Autopsy What's the deal with the Western Bulldogs?

[Proper Gander]

Caleb needs a positional change asap! Shocked we re signed him - I think he’s very much replaceable.

He probably does. Only I’m not sure where he fits, or which team he would benefit the most. Very good player just hard to see where his best football should be played

 

[Golden_6]

Been harshly judged and overrated after their 2016 Bradbury flag.

In reality they are 6th - 10 th placed team at best.

This group does not have another flag in them, probably time for rebuild imo.

The 2016 flag isn’t really relevant to this group at all anymore.

We’ll only likely have 6-7 of those players remaining from the that premiership team on the list next year. The only key remaining players are in the midfield which include Bont, Macrae, Libba & Dunkley who are still at the peak of their powers and performing while whereas the rest of the list has pretty much been turned over.

Our future forward line consists of Naughton (22), JUH (20), Weightman (21), West (21) and likely Darcy (19). We’ve actually gone through a stealth rebuild over the past few years.

Our issues solely rely on coaching & structural issues right now rather than personnel. Other than another gun KPD we’ll have to find from somewhere.

 

[Proper Gander]

Caleb needs a positional change asap! Shocked we re signed him - I think he’s very much replaceable.

I can’t help but feel an Yze/Williams type next to Bevo would be huge.

Bevo is hard to read. No idea if he works well with assistants or prefers yes men. He is obviously close to players and very defensive on their behalf so he can’t entirely lack engaging and listening skills.

Mark Neeld is probably available somewhere

 

[adogsfan5]

Bevo is hard to read. No idea if he works well with assistants or prefers yes men. He is obviously close to players and very defensive on their behalf so he can’t entirely lack engaging and listening skills.

Mark Neeld is probably available somewhere

Hoping we go after Leon Cameron and can poach one more decent name.

 

[janty]

Watched the game very closely on the weekend.

Seems like there are too many guys with their arms out calling for the easy possession. Treloar, Macrae and Dunkley the worst culprits.

 

[Elmer_Judd]

The 2016 flag isn’t really relevant to this group at all anymore.

We’ll only likely have 6-7 of those players remaining from the that premiership team on the list next year. The only key remaining players are in the midfield which include Bont, Macrae, Libba & Dunkley who are still at the peak of their powers and performing while whereas the rest of the list has pretty much been turned over.

Our future forward line consists of Naughton (22), JUH (20), Weightman (21), West (21) and likely Darcy (19). We’ve actually gone through a stealth rebuild over the past few years.

Our issues solely rely on coaching & structural issues right now rather than personnel. Other than another gun KPD we’ll have to find from somewhere.

In some reasons you have similar structure issues for Carlton (in terms of defense) but also arguably a more honest and workman like midfield that wins a lot of contested football but often prone to needless and frustrating turnovers)

Both could do with a flashy, and speedy type with great foot skills Iike a Lachie Neale.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Caleb needs a positional change asap! Shocked we re signed him - I think he’s very much replaceable.

I can’t help but feel an Yze/Williams type next to Bevo would be huge.

Why?

Do you think Beveridge has flaws?

 

[Dazb86]

Why?

Do you think Beveridge has flaws?

Yes. Extremely odd selection most weeks. Doesn't have a stable structure from week to week. Very stubborn on some stupid ideas (moving back 5m on the mark) etc etc. He's a good motivator for a finals run but is wildy inconsistent from week to week in the H&A season. It's shocking to me he's still experimenting with structure this late in a year. Should have had it worked out in round 1.

Regarding the list it should be playing finals. Probably too unbalanced to be top 4 but it should have been in the 8 without too much overperforming.

Our backline is terrible. The worst 1 on 1 defenders in the league. If we don't smash a team through the midfield we lose.

That's it in a nutshell.

 

[goondog]

Haha, Sydney were by far the best side. They were given that GF. The AFL came out afterwards and said the umpiring was sub par.

