The FIVE (5) Keys* to our season

[mjp]

What are the FIVE (5) keys in us having a successful season?

One caveat: Bont cannot be one of your keys!

I want to hear what things/players people believe are key to us being successful that might be a little left of centre. You might - for example - suggest that Gardner continuing to develop as a key back is a key. You might also (if you are mean spirited) suggest that the Match Committee giving up on Gardner as a key back is a key.

I guess I just want to know what things - with the exception of a career year from Bont - do people believe are important with the season just 5-days away...

[soupman]

We find a way as a team to lock shit down.

Too often last year you could look back at a loss and say "we played with such intensity and application for 3 quarters, it was just that one quarter that cost us". We need to find a way to not let that bad quarter cost us the game. Too often it is just 15 minutes of easy goals for the opposition that break us. If we can find a way as a team, either by our defence finding a way to stand up against the tide or even more team sustained effort to hut the opposition down then we will be significantly better for it. We are always going to have periods where the opposition is on top, we need to make it less consequential.

Interestingly I thought the bad quarters tended to coincide with a certain midfielder i shall not name (as per thread rules) turn up forward. I'm really hoping the addition of Treloar and Martin along with a less injured Dunkley help our midfield hold up in his absences.

[bornadog]

The 5 keys for me are:

1. Consistency throughout the match with effort and application

2. Nailing set shots

3. Defending the high press alot better than we have in previous seasons

4. Luck with injury to key players that we can ill afford eg Rucks

5. Having a few forwards kicking 25 to 30 goals each

[josie]

Improved cohesion in our forward line (possibly linked to quality of delivery)

Finding a crumbing small forward

Set shot accuracy

Our mids defending/pressuring/chasing when they do not win clearances

Reducing number of times our defence is too easily outmuscled

[merantau]

Key 1. Physical fitness to allow us to maintain max pressure on the opposition ball carrier, to get to contests and to run into a space when we have the ball.
Key 2. Goal kicking
Key 3. Goals out the back. We must stop them.
Key 4. Pressure to stay in the 22
Key 5. The Stefan Martin factor.

[soupman]

1. As above, we find a way to make our bad patches not hurt us as much. This involves our defence developing some kind of ability to not just be beaten as soon as our midfield drops off. I have no faith in our defence one on one at this stage, so this will have to involve a lot of helping each other out and discipline in covering each others opponents.

2. We develop some mongrel. I cannot fault our tenacity and application, but I'm hoping that as our group matures we can start to become bullies. We have been the bullied in the past, and I am not suggesting we go full GWS, but if we can develop an edge to our game where we embrace the physicality of the team sport more than just winning the contested ball I think it could really help our mindset when we face those really good sides, because they all have it. Our group seems a bit too nice for this, but that's what I'm hoping happens.

3. We take our chances. I can accept misses from open play, we play a taxing gameplan and rushed kicks in congestion are tough. But when we get set shots we need to drastically improve. Unfortunately some of our hardest workers and thus players who are best at getting these opportunities are our worst culprits. Hunter, Bont, Naughton, English would be in our top 10 shot generators and none of them are better than maybe a 55% chance. Lipinski and Wallis are probably the only guys that get more than say 5 set shots a season that we can trust.

4. We develop a plan b. Our frenetic handball game can and does work, but when it doesn't, we seem to lack an ability to change it up. It sometimes feels like we just exhaust ourselves trying to maintain this, if we can develop a way to slow down without exposing ourselves, or to find a different way to score, that would be very helpful.

5. We figure out a way to make our forward actually dangerous. Atm, our forwards hurt eachother. They lead to the same spots, when they actually find space they don't get hit up, and they often fail to apply pressure. It seems like we have just chucked them all down there and told them to "impress us". Naughton and Bruce should not be flying for the same ball. We should not be continually bombing to the same spot to our forwards disadvantage. If we can even work out one semi regular trick where we manage to set up 3-4 set shots a game through means other than chaos ball, that would be very helpful.

[Dry Rot]

1. Play real and effective defenders in defence eg Duryea and Naughton

2. Play real natural forwards in the forward line. Currently we only play one, Bruce. Include forwards such as Schache and at least one of Cavarra and Weightman

3. Have a ruck set up which is at least competitive. If Martin is not playing for whatever reason, have a reasonable second ruck (buggered if I know who that would be)

4. Improve our delivery up forward, leading patterns, actually kick to advantage

5. Make our tackles stick and have more mongrel. Need to become a team to be feared, like we were in the late nineties.

[comrade]

There is only 1 key:

Naughton to defence.

[Hotdog60]

1: Making the most of our efforts.
We can't be having the most inside 50's and not make it count on the scoreboard.

2: If Stefan Martin can stay injury free.
I think Martin was the start of the mobile ruckman. In 2016 Martin used his mobility and agility as a ruckman to average 22 disposals a game, which was the most of any ruckman. He hasn't played in a Grand Final and time is running out could he be super motivated.

3: The lesser lights.
We need our players that have hit around that 50 game mark to start finding consistency to play a role and do it to a reasonable level.

4: The Backline.
I don't think we need our backline to be dominant. But do need then to at least break even and not lose the position if we can complete stage 1 then breaking even will be good enough.

5: Team Selection.
The selection committee need to play in form players and if a player is down on form he needs to be replaced until he regains that form in the two's. We shouldn't have any passengers in the team because it will hard enough with longer game time and sorter rotations.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

1. Consistency. No more Jekyll and Hyde within a game, let alone between games.

2. We need to see continued development from Naughts up forward. We need to know this season if he's got what it takes to play there, or whether he's best suited to playing down back.

3. Big strides in English's development in the ruck is vital. Sweet too. Martin isn't a long term proposition, and we need to know going forward if either English or Sweet are long term viable ruck options.

4. With a tall set up forward with English, Bruce and Naught's, we're gonna need to demonstrate we aren't witches hats when the ball hits the deck, otherwise if opposition defenders are able to transition easily out of our forward line, things are going to get ugly.

5. We need to see some of our emerging players take another step up like Bailey Williams did last year. Lipinski, Bailey Dale, English, Vandermeer, West, one or two of those need to have a break out season.

[Twodogs]

1. Making shots at goal count. We can't afford scorelines like 10.15. we have to make them 15.10

2. We have to have a lockdown defender. We are ok for intercepters but we need someone who can outmark/outpunch/shutdown the opposition forward who gets away.

3. Martin. We can't afford to get touched up in the ruck. I want to see us dominate centre bounces

4. We have to play out 4 quarters. No more 3 or 2.5 quarters of good footy and then switch off.

5. Small forward. We need someone nipping at the heels of Naughton/English/Bruce/Marra/Bont. Needs to help lock the ball into our forward 50 as well as kick goals.

5.5 Bont. I'd really like to see him kick 50+ goals, starting at centre bounces and charging into the forward 50. Basically I'd like everyone to sit back after grand final day and say "wow! He was just like Dusty but better!"

6. Trealor. I've always been a huge fan and I want to see him give opposition coaches headaches.

[mjp]

5. Small forward. We need someone nipping at the heels of Naughton/English/Bruce/Marra/Bont. Needs to help lock the ball into our forward 50 as well as kick goals.

5.5 Bont. I'd really like to see him kick 50+ goals, starting at centre bounces and charging into the forward 50. Basically I'd like everyone to sit back after grand final day and say "wow! He was just like Dusty but better!"

6. Trealor. I've always been a huge fan and I want to see him give opposition coaches headaches.

I have always loved you 2D.

Somehow you have turned 5 things NOT including Bont to 7 things including Bont. And you starting covering your tracks with the "5", "5.5" then decided 'Who am I even kidding, 6!'.

Looking forward to catch up come finals time mate.

[Twodogs]

I have always loved you 2D.

