Is it really the duds fault?

[TigerMasochist]

Gawd it's scary when the previous nights alcohol fog starts to lift.
There I was just doin the mean old dragon a favour by hangin a few socks n jocks on the line when the morning chill sunk into the system and fired the dense grey matter into a slow cogitate.

Plenty of us have been hopping up and down after the last two games have seen us comprehensively whacked and blamed our favourite duds for the failures.
Even Plough has conveniently claimed a change to the team dynamics has been the cause of our regression.
This is not to defend or nail individual players but just trying to look at things somewhat rationally.

We were spooners last year with three and a half wins and some key injury problems. Pretty bloody ordinary performers nearly all year.
This year with virtually no injuries to start everyone expected some improvement in competitiveness and probably five to ten wins, depending on the fans individual bright meter.
We've had a win against fellow cellar dwellers in the Blues but terrible games against the Kangas and Pies resulting in our regular whipping boys being given a spell at Coburg
With the kids coming in there is a new spark of enthusiasm and excellent form from Richo, Simmo and Browneye picking up his game.
We've flogged Freo ( with their arses hanging out ) and run some excellent ( for spooners ) games against a bunch of top rated sides.
All of a sudden we are expected to not just be competitive but win games against top sides and the *smile* hits the fan when we collapse in a screaming heap. Ending in us howling for the careers of the whipping boys who had just been re elevated to the seniors.
I reckon there has been a lot more reasons than just Bowdo, Petts and Tivva for our reality check.
The Dawks should have smashed us, twelve more points kicked than us made us look better.
The Bummers we only played well half a game.
Most overlooked this and expected better from the list.
The dreamteam circus game, two of our best performing players in Richo and Simmo have been playing injured since then and their output is restricted.
Toad being out injured has robbed the mid of not just a hardened senior player but the directing force guiding our engine room ( the stuff that doesn't go on a stats sheet ).
Some of the kids like Jaaack, Shane, Willie and Luke are still a bit immature and struggle to maintain form match after match specially against the top eight teams.
Tivva, Petts, Bowdo and others will no doubt be moved on or find their careers ended eventually but just to lump the blame on them alone for our performances is unfair.
We've taken a few small steps forward and copped a realistic kick in the nads because some started to believe to much to soon.
I think we will win a few more games against the sides that are rated in our area of capability ( bottom half of the ladder still ) and it wouldn't really make much difference if Tivva or Petts or Monsta play or kids do.
Ploughs job is to oversee the generational change as tidily as possible, just blaming dynamics and hanging the whipping boys out is an easy populist copout.

 

[bowden4president]

:clap :clap

It's amazing people think we have no injuries when in fact we have injuries to 3 key players(again) it's just that 2 of them are still playing!

one worrying aspect of that is those 3 won't be with us much longer

 

[grumpytiger]

Hanging out the whipping boys alongside your socks and jocks is unfair.... no one deserves that TM!

You are right tho... wooden spooners to finalists in one year is a big ask. But we then all immediately howl "but it's been 25 years, not one!".

And that's the problem isn't it? There have been so many false dawns that we don't dare to believe that maybe we are on the right track this time. Our hearts are so broken and our perspective is so shot that many of us would rather we lose every game and pick up another two draft picks then start to build some consistency into the second half of this season, as a platform for next year.

These times are a true test of faith.

And people say footy isn't a religion.

 

[IanG]

Ploughs job is to oversee the generational change as tidily as possible, just blaming dynamics and hanging the whipping boys out is an easy populist copout.

We have played well since the dream team game prior to the last 2 games so no its not a cop out. Many of us here were mounting similar arguments to what Wallace said prior to him saying it. And its not a cop out because he's largely responsible for the team make up.

 

[btoz_01]

Ive given up blaming the whipping boys we all know who they are. We all can see they are not upto AFL standard.
After all they dont select themselves.
I place the blame on Walla$e & the match committee that keep selecting them ahead of kids that will be our future.

 

[TygerTyger]

Its a team game. An A-grade forward will look like crap if the midfield keep passing to his ankles. An A-grade midfielder looks ordinary if the forwards don't give an option (time their leads right etc). An A-grade defender will look like crap when the opposition bring the ball forward without pressure. Blaming a couple of 'duds' is a waste of energy. The problem is the spread of talent. A team with a few 'A graders' surrounded by plodders will already get beaten by a more rounded team. SImilarly, a player with some difficiencies will be exposed badly in a team without a solid core. Tivva - despite being one-sided - could be a premiership player with another team and regarded as a feel good story (coming off the rookie list to play near 200 games)

As good as Browny and Suger have been, or as good as a Judd or J Brown would be, one A-grader and a bunch of plodders wont help as much as recruting 5r or 6 potentially 'good players' (with a hope that one ore more might become great).

Its not the 'dud's fault' - its crap recruiting - its a belief (that seems to have stuck since 1980) they we just need one or two stars to fix everything. Having J Brown wont magically make Lids and Bling into the game breakers brownlow favorites we want. Have a couple of other good players sharing the heat in the middle, a couple of less black holes in the forward line - a backline that can move the ball forward fast and with precision - this will make that happen.

 

[GoodOne]

The funny thing about all this is that if we win today we could be just one game outside the 8 behind North and on a very similar percentage. With an easier draw to the end of the season looming and the way the cards are falling we could conceivably still make it, not that we'd realyl deserve to be there (or anyteam finishing 8th by the looks of it).

 

[feisty tige]

Yep, our draw is quite good from here on, we could be a slight chance, a bit of luck etc. Wouldn't it be good? It would be better (and I struggle to say) if Carlscum lose today (cause either of those teams winning today make me feel ill).

I hope whatever early pick(s) we end up with, we continue to keep the early picks and pick good young players, lets do this for like 20 years and see where we end up. It will take a while to build a good core and keep good young talent coming in, maybe then we can all relax a little.

 

[Ruthless Tigers ?]

It's not the fault of the duds but rather it is the Dud's fault!

He makes the choices, he makes the moves, he has a big say on his team, so in answer to your question....Yes It Is The Dud's Fault!

 

[IrockZ]

Its funny how the argument over improvement goes back to "we were spooners last yr" so we shouldnt be expecting much

we arent any closer to finals than what we were in 05 and thats the sad part, we have some quality coming through but its still an underbelly of the same names that have done nothing for so long

 

[Ruthless Tigers ?]

we arent any closer to finals than what we were in 05 and thats the sad part, we have some quality coming through but its still an underbelly of the same names that have done nothing for so long

And that is a sad fact. If what is left at Punt Road is the cream when Wallace arrived how woeful were we. The sad part is..that the cream has curdled and the rest of the vat will go off if there are no changes made quickly to how they are developed....and actually given a chance to really develop their own culture.

 

[Bill James]

Hyde and Bowden were outshone by Jackson and JON today. Says something.