The AFL said that to cover themselves. Watch that video I posted. There would be more than what you’ve mentioned. You can’t just say ‘The AFL said that so it’s true’ I mean, it’s not. It’s only WB supporters that don’t buy that. There’s a reason website goes into meltdown on game day when you play.

Hmmmmmmmm

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

You know what’s ultimately the most disappointing thing about this? It’s that you’re supposed to be open and out with those issues these days, free of judgement. All you’ve done is weaponise somebody’s personal plight with a discussion about something as trivial as footy. So basically you’re just so hurt about your precious little footy club that you’ve been able to argue at that level and you’ve gone totally personal.

As i said. Says more about you.

For someone playing the mental health card, you are a vicious and vindictive troll. Other people are having a tough time at the moment, are you so narcissistic that you think it is only you? Why don’t you just enjoy supporting your team while they are still premiers.

 

[hutchy31]

He probably does. Only I’m not sure where he fits, or which team he would benefit the most. Very good player just hard to see where his best football should be played

Caleb's best footy is AA worthy but when he's out of form it's tricky because he's not quick, he's obviously exposed for height/in marking contests, and isn't a great tackler. His ball use is elite when he's on form, and we relied upon it coming out of defence for a while so the tradeoff was probably acceptable. One of the issues now is that Dale is probably our preferred ball user from that area of the ground now and Richards is also pretty good with ball in hand - and they can both take the ball for a run if they need to. I'm not sure where Caleb fits in now, and it's (presumably) a decent wedge of money for someone who might be 3rd or 4th string half back and we can't really find a spot for him on the wing or up forward.

Why?

Do you think Beveridge has flaws?

Many. Still a great coach for what he has delivered, but the cracks are showing. A coaching overhaul is required, either in terms of what/who surrounds and supports him or that he's actually replaced. He's not far off a decade in charge, not much good tends to happen beyond that point.

Watched the game very closely on the weekend.

Seems like there are too many guys with their arms out calling for the easy possession. Treloar, Macrae and Dunkley the worst culprits.

Team defence is pathetic and while the KPDs and overall gameplan are both pretty poor, these experienced midfielders letting the ball walk out of the middle over and over again is an indictment on the mids coach and the players themselves. TBF to the ones you've mentioned, Treloar is being played out of position in defence (thanks Bevo - another excellent spin of the magnets), Macrae is way off and there has to be something else at play (likely injury), and Dunkley has been one of the better mids throughout this year. But you're right, too many offensively-minded mids not doing enough without the ball. Plus if Bailey Smith could hit a target by foot once in a while that'd be OK too.

 

[revo333]

Been harshly judged and overrated after their 2016 Bradbury flag.

In reality they are 6th - 10 th placed team at best.

This group does not have another flag in them, probably time for rebuild imo.

Havn't said that about a Carlton side for a long time.

 

[Heaps of fun]

I think Bevo is far too rigid and stubborn. Messes around at selection, plays some very average favourites and doesn't understand the value of rucks. Not even going into his emotional problems because that's a whole other kettle of fish. He should either go or someone needs to pull him into line.

 

[revo333]

37 posts and counting for demondavey

And all relevant to the 2022 team as well.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

Many. Still a great coach for what he has delivered, but the cracks are showing. A coaching overhaul is required, either in terms of what/who surrounds and supports him or that he's actually replaced. He's not far off a decade in charge, not much good tends to happen beyond that point.

Not sure I understand this.

A great coach? But cracks are showing?

A great coach? But he and/or those around him need to go?

 

[Bald]

Not sure I understand this.

A great coach? But cracks are showing?

A great coach? But he and/or those around him need to go?

What is hard to understand? He has been a great coach but there's a concession by the poster that cracks are starting to appear..

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

What is hard to understand? He has been a great coach but there's a concession by the poster that cracks are starting to appear..

So he's no longer a great coach? Or he never was, and the cracks are just now starting to appear?

