Autopsy Demons 97 defeat Dogs 71. Never was so much owed by so many to so few

[dogwatch]

This is a serious question and I am aware there have been some injury issues but is anyone else of my opinion that VDM has not progressed in performance since his first game? I had very high expectations of him early and am surprised at how he is performing.

As I stated earlier today I'm not a great fan of Vandermeer ... so far.

He's still young. I'm always happy to give a player time to learn, improve or get his s**t together (some take longer than others) but at this stage he wouldn't be in my first 22.

My knocks on him are that he doesn't handle cleanly enough, is easily brushed or harassed off the ball and more generally doesn't impact the game enough. His disposal is no better than average. He used to be good defensively in his early games IIRC but I'm not sure he even does that well at the moment. Just checked his career stats. If anything he did better in his first season (2020) than in 2021, although he had more CPs and GAs in his second season.

AFL Tables - Laitham Vandermeer - Stats - Statistics

afltables.com

There's something to work with there but we have similar players in Garcia and Jones coming through. What I've seen of Garcia would have him in front of Vandermeer IMO. Jones may be even more promising than the pair of them but is only starting his senior footy so might need some time.

 

[glenashley]

Not too concerned.

We were horrid. 7 or 8 players had stinkers.

Shocking turnovers and decision making.

Bont injured.

Not far off beating the best team in the comp.

 

[perro_loco]

Bevo is a fifty something year old man who doesn’t have social media. Highly doubt he’s sitting on leaked messages. More likely it’s some random dogs fan

I am 60 and I use anti-social media.

 

[NthBondiDoggies]

Breaking down the loss - the first thing was the lack of intensity early in the game. We played a second to the ball conservative approach. Was clear form the Bevo blow up that their was some impact on team Pre game from the selection leak - Imagine how this would have played out inside the club. Would be incredibly distracting. Maybe they let Talia visit?

Melbourne would have sniffed early that they wanted the ball more - compare to last year - we were scary.

Forward line did not work - entries were bad but there was no significant leading - even to create space. Our structure is simple - we are a movement not a structure team - if we don’t move we are beaten one on one - if we move we are almost impossible to defend and entries into it our defence are messy.

Schache and Cordy were both tried but didn’t play to their strengths - load leads and long kicks for goal from 50 and Cordy contesting bringing the ball to ground. For Schache / Tomlinson can keep up with him and he stopped running - he needed to keep going gutbusting to create space and movement and he didn’t. Moved down to defence with his tail between his legs and the dropped a couple of marks straight to Melb and goal - lost his confidence and passenger for rest of game - couldn’t get back into it.

Cordy didn’t really have a match up down back - was in MacDonald for a period who was quiet. Gardner was on Jackson who was impactful but didn’t have a lot of it.

Melb forward line isn’t star studded but is very balanced - Brown leads, Jackson second forward creating a genuine target, MacDonald a running CHF, Fritch probably best in the comp as a leading mid forward and a nightmare to play on and Picket, Spargo and Sparrow are all effective forward threats - they all contribute and so all attract attention.

Contrast to us. Naughts was the best forward on the ground (better than Brown) And then where was no other contribution. The we have:

• Schache v Jackson - easy win to Melb
• Cordy v MacDonald - role players neither were great
• Hannan v Fritsch - massive win for Melb
• VDM v Kickett - both fast pressure forwards. Kickett was better and a constant threat but wasn’t great
• Weightman v Sparrow - Weightman should be better but had a shocker
• Rourke v Spargo - Both quiet but unfair on Roarke. JJ is a better option but was injured and Other small forwards not in emergencies
• and rolling forward superstars Petracca had Bont again though both very good.

This is a smashing before the game even started given the better structure that is designed to score more goals as a unit.

