Opinion Expectations 2023

[Palace03]

Finally break into the top 4 under Bevo would be nice, unless structure and game plan is addressed I fear more of the same.

The improvement in output and coaching needs to come from the middle, nearly the entire midfield fell off a cliff last year. Bont, McRea, Treloar, Hunter, B Smith, were all down on 2021 for a variety of reasons (injury, form, played out of position, too many nose beers etc) Was embarrassing at times the ease the oppo streamed out the front of a centre bounce, it really was Dunkley and Libba that kept us in alot of games in there. Marc Webb needs some serious help with this or replaced all together. If more pressure is put on the oppo by our mids I'm comfortable with Jones, Gardner and Keath under a high ball with Dale, Richards and Dureya mopping up (Daniel needs to be moved up the ground.)

Our recruiting has addressed the KP holes, if our mids can bounce back, structure up better and get rid of the outside 5 man on mark rubbish we can take a leap, if not 6-10.

 

[ScragCity]

Expecting us to be pretty s**t again tbh. Jones and Lobb are pretty mediocre players. I don't have any faith in our mids. English is still too inconsistent.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

flagdogs

 

[NthBondiDoggies]

Made the eight this year…just…but didn’t look like contenders.

This year we will contend barring injuries - that means top 6 (great if top 4).

The movement in out top 22 should be an improvement overall.

The areas we struggled:

- ruck - much better with Lobb and English was flying until he was concussed.

- tall defence - much better - Jones is a very good 1:1 player but also Keath had a shocker. If he regains Fitness that is a mature and solid big 2. Gardner is still improving and if he puts some muscle on (he has speed) then he will back himself more. Darcy will be a lottery - we should not expect him to have it easy in his second year but he is a better intercept KPD than any of those highly touted in this years draft and so let’s just develop him.

- intercept marketing - if Darcy continues this will be a game changer but let’s assume he slows a bit in his development in the second year - Khamis showed some real talent and just needs to get 5% better to be a good inclusion. Crozier should bounce back but Duryea was injured at the wrong times and if he can be consistent then it opens us up to use Richards (who is becoming a superstar and still has incredible upside - he is our Easton Wood

10

Easton Wood

Age

34

Ht

187cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.0

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

6.1

4star

M

4.9

5star

T

1.6

4star

MG

217.0

3star

D

11.2

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

4.2

3star

M

4.3

4star

T

1.2

2star

MG

154.0

3star

D

12.8

4star

K

6.4

3star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.8

4star

today with future leadership potential). Left field - I am a big fan of Raak - he has genuine mongrel and grit to him (early Morris traits - more muscle and watch him thrive. Cleary more a Bob Murphy type but will add something to us and play more games this year.

- Key forwards - was a bit of a lone hand by Naughty this year and it showed as he lost a bit of his explosiveness trying to do too much. Still kicked a good quantity but by the end of this year - JUH was looking more and more threatening, particularly roaming out at 50 and dobbing some crackers. But most important is Bruce coming back - he is our highest goal scorer - big and aggressive and gives Naughty and JUH freedom when he plays out of the square and deals with the blockers in the packs. Would be playing front of pack leaning back into the defenders. Second most important is having either Lobb or English drawing the ball and spreading the defence - you can’t drop off them and when having to make a quick kick it is easy to know where to kick to them.

- small forwards - we had no consistency in these roles. Will be better if we do well with injuries. Only in a couple of games did they look like they knew where to stand and what to do (eg West in game against Plastics). Outside draft we have Flea, West, JJ, García and McNeil. Our best were not available for most of the year - Flea, JJ and West/García rotating on the ball. Both the last two will improve and hopefully Flea will stop jumping into our talls.


Best 22 losses:

- wing - we have lost our best winger and really only have developing makeshift wingers in Williams (who could go further into the midfield now that his tank has been developed), Bedendo has shown some great glimpses and has great attributes- could be anything but we don’t know yet. Jones is still too young to know. McNeil is a similar player to Hunter but not as developed so expect will be given first dibs. Alternatively we play Trelor and Smith and could turn a weakness in a strength. Short story is that as good as Hunter is - he was a shadow of his ability last year and so this is not a huge loss. Also a great place to start a new mid high pick!

