We can be frustrating to watch at times because:

[mjp]

Watching the Hawthorn game today, I was frustrated...as I feel like I always am whenever we are playing a team that is RUBBISH. (And Hawthorn are rubbish).

There are 4x main things that upset me:

- We are smart alecs with the footy and over-handball/3metre kick when we think we are the better side.
- We are smart alecs WITHOUT the footy and repeatedly (that's harsh - regularly!) concede goal-side in D50.
- Everyone seems to want to get a kick in forward 50 and we compress our OWN forward 50 making it impossible to score.
- We repeatedly have shots on goal from low %'age situations which releases the pressure on our opponents.

What have I missed...and what frustrates you the most?

[azabob]

For me it’s the numbers inside forward 50, which leads to, too many handballs and then rushed kicks at goal from a low percentage area on the ground.

[mjp]

For me it’s the numbers inside forward 50, which leads to, too many handballs and then rushed kicks at goal from a low percentage area on the ground.

I absolutely love your response.

Honestly, I wanted to turn it off at half-time. My wife looked at me like I was crazy and I said "yep, but remember this later - our best footy of the day has already been played"...needless to say I watched the second half and needless to say I was right!

[Twodogs]

Actually it used to drive me mad in the 2000s watching us share the ball around constantly inside 50 because nobody (except Brad Johnson) wanted to take responsibility to have a shot at goal. I'm happy to watch us have a ping from inside 50. In fact I used to think that it should be a team rule. If you find yourself inside 50 with the ball in your hand then have a shot. So I'm happy to see us back ourselves in and have a ping.

Although I agree that we could make some space and pack less bodies in the forward 50.

[jeemak]

I called all of these things out one way or another within the game day thread.

It seems as games go on be develop a mania that results in more doubling down on the things we definitely know we shouldn't be doing too much of, like giving ground with hands and still having to rush the kick forward anyway or whatever it is.

I even suggested during the half time break or thereabouts that we should concede more turf when we're compressing the forward fifty so heavily. It's funny, the times we shouldn't concede turf, you know, when we're sixty metres to eighty metres from our defencive goal under pressure is the only time we seem to. When we actually need to, like when we've had five thousand pressured entries in five minutes we never do.

[mjp]

Nothing worse than a looooooooooooooooonnnnnnnngggggggg point if you ask me. Guys having shots when they might be 2/10. There has to be a better plan.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

There’s a number of things but the over handball inside 50 is up there. So many times it looks like a player could have a shot and handball it to another player further out under similar pressure. I get we’re trying to create the best shot but I don’t see that happen all too often. This is where we need some smart small forwards who know how to kick a goal

[bornadog]

We seem to always have huge numbers inside 50 compared to other teams. We just keep pumping it in and press forward sometimes to our detriment

[Grantysghost]

Over handball in the f50 for me. It's almost a self fulfilling prophecy you flood your own attack by creating so many handball options.
I love players who take the extra second, lower the eyes and hit a target by foot. But we never seem to create enough space for this to happen consistently enough. Liberatore is gold standard.
Why do we get so many numbers forward? Is this the plan?

[comrade]

At times?

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

For me its the hard work to lock the ball in our forward 50, and generate multiple scoring opportunities with not goal at the end of it.... and then to watch that time and field ownership come to naught as the other team converts on their 1st foray forward.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

For me its the hard work to lock the ball in our forward 50, and generate multiple scoring opportunities with not goal at the end of it.... and then to watch that time and field ownership come to naught as the other team converts on their 1st foray forward.

Yep. And they convert with such an open, uncongested forward line.

[DOG GOD]

#1 issue for mine is allowing the opposition to play pagans paddock in their fwd 50. Once they break that centre line and the camera pans to their fwd line I literally scream at the tv.

[CarnTheScray]

#1 issue for mine is allowing the opposition to play pagans paddock in their fwd 50. Once they break that centre line and the camera pans to their fwd line I literally scream at the tv.
Yep as soon as it goes into their forward 50 I know they'll score. Our defence cannot retreat fast enough not only because its slow but because they aren't given any time to.

We made 1.93cm giant Gunston look like Phar Lap by letting him gallop past everyone else.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

I voted fir goal kicking. Only because it’s been a problem not addressed over the last 5 years.

[josie]

Same as Bumper Bulldogs for me.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Something frustrated Bevo. He stayed in the box a long time after the game had finished.

[jeemak]

Something frustrated Bevo. He stayed in the box a long time after the game had finished.

He seem to have sand in his nether regions all game.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

He seem to have sand in his nether regions all game.

Maybe he really wanted to pummel the team of his old mate Alistair.

[jeemak]

Maybe he really wanted to pummel the team of his old mate Alistair.

I don't know, but with what we saw with Hayes last week and some of our performances being not as good as they could be and the repetition of the same errors over the past month or so I reckon today he was tense because he knew it was on the line.

It visually appeared that way, but perhaps I'm over thinking it. However, he has continually talked about a lack of patience to improve and do things better or the way he wants them to be done, so perhaps that is playing out a bit more on game day.

[jeemak]

I did see him hit his notepad with a pissed off face more than once today.

[azabob]

I did see him hit his notepad with a pissed off face more than once today.

Even before the game he seemed agitated.

[Twodogs]

I did see him hit his notepad with a pissed off face more than once today.

