The Retrospective Coach - Round Two

[Scraggers]

So here it is ... The Retrospective Coach for Round Two

As with last week, I will be interviewing a 'WOOFer' who will be playing the part of our coach, Brendan McCartney.

The idea is to ask questions of the 'WOOFer' (via Private Message) and start the thread with the answers. The last question of every interview will always be a 20/20 hindsight question.

After the thread has been started, your role is to ask questions of our faux-coach!!

This week, playing the role of B-Mac is our very own top poster bornadog !!!

I appreciate bornadog helping out (at short notice) !!

Ask your questions of B-Mac (bornadog) and he will do his best to answer as The Retrospective Coach

[Scraggers]

Hi Brendan, thanks again for your time ...

Our defensive pressure was obviously a focal point against North. This also stopped us from scoring freely in the first half. Was this the right approach?

It was the right approach, and I don't believe it stopped us from scoring, we just didn't take our chances when they presented and our skills let us down at times. North's defensive pressure was also very good and both teams were desperate to win, we kept with them up to the ten minute mark of the last quarter and fell away after that which was very disappointing.

Did Ryan Griffen come back a week or two, too early? Did you consider giving him a run in the Magoos?

We played Ryan because he was fit and ready to play, although he had a lack of match fitness. The only game he could have played in was the practise match down at Geelong, but we felt we needed his on field leadership. He will be better for the run and will get better as the weeks go on.

Our ball use over the last two weeks has been deplorable. Did you give it enough attention over the pre-season?

Bad ball use comes from not being able to execute your skills under pressure. We saw Hawthorn's disposal last week, in the third quarter come under pressure and suddenly their skills looked ordinary. (even though they are touted as the best users of the ball in the AFL). We practise these drills at training and it will take time with a young group but we believe we are on the right track.

In hindsight, is there anything you had wished you had changed with selection / positions / approach to the game?

No not at all. We have some very good young players that didnot play last week, but they are not ready for promotion. This week there will be a couple of changes after some good performances down at Geelong.

Thanks Brendan … We really appreciate your time.

[Scraggers]

Okay WOOFers ... Go for it!!

Ask your questions of Brendan McCartney (bornadog)

[Twodogs]

How much did the previous weeks heat take it out of the players today Brendan?

[bornadog]

How much did the previous weeks heat take it out of the players today Brendan?

The players have been training right through summer in extreme temperatures, infact it was one of the hottest summers on record, however, nothing compares to playing an official game. We have excellent recovery practises at the Dogs and we were happy going into the game. However, without making excuses, North had a longer rest period between games, and perhaps the last quarter showed they were fresher than we were. We just have to manage the conditions, and ensure players follow the recovery practises each and every week.

[boydogs]

I noticed Stringer getting out the back hoping for the ball to spill instead of competing in marking contests when the ball was kicked to him, is this how he has been instructed to play?

[bulldogtragic]

Hi Brendan, thanks again for your time ...

Did Ryan Griffen come back a week or two, too early? Did you consider giving him a rum in the Magoos?


Times must have changed, I thought in the magoos it was skulling a Melbourne Bitter and two ciggies at half time and three quarter times. :)

[Scraggers]

Times must have changed, I thought in the magoos it was skulling a Melbourne Bitter and two ciggies at half time and three quarter times. :)

Thank you ;)

Edited for accuracy

[Remi Moses]

Why did you wait so long to activate the sub, when the forward 50 needed a spark?

[bornadog]

I noticed Stringer getting out the back hoping for the ball to spill instead of competing in marking contests when the ball was kicked to him, is this how he has been instructed to play?

Stringer was playing in his 12th AFL game and still learning and developing. His positioning was a reflection on how the ball was being delivered into the forward line and in many instances he was playing close to Jones and crumbing his ball and creating some goals. Hav a look at some of his highlights here:


http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/video/2014-03-31/r2-hunter-stringer-shine-against-roos

[bornadog]

Why did you wait so long to activate the sub, when the forward 50 needed a spark?

