Is it time to tap Wood on the shoulder?

[Testekill]

Easton has been a warrior for so long but between being awful tonight even when we were in it (outside of that awesome 2 on 1 spoil) and having a poor season overall is it time to ask him to consider retiring? He is contracted for next year but it's always up to the player if they can play on or not.

 

[Snarls Barkley]

Is it too early for this thread?

But yeah probably, on his last legs.

 

[_Mike_]

It's a reasonable question, has been slow and struggles against quicker opponents

 

[Norm De Guerre]

TOO SOON.

 

[wayniac]

Easton has been a warrior for so long but between being awful tonight even when we were in it (outside of that awesome 2 on 1 spoil) and having a poor season overall is it time to ask him to consider retiring? He is contracted for next year but it's always up to the player if they can play on or not.

Too hard on the guy. He played with a hand injury for half the game. He may retire of his own volition. Cordy should go.

 

[Bazzas Lovechild]

Great servant…time to go Mate.

 

[mambavino]

Yes.

 

[Norm De Guerre]

Too hard on the guy. He played with a hand injury for half the game. He may retire of his own volition. Cordy should go.

Talk to our mids who had no answer for the express and unopposed delivery into the forward line where our defenders were on a hiding to absolutely nothing.

 

[hutchy31]

Yes. And how is this even a debate.

 

[badkicking]

Yes. And how is this even a debate.

Could Easton, also take Zaine with him on the way, he looked completely lost most of the night.

 

[Tommycash]

Talk to our mids who had no answer for the express and unopposed delivery into the forward line where our defenders were on a hiding to absolutely nothing.

Absolutely this. The defence had no chance when they were on there runs. The 6.6.6 rule means that if you have a player running free at your defence from the centre bounce it is a 7 v 6. They got through way too easy. Let's see how he goes next year.

 

[TedDougChris]

Sadly, yes - it’s time. Been a great player, but not up to the pace of the game.

 

[dogwatch]

The night of a 74 point walloping isn't the time for it. Let's wait until after the CSM night (Wednesday) before we start passing judgement on careers.

They deserve at least that much respect ... and our heads might be a bit clearer by then. He is one of only two players to hoist the cup as captain of a Bulldog premiership side.

 

[Boyd oh Boyd]

There isn't one player you can point to and lay the blame on (as much as I'd like to make Cordy that scapegoat). The team isn't ready, fingers crossed they will be.

 

[Cousin Ben]

The night of a 74 point walloping isn't the time for it. Let's wait until after the CSM night (Wednesday) before we start passing judgement on careers.

They deserve at least that much respect ... and our heads might be a bit clearer by then. He is one of only two players to hoist the cup as captain of a Bulldog premiership side.

Fair call, it's still a bit raw and we can't blame individuals for what went on tonight. Melbourne were too hot once we let them back in and everyone has to wear the blame for how it went after that. But, the backline was badly exposed and we have questioned that element of our team before. Even in the first half they were awful. Not up to GF standard, plain & simple.

 

[dogwatch]

Fair call, it's still a bit raw and we can't blame individuals for what went on tonight. Melbourne were too hot once we let them back in and everyone has to wear the blame for how it went after that. But, the backline was badly exposed and we have questioned that element of our team before. Even in the first half they were awful. Not up to GF standard, plain & simple.

Probably not the right thread for it but every time our backline has looked horribly exposed it's also been when our midfield has been thrashed.

Duryea, Keath and maybe Williams aside you are right that they aren't great as one-on-one defenders but you can't separate these things. The way the side plays is one organic unit. The defence is designed (in terms of personnel, structure and tactics) to play behind a dominant midfield. They can hold their own up to a point when things go poorly for the midfield but not when Petracca & co are continually streaming out of the centre with Bulldogs clawing at fresh air in their wake.

We play a zone defence much more than man-on-man and nobody was complaining too much during the season when we had one of the lowest Points Against in the league.

Sure if we had a May, Lever, Aliir, Haynes or a Stewart we might play a bit differently, but we haven't. We had the opportunity to build a different defensive system but we chose to play the bloke who would have been the key to it as a forward instead.

