leave. But if we play a big forward line, let’s play footy that accomodates it...

 

[pinot]

Is it a case of Bolts and Co have a plan but its over complicated and the players dont understand? Or he has no plan and the players just do what they like?

Not sure but they just look poorly drilled and play silly ad hoc hail mary football hasnt stopped for almost two years so I reckon they have lost the plot.

 

[mjtim1]

As much as I hate to say it, there needs to be a circuit breaker if we continue like this until years end.
I am starting to get the impression that the players feel like 'its just going to happen and all click ' because we have used the rebuilding excuse for to long and they are comfortable with loosing and just blame it on the rebuild.

'Oh well, we are young and will naturally improve eventually, the coach has our backs and will spurn something about still learning our craft and age profile of the list. All good, onto next week."

I could be completly wrong but there appears to be a real lack of accountability seeping into our culture.

 

[jackn]

It's always darkest before the dawn.

Pretty sure that was being mentioned here years ago. How long does the darkest before the dawn part last? Seems the earth has stopped rotating at princes park sadly.

 

[bleednavyblue]

Not sure but they just look poorly drilled and play silly ad hoc hail mary football hasnt stopped for almost two years so I reckon they have lost the plot.

Yeah the plot has gone. Im starting go wonder if they actually want to win and be successful.

 

[No1Suspect]

Leading patterns seem non-existent. I'd almost take a Pagan's paddock type set up right now with Harry or McG given how they can gain separation and have such good hands on the lead.

Unfortunately when the ball comes into our forward line there's little space to lead into given our set up at present.

This kick to hope down the line rubbish, i think maybe malthouse left his play book in the desk and Bolton is secretly using it.....

 

[Aphrodite]

I went and worked around the house for an hour after the game. It was the only way to cope with the heartache of losing.

I should have gone shopping!

 

[Alphonse_]

The Saints beating the Hawks is my only pleasure today.

How sad is that?

I am still taking great pleasure in that new Rise of Skywalker trailer (Palpatine you beauty !!!)

Funny how 15 seconds of a game can change everyone's mindset and emotions, at the very least Paddy Cripps aka Superman got another 3 Brownlow votes, Weitering has seemingly shrugged off his sophomore season Blues and got his dander up and was in our top 3 players and Walsh put in another swashbuckling performance.

There are still a lot more positives than negatives to be taken from today's game,
eventually our luck will turn and the wins will come, both the players and fans need some perseverance and patience, Bolton is instilling a hard work ethos into our boys which will hold is in good stead for a long time

 

[Colonel_Klink]

Convinced this is a coaching issue.

Effort is there.
Most of the young players are developing as expected.
As the players have clearly been trying - the coach hasn't 'lost' the players.

Structures are ******. Today's selection was truly baffling. Bit of pressure mounting, in need of a win, perfect chance for the coaching team to turn things simple, pick a balanced 22 and let the boys play and win on talent and hard work. Instead they do the opposite and go full Malthouse trying to complicate the shit out of everything thinking they are geniuses and as a result players are confused and frustrated.

Imagine being one of the 4 KPF's?

"Ok Harry, you're our key forward number 1 today, but you're to be up the ground, and sometimes in the fifty. Doesn't really matter, just anywhere - get on ya bike. Charlie, we want you to play that roaming forward role that's mostly up the ground, just don't get in Harrys way, same for you Harry - stay out of Charlies way. Considering we like to chip backwards and sideways chances are you won't take many marks so you'll just have to deal with it. Gov - you stay in the 50, you can kick goals if you want, but remember you're not the full forward - I'm getting to that! Cas! You're to stay inside 50, and up the ground and sometimes in the ruck - again doesn't matter too much just make a contest and don't get in the way."

"So who's full forward?"

"Gibbo!!"

I completely agree with you on the point of simplification, it would pay massive dividends - even more so now thanks to the 6/6/6 rule et cetera.

 

[rp84]

I’m not disagreeing with you, but I don’t believe playing four talls was the problem...
The problem is, if you go with four talls, your game style needs to accomodate four talls.
This possession game we played today was ridiculous. Especially given our inability to hit a target.
We switch for the sake of switching. A good side, especially a good side with four tall forwards doesn’t switch, wait, go back off the mark, chip, wait, switch back the other way, wait, go back off the mark, and chip again.

Teams switch the footy and GO! The switch is meant to throw the opposition defenders off guard. Not give them time to set up all over again.

Four talls means you move the footy quickly. You dish off to a runner, or you wheel and go. You make your decision on the run. You play a manic brand that puts the opposition in panic mode.

We chipped the ball around today like we were Hawthorn in 2013! But with none of the skill.

I’m happy with the big forward line. Harry, Charlie, and McGovern are all athletic, mobile, big men. Casboult, I can take or leave. But if we play a big forward line, let’s play footy that accomodates it...

Im pretty sure my under 12s side switched the play quicker than the blues

 

[FootyGeek]

Executive Summary

Thought of the day, season, and indeed era - “They are ill discoverers who think that there is no land when all they can see is ocean” (Francis Bacon). In other words, we’re making progress, but are yet to see it in terms of our win-loss record, but that will come in time. Is it frustrating? Yep. Is it altogether surprising? Nope.

