Three Things I've Learned - Round 18 Edition

[GVGjr]

Here we go again, once the match against West Coast is completed post the three things you've learned as a result of the game.

Be constructive but be honest.

[LostDoggy]

1. For some reason Grant can play AFL but can't play VFL. Who knew?
2. Wallis has absorbed allot this year. Played a consumate team game today.
3. Libba seemingly has no ceiling. He could be one of the greatest players we have seen.
Thank goodness he is ours :)

[GVGjr]

1) The focus we have on contested football takes some to master but it's the right focus.
2) Jarrad Grant still has a bright future at our club if he maintains the work ethic.
3) I lost faith in the last quarter for a few minutes. I won't make that mistake again.

The train ride home will be a good one ;)

[FrediKanoute]

1. If we keep playing at this level we will win another 4 out of 5 games for the year;
2. Grant can play and is definitely one to keep, our forward structure functions better with him in the team;
3. Gia has to go around again next year

[Ghost Dog]

1. Height is not an advantage if you can't use it. Morris / Minson willed themselves a few centimeters.
2. Young continues to impress and is a bit of a dark horse in the team.
3. Turning Mitch into a tagger was an inspired decision. It works to his strengths, and gives him confidence while he works on his short-comings.

[LostDoggy]

1. Grant is great, proud and happy for him today
2. Hunter looks comfortable at this level
3. We missed Young, great pick up

[bulldogtragic]

1. If Cordy comes good, this generation will have bragging rights over their dads, EASILY!
2. I've never doubted Grant, so happy he's doing well.
3. Best team spread of performance this year

[Go_Dogs]

1) We're starting to see the template for what Macca wants our football side to look like, and I'm a HUGE fan of what I've seen the past 3 weeks. Once our younger blokes get a bit more experience, size and fitness we're going to shoot up the ladder pretty quickly.

2) Grant is going to be a player, and a pretty damn good one, if he can keep this level of intensity and dedication up for the balance of his career. His poise with the ball, his speed, his marking - he's just an incredible asset in the modern game and he looks like he's confident and enjoying his footy a lot at the moment - very happy for the guy.

3) Wallis is a very effective tagger and this could indeed become a long term role for him to play more defensively minded in the future.

[Mofra]

1. Hunter will be a player
2. Wallis may be related to Matt Priddis - similar style of play
3. Jones played a great ''bad' game as a leading forward - tried his guts out against 2 opponents all day and really made a contest when he had to on a number of occasions.

[LostDoggy]

1. I was wrong about Grant. He does make the forward team work better. Egg on my face.
2. I still harbour the old hate. Shed a few after the match.
3. Watching a game like that on Etihad seats with a busted lower back is good for the character, but not much else.

[always right]

Grant has just saved his career at the dogs. He's a keeper.

There has never been a player with more poise than Murphy.

After a relatively poor season so far, Dahlhaus has reminded everyone over the last four weeks how good he can be.

[boydogs]

1. Brendan McCartney was right, we are seeing improvement from the side in the latter part of the season
2. Talia will be a star, he played well but it was his reaction after a mistake that showed he will work to improve
3. Dahlhaus is more than a crumber, some serious long goals and forward line delivery from him today

[bornadog]

* The only Stat that is worth winning is scoring more than the opposition.

* Wallis' new role is a great move by the coach.

* We still suck at disposals.

[F'scary]

* We still suck at disposals.

We have to be the hardest working side in the competition. If only we could make things a bit easier for ourselves.

[westbulldog]

The skills of Rob Murphy and Adam Cooney are elite and Grant may yet be a player.

Josh Hill is no loss at all, are you listening Josh ?

If this game was at Subi 35,000 would have left half way through the last quarter.

[LostDoggy]

The skills of Rob Murphy and Adam Cooney are elite and Grant may yet be a player.

Josh Hill is no loss at all, are you listening Josh ?

If this game was at Subi 35,000 would have left half way through the last quarter.

Yes, they're the worst supporters, but at least they show up in the first place. 17,500 to yesterday's game is a disgrace, and means despite the great win we've lost money.

[Ghost Dog]

1. I was wrong about Grant. He does make the forward team work better. Egg on my face.
2. I still harbour the old hate. Shed a few after the match.
3. Watching a game like that on Etihad seats with a busted lower back is good for the character, but not much else.

I have to admit as well, I didn't think Grant was going to make it at this club. Glad I was wrong.

[Bulldog Joe]

1 Supporters write off players really quickly and are often wrong
2 Mitch Wallis has the work ethic that gets long and successful careers
3 We have some players who are really working on salvaging their careers (Grant, Tutt for 2)

and I might well have been wrong about Grant.

[craigsahibee]

1. J Grant does have a future at our club. The reaction from the players after he put his body on line to affect the marking contest in the 2nd qtr was fantastic.

2. