Hardwick

[23.21.159]

15-7 got top 4 last year, 14-8 was 5th and imth8nk this year will be even more even, I don’t think all is lost just yet.

It's hard to know.
In 2016, the Bulldogs went 15-7 and finished SEVENTH (and won the flag!).
For both Adelaide and West Coast, 16-6 wasn't enough to get top four.
And for North, 12-10 got them in the eight.

 

[Bullarto Tiger]

Dont think we can do Top 4. Goal should be finals and be fit and fresh. We can string 4 great games in row at the end.

I like your thinking, TT2.
Tend to think the players might relish the opportunity to hunt down another premiership (2017), rather than having to defend it (2018).

 

[evo]

Exactly. That's the reason why I wasn't that upset losing to Collingwood in the preliminary final. The way we were playing and the way they beat us was played precisely to script, you could see it coming a mile off. Sometimes you have to accept you're not good enough. Conversely that's why I am so upset and disturbed about the loss last Thursday night. It was like Hardwick and co had spent the whole summer writing off the preliminary final as just a bad night. How we played and how we structured was just too similar. And what really makes me despair is although as 2017 has shown whilst Hardwick has the capacity to learn and to adapt, he can take a bloody long time to do it. I don't want 2019 to be another season of Hardwick 'learnings'.

It is amazing how topsy turvy the two AFL rounds have been. A club could genuinely do a 2016 Western Bulldogs and steal it. For example we get Reiwoldt back and play him like the all Australian and Coleman medalist that he is and not a makeshift ruckman we could still do it. There is no shame in 'Bradburying' a premiership, the shame is allowing another team to do it and not doing it yourself when you had the opportunity. Then I really would be annoyed.

great post;totally agree.

 

[toby64]

My concern is that there appears to be almost an arrogance with the way we play.

In looking from the outside (as we all do) and not knowing exactly what goes on, it appears that we go into games with the view that our style of play can beat anyone. So we effectively say to the opposition...we think our best is good enough. If you think you can break it down and beat it then good luck to you.

So we play our way, without putting much work into nullifying the opposition or countering their strengths. Whilst other teams who play us plan for how they can take away our strengths to beat us.

Then when we don't get the game on our terms, we are stuffed. No plan B. No plan to shut down the opposition. Opposition players running amok. Hasn't happened often in the past few years, but that's the impression I get. And its happened twice in the past 3 games we have played.

 

[123cups]

I don't think we dominated the latter part of 2018. Warning signs were there in the last few rounds that the comp was working us out.

Agree with that, just meant in 2017 and early 2018 the club exuded humility, whereas in late 2018, the unbeatable narrative went to a few heads. I haven't seen anyone implying we're not the most talented team anymore; the media says we're the best, we nod along. Maybe now we can get back to our roots. That's Hardwick's job, especially with injured leaders.

 

[year of the tiger]

My concern is that there appears to be almost an arrogance with the way we play.

In looking from the outside (as we all do) and not knowing exactly what goes on, it appears that we go into games with the view that our style of play can beat anyone. So we effectively say to the opposition...we think our best is good enough. If you think you can break it down and beat it then good luck to you.

So we play our way, without putting much work into nullifying the opposition or countering their strengths. Whilst other teams who play us plan for how they can take away our strengths to beat us.

Then when we don't get the game on our terms, we are stuffed. No plan B. No plan to shut down the opposition. Opposition players running amok. Hasn't happened often in the past few years, but that's the impression I get. And its happened twice in the past 3 games we have played.

Your probably right.

The trouble is the last two games against the pies, we haven’t played anywhere near our strengths

 

[seven]

Does Dimma do “Tuesday with Terry” ?

 

[tigertime2]

Does Dimma do “Tuesday with Terry” ?

No, but he could do Saturdays with Se7en.

 

[BillyJean17]

My concern is that there appears to be almost an arrogance with the way we play.

In looking from the outside (as we all do) and not knowing exactly what goes on, it appears that we go into games with the view that our style of play can beat anyone. So we effectively say to the opposition...we think our best is good enough. If you think you can break it down and beat it then good luck to you.

