What is our biggest problem right now? (poll)

[Smoking Aces]

I think it’s more from a defensive perspective that it’s affected us which, still doesn’t excuse the fact that we haven’t adapted. That’s one reason, amongst a few, that I put coaching/tactics game plan call it what you will in my personal mix of problems.

All indicators show we still should be scoring heavily. But we are the 2nd lowest team for points for. We are 2nd for most marks inside 50 and around 8th for most inside 50's. We are 6th for least points conceded. Looking at that we have got the defensive side right but our scoring efficiency has dropped off the cliff. We have overcorrected our issue from last year.

Is this down to personel or a game plan that is too handball happy causing our disconnect going forward.

Whatever it is Hardwick needs to sort it out.

 

[Redford]

All indicators show we still should be scoring heavily. But we are the 2nd lowest team for points for. We are 2nd for most marks inside 50 and around 8th for most inside 50's. We are 6th for least points conceded. Looking at that we have got the defensive side right but our scoring efficiency has dropped off the cliff. We have overcorrected our issue from last year.

Is this down to personel or a game plan that is too handball happy causing our disconnect going forward.

Whatever it is Hardwick needs to sort it out.

Yep, no doubt we’ve got issues up forward. Again, why I put it in my personal list of problems that’s holding us back.

But where MD Jazz’s comments around the stand rule are concerned, they’re more defensive and in that respect, we are currently 8th for points against, were 9th last year and 8th in 2021.

Compare that with 2020 when we were 2nd, 2019 when we were 4th, 2018 when we were 2nd and in 2017 when we were 3rd….and you can see the line that MD Jazz is drawing ie since the stand rule came in, Hooch has never been able to extract the same level of high end defensive outcomes.

 

[Tiger44]

I voted forward line - the lack of pressure has been poor - Rioli Jnr the only one with endeavour but he didnt do any of the positive stuff - like kicking goals. The number of missed set shots is just ridiculous, we constantly put pressure on ourselves by missing easy shots at goal.

On Sunday in first quarter we must have missed four easy ones (including Baker on the run). Any of these go through and the game dynamic changes significantly.

 

[BT Tiger]

Considering our top goal scorer and best player has been out for 5 of the 8 weeks (5.5 if you count the 2nd half of the bulldogs game) I think it's fair to say that injuries have played a significant role in our goal scoring capability. Losing Lynch has been a disaster and although I'm a Samson fan, he's not going to fill those shoes and the less said about Ben Miller up forward the better.

JR has stepped up in Lynch's absence but he was pretty quiet this week and we didn't have anyone else chip in. Add the fact our primary ruckman is out for a similar period forcing us to ruck boys against men and an underdone Soldo means we can't take advantage of our midfield recruits to the extent we'd like and move the ball forward.

Looking through other clubs injury lists shows a similar number of players on the sidleines, but I think in most cases they haven't lost their most important player.

 

[mrposhman]

All indicators show we still should be scoring heavily. But we are the 2nd lowest team for points for. We are 2nd for most marks inside 50 and around 8th for most inside 50's. We are 6th for least points conceded. Looking at that we have got the defensive side right but our scoring efficiency has dropped off the cliff. We have overcorrected our issue from last year.

Is this down to personel or a game plan that is too handball happy causing our disconnect going forward.

Whatever it is Hardwick needs to sort it out.

Yeah I think defensively we are fine, but offensively our connection isn't there. Set shots have been a clear problem all year, but even so remarkably we are only ranked 12th for scoring conversion (goals / behinds) but it doesn't take into account OOTF's.

Our issue is we are ranked dead last for scores per inside 50's, like you say we are getting it in there fairly well, though we aren't getting as many repeat 50's as we used to get, but when we do there is little if any structure, no forward pressure to lock it inside 50 and we are therefore too easy to play against. We rank at 38% for scores per inside 50. The AFL average this year is 44% so we are a mile off at the moment. The good thing on the back of this though is when we do get shots inside 50, we are getting them in good areas, but unfortunately our kicking has not been good. With where we are getting shots, we should be top 6 for scoring conversion but as I say we are ranked 12th, and we can run off a list of easy gettable goals we should have had in pretty much every game this year (even the Crows game).

