Our Backline - Balancing our defense and attack attributes

[GVGjr]

Getting the back line right will be a critical part of our successes or failures in the 2023 season.
It can't have been lost on the coaches and recruiters and it's why we chased a proven excellent performer like Liam Jones.
Jones will hopefully provide that blend of 1 v 1 and intercept skills we lacked last year plus we also coughed up an early draft pick on an emerging key defender in Jedd Busslinger.
We might have also drafted Harvey Gallagher to eventually fill the role that Taylor Duryea occupies for us.

Last year was an inconsistent one for our defensive unit. Sure injuries and form slumps played a role in that but along the way we unearthed a revitalised Ed Richards and had the likes of Bailey Dale in AA type form turning defensive plays into all out attack for us.

My question for the more astute footy nerds amongst us is how do we achieve a blend of defense and attack that will make us a more successful side this year?

We have a host of talented players so what tweaks and adjustments do we need to make or at least consider?

[FrediKanoute]

We play the best players in the position that they are best suited to - no more Treloar or Hannan off a half back flank.

I think a big piece of the puzzle will be Caleb Daniel moving up the ground. Ball in hand entering the forward line he will be deadly and will make Lobb, Naughts, JUH and Cody better!

Defensively Dale and Richards will be the key exit routes from defence. This leaves Gardy, Jones, Chief and Dureya to do what they do best - defend

[meenies]

Based on two training sessions this week, my early call is:
lock in - Jones, Gardy, Richards, Dale
one of - Bruce, Darcy, Keith - at the moment I that order (one on bench)
one of - Crosier, Durea, Gallagher - last two being managed yesterday and I liked Gallagher early in the week. Crosier was very attacking yesterday. Maybe one being the sub?

[Go_Dogs]

It’s a really intriguing mix for our backline and how we structure up.

I suspect our side will look something like:

FB: Duryea, Gardner, Darcy
HB: Dale, Jones, Richards

I’ve left Daniel out of this group, but expect he’ll play a lot of time there too.

With Keath / Bruce the back ups for key defender roles, O’Brien the back up for the Darcy role, and Crozier / Cleary the back ups for small defender roles.

Gardner, Jones, Duryea and Richards are all very capable defending. Darcy to play more an intercept role, and Dale the very attacking role. The up shot is Jones, Duryea, Richards and Darcy can all use the ball well by foot (on the spectrum of being neat to being attacking) so we have some solid users down there.

I’m not astute enough on the tactics, but having players capable of playing team defence and rolling back / forward in transition with key roles understood is critical. I think at times we’ve undone ourselves as players get lost and we end up with poor match ups on a turnover or the ball in hand of the wrong person in transition forward. This means we can get scored against for the former, or lose momentum / space / favourable match ups in the offence transition because the oppo has time to address.

[SonofScray]

We've shown capacity to be quite dour at times across Bevo's reign.

We definitely need some cohesion between the guys that are going to run and carry and the players further up the field.

I just want our meat and potatoes defenders to be really miserly and play within their skill sets, the players up the field to do some heavy lifting with the pressure and physically robust work so that our HBF can free wheel as much as they need to generate scores from turnover.

[GVGjr]

We've shown capacity to be quite dour at times across Bevo's reign.

We definitely need some cohesion between the guys that are going to run and carry and the players further up the field.

I just want our meat and potatoes defenders to be really miserly and play within their skill sets, the players up the field to do some heavy lifting with the pressure and physically robust work so that our HBF can free wheel as much as they need to generate scores from turnover.

I come from an era of following the Dogs where dour defenders were the norm and low scoring games that would be regarded as boring now were a sign of our Scragger heritage.

What has always fascinated me is how do you coach or set-up a back line that can switch from a dour almost lock down type set-up to one that can play scintillating attacking football like we do from time to time.
I'm hoping we might be able to identify some of the tricks of the trade.

[Stevo]

I come from an era of following the Dogs where dour defenders were the norm and low scoring games that would be regarded as boring now were a sign of our Scragger heritage.

What has always fascinated me is how do you coach or set-up a back line that can switch from a dour almost lock down type set-up to one that can play scintillating attacking football like we do from time to time.
I'm hoping we might be able to identify some of the tricks of the trade.

Ahh the good old days. Greg Eppulstun locking on a player and a cutting him right out. Low scoring games were quite fashionable for us Doggies supporters.

[SonofScray]

Ahh the good old days. Greg Eppulstun locking on a player and a cutting him right out. Low scoring games were quite fashionable for us Doggies supporters.

Side note. My daughter is seven now, when she was born, I gave her a Bulldog plush toy, we called Eppelstun. His name is mentioned daily in our house as a result.

He was my first favourite player, alongside Zeno.and Bernard Toohey.

[bornadog]

Side note. My daughter is seven now, when she was born, I gave her a Bulldog plush toy, we called Eppelstun. His name is mentioned daily in our house as a result.

He was my first favourite player, alongside Zeno.and Bernard Toohey.

I remember in the late 80s Eppelstun was playing on Ablett and beating him. Eppelsten was standing right up close and making sure Abblet didn't get a touch. At one point, Ablett turned around and whacked Eppa so hard in the stomach,, bit of pain, but Eppa just stuck to his guns and I think kept him goal less.

[azabob]

What was the story with Eppelstun going to north to end his career?

[Grantysghost]

I remember in the late 80s Eppelstun was playing on Ablett and beating him. Eppelsten was standing right up close and making sure Abblet didn't get a touch. At one point, Ablett turned around and whacked Eppa so hard in the stomach,, bit of pain, but Eppa just stuck to his guns and I think kept him goal less.

My memory of Greg was that he looked about 35 when he was 20. What was it with the guys from the 70's and early 80's? And he was number 12.

[Grantysghost]

What was the story with Eppelstun going to north to end his career?

He couldn't get a game from this great Woof interview; well was dropped after getting a brownlow vote!

https://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?4247-Interview-With-Greg-Eppelstun

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

I remember in the late 80s Eppelstun was playing on Ablett and beating him. Eppelsten was standing right up close and making sure Abblet didn't get a touch. At one point, Ablett turned around and whacked Eppa so hard in the stomach,, bit of pain, but Eppa just stuck to his guns and I think kept him goal less.
1987 at Footscray

[Bulldog4life]

What was the story with Eppelstun going to north to end his career?

Loss of form mixed with out of favour with the powers that be. Form at Nth what I remember wasn't great although memory is sketchy.

[bornadog]

1987 at Footscray

good memory

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

good memory
A win against Geelong is always memorable