Booney wrote:Whilst I'm not going to over react to a loss like that, I'm measured enough ( I think ) to acknowledge the form the Bulldogs are currently in, I am going to bring into question the coaching group.
Clearly our plan for 2015 was to continue the blitz of 2014. Run from defence, take the game on at all costs and back ourselves to create enough opportunities to score more than the opposition. It seems as though the defensive side of our preseason may have been neglected.
Meanwhile, West Coast and the Western Bulldogs ( with Simpson and Beveridge out of the Hawthorn coaching stable ) are working on the defensive zones that have made them both top 4 sides. Now, both sides boast pretty good forward lines, but not many would say Port don't either. Schulz, Wingard, Monfries, Ryder, Westhoff and a Gray/Boak reads pretty well on paper and stacks up against either the Eagles or Dogs front half. Stacks up very well.
This group ( bar Wingard ) have had their confidence shot by the stop start play of the mids and defenders that has been caused by our inability to use the ball well enough to penetrate the zones most clubs now adopt. On the flip side it seems we don't play a zone and if we do either the formation doesn't work or the personnel in the zone aren't sticking to the structures.
So if it's a lack of zone being used, the coaches need to be looked at. Clearly the modern game is not about one-on-one forward v defender. It has moved past that for the top sides. So, do we play a zone? No, I don't think we do. I've seen enough games from Level 1 of the Riverbank Stand this year to say we don't. We play man-on-man.
With GWS, Hawthorn ( oh **** ), Gold Coast and Fremantle to come I think we might not win another one for the year and what I'd like to see in the next month is the start of a defensive zone being put in place. Use this 4 weeks as a lead into 2016 pre-season built around an improved team defence structure.
I think Lobbe will be dropped this week, he really should be anyway. He's either not fit or just really, really lacking any confidence and his pressure on the opposition on Saturday was deplorable.
As for talk of players being jealous or upset about what Ryder is on, talk about them being worked too hard on the training track. **** me. Toughen up buttercup and get on with it. From what I understand this pre-season they had this year was hardly anything compared to the one before and with an early finish this year coming I think they can expect a massive one ahead.
You have 1 genuine gun in that list, it's Wingard. Gray is too, but he is more a midfielder now. The rest are average. Westhoff can't hold down a CHF spot,never has been able to. Ryder is a Ruckman, Schultz has gone to toast,Monfries is an average forward.
It does not stack up against either Bulldogs or a West coast forward lines.
West Coast- Kennedy,Lecras,Darling are all A grade forwards. Then throw Sinclair/Nic Nat,Cripps are the 2nd tier.
Bulldogs- Crameri,Dickson, Stringer,Dahlhaus are very good, then add Redpath and Bontempelli to that mix aswell.
Both forward lines have a lot more fire power then Ports.