- inside mid - we have lost last years B&F and this will have an impact. But having McLean as already a 20+ contested mid coming in, with West being excellent inside and García coming in we just need Bont and Macrae to come back to their standards and we will still be very strong here. Would be great to get a Phillipou, Ed Allen or Husthwaite in there and have Bont, Macrae and one of these are big Mids and Libba, McLean and West as in and under with Smith, Trelor and García as speed.

 

[BrisDog]

I think we win the flag boys. As long as Bevo isn’t weird and plays his mates, I see Tim English potentially being the best ruck in the comp, laying the ball to Bont, McRae, Libba and B Smith.

The ball heads down to Naughty, Marra and Lobb.

I think we can do it.

* As long as Bevo is not weird.

 

[Dogs Rule]

One thing I want killed with fire and never seen again is the backing off the mark 'tactic'. Never Again. Ever. Ever.

 

[doggies ftw]

One thing I want killed with fire and never seen again is the backing off the mark 'tactic'. Never Again. Ever. Ever.

I really think we’re gonna continue with it unfortunately, just cannot see it playing out with Bev canning it and accepting it was wrong - I mean if we were going to do that we would have done it this year, it was obvious to everyone it was a total failure by round 6 yet we persisted…

I honestly think it had more of a negative affect on our year than a lot of people realise. Whilst across the ground we were well down on our best but the only part of our game that was completely and utterly worlds apart from from the level of 2021 was our team defence across the ground and ease of which it went end to end and inside our def 50

There was the same personal on the ground, the same structures and set ups as the year before - literally the only difference was our back off the mark tactic and it KILLED us.

We should be one of if not the team to beat next year and be up to this flag race to our eyeballs. But if I see us back off the mark in preseason our year is effectively shot before it’s started honestly.

If that’s the case Bev should be sacked by round 10

I’m concerned tbh just cannot see a world in which we admit this failure, more likely we double down and back off even further or some bullshit

 

[Mr. Walker]

I would like to see some sign, in both the playing and the coaching group, that losing a final from a position of 7 goals up hurt and will be a motivator for next season. I have no idea what is said internally but the public statements about the loss imo have been mild and it seems it has just been expected as “ something that happens in this game”.

 

[ScragCity]

I would like to see some sign, in both the playing and the coaching group, that losing a final from a position of 7 goals up hurt and will be a motivator for next season. I have no idea what is said internally but the public statements about the loss imo have been mild and it seems it has just been expected as “ something that happens in this game”.

The fact that we didn't review the 2021 GF worries me. There's a trend now of having the upper hand in a final and then just capitulating. We need to know why this is happening. It's not normal.

 

[Dogs Rule]

I really think we’re gonna continue with it unfortunately, just cannot see it playing out with Bev canning it and accepting it was wrong - I mean if we were going to do that we would have done it this year, it was obvious to everyone it was a total failure by round 6 yet we persisted…

I honestly think it had more of a negative affect on our year than a lot of people realise. Whilst across the ground we were well down on our best but the only part of our game that was completely and utterly worlds apart from from the level of 2021 was our team defence across the ground and ease of which it went end to end and inside our def 50

There was the same personal on the ground, the same structures and set ups as the year before - literally the only difference was our back off the mark tactic and it KILLED us.

We should be one of if not the team to beat next year and be up to this flag race to our eyeballs. But if I see us back off the mark in preseason our year is effectively shot before it’s started honestly.

If that’s the case Bev should be sacked by round 10

I’m concerned tbh just cannot see a world in which we admit this failure, more likely we double down and back off even further or some bullshit

It's just a boneheaded tactic.

The game is built on pressure. Pressure and the teams that apply the most pressure, win. This goes against that.

It's so dumb it's beyond words.

