5 Things We Learned - Round 11
It might have ended up as a four goal loss at the final siren but after the first quarter we weren’t up to Brisbane’s level as they blew the game a part in a 10-minute burst before half time.
We might have fought the game out but our opposition had already put the queue in the rack. For the third week running we have been found wanting and although there is no shame losing to three top four teams, it is still disappointing nonetheless.
1. Clearance and Contested Ball Work.
Once a source of strength and a legitimate point of difference in our game plan compared to other sides, our reputation as a clearance and contested ball kings isn’t the case anymore and it hasn’t been so for a few years. Against the Brisbane Lions we were obliterated in the centre square losing the count 10-18 and stoppage duel 15-18 for a 25-36 result.
Many people will look to Ryan Gardner's tussle against Eric Hipwood as big reason for the defeat and although he didn’t have a great game, we certainly didn’t help him at times, especially in the second quarter.
Collectively in the second quarter the Brisbane Lions kicked 2.3 from turnovers and 4.1 from stoppages including 3.1 from centre clearances. That 3.1 from centre clearances included Hipwood’s second and third goals of the game where the ball went inside defensive 50 in an unchallenged manner.
After holding them to just the one goal in the previous 15 minutes and gaining two point lead after Marcus Bontempelli’s set shot conversion, it was seriously disappointing to falter as the Lions kicked three goals in four minutes (16th-20th) and two in two minutes (26th and 28th), with three of those goals coming from centre clearances.
We do have a good midfield for sure but with Lachie Neale (12), Dayne Zorko (9) and Jarryd Lyons (8) collectively recorded more clearances (29) than 11 of our players combined it is pretty poor looking as whoever we went with fell short to that trio.
Clearances and Contested Possessions Rankings:
2016 - 2nd and 2nd
2017 - 17th and 11th
2018 - 14th and 14th
2019 - 10th and 12th
2020 - 11th and 7th
2. Where are the Pressure Forwards?
Currently we are ranked 10th for tackles inside 50 averaging 8.5 per game. We matched that number as we laid nine tackles inside 50 but Brisbane upped their game immensely in that department recording 20, well above their season average of 10.2 before the game, (now 11.1).
Unfortunately for us though, early in the third quarter we were trailing 1-14 in that statistic and it certainly hurt our ability to lock the ball in the forward 50 to create repetitive stoppages and chances at goal.
Fortunately it didn’t affect our ability to rebound from defensive 50 (38 rebounds – above season average 31) as we know how crucial our bounce off half back is to our game plan, but Brisbane certainly capitalised on our lack of forward pressure recording 36, six more then their season average.
Our forward line at the moment is made up of a mixture of tall and medium sized forwards but none who you would say have the closing speed to zero in on a defender. We’ve trialed Rhylee West in the pressure forward role but his best work is around forward 50 stoppages, so perhaps Ben Cavarra could be another option.
Cavarra finished third in both the 2018 AFL Rookie Me Combine 20 metre sprint (2.89 seconds), ahead of top five draftees in Connor Rozee and Izak Rankine and Agility Test (8.016 seconds), also ahead of Rankine) showing he had lost none of the zip that had made him a constant threat (85 goals the past three seasons) in the VFL for years as well as last season.
With Ben Cavarra starting to put together some consistent minutes in the scratch matches and with three goals against the Brisbane Lions reserves he just might be our guy for that role.
After showing some strong form in recent scratch matches, is it time for Ben Cavarra (No.25) to be given another go in the senior side as a pressure forward? Source: Getty Images
3.The Ability to Create Scoring Opportunities
People like to discuss goal accuracy as one indicator in getting wins on the board and that is completely true, but another factor of course, is the ability to convert your inside 50 entries into scoring opportunities.
Against the Brisbane Lions we left ourselves having just the 16 scoring shots from 47 inside 50 entries (34%) which was rather below par no matter how accurately we kicked. In comparison the Brisbane went at 49% (26/53).
Currently this season we have converted our inside 50 entries into scoring opportunities at the season average across the 18 clubs (45.34), but in some games, like last Saturday night it highlights when we aren’t on our game how many shots we are missing out on as well.
Using the 45.34% guideline, on Saturday night we left about eight shots on goal on the field whilst Brisbane recorded three more than expected.
The table below further emphasises efficiency with ball in hand and why you must make every opportunity count.
*Table correct as of the completion of Adelaide versus Collingwood.
4. Halting Momentum
Consider our six losses this year and there has been a reoccurring theme not only across those games but even multiple times with them as well.
Momentum.
When a side is up and running, halting that momentum can be quite a hard challenge and that is something that the Bulldogs have struggled with this season and this problem was on display in the second quarter against the Brisbane Lions.
Having reduced quarters already makes chasing tail quite a task making every goal just that bit more valuable and with us conceding 10 of the last 11 inside 50s which resulted five goals, which became six after Eric Hipwood kicked the first after the main break.
In Round One against Collingwood, twice we conceded four goal bursts either side of our first goal to be 48 points down.
It was a similar case against the Saints who kicked 11 of the next 14 goals from midway through the first quarter whilst Carlton twice had six goal bursts in in the first and fourth quarters.
When it came to playing this years top four contenders the trend continued with Richmond twice slamming four goals in the first half, Port kicking four to zero in the third term and despite kicking the opening three goals against Brisbane we conceded nine of the next 11 goals.
Being able to halt momentum isn’t as easy as it used to be with the introduction of the 6-6-6 rule which prevents clubs from throwing an extra number behind the ball or at a stoppage so clubs have to come up with new ideas to combat such predicaments. Whatever we are doing, there has to be a change.
5. Where To Now?
We aren’t as bad as everyone thinks we are but we aren’t as good as we all hoped we’d be. There is still an opportunity to get this season back on track with sides around us on the ladder also falling victim to inconsistency in this whirlwind season which has thrown up many different and unexpected challenges.
With Adelaide, Melbourne, Hawthorn, Geelong, Fremantle and West Coast left to play, there are enough winnable games on the horizon to press for finals football but there isn’t a huge amount of room for error and we will have to repeat last season’s heroics to qualify for the Top Eight.
Hopefully that starts off this Sunday against the Crows where we seriously need to not only get the four points back make up some valuable percentage. We can only hope so!
The last time we played Adelaide resulted in one of the more memorable days in the clubs recent history. Can another Adelaide encounter get our season back on track? Source: Getty Images