Somehow you have turned 5 things NOT including Bont to 7 things including Bont. And you starting covering your tracks with the "5", "5.5" then decided 'Who am I even kidding, 6!'.

Looking forward to catch up come finals time mate.

As am I.

It might have only been weeknight touch footy but watching you relate to umpires and opponents was some of my favourite times playing footy ever. The look on your face that time Westdog turned up in his umpiring gear was priceless!

[1eyedog]

1: Making the most of our efforts.
We can't be having the most inside 50's and not make it count on the scoreboard.

2: If Stefan Martin can stay injury free.
I think Martin was the start of the mobile ruckman. In 2016 Martin used his mobility and agility as a ruckman to average 22 disposals a game, which was the most of any ruckman. He hasn't played in a Grand Final and time is running out could he be super motivated.

3: The lesser lights.
We need our players that have hit around that 50 game mark to start finding consistency to play a role and do it to a reasonable level.

4: The Backline.
I don't think we need our backline to be dominant. But do need then to at least break even and not lose the position if we can complete stage 1 then breaking even will be good enough.

5: Team Selection.
The selection committee need to play in form players and if a player is down on form he needs to be replaced until he regains that form in the two's. We shouldn't have any passengers in the team because it will hard enough with longer game time and sorter rotations.

Jeff White

[mjp]

Jeff White

Stephen Michael.

[mjp]

As am I.

It might have only been weeknight touch footy but watching you relate to umpires and opponents was some of my favourite times playing footy ever. The look on your face that time Westdog turned up in his umpiring gear was priceless!

It was a shame that I couldn't remain friends with WD. I had always liked him.

[SquirrelGrip]

Stephen Michael.

Josh Dunkley

[Twodogs]

It was a shame that I couldn't remain friends with WD. I had always liked him.

He certainly was a nice guy. Right up until the umpiring thing. The look on your face was priceless. "What are you supposed to be dressed up as?"

[Before I Die]

Stephen Michael.

Peter Moore

Graeme Teasdale

Could possible argue a good case for Len Thompson.

Wikipedia has Stephen Michael at just 1.88m. I find that a bit astounding. It certainly doesn't fit with my memory.

Moore and Thompson were seriously mobile and seriously tall.

Sorry, going off topic, but I didn't start it :)

[ratsmac]

1. Gardner/Cordy
2. Bailey Dale
3. Duryea/JJ
4. Lipinski
5. West/Weightman/Cavarra

Basically what I'm trying to say is we need the fringe type players to step up and play consistent good football and the senior players to do their jobs and the results will take care of them selves. No passengers

[Before I Die]

1. We need at least one, and hopefully two, of our key position players to have a breakout year and graduate from having potential to being the real deal.

2. We need the injury gods to smile on us.

3. One or more of our medium/small forwards, in addition to Wallis, to become consistently very dangerous.

4. Sacrificial running and desperation chasing to become the norm.

5. He who can't be named in this thread wins the Brownlow and only comes third in our B&F.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Only 5!? It probably highlights we're still a bit off the pace from the contending teams.

** Ability to resist **
- Been covered in topics above, but our inability to stop opposition momentum has been awful for a while now. No one part of the ground is solely responsible - our midfielders become flat footed and don't run hard defensively, our forwards don't lock the ball in and our defenders then struggle to defend.

Unless the TEAM finds a way to fight against the tide for patches of games, we'll be blown out of the water by the best sides in bursts. We know we can't rely on our defenders alone, as we may have once upon a time with Morris/Boyd in '16 and even Lake going back further. The team has to be able to collectively stop the bleeding before it's fatal.

** Ability to put the game out of reach **
- Rather than focus on individuals or even position specifics, I'll go with the ability to put games out of reach for opposition when we HAVE momentum. The game that keeps stinging me is last year v Geelong when we kicked 6 in the first quarter and STILL lost. That shouldn't happen. Last Monday v Melbourne, we should have put the game out of reach by half time but costly misses and basic skill errors come back to haunt us.

