Strengths and weaknesses as at rnd 5

[Lods]

There are probably a lot of reasons for the result on Thursday night.
The reality is we haven't been playing well...we could quite easily have been 0-5 (even the North game looked shaky at times)

We probably have a few issues that need addressing.
Attitude, structure, injuries and depth, speed, Plan B's etc all get a mention.
On weeks like this one even our strengths come under the microscope.
We look at them and think they might not be quite as good as what we thought they were.

One of the ones I've noticed is a lack of strength.
It's manifesting itself in two ways.

1) being pushed, too easily, out of contests.
2) failing to make tackles stick

We have a couple of big guys but even they often find themselves out manouvered.
We also have more than our fair share of lightly framed guys, some with a heap of talent, who are sometimes too easily run through or pushed aside.

A loss will often bring these things into focus, and on Thursday we were clearly out muscled.
These things are always a bit of a balancing act...speed and endurance emphasised over size, strength and power.
I'm not sure we have the balance right because we seem to be lacking on both sides.

Obviously it's just one aspect....
What do others see as the major areas of concerns...our weaknesses?
What are our strengths...and are they as good as we thought?

[PaulP]

I've been on this forum for about 17 years, and right from day one I was reading about how the boys are lightweights, softies etc. In that period, we have turned over hundreds of players. Moreover, every single position of note in the club, whether inside or outside the football department, has undergone numerous personnel changes. President, CEO, Board members, Head Of Football, Head of High performance, list manager, recruiting manager, senior coach, assistant coaches, all changed hands many times. And yet, despite all that, we supposedly still have these issues. Are they real or imagined ?

Our current senior coach was IMO, the toughest and most physically intimidating player of his generation. Not only is Voss unable to turn these Navy Blue marshmallows into men of steel, but he sent packing the one player who supposedly embodies the values he holds dearest ? I think not.

If you go back to the first half of 2022, we were the Brutal Blues, known for toughness around the ball and around the contest.

Lods, I've taken your post and twisted it and exaggerated a little, simply to make a point. Whatever happened against the Crows, I don't believe size or weakness had much to do with it.

[PaulP]

I should also add that blokes like Pittonet, McKay, Weitering, Cripps, Acres and others are more than adequate size for their respective positions. Of course young blokes like Hollands, De Koning and others are still growing and filling out, but that’s to be expected IMO.

[Slowhand]

Its those bloody White jumpers. 

O0  O0  O0

[Lods]

I should also add that blokes like Pittonet, McKay, Weitering, Cripps, Acres and others are more than adequate size for their respective positions. Of course young blokes like Hollands, De Koning and others are still growing and filling out, but that’s to be expected IMO.

They are big guys...but do they use that size well?
When Cripps is on he's a beast, but apart from him???
Curnow can (when he wants to)
Kennedy can
But the Adelaide big bodies seemed to be all over our big guys....and yep, that probably is a reflection of the play (and desire to win the ball), but there has to be an element of strength involved.

We probably shouldn't look at how some players might develop because certain body types will never pack on the muscle.

[Gointocarlton]

I've been on this forum for about 17 years, and right from day one I was reading about how the boys are lightweights, softies etc. In that period, we have turned over hundreds of players. Moreover, every single position of note in the club, whether inside or outside the football department, has undergone numerous personnel changes. President, CEO, Board members, Head Of Football, Head of High performance, list manager, recruiting manager, senior coach, assistant coaches, all changed hands many times. And yet, despite all that, we supposedly still have these issues. Are they real or imagined ?

Our current senior coach was IMO, the toughest and most physically intimidating player of his generation. Not only is Voss unable to turn these Navy Blue marshmallows into men of steel, but he sent packing the one player who supposedly embodies the values he holds dearest ? I think not.

If you go back to the first half of 2022, we were the Brutal Blues, known for toughness around the ball and around the contest.

Lods, I've taken your post and twisted it and exaggerated a little, simply to make a point. Whatever happened against the Crows, I don't believe size or weakness had much to do with it.

Bravo

[Lods]

I've been on this forum for about 17 years, and right from day one I was reading about how the boys are lightweights, softies etc. In that period, we have turned over hundreds of players. Moreover, every single position of note in the club, whether inside or outside the football department, has undergone numerous personnel changes. President, CEO, Board members, Head Of Football, Head of High performance, list manager, recruiting manager, senior coach, assistant coaches, all changed hands many times. And yet, despite all that, we supposedly still have these issues. Are they real or imagined ?

Our current senior coach was IMO, the toughest and most physically intimidating player of his generation. Not only is Voss unable to turn these Navy Blue marshmallows into men of steel, but he sent packing the one player who supposedly embodies the values he holds dearest ? I think not.

If you go back to the first half of 2022, we were the Brutal Blues, known for toughness around the ball and around the contest.

Lods, I've taken your post and twisted it and exaggerated a little, simply to make a point. Whatever happened against the Crows, I don't believe size or weakness had much to do with it.

It's not the full story by any means.
It's a component....and maybe it's because I've seen a few passages of play in recent weeks where I've given it the old "weak as piss" effort...and not just against Adelaide....and sadly from some of our best.
So that may just be me focussing on it in my own mind.

[Thryleon]

I'm not worried about size, it's appetite and lack of conditioning that worries me.  We seem to be having one of those years where we can't quite get going.

I didn't add this before but the fact that we don't seem to be smart is a bigger worry than anything else.

One thing the pies tend to do well is be smart with their play which makes being physically good not so important.  We need to learn that.

[BluePhantom]

I'm not worried about size, it's appetite and lack of conditioning that worries me.  We seem to be having one of those years where we can't quite get going.

The boys have been reading the press about themselves :

[RiverRat]

The cows demonstrated how to kick to advantage; we don't know the meaning of the term or have the skill to execute.