FAR FROM GAWN...

[Leo.J]

We are far from gawn imo.

Here's why, there's a few long bows in there, but anyway.

1. New Game Plan.

We have been really average so far this year, yet I see hints of us beginning to get it together.

We have adjusted the game plan and changed every line coach.

This sort of change takes time to adapt to, and I can see improvement albeit slight in the way we are operating.

Fewer players are looking panicked when getting the ball, for most of the year we have looked confused as to where to go and who to kick to. And the biggest culprits appear to be the guys who have had limited pre-seasons and senior game time. Which equates to less time to get used to the new game plan and team rules under pressure.

2. Stable Team and Game plan.

In recent years the teams who have been in form have had a stable playing list, and a game plan that everyone is on board with.

With our run of 19 in a row in 2009 we barely made a change and we had a game plan where everyone could adhere to it even while sleeping - not because it was boring but because it was so well rehearsed.

Both the Saints and the Pies last year only used 33 players each for the year, where as this year we've already used 36, as opposed to Collingwood 31.

Collingwood 31
Geelong 33
WC 33
Bombers 33
Kangas 33
Hawks 34

This is how the top 6 in players used stands.

It goes to show that if you can get your best players on the park regularly, along with a good well rehearsed game plan you'll do ok.

Even apparent good sides slip when their personnel change eg Carlton. And even average sides can go better than expected if they get their best on the park consistently eg Kangas (until yesterday).

These days where strategy and GP's is so important every player in the 22 has to be able to adhere to the game plan for it to succeed under pressure against top4 opposition.

ATM we are not there yet, however, I see us being not far off.

We were unchanged this week, and I see only one change this week, with Kosi coming in.

3. Kosi

Kosi imo can help us improve enough to go deep into September.

If Kosi is fit and healthy and can get enough game time to get his confidence back, he will be really important to us.

His fitness is crucial though, if he is not fit he is a liability.

I know this part of the thread will probably get the most reaction, but anyway I'm putting it out there... KOSI CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE.

He is the middle man. He will bring Rooey into the game more, and he'll also help Big Mac out.

With Kosi in we have that extra tall forward target which will also allow us to link up better going forward, potentially helping our scoring potency.

He's going to need a week or two, but a fit and in form Kosi will be massive for us.

Collingwood, and the Hawks both play 2 big forwards, and we've also been at our best with 2 talls in recent years.

IMO Kosi's input will be our barometer.

Our back 6 are beginning to get settled. I think we can say that defence is not our problem.

Our midfield and forward lines are the one who have been dragging the chain so far. Both are showing signs of life, but they are not working like the well oiled machine s of the past.

And yes guess who is an important factor in both those zones playing well... Yep you guessed it Kosi.

He doesn't need to dominate he just needs to contribute well, and if he does star who knows what can happen.

4. Ross Lyon

RL more or less invented the press.

I think he might just be the guy to bring it down.

Well at least vary it to suit our strengths and challenge the Filth.

It's like the scientist who invents good, but this thing gets out of control when in the wrong hands.

So then he has to go and save the world by inventing an antidote.

I think RL is up to it, and I would assume that just about every subtle change in our GP is aimed at bringing down the Filth and saving the football world a terrible fate.

We just haven't got it right just yet, but like every good plot, it makes it more exciting if we get it right just near the end of the movie, and save the world in the final scene.

Or like Kingston Town, we appear to be gawn only to flash home and salute just when it appears all is lost.

Anyway call me crazy but I'm far from convinced that we are out of the running this year.

On current form we're not looking good, but this time last year the Filth we're pretenders according to all those in the know also.

