Spot the difference

[Dry Rot]

It will be interesting post game to consider what if anything has changed from last season.

Are we really bigger and stronger?

Has our work at the clearances improved?

Defensive pressure/tackling improved?

[southerncross]

It will be interesting post game to consider what if anything has changed from last season.

Are we really bigger and stronger?

Has our work at the clearances improved?

Defensive pressure/tackling improved?

From my trips to the training sessions a number of the players are a fair bit bigger than last season so from a physical perspective we have a tick there.

The other two areas will be the big test. If we have improved our clearances and stoppages then I think the defensive aspect of the team will improve as well.

It will be good to revisit these after the game.

[LostDoggy]

If we have improved our clearances and stoppages then I think the defensive aspect of the team will improve as well.

We will have to wait for the Wayne Campbell report to see if we have improved in the stoppages and clearances. will be interesting to see.

[Go_Dogs]

Going by all reports, our clearances have improved. Add Cooney back to that mix as well and it starts to look very exciting.

Good to see that we got a solid win first up, and hopefully next week we'll have a better hit out against a near full-strength outfit so that we can get a better idea of exactly where we are at.

[alwaysadog]

What's changed?

On the barest of evidence the quality of the recruits looks outstanding.

On a day not suited to marking Dougs gave us some hope that he'll fill a gap. Early days yet I know.

A couple of the kids shone and we didn't need the old stagers to do too much. We lead clearances well to 1/2 time don't know after that, so signs are good.

Next week will give us a few more pieces to add to the jig saw puzzle.

[GVGjr]

What's changed?

On the barest of evidence the quality of the recruits looks outstanding.

On a day not suited to marking Dougs gave us some hope that he'll fill a gap. Early days yet I know.

A couple of the kids shone and we didn't need the old stagers to do too much. We lead clearances well to 1/2 time don't know after that, so signs are good.

Next week will give us a few more pieces to add to the jig saw puzzle.

It was a promising but not a convincing display. Very happy to see the likes of Harbrow and Lynch perform well but think the improvement we need to see is from a group of players that include McDougall, McMahon, Power, Faulkner, Boyd, Higgins and Addison.
The list of the team is starting to take shape and it so important that we see all of the guys mentioned about make progress on previous seasons.

[Dry Rot]

It will be interesting post game to consider what if anything has changed from last season.

Are we really bigger and stronger?



Some like Griff look like they are.





Has our work at the clearances improved?



Not really - when a B grade Swams midfield slowly took control, we looked as bad as ever.




Defensive pressure/tackling improved?

Not much - Swans broke a number of pussycat tackles.

IMO the defensive pressure by our forwards for most of the day was poor.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I think it's too hard to judge after the first game of the new year. Particuarly when considering a number of regular starters wern't out there. I think it's unfair to state the side hasn't improved in areas such as tackling, stoppages etc. until the H&A season or at least until we get a fair proportion of our best 22 back.

Eagleton, Grant, Morris, Hargrave, Cooney, Street, Darcy, Hahn, & Murphy are all still to come back, whilst those who are playing will obviously get better (Johnson, West, Robbins, Minson, Giansiracusa, Akermanis etc.)

The thing you take out of these games is really in bits and pieces, and of course the youngsters. So at stages we were up by a fair bit in the stoppages and defensive pressure from players like McDougall was impressive. Needless to say Harbrow & Lynch showed a lot.

That's all you take out of a first game, really, when so many of your regular starters aren't playing. Come back after the first month of the REAL season and identify how we're going in stoppages, tackling etc. It'll be a lot, lot more clearer.

[Dry Rot]

That's all you take out of a first game, really, when so many of your regular starters aren't playing. Come back after the first month of the REAL season and identify how we're going in stoppages, tackling etc. It'll be a lot, lot more clearer.

No disagreements with that - will also try not to watch games in a room full of Swans idiots again...

[GVGjr]

IMO the defensive pressure by our forwards for most of the day was poor.

Then you missed some terrific efforts by Robbins and McDougall as well as some by the youngsters.
We actually don't want and overly defensive forward structure because they are supposed to be primarily creative rather than defensive and yesterday I thought their efforts were more than OK and we even corralled the Swans defenders effectively a few times into making errors. Not an A grade effort by any stretch of the imagination but I can't see why you would rate it a poor one.

I thought I saw some good signs in the midfield as well but this is one area that they need to have a look at the way the Swans play it and try and modify our approach somewhat.