 

[who_let_the_dogs_out]

I think one more year. Played out the game with a decent arm/wrist injury.

Captained us to a flag, we can't send him packing after being on the receiving end of a GF belting.

Instead, we need to look at his role and the numbers of similar sized blokes down back. Taking one genuine tall KPD hurt us, Wood isn't to blame.

 

[Cousin Ben]

Probably not the right thread for it but every time our backline has looked horribly exposed it's also been when our midfield has been thrashed.

Duryea, Keath and maybe Williams aside you are right that they aren't great as one-on-one defenders but you can't separate these things. The way the side plays is one organic unit. The defence is designed (in terms of personnel, structure and tactics) to play behind a dominant midfield. They can hold their own up to a point when things go poorly for the midfield but not when Petracca & co are continually streaming out of the centre with Bulldogs clawing at fresh air in their wake.

We play a zone defence much more than man-on-man and nobody was complaining too much during the season when we had one of the lowest Points Against in the league.

Sure if we had a May, Lever, Aliir, Haynes or a Stewart we might play a bit differently, but we haven't. We had the opportunity to build a different defensive system but we chose to play the bloke who would have been the key to it as a forward instead.

Not that I would be against the idea of him going back to defence. Produces a great highlights package but in the end it doesn't result in enough goals and I have no doubt he'd be a better defender than he is a forward.

True the backline need the midfield to do their thing but they also need to be able to stand up to the quick/repeat entry stuff as well. 6-6-6 is part of the game and results in one-on-ones we too often lose. Cordy is a prime example of this - particularly in the air. Always has been. Pace-wise & on the deck, Easton flounders. The clearing fist is an essential feature of most teams' defence but not such ours, except for Gardiner and the occasional Wood & Keath contribution.

 

[dogwatch]

Not that I would be against the idea of him going back to defence. Produces a great highlights package but in the end it doesn't result in enough goals and I have no doubt he'd be a better defender than he is a forward.

True the backline need the midfield to do their thing but they also need to be able to stand up to the quick/repeat entry stuff as well. 6-6-6 is part of the game and results in one-on-ones we too often lose. Cordy is a prime example of this - particularly in the air. Always has been. Pace-wise & on the deck, Easton flounders. The clearing fist is an essential feature of most teams' defence but not such ours, except for Gardiner and the occasional Wood & Wood contribution.

You make good points and I don't really disagree with them, but it's a coaching decision. Cordy does what he does as well as he can and you can never fault him for endeavour. But it's up to the coaches to decide what sort of system they want in defence and who is best to execute it.

Perhaps the real discussion should be whether it is time to strip down our defensive system and re-build it from the ground up.

I have an open mind on that.

 

[Some Idiot]

I'm not a huge fan of tapping players on the shoulder but if Wood decides to put his hand up and hang up the boots I wouldn't be complaining.

 

[the dog's kennel]

I absolutely don't blame him for anything that happened today. But I do think that time has caught up with him. Too many injuries, his leap is almost gone, his pace is falling away. I suspect he was only in our best 22 this year because Crozier lost his form. It wouldn't be an outrage for him to play on cause he's still capable of decent play. But I do think that if he does play on next year will likely be a poor year for him.

 

[Bulldogs85]

Wood is contracted for next year

 

[Mantis Toboggan]

I absolutely don't blame him for anything that happened today. But I do think that time has caught up with him. Too many injuries, his leap is almost gone, his pace is falling away. I suspect he was only in our best 22 this year because Crozier lost his form. It wouldn't be an outrage for him to play on cause he's still capable of decent play. But I do think that if he does play on next year will likely be a poor year for him.

It’s absolutely insane that Crozier’s form fell so badly he couldn’t be selected for the 2nd half of the year. He’s been one of the clubs most consistent players for the last two years and then falls off a cliff without warning. What a huge player to lose.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

Wood is contracted for next year

And yet he still needs a polite tap on the shoulder and a ''game has gone past you, please retire''

 

[Substance]

Christ we need Crozier back and in form next year.