[dragit]

To be honest, I don't think we are that far behind our form from last year at this stage. The difference being that last year we were lucky (or better) in the close ones - Last year we had close wins over the swans, pies, dogs, freo and lions. In contrast we have had close losses to the Cats, Blues, Crows and the tigers draw.
We were smashed by the Blues and Bombers (again) and we never really looked great during last year until probably the Cats final, Our 2010 was leagues behind our 2009 even though we managed to get through to the GF again.
We should have lost to the dogs last year and probably should have beaten the Cats & Blues this year, which would bring us to around the same wins after 14 matches…
Just proves that being a few percent off can make a big difference overall. If we are fair dinkum this year we'll need to beat both WCE and Sydney to have any confidence of making and winning a final IMO.
Only the pies arrogance could bring them undone this year or god forbid, some injuries to stars at the wrong time'

[Halo]

Lets Hope so !!!

We need to get over The Eagles this week first ,then other side might start to worry about us !!

[Leo.J]

...Only the pies arrogance could bring them undone this year or god forbid, some injuries to stars at the wrong time'

They are so confident of their game plan, they believe that as long as they stick to it they will win no matter what, and atm they're spot on.

The thing that is required is a plan or a game style that can rattle them and make them doubt themselves. Sides have done it this year but only for patches.

They took the comp by suprise last year, no one expected their GP to win them a flag. There is time for a team to to develop a plan or a style that can rattle the Filth.

The Cats have done it, the Hawks with a full list could. And I'm hoping that when we get ours up and running we can rattle them.

We've stunk it up so far, if we can get some momentum and confidence anything can happen.

[saintly]

so whats different in the game plan this year to last year? besides playing on quicker????

[Con Gorozidis]

I reckon if we lose to Eagles we are GAWN for 2011.
But I dont think we are GAWN for 2012.

[dragit]

I reckon if we lose to Eagles we are GAWN for 2011.
But I dont think we are GAWN for 2012.

The problem I have with waiting for 2012 to be the year is that we could just as easily lose another key player to injury for the season. We can't wait for Lenny to come and save us, apart from him we have a pretty clean injury list this year.
What if any of Montagna, Dal, Fisher, Goddard or McEvoy have a major injury next year? Do we then wait for 2013?
As good as Lenny is, we have to be able to cope without one of our stars as nearly every year you lose one.
2011 we can still play finals, who knows we might only win 6 games in 2012. Lets hope not, but the reality is, our aging list will be another year older.

[Leo.J]

so whats different in the game plan this year to last year? besides playing on quicker????

It's hard to tell definatively, unless your on the inner sanctum.

But I've noticed that our press appears to go deeper.

We have restructured our forward line with a medium sized tall, with Rooey playing more up the ground at times.

As you mentioned we do play on in defence more often, which is important so as to not allow the press to gather.

We appear to be happier going wide at times.

Over all our game plan hasn't changed heeps, it appears to have been tweaked a bit.

Most of which is almost impossible to tell unless you're in the team meetings and you know where guys are meant to zone to and how deep they intend the press to go.

I'm not on the inner sanctum however, so I judge this by the fact that we have new personnel on and off field, and by what has been said and discussed in the media, and by how we move the ball and how polished we look.

[gringo]

There is heaps different. the main one being that we don't hold possession at all cost- that is the hardest to get used to. Roo could do a mass of searching leads and burn off the opposition when we took it slowly up the ground. We need kosi or someone who can pluck contested pack marks to get a few 50/50s going our way. The Pies style boundary hugging is now almost standard at all clubs and the hard part that we need to remember is that we need to run into space when we have a stagnant player with the ball. Clarke at one point had to kick to a contest from the defensive 50 because no one was running off their man. we will get better at working out what needs doing to tweak it as it is practiced. The way we are playing this year is a fundamental shift to avoid the zones that are now nearly universal.

[Leo.J]

There is heaps different. the main one being that we don't hold possession at all cost- that is the hardest to get used to. Roo could do a mass of searching leads and burn off the opposition when we took it slowly up the ground. We need kosi or someone who can pluck contested pack marks to get a few 50/50s going our way. The Pies style boundary hugging is now almost standard at all clubs and the hard part that we need to remember is that we need to run into space when we have a stagnant player with the ball. Clarke at one point had to kick to a contest from the defensive 50 because no one was running off their man. we will get better at working out what needs doing to tweak it as it is practiced. The way we are playing this year is a fundamental shift to avoid the zones that are now nearly universal.