Mistakes will be made, that's football, but when we have momentum we simply need to finish off our good work. Our goal kicking has become a nightmare and unless we turn it around, we'll kick ourselves out of big games as we have in the Rocket era / '15 EF and in recent H&A years.

[Mofra]

1. A 'scragger' to play in the side. Lachie McNeil seems perfect, Scott might get an opportunity. Cavarra also fits the bill.
We need to play someone who had to fight tooth and nail for their position every week. A Bedendo or Khamis may even suffice. We're prone to playing like millionaires, like it will 'just happen'. It won't. Libba plays desperate, we need more of it.

2. Defensive system. I'll admit to being guilty of it as well, but in the modern era a defensive system beats 6 individuals with reputation.

3. Midfielders running both ways. Related to point 2... if they don't, we'll cop those 3-4 opposition goal runs every week (which is often the difference between winning and losing).

4. Set shots. It's not just missing them, it's our 'stars' missing easy ones that sink the side.

5. Nothing could be as important as the first four, so I'll pass (Twodogs went over so I'll get our average closer to 5 again!)

[jeemak]

Some really good comments, and a good thread.

Depth - we need to be able to rely on our depth to perform a task when called upon, which was a key factor in getting us to fifteen home and away wins in 2016 (a tally in most other years that would have had us in the top four). One of the benefits of retaining some players and sharing opportunities over time should/ has to be fringe players being able to come into the side and play a role. I think we are there now across the ground.

Effort - staying in every contest, every sequence, every quarter and every game for as long as we possibly can. There's always going to be times when we lapse, but they need to be fewer and farther between than what they have been these past few years.

Leadership - our leaders are no longer young players, they're player in their prime. They need to stand up and kick the goal when it's needed, stop the rot during a lapse through being visibly desperate and determined, and get all over a player who is hurting us physically.

Improvement from within - we have several players who can become more influential and consistent. The likes of Bailey Dale and Pat Lipinski have a massive opportunity, and there's a spot for West and a few others who have been on the fringes to play important roles for us.

Coaching/ MC - versatility is important, sure, but let's not take the piss and shuffle players around more than we need to because we think it helps manage fewer rotations. I'm a bit concerned we'll try and be a bit clever here early on, and I think the best approach is to keep things stable and risk fatigue rather than concentrating on avoiding fatigue but being weakened positionally (if that makes sense).

[SonofScray]

1/ Score more goals and behinds than the opposition in the allocated time for play.
2/ Concede fewer goals and behinds than the opposition in the allocated time for play.
3/ Pick a fight every time a team kicks two straight to disrupt things.
4/ Play with some joy and moxie.
5/ Have some economy with the footy inside 50.

- genius.

[Ozza]

5 keys.....hmmmm.

1. Defending through the midfield. We need to support our defenders by making it hard for the opposition to move the ball. We were a bit too easy to score against last season, and had several games where we had multiple goals kicked on us in a quarter.

2. Naughton staying on the park. Not only do we need him out there, but he needs continuity to become the player we need him to be. At this point in his career, he gets a lot of plaudits, but he still has many games where he barely gets a kick. Continuity and fitness.

3. Balance. Probably similar to the first point - but finding the right balance between attack and defence. We have a heap of talent, but will need to find the right balance between ball-hunting and being ruthless about setting up the ground and defending.

4. Kicking for goal. Its a boring one. But we don't do it well. Keep the pressure on by being accurate.

5. Don't try and play perfect footy all the time. The extra handball often brings us undone. I'd like for us to enjoy the scrap more. In the amazon prime doco just released, Hardwick talks to his players about embracing the imperfection in the game, which I liked.

[WBFC4FFC]

Only 5!? It probably highlights we're still a bit off the pace from the contending teams.

** Ability to resist **
- Been covered in topics above, but our inability to stop opposition momentum has been awful for a while now. No one part of the ground is solely responsible - our midfielders become flat footed and don't run hard defensively, our forwards don't lock the ball in and our defenders then struggle to defend.