 

[Bald]

So he's no longer a great coach? Or he never was, and the cracks are just now starting to appear?

You can both be a great coach because of your past accomplishments but also have questions asked about your ability to do the job moving forward.

As for what the poster meant, I'll wait for them to clarify what they're saying.

 

[Northernsoul74]

So he's no longer a great coach? Or he never was, and the cracks are just now starting to appear?

It’s not that difficult to understand that great coaches sometimes run their course at a club or get burnt out. Bevo has said himself a coach probably shouldn’t stay too long at one club.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

It’s not that difficult to understand that great coaches sometimes run their course at a club or get burnt out. Bevo has said himself a coach probably shouldn’t stay too long at one club.

Was he great last year though?

That's a pretty fast fall from grace if so.

 

[samDD]

So he's no longer a great coach? Or he never was, and the cracks are just now starting to appear?

Luke Beveridge is what is known as an enigma.

He was appointed at the end of 2014 when the Bulldogs were in very rough shape and against all expectations, helped turn them into a very good team.

The problem is, after winning the 2016 flag, the Bulldogs board gave him unlimited credit, and proceeded to give him complete control over all aspects of the football club, including recruitment. He has since been exposed as a fraud in multiple facets.

I keep hearing Bulldogs fans say he needs to be surrounded by good assistants, but I wouldn't be so sure he'd accept that. He's clearly extremely arrogant and wants things to be done his way and his way only.

 

[Northernsoul74]

Was he great last year though?

That's a pretty fast fall from grace if so.

We lost lots of assistants and didn’t get Spangher and Webb in until preseason had already started. That won’t have helped. It may just be that he’s taken on way too much or he’s just run his course.
I’m not sure from a tactics/ strategy point of view he was “great” last year. He’s clearly an emotional coach which is great in its own way but will eventually fall on deaf ears with the same group.

 

[demondavey]

For someone playing the mental health card, you are a vicious and vindictive troll. Other people are having a tough time at the moment, are you so narcissistic that you think it is only you? Why don’t you just enjoy supporting your team while they are still premiers.

I am not playing it at all. I was open a while back about it. Who else is doing it tough? If you’re in a place where your mental health is suffering because you’re getting upset about some footy discussion and taking it personally, then you need to bail.

I’ve openly given my opinion about the WB and the behaviour expressed by certain players that blights the game, I’ve only ever discussed WB and football related issues. Don’t think I’ve ripped into anyone about their mental health. I am not vindictive at all towards individuals, I’ve stood by my statements about the WB and that isn’t changing.

 

[demondavey]

If you were simply making a comment, I wouldn't have responded.
The thing is, you made about 60 comments, including several double/triple posts crying about umpiring.

This is exactly what an unintelligent, mentally unsound person would do.

Again. Huge call from you to confuse one being unintelligent or mentally unwell with persistently reiterating a topic and responding to that when quoted.

I am sorry, but persistent activity in a thread does not classify one as not intelligent or unwell. Your diagnostic abilities to judge one’s cognitive function are pathetic and lame.

 

[samDD]

Was he great last year though?

That's a pretty fast fall from grace if so.

Keyword: enigma.
2021 was sandwiched between an extremely mediocre 2020, and an even worse 2022.

2021 in general was an enigma too. They went from looking unstoppable in the first half of the season, to finishing the home & away season horribly where they got thumped by Essendon and Hawthorn, to going on an explosive finals run, to getting absolutely demolished in the Grand Final.

It even applies to the Grand Final: they went from getting thrashed in the first quarter, to coming back and overpowering Melbourne up to the middle of the 3rd quarter, to completely forgetting how to defend and getting steamrolled through the centre for the rest of the game.

This is the reality of letting an enigma have complete control of your club. They went from winning the flag against all odds, to falling down when expected to be good, to a complete rollercoaster of a year, to utter mediocrity again.