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End of an Era
- Thread starter RemoteTiger
- Start date
Agree on the off year.
It's impossible to stay up.
After Rubber Soul, Revolver and Sgt Pepper there was Magical Mystery Tour and a Yellow Submarine Soundtrack before the White Album.
Not my favourite but a statement.
We all need a kick up the arse.
We will contend again.
IMO a healthy slice of our success was due to superior positioning. Combined, the various rule changes have tipped it on its head.
Simple. Stupid is as stupid does. And writes. It’s moronic and tiresome. To not acknowledge the past 3 flags, to bag players and coaches involved in all 3 is simply stupid. King Kong stupid.
The Manic pressure inside 50 is gone so no repeat entries and with our delivery going inside 50 so poor the constant rebound resulting in easy opposition goals is killing us. Even when we were flying our inside 50 delivery was very poor as well as our centre clearences and clearences from contests. Without the locking the ball inside our 50 we are a middle of the road team. We still have plenty of experience and good young talent but will get beaten if we keep doing what we are currently doing. Hardwick and his assistants need a big rethink of our game plan if we are to improve.
How do we define an Era though?
If it's the Damien Hardwick Era, we've been a lot worse. Benny Gale Era, again, we've been worse, same as the Peggy Era.
Probably the worst we've seen in the Neil Balme Era. So obviously he's the one that needs to lift his game.
If it's the Damien Hardwick Era, we've been a lot worse. Benny Gale Era, again, we've been worse, same as the Peggy Era.
Probably the worst we've seen in the Neil Balme Era. So obviously he's the one that needs to lift his game.
Agree with this - just have to look at the stats, during 2017-2020 we were always in the top 3 and often leading the I50's. The manic pressure was part of it, however the other part was manic running to position that would create a defensive wall.
The rule changes and game evolution have clearly impacted our ability to hold the ball in this as we are back to mid pack with I50s. However other teams are having as many I50's as we used to have - so game style aside, it is still possible.
From what I can gather, Balmey's not even lifting vanilla slices at the moment.
Fascinating to see the Eagles are following in our footsteps now.
Also 4years up the top and now injuries to the champions. Pies somewhat similar.
Conclusion...4 or so years in contention playing more , higher pressure games and not getting high grade youth injected into the squad via the draft, has an exhausting and physically and in the end a mentally draining efffect.
In our case, this is compounded by our high pressure, hard running style.
Hence our terrible lower limb injuries, especially to the runners.
Catch and Prestia..Hammies.
Sheds and Lambert..calves.
Houli ..calf
Dusty..groin.
Rioli..foot and now along with George, just too cooked to run and create.
This is ultimately why we have gone over the cliff. Running players are physically damaged especially in the legs.
Interestingly Cats less affected. Explanation is they play a more precise ball use game with less hard run. However Duncan leg injury and Selwood done. Other mids have had leg injuries.
Watching the Swans, they are young and full off run. Dees also lots of run. Both sides less injuries and no recent finals exposure.
Lions and Dogs still in between.
We have been cooked all year, apart from the odd cameos.
In fact we were in trouble late last year v Lions and Port and in the GF but some Dusty brilliance dragged us off the canvas.
So , that 4 year wonderful era, producing three flags is done.
Now time to hit the draft and develope our younger quality players .
Will take a little time unless our champs came come back refreshed next year. They need a rest now.
Also 4years up the top and now injuries to the champions. Pies somewhat similar.
Conclusion...4 or so years in contention playing more , higher pressure games and not getting high grade youth injected into the squad via the draft, has an exhausting and physically and in the end a mentally draining efffect.
In our case, this is compounded by our high pressure, hard running style.
Hence our terrible lower limb injuries, especially to the runners.
Catch and Prestia..Hammies.
Sheds and Lambert..calves.
Houli ..calf
Dusty..groin.
Rioli..foot and now along with George, just too cooked to run and create.
This is ultimately why we have gone over the cliff. Running players are physically damaged especially in the legs.
Interestingly Cats less affected. Explanation is they play a more precise ball use game with less hard run. However Duncan leg injury and Selwood done. Other mids have had leg injuries.
