bornadog
27-05-2013, 10:22 PM
Link (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/old-dogs-teach-the-new-ones-some-tricks-20130527-2n6ky.html)
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/JDALWideDogs2_20130527125525537942-620x349_zpsafcabe6c.jpg (http://s202.photobucket.com/user/mmsalih/media/JDALWideDogs2_20130527125525537942-620x349_zpsafcabe6c.jpg.html)
Western Bulldogs veteran Dale Morris says his team never lost belief and were “doing a lot of things right” during a losing streak of eight matches, broken by its stirring nine-point victory over St Kilda on Saturday.
“In games gone by this year, we've been in there, we've had a chance to win, we've done a lot of good things right and just haven't been able to finish the game off, or we'd have a lapse for 10 minutes or a quarter and that would cost us the game,” Morris told SEN radio on Monday morning.
The versatile defender said the Bulldogs players expected the criticism which followed the five goal loss to Gold Coast last week.
“We knew it was coming after losing last week...we could feel that but it brought us together even more.
“We approached the week just as we would any other week...We approached everything like it was business as usual, we didn't get caught up in the hype of it all.
“We just knew that we weren't that far away from getting wins during the year we just had to stick at it and do it for longer."
Morris says the players knew “exactly what we had to do…” under coach Brendan McCartney, who has made the contested ball the focus of his team's development.
“We're doing a lot of things right. He's very big on getting the contested ball right and working from there.
“He's just been really focussing in on doing what we want to do for longer, to be able to finish off and get those wins.”
Morris, 30, whose career was jeopardised by a horribly broken leg late in 2011, is as enthusiastic as a green teenager when discussing his successful return to the field after missing every game in 2012.
“I'm loving it out there. It's a great feeling to be back out there (after) missing for so long. Every game, I walk into the change rooms beforehand with a massive smile on my face, and just can't wait to get out there again.”
Morris has played every game this season, taking his career tally to 160 since his debut in 2005. He has returned to a team in which close friends such as Daniel Cross and Daniel Giansiracusa are fighting for their careers.
Cross was dropped for the first time in years at the weekend, and Giansiracusa was named substitute, as the Bulldogs' youth policy saw Nathan Hrovat (19 disposals, four tackles, one goal) become the latest highly promising youngster to get a run in the Bulldogs midfield.
Morris admits it is hard watching the older players struggle.
“You don't like to see those sorts of guys go through that. It hits home a bit more when you're in the same age bracket.
“Crossy's amazing – he took it on the chin. Knowing him...he's going to work twice as hard. He's not going to think it's past him...he'll be knocking down the doors of the coaches and he'll be out there doing the extras and that's what we love him for.
“And Gia's the same. His attitude prior to the game...You wouldn't have even known he was the sub, he was still vocal, he was still getting all the guys up, talking to the young guys. They're both really, really important people in our team.”
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/JDALWideDogs2_20130527125525537942-620x349_zpsafcabe6c.jpg (http://s202.photobucket.com/user/mmsalih/media/JDALWideDogs2_20130527125525537942-620x349_zpsafcabe6c.jpg.html)
Western Bulldogs veteran Dale Morris says his team never lost belief and were “doing a lot of things right” during a losing streak of eight matches, broken by its stirring nine-point victory over St Kilda on Saturday.
“In games gone by this year, we've been in there, we've had a chance to win, we've done a lot of good things right and just haven't been able to finish the game off, or we'd have a lapse for 10 minutes or a quarter and that would cost us the game,” Morris told SEN radio on Monday morning.
The versatile defender said the Bulldogs players expected the criticism which followed the five goal loss to Gold Coast last week.
“We knew it was coming after losing last week...we could feel that but it brought us together even more.
“We approached the week just as we would any other week...We approached everything like it was business as usual, we didn't get caught up in the hype of it all.
“We just knew that we weren't that far away from getting wins during the year we just had to stick at it and do it for longer."
Morris says the players knew “exactly what we had to do…” under coach Brendan McCartney, who has made the contested ball the focus of his team's development.
“We're doing a lot of things right. He's very big on getting the contested ball right and working from there.
“He's just been really focussing in on doing what we want to do for longer, to be able to finish off and get those wins.”
Morris, 30, whose career was jeopardised by a horribly broken leg late in 2011, is as enthusiastic as a green teenager when discussing his successful return to the field after missing every game in 2012.
“I'm loving it out there. It's a great feeling to be back out there (after) missing for so long. Every game, I walk into the change rooms beforehand with a massive smile on my face, and just can't wait to get out there again.”
Morris has played every game this season, taking his career tally to 160 since his debut in 2005. He has returned to a team in which close friends such as Daniel Cross and Daniel Giansiracusa are fighting for their careers.
Cross was dropped for the first time in years at the weekend, and Giansiracusa was named substitute, as the Bulldogs' youth policy saw Nathan Hrovat (19 disposals, four tackles, one goal) become the latest highly promising youngster to get a run in the Bulldogs midfield.
Morris admits it is hard watching the older players struggle.
“You don't like to see those sorts of guys go through that. It hits home a bit more when you're in the same age bracket.
“Crossy's amazing – he took it on the chin. Knowing him...he's going to work twice as hard. He's not going to think it's past him...he'll be knocking down the doors of the coaches and he'll be out there doing the extras and that's what we love him for.
“And Gia's the same. His attitude prior to the game...You wouldn't have even known he was the sub, he was still vocal, he was still getting all the guys up, talking to the young guys. They're both really, really important people in our team.”