Autopsy Dogs season ends with dire loss to Freo

[Gift]

Can someone smarter than me explain why multiple times we lined up at centre bounce leaving one of Serong/Young/Brayshaw completely by themselves?

Our midfield and defensive structures are unserious. Top teams like Adelaide/Geelong/Brisbane/Collingwood have either a big bodied mid like Dunkley(remember this guy lol)/Pendlebury/Peatling or a tackling machine like Atkins protecting goal side of stoppages.

Our structures are like ones you would see in an All Star exhibition game where all three onballers go for the ball leaving goal side exposed all game. Fun to watch against bottom teams but against top teams its like having no goal keeper.

This also applies to our defenders. Most top teams have certain roles for defenders like who guards their man only and who guards both man and space etc. Who is expected to intercept. Whereas our defenders all just attack the ball and run off their men non stop so that if theres a turn over theres just free players out the back. The extra run looks good on transition but good teams will manipulate matchups to expose this.

Clear examples in the game is having Lobb on Treacy all game. Lobb excells at playing on his man deep and intercepting. He should be protecting the space deep in the goal square and supporting Busslinger and Odonnell. If you watch footage in the 2nd quarter yesterday, Treacy was leading high up the ground and Lobb followed which is a NO NO. Lobb should have done a handover and let Odonnell run up the ground. Instead what happened was Lobb is stuck chasing his man and inexperienced Odonnell and Busslinger are left deep 1 v 1 against their opponents which is what Freo wanted. Freo tried to scout our training which made the news whereas it seems like we dont scout our opposition properly to allocate roles seriously which is why we lose to top sides and finals.

 

[Gift]

Even when he goes up against a fellow 'leaper' like Jackson he can't do it as well as him. Don't get me started on throw-ins, I don't think he has ever taken front spot in one of those.

He cant take front spot because he doesnt have the body strength to hold it which is why he starts off on angles to give him space to run and jump for the hitout. Its just his skill set unless he puts on more muscle to own the space he is rucking in like other top tier rucks.

 

[perro_loco]

Imagine Essendon win and then we go onto to become Premiers. Wouldn’t that be the craziest outcome
In AFL history?

 

[Doggies_13]

If you were told at the start of the season that.....

Treloar, Weightman and Ugle Hagen would play little or no footy this year.

Bont and Darcy would both spend long periods on the sidelines injured.

Naughton would take a third of the season or more to recover from illness and find form.

Jones and Dureya would drop off substantially and no longer be best 22 players anymore.

....would you have taken 9th on the ladder?

Not making excuses and our failings have been well documented here.

Just interested in what people think on reflection.

Well you pretty much are throwing up excuses.

JUH is likely to never play AFL again and treloar is probably closer to retirement than playing next year it’s probably 60/40 so likely neither will be back to help next year.

Cody is a big in but our offence isn’t the issue.

Duryea was already cooked late last year should not have gone around again.

Jones drop off hurt us more than anything.

Our best is 3-4 goals short of the top 7-8 teams best.

But we are 10+ goals better than the bottom 7-8 teams best.

We can’t rely on a full season from Bont, Darcy and Cody next year to move forward.

We have conceded big run ons multiple times this year, freo twice and lions which have cost us games. Same issue as previous years.

Our defensive systems need a massive overhaul and we need to strengthen our backline especially with a number one KPD.

If we just accept that this player was out and that player was out and it was just bad luck we will become the next st Kilda sitting in that 8-12 range going no where.

 

[Gift]

Imagine Essendon win and then we go onto to become Premiers. Wouldn’t that be the craziest outcome
In AFL history?

Yeah more chance of winning lotto multiple times

 

[Planet Dogs]

Interesting team stats below. While disappointed, I am optimistic for 2026

 

[Doggies_13]

The allowing the opposition to exit the front of the stoppage whether it be centre bounces or around the ground and having no one defensive side has been killing us since 2021 GF and we just refuse to fix it or use a sweeper.

When we have a run on against us too, watch how often we just chuck Bont Libba and Richards (previously treloar) in there and set up offensively again

 

[lachy]

Interesting team stats below. While disappointed, I am optimistic for 2026

View attachment 2406536

Why despite thrashing bottom 9 teams I have never been overly optimistic this year

 

[Philthy1]

Interesting team stats below. While disappointed, I am optimistic for 2026

View attachment 2406536

I think what people are failing to realize is that we are in the middle of a mini re-build / reset / transition, whatever you want to call it. Our top end talent is superb. Our bottom six, and in fact our bottom 10 going by this need more experience and maybe some of them need to be upgraded.

 

[grassman75]

Member thank you round that was, more like Member 'f*** you' round.

The 7 goals in the last was probably the biggest insult of all and yet another f*** you to us fans.

It was beyond weak and insipid today. The stakes were clear, reputation as flat trackers, chance to make a stand and we put in a limp and gutless effort like that. That should end careers, but it won't.

I'm done. Without major change, I won't be signing up for a 31st year as member in 2026. I've had enough.

I would ask for heads to roll, but they won't. As weak off field as we are on field.

You can always buy a membership in the last round for $5 and go to the finals ahead of the rest of us

 

[bresker]

Weird narrative about English on the thread /board

40 hitouts vs 29 for S (freo )Darcy & 7 for Jackson
15 disposals vs 7 for Darcy
7 tackles. Joint 2nd best on ground .
Sacrificed his attacking game to defend.
Dropped a few marks , but at least he was there to take the mark. He always fronts up. He's a visible presence . Unlike many rucks.

Crazy belief that he's soft because he's not Mick Nolan or something

He spends a huge amount of TOG and was just as effective as any other big man. S Darcy is on big coin at Freo. Jackson is a cracking mid/forward who doubles up as an effective ruck.

