(06-20-2021, 06:09 AM)laj link Wrote:Dow had his career ruined early on when he was thrown into the heat of the action rather than getting to perform lesser roles as he developed. Killed his confidence. Did him no good. not all are Sam Walsh's and hit it right away.

(06-20-2021, 06:19 AM)ElwoodBlues1 link Wrote:GWS must have got lucky with Taranto, Hopper, Perryman and Green then......I know Walsh is a standout player but there is just miles between Dow,LOB and the GWS kids for example.

(06-20-2021, 05:58 AM)ElwoodBlues1 link Wrote:I like Dow and want him to succeed as he has all the attributes of the modern mid in terms of size, pace, and he does attack the ball well but he just cant seem to stay composed enough or make the right decisions often enough.
Unlike his U18 days he also cant find the footy enough..
Is it the coaching, is it the lack of leadership/support from other mids?....why is Walsh excelling yet Paddy and LOB look in another dimension as far as how they play.
You want to offer him more time/games and maybe with new coaches in the box he will improve but to do that we have to get better support in the middle other than just Cripps and another kid in Walsh. Apologies to Ed and Matt Kennedy but they are limited players who are good soldiers but we need Dow becoming a General like Walsh.
You look at Hopper, Taranto and Tom Green and Dow looks like a novice still, there is only so long you can persist and hope..

(06-20-2021, 06:19 AM)ElwoodBlues1 link Wrote:GWS must have got lucky with Taranto, Hopper, Perryman and Green then......I know Walsh is a standout player but there is just miles between Dow,LOB and the GWS kids for example.

(06-20-2021, 08:51 AM)ElwoodBlues1 link Wrote:Its interesting to compare Luke Davies Uniake and Paddy Dow...both were hot property in their draft year, both dominant at U18 level and both have struggled at senior level. Their stats in terms of disposals at senior level are about the same and their kicking isnt their strong point. LDU is marginally better placed than Dow in terms of the future IMO but is it just the case of two crap clubs unable to develop talent or did both clubs just get it wrong with their selections?

(06-20-2021, 01:00 AM)ElwoodBlues1 link Wrote:Some of our defenders don't want to defend, it's not even a case of intenstity.
We have too many chasing the easy kick or standing around guarding grass.
They are never near their opponent and give up easily when their opponent leads hard.
Jones and Weitering excepted even though Jones over commits at times.
Parks is a VFL defender, having him on anyone decent is a nightmare waiting to happen. Swans didn't want him with good reason...
The lack of physicality is alarming and has led to this bruise free brand we play.
Being out muscled by a soft bunch like GWS is about as bad as it gets when everyone knows they are a team that doesn't like it hard. Speaking of hard I saw SPS pull up in another contest in the VFL and Murphy was doing his best to avoid contact as well.
Every player we bring to the club now has to be one that enjoys contesting, is disciplined, a decent size and comes ready to play.
No more little kids or pretty players who want dance around the edges and leave everything to players like Walsh.

(06-20-2021, 04:27 AM)sydneybluesfan link Wrote:The last 3 weeks have really shone a light on where we are and there can be NO hiding from it - for the Board, the Exec, the Football Dept and the Players [especially the Leadership Group].

We were sitting 12th at 4 wins and 6 losses but coming off a win. About to play the teams sitting 6th, 7th and 8th at the time. All 3 of those teams had been inconsistent to date [like us]. Our season well and truly on the line and about to hit the road together. The club [and the whole rebuild] about to be face it's most serious examination. A few players coming back from injury so absolutely no excuses and no where to hide.

The total and abject failure of the Coaches and the Senior Players over the last 4 weeks has been staggering. I have watched it all up close live. The overall performance has been insipid and lacking in every department - no one should be above scrutiny such has been the scale of the capitulation. The problems are deep seated and wide spread, and we have effectively shown zero improvement or progress despite years or rebuilding. Our strategy and game plan [if we had one] has utterly failed and shown to be fraudulent at the first real test. Just like it had done in the 6 earlier games against decent football teams. It should shake the very foundations of the club, starting with the Board.

Analysing the  individual players is pointless as the problem is existential - what does the Club, and this playing group, stand for? At the moment this is not clear. Winning games of football, competitiveness, hunger for success, uncompromising effort, and having the respect of your opponents [both individually and collectively] for how hard you are to play SHOULD be our core Mission - but right now we have none of this as a collective. They look lost, they play without hunger or heart, and they look like they don't even care that they don't have any of those things. The Club and the Playing group have zero respect.

From the outside looking in it is impossible to know what the internal assessment is of where they are at, their acceptance of the problems and how they think that they will address it and try and turn it around. In professional sport when the pressure comes the Coach is always the first one in the cross hairs and this will be no different. He is ultimately responsible for the wins and losses and the overall effort and attitude of the team. Right now that is deplorable, and nothing Teague has said or done over the last 4 weeks gives me any hope that things will change next week or over the next 8 weeks. Some might think that harsh, and that we are going back to the poisoned well looking for a messiah, but keeping on doing the same thing and expecting a different result is madness.

(06-20-2021, 08:51 AM)ElwoodBlues1 link Wrote:Its interesting to compare Luke Davies Uniake and Paddy Dow...both were hot property in their draft year, both dominant at U18 level and both have struggled at senior level. Their stats in terms of disposals at senior level are about the same and their kicking isnt their strong point. LDU is marginally better placed than Dow in terms of the future IMO but is it just the case of two crap clubs unable to develop talent or did both clubs just get it wrong with their selections?