What's Changed?

[comrade]

After the Port loss, finals seemed out of reach with a really difficult stretch ahead. Now top 4 is a real possibility.

I'm trying to understand what I'm seeing when I watch them play. It looks very different to what we saw before the Port game yet the only real personnel change is Lobb to defence.

What are we doing? What has changed ON FIELD over the last 4 weeks? (so put aside things like 'culture', 'mindset', 'coaching changes').

[ledge]

After the Port loss, finals seemed out of reach with a really difficult stretch ahead. Now top 4 is a real possibility.

I'm trying to understand what I'm seeing when I watch them play. It looks very different to what we saw before the Port game yet the only real personnel change is Lobb to defence.

What are we doing? What has changed ON FIELD over the last 4 weeks? (so put aside things like 'culture', 'mindset', 'coaching changes').

Yes something definitely clicked , but no one knows exactly what unless you’re in the four walls I guess.
All I can think is the game plan finally worked and the players all of a sudden hit it.
Lobb has definitely been part of it though.

[Happy Days]

I am deeply uncomfortable with how not out of the woods we are despite beating 3 (then) top 4 teams and another from last year all in a row to take us to 4 games over even. I know Essendon winning is “better” for us but for my anxiety I kinda wish they lost.

[bornadog]

Although we got belted by Port and Brisbane, since round 9 we have won 9 games and lost 3. The other loss was the Sydney game at home, where we had three key injuries during the game and lost by 14 points.

The past 4 weeks the biggest difference has been getting back some key players that were injured as well as Lobb to CHB, who is now 3rd for intercept marks in that period.

[azabob]

Although we got belted by Port and Brisbane, since round 9 we have won 9 games and lost 3. The other loss was the Sydney game at home, where we had three key injuries during the game and lost by 14 points.

The past 4 weeks the biggest difference has been getting back some key players that were injured as well as Lobb to CHB, who is now 3rd for intercept marks in that period.

Brilliant summary BAD.

[comrade]

Although we got belted by Port and Brisbane, since round 9 we have won 9 games and lost 3. The other loss was the Sydney game at home, where we had three key injuries during the game and lost by 14 points.

The past 4 weeks the biggest difference has been getting back some key players that were injured as well as Lobb to CHB, who is now 3rd for intercept marks in that period.

That doesn't answer the question. What are those key players doing ON FIELD to help us improve so much?

[Happy Days]

That doesn't answer the question. What are those key players doing ON FIELD to help us improve so much?

There’s a clear cohesion to what we’re doing now. We’re giving everyone in the 22 a defined role and aren’t shoehorning in guys like Macrae or Daniel based on credits to fill a gap that isn’t there. The coaches deserve a ton of credit for making that incredibly difficult call. Since Lobb got moved back, an admittedly lucky half court shot, there’s been no magnet spinning, no Treloar to half back, no mids in the ruck, basically nothing that made Bevo such a source of frustration.

We’ve also finally figured out how to get the most out of our bottom 6. McNeil, Poulter, VDM, even Buku, these guys are being given the chance to play the best possible football they can by having roles that cater to them.

The forward line is dangerous as hell and I think it’s a combination of Naughton coming back, Naughton working his arse off and Jamarra pretty much creating a scoring opportunity every time the ball is in his orbit as a result. The pressure mix with Naughton, Weightman, VDM, West and McNeil is league best.

Also Bont, Treloar and Richards are in the top 15 players in the AFL currently and they all play on the same line. That helps.

[Bulldog Joe]

While I see Lobb as being a big difference adding reliability in the back half, one of the important developments is the forwards sorting themselves out and creating space for each other.

West, Weightman and VDM have blocked and created space for the talls and they seem to be competing against each other much less.

The pace of Richards into the mids has also been important.

[mjp]

That doesn't answer the question. What are those key players doing ON FIELD to help us improve so much?

I know you said to put aside culture and mindset, but it's kind of hard.

There is some real 'all or nothing' about the group at the moment and McNeil' attempt to handball the ball to his team-mate when he was ALREADY IN THE ATTACKING GOAL-SQUARE against Sydney is kind of the poster moment of this movement.

