Coach Michael Voss

[Bobmonkey]

Lewis Young hanballing over his head to the opposition

This only occurs because of the directionless coaching which has seen the team unable to move the ball out of the back half from a kick in all year.

Don’t blame the outcome, look at the cause. Voss and his “game plan”.

 

[Stamos]

I don't think our players can cope with expectation, that's the issue. Start of last year we were flying, there was nothing to lose and everything to gain. All of a sudden, we're being talked up not just as a finals side, but a genuine flag chance.

Cue mental implosion.

It's carried into this year as well. Carlton need to be playing finals, that's the expectation internally and externally. And too many of our players are playing rushed or tentative football because they're afraid of failing to meet those expectations. They half-kick the ball and drop it short because they're so used to kicking long they can't execute a short kick under pressure. They're handballing to teammates under pressure because they don't want to be the one caught holding the ball. They're giving off inside 50 instead of taking regulation shots on goal because they don't want to be the one that misses and kicks off 45 minutes of team-wide yips.

You can't coach for it. Nothing at training emulates the pressure of a game that 50,000+ are watching live and a few hundred thousand are watching at home...including "journos" looking for the players they can eviscerate for losing the game for their team.

Voss has a couple of choices.

He can be buddy-buddy, put his arm around the players and try to nurture them through it. Maybe it works and they find some level of calm, but it could also just inure the players against the disappointment they should be feeling.

He can be ruthless and start axing blokes who fail to execute in the hopea that selection pressure on top of external pressure catalyses into some kind of increased focus. However if the players are mentally fragile this could just make them worse.

Or, and this is where I think we need to look, he could throw caution to the wind and give the players a license to take the game on regardless of results. Have them fight through the pressure and learn to execute against genuine opposition on the big stage. Give them 6-10 weeks and then start weeding out the ones who haven't improved. This option absolutely comes with increased external pressure though, so the club need to be 100% on board with it across the organisation.

People criticise the players, and/or the coach.

What we really need is new sports psychologists. Or hypnotists.

 

[KohPhi]

I think let’s bring Aker in an as an assistant, may help spark Vossy up.

Crazy Lazy Vossy..

 

[macky99]

Not my words but how carlton is perceived in the football industry
s**t: culture, coaching, leadership, recruitment, gameplan, list, board.

Michael some of the comments are absolute garbage, 18 months ago the club made significant change starting with one of the most respected CEO Brian Cook who has been a strong part of two successful clubs.
Do you honestly think he is not equipped to make a impact on areas that are opportunities to improve.

We all know the team has been disappointing this season, but some of the comments are complete rubbish.
The list seems not as good as we had hoped, no quality mid sized forward are a real major weakness, we are slow in the midfield, so our list management team need to revaluate the list also & gaps.

Voss needs to be more creative & attacking, but your comments here as usual are way off the mark.

 

[Blue and Blue]

People criticise the players, and/or the coach.

What we really need is new sports psychologists. Or hypnotists.

You are getting very sleepy.................

 

[The Blue Weirdo]

I don't think our players can cope with expectation, that's the issue. Start of last year we were flying, there was nothing to lose and everything to gain. All of a sudden, we're being talked up not just as a finals side, but a genuine flag chance.

Cue mental implosion.

It's carried into this year as well. Carlton need to be playing finals, that's the expectation internally and externally. And too many of our players are playing rushed or tentative football because they're afraid of failing to meet those expectations. They half-kick the ball and drop it short because they're so used to kicking long they can't execute a short kick under pressure. They're handballing to teammates under pressure because they don't want to be the one caught holding the ball. They're giving off inside 50 instead of taking regulation shots on goal because they don't want to be the one that misses and kicks off 45 minutes of team-wide yips.

You can't coach for it. Nothing at training emulates the pressure of a game that 50,000+ are watching live and a few hundred thousand are watching at home...including "journos" looking for the players they can eviscerate for losing the game for their team.

Voss has a couple of choices.

He can be buddy-buddy, put his arm around the players and try to nurture them through it. Maybe it works and they find some level of calm, but it could also just inure the players against the disappointment they should be feeling.

He can be ruthless and start axing blokes who fail to execute in the hopea that selection pressure on top of external pressure catalyses into some kind of increased focus. However if the players are mentally fragile this could just make them worse.

Or, and this is where I think we need to look, he could throw caution to the wind and give the players a license to take the game on regardless of results. Have them fight through the pressure and learn to execute against genuine opposition on the big stage. Give them 6-10 weeks and then start weeding out the ones who haven't improved. This option absolutely comes with increased external pressure though, so the club need to be 100% on board with it across the organisation.

Yes.

Who knows what's affected the players ability to perform in such a short time frame? The players have had all natural footy instincts lobotomised.

Definitely the 3rd. option.

Also take note of NMBB's opinion.

 

[Blue_Fusion]

Michael some of the comments are absolute garbage, 18 months ago the club made significant change starting with one of the most respected CEO Brian Cook who has been a strong part of two successful clubs.
Do you honestly think he is not equipped to make a impact on areas that are opportunities to improve.

We all know the team has been disappointing this season, but some of the comments are complete rubbish.
The list seems not as good as we had hoped, no quality mid sized forward are a real major weakness, we are slow in the midfield, so our list management team need to revaluate the list also & gaps.

Voss needs to be more creative & attacking, but your comments here as usual are way off the mark.

Have you noticed the language has started to change?

Cook saying missing finals this year not the end of the world...

Sayers set the expectation to make finals in 2022...

 

[Blue__Balls]

Have you noticed the language has started to change?

Cook saying missing finals this year not the end of the world...

Sayers set the expectation to make finals in 2022...

Good.

Reassess and implement plans now that will have the greatest impact moving forward.

Ie. Drop Ed permanently, play Kemp every week, etc.

Failing to meet a goal doesn't mean we need to burn the place down. If the leaders are awake to the issues already and not clinging to last year's goals then we can adjust.

 

[SurreyBlue]

Garbage.
Saad is a good kick
Weiters is a good kick.
Acres is a good kick.
They turned it over.
Having multiple thoughts in your mind is a big factor.

Pressure. Saad and Acres panic at the slightest.

 

[macky99]

Have you noticed the language has started to change?

Cook saying missing finals this year not the end of the world...

Sayers set the expectation to make finals in 2022...

l have not seen that commentary, but possibly our list is also not as good as we thought, mid- field run & lack of quality mid sized forwards is a major weakness, based on the other night too many players with below average skills & decision making.

 

[passmark]

Have you noticed the language has started to change?

Cook saying missing finals this year not the end of the world...

Sayers set the expectation to make finals in 2022...

Sayers is a fan President.

Cook is a professional administrator who has one of the best records in Australian sport.

He knows the list and culture issues can’t be fixed by just appointing a new coach.

 

[bmaurizio]

Our problems are several playing list & it’s culture and coaching group too inert, lack of vision , we need to be more proactive , prepare mentally for a season end list clean up.
Coaching lacks inspiration, too, it’s dull and conservative, we need flexibility and enhanced creativity , Voss is lacking in these areas.

 

[HarryFlashman]

People criticise the players, and/or the coach.

What we really need is new sports psychologists. Or hypnotists.

Hypnotist comes in & the next minute all the players running around in circles, scratching at the ground thinking they are chickens actually it is kinda similar to the game plan
Would be a very prudent move to really spend up & bring in a sports psych team to help out. Plenty of very good ones around, most golfers have one on the books or on speed dial- 100% it would help with set shots at the very least

 

[Michael Jezz]

Michael some of the comments are absolute garbage, 18 months ago the club made significant change starting with one of the most respected CEO Brian Cook who has been a strong part of two successful clubs.
Do you honestly think he is not equipped to make a impact on areas that are opportunities to improve.

We all know the team has been disappointing this season, but some of the comments are complete rubbish.
The list seems not as good as we had hoped, no quality mid sized forward are a real major weakness, we are slow in the midfield, so our list management team need to revaluate the list also & gaps.

