You're the Coach: Question #5

[mjp]

OK - you've won the last 3 and, despite some concerns about a little bit of player unrest, all is 'seemingly' well. But this week is a BIG game. On Thursday everyone is heading up to Brisbane to play the Lions who now include reigning Dogs B&F winner J. Dunkley - a member of a midfield group that is absolutely purring.

Aside from dealing with a short week, the boys all seem happy and positive up in Bris-Vegas and the game has started well enough. Brisbane have had their share of the footy but in the middle of the second quarter your team is playing with some real 'prove a point' intensity and - led by Taylor Duryea who has won 3x BIG 1-v-1 contests in a complete blanket job of Charlie Cameron - have established a 3-goal (well, 17-points) lead.

But, unfortunately a few hits come along. Zac Bailey rolls off a wing and kicks 2-goals in 90-seconds. THEN Duryea leaves the field after being involved in a high-contact incident...not much in it but he doesn't look great. Then Cameron kicks one after a lead and mark. Then Bailey kicks another. The crowd is going absolutely spare - Bailey has 3 in 5-minutes, Cameron is on the board and the Lions have hit the lead.

WHATCHAGONNADO???

[Grantysghost]

Nothing as we haven't recruited for this situation.

Ride it out.

[bornadog]

I went for the second option, but it looks like we are losing the midfield battle because the ball is being pumped forward to give Charlie so many chances

[mjp]

Nothing as we haven't recruited for this situation.

Ride it out.

LOL. Well, I guess we should just give up then.

Even if you have recruited for it, you only have 23 available on game-day...you need:

1/. A match-up for Bailey to cool him down.
2/. A match-up for the rest of the game for Cameron.
3/. A positive outlook.

Don't be such a wuss!

[mjp]

I went for the second option, but it looks like we are losing the midfield battle because the ball is being pumped forward to give Charlie so many chances

LOL. 5-minutes ago we were 17-points up. Surely you don't lose your ability in 5-minutes...

[Happy Days]

LOL. 5-minutes ago we were 17-points up. Surely you don't lose your ability in 5-minutes...

And you said you went to the 2021 grand final?

Anyway re the above, I said in one of the other threads that McLean as a designated tagger would be a bit limited by stature on some players, but he would seem tailored to tag a guy like Bailey, who is a jet but someone that I still view as very much gettable with some attention.

If Duryea was on Cameron then what was Richards doing beforehand? He’s the obvious move right?

[Stevo]

Im loving these thought provokers.

[mjp]

And you said you went to the 2021 grand final?

I was there alright. Have never watched the replay. Did we make any actual 'MOVES'?



Anyway re the above, I said in one of the other threads that McLean as a designated tagger would be a bit limited by stature on some players, but he would seem tailored to tag a guy like Bailey, who is a jet but someone that I still view as very much gettable with some attention.

If Duryea was on Cameron then what was Richards doing beforehand? He’s the obvious move right?

I'm enjoying your work here...keep going!

[Grantysghost]

LOL. Well, I guess we should just give up then.

Even if you have recruited for it, you only have 23 available on game-day...you need:

1/. A match-up for Bailey to cool him down.
2/. A match-up for the rest of the game for Cameron.
3/. A positive outlook.

Don't be such a wuss!

4/. Start a fight.

I'd probably try and run with Bailey however Cameron is unstoppable with the personnel we have. Most teams would struggle with him.

[Sam]

I would put JJ on Bailey and Richards on Cameron.
i would let Dunkley continue to pur because there is every chance that his kicks will go to us if it’s more than a 5 meter kick

[bornadog]

LOL. 5-minutes ago we were 17-points up. Surely you don't lose your ability in 5-minutes...

Who is feeding Cameron and Baily? As a stopper for say ten minutes, send an extra man down there and tag some mids to stop them getting the ball down to Lions 50

[mjp]

Who is feeding Cameron and Baily? As a stopper for say ten minutes, send an extra man down there and tag some mids to stop them getting the ball down to Lions 50

Bailey is playing outside mid.
Cameron has ONE goal.

[mjp]

4/. Start a fight.

I'd probably try and run with Bailey however Cameron is unstoppable with the personnel we have. Most teams would struggle with him.

Cameron has one goal. Is he really someone to be afraid of?

[bornadog]

Bailey is playing outside mid.
Cameron has ONE goal.

Ok, I am thinking he is playing his normal HFF

[Grantysghost]

Cameron has one goal. Is he really someone to be afraid of?

I think so, when he gets his tail up he can score in batches.

[Dogs 24/7]

Its time to roll in the big boys and ask the leaders to get things back on our terms.

[meenies]

From past matches, these momentum plays seem to happen when English and Monty are on the bench. Get them on! Arty Jones is the sub so bring him and place on Cameron. Williams onto Zac Bailey and have Treloar wack Dunkley.

[mjp]

Arty Jones is the sub so bring him and place on Cameron.

Wow. Thought process here please?

[mjp]

I think so, when he gets his tail up he can score in batches.

Cool. So you had best do SOMETHING!

[mjp]

Its time to roll in the big boys and ask the leaders to get things back on our terms.

Waiting till half-time?

[Go_Dogs]

I’d try something different. Dale to Bailey, or maybe Daniel. Let’s play through someone and make him accountable against a high hurt factor opponent back the other way who also can do some defending.

Re Cameron, probably Richards / JJ / or hell, if he’s not kicking any goals and we think he’s got the wheels and agility, let’s throw Marra on him for a quarter and just see what happens. It’s test and learn v the Lions in this one and I won’t be too mad if we lose trying a few things. We’ll get them later when it means more…

[Happy Days]

I was there alright. Have never watched the replay. Did we make any actual 'MOVES'?