Watching the Swans, they are young and full off run. Dees also lots of run. Both sides less injuries and no recent finals exposure.
Lions and Dogs still in between.
We have been cooked all year, apart from the odd cameos.
In fact we were in trouble late last year v Lions and Port and in the GF but some Dusty brilliance dragged us off the canvas.
So , that 4 year wonderful era, producing three flags is done.
Now time to hit the draft and develope our younger quality players .
Will take a little time unless our champs came come back refreshed next year. They need a rest now.
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Working out how to position is problematic with the new rules, in fact, given you are one player down when the opposition have a free or mark, and that gives them more options, can the ground be covered so well?
I am not entirely convinced that the statue on the mark rule has made that big a change, it has definitely made a change but how much? But it is enough of a change that it is harder to defend the whole ground and everyone has to re-learn their positioning.
We can't be a chip and possession team with the current players, I still think the pressure game plan is effective, but we need to learn how to implement it with the new rules.
DS
Tony Braxton-Hicks
There are no stupid ideas, just stupid people
Our form line is currently diabolical. We are shot.
Not the players or coach's fault.
We are spent from four exhausting manic pressure football years and the resultant physical duress.
Just how it goes.
There is simply NO RUN left in the legs.
Load up and have another crack over the next few years.
PS...I initially thought Dimma had changed the game plan to combat the new rules and difficulty defending exits from defence, but now I think there is another reason.
I think Dimma could see we were losing our run and carry, manic pressure, due to the above reasons, hence we were not able to match the young running teams like Swans and Demons. They flogged us.
So I think he chose to establish a slower possession game to bring the speed back and allow us time to defend better and hopefully prevent costly undefendable turnovers.
Unfortunately it did not suit our personnel. Can't see how it would have worked anyway.
We are just not able to play our pressure style this year.
Not the players or coach's fault.
We are spent from four exhausting manic pressure football years and the resultant physical duress.
Just how it goes.
There is simply NO RUN left in the legs.
Load up and have another crack over the next few years.
PS...I initially thought Dimma had changed the game plan to combat the new rules and difficulty defending exits from defence, but now I think there is another reason.
I think Dimma could see we were losing our run and carry, manic pressure, due to the above reasons, hence we were not able to match the young running teams like Swans and Demons. They flogged us.
So I think he chose to establish a slower possession game to bring the speed back and allow us time to defend better and hopefully prevent costly undefendable turnovers.
Unfortunately it did not suit our personnel. Can't see how it would have worked anyway.
We are just not able to play our pressure style this year.
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It's like the good old days, hanging in there until it is mathematically impossible to make the 8
The giant has rolled over n farted (maybe a shart... it’s that kinda year) now counting sheep and contemplating some shut eye, whilst considering if he should just roll out of bed and terrorise for just a bit longer... just for giggles...
Or the Frawley days of “we can’t make the eight but we can help shape the eight.”
The more I read this, the more I agree.
The stat that almost always correlated to our wins and losses over the past 4 years was having a superior average speed in defence compared to the opposition. This year we rarely win this stat, literally after four years of rarely losing it.
We ARE cooked. Is it old legs? is it too many finals campaigns in a row? Is it too much of the manic game plan over too many consecutive years? Is the motivation finally waining? Have we lost key fitness personnel under the soft cap that is hurting us? Is it all of the above? Whatever it is, I cannot see this year ending well.
Hopefully playing against the magpies can fire up the boys and we can get our game going before we play geelong and brisbane. Surprisingly, our percentage is far superior to the teams around us so we only need to bank the wins to play finals from here on out. I don't think the era is over because it is almost impossible for us to be playing any worse now so there is plenty of room for improvement before finals. If you cast back to 2014 where we started 3-10 and made the 8, this season has a similar vibe where we were playing insipid footy but turned it around. Remember it was only 8 months ago we won the grand final and we virtually have the same team so anything is possible
When were these bad old days you talk of, when we had a list full of premiership players down on form?
As bad as we have played at present i cant see the Mitch Farmer, Tim Fleming or John Mrakov comparisons.
