AFL Autopsy RND 15: Loss to the Dockers

[Wahooti Fandango]

Weid seemed abnormally slow.

 

[Runk]

Let's forget about that one and move on

 

[EnolaGay]

I like to be half glass full - at least it wasn't a 171 point margin.

 

[andleanback]

Weekend off, hold a SOO weekend.

That’s definitely not going to happen. So some players don’t get a break at all… the aflpa would love that

 

[Nicholas61]

Weird game.

It felt like it was played the way we wanted it played but there were 2 key issues:

1. they scored heavily from clearances (although it seemed to me clearances were evenly distributed in terms of wins and losses);

2. we have no ground level bite in the forward 50 and end up playing from half back because we can't hold the ball forward.

Guelfi is not quick enough to play as a small forward, not when our talls are as slow as they are. Snelling is probably also playing too high. I'd say Menzie is a bit slower than what we'd really like, too.

I found the clearances set ups very interesting, generally. It's a bit early to run with what I am thinking. The game against Port will be telling.

Good points Bruno. Some of their forwards had express pace which we lacked on the weekend. They were getting some separation and easier goals whilst our guys always had someone on their hammer. We didn't have an answer to Jackson's athleticism and not sure many do.

Menzie may not be express pace but I suspect is quicker than Snelling, Guelf, etc and has excellent endurance, running patterns, cleaner hands than Snelling and will be sharper around goal. Davey I appreciate is undersized but as others have mentioned there is that perceived pressure and he will do a bit of freak and instinct (like that running mongrel torp against Richmond into our forward line) which you need to break games open.

I think Scott has been excellent and is a smart guy - I just hope he can make the tough decisions going forward for the sake of team balance. If so I believe we can do some damage this year otherwise we will be throwing some games away that we otherwise win that would put us in a better position come the seasons end.

 

[Lore]

That’s definitely not going to happen. So some players don’t get a break at all… the aflpa would love that

Women's SoO

Men's SoO would have to run sometime around pre-season like it did a few years ago, like 2019 or something.

 

[Yoda_]

Weird game.

It felt like it was played the way we wanted it played but there were 2 key issues:

1. they scored heavily from clearances (although it seemed to me clearances were evenly distributed in terms of wins and losses);

2. we have no ground level bite in the forward 50 and end up playing from half back because we can't hold the ball forward.

Guelfi is not quick enough to play as a small forward, not when our talls are as slow as they are. Snelling is probably also playing too high. I'd say Menzie is a bit slower than what we'd really like, too.

I found the clearances set ups very interesting, generally. It's a bit early to run with what I am thinking. The game against Port will be telling.

The biggest takeaway and most glaring weakness that reared its head was the complete disconnect between midfield and forward lines.

Centre clearances (-3) and stoppage clearances (even) hardly told the true story of the impact Fremantle had.

 

[gillon]

It doesn’t surprise me this team is bottom 3 for tackles and contested possessions. We miss Setterfield.

 

[Mootsy]

i think they'll laminate that loss, in retrospect.
will need to win most of the run home.

 

[Happyskeret]

i think they'll laminate that loss, in retrospect.
will need to win most of the run home.

 

[BrunoV]

It doesn’t surprise me this team is bottom 3 for tackles and contested possessions. We miss Setterfield.

It's what concerns me about Scott's approach.

The best path to victory in 2023 is clearly based on hyper attacking set ups around stoppages to maximise Draper's ruck work and the ball reading of the likes of Parish and Merrett. We also still play a really open game.

There are other issues relating to defence, which are not directly relevant to what you posted, and which are all part of the team's down hill skiing, pissweak DNA.

You pay Scott the big buck because he has had players buy in before and is a proven coach.

But every time I hear how his job is about 'building an elite program' I find myself asking 'then why have you started from the point of letting the players continue to cheat?'

He's a polished performer and creates a sense of calm which is a good thing. We won't know whether we're in the eye of the storm or whether it has finally passed until he tries to get the players to play, let's call it, a finals brand.

He'd not want to be facing a tough draw next year, having come off another finals belting, and trying to convince the players he's spent 12 months taking up to change their stripes. That's where the wheels always fall off.

 

[gillon]

It's what concerns me about Scott's approach.

The best path to victory in 2023 is clearly based on hyper attacking set ups around stoppages to maximise Draper's ruck work and the ball reading of the likes of Parish and Merrett. We also still play a really open game.

There are other issues relating to defence, which are not directly relevant to what you posted, and which are all part of the team's down hill skiing, pissweak DNA.

You pay Scott the big buck because he has had players buy in before and is a proven coach.

But every time I hear how his job is about 'building an elite program' I find myself asking 'then why have you started from the point of letting the players continue to cheat?'

He's a polished performer and creates a sense of calm which is a good thing. We won't know whether we're in the eye of the storm or whether it has finally passed until he tries to get the players to play, let's call it, a finals brand.

He'd not want to be facing a tough draw next year, having come off another finals belting, and trying to convince the players he's spent 12 months taking up to change their stripes. That's where the wheels always fall off.

Yeah. I’ve heard a lot of talk about how we have turned a new leaf. That we are finally a reliable club.

It’s funny, because you hear this every time we have a good run. The amount of times I’ve read ‘old Essendon would’ve lost that’ over the years is plenty.

I am fine with Scott as the coach currently, but I’m hardly super convinced like others here are.

In my lifetime (1997 born) I’ve never seen this team apply the finals type pressure and hardness at the contest, for more than a few quarters. Take a look at Collingwood, Sydney at times, Port Adelaide. That’s what it takes to win consistently.

 

[owen87]

Yeah. I’ve heard a lot of talk about how we have turned a new leaf. That we are finally a reliable club.

It’s funny, because you hear this every time we have a good run. The amount of times I’ve read ‘old Essendon would’ve lost that’ over the years is plenty.

I am fine with Scott as the coach currently, but I’m hardly super convinced like others here are.

In my lifetime (1997 born) I’ve never seen this team apply the finals type pressure and hardness at the contest, for more than a few quarters. Take a look at Collingwood, Sydney at times, Port Adelaide. That’s what it takes to win consistently.

Rutten's first year we were much better defensively than we had been previously, or in the season following.

The problem is applying direct defensive pressure is the easy part, it's then setting up a full-ground zone to control (as best as possible) opposition ball movement that is what you need to win Premierships, where we fell over in 2022.

Scott's challenge will be taking them from a side that applies direct defensive pressure, to one that can implement a full-ground zone to force turnovers that we can turn in to scoring opportunities. Partly having better personnel than Rutten did will help, as in many ways it's the younger cohort that are fully onboard with working defensively and the senior guys have been the weak-links there.