Acceptance - we are now a middling side

[year of the tiger]

I reckon the transition is on and Hardwick is trying different things.

Young and Ryan playing 3 games each is a good move, I didn’t pick that during Feb - introducing two young talls is a brave move.

Getting Cumbo, Hugo and Clarke in on Friday shows we are moving towards a faster game.

I am not sure what else we could do over the first 3 rounds given we are adjusting to Hops and Taranto also.

Hardwick is throwing the pieces around and will continue till it all gels.

Gibs and Sonsie injuries have kept them out of the team - these are not selection decisions.

Given Young and Gibs, we no longer need to rely on Tarrant - that is enormous for our future pillars in the backline. Then you have Millar and Balta also - we have almost rebuilt our defence - just need to think through Vlas and Grimes - that not urgent yet, it will be soon.

Rebuild is well and truely underway.

 

[daniel30]

Give me a fast finishing horse to a dour front runner every day.

In 2018 from R5 onwards we were either 1st or 2nd on the ladder (1st from R13-23) and ended up 2 games on top of the ladder with 15% more than the 2nd highest %age. We kept winning, but there were some worrying signs leading into finals. Momentum had deserted us. We all know what happened.

In 2019 we were 9th at the bye with a 7-6 record and a %age of 92. Totally written off. Won every game thereafter on the way to winning the first leg of back-2-back flags. No one could get close to us after the bye, probably the best block of game I've ever seen from the Tiges.

Even in 2020 we were 14th (1-1-2) after R4 with a %age of 87. Tigers can't go B2B from here was the call. Got our game together and went B2B.

Collingwood are March champions...congrats. Lots can happen between now and September. Very hard to have momentum coming into finals when you're playing so well early on.

The Tiges are midfield in the back straight, jockeying for position. Come the home bend we'll be one out and one back ready to pounce.

It's all about hitting the finals peaking with momentum.

That's all good and well , but hasn't happen last 2 season's we're still seeing the same glaring issues lack of pressure , disposals and skills poor and the brain fades and let's not forget our best players are older.

 

[Carter]

Enjoy your world of negativity mate.

um sure?

 

[TigerMasochist]

I understand the notion of cultural fabric, but every game we lose with the old guard are invaluable games we could’ve put into the kids.

Considering we are only just three games into the season. We've already put senior game time into Nigel, Funky, Samsung, Toby, Cummerbund, Clarkey, Moju, Raaalph n Rossy.
Regardless of how you rate the youngsters, there's already a bunch of work being done to get senior experience into the young blokes and no doubt there will be more to come during the year with the likes of Sonz, Biggie, Banks, Brown, Campbell n Green hovering around in the back ground.
Rightly or wrongly, as soon as we went for Tarantino n Grasshopper in the trade, we made the decision that we'd try to stay in contention for finals and flags while we transitioned out the old n brought through the new.
Not possible to remain properly competitive by simply throwing the old club champions who've brought us so much joy n glory into the bin and filling the side up with shiny snot nosed kids who as yet can barely tie their shoe laces properly.

 

[TigerMasochist]

To be fair, Carter may finally have become right about the giant tantrum thread he made after the prelim in 2018. Collingwood may actually have gone past us now.

I mean, we won two premierships in the meantime, but still.

And how many flags did Colonwood win while they were going past us???
Reckon I might have to think a bit more deeply about this season sometime from about round 13 or 14 onward. First few weeks in it's pretty obvious that apart from the Moggies everything is completely wide open as there's barely anything like genuine form worthy of consideration.

 

[tigermike]

After our loss to the Woods I didn't see where we could get some pace, kicking skills and clearance dominance, but then the VFL reports came through! Great to see the window opening for Sonsie, Campbell, Green, Nyuon and maybe Dow if can go in hard and not think about getting injured. We keep Cumbers as a leading fwd, Lynch and Ryan are keepers but not sure if Jack and Cotch are quick enough to get regular games. Dusty needs to play midfield to use his great kicking to deliver the ball I50. We have Tarrant, Broad, Gibcus to come back then Nank and the mids must combine better to stop oppo mids sharking his hit-outs!! Many reasons to see better times ahead.

 

[DavidSSS]

Every team looks slow when chasing the opposition who have the ball. We need to be getting the ball better and using it better, then we will look a lot faster.

Clearly some issues and if we don't fix them, then, yes, middle of the ladder.

But we have a lot of the season to go and we can improve.