I'm enjoying your work here...keep going!

MOVEZ is actually spelled with a Z.

What else is there to do other than the above? I know you’re doing proximalities (this is a word I reckon) to our failings last year but I dead set reckon other teams need to figure us out because we’re so shit hot next season.

[The Doctor]

I'm subbing Danny Southern into the game.

with 4 goals in 5 minutes they have probably seized the upper hand out of the middle with Bailey being the finisher.

I'd be looking at our centre square mix for starters because it is getting to Bailey and Cameron somehow. what has caused the momentum shift? Are they beating up our 2nd ruckman for example? Are our mids ball watching and neglecting their man? Or is Bailey just too elusive for the player we have on him?

I'd be having a defensive minded player on Bailey regardless and have him positioned goal side. Also make a move in the centre square mix to see if we can start winning the ball back.

[soupman]

Depending on how much they are providing us I'd go Richards or Williams to Cameron. If Richards is killing it as is though then Williams gets the gig and we try and keep Richards succeeding.

Would be looking to our midfield to slow their momentum. So emphasis not on winning contests but on not losing them and slowing the game where possible. Roll up an extra couple of mids, get Libba in there, don't take unnecessary risks, instead look to attack through our kicking and ball movement off half back still.

[meenies]

Wow. Thought process here please?

AJ been having runs in defence over pre-season. Is fast, clever, reads the play well. Play him on a champion and see how it goes.

[Matjoh]

Three up then wham we're down. Besides Duryea going down what changed? I went for A-graders into the CBD Stop the feedout. Was it "simply" our resting ruck/mids? If so get them back in to get momentum back, if not, message is to them to dig in & stop the rot. Maybe tag Bailey too with Williams or Richards depending on their own impact.

[MrMahatma]

I went with A-Graders in the middle but, I’d also have McLean onto Bailey. So as soon as CB has happened, he’s to Bailey around the ground. Some risks with the transition but the players are smart.

Someone has to replace Doc either way. I’d prob go with Richards in the short term but look to free him up in 5min so that he can get back to intercepting.

[1eyedog]

Yeah McLean to Bailey and guns in the guts. Need to play to our strengths and if we can limit their drive Cameron is not a priority.

[jazzadogs]

The issue with moving Ed to a lockdown role on Cameron, is that then we need to find someone to play his original role.

Something like Ed to Cameron, Bailey Williams from the wing to half back and Scott to play a defensive wing on Zac Bailey would work... Plus making sure our best players are on the field, not on the bench.

[mjp]

AJ been having runs in defence over pre-season. Is fast, clever, reads the play well. Play him on a champion and see how it goes.

I reckon you’re crazy but more power to ya!

[Mofra]

Both HFFs up to the contest, congest congest congest for 5 minutes. Slow down the ball movement. Wings on the defensive side of the contest. We have three marking talls in the F50, and they have Harris/Payne a mid sizer (Raynor is pre-season reports are to be believed) so we can force a contest stoppage with long contests even if outnumbered forward of the ball.

Then Libba/West's elbow to meet Bailey's ribs. If the crowd are up and about, get them angry. Them vs us, not 'the crowd are on their side'.

[Scraggers]

First hands on the ball. A-Graders in the guts, arrest the swing back our way

[Bulldog Legend]

Were not Brisbane up a couple of weeks before the 2021 GF against us? I wouldn’t panic and continue to focus on our positives as we did that night

[Mantis]

Who was/ is on Bailey? Is he playing wide?

[mjp]

Who was/ is on Bailey? Is he playing wide?

He's playing wing mate. You're the coach so you can tell me who he just torched.

[Mantis]

He's playing wing mate. You're the coach so you can tell me who he just torched.

I'll blame Baker! Send Toby or Truck to him.

Glad you went with this scenario and not Gunston kicking 3 quick ones... don't think we have a good match-up for him and he's one I'll be most nervous about.

[mjp]

I'll blame Baker! Send Toby or Truck to him.

Glad you went with this scenario and not Gunston kicking 3 quick ones... don't think we have a good match-up for him and he's one I'll be most nervous about.

Apart from the debilitating back injury?

[jeemak]

Get the A-graders in there and tell 'em their life depends on fighting to neutralise first, wrestle control back second.

I see others have gone for additional moves. All I'll say is I'd be mindful of leaving our forward line bereft of resources to the point where they couldn't hold the footy in if it got down there. With the effort I'd want from our mids to neutralise I expect they'll be in need of some respite and slow play, and that can't happen if the ball is rebounding out of our forward half too quickly.

So with that I'd roll up a half forward, leave another to help a tall stop the intercept, and hope to gain some forward movement and either possession or stoppage across our half forward line. Grind forward, defend the middle to stop the transition.

[Mantis]

Apart from the debilitating back injury?

He's over that now and reports are his fit & healthy having enjoyed a good pre-season.... kicked 3 and gave off 2 on the weekend in their intra club game.

In his last 4 games against us his kicked 15 goals (3 x 4 goals & 1 x 3 goals) and whilst most were pre-injury, he is a player we generally tend to struggle with.

[mjp]

He's over that now...

I just don't think you are ever 'OVER' a back injury.

I like watching him play and hope he bounces back.

[bornadog]

I just don't think you are ever 'OVER' a back injury.

I like watching him play and hope he bounces back.

Tough player to match up on. Who would you put on him?

[mjp]

Tough player to match up on. Who would you put on him?

I would simply size and shape the back 6.

I'm actually not that scared by Brisbane's forwards and figure we would end up with a Richards/Dale match-up on Gunston. Honestly, I'm fine with that.