A Message From Brendan McCartney - June 25 2012

[bornadog]

Link (http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/member%20message%20from%20brendan%20mccartney/tabid/18836/default.aspx)

Dear member,


An opportunity has come and gone and it was a poor result for our football club.

We were able to win some areas of the game, the contest, our clearances and comparable inside 50’s but the area of the game that clearly wasn’t up to scratch was our ability to use the ball in space, which put enormous pressure on our ability to defend the ground.

It was a game that a lot of areas of the game we value, we were solid at, but we didn’t get the efficiency we wanted. We didn’t invest enough genuine effort into the difficult side of the game which is generally about getting the ball back.

Our challenge as a group is to continually reinforce the message that it’s important to score but when we can’t score, that we keep the game in the fashion that we want it and that we are a lot tougher to play against with our defensive work.

We again had a high number of players under 50 games and they received some valuable learning and education. Sometimes a loss does give you as much teaching as a win but no shying away from the fact that we weren’t a lot fun to watch and didn’t play anywhere near the brand of footy that we like.

We look forward to being much better in those areas this week against the Bombers.



Brendan McCartney.

[LostDoggy]

Would have liked some acknowledgement of our inability to score

[GVGjr]

I think he should have acknowledged that the opposition were better prepared and better coached on the day and that he would be focusing on our goal kicking conversions.

[bornadog]

I think he should have acknowledged that the opposition were better prepared and better coached on the day and that he would be focusing on our goal kicking conversions.

Apparently Jonathan Brown revved up the troops before the game and said he will not accept a loss because he doesn't want to go to the Hall of Fame night if they did lose.

[Remi Moses]

I still can't find Brunswick st in Brisbane.
If they were fair dinkum about some semblance of a merge they'd be donning a Fitzroy guernsey in Every Melb game, instead they serve up that paddle pop lion guernsey!:rolleyes:

[GVGjr]

Apparently Jonathan Brown revved up the troops before the game and said he will not accept a loss because he doesn't want to go to the Hall of Fame night if they did lose.

I'm told before the game that one of the Brisbane assistant coaches was interviewed and he explained how they would play the game and that they would shut down Boyd, Griffen and Wallis plus make sure they would clear the ball from our tall forwards once it hit the ground. Looks to me like they were just better prepared.

Maybe there is a bit more to Voss than I thought.

[Ghost Dog]

The way we rolled over was embarrassing. Clubs know that if they put their foot on our throat, we will roll over. We are a percentage booster. That has to stop.

[Mantis]

We were able to win some areas of the game, the contest, our clearances and comparable inside 50’s but the area of the game that clearly wasn’t up to scratch was our ability to use the ball in space, which put enormous pressure on our ability to defend the ground.

It was a game that a lot of areas of the game we value, we were solid at, but we didn’t get the efficiency we wanted. We didn’t invest enough genuine effort into the difficult side of the game which is generally about getting the ball back.

This is a common theme across most of our games, but the areas where we are very poor in aren't being improved.... Why not?



We again had a high number of players under 50 games and they received some valuable learning and education. Sometimes a loss does give you as much teaching as a win but no shying away from the fact that we weren’t a lot fun to watch and didn’t play anywhere near the brand of footy that we like.



We had 12, they had 9 so it's not a great gap. We also had 6 players who had played more than 150 games so we had enough experience out there.

And finally what is the type of footy we like? I'm having trouble in watching our games working out what game style we are trying to implement.

[bornadog]

And finally what is the type of footy we like? I'm having trouble in watching our games working out what game style we are trying to implement.

I am finding it hard to watch any footy these days with 36 players around the ball and half the ground empty. This is not just our game but all games.

[Cyberdoggie]

I am finding it hard to watch any footy these days with 36 players around the ball and half the ground empty. This is not just our game but all games.

Yeah it's pretty ugly, then when players get tired they stop running and bang a banana across the body to push forward, which creates another pack of players. Then if the ball finally gets free it's a matter of who runs back to goal quickest to get the ball and score.

Gone are the days when forwards lead up to the ball unless they have double backed after running towards goal.

I'd kill to see a forward start around the goal square and provide a lead to a pass from the center.

It's no wonder our forwards are lost they don't know if they are running forward, back or up the ground, it's so confusing for a forward these days.

[Cyberdoggie]

I think he should have acknowledged that the opposition were better prepared and better coached on the day and that he would be focusing on our goal kicking conversions.

Yes the lack of changes during a game is becoming too familiar.
When an opposition player is dominating and our best player who is playing on him is having his worst game and isn't touching the ball, at what point do you think this isn't working?

[LostDoggy]

Yes the lack of changes during a game is becoming too familiar.
When an opposition player is dominating and our best player who is playing on him is having his worst game and isn't touching the ball, at what point do you think this isn't working?