They players are connected to a TEAM mindset. Something happened in the PA game - no doubt it did - that convinced them it's gonna be OK. That day, with a very 'C-grade' defensive group - actually held firm after quarter time...I know the criticism of the loss but not every win is a victory and not every loss is a defeat. The team haven't put a foot wrong since.

We have a massive challenge heading to Adelaide this week and are just about to find out what we're made of...we have been seriously playing with house money but now top 4 is actually realistic (thanks Essendon, thanks Collingwood) the REAL pressure will be on.

Let's see what happens. There's no magic potion but there is no doubt we have the 'music' inside us (as a group) and who the hell knows what happens next?

I know Bevo continues to insist we could have won in 2015 if not for the Adelaide defeat (which was apparently caused by a leaked game-plan and not by Adelaide running all over us in the last quarter) and we are WAY better now than we were then...and if he believes, and is able to convince the players to believe...

[bornadog]

That doesn't answer the question. What are those key players doing ON FIELD to help us improve so much?

I guess I didn't explain it properly.

We are actually not doing too much different than we did for the past 12 games I have mentioned, but with better players coming back in since injuries to Libba, Naughton, Ed, Jones etc and Lobb going back, we now have a more experienced line up that can execute the game plan.

[mighty_west]

It has to be a combination of a few things, key players coming back is big, Lobb filling a massive hole down back, a midfield that is humming and not just being stagnant, think we should have made a few moves early during the Brisbane game when Bont was being heavily tagged by Berry, it was as though we just let them do as they wanted even down back when Jones was leaving his man to intercept it opened their forwards up to give them space especially Hipwood who had a day out, not sure he'd have it so easy with both our talls being accountable, i want Brissy again with the big Lobbster down back.

Also our work rate looks as though it is going through the roof, our defensive efforts all over the ground, those issues we have had over the past few season's we are finally getting right, and boy, doesn't it make us look good and have become such a dangerous side now, even Dan Hannebery rates us as the number 1 side!!!

The forward line, the talls aren't getting in each others was like they were earlier in the season, Naughton's work rate running up the ground is enormous and now with some confidence most players are in good form even the likes McNeil & VDM are working as hard as anyone defensively, the planets are slowly coming together.

[The bulldog tragician]

Lobb back is not only good in itself, but has made the forward line better, as has Naughton higher up the ground, and small forwards understanding their role. Darcy and Jamarra do not fly together for the same mark as much as was always the frustrating case in times gone by.

We are doing something different at the stoppages. This was noted in a review of the Carlton win at The Roar https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/07/1...nquer-carlton/ I saw examples of it on the rare occasions when there was a stoppage at our side of the ground. In simplified form as far as I understand it, it’s less bees at the honeypot, more creating space.

[comrade]

We are doing something different at the stoppages. This was noted in a review of the Carlton win at The Roar https://www.theroar.com.au/2024/07/1...nquer-carlton/ I saw examples of it on the rare occasions when there was a stoppage at our side of the ground. In simplified form as far as I understand it, it’s less bees at the honeypot, more creating space.

Fantastic article, thanks for posting it! That's exactly the type of breakdown I've been searching for.

[MrMahatma]

I guess I didn't explain it properly.

We are actually not doing too much different than we did for the past 12 games I have mentioned, but with better players coming back in since injuries to Libba, Naughton, Ed, Jones etc and Lobb going back, we now have a more experienced line up that can execute the game plan.

It is good to look back and see the body of work. All season has felt like we're about to get going... but the wins were ok grinds and we'd fall against a top team like Bris and Port... and so heading into the past month it looked a bridge too far. Now that we've won the last 4 and you look back you kind of see things differently. We've been going pretty well the last 3 months, not just the last one.

It gives cause for optimism and confidence we won't just fall over. I'm with Happy Days though with my anxiety that we're still so close to missing the 8 even though we've just smoked the best teams in it... but anyway...

[Go_Dogs]

Key role players have found purpose and execution.

Our pressure game and forward half defence is clicking - the fourth phase.

The fittest side we’ve put on the park.

Key players are coming back from injury cherry ripe.

We have the Bont which means no one else does.

And I told you all we wouldn’t drop another game! HA!