An attempt to do this more positively.........
Lloyd doesn't have great depth to his kicking, but he is very accurate (odd clanger aside). The move of Dawson to half back showed signs of what might be to come and what Longmire is looking for. But he also clanged one which hurt. Lloyd chips because there aren't options up the field. Now that is either work rate of the mids or it is the opposition keeping players in defence. That means we have to work the ball forward. It wasn't long ago we were complaining about bombing it.
Reid and Sinclair are out of marking form at the moment. Buddy has never been much of a mark. Should our targets be Cameron and McCartin? Maybe. But I don't think we're there yet. And Reid offers a bit at ground level, although I didn't see much of that against Richmond. Our mids have always worked back, which has been a big key to our success. For them to be able to work forward as well, they do need a bit of a chop out. Now that comes either with favourable ruckwork, and/or marks sticking up forward. Reid marks and the mids can stop running forward. They save a 200m sprint each time we take a mark up forward. Naismith rucks and we don't get smashed in stoppages by Gawn. And that saves mids legs as well (especially after a 5 day break).
We sit 13th for marks inside 50 and 15th for hit outs. Oddly, we're 4th for contested marks but I'd say that's people like Heeney up on the wing. We loved Sinclair last year but he's not been in form yet this year. 2 or 3 contested marks from him will make a world of difference. Reid finds his mojo up forward and that will make a world of difference too. Naismith giving us some ascendancy in the ruck will make a world of difference. Suddenly our mids won't look so knackered, Heeney won't need to spend so much time forward. If Grundy and Melican can find form and return from injury Mills won't be needed in defence and Allir can be more attacking.
But it's never one single reason. To counter my argument about rucks, Collingwood are going ok, Grundy is right up their for hit outs, but their clearance numbers are shocking. They must be doing other things well to make up for it.
We kick accurately for goal against Melbourne early and we win. Surely our game plan is to kick accurately, especially after a short break.
We get a decent run from the umps against Adelaide and we win. Yes, we have to factor in those uncontrollables but that was ridiculous.
We field kick accurately against Richmond and we win. Our game plan surely involves not turning the ball over.
None of these are the same. And none of them are issues of game plan. Some are experience. Some are form. Some even might be personnel management. But no coach has ever coached a half back to chip 20m sideways when there's a loose option at centre half forward.