Post Match. Pies pip Dogs. All comments please.

[think positive]

Interesting to read about Brown, at the ground I was calling for his head!

[Pies4shaw]

After Pendlebury and Sidebottom, Brown is our best ball-handler. He doesn't get his hands on it enough, yet but he is very, very slick. If given a chance, I think he has the potential to be a Sam Mitchell style distributor for us. I think either he or Cox between them were probably involved in virtually all of our last 6 goals.

He's still only 20 and he's played 14 games. There's a lot of people too quick to judge.

[Pies2016]

[WarrenerraW]

I'll take 4 points any day of the week but that was a butt ugly win. I really don't know what our game plan is. Last year was about free flowing fast moving football but this year is about transferring play from side to side and maintaining possession for as long as possible. We're still inclined to over use it and then get ourselves into trouble and turn it over.

Communication in the centre needs to improve. Grundy is busting his arse but the mids aren't reading his taps well enough. It wasn't until JDG was released into the centre that the game actually opened up. All of a sudden we had a player who could win the clearances easily. This freed up Cox, Elliott and Stephenson up forward. Stepho needs to be played forward more where he's better suited. I'd rather he be there get 10 disposals but kick 3-4 goals than be used as a wingman getting 10 cheap possessions but no goals. He looks lost. Need more contribution from Thomas.

Grundy looks stuffed. We need to be careful that we don't ruck him into the ground. Notice that opposition teams are actually using their rucks as a decoy and not really bothering to compete against him. It's easier just to feed off him and wear him down with body contact. He's trying his guts out. I think Cox needs to ruck more.

I think we lack cohesion in the midfield. Too many similar types: pendles, sidebottom, beams, treloar. They're great but they're not hard hitting clearance types. Need JDG in there more. Sier obviously would be the perfect solution but he's going to take some time to build up the fitness to actually run out a game.

We have much to improve on. 2 and 2. tough start to the year. with another big game next week against brisbane. they're up and about but I'm sure we'll be up for the challenge.

Sad news about Mayne in his 200th game. Let's hope he's ok.

[Pies2016]

[swoop42]

Our season so far.

Round 1. Rusty and poor.

Round 2. Promising but inefficient.

Round 3. Disappointing.

Round 4. Bloody awful but got the chocolates.

Like the Dogs the Lions will be coming off a 5 day break.

Brisbane forecast.

http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/forecasts/brisbane.shtml?ref=hdr

[Doc63]

[stui magpie]

[BazBoy]

Brown 17 touches I think but his quick clean dish off’s as some one said he was instrumental in crucial last qtr goals—the winning ones

As a group still off the mark for systematic footy but give them their due

In a scrappy first half the game got faster and more prepared to roll the dice and see where it got us—that’s good but what was more encouraging was the united effort to roll up their sleeves and work their butts off for a win

That feature plus more skill we have being thrown in we can start the climb

[SonofRowdy]

Need to shape our expectations on our style of play based on what the opposition is allowing us to do. No point going fast when the opposition have covered the corridor and flooded back. Going fast only sets up an out number, turnover and the ball coming back faster to an open opposition forward line.

Our players dont want to move the ball slow, but they don't want to kick it to an out number even more. Stats from last year confirm that a very high percentage of opposition goals are scored from turnovers inside our forward fifty.

I don't like the way the game presents as a spectacle but I do understand why its important that we are able to play this way as part of our game style arsenal. Another couple of weeks on and we will have seen further refinements in the way we play, particularly as we move into winter. Bucks has stated that we haven't got the balance between posession and fast ball movement right, and we as spectators would all clearly agree with that. But we must also understand how difficult a task it is. It is not as simple as "go fast" or break the lines" - the opposition's default structures are set up to effectively take advantage of that.

We all know the outcome we want - and that is fast ball movement into an open forward line. The problem is I am clueless how one goes about orchestrating it. History suggests that it is a tough task. Sometimes I think there is too higher expectations placed on our players given that they don't control how the opposition are setting up.... case in point - I would welcome suggestions from anyone how to combat the eagles stay at home backline last week.... very rarely were there opportunities for us to open up our forward line and/or get out the back.

I can live with criticisms of our players or coach, but when you do please present a logically structured argument of what we should be doing recognising that the opposition too have the ability react to it.

[BazBoy]

And more to the hard work statement was JDG clearances from centre in that
crucial last qtr was brilliant

It was “if I don’t get the pill you :,” bulldogs won’t “

He and Tay got the pill out to the outside mids and with Stevo and Billy around the goals fat lady sang loud and long

[BazBoy]

Remember the old schoolers like Jack Dyer who would say “ Big players don’t get any smaller as game go’s on” —or something like that

Well neither did the 211 cm frame of Cox —his last qtr was pure team value
with bringing ball from stratosphere to ground crew

He keeps taking steps every game

[K]

[Pies2016]

So after four rounds, everyone has now been beaten at least once.
We might only be firing on five cylinders but I’m not convinced we’re going as badly as some have repeatedly posted.

[stui magpie]