English has improved on everything this board wanted & still he's not good enough.
If he was a free agent a minimum 15 other clubs would be banging his agent's door down.

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[grassman75]

No. I'm hoping the Suns flog them. Done by half time. We deserve it.

Imagine the game was played when it was supposed to be and Essendon had a full list….we migh5 already be in. You watch the bastards beat GC now

 

[grassman75]

It’s not so much that, it’s just I’m completely indifferent.

Was the same a few years ago when we were all supporting Carlton to beat the Giants.

Didnt care then and I don’t now.

Essendon are essentially no chance any way to beat the Suns.

They’re away, they have about 5069 injuries, they’re no good and are on a huge losing streak, and the Suns have everything to play for.

Our season ended today.

Suns off a 5 day break and travel to SA….its gonna happen, you just know it

 

[grassman75]

I have it on authority from someone in the box that it happened.

I can imagine lots of things happen in a lot of coaches boxes

My old man once got to sit in the box with Rocket during a game…..he said his stress level was through the roof with the tension and rocket going off at everyone….i can imagine with Bevo being a my way guy, it would happen a lot too

 

[grassman75]

Was Busslinger injured? The dude has the running gait of an Olympic walker.

No, he’s just inexperienced and not that good yet….i say yet to be nice

 

[grassman75]

I can’t stand to sit here and stomach listening to Bevo dribble on in the post game. For those who have watched it, what was the excuse excuses today?

I’m sure we will learn from that defeat

 

[Doggies_13]

I think what people are failing to realize is that we are in the middle of a mini re-build / reset / transition, whatever you want to call it. Our top end talent is superb. Our bottom six, and in fact our bottom 10 going by this need more experience and maybe some of them need to be upgraded.

Why though?

After 2016 we were one of the youngest premiership teams by the end of 2018 we were doing a mini rebuild.

2021 we were a team at its prime, by 2023 we’re were in a mini rebuild.

So why are we constantly challenging for one year then can’t back it up the following and transition into a mini rebuild the year after that?

The reason we are constantly in no man’s land is because we have some exceptional talent on our list that carries us, we play the same bottom 6 most weeks and rotate the 12-17 guys in the team around.

Why aren’t we going all in?

 

[grassman75]

Then we troll everyone and win 4 in a row for the flag.

Come on Dogs!

Worst premiers ever!

Let’s do it!

Imagine the salt….honestly no team in the 8 looks good at the moment

 

[grassman75]

The recruiting needs to focus on defenders, the whole pre needs to focus on defensive structures plans. The forward line will be an excitement machine with Sam, Croft, Astro, Cody and Arty.

And West….that forward line is locked

Piss JUH off, get Butters and a couple of defenders and we a ripe

 

[Libbaaaa]

Weird narrative about English on the thread /board

40 hitouts vs 29 for S (freo )Darcy & 7 for Jackson
15 disposals vs 7 for Darcy
7 tackles. Joint 2nd best on ground .
Sacrificed his attacking game to defend.
Dropped a few marks , but at least he was there to take the mark. He always fronts up. He's a visible presence . Unlike many rucks.

Crazy belief that he's soft because he's not Mick Nolan or something

He spends a huge amount of TOG and was just as effective as any other big man. S Darcy is on big coin at Freo. Jackson is a cracking mid/forward who doubles up as an effective ruck.

English has improved on everything this board wanted & still he's not good enough.
If he was a free agent a minimum 15 other clubs would be banging his agent's door down.

Be careful what you wish for.

Wasn't he a free agent last year and only the Eagles were semi interested? The contract we signed him for is fine though, TDK is going to get something like $700k-$800k more a year which is just laughable. Everyone has a game where they drop marks as well so won't hold that against him either. However I have zero confidence (and I would say neither do our mids) that in a crunch centre bounce he is going to come up with the goods, or at least try to bring the ball to ground for another ball up so we can flood back and reset to try stop a run on of goals.

 

[Libbaaaa]

I’m sure we will learn from that defeat

I love the great man but this type of boiler plate response just frustrates me.

 

[grassman75]

Anyone who thinks McNeil is an AFL footballer needs to be committed.

Reasonable list of Bev favorites over the journey, but this bloke is on the podium with a medal.

Stamped his papers finally today. Has the odd good game but when others are off, so is he. Needs to be cut or stay in the VFL Arty takes his spot. At least vdm has a bit of campaigner in him

 

[Philthy1]

View attachment 2406578

I love the great man but this type of boiler plate response just frustrates me.

What did you expect him to say?

 

[grassman75]

If you were told at the start of the season that.....

Treloar, Weightman and Ugle Hagen would play little or no footy this year.

Bont and Darcy would both spend long periods on the sidelines injured.

Naughton would take a third of the season or more to recover from illness and find form.

Jones and Dureya would drop off substantially and no longer be best 22 players anymore.

....would you have taken 9th on the ladder?

Not making excuses and our failings have been well documented here.

Just interested in what people think on reflection.

This 100%. We missed (probably) finals as the first team with 14 wins and the highest % ever to miss by a long way.

It wasn’t just the drubbings against lower sides, we never lost by more than 22pts

Lots of green shoots

 

[Foxman98]

Wasn't he a free agent last year and only the Eagles were semi interested? The contract we signed him for is fine though, TDK is going to get something like $700k-$800k more a year which is just laughable. Everyone has a game where they drop marks as well so won't hold that against him either. However I have zero confidence (and I would say neither do our mids) that in a crunch centre bounce he is going to come up with the goods, or at least try to bring the ball to ground for another ball up so we can flood back and reset to try stop a run on of goals.

TDK is getting close to a million more,

English signed a year to late and would only be on around 800k TDK is getting 1.7-1.8