Yeah, agreed. There were a few times that he looked like he was about to do his right flippin' 'nana. Then again coaches are strange cats. Maybe a few didn't follow team rules? Or he as annoyed that we let them back into the game?

[jeemak]

Even before the game he seemed agitated.


Yeah, agreed. There were a few times that he looked like he was about to do his right flippin' 'nana. Then again coaches are strange cats. Maybe a few didn't follow team rules? Or he as annoyed that we let them back into the game?

Absolutely. It was a marked change from a questioned look on his face to one of complete agitation. Like he had all the answers but the prep didn't go well or something. Weird.

[Ozza]

The over handballing inside 50/inside forward half frustrates me the most. Its likely we are trying to play too perfectly and do that extra handball to set up a player to have a nice shot, but with every handball we increase our risk of turn over and then can get caught out the back.

I don't like - but am willing to accept - that congestion in our forward half is inevitable in periods like the 2nd quarter when we dominated field position. That second quarter today - although we only kicked 3 goals for the quarter - was complete domination with Hawthorn never having the slightest chance to be offensive.

In terms of the assertive defensive positioning that can lead to us being caught out the back on turnover; obviously very frustrating, but the positioning is part of our identity in how we play (game style). The difference is in how we execute it week to week. In 2016 - Matty Boyd was out there directing traffic and making the adjustments as needed - and was often the deepest defender himself when we had the ball in our forward half, so that we had that cover. He also had Morris and Woody out there with him. I'd expect we will gradually improve/reduce those moments as the group gets more experience playing together.

[bornadog]

That second quarter today - although we only kicked 3 goals for the quarter - was complete domination with Hawthorn never having the slightest chance to be offensive.

We ended up with 3.5 and should have been at minimum 5.3

[kruder]

Yep coming out backwards from a crowded forward 50 with over handballing, often delivering it to the receivers opposite side.

The lack of intercept marking in our defensive 50, giving forwards a second chance draw. Gunstons two goals on the ground should not have happened.

[Scraggers]

Set shots on goal. We need a coach who can teach players how to take a set shot.

[Mofra]

Our "shape" forward of the ball.
We just look like a team whose forwardline hasn't played much football together. Bruce and Naughton should only ever be within arms length of each other at the end of each quarter.

A lot of our problems stem from that. Better shape forward of the ball = easier targets for the player with the ball in hand = more direct style of football.
Wallis is leading our goalkicking despite being the slowest and often shortest player in our F50. He has the best positioning of the bunch though, and it shows.

[1eyedog]

Set shots on goal. We need a coach who can teach players how to take a set shot.

I swear Two Dogs could do this in 45 minutes.

[WBFC4FFC]

Watching the Hawthorn game today, I was frustrated...as I feel like I always am whenever we are playing a team that is RUBBISH. (And Hawthorn are rubbish).

There are 4x main things that upset me:

- We are smart alecs with the footy and over-handball/3metre kick when we think we are the better side.
- We are smart alecs WITHOUT the footy and repeatedly (that's harsh - regularly!) concede goal-side in D50.
- Everyone seems to want to get a kick in forward 50 and we compress our OWN forward 50 making it impossible to score.
- We repeatedly have shots on goal from low %'age situations which releases the pressure on our opponents.

What have I missed...and what frustrates you the most?

Need a legit small-forward for when the ball gets on the deck. Cavarra or Weightman. Especially this week in Cairns if it is wet.

Aside from that, like the game against PA, the Radelaide Oval is like the Western Oval, in that it is narrow. Therefore it is easy to keep ball in the forward-half.

[Twodogs]

I swear Two Dogs could do this in 45 minutes.



Easily. With one arm tied behind my back.

[mjp]

Need a legit small-forward for when the ball gets on the deck. Cavarra or Weightman. Especially this week in Cairns if it is wet.



I like the sentiment.

I'm not sure what makes you think either Cavarra or Weightman are "legit" small forwards. On exposed form I am not sure what you would call them but "legit" is not the word springing to mind. Well - not if legit means getting front and centre to marking contests or maybe laying a tackle or two.

[EasternWest]

I swear Two Dogs could do this in 45 minutes.

So does he.

[1eyedog]

Swears?

[WBFC4FFC]

I like the sentiment.

I'm not sure what makes you think either Cavarra or Weightman are "legit" small forwards. On exposed form I am not sure what you would call them but "legit" is not the word springing to mind. Well - not if legit means getting front and centre to marking contests or maybe laying a tackle or two.

Not implying that they are world-beaters (hopefully they will be) but I think they would have been more dangerous at the drop of the ball than Suckling yesterday.

Having said that, Suckling provides more optionality. Combined with Dureya, it freed-up JJ. Maybe Lipinski comes in this week for Toby. This would help in the forward-half as he is good when the ball hits the deck.

[SonofScray]

Because there is enough talent, enough capable footballers to challenge the best deep into September. On our day, our best footy is close to perfect. Not enough of it in the margins.

[Eastdog]

I voted fir goal kicking. Only because it’s been a problem not addressed over the last 5 years.

Went with this one as well.

[Twodogs]

Swears?


All the *!*!*!*!ing time.

[Eastdog]

Will also add a congested inside 50 and when we bomb it long in there. When we do short passes into there we fare better.

[ratsmac]

I hate conceding easy scores from D50 throw ins or stopages. We need to get better at defending these with finals a real possibility.
It would be nice if we could score ourselves from F50 stoppages on the flipside. Too many numbers inside 50 the culprit as the OP states