Autopsy Well, that happened vs Doggies

[Possession]

The big positive: the crowd.

North end was electric. Lots of noise.

We are so ready to blow the lid off but the team can't do their job and win a bloody game.

 

[Caracas]

Maybe you've been in a padded cell for years already, having some sick ground hog day matrix experiment used on you?

I certainly should be, based on my carry on - especially in the first quarter. Absolutely embarrassing. I’m 70 in two months FFS. The even sadder thing is that I’m a model of calmness in comparison to a lot of others on here. We all seriously need to get a grip on our lives.

 

[Frank Thring]

Terrible first quarter, didn't mind the rest of the game. Skill errors and composure continue to kill our momentum but we stuck at it and had a crack. Keep playing like the last 3 quarters and we'll win games.

 

[Its a Process]

I was there and have spent last 12 hours digesting it.

Biggest disappointment was our midfield getting smacked in the last qtr when we had the game at our mercy.

Disappointing last qtr but there were plenty of positives as well. Forward line structure was better and personal dangerous at times. We tried our guts out, tackle numbers high, just lacked a little polish.

We need a win in the first 4 games and that was the most winnable.

 

[Harris 10]

What’s the deal with our zone on opposition kick ins?

We give up the first 15 to 30m kick to the boundary and then our second layer of zone is to shallow and the opposition just walk on through to put our backs under pressure.

 

[Souup]

I'm conflicted.

I could count on one hand the amount of times we'd have had similar amount of shots on goal as the opposition in the last 3 years - we did that last night (they had 1 more than us). Even in the wins last year against Richmond and West Coast, both of those sides had more scoring shots than us, fairly comfortably.

We had more disposals than they did. We had more clearances. We won contested possessions (by only 2 though). We won marks inside 50 comfortably (17-12). We had 23 more tackles.

But we lost.

Losing the inside 50's 57-48 tells the story of us pissing around with the ball too much. There were a few times last night where we took a mark in our defensive half off a Dogs turnover and we were too hesitant to pull the trigger on a kick that was on. The Dogs on the other hand were more daring in transition. I understand you can't always put your foot down on the pedal, but there were some key moments where we should have, but we were too timid.

The Dogs were there for the taking with their outs, but we weren't clinical enough. Too many braindead easy goals given to the opposition - Comben and Mckercher gifted them some. Larkey missing the dribbler early, only for them to go end-to-end on a kick-in. Happened on a set-shot later, I can't remember who it was for us, but they missed a set-shot dead in front, only for the Dogs to take it down the other end not long after and convert a similar difficulty shot - they were more accurate.

I'm happy we've clearly improved - because in past years we would have lost that by 10 goals, regardless of their outs. But I would have hoped we'd have turned last night into a win if we're taking a big step forward instead of a small one.

 

[joe444]

At some point, the honourable losses have to be turned into wins. I think the disappointment at this end was the predictability of it all - the sense that the best was better than what the Dogs could do, but the fade-outs in-game are disheartening.

There seems to be genuine issues of midfield depth. Across the weekend, only the super-settled Brisbane team have had fewer players at CBAs.


(please don't hate me, but in the wake of my grandmother's death [former volunteer at the club] I've taken out a membership and follow the Roos as closely as I do the Cats, albeit with less subjectivity).

 

[The Maestro]

Big positive last night was the crowd, for a bulldogs home game (replacement game for us) it seemed to be genuinely 50/50. The noise was great when we started to put the pressure on the dogs. It’s clear that our fans have had enough of losing and are craving some wins.

Konstanty and RHJ were excellent. Konstanty’s pressure and tackling was the best across our 22, if he keeps playing like that he will be a lock all season. RHJ the same, he has so much composure around the ball and hit targets when under pressure to either set up an attacking play for us or maintain possession. Really impressed.

Darling and Larkey. I’ve put them together because you can see how much Larkey has benefitted from having Darling in the forward line. JD is constantly moving and his forward craft again stood out in our forward line.

Midfield were average, Sheezel was our best in there. Everytime he had a CBA he either got his hands on the footy which led to him winning the clearance or led to our team getting the clearance. Wasn’t his best game, but he was our most influential in there.

Defence is a shambles - we do not have any IQ or composure back there. We constantly spoil front and centre to a dogs player, we drop marks that should be taken, we turn the ball over by foot. It’s a real worry, and I don’t see the improvement coming with who was out there tonight. Whitlock and Dawson need to get afl ready asap in terms of their bodies, because it looks like they understand the game and can read the play.