Waffle

I hope that the club is stockpiling large quantities of humble pie to send to some of our “supporters” when we reach our tipping point, which we are clearly busting our guts to reach (perhaps too much ...), and which we will reach sooner rather than later imho. It’s obvious that 2020 and 2021 will be a much more enjoyable experience for those who have stayed loyal to “the long game” ... as well as for those who are able to conveniently forget the sort of rubbish that they’ve posted in this forum in seasons 2019, 2018, etc.

As for today, what were some positives? Imo, most of our defence were excellent for most of the game, with Weiters and Jones being obvious bright points for the season, which only someone with a negative agenda could possibly overlook. Immediately after the game, I noticed Weiters addressing the team out on the ground, which speaks to his character, growing maturity, and quiet leadership qualities. I think he’ll be an All Australian within 2 years. Walsh was once again fantastic, with a work ethic that is outstanding, and courage to burn - not just the obvious courage shown in his mark and goal, but his constant gut running that he shows week to week. After a poor (by his standards) first quarter, Cripps once again showed his power and class, and his leadership will be a real strength of ours moving forward, especially when it’s complemented by Doc’s approach next year.

As for negatives from today, they’re obviously not hard to find, but most are understandable, albeit exasperating. Dow clearly needs to work on his composure, decision making, and skill execution. However, imo there’s definitely a serious player in there, and that player will emerge and grow as we do as a team. Our entries into the forward 50 are a train wreck most of the time, and that more than likely requires the serious attention of both our coaches and our players. As Bolts made clear at the start of his presser after the Swans game, he is trying to teach our players how to make better in-game decisions, and not to give them a detailed recipe book on “what to do when”. Personally, I think that this strategy will pay dividends in the medium to long term, but it will definitely involve some real growing pains in the meantime, both for the players and the supporters. The only other negative that I’ll mention here is that imo too many of our players seem to be drifting in and out of the game, instead of putting in 4 quarter efforts, and that has hurt us badly in all 4 games. McKay was just one player who seemed to slip into this pattern today.

Anyway, where do we go from here? Simply really - we keep our together; we dissect the game; we learn what we need to; we recommit to the plan and to one another; we work on what we need to in training; and we go again next week against the Dogs.

Quoted so others might read. Great post.

 

[BLUEALLTHRU]

We play Casboult, McGovern, McKay, Charlie Curnow.

Yet the gameplan is to target Gibbons almost every ******* time.

Gone. Bolton has to be gone.

No he doesn't

 

[JuddyBuddy]

St Kilda, Gold Coast, Brisbane have all improved this year...and yet here we are in that oh so familiar position, dead ****ing last.

 

[Bostonian]

Let's not pretend that what we saw today has been happening the whole season.

Everything that occurred in the forward line has been present since round one. Same issues, same lack of apparent system present.

Skill errors and poor decision making also have been present since round one.

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

He told his talls to come further up the ground after the first quarter. I'm positive he did not tell them all to do it at the same time. Every team has talls come up the ground. The last man left wasn't positioning themselves properly. I'd suggest that McKay was the offender this week. Work rate was well down.

Kicking long to our talls is part of our game plan. Take advantage of your strengths and all.

there's nothing wrong with that. the problem is it's not part of our game plan, it's our entire game plan.

not since docherty went down have we had any type of methodical ball movement up the field. it's slow, stagnant and predictable. we have the most inside 50 marking power in the AFL and we rank dead last for marks inside 50.

 

[HBF]

We deserved to lose that game..
Terrible ground kicking..
Delivery inside 50 is local footy-like..
Too many footballers with great endeavour but poor foot skills..
Basically, we are a dumb football side.

Our field kicking was horrific today. So many turnovers was just bad footy.

 

[Red Bull]

Think we should all take a 5 minute break.

Lot of rash and silly comments being tossed about.

No
People can own their posts
As the football department must own their performance

 

[jj1978]

One just one ficken game Bolton let them run through the middle and attack... the whole lot look scared to play positive football.

 

[rp84]

Convinced this is a coaching issue.

Effort is there.
Most of the young players are developing as expected.
As the players have clearly been trying - the coach hasn't 'lost' the players.

Structures are ******. Today's selection was truly baffling. Bit of pressure mounting, in need of a win, perfect chance for the coaching team to turn things simple, pick a balanced 22 and let the boys play and win on talent and hard work. Instead they do the opposite and go full Malthouse trying to complicate the shit out of everything thinking they are geniuses and as a result players are confused and frustrated.

Imagine being one of the 4 KPF's?

"Ok Harry, you're our key forward number 1 today, but you're to be up the ground, and sometimes in the fifty. Doesn't really matter, just anywhere - get on ya bike. Charlie, we want you to play that roaming forward role that's mostly up the ground, just don't get in Harrys way, same for you Harry - stay out of Charlies way. Considering we like to chip backwards and sideways chances are you won't take many marks so you'll just have to deal with it. Gov - you stay in the 50, you can kick goals if you want, but remember you're not the full forward - I'm getting to that! Cas! You're to stay inside 50, and up the ground and sometimes in the ruck - again doesn't matter too much just make a contest and don't get in the way."

"So who's full forward?"

"Gibbo!!"

LOL

POTY

 

[Foucault1989]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing..
And I still don't agree..

No one but a Carlton fan would argue those two have anything on Stephenson and Richards...short, medium and long term. Dow can't kick and OBrien is barely treading water. I had OBrien at pick 15 not 10.

 

[Bostonian]

This kick to hope down the line rubbish, i think maybe malthouse left his play book in the desk and Bolton is secretly using it.....

It's the million dollar question. It is our strategy or is it the players creating this situation when going forward.