On reflection we could have activated the sub a little earlier.

[boydogs]

Stringer was playing in his 12th AFL game and still learning and developing. His positioning was a reflection on how the ball was being delivered into the forward line and in many instances he was playing close to Jones and crumbing his ball and creating some goals. Hav a look at some of his highlights here:


http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/video/2014-03-31/r2-hunter-stringer-shine-against-roos

Extra e in roos in that link. Thanks though

[jeemak]

How do you see the skills developing across the list? Whilst the game was one of high pressure on the ball carrier and this no doubt had an impact on skill execution, do you think the players who played on Sunday could have performed better in that area? There seemed to be a lot of missed targets even when pressure wasn't an issue.

[choconmientay]

Hey coach ;)
Harvey had a quiet first haft of the game. He started to have more impacts in the third and killing us in the fourth quarter. What measures did we put in place to stop him and why this was not working? Thanks.

[bornadog]

Extra e in roos in that link. Thanks though
Fixed

[bornadog]

How do you see the skills developing across the list? Whilst the game was one of high pressure on the ball carrier and this no doubt had an impact on skill execution, do you think the players who played on Sunday could have performed better in that area? There seemed to be a lot of missed targets even when pressure wasn't an issue.

There certainly was alot or pressure in the game causing many clangers (about 35 for each club), however, not hitting targets when there is no pressure is unacceptable and something we need to work on. Unfortunately, in a game situation compared to training some players make more errors. I am confident the young group we have will improve as they gain more experience. I don't believe it was as bad as some people think, its just that a mistake is amplified ten times compared to good execution. We need the older players to set an example, and Higgins showed how this can be done.

[bornadog]

Hey coach ;)
Harvey had a quiet first haft of the game. He started to have more impacts in the third and killing us in the fourth quarter. What measures did we put in place to stop him and why this was not working? Thanks.

Harvey is certainly a crafty, experienced player and his concentration, determination and gut running should be an example to all. We gave specific instructions to a couple of players to run with him and ensure he doesn't get many possessions, but unfortunately, we lost concentration in the last quarter and we paid the consequences. Those players have been spoken to and I am sure they will learn from the experience.

[Ghost Dog]

Wow, if I read that and imagine a kind of clipped, blokey, teacherly voice it really does sound like BMAC!

[Mofra]

Hi B-Mac,

Was any thought given to giving Roughy a run in the ruck to provide Minson with a chop-out whenever Currie let Goldy rest? We seemed to lose the centre contests in the last quarter and Minson clearly looked tired from the week before.

Cheers

[bornadog]

Hi B-Mac,

Was any thought given to giving Roughy a run in the ruck to provide Minson with a chop-out whenever Currie let Goldy rest? We seemed to lose the centre contests in the last quarter and Minson clearly looked tired from the week before.

Cheers

Roughead has continued to develop into a key backman for the club and has been working with Matthew Scarlett one of the all time great fullbacks. On Sunday we went into the game with Jones helping in the ruck. Although this is not an ideal situation, at least Jones was competitive. There is always the temptation to switch Roughead into the ruck, but unfortunately the match ups just didn't suit, with North having both Petrie and Currie in their forward line. Minson, did a great job on the weekend, with 42 hitouts and is a strong competitor and with Jones relieving, we had no thoughts of Roughead going into the ruck.

[Twodogs]

Fixed


Fixed again.

[wimberga]

Hi B-Mac,

Looking forward to this weeks game, what changes do you anticipate making from last weeks side?

[Ghost Dog]

Hi Brendan. Will send you a PM.

[bornadog]

Hi B-Mac,

Looking forward to this weeks game, what changes do you anticipate making from last weeks side?

You guys do ask the hard questions. A number of players are in line including Bonts and Honeychurch - but lets wait till this afternoon before we decide.