Overall, we have improved, but honestly this side just lets themselves down. Stuff you learn at Auskick we do the opposite of at afl level. Case in point when we kick long into our forwardline we will kick it right to the goal square for an easy spoil and rushed behind from the dogs. When the dogs kick it long they kick it to the hotspot 20m out from goal and from this alone we missed 3 or 4 opportunities to score whereas the dogs scored at least two goals.

I hope that now our gameplan looks to be settling, that Clarkson can really nail down on the finer details of the game and start calling out these idiotic decisions our players sometimes make.

 

[FrangaRoo]

Scratching your head, we fielded our best side against a Dogs seconds. Our seniors skill level is not up to it and the effort only came after quarter time. The disappointment isn’t that hard to comprehend, surely?

Despite them missing 4-6 guns they still won more games last year than we have won in our last five so not exactly an even starting point hence why they were paying $1.30 to win….

We’re coming from a looooong way back against whole squads who know how to win.

 

[Zondor]

Others have mentioned it. I will repeat the following. We lack polish and as such our ball movement isn’t fluid which becomes costly plus we struggle to defend on transition. We saw this again against the Dogs. :stern look

To add our issues aren’t on the inside. We hold our own in clearances plus contested possession. Even though those inside touches tend to also be sloppy like long bombs out of packs. Also we do lack bigger bodied mids. It’s on the outside. When guys like Simpkin are streaming forward and fail to hit Larkey on the chest. When the ball turns over and the opposition get goal side on us or our defensive structures falter. Simply put we lack pace and skill plus the smarts to defensively set up correctly when required. :stern look

We have holes on our list. Small forwards who can not only pressure but also kick goals. A small midfield brigade with a number of questionable kickers who don’t run well defensively. A backline that is very ordinary. A lack of quality key position players. After years of being so bad to have the holes we do on our list is an indictment on Rawling and Co. Bottom Line. :stern look

Hopefully this truth starts staring some of you in the face. :stern look

 

[Hearts to hearts]

At some point, the honourable losses have to be turned into wins. I think the disappointment at this end was the predictability of it all - the sense that the best was better than what the Dogs could do, but the fade-outs in-game are disheartening.

There seems to be genuine issues of midfield depth. Across the weekend, only the super-settled Brisbane team have had fewer players at CBAs.


(please don't hate me, but in the wake of my grandmother's death [former volunteer at the club] I've taken out a membership and follow the Roos as closely as I do the Cats, albeit with less subjectivity).

Sorry about your grandmother - she sounds like a legend - and welcome. Also, good luck.

Absolutely on point one. But to be honest we haven’t had enough honourable losses for me to be complacent or massively disappointed with them either. You say the last quarter was predictable - through my PTSD the part I couldn’t have predicted was getting 25 points down and then not going on to lose by 7+ goals.

There were many many disheartening moments, but also plenty that do give me heart.

 

[FrangaRoo]

Know this is stating the obvious but the effect on membership that a round 1 disappointment and the media dissection has on the 10-15k north fans who can’t bring themselves to sign up and watch slop and who have stayed away the last decade in huge.

Not saying not signing up is right but every club has ‘em.

 

[shinboner spiggs]

Let’s face it, they father us. Was expecting a loss purely as a result of this.

Thought there were obvious signs of improvement but skill level from the kickers in Sheez, Daniel and Kerch was very poor tonight and look forward to seeing that improve. Thought lmac was alright?

 

[The Anvil]

gee you'd love to be kissed on the dick like the western football club est. 1997. their players are so hilariously unsubtle about going for a free kick at every opportunity. they drop the knees, raise the arm, don't pick up the ball at the last moment so the guy chasing grabs them for a fraction of a second, and the umpires just fall for it every time. we hear all the time about how players like Nick Watson and Jack Ginnivan are "on the list" of players the umpires know not to fall for that shit with, why isn't that entire football club on the list?

Not saying it's the reason we lost the game but it advantaged them massively.

Surely we all love that, when I get home I will be raising my arms, dropping to my knees and see how I go

On a more serious note, the Roos fans came expectant and were really loud all game long! I don't know how we'll go this season but I certainly hope that games are entertaining enough that we stay loud all the way to the last round.

 

[LB2Snake]

Yeah I think it was a few highs and in the backs that weren’t too consistent.

Probably more to do with us having slower lazy campaigners who just drag on highlight the movement causing the free.