With us - I can’t see a system or even clear roles - Both Weightman and Hannan tried to wait behind and take speccies over the defender. Melbourne set up for that with blocks and marking in front creating slingshots - if you are moving to the ball this doesn’t happen. I understand Melbourne is good a blocking leading channels but that means cross leads and moving out to open up the forward line - ours looked congested. Weightman has talent but needs to deliver the basics on game day. Hannan I would expect better skills - needs to be more reliable. VDM as the fast small forward needs to have sure hands to be dangerous- I like him but would expect McNeil or Scott will now get a chance.

 

[acker]

Autopsy = 2 senior Assistant Coaches gone from last year, Bont turns 26 and Macrae turns 27 ... Bevo can only sell potential for so long before the forever rebuild seems like an excuse for crap glass jaw coaching

I preferred Bevo 2015 & 2016 to this overcooked excuse riddled Bevo 2021 and Woke Warrior don't blame me Bevo 2022

FFS - Let's not waste a great list with a declining coach whose running out of ideas

 

[Jeff 1975]

Melbourne had so much space to lead into which makes it much easier to honour the kead. In contrast very little space in our forward line but even when we did hardly ever put the ball to our forwards advantage. Repeatedly picked out a Melbourne player and they would be off too the races into you guessed it an open forward 50 and after half time they finished well.

Fritsch in the GF last year didn’t have much room but made the most of it with good timing and good ball delivery from the midfield

Melbourne took a chance honored the lead and it paid off

Some of our midfields hold the ball to long hence the congestion

More overlap, speed, better skills and confidence are needed

 

[acker]

Fritsch in the GF last year didn’t have much room but made the most of it with good timing and good ball delivery from the midfield

Melbourne took a chance honored the lead and it paid off

Some of our midfields hold the ball to long hence the congestion

More overlap, speed, better skills and confidence are needed

I care what Dogs did not what Melbourne Did

Dogs lost Another 3rd Quarter under Bevo which seems to happen too often

Why didn't Jordan Sweet replace Stefan Martin when he withdrew from the side against Melbourne?

Slack Coaching?

 

[Jeff 1975]

I care what Dogs did not what Melbourne Did

Dogs lost Another 3rd Quarter under Bevo which seems to happen too often

Why didn't Jordan Sweet replace Stefan Martin when he withdrew from the side against Melbourne?

Slack Coaching?

I agree that we should have 2 ruckman

Then Bevos pitch-hits can play in their correct selected positions

Sadly all Bevo is doing is robbing Peter to pay Paul

 

[WAbulldog]

I think we were cooked from the beginning of the game but only playing one good quarter is not good enough, need to be better with our forward entry’s and clean up our skill errors.

 

[Mofra]

Not too concerned.

We were horrid. 7 or 8 players had stinkers.

Shocking turnovers and decision making.

Bont injured.

Not far off beating the best team in the comp.

Yep. Wood, trees.
We lost by 4 goals, and Bailey Williams gave up 6 of those himself on turnovers.

There were negatives but positives as well - English looks like he's taken a step forward and Bailey Smith's 11 tackles show he's worked hard on his defensive side.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

Not too concerned.

We were horrid. 7 or 8 players had stinkers.

Shocking turnovers and decision making.

Bont injured.

Not far off beating the best team in the comp.

I felt s**t watching it at the game, but honestly your right, specially what Mofra said above me as well.

A few tweeks to the side and we're upto it in our eyeballs this year, English looks to maybe come good (And I'm a big critic of his), we got Josh Bruce coming back around the bye, we're set for a big season again, just might take a few games to get the team humming again.

 

[The Slitherin' Snake]

This is a serious question and I am aware there have been some injury issues but is anyone else of my opinion that VDM has not progressed in performance since his first game? I had very high expectations of him early and am surprised at how he is performing.

He's got some talent but tries to do too much everytime he gets it. The game hasn't slowed down for him yet so he needs to do the simple things first (give the first option handball, hit the 30m spot up kick) and not try to baulk two people before going for the miracle goal or impossible pass.

Once the game slows down a bit, sure use his pace and daring to take the game on a bit, but he's not there yet