DS

 

[Carter]

Considering we are only just three games into the season. We've already put senior game time into Nigel, Funky, Samsung, Toby, Cummerbund, Clarkey, Moju, Raaalph n Rossy.
Regardless of how you rate the youngsters, there's already a bunch of work being done to get senior experience into the young blokes and no doubt there will be more to come during the year with the likes of Sonz, Biggie, Banks, Brown, Campbell n Green hovering around in the back ground.
Rightly or wrongly, as soon as we went for Tarantino n Grasshopper in the trade, we made the decision that we'd try to stay in contention for finals and flags while we transitioned out the old n brought through the new.
Not possible to remain properly competitive by simply throwing the old club champions who've brought us so much joy n glory into the bin and filling the side up with shiny snot nosed kids who as yet can barely tie their shoe laces properly.

four players - jack, cotch, graham and nank

none of these are making us a better team at the moment. in fact, they are making us slow, defendable, sluggish, impotent.

can't do much about nank at the moment - he's captain and soldo is out for 5-6 weeks at least. but the others can be replaced by youth, speed and vigor without throwing anyone to the wolves. we still have a solid framework of experience and guidance for the youngsters to work within.

three players from outside the starting team that played collingwood - sonsie, cumberland (promoted from sub) and of course martin. hopper in for ross.

nothing radical there

 

[Sintiger]

I get where Carter is coming from but I also feel we need to wait and see what happens. There are 20 games to go.
If you look at the games on the weekend you would have to say there were only 2 impressive winners in Melbourne and Collingwood, maybe St Kilda as a third. It’s only a week ago Melbourne looked very ordinary against a team who looked very ordinary this week.
Other teams seen as threats in 2023 like Carlton, Brisbane, Bulldogs, Sydney, Richmond,Geelong, Port and Freo were all either beaten or pretty unimpressive winners.
Making predictions so early in the season is fraught with danger.

 

[Carter]

I get where Carter is coming from but I also feel we need to wait and see what happens. There are 20 games to go.
If you look at the games on the weekend you would have to say there were only 2 impressive winners in Melbourne and Collingwood, maybe St Kilda as a third. It’s only a week ago Melbourne looked very ordinary against a team who looked very ordinary this week.
Other teams seen as threats in 2023 like Carlton, Brisbane, Bulldogs, Sydney, Richmond,Geelong, Port and Freo were all either beaten or pretty unimpressive winners.
Making predictions so early in the season is fraught with danger.

you make sense but with one caveat - every loss with our old warriors is an opportunity cost in getting a game into a kid

 

[Sintiger]

you make sense but with one caveat - every loss with our old warriors is an opportunity cost in getting a game into a kid

Yeah I know.
I also know that transitioning out champions is a balancing act that is very difficult to do. I am not sure there is a right way, either they hang on too long or they get cast aside.
The cast aside option is largely what Hawthorn did and I don’t think that worked well for them. We are potentially in danger of doing the first.

 

[tigermike]

I get where Carter is coming from but I also feel we need to wait and see what happens. There are 20 games to go.
If you look at the games on the weekend you would have to say there were only 2 impressive winners in Melbourne and Collingwood, maybe St Kilda as a third. It’s only a week ago Melbourne looked very ordinary against a team who looked very ordinary this week.
Other teams seen as threats in 2023 like Carlton, Brisbane, Bulldogs, Sydney, Richmond,Geelong, Port and Freo were all either beaten or pretty unimpressive winners.
Making predictions so early in the season is fraught with danger.

Considering all this, those media 'experts' who write off the Tiges might need to reconsider.

 

[fastin bulbous]

To simplify- I think we have shaped our new midfield core while holding on to the old core and the young up and comers. We now have a spread of medium/slow paced players.

Shai is the only electrified mid we have

Until we resolve the oversupply issue by being realistic about structure we are stuck half way.

I suggest we have done really well to rebuild all 3 lines on the run and just lack 1 or 2 components. Some astute drafting will now be required. If one of the B’s comes on strong we are laughing.

 

[Danjam]

To simplify- I think we have shaped our new midfield core while holding on to the old core and the young up and comers. We now have a spread of medium/slow paced players.

Shai is the only electrified mid we have

Until we resolve the oversupply issue by being realistic about structure we are stuck half way.

I suggest we have done really well to rebuild all 3 lines on the run and just lack 1 or 2 components. Some astute drafting will now be required. If one of the B’s comes on strong we are laughing.

100% spot on.

All the pieces of our backline are pretty much in place now with plenty of depth in the 2’s.

Just need another fast/explosive mid and a key forward and you’d say we are pretty set.

Desperately need to manufacture a way to get some more draft/trade capital at the end of the year. Trades for Jack Graham??? Hugo Ralphsmith????

 

[Ian4]

… with some good young players, some solid soldiers and some players well past their prime.

I applied this lens after quarter time tonight and felt barely a ripple of discontent from that point on.

It’s liberating.

Good for the ticker to just see things how they now are.

did you have about 20 beers before typing this rubbish? I find all the doomsday predictions from the media hilarious.

Pre-2017 I would have probably been the first person to jump on here and say season over after 1 loss. I am not the slightest bit worried about last Friday night.

In R1 2019, Rance did his knee. R2 we got easily beaten by Collingwood. R3 we got pumped by GWS. Everyone was saying our time was up. Everyone was wrong.

