So, what's changed? Why are we on the up again?

swoop42 · Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 6:41 pm

Over the last two seasons a lot of posters have fallen into one of two categories.

Those who believed the coaching handover was a mistake, that our culture and list were strong on the evidence of back to back grand finals and the direct reason for our slide down the ladder was due to the rookie coach.

While those on the other side of the debate point to the succession plan being a catalyst for the 2010 flag with injuries and key personnel retiring or past there prime as the main reason for us not living up to expectations.

Those in camp 1 have lamented the fact during the last two seasons that we weren't putting enough pressure on the ball carrier and were implementing a zone that wasn't working and we were leaking to many easy goals.

Woftam in particular was a very vocal proponent of this.

I tried to defend Buckley on this as I couldn't see why a coach would stick to a structure that did seem susceptible to being opened up out the back if he didn't see a positive that outweighed this in other areas.

Over the last 6 weeks though we have definitely gone to a more man on man style of game and it's helped no doubt but surely there has to be more than that in terms of game plans otherwise all teams could and would do it and be far more competitive.

No, other structural changes have been made with the most notable perhaps that our forward press is now more a defensive press which has been put in place to counter opposition teams growing ability to beat forward presses with long and accurate kicking over them.

We all know though that a lot of football matches are won and lost between the ears and this is an area where I think those in camp 2 can feel vindicated to a degree.

Over the last 6 weeks the team is starting to feel just like that again, a team and not just a bunch of talented individuals.

Much was made about the need for cultural change over the off season but personally I think Bucks has had to deal with some players not affording him the proper respect for the get go.

You can understand why players who had a close relationship with Malthouse could have felt disheartened but it can't have been healthy for the psyche of the team at the time.

Go back to the elimination final loss last year (or round 1 LOL) and to me the side felt stale and I wasn't sure what direction we were headed in but with Shaw traded (plus Wellingam,Dawes), Thomas gone via free agency others like Didak and Jolly who felt they had a year left in them let go and players like Swan, O'Brien, Goldsack seemingly embracing the new coach and his ways the side now feels fresh again, full of exuberance that comes with youth and most importantly filled with a hunger for the ultimate success again.

For this full credit must go to Buckley, he made some hard calls on premiership players and favourite sons but you feel now this side is really building towards something special in the coming seasons and winning the flag this year is still a genuine possibility with a bit of luck.

We'll never know what this team might have achieved under Malthouse the last two seasons, injuries and players past there best would have made it harder than 2011 IMO but an experienced coach and familiar game plan would have helped.

Still I highly doubt our future would have looked as bright as it does now under Buckley, a coach who's working on his weaknesses and starting to really display his strengths.

Go pies!

Bob Sugar · Joined: 11 Feb 2010 Location: Benalla

It's probably a mix of a lot of things, having Swan-Pendles and Beamer all playing good footy would be one.

Grundy has improved.

An extra PS into our young guys.

Guys look to be really buying into the game plan now.

Confidence.

We obviously have better depth this year compared to last year, pretty much the same players but those players are now ready.

Maybe the removal of certain players has created a bit more chemistry within the group.

Competition for spots.

I'm the first to admit I've been a massive critic of Bucks, I've never been more happy to eat my words though.

AN_Inkling · Joined: 06 Oct 2007

A good, balanced OP.

I'm against any handover on principle and ours was not well managed or well timed. We took a backward step and looked to the future at a time when only the present should have mattered. It resulted in a divided playing group and a further step backwards with experienced players being traded out. This means that we are better placed for the future than we might have been, both in coaching and in playing personnel, at the cost of not quite maximising our potential in the short term over 2012-13.

The handover decision though is now well in the past. I've supported Buckley since he took over and this season we are now seeing a far more cohesive and committed team. His first two years did not quite meet expectations, and I think we're seeing now that this was more than simply due to injuries or retired players. The club was not a happy place in that period and this has resulted in 4-5 premiership players being moved on.

I've never had a problem with Buckley as coach (only the way he was selected and appointed) and was as excited about this season as I've been since 2010-11. With such a young, talented and deep list it always looked like a year where we would develop quickly. We've made a great start to the year, and with the rapid improvement already seen, who knows where it could end in 2014?

MattyD · Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Location: Kew

Very interesting comments and I agree with pretty much all of it.

Tough decisions have obviously been made.

And it is very possible some players didn't show the respect Bucks deserved.

After our elim final loss last year and our first game this year I thought we were headed for bottom 4 for the next four years.

Maybe that was just an overreaction but I couldn't see any improvement last year, I just saw our team getting weaker.

But something has changed. There has been definite improvement and our backline, while looking incredibly young and inexperienced, has kept a number of teams to one goal a quarter. Very dour defensive work.