So we play our way, without putting much work into nullifying the opposition or countering their strengths. Whilst other teams who play us plan for how they can take away our strengths to beat us.

Then when we don't get the game on our terms, we are stuffed. No plan B. No plan to shut down the opposition. Opposition players running amok. Hasn't happened often in the past few years, but that's the impression I get. And its happened twice in the past 3 games we have played.

Kinda goes with the territory when we’ve won more games than anyone else in last 2y , I agree though we re fools in not changing our setup to combat the genuine ruck midfield strength of Coll , it’s cost us twice now , Grundy provides an armchair ride , we didn’t even make it difficult , may not have been enough to W , may have stuffed their plans if we rotated soldo for example

 

[Tigers of Old]

Dimma went & scouted his ol' mate Adam Kingsley from St Kilda who's now in charge of the midfield group.
From what I have seen so far they're not responding. Saints are 2-0 too..

 

[zippadeee]

Dimma went & scouted his ol' mate Adam Kingsley from St Kilda who's now in charge of the midfield group.
From what I have seen so far they're not responding. Saints are 2-0 too..

Was Kingsley responsible for Weller too? Then both can back there.

 

[craig]

Dimma went & scouted his ol' mate Adam Kingsley from St Kilda who's now in charge of the midfield group.
From what I have seen so far they're not responding. Saints are 2-0 too..

:-\

 

[TigerTribe5]

Dimma went & scouted his ol' mate Adam Kingsley from St Kilda who's now in charge of the midfield group.
From what I have seen so far they're not responding. Saints are 2-0 too..

Strange choice!

What had St Kilda as a playing group done to even suggest that Kingsley would be a good pick/up?!

They seem to be better now that he’s gone lol.

 

[daniel30]

For me I'm seeing the same problems towards the back half of the season 2018.Our game plan hasn't involved with Lynch or without him even with the new rules.It's like we a stuck in 2017 and this is the way we only know problem is we aren't executing it.

 

[JB11]

Was Kingsley responsible for Weller too? Then both can back there.

i agree

when weller was running into an open forward line and eased up instead of marking the ball that was it for me
it bounced away from him and into the arms of a pies defender who quickly moved the ball up the ground

dud

delist

 

[Aegean Tiger]

Much to think about for the premiership coach.....

 

[tigerdell]

I felt we structured up differently against the pies than previously.
Dusty working across half forward delivering into 50 seemed a ploy.
Obviously he does that normally but it felt like an emphasis.
Jack taking back up ruck.
Oleg and Mav Weller switched in the last.
Overall it didnt work.
But the storyline that Dimma is coaching 2017 again is wrong

 

[zippadeee]

He has never been a great tactical or reactive coach and the significant change in approach when Caracella arrived is too much of a coincidence.

Now that the challenge has been laid down in terms of other teams adapting it will be interesting to see how our ability to react has changed as well.

It would be interesting to know the coaching dynamic now, a premiership can embolden a coach and perhaps inflate his sense of his own ability.

Still struggles game day.
Last week was a perfect example. Everyone watching the game knew they were just playing a uncontested game. Hardwick never went one on one. His only obvious move was Markov to go forward but besides that it was like we were 8 goals up in his head.

 

[silvertiger]

Still struggles game day.
Last week was a perfect example. Everyone watching the game knew they were just playing a uncontested game. Hardwick never went one on one. His only obvious move was Markov to go forward but besides that it was like we were 8 goals up in his head.

Agree. he could have been pro-active last week after the obvious "keep hands off' game from the pies. He acknowledged we are not fully fit a coupe of weeks ago. Anzac day we should be primed. Hopefully not 1 & 4 at that stage :

 

[btoz_01]

Yesterday we had McIntosh : rucking at centre bounces
The Grigg game play ended after our premiership in 2017 and the game has moved on
Why does Dimmer continue to use players such as Riewoldt (before injury), McIntosh, Rioli, Cotchin etc to go up for ruck contests in the centre square?