 

[VitalDread]

Top 4 or Bevo out
Time for this core team to be winning games

We have the back up ruck/forward one, we got the intercepter defender to cover our smalls

We got a new assistant coach with top experience and isn't a Bevo lad

 

[weltschmerz]

We need to make top four or a lot of things have to change, from the top down. We have the players. We need to have the coaching and game plan to let them shine.

 

[ScragCity]

We need to make top four or a lot of things have to change, from the top down. We have the players. We need to have the coaching and game plan to let them shine.

Agreed mate. We've got the cattle; it's time for Bevo to start milking. Sorry, metaphors aren't a strength of mine.

 

[Mr. Walker]

Agreed mate. We've got the cattle; it's time for Bevo to start milking. Sorry, metaphors aren't a strength of mine.

Agreed mate. We've got the cattle; it's time for Bevo to start milking. Sorry, metaphors aren't a strength of mine.

Stay away from the metaphor. When you open that Pandora’s box you will find a real can of worms.

 

[hoianbulldog]

Agreed mate. We've got the cattle; it's time for Bevo to start milking. Sorry, metaphors aren't a strength of mine.

Farmers milk cows, not cattle.

 

[Mr. Walker]

Farmers milk cows, not cattle.

Though you have to worry about the bull that keeps coming back for more.

 

[adogsfan5]

I really think we’re gonna continue with it unfortunately, just cannot see it playing out with Bev canning it and accepting it was wrong - I mean if we were going to do that we would have done it this year, it was obvious to everyone it was a total failure by round 6 yet we persisted…

I honestly think it had more of a negative affect on our year than a lot of people realise. Whilst across the ground we were well down on our best but the only part of our game that was completely and utterly worlds apart from from the level of 2021 was our team defence across the ground and ease of which it went end to end and inside our def 50

There was the same personal on the ground, the same structures and set ups as the year before - literally the only difference was our back off the mark tactic and it KILLED us.

We should be one of if not the team to beat next year and be up to this flag race to our eyeballs. But if I see us back off the mark in preseason our year is effectively shot before it’s started honestly.

If that’s the case Bev should be sacked by round 10

I’m concerned tbh just cannot see a world in which we admit this failure, more likely we double down and back off even further or some bullshit

The Brendan lade effect. Comes highly rated. He won’t be a yes man.

 

[Doggy]

The Brendan lade effect. Comes highly rated. He won’t be a yes man.

Unless you ask St Kilda supporters

 

[doggiesin08]

Expecting us to be pretty s**t again tbh. Jones and Lobb are pretty mediocre players. I don't have any faith in our mids. English is still too inconsistent.

What are you expecting from the Cult of Sweet in 2023? Does it disband or somehow argue that all or English, Lobb and Sweet should be in the team?

 

[House_of_Dahl]

What are you expecting from the Cult of Sweet in 2023? Does it disband or somehow argue that all or English, Lobb and Sweet should be in the team?

Hopefully Sweet is playing well enough to come in if either English or Lobb are injured (and for them to play fwd/2nd ruck). If Lobb goes down English should move to his role imo (as long Sweet in ok form).

 

[Euku]

Premiers

 

[Mantis Toboggan]

Hopefully Sweet is playing well enough to come in if either English or Lobb are injured (and for them to play fwd/2nd ruck). If Lobb goes down English should move to his role imo (as long Sweet in ok form).

I’d be amazed if Sweet played a game next year. I think he’d only get a sniff if both English and Lobb were out.

 

[doggies ftw]

I’d be amazed if Sweet played a game next year. I think he’d only get a sniff if both English and Lobb were out.

If English is out and we expect to go with Lobb as first ruck, with or without support - well we’re gonna have a bad time. Lobbs not a ruck

 

[Royale]

Our entire strategy needs addressing from this past season. Connection from defense to midfield. Our highly vaunted midfield getting beaten soundly at times with an avalanche of clearances from oppo teams that cant be arrested. And of course the inability to lock the ball in the forward line once it gets there. All hallmarks from our premiereship year in 2016.

All down to coaching imo.

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

Stay away from the metaphor. When you open that Pandora’s box you will find a real can of worms.

Avoid metaphors like the plague