And while I don't want to 'get ahead of myself' or be a 'nickhead' - which I could very well be both - but surely we can beat anyone at the moment - with the exception of maybe Hawthorn?

holdencaulfield · Joined: 12 Apr 2013

Bucks has made some tough calls which are starting to pay off. The danger was that he would be reluctant to off load "Premiership" heroes but thankfully he did not repeat what happened after the 1990 Flag where we hung onto players well past their "use by" date. His wise moves are nnow starting to pay off. We now have a bright future ahead off us.

Brown26 · Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 7:37 pm

I think, interestingly, that it's the game plan more than anything that is showing dividends now, as well as our depth I s'pose. If you have 35 players who know the game plan inside out (which takes a few pre seasons I might add, perhaps why we weren't so crash hot the last couple of years) when you have an injury or two players can step in fairly seamlessly and the team keeps rolling along.

With the amount of injuries we've had this year I'm surprised we're doing as well as we have, but if everyone knows the game plan and everyone plays their role, it doesn't seem to matter.

I'm not sure if this is a reflection of the plan itself or if it's just the stability of the plan over the last 3 years but I think it's starting to show. I'm excited by what we can acheive this year, I'm excited by the prospect of getting Reid, Seedsman, Broomhead and Sinclair available for selection and after that I'll be very excited about seeing Freeman and possibly Sharenberg on the park!

What a great year we have to look forward to! Who would have thought that after round 1!! Razz

-Ben

uncanny · Joined: 04 Mar 2014 Location: Castlemaine

things are humming along nicely...

Footy teams are at their best with an emerging group of young players having a crack with a talented and experienced core. Throw in competition each week for spots and you are a chance to go all the way.
We have all of this in spades.
Go pies

woftam · Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 7:38 pm

To be honest I don't care if Fred Flintstone coaches us. As long as we contest hard. For 2 years all I saw was zoning & when we didn't have the footy & we got smashed because of it. The game plan has definitely changed now.

Coast to coast goals by opposition = GONE.
Massive number of opposition uncontested marks = GONE

Defenders are now defending instead of pushing up so far that they can't get back when the turnover happened.

The opposition 9 times out of 10 have to kick to a contest.

Our tackling pressure has also returned.

Collingwood Crackerjack · Joined: 28 Jul 2008 Location: Canberra

Damien · Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 8:30 pm

Pretty much all the posts so far are about what's going on 'on field'. Don't underestimate the effect of the massive 'off field' changes that have occurred.

The Malthouse era couldn't really be killed of until all his close confidantes were gone. I'm talking Buttifant, Walsh and I'm sure there are others. Clearly Dale Thomas was in that group. with hindsight moving on Jolly, Dids and maybe even heater just looks like a no-brainer now. Bring in Burnsy, Ben Hart, Dale Tapping, the new fitness guy (who's name escapes me right now) and a bunch of enthusiastic new kids, get Leading Teams to help you implement it, and all of a sudden you have a fresh feeling of excitement in the place.

any organisation that brings in a new CEO (coach in this example) always goes thru a transition period where some deadwood moves on and those who sign up take a good 12 months before they all start to sing from the same song book.

Perty, our CEO and Ed our Prez are unashamed Bucks fans and have given him the mandate and supported him 100%. We are now starting to see the benefits. It's true side by side from the Prez down to the bootstudder and we're now seeing it translate into on field success.

Our organisation, along with probably Geelong and Hawthorn is that far ahead of the pack in terms of our strategic planning for the future, business planning and executing in the present it's not funny. That includes our recruitment and list management which is directly on field related.

What makes it all the more sweeter is that our friends in Navy Blue are at the other end of the spectrum on all fronts. Go Pies.

Bob Sugar · Joined: 11 Feb 2010 Location: Benalla

Redlight · Joined: 11 Jun 2009

AN_Inkling · Joined: 06 Oct 2007

Why are we playing better? The inevitable adjustment period to a new coach is over. It was tougher than it needed to be, largely because of the problems caused by the handover and we had to lose some skin along the way, but it's over.

Sure, there's been changes to the game plan, but that's always evolving. The real reason we're playing better is that coach and players are on the same page. You can tell a side is well drilled when it plays well even through injuries. We struggled to do that the past two years, putting in some very sloppy performances, but this year, so far, has seen a marked improvement.

Bob Sugar · Joined: 11 Feb 2010 Location: Benalla

Johnno75 · Joined: 07 Oct 2010 Location: Wantirna

The forward press has become a midfield press. Since Round 1 we are ranked No 1 for scores against and ranked No 1 for pressure acts between the arcs.

It's been a whole team effort we are having contributions from everyone, there are no passangers. Amazingly Langdon is ranked 7th in the AFL for intercept marks.

We keep this pressure up and we will rattle any team. The moment we ease up you get quarters like the last against Richmond and Carlton, even with those quarters both teams only kicked 10 goals for the night.

In the 3 games against Richmond, Essendon and Carlton although we had a bad quarter in each game over the other 9 quarters we only conceded 8 goals in total. Imagine if we put 4 quarters together.