AFL Rd 9 2023 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Western Bulldogs

[Thryleon]

I went along last night, sat behind the goals on level 2. I dont know what I watched from us TBH. Forget about first half versus second half, just in general my observations were as follows.
From them, I saw hard running up and down the ground especially numbers to their D50 to create a contest at every entry. They set up players on along the centre square line to block our kick in to the corridor from the wings. They were dynamite at getting  the ball out to space from congestion with 2 or 3 quick handballs to runners going passed. The seemed to know exactly what do, it looked like set play after set play from my vantage point.

Us?
The Bad: Kicks from FB are substandard. Our transition from def to fwd is predictable, kick to the wings and run it along the boundary line. We are forced (or just do it through sheer stupidity) to kick to 2 on 1s or even 3 on 1s far too often. Our def was very ordinary last night, sloppy at best. Poor old Weiters looks cooked ATM, at one stage he and Newmy were flat out arguing in front of us. We were constantly having to stop, prop have a look, and ultimately. The efforts int front of goal from H, Motlop and Cripps were embarrassing.
The guys seem to have no confidence at the minute, to a man they seem scared to take a risk with a kick which could be turned over.
The Good:
Not many, I thought Kennedy was excellent all night. Pitto tried very hard against English but struggles around the ground.
Apart from Owies who just goes back, owns it and slots it and Charlie when he got going, our fwd play was as woeful as our defence. I'd hate to think what type of night we would have had without Owies.

I didn't expect to win and we didn't, that's about it, onto Coll who strangely now, I think we can beat on the MCG.

cottrell and hollands were good.

Jack and mcgovern both put in a shift too.

Owies was clearly one of our better players and its an indictment on his teamates that a former basketballer is the best set shot at the club.

Charlie was decent but has better in him.

For mine the coaching isn't the issue.  Had we converted just 2 of our early set shots all of which were gettable the whole game changes.

You have given the bulldogs way too much credit.  They spent two quarters navel gazing and both sides were just going last night.  They didn't start working until they fell behind last night.