Voss needs to be more creative & attacking, but your comments here as usual are way off the mark.

Read my original post, which said, Our supporters need to stop blaming the senior coach and focus on systemic issues throughout the club. Listen to respected voices in the outside AFL world. Cook is great but we have a problem if he is not in for the long haul

 

[Arr0w]

I haven't heard a voice, nor read an article, from a respected AFL analyst

 

[macky99]

Read my original post, which said, Our supporters need to stop blaming the senior coach and focus on systemic issues throughout the club. Listen to respected voices in the outside AFL world. Cook is great but we have a problem if he is not in for the long haul

l don't believe for one minute a person in a senior level role at afl level is going to make that type of commentary, just because someone said that to you does not mean it is at all factual.

We made significant change 18 months ago, the club has some strong people now in key roles, so the focus now needs to be on reassessing the list and filling the gaps that have become apparent, coaching staff also needs to lift, game plan has been overly defensive for most of the season.
Let's see what improvements can be made and the approach taken.

 

[passmark]

I haven't heard a voice, nor read an article, from a respected AFL analyst

Are there any?

 

[Michael Jezz]

It reminds me of a very good point the guys on the Prendercast made - are we getting the version of Michael Voss we signed up for.

The version I think we thought we’d get was the image of him as player - to make our side hard, unforgiving, ruthless win at all costs.

I also wanted a man schooled by Leigh Matthew’s who could articulate an idea or break down a problem very very clearly.

Unfortunately - and without sounding like on old fogey - we get this ‘modern’ Voss who instead of saying we need to kick goals uses words like ‘take our nourishment’ ?? I’m wondering if he is trying to be someone he is not.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Our list is unbalanced and too unskilled to execute the simple matthews gameplan which was win the contest, get it to the outside and run in waves.
Voss has massively improved our contest work, effort and 2 way run since the teague era. I agree, Voss does not appear to be a premiership coach but neither is Hinkley. Senior Coaching isn't the main part of this serial under performane.

 

[Jimmyonesix]

And this game style invites pressure on the ball handler

Yes style bad because they can get the ball 15 metres from any opposition they need to 40 metres from any opposition please -- Ed kicked to two blokes on there own from a stand still and missed both --

I am not an advocate for any game plan because I am not privy to what the instruction truly are and how each individual translates what they are told ..But when your main distributors the outside mid and wings are getting a lot of ball and with clear runway yet turn over the ball 40% of the time you won't win games of football and I don't think that's system as if it was bad they wouldn't be getting those opportunities in such space -- when the full back hands back the ball to opposition on a consistent basis hard to cover that ..
let's hope it's a one off but these same players have been poor by foot for a longtime --
Once sides worked out our fwd handball game from stoppage last year and forced us to kick we have been inconsistent and we don't have the pedal to the metal players to continually outrun sides ..
And if cripps plays and is held to low possesion our win rate is poor .. Yes -this could be coaching and game plan from stoppage .

 

[Ezayyak]

I don't agree that all teams have the same game plan, or more importantly set up plays to become instinct.

Again, I do not see a proper method of ball moving, we don't overlap, we don't move the ball quickly on instinct to players running past in patterns. Even in our wins it was very rare to see players in chains of 3 or 4.

When we are under pressure in a pack we don't have players move into position for the player in trouble to know instinctively there is a player available to dish off to. Good teams have that available exit all the time. Last year we had it, this year for some reason we don't. If we don't clearly win the contested possession it will very rarely end up our way because we have no system of positioning of players for the quick one-two release.

It isn't just poor execution, clean execution also a result of strong belief in the system and game plan. Collingwood are a prime example. Little tap ons here, toe pokes there. They know there will be players in the right position. They know they'll have a player charging past their shoulder to release the ball to. That's instinctive and it's instinctive because they train for it.

Even basic stuff like we are stuck in the back pocket trying to clear the ball, the players up the field don't fold back inside 50 for the most likely result of a rushed defensive kick landing 40 metres out defensively. Our players are still waiting high outside 50 hoping for the perfect kick.

 

[Forty3]

You can either blame the coaching staff for a lack of system, or blame the player for a lack a talent and execution.

I personally blame the system.

The fact of the matter is it is what we are doing, and what we have done since round 8 last year is categorically not working.

If the coach wants to come out and say we are doing a lot of thing right and just not executing on certain skill, the I was suggest the system does not stack up.
It is very clear to see that the players are confused and the players are risk averse. Our transition from the backline is the worst its been in 20 years.
No AFL clubs system can rely on winning a 50/50 contested mark on the half back flank/wing to be able to break through a zone.
We look to leave the backline in single lane transition 90% of the time.
Yes it is correct that players are not creating option up the ground.. Is this the result of the players being lazy? I don't think so. The ball carriers do not even look, the plays are set, we clearly have a directive not to change lanes, change angles, take risks.
If you do this for long enough then it will results in what we have now. A very stagnant game plan that relies on an act of individual brilliance to break the stalemate.

Our defensive zone isn't working and hasn't ever worked. We push our half forwards into the midfield to overload the stoppage, then wonder why when we win the clearance we are out number in attack. We drop the wings deep on defence and invite teams to pick us off with short easy kicks all the way up the ground. Until eventually we get so confused that our zone is caught in no mans land, we end up outnumbered on the fat side to regularly and a player ends up guarding the space between to opponents, results in easy out the back goals regularly.

It is obvious that our midfield is to top heavy, yet our best running midfielder and best link up midfielder, Walsh, has had the lowest number of centre bounce attendances of any of our mids since Voss has taken over. Instead we play him in the M5 role, coming off the forward flank.

Whilst we are nowhere near the best kicking sides in the comp, it is a complete myth that the top teams are full of players that are all excellent kicks.
The best sides get the balls into the hands on their kickers, whilst the rest of the team knows their limitation.

This is where transition system comes in the most. Collingwood gets the ball to daicos, pendles, crisp as much as possible with easy short kicks. They win a mark and they look for them around the back, they will kick it sideways or backwards if needs be. From there these guys know the field like a quarter back. They trust the rest of the side to get to where they need to be. They scan the specific spots quickly as they know where to look.
If a player with ball in hand knows the exact three or four possible spots they can play to, they have a lot more time to access the play. Do it enough and it looks automatic. They play unfolds so easy because every player knows the running patterns and knows where to go depending on how it unfolds up the field.
Watch the behind the goal vison of almost every other team and you can see this in varying stages of implementation. Yet it is non existent in our game plan. If it is being coached at our club, then there is clearly a communication breakdown between the coaches and playing group. If it isn't being coached, then we have a very serious problem, cause the alternative is we are still playing an outdated game plan that cannot compete with the better teams.

And this is merely the tip of the iceberg in mind boggling tactics we use.

So all we can hope for now is that at some point the players and coaches can come together, admit to themselves that what we are doing is not working and is not going to work, and look at making some changes.
Why do we value the contest so much, We've won the contest in most games we've played under Voss and it doesn't translate to result. Collingwood barely won the contest in a game last year, Richmond hardly won a contest in a game during their dynasty. Geelong likewise.
It what happens next, and if we keep pouring numbers into the contest, we will keep turning it over and allow teams to pick us apart. We have midfield bulls, and we win more clearances than we lose. Lets back them in and give them the space to work it forward to at least and even number.
I love that Charlie is kicking bags. But would it not make sense to that if we have one player how happens to be our best contested mark, one of our best aerobic runners, one of our best field kicks and definitely our most penetrating field kicks, further up the ground. More in the Jeremy Cameron

5

Jeremy Cameron

Age

31

Ht

196cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.5

3star

K

9.0

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

5.4

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

2.6

5star

D

10.0

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

2.9

2star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

8.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.4

4star

G

2.0

5star

mould.
Leaving Harry, who can hardly be beaten 1v1 but cant kick a goal from further than 20m out playing closer to goal... Rather than watching Harry mark it on the wing, slowly turn his back on the play, take his full time and then lob it long to Charlie outnumbered.
We concede so many repeat inside 50s, and defend the goal desperately, only to dump the ball out to a contest or a turn over and have to defend again. This was obvious in the Richmond game, Giants game but most telling in the North game. We got away with it against lesser sides, but was never going to stack up against the better teams. We have to try a new approach, generate run from the backline, and that starts with possession chains. Take a couple of easy option, buy time to reset defensively and work the ball into the hands of the players we want attacking, and encourage them to do that.

I don't want to completely give up on the Coaching staff, and the players are not innocent bystanders in all of this. But the more I see us repeating the same mistakes, (the time spent on the back flank/wing against the lions) the less confidence I have. I don't want to hear after losses that we are doing a lot of things correctly, because it was evident even in our wins this year that we are doing so much more incorrectly.

The idea that this group is not talented enough to challenge is completely false. I just want to see the players and the coaches make some attempts at changing. Be willing to lose by more if it gives you the chance to win. Admit to themselves that what they are doing isn't working and actively work at correcting that.

 

[FitzroyBlueBagger]

You can either blame the coaching staff for a lack of system, or blame the player for a lack a talent and execution.

I personally blame the system.

The fact of the matter is it is what we are doing, and what we have done since round 8 last year is categorically not working.

If the coach wants to come out and say we are doing a lot of thing right and just not executing on certain skill, the I was suggest the system does not stack up.
It is very clear to see that the players are confused and the players are risk averse. Our transition from the backline is the worst its been in 20 years.
No AFL clubs system can rely on winning a 50/50 contested mark on the half back flank/wing to be able to break through a zone.
We look to leave the backline in single lane transition 90% of the time.
Yes it is correct that players are not creating option up the ground.. Is this the result of the players being lazy? I don't think so. The ball carriers do not even look, the plays are set, we clearly have a directive not to change lanes, change angles, take risks.
If you do this for long enough then it will results in what we have now. A very stagnant game plan that relies on an act of individual brilliance to break the stalemate.

Our defensive zone isn't working and hasn't ever worked. We push our half forwards into the midfield to overload the stoppage, then wonder why when we win the clearance we are out number in attack. We drop the wings deep on defence and invite teams to pick us off with short easy kicks all the way up the ground. Until eventually we get so confused that our zone is caught in no mans land, we end up outnumbered on the fat side to regularly and a player ends up guarding the space between to opponents, results in easy out the back goals regularly.

It is obvious that our midfield is to top heavy, yet our best running midfielder and best link up midfielder, Walsh, has had the lowest number of centre bounce attendances of any of our mids since Voss has taken over. Instead we play him in the M5 role, coming off the forward flank.

Whilst we are nowhere near the best kicking sides in the comp, it is a complete myth that the top teams are full of players that are all excellent kicks.
The best sides get the balls into the hands on their kickers, whilst the rest of the team knows their limitation.

This is where transition system comes in the most. Collingwood gets the ball to daicos, pendles, crisp as much as possible with easy short kicks. They win a mark and they look for them around the back, they will kick it sideways or backwards if needs be. From there these guys know the field like a quarter back. They trust the rest of the side to get to where they need to be. They scan the specific spots quickly as they know where to look.
If a player with ball in hand knows the exact three or four possible spots they can play to, they have a lot more time to access the play. Do it enough and it looks automatic. They play unfolds so easy because every player knows the running patterns and knows where to go depending on how it unfolds up the field.
Watch the behind the goal vison of almost every other team and you can see this in varying stages of implementation. Yet it is non existent in our game plan. If it is being coached at our club, then there is clearly a communication breakdown between the coaches and playing group. If it isn't being coached, then we have a very serious problem, cause the alternative is we are still playing an outdated game plan that cannot compete with the better teams.

And this is merely the tip of the iceberg in mind boggling tactics we use.

So all we can hope for now is that at some point the players and coaches can come together, admit to themselves that what we are doing is not working and is not going to work, and look at making some changes.
Why do we value the contest so much, We've won the contest in most games we've played under Voss and it doesn't translate to result. Collingwood barely won the contest in a game last year, Richmond hardly won a contest in a game during their dynasty. Geelong likewise.
It what happens next, and if we keep pouring numbers into the contest, we will keep turning it over and allow teams to pick us apart. We have midfield bulls, and we win more clearances than we lose. Lets back them in and give them the space to work it forward to at least and even number.
I love that Charlie is kicking bags. But would it not make sense to that if we have one player how happens to be our best contested mark, one of our best aerobic runners, one of our best field kicks and definitely our most penetrating field kicks, further up the ground. More in the Jeremy Cameron mould.
Leaving Harry, who can hardly be beaten 1v1 but cant kick a goal from further than 20m out playing closer to goal... Rather than watching Harry mark it on the wing, slowly turn his back on the play, take his full time and then lob it long to Charlie outnumbered.
We concede so many repeat inside 50s, and defend the goal desperately, only to dump the ball out to a contest or a turn over and have to defend again. This was obvious in the Richmond game, Giants game but most telling in the North game. We got away with it against lesser sides, but was never going to stack up against the better teams. We have to try a new approach, generate run from the backline, and that starts with possession chains. Take a couple of easy option, buy time to reset defensively and work the ball into the hands of the players we want attacking, and encourage them to do that.

I don't want to completely give up on the Coaching staff, and the players are not innocent bystanders in all of this. But the more I see us repeating the same mistakes, (the time spent on the back flank/wing against the lions) the less confidence I have. I don't want to hear after losses that we are doing a lot of things correctly, because it was evident even in our wins this year that we are doing so much more incorrectly.

The idea that this group is not talented enough to challenge is completely false. I just want to see the players and the coaches make some attempts at changing. Be willing to lose by more if it gives you the chance to win. Admit to themselves that what they are doing isn't working and actively work at correcting that.

Great post

 

[Ezayyak]

You can either blame the coaching staff for a lack of system, or blame the player for a lack a talent and execution.

I personally blame the system.

The fact of the matter is it is what we are doing, and what we have done since round 8 last year is categorically not working.

If the coach wants to come out and say we are doing a lot of thing right and just not executing on certain skill, the I was suggest the system does not stack up.
It is very clear to see that the players are confused and the players are risk averse. Our transition from the backline is the worst its been in 20 years.
No AFL clubs system can rely on winning a 50/50 contested mark on the half back flank/wing to be able to break through a zone.
We look to leave the backline in single lane transition 90% of the time.
Yes it is correct that players are not creating option up the ground.. Is this the result of the players being lazy? I don't think so. The ball carriers do not even look, the plays are set, we clearly have a directive not to change lanes, change angles, take risks.
If you do this for long enough then it will results in what we have now. A very stagnant game plan that relies on an act of individual brilliance to break the stalemate.

Our defensive zone isn't working and hasn't ever worked. We push our half forwards into the midfield to overload the stoppage, then wonder why when we win the clearance we are out number in attack. We drop the wings deep on defence and invite teams to pick us off with short easy kicks all the way up the ground. Until eventually we get so confused that our zone is caught in no mans land, we end up outnumbered on the fat side to regularly and a player ends up guarding the space between to opponents, results in easy out the back goals regularly.

It is obvious that our midfield is to top heavy, yet our best running midfielder and best link up midfielder, Walsh, has had the lowest number of centre bounce attendances of any of our mids since Voss has taken over. Instead we play him in the M5 role, coming off the forward flank.

Whilst we are nowhere near the best kicking sides in the comp, it is a complete myth that the top teams are full of players that are all excellent kicks.
The best sides get the balls into the hands on their kickers, whilst the rest of the team knows their limitation.

