I actually have a feeling we're a bit of a chance here. They would have used a lot of energy and concentration in the lead up to the Hawthorn game. The game itself has been a real struggle. It will be hard for them to get themselves up for a game against a team at the bottom. It will be a bit of a test for their coaching panel.
Hit them hard early and it may throw a bit of doubt into them and from their anything's possible.
(Don't know where the goals are going to come from though, and we can't afford to miss any. )
They've just lost Murphy (knee....not looking good) and the game.
Sorry Lods. I read your first line, and I've read your "supporting evidence", but I don't see it unfortunately. I think we're a real chance of getting a nice touch up.
So then, is it possible to quantify the "results" that you insist on seeing before you "believe" ? What are the signs that we're looking for and what is the time limit in which we need to see these "signs" ? Do we assume that this season is a wipe out in terms of W/L ? Are we looking for a minimum number of wins ? Honorable losses ? 4 q efforts ? Development of the young players etc. ?
What will be give us the comfort of knowing we're in the right hands, on the right path ?
I understand all the arguments with regards to patience, and a new coach bringing new ideas, players adapting to a new game plan.... and young players needing time to develop....green shoots etc
I understand them because I've heard and seen them for the last 15 years.
So while I accept that Bolton needs a chance to prove that this time is different..... I'm convinced of nothing until we actually get results.(Been burnt too many times)
If you go through our list and ask yourself who is playing better than they were last year, you'll struggle to find many, and a lot have gone backwards..... While the style of play is different (and perhaps a bit more attractive) the scoreboard results certainly aren't.
Last year after 3 rounds we'd kicked 224 points..... this year 195 Our percentage was 65.7 this year 61.3.
It's much too early to make solid judgements and there is a positiveness about the place that things will get better. But you have to start showing some solid evidence because positive talk quickly evaporates if the results don't come.
I agree in principle with your post, but the bit in bold is crucial - it is, as you say, far too early make any judgments, but what amount of time is the right time to start making calls ?
If you can't see the structure and fluency we have with and without the ball then I give up talking football with people.
When we win the ball, we have loose players, chains of handballs, run and spread, it's just that we have too many players who a dumb enough to pick the right target or not good enough to execute.
Our fitness is suffering as we are very much competitive for most of the game, but when we get chances at goals we fluff them. Must hurt.
Last night was not good, but Gold Coast are 3-0 and will be tough to win up there.
Stay the course, if you can't see the improvement in the way we play, then follow something else. We need to start bringing In many of the guys mentioned to see what they can do, because good players are like Jacob Weitering.
I don't understand the unexpected doom and gloom on here. We are a bottom team, we are rebuilding, we have a new system, new coach and nearly half the list is new, and we are coming from a low, low base.
There is a reason why Weitering was seen as our BOG, cause he can actually play! People point out our number 1 picks, as Taylor did last night on the broadcast, but look at the number of rookies on the list too. These were players overlooked as they had flaws in their game and when the pressure is on they can crumble.
Jammo, Rowe (rookied by Sydney), Touhy, Byrne, Casboult, Wright, Ed Curnow, Phillips. We are missing the tale teen early 20 picks from the last decade that normally will make up a big chunk of a side.
I will look at the young players and how they perform this year, because expecting a win is beyond all possibilities. I said before the season started these is a real chance that we could go 0-8 straight up, hopefully we do well against Essendon and maybe pinch one from Collingwood.
Cripps - Not right, these has been some voices saying his knee is not right, or it may have been the corky from last week but he still did better ythan a lot on the ground, he's just marked at a high level now.
Weitering - A third gamer that is just awesome. When he makes a mistake, it's a surprise. Just imagine how good he'll be in a few years time, controlling the backline, swapping opponents with Plowman and Glass-McCasker (steps on my rookie argument, I know).
Charlie Curnow - Wow, improved heaps from his first game, looked more comfortable in the game and his kick on goal in the first looked composed. I see him as a forward who will pinch hit in the mid field rather that a mid, he moves and thinks like a forward, where a mid will hunt the ball, Charlie seems to look ahead and gets to a position where the ball may go.
Boekhurst - A lot to like this year but still a way to go. Good disposal and seem confident with the ball this year, needs a bit less selfishness and a lot more chase, but I liked what I saw of his mistake in the first half, kicked the ball long but got back and marked the returning pass, where last year his head would have dropped and the ball gone. He needs to make it as I have a feeling that he will be all that's left of the trade from 2014 with both Whiley and Jacksh gone at seasons end.