One thing I am willing to accept is that other teams have perhaps worked out our version of chaos footy after 6 years, but maybe not Collingwood’s. I do think we need to tweak a thing or 2 (especially forward movement), and that’s Okay. Recent history has shown we always learn from our losses.

One thing I am encouraged by is the performance of our backline. They have been sensational. The return is of Truck is already paying off.

 

[richards42]

did you have about 20 beers before typing this rubbish? I find all the doomsday predictions from the media hilarious.

Pre-2017 I would have probably been the first person to jump on here and say season over after 1 loss. I am not the slightest bit worried about last Friday night.

In R1 2019, Rance did his knee. R2 we got easily beaten by Collingwood. R3 we got pumped by GWS. Everyone was saying our time was up. Everyone was wrong.

One thing I am willing to accept is that other teams have perhaps worked out our version of chaos footy after 6 years, but maybe not Collingwood’s. I do think we need to tweak a thing or 2 (especially forward movement), and that’s Okay. Recent history has shown we always learn from our losses.

One thing I am encouraged by is the performance of our backline. They have been sensational. The return is of Truck is already paying off.

I’m with you mate. We got our audit that’s for sure.
Hardwick over the last few years rarely gets beaten by the same team twice in one year.He learns quickly from our losses.
The whole club can now see the level we have to get to. Melbourne and Collingwood the only two team’s flying at the moment.
I reckon we will work our way into the season and by the end of round 23 we’ll be top 4 and ready for another assault on a flag.

 

[Carter]

did you have about 20 beers before typing this rubbish? I find all the doomsday predictions from the media hilarious.

Pre-2017 I would have probably been the first person to jump on here and say season over after 1 loss. I am not the slightest bit worried about last Friday night.

In R1 2019, Rance did his knee. R2 we got easily beaten by Collingwood. R3 we got pumped by GWS. Everyone was saying our time was up. Everyone was wrong.

One thing I am willing to accept is that other teams have perhaps worked out our version of chaos footy after 6 years, but maybe not Collingwood’s. I do think we need to tweak a thing or 2 (especially forward movement), and that’s Okay. Recent history has shown we always learn from our losses.

One thing I am encouraged by is the performance of our backline. They have been sensational. The return is of Truck is already paying off.

what?

collingwood should've smashed us by 10 goals.

adelaide kicked 5.28 against us in Q3 the week before.

our backline has been better than last year - but Grimes and Vlastuin still look shaky. Amazing but true.

as for the rest of our team, we are currently middling. no two ways about it. the introduction of kids and speed could - should - improve that rating, but the bottom six of our seniors team are decorated veterans.

tricky.

so take your rose-coloreds off and you'll be right mate

 

[Ian4]

what?

collingwood should've smashed us by 10 goals.

adelaide kicked 5.28 against us in Q3 the week before.

our backline has been better than last year - but Grimes and Vlastuin still look shaky. Amazing but true.

as for the rest of our team, we are currently middling. no two ways about it. the introduction of kids and speed could - should - improve that rating, but the bottom six of our seniors team are decorated veterans.

tricky.

so take your rose-coloreds off and you'll be right mate

From what I can see, you are saying exactly the same crap the media are saying about us.

Did the scoreboard flatter us last Friday night? I would say yes, a little bit. But we didn’t deserve to lose by 10 goals. Gimme a spell.

Did the scoreboard flatter us against Adelaide? No f@rkin way!! We dominated for 3 quarters. Sure, they didn’t kick straight, but at what point do you give us credit for this?

I have been to all 3 games and one thing I have noticed pretty clearly is the deliberate strategy to push teams wide when they go forward. Again, credit to our backline for this.

 

[Carter]

From what I can see, you are saying exactly the same crap the media are saying about us.

Did the scoreboard flatter us last Friday night? I would say yes, a little bit. But we didn’t deserve to lose by 10 goals. Gimme a spell.

Did the scoreboard flatter us against Adelaide? No f@rkin way!! We dominated for 3 quarters. Sure, they didn’t kick straight, but at what point do you give us credit for this?

I have been to all 3 games and one thing I have noticed pretty clearly is the deliberate strategy to push teams wide when they go forward. Again, credit to our backline for this.

no, you said our backline has been 'sensational'

i merely pointed out that they've been better than 2022, with room for much improvement

yes, collingwood should've belted us. you are dead set kidding yourself if you believe otherwise. and that poor defending in Q3 at adelaide is bad football.

flaky. that's how our defence looks until proven otherwise. the main architects of that flakiness ATM are grimes and vlastuin.

 

[Tiger Pops]

rebuild in progress while remaining competitive . The Cats and Swans model for the best part of 20 years. We are still to see what we have with several of our 18-22yo's. We just dont know if that 2021 draft will create the base of a next challenge. Banks - Brown - Gibcus - Sonsie - Clark plus the "long shots" we added over summer.