This is where transition system comes in the most. Collingwood gets the ball to daicos, pendles, crisp as much as possible with easy short kicks. They win a mark and they look for them around the back, they will kick it sideways or backwards if needs be. From there these guys know the field like a quarter back. They trust the rest of the side to get to where they need to be. They scan the specific spots quickly as they know where to look.
If a player with ball in hand knows the exact three or four possible spots they can play to, they have a lot more time to access the play. Do it enough and it looks automatic. They play unfolds so easy because every player knows the running patterns and knows where to go depending on how it unfolds up the field.
Watch the behind the goal vison of almost every other team and you can see this in varying stages of implementation. Yet it is non existent in our game plan. If it is being coached at our club, then there is clearly a communication breakdown between the coaches and playing group. If it isn't being coached, then we have a very serious problem, cause the alternative is we are still playing an outdated game plan that cannot compete with the better teams.

And this is merely the tip of the iceberg in mind boggling tactics we use.

So all we can hope for now is that at some point the players and coaches can come together, admit to themselves that what we are doing is not working and is not going to work, and look at making some changes.
Why do we value the contest so much, We've won the contest in most games we've played under Voss and it doesn't translate to result. Collingwood barely won the contest in a game last year, Richmond hardly won a contest in a game during their dynasty. Geelong likewise.
It what happens next, and if we keep pouring numbers into the contest, we will keep turning it over and allow teams to pick us apart. We have midfield bulls, and we win more clearances than we lose. Lets back them in and give them the space to work it forward to at least and even number.
I love that Charlie is kicking bags. But would it not make sense to that if we have one player how happens to be our best contested mark, one of our best aerobic runners, one of our best field kicks and definitely our most penetrating field kicks, further up the ground. More in the Jeremy Cameron mould.
Leaving Harry, who can hardly be beaten 1v1 but cant kick a goal from further than 20m out playing closer to goal... Rather than watching Harry mark it on the wing, slowly turn his back on the play, take his full time and then lob it long to Charlie outnumbered.
We concede so many repeat inside 50s, and defend the goal desperately, only to dump the ball out to a contest or a turn over and have to defend again. This was obvious in the Richmond game, Giants game but most telling in the North game. We got away with it against lesser sides, but was never going to stack up against the better teams. We have to try a new approach, generate run from the backline, and that starts with possession chains. Take a couple of easy option, buy time to reset defensively and work the ball into the hands of the players we want attacking, and encourage them to do that.

I don't want to completely give up on the Coaching staff, and the players are not innocent bystanders in all of this. But the more I see us repeating the same mistakes, (the time spent on the back flank/wing against the lions) the less confidence I have. I don't want to hear after losses that we are doing a lot of things correctly, because it was evident even in our wins this year that we are doing so much more incorrectly.

The idea that this group is not talented enough to challenge is completely false. I just want to see the players and the coaches make some attempts at changing. Be willing to lose by more if it gives you the chance to win. Admit to themselves that what they are doing isn't working and actively work at correcting that.

Spot on.

 

[Blue_Fusion]

Good.

Reassess and implement plans now that will have the greatest impact moving forward.

Ie. Drop Ed permanently, play Kemp every week, etc.

Failing to meet a goal doesn't mean we need to burn the place down. If the leaders are awake to the issues already and not clinging to last year's goals then we can adjust.

Yeah as if they'll drop Ed permanently...

If Kemp wants a game every week, he'd better start using the ball better at the very least.

burning the place down? ... clinging to last year's goal? .. lol come on.

 

[Blue_Fusion]

You can either blame the coaching staff for a lack of system, or blame the player for a lack a talent and execution.

I personally blame the system.

The fact of the matter is it is what we are doing, and what we have done since round 8 last year is categorically not working.

If the coach wants to come out and say we are doing a lot of thing right and just not executing on certain skill, the I was suggest the system does not stack up.
It is very clear to see that the players are confused and the players are risk averse. Our transition from the backline is the worst its been in 20 years.
No AFL clubs system can rely on winning a 50/50 contested mark on the half back flank/wing to be able to break through a zone.
We look to leave the backline in single lane transition 90% of the time.
Yes it is correct that players are not creating option up the ground.. Is this the result of the players being lazy? I don't think so. The ball carriers do not even look, the plays are set, we clearly have a directive not to change lanes, change angles, take risks.
If you do this for long enough then it will results in what we have now. A very stagnant game plan that relies on an act of individual brilliance to break the stalemate.

