Sharp Axes

[PR0408]

The changes now should be on field. Cleary the bottom 6 in the best 22 are still not up to scratch. We don't have the depth we thought as evidenced in the elimination final. I have said this all year and we did have some improvement. Hopefully the younger players take the next step.

We had the best performed VFL team from any AFL club. Also lost players from that final
Team due to qualification rules.
Personally I believe our team balance in the AFL isn?t right. To many tall fwds. The game has changed. High speed up and back. Our key fwds don?t cover the ground and help our smalls. Marra and Darcy can?t be in same team in my opinion.

[1eyedog]

After Friday night, I am completely on the fence on Bevo long-term. The pros and cons have been articulated and there's clear merit on both sides. At 14-9 before Friday night and with the methods/tactics deployed by the club under Bevo and the revamped MC this season, we felt more trustworthy and much less reliant on Bont brilliance to drag us over the line. We developed a turnover game to compliment our traditional stoppage/territory game, we had role players performing genuinely important roles, we comprehensively beat top 4 teams throughout the last 4 months, our percentage and scoring/defending profile indicated we had a rock-solid foundation that would hold us in good stead this finals series. Honestly, 2024 has felt different all year (until Friday night) to 2022-23, which were amongst the most frustrating and untrustworthy we've had in any season. But here we are essentially in the same place as 2022-23, and with a finals performance that was ruthlessly exposed as sub-par both in the box and out on the ground. Bevo has loyalty to his players that is both his greatest strength and weakness. The ruck situation has been discussed ad nauseum and it has obviously hurt us so bad for so long in big games - Bevo's loyalty here has paid a big price. So has the lack of defensive work in midfield/inability to curb opposition run-ons. The players can't have an out here - it is shared accountability.

Bevo clearly can coach and motivate a playing group better than most. Can he tactically adjust and adapt mid career, like Chris Scott and Longmire have successfully been able to? Would it change people's opinion if say Hawthorn did a Richmond 2017 and smashed the next 3 opponents en route to a flag with an 18-4 record after Round 5? That would make us just another team below the level of the dominant premier.

We have to be ruthless like we've never been before this off-season. This competition stops for nobody.

The poisoned chalice that is 2016!

If 2016 didn't exist would.Bevo still be coach?

He feels like an F1 Grand Prix winner from the 1990s who has just stolen a Ferrari and taken it for a spin to me.

Kinda seems to know what he's doing but still driving pretty shit.

[josie]

We had the best performed VFL team from any AFL club. Also lost players from that final
Team due to qualification rules.
Personally I believe our team balance in the AFL isn?t right. To many tall fwds. The game has changed. High speed up and back. Our key fwds don?t cover the ground and help our smalls. Marra and Darcy can?t be in same team in my opinion.

And we’re desperate for a cunning small crumbing forward

[SonofScray]

Bob is another Bevo cult member, nothing for him in this footy department.

[bulldogtragic]

Bob is another Bevo cult member, nothing for him in this footy department.

What has he done at Freo that all the Vic clubs are chasing him and we win his services. Haven’t heard about a frenzy to get him because he was outstanding at Freo. You could argue he was relegated in responsibility in his time there.

Collingwood won the services of Matty Boyd after it was known he’d come back to Vic.

How about the best person gets the job and not an ex player.

[GVGjr]

Bob is another Bevo cult member, nothing for him in this footy department.

Not to sidetrack the thread but I wouldn't be keen to add Bob to our football department either.

[Go_Dogs]

Just read Boyd is heading back to Collingwood. Clearly highly rated.

[azabob]

Just read Boyd is heading back to Collingwood. Clearly highly rated.

Dogs playing the long game. Now we don't have to pay for his relocation costs when he takes the top job. Serious, not serious.

[Sedat]

Bob is another Bevo cult member, nothing for him in this footy department.

Not to sidetrack the thread but I wouldn't be keen to add Bob to our football department either.

What did Bob actually achieve at Freo in a development coaching role? It looks like he was demoted in his 3rd year there, saw the writing on the wall and came back home this year. Not sure there are any other clubs lining up for his coaching services - furthermore, I'm not sure he is even looking for any coaching roles now.

[GVGjr]

What did Bob actually achieve at Freo in a development coaching role? It looks like he was demoted in his 3rd year there, saw the writing on the wall and came back home this year. Not sure there are any other clubs lining up for his coaching services - furthermore, I'm not sure he is even looking for any coaching roles now.

He doesn't appear to have many runs on the board. Sure he was fantastic for us as a player and captain but outside of that I don't think he's achieved anything of note which would scream lets get him back too the club.

[Rocket Science]

I'm sensing a lot of podcasting and occasional Front Bar cameos in Bob's immediate future.

It's little more than 'gut feel' musing but gee getting some Matty Boyd back in the mix at some point strikes me as a good thing for a squad with a tendency to leave stones unturned.

[bornadog]

What did Bob actually achieve at Freo in a development coaching role? It looks like he was demoted in his 3rd year there, saw the writing on the wall and came back home this year. Not sure there are any other clubs lining up for his coaching services - furthermore, I'm not sure he is even looking for any coaching roles now.

His title was : Skills Specialist and Head of Leadership

[bulldogtragic]

His title was : Skills Specialist and Head of Leadership

But he started as: Head of Football Operations and Performance… then becoming the head of their AFLW and then losing that too to that role finally in that role as an assistant…

Seems like he lost responsibility every year. Year after year.

[Mantis]

The changes now should be on field. Cleary the bottom 6 in the best 22 are still not up to scratch. We don't have the depth we thought as evidenced in the elimination final. I have said this all year and we did have some improvement. Hopefully the younger players take the next step.

It's all good & well to say our bottom 6 aren't up to scratch, but when exactly do our top 16 wear some of the blame for the shitful performance in the EF?

By most pundit's accounts only 2-3 of our top 16 players would've scored higher than a 6/10 in this game which leaves a big load to be carried by the bottom 6.

Unless the likes of Bont, Timid, Libba, Cody, Marra, Liam, Treloar, Ed, etc. perform at a consistent level it won't matter how good our best 6 are.

[bornadog]

But he started as: Head of Football Operations and Performance… then becoming the head of their AFLW and then losing that too to that role finally in that role as an assistant…

Seems like he lost responsibility every year. Year after year.

I wouldn't be interested in him at all.