Unless the TEAM finds a way to fight against the tide for patches of games, we'll be blown out of the water by the best sides in bursts. We know we can't rely on our defenders alone, as we may have once upon a time with Morris/Boyd in '16 and even Lake going back further. The team has to be able to collectively stop the bleeding before it's fatal.

** Ability to put the game out of reach **
- Rather than focus on individuals or even position specifics, I'll go with the ability to put games out of reach for opposition when we HAVE momentum. The game that keeps stinging me is last year v Geelong when we kicked 6 in the first quarter and STILL lost. That shouldn't happen. Last Monday v Melbourne, we should have put the game out of reach by half time but costly misses and basic skill errors come back to haunt us.

Mistakes will be made, that's football, but when we have momentum we simply need to finish off our good work. Our goal kicking has become a nightmare and unless we turn it around, we'll kick ourselves out of big games as we have in the Rocket era / '15 EF and in recent H&A years.

All great posts but this takes the cake.

2016 Port games stands-out for me, especially the second-qtr where the Bullies effectively were on the ropes for the entire quarter and effectively conceded nothing. When we got a bit of a run-on at the start of the last we hit the scoreboard and made it count.

Need more games like the above to show mentally they are engaged in being able to mix it with the best. Players are getting older and more mature now, so this HAS to be expected.

As part of this, I too am in the Naughton to Defence camp, especially if you want both Martin and English in the same side. Quite the conundrum.

[boydogs]

1. Stefan Martin shouldering the #1 ruck role all year
2. Our mids being dangerous as resting forwards
3. A second KPD becoming a lock in the side
4. A productive small-medium forward stepping up
5. Hunger

[The Adelaide Connection]

1. Hurt teams when we have momentum.
2. Arrest momentum quickly when we don't.
3. Don't be that team that only plays to the oppositions level. Don't be that team that beats Richmond and then loses to Adelaide and North Melbourne. Belt the crap teams. Belt them by percentage super boosting numbers.
4. Don't be that team that launches the career of some young forward or gives a career best bag to Majak (again).
5. Win everything. Obviously.
6. Especially beat Essington.

[comrade]

Besides Naughton to defence, the biggest key is connection between our mids and forwards improving. The reason why those periods of opposition dominance are so destructive is because we rarely take advantage of our own. If we can pile on goals when we have the run of play, it gives us a buffer. Need to hit up targets, get the ball to dangerous spots, pressure hard and SCORE.

[Mantis]

Besides Naughton to defence, the biggest key is connection between our mids and forwards improving. The reason why those periods of opposition dominance are so destructive is because we rarely take advantage of our own. If we can pile on goals when we have the run of play, it gives us a buffer. Need to hit up targets, get the ball to dangerous spots, pressure hard and SCORE.

No doubt, but it's not like our mids who have struggled to consistently hit targets going forward over a long period are suddenly going to start doing so... especially when under pressure.

The onus is on the ability to hold the ball in and get repeat opportunities and for that to happen our defensive mindset needs to improve.

[Ozza]

Interested in whether posters think the reversion to 20 min + time on quarters, and the 75 rotations - will help us?

I think it does. I think we are a team with a large number of players who like to grind it out and aren't necessarily as explosive as some other teams. Players like Hunter, Macrae, Daniel, Bont and Dunkley should be able to work over their opponents.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Interested in whether posters think the reversion to 20 min + time on quarters, and the 75 rotations - will help us?

I think it does. I think we are a team with a large number of players who like to grind it out and aren't necessarily as explosive as some other teams. Players like Hunter, Macrae, Daniel, Bont and Dunkley should be able to work over their opponents.

Its a good point. Our midfield numbers should also allow us to rotate them regularly and keep them relatively fresh for longer as well.

[DOG GOD]

1. Midfield that runs both ways

2. Naughton to defence

3. Better delivery into F50

4. Set shot goal kicking

5. Lockdown in red time