Our defensive zone isn't working and hasn't ever worked. We push our half forwards into the midfield to overload the stoppage, then wonder why when we win the clearance we are out number in attack. We drop the wings deep on defence and invite teams to pick us off with short easy kicks all the way up the ground. Until eventually we get so confused that our zone is caught in no mans land, we end up outnumbered on the fat side to regularly and a player ends up guarding the space between to opponents, results in easy out the back goals regularly.

It is obvious that our midfield is to top heavy, yet our best running midfielder and best link up midfielder, Walsh, has had the lowest number of centre bounce attendances of any of our mids since Voss has taken over. Instead we play him in the M5 role, coming off the forward flank.

Whilst we are nowhere near the best kicking sides in the comp, it is a complete myth that the top teams are full of players that are all excellent kicks.
The best sides get the balls into the hands on their kickers, whilst the rest of the team knows their limitation.

This is where transition system comes in the most. Collingwood gets the ball to daicos, pendles, crisp as much as possible with easy short kicks. They win a mark and they look for them around the back, they will kick it sideways or backwards if needs be. From there these guys know the field like a quarter back. They trust the rest of the side to get to where they need to be. They scan the specific spots quickly as they know where to look.
If a player with ball in hand knows the exact three or four possible spots they can play to, they have a lot more time to access the play. Do it enough and it looks automatic. They play unfolds so easy because every player knows the running patterns and knows where to go depending on how it unfolds up the field.
Watch the behind the goal vison of almost every other team and you can see this in varying stages of implementation. Yet it is non existent in our game plan. If it is being coached at our club, then there is clearly a communication breakdown between the coaches and playing group. If it isn't being coached, then we have a very serious problem, cause the alternative is we are still playing an outdated game plan that cannot compete with the better teams.

And this is merely the tip of the iceberg in mind boggling tactics we use.

So all we can hope for now is that at some point the players and coaches can come together, admit to themselves that what we are doing is not working and is not going to work, and look at making some changes.
Why do we value the contest so much, We've won the contest in most games we've played under Voss and it doesn't translate to result. Collingwood barely won the contest in a game last year, Richmond hardly won a contest in a game during their dynasty. Geelong likewise.
It what happens next, and if we keep pouring numbers into the contest, we will keep turning it over and allow teams to pick us apart. We have midfield bulls, and we win more clearances than we lose. Lets back them in and give them the space to work it forward to at least and even number.
I love that Charlie is kicking bags. But would it not make sense to that if we have one player how happens to be our best contested mark, one of our best aerobic runners, one of our best field kicks and definitely our most penetrating field kicks, further up the ground. More in the Jeremy Cameron mould.
Leaving Harry, who can hardly be beaten 1v1 but cant kick a goal from further than 20m out playing closer to goal... Rather than watching Harry mark it on the wing, slowly turn his back on the play, take his full time and then lob it long to Charlie outnumbered.
We concede so many repeat inside 50s, and defend the goal desperately, only to dump the ball out to a contest or a turn over and have to defend again. This was obvious in the Richmond game, Giants game but most telling in the North game. We got away with it against lesser sides, but was never going to stack up against the better teams. We have to try a new approach, generate run from the backline, and that starts with possession chains. Take a couple of easy option, buy time to reset defensively and work the ball into the hands of the players we want attacking, and encourage them to do that.

I don't want to completely give up on the Coaching staff, and the players are not innocent bystanders in all of this. But the more I see us repeating the same mistakes, (the time spent on the back flank/wing against the lions) the less confidence I have. I don't want to hear after losses that we are doing a lot of things correctly, because it was evident even in our wins this year that we are doing so much more incorrectly.

The idea that this group is not talented enough to challenge is completely false. I just want to see the players and the coaches make some attempts at changing. Be willing to lose by more if it gives you the chance to win. Admit to themselves that what they are doing isn't working and actively work at correcting that.

Brilliant!