In saying that, what was that free in the opening stage of the 4th about? I’m genuinely not sure

Bulldogs, or Braves, are the most carried team in the AFL……last night felt like 2016 all over again. Every 50-50 went their way, except the Larkey one. But there were literally 15-20 50-50’s that were automatically awarded to the Braves.

 

[Themanbun]

You saw nothing at all in Q2 or 3? We were 7 points down at 3Q time. I get that angst is the default on here and fair enough but legit if you can’t see improvement in then I’m baffled.

I literally said we didn't bother to turn up for the first quarter, implying we did turn up for the other quarters.

Side note: I'm finding it genuinely hard to talk footy with people here. Am I just a shit communicator? It genuinely feels like people keep responding to me claiming I've said something that I definitely did not say.

 

[LB2Snake]

Amazing how Hawks have a team that are all superb by foot and we have the polar opposite.

Sounds contrite but it’s because it’s clearly a non-negotiable at Hawks, as it should be at every clubs. “Poor by foot, not good enough to be drafted”. We pick a Shitload of them.

 

[Caracas]

I'm conflicted.

I could count on one hand the amount of times we'd have had similar amount of shots on goal as the opposition in the last 3 years - we did that last night (they had 1 more than us). Even in the wins last year against Richmond and West Coast, both of those sides had more scoring shots than us, fairly comfortably.

We had more disposals than they did. We had more clearances. We won contested possessions (by only 2 though). We won marks inside 50 comfortably (17-12). We had 23 more tackles.

But we lost.

Losing the inside 50's 57-48 tells the story of us pissing around with the ball too much. There were a few times last night where we took a mark in our defensive half off a Dogs turnover and we were too hesitant to pull the trigger on a kick that was on. The Dogs on the other hand were more daring in transition. I understand you can't always put your foot down on the pedal, but there were some key moments where we should have, but we were too timid.

The Dogs were there for the taking with their outs, but we weren't clinical enough. Too many braindead easy goals given to the opposition - Comben and Mckercher gifted them some. Larkey missing the dribbler early, only for them to go end-to-end on a kick-in. Happened on a set-shot later, I can't remember who it was for us, but they missed a set-shot dead in front, only for the Dogs to take it down the other end not long after and convert a similar difficulty shot - they were more accurate, we weren't.

I'm happy we've clearly improved - because in past years we would have lost that by 10 goals, regardless of their outs. But I would have hoped we'd have turned last night into a win if we're taking the next step.

If you count Cam’s ridiculous OOF just before the final siren, we had the same number of shots.

 

[Devil Fish]

Why are we playing all of these VFL sides? It happened in the pre-season too. Are we also a VFL side, with our outs or does that term never apply to us? Somebody please help me.

At full strength, we are a good VFL side.
The ladder over the last 5 years confirms that. There’s no arguing against that fact.
You can polish a turd as much as you like, but in the end, it’s still a turd.

 

[Disco Dew]

Perhaps it was the sleep or the nearby bushfire giving me some perspective, but I don’t feel as shit this morning about that game as I did during it.
Better for the run, I hope this game was seen as a last chance saloon for certain players and that we see some real changes going into next week against the dees.

It’s been covered at nauseum but the backline is a complete joke (and has been for years) our defense in transition continues to be the most disgusting part of our game. It’s non existent. We need to fix both of those things.
For positives, just the one really. That was one of our better offensive games in recent years. Still butchered it but the forward line and entry looked the best it has in a long time!

 

[scottywiper]

Not much to say really, we played like we trained and how we played in the pre-season games, it was always going to be more likely than not that it would end up the way it did.

The game could have panned out better, could have ended worse. They were a lot further away from their best team than we were.

I am a bit disappointed because this game was winnable and it was for the most part over at quarter time, they knew all they had to do was wait for us to hack it forward and torch us on the rebound.

The lack of progress we have made in terms of addressing our weaknesses is the most disappointing thing about the pre-season and this game. We just look way off being a half decent AFL side

We'll be better after the bye. Lol

 

[GMAN63]

What’s the deal with our zone on opposition kick ins?

We give up the first 15 to 30m kick to the boundary and then our second layer of zone is to shallow and the opposition just walk on through to put our backs under pressure.

Couldn’t agree more, was so frustrating watching live last night. With the Bulldogs speed and ball use it killed us. Conversely , when we kicked out , it looked like we had no idea what to do and how to get the ball moving.

 

[Uncle_Leo]

We'll be better after the bye. Lol

The bye in 2034

 

[Zondor]

We'll be better after the bye. Lol

The players need time to Gel.

 

[Waynesworld]

Did Chom break his ankle?

Not funny dude.