[Dry Rot]

Then you missed some terrific efforts by Robbins and McDougall as well as some by the youngsters.
We actually don't want and overly defensive forward structure because they are supposed to be primarily creative rather than defensive and yesterday I thought their efforts were more than OK and we even corralled the Swans defenders effectively a few times into making errors. Not an A grade effort by any stretch of the imagination but I can't see why you would rate it a poor one.

I thought I saw some good signs in the midfield as well but this is one area that they need to have a look at the way the Swans play it and try and modify our approach somewhat.

Yes, there were good passages of defensive play but we need to do it all day to challenge the Swans or WCE.

[Dry Rot]

I know it was only a NAB Cup game, but tackling, clearances/stoppages and forward structure remain concerns.

The last one can be easily fixed with players returning.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I know it was only a NAB Cup game, but tackling, clearances/stoppages and forward structure remain concerns.

The last one can be easily fixed with players returning.

Hopefully the returning of Akermanis, Griffen, Cooney, Street and then Hahn later on can address the stoppages problem. We were disgraceful in that area last night, so as you said DR, that remains a big concern.

Street's value as a Ruckmen goes un-noticed too. We are missing him IMO.

Higgins might be another to move into the middle at times. He got a few take aways, and looked pretty polished.

Nevertheless, we certainly need to work very, very hard on this.

[Dry Rot]

Hopefully the returning of Akermanis, Griffen, Cooney, Street and then Hahn later on can address the stoppages problem. We were disgraceful in that area last night, so as you said DR, that remains a big concern.

Street's value as a Ruckmen goes un-noticed too. We are missing him IMO.

Higgins might be another to move into the middle at times. He got a few take aways, and looked pretty polished.

Nevertheless, we certainly need to work very, very hard on this.

Disappointing thing is that the more senior players out there last night or last week showed no real improvement.

Also can't but help think that people rate Minson for his potential and aggression, not his tap work.

[Go_Dogs]

The first 5 or some minutes of the game, we worked very hard in keeping the ball in our forward 50. We just didn't have any of the class and polish to convert the goals. I thought our defensive pressure was good all night, and I'm very thankful to the Lions who appear to be up and running at nearly 100%.

They pressured the ball carrier well, and really shut down the spaces. This is the thing we need to learn how to beat - run those lines and run through the gaps.

I think the Lions are up and running too early. It's such a long season, especially for a team of kids. They are going to peak way to early.

[GVGjr]

The first 5 or some minutes of the game, we worked very hard in keeping the ball in our forward 50. We just didn't have any of the class and polish to convert the goals. I thought our defensive pressure was good all night, and I'm very thankful to the Lions who appear to be up and running at nearly 100%.

They pressured the ball carrier well, and really shut down the spaces. This is the thing we need to learn how to beat - run those lines and run through the gaps.

I think the Lions are up and running too early. It's such a long season, especially for a team of kids. They are going to peak way to early.

There was some real positive signs with the defensive pressure we displayed in the forward line on Friday night. McDougall has been a welcome addition in that area and while he game free kick away his endeavor was good. When we can get a lot better at this though.

[Go_Dogs]

Yeah, no doubt there is a lot of work to be done. It's great to see a big bloke chasing that hard. Robbins was fairly quiet in this regard, and Lynch just couldn't impact on the defensive side of things.

I'm actually really looking forward to seeing Cooney out there in the forward line, applying that pressure with the likes of Robbo. I think Faulkner would have helped against the Lions a lot too, and hopefully he can keep up some good form in the B's. His attack on the ball and body was sorely missed.

What did you think of the tactics of dropping men back, sort of, zoning off, along the half back line forming a bit of a wall? I thought it was good to see Rocket doing a few different things, not that they all worked.

[GVGjr]

What did you think of the tactics of dropping men back, sort of, zoning off, along the half back line forming a bit of a wall? I thought it was good to see Rocket doing a few different things, not that they all worked.

That worked well for a period of time and real confused the Lions. In the end some poor decision making when we had the ball cost us when they rebounded it.
Eade would have a number of little tactics that he will try during these games.

[Dry Rot]

It will be interesting post game to consider what if anything has changed from last season.

Are we really bigger and stronger?

Has our work at the clearances improved?

Defensive pressure/tackling improved?

Hm, I thought we were in trouble back in February.

Not surprised about yesterday or the week before, or the game vs the Crows or......

[Go_Dogs]

Well, we spanked them in the clearance and won more contested ball yesterday. We just didn't do the things that we normally do well - run and run hard, then harder, find space, deliver well etc.