Well said...

I believe Kosi is crucial to how deep we go, for that reason the get out of Jail kick down the line. It doesn't necessarily have to be to him either, it can be Rooey also. Gamble becomes more important also with Kosi back, he needs to be more accountable for one, but he should get most of his ball one on one.

Thats why Dawes and Cloke are so important to the Pies, for the above reason.

And thats the problem we have with Rooey atm. He can't be in two places at one. He can't be on the wing, and then on the end of his kick in the goal square.

All that said if Kosi isn't fit and can't defend like many of his games since early last year, forget what I'm saying.

[tweedaletomanning]

I reckon if we lose to Eagles we are GAWN for 2011.
But I dont think we are GAWN for 2012.

The problem I have with waiting for 2012 to be the year is that we could just as easily lose another key player to injury for the season. We can't wait for Lenny to come and save us, apart from him we have a pretty clean injury list this year.
What if any of Montagna, Dal, Fisher, Goddard or McEvoy have a major injury next year? Do we then wait for 2013?
As good as Lenny is, we have to be able to cope without one of our stars as nearly every year you lose one.
2011 we can still play finals, who knows we might only win 6 games in 2012. Lets hope not, but the reality is, our aging list will be another year older.

Excellent Post!!

To Rely on Lenny (who is 31) is a problem. He should be the EXTra cream on top, Not the whole cake.

[I Love Peter Kiel]

Doesn't Max GAWN play for Melbourne?

[Thinline]

I reckon if we lose to Eagles we are GAWN for 2011.
But I dont think we are GAWN for 2012.

The problem I have with waiting for 2012 to be the year is that we could just as easily lose another key player to injury for the season. We can't wait for Lenny to come and save us, apart from him we have a pretty clean injury list this year.
What if any of Montagna, Dal, Fisher, Goddard or McEvoy have a major injury next year? Do we then wait for 2013?
As good as Lenny is, we have to be able to cope without one of our stars as nearly every year you lose one.
2011 we can still play finals, who knows we might only win 6 games in 2012. Lets hope not, but the reality is, our aging list will be another year older.

Excellent Post!!

To Rely on Lenny (who is 31) is a problem. He should be the EXTra cream on top, Not the whole cake.

I'll be relying on Lenny to provide adequate support to Dal Santo (who's been a terrific player in Len's absence), Steven (who's growing every week), and Ledger (who will rip up a pre-season and be a better - and better-prepared - player for it).

Cripps showed glimpses, Montagna will be Montagna, Armo will be Armo, and Peake may be even better.

I quite like the look of the mix. Variety of styles. All complementary.

Call me an optimist. I don't care.

[dragit]

I reckon if we lose to Eagles we are GAWN for 2011.
But I dont think we are GAWN for 2012.

The problem I have with waiting for 2012 to be the year is that we could just as easily lose another key player to injury for the season. We can't wait for Lenny to come and save us, apart from him we have a pretty clean injury list this year.
What if any of Montagna, Dal, Fisher, Goddard or McEvoy have a major injury next year? Do we then wait for 2013?
As good as Lenny is, we have to be able to cope without one of our stars as nearly every year you lose one.
2011 we can still play finals, who knows we might only win 6 games in 2012. Lets hope not, but the reality is, our aging list will be another year older.

Excellent Post!!

To Rely on Lenny (who is 31) is a problem. He should be the EXTra cream on top, Not the whole cake.

I'll be relying on Lenny to provide adequate support to Dal Santo (who's been a terrific player in Len's absence), Steven (who's growing every week), and Ledger (who will rip up a pre-season and be a better - and better-prepared - player for it).

Cripps showed glimpses, Montagna will be Montagna, Armo will be Armo, and Peake may be even better.

I quite like the look of the mix. Variety of styles. All complementary.