Defensively we rack up pretty well, 6th for scores per insider 50, but we generally don't give easy shots away, we rank 3rd in the AFL for defensive conversion %, so its pretty evident that our defence is keeping us in games (and we'd be ranked even higher if we weren't giving easy D50 turnover goals away every game).

Connection inside 50 is all about gameplan and personnel and I think we are lacking in both at the moment. We'll get the latter back at some point this year, but the former, I don't know.

 

[Smoking Aces]

Yeah I think defensively we are fine, but offensively our connection isn't there. Set shots have been a clear problem all year, but even so remarkably we are only ranked 12th for scoring conversion (goals / behinds) but it doesn't take into account OOTF's.

Our issue is we are ranked dead last for scores per inside 50's, like you say we are getting it in there fairly well, though we aren't getting as many repeat 50's as we used to get, but when we do there is little if any structure, no forward pressure to lock it inside 50 and we are therefore too easy to play against. We rank at 38% for scores per inside 50. The AFL average this year is 44% so we are a mile off at the moment. The good thing on the back of this though is when we do get shots inside 50, we are getting them in good areas, but unfortunately our kicking has not been good. With where we are getting shots, we should be top 6 for scoring conversion but as I say we are ranked 12th, and we can run off a list of easy gettable goals we should have had in pretty much every game this year (even the Crows game).

Defensively we rack up pretty well, 6th for scores per insider 50, but we generally don't give easy shots away, we rank 3rd in the AFL for defensive conversion %, so its pretty evident that our defence is keeping us in games (and we'd be ranked even higher if we weren't giving easy D50 turnover goals away every game).

Connection inside 50 is all about gameplan and personnel and I think we are lacking in both at the moment. We'll get the latter back at some point this year, but the former, I don't know.

Great post.

Is Teague still our offence coach?

 

[taztiger4]

Great post.

Is Teague still our offence coach?

Yes

 

[leon]

I voted forward line - the lack of pressure has been poor - Rioli Jnr the only one with endeavour but he didnt do any of the positive stuff - like kicking goals. The number of missed set shots is just ridiculous, we constantly put pressure on ourselves by missing easy shots at goal.

On Sunday in first quarter we must have missed four easy ones (including Baker on the run). Any of these go through and the game dynamic changes significantly.

Baker has missed really gettable ones either on the run or set-shot most games. Shocking efforts in front of goal and very costly. But he's got plenty of company.

 

[eZyT]

Great post.

Is Teague still our offence coach?

Im quite happy to blame him for everything.

 

[Rantnrave]

Cant be injuries as we were utter rubbish forst few rounds ,even with a full.lists .
The Spirit and confidence should be an option to choose from in your poll...

 

[roachapproach]

I think it's a combination of things...

ALthough I personally did not think that he would play many senior games this year, Castagna would have been handy. Speed, tackles and can take a mark.

 

[tigersnake]

1. The young players aren't as good as we'd hoped and they are taking longer than we'd like.
2. The older players are getting old, if more of the younger players were better they would be able to take more of a back seat, but they are trying to, and we unconsciously expect them to, lead us to victory every week as they did in their champion prime. They can't do it anymore.
3. Injuries, which because of 1 and 2,. have a greater impact.

The root cause of all 3 is the AFL equalisation policies.

I don't think we've done anything majorly wrong. I could see the reasoning and agreed with our strategies to date, it just looks like they haven't worked, or at least not as well as we'd hoped.

 

[mrposhman]

Cant be injuries as we were utter rubbish forst few rounds ,even with a full.lists .
The Spirit and confidence should be an option to choose from in your poll...

We dominated Carlton in Round 1, but that forward connection wasn't there. Then we smacked Adelaide in Round 2.

How were we utter rubbish in the first few rounds again????

 

[Ian4]

It was amazing on Sunday how easy it came out. Training drill stuff for GC as they walked it out of our forward line time and time again.

I have been to 5 of 7 games live and I would argue it has been a season long problem.

All indicators show we still should be scoring heavily. But we are the 2nd lowest team for points for. We are 2nd for most marks inside 50 and around 8th for most inside 50's. We are 6th for least points conceded. Looking at that we have got the defensive side right but our scoring efficiency has dropped off the cliff. We have overcorrected our issue from last year.