We're not wanting it to “work”. We're wanting that player to learn something.

[Greystache]

I'm glad its been acknowledged that we're not much fun to watch at the moment. I'm as committed a footy fan as anyone and more than most, but watching us butchering the ball under no pressure, players unable to kick a goal that an average VFL player would be expected to kick, and the unwillingness of a large number of players to even take a shot all culminates in a fairly unenjoyable footy watching experience.

Watching us graft and grind, transfer possession from one player under pressure to the next player under just as much pressure, and fighting tooth and nail to get a shot on goal that invariably misses and is returned to the other end of the ground for an easy opposition goal, feels like really hard work not an enjoyable day out at the footy.

[AndrewP6]

We're not wanting it to “work”. We're wanting that player to learn something.

So we persist in putting and keeping players in jobs they're not capable of doing?

[Go_Dogs]

Watching us graft and grind, transfer possession from one player under pressure to the next player under just as much pressure, and fighting tooth and nail to get a shot on goal that invariably misses and is returned to the other end of the ground for an easy opposition goal, feels like really hard work not an enjoyable day out at the footy.

Agreed.

It's clear our issues are our spread from the contest once we've won the ball, our ability to stop opposition spread from the contest, the quality of ball delivered into the F50 and our conversion once we have a shot. Our contested ball numbers have on balance been very good so hopefully we can see a shift in focus to getting these other elements right sooner rather than later.

[LostDoggy]

I still can't find Brunswick st in Brisbane.


Here it is

http://www.parkingmadeeasy.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/listing/public/BrunswickSt.JPG

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

I'm glad its been acknowledged that we're not much fun to watch at the moment. I'm as committed a footy fan as anyone and more than most, but watching us butchering the ball under no pressure, players unable to kick a goal that an average VFL player would be expected to kick, and the unwillingness of a large number of players to even take a shot all culminates in a fairly unenjoyable footy watching experience.

Watching us graft and grind, transfer possession from one player under pressure to the next player under just as much pressure, and fighting tooth and nail to get a shot on goal that invariably misses and is returned to the other end of the ground for an easy opposition goal, feels like really hard work not an enjoyable day out at the footy.

We are all going to need a lot of patience. The losses of Johnson, Eagleton, Hall, Hudson, Ward, Harbrow, Morris and Gilbee has robbed the team of a lot of mental toughness and skill. The current team is very much a work in progress with a very inferior attack which is compounding our problem. Keep in mind that it wasn't that many weeks ago that we put in two tremendous efforts against Collingwood and Geelong. Apart from Dahlhaus we haven't had a winning forward. Dickson in his first year looks like becoming a skillful player.
We need a lot more out of players like Sherman, Djerrkura and Veszpremi who have ability but lack consistency. Howard and Campbell showed enough at the weekend to suggest they will become regular senior players. Brisbane did play very well against us.
I am looking forward to an improved showing against Essendon.

[Remi Moses]

Here it is

http://www.parkingmadeeasy.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/listing/public/BrunswickSt.JPG

Nice snoop.:D
Sham merger IMHO, tenuous at best and a takeover.

[bornadog]

Nice snoop.:D
Sham merger IMHO, tenuous at best and a takeover.

Make no mistake, Fitzroy no longer exists. The club has been stolen, the jumper, the song have been bastardized. Those supporters hanging in there thinking Brisbane are part Fitzroy are delusional.

[LostDoggy]

So we persist in putting and keeping players in jobs they're not capable of doing?

No, we keep them in there because we do think they're capable of doing it. They're just not capable yet. Jesus Christ, how hard is it to understand that concept? The coach has been singing that line since October.

[Desipura]

No, we keep them in there because we do think they're capable of doing it. They're just not capable yet. Jesus Christ, how hard is it to understand that concept? The coach has been singing that line since October.

So you are saying the coach knew straight away that the players who he had inherited when he took the job where the players to take him forward?
I would think most coaches give players 12 months to prove themselves (unless they are trying to make a statement then they just delist the older players)

[AndrewP6]

No, we keep them in there because we do think they're capable of doing it. They're just not capable yet. Jesus Christ, how hard is it to understand that concept? The coach has been singing that line since October.

I understand it perfectly well thanks. I also think it's the wrong way to go about it.

[always right]

Anybody else agree that the WOOF board has become a considerably less pleasant place to be in the last month? Sign of the times eh? I get the feeling that some of our supporters simply don't have the strength to go back to the well again with the bulldogs after so many decades of discappointment.

Massive challenge for the club to drive membership next year. How we approach the draft is going to be critical. Clubs like ours exist on hope...when that falls away....danger time.