Call me an optimist. I don't care.

No doubt Lenny is awesome and possibly our most important, but we could be in for rude shock if we think he will take us from 12th to top 4.

[Leo.J]

We are far from gawn imo.

Here's why, there's a few long bows in there, but anyway.

1. New Game Plan.

We have been really average so far this year, yet I see hints of us beginning to get it together.

We have adjusted the game plan and changed every line coach.

This sort of change takes time to adapt to, and I can see improvement albeit slight in the way we are operating.

Fewer players are looking panicked when getting the ball, for most of the year we have looked confused as to where to go and who to kick to. And the biggest culprits appear to be the guys who have had limited pre-seasons and senior game time. Which equates to less time to get used to the new game plan and team rules under pressure.

2. Stable Team and Game plan.

In recent years the teams who have been in form have had a stable playing list, and a game plan that everyone is on board with.

With our run of 19 in a row in 2009 we barely made a change and we had a game plan where everyone could adhere to it even while sleeping - not because it was boring but because it was so well rehearsed.

Both the Saints and the Pies last year only used 33 players each for the year, where as this year we've already used 36, as opposed to Collingwood 31.

Collingwood 31
Geelong 33
WC 33
Bombers 33
Kangas 33
Hawks 34

This is how the top 6 in players used stands.

It goes to show that if you can get your best players on the park regularly, along with a good well rehearsed game plan you'll do ok.

Even apparent good sides slip when their personnel change eg Carlton. And even average sides can go better than expected if they get their best on the park consistently eg Kangas (until yesterday).

These days where strategy and GP's is so important every player in the 22 has to be able to adhere to the game plan for it to succeed under pressure against top4 opposition.

ATM we are not there yet, however, I see us being not far off.

We were unchanged this week, and I see only one change this week, with Kosi coming in.

3. Kosi

Kosi imo can help us improve enough to go deep into September.

If Kosi is fit and healthy and can get enough game time to get his confidence back, he will be really important to us.

His fitness is crucial though, if he is not fit he is a liability.

I know this part of the thread will probably get the most reaction, but anyway I'm putting it out there... KOSI CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE.

He is the middle man. He will bring Rooey into the game more, and he'll also help Big Mac out.

With Kosi in we have that extra tall forward target which will also allow us to link up better going forward, potentially helping our scoring potency.

He's going to need a week or two, but a fit and in form Kosi will be massive for us.

Collingwood, and the Hawks both play 2 big forwards, and we've also been at our best with 2 talls in recent years.

IMO Kosi's input will be our barometer.

Our back 6 are beginning to get settled. I think we can say that defence is not our problem.

Our midfield and forward lines are the one who have been dragging the chain so far. Both are showing signs of life, but they are not working like the well oiled machine s of the past.

And yes guess who is an important factor in both those zones playing well... Yep you guessed it Kosi.

He doesn't need to dominate he just needs to contribute well, and if he does star who knows what can happen.

4. Ross Lyon

RL more or less invented the press.

I think he might just be the guy to bring it down.

Well at least vary it to suit our strengths and challenge the Filth.

It's like the scientist who invents good, but this thing gets out of control when in the wrong hands.

So then he has to go and save the world by inventing an antidote.

I think RL is up to it, and I would assume that just about every subtle change in our GP is aimed at bringing down the Filth and saving the football world a terrible fate.

We just haven't got it right just yet, but like every good plot, it makes it more exciting if we get it right just near the end of the movie, and save the world in the final scene.

Or like Kingston Town, we appear to be gawn only to flash home and salute just when it appears all is lost.

Anyway call me crazy but I'm far from convinced that we are out of the running this year.

On current form we're not looking good, but this time last year the Filth we're pretenders according to all those in the know also.

7 weeks is a long time in footy.

It was all over according to some.

[jays]

this is true

[Leo.J]

Yes it is.

[gringo]

One for the optimists.

[bobmurray]

We'll just have to take it one week at a time