Graham - Does nice things but drifts out of the game too much, his lack of pace and size hurts too. Still has time but I'm guessing this is about as good as it will get.
Buckley - What does Dylan actually do well? He can run swiftly, but does he lay tackles? He can kick well but when you only touch the ball a few times a game what does it matter? Is he too small to be a back pocket? I don't know if he'll make it, at the moment I'd have to say no.
Kerridge - Worst game in navy blue. Missed targets and goals, didn't lay his normal amount of tackles either or pressure on the body. Hopefully will bonce back.
We had a 6 day break after playing hardened team, travelled to a warm humid ground, against a fast, skillful, inform team. They had two very good forward options Lynch and Martin that should both push for AA this season. Give a lot of other isdes the same conditions and they come up short too.
It's fine to call for people to be dropped, but who havbe we got to replace them. Rowe and Jammo both deserve to be dropped next week, but we have White, undersized (a possible Stringer opponent) Plowman, coming back of injury and needs to find touch and fitness in the VFL. Glass McCasker who didn't even get a practice match.
Do we drop Gibbs and bring in Clem Smith, V-Rainbow or Cunningham? Do we actually think this will help the team in the long run? Cause I doubt it will help now.
The sooner Murphy is replaced as captain the better, we will go no where with him leading the way.
I like Murphy as a player. I think he's done as much as he can as Captain, but it's fair to say his tenure as captain hasn't really worked out. I think both he and the club would benefit from him being relieved TBH.
I'm not convinced our fitness base is the problem. Our players just don't play intelligent footy. They don't run to the right positions and they don't make it easy for their team mates. When was the last time you saw Hodge, Lewis and Mitchell gut-running to cover turnovers or fast ball movement from the opposition? It just puts too much pressure on our defenders and causes the midfield to run out of gas.
I'm not convinced it's poor disposal half of the time either. it's the players up field not working together to create space and to present a clear target for our players to hit up. How often do we kick to a player that has one or two defenders hanging off them? They need to be smarter, work together, and create space for themselves.
Smart teams conserve energy and win games by being efficient.
I like this post. There's something in this IMO. A successful kick in general play needs both the kicker and receiver to know what to do. You can be the best kick in the world - if your intended target doesn't know how to receive a kick.............
It's very easy to blame the kicker all the time.
There's also a certain performance anxiety, a real inability to deal with close checking, gut running and pressure from the opposition. According to 1AW, everything works beautifully training, but clearly not in game.
Bolts echoed the general sentiments on here in his presser. Pleased with effort in the first 3q, not so much the 4th. Said 11 of their goals came from turnovers, which is almost all their score. Said the turnovers are a combination of poor skill and poor decision making.
EDIT : Bolts also mentioned that players not up to it will be moved on. A little Captain Obvious, but also a little startling to hear from a new coach so early in the season. Reckon he and SOS are already sharpening their John Neeman American Felling Axes for a serious workout at seasons end.
AND, if I hear Bolton say, "it's a learning process" or "it's a fkn journey" one more time, I'll throw up.
I'm getting sick and tired of hearing it.
I want him to be honest and say, "we are not up to it, our skill level is non fkn existent, and I'm sorry to say this to the 47,000 people who have parted with their hard earned to buy a membership, but it's going to be a long hard year."
If he then adds, "we are putting every player on notice. Improve, and show us that you have got some ability, and are prepared to put in every week. If you don't, you are out at the end of the year. There is no way that we can ask the same 47,000 people to part with their money in 2017, and have to put up with the craap that was on display tonight".
Bolton may actually win the respect of the supporters if he said that, rather than the same bull dust and buzz words and cliches symptomatic of a school teacher or a politically correct lefty that he foists upon us at every press conference.
He's just warming up - wait till he starts talking about positive and creative synergistic relationships and engaging stakeholders.
My concern with bringing Plowman is in the injury risk if he's not ready to play at this level. If he's assessed as ready then I have to agree with you.
Regardless of the team changes, next week against a very good and well drilled dogs unit is looming as a major flogging.
We seem to be a very slow team, which gets highlighted against teams like the Suns and Dogs.
Recruited too many players who were slackers in High School but because they were jocks they got all the girls and thought their sh*t didn't stink. And we just continue to feed their egos by paying them overs to live the life of Riley. Fair dinkum, if I showed the same inability to perform the core functions of my job I would have been sacked long ago.
We got rid of a bunch of frauds last year. Second round of culling can't come soon enough.
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