I would suggest you are defining “defence” incorrectly in the modern footy vernacular. You are talking about the backline when you say we have got the defensive side right. Our defence across the whole ground has been crap.

 

[gehring]

1. The young players aren't as good as we'd hoped and they are taking longer than we'd like.
2. The older players are getting old, if more of the younger players were better they would be able to take more of a back seat, but they are trying to, and we unconsciously expect them to, lead us to victory every week as they did in their champion prime. They can't do it anymore.
3. Injuries, which because of 1 and 2,. have a greater impact.

The root cause of all 3 is the AFL equalisation policies.

I don't think we've done anything majorly wrong. I could see the reasoning and agreed with our strategies to date, it just looks like they haven't worked, or at least not as well as we'd hoped.

totally agree with points 1-3. Game plan should reflect the strengths and weaknesses of the players available not continue with a plan based on past abilities. If by bad luck, injuries etc you suddenly have a team of midgets then the previously successful plan of kicking high and long won't work. Classic example was our reserves on Sunday! Unfortunately game plans are not easy to change but i believe it has not been changed to reflect the reality of points 1-3 above.

 

[DavidSSS]

There does seem to be some level of mismatch between the tactics and skill levels. You often see our players trying to pick their way down the ground, as other teams do. When they kick accurately, and there have been short passages of this at times, it works quite well. But our disposals are just not accurate enough and too many passes to a standing player (too static) mean we don't implement this very well. The alternative is to kick long down the line which is not a particularly safe strategy these days.

In short, more skills training with an emphasis on getting it right would help.

DS

 

[tigers80]

All indicators show we still should be scoring heavily. But we are the 2nd lowest team for points for. We are 2nd for most marks inside 50 and around 8th for most inside 50's. We are 6th for least points conceded. Looking at that we have got the defensive side right but our scoring efficiency has dropped off the cliff. We have overcorrected our issue from last year.

Is this down to personel or a game plan that is too handball happy causing our disconnect going forward.

Whatever it is Hardwick needs to sort it out.

Remember when over corrected in 2016

 

[Smoking Aces]

I have been to 5 of 7 games live and I would argue it has been a season long problem.



I would suggest you are defining “defence” incorrectly in the modern footy vernacular. You are talking about the backline when you say we have got the defensive side right. Our defence across the whole ground has been crap.

I am referring to points scored against which is a good indicator of how your overall team defence is holding up.

 

[gold1]

The hunger and manic urgency has gone.

 

[dimmauchump]

The hunger and manic urgency has gone.

This. Only difference between us and the Pies at the moment.

I would also add we have lost a huge amount of leadership in the last 3-4 years. Houli, Astbury, Rance, Edwards, Grigg, Lambert. Can understand the reasoning on why the club wanted Jack and Cotch to go on this year. Leadership isn't just being an older player it is about character, courage and commitment to lead others around you. Astbury was the father figure of that backline that kept them in line. Lambert and Edwards ditto in the midfield.

Players like Martin are superstars but he is just not a leader. Shai is a freak but needs to be controlled. Grimes, Vlastuin are great players but again not great leaders. Nank is a warrior but he cannot lead men. Our last 2 real leaders in Jack and Cotch just don't have the legs to carry the rest with them so their impact is gone.

One way i see us getting out of this mess is in the hope that Taranto and Hopper are desperately hungry for a flag. Those 2 can drive the new standards. The new hunger to succeed and bring the youngsters with them.

If we can recruit 2-3 senior players that have had a few years in the system and are hungry for the ultimate success we may be able to bounce back quicker than we think.

Other issue is whether Dimma still has that hunger and desire for another dynasty.

For where this team is at atm we need every player on our list available and fit. We no longer have the system to cover these players. Dare i say with the full complement available and a proper pre season for all then we could easily be sitting 6-0. Every game we have played this year we have had a chance at some point to win it.

For me this season is done and dusted regardless of what we do against WC this week. The injuries are just too deep and the pre season just too interrupted. We probably go on a mini winning run at the end of the year but we ain't playing finals.