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View Full Version : Is it time to talk on-field "Leadership"



MrMahatma
20-03-2023, 12:23 PM
Another capitulation in a match where a team gets a run on.
Some big moments and mistakes by key players keep the door open early on, and give us no chance later on.
Key opposition players doing as they please.
Seemingly an entire pre-season spent trying to rectify the issues of the past - and no immediate improvement.

There's a few (on here and in the media) who over the past year or so have thought Bevo is the problem. What about our ON-FIELD leaders?

Captain: Bont
VC: Jacko
The rest: Astro, Doc, Caleb.

I don't know what it takes to be a good footy leader. But commentary around leadership is often about the big moment, or changing the course of the match through an intentional move or action.

Do we have the right guys for the job?

The Bulldogs Bite
20-03-2023, 01:03 PM
Do we have the right guys for the job?

In short, no. But we don't have replacements either.

Leadership is about many things and one of those is sacrifice. Selwood, Hodge and Cotchin are recent examples of this who altered their games for the betterment of the team and who actively sought out big moments to change the trend of a match. We often think of 'big moments' as kicking a goal, but there are so many more than that.

Who from our leadership group actually sacrifices their natural game when needed? I love Bont, but he doesn't do it. If he did, he'd take Petracca in that second quarter avalanche and pose the question to him - 'can you get past me?'. There's almost an unwritten notion amongst each club's best players that they don't line up or challenge each other. It's a cop out.

From that list, Doc is a good communicator and organiser but the reality for us is that it all stems from the midfield group. Much of what the back half does is reactive to what's happening further up the field.

Bont, Macrae and Caleb often 'SAY' the right things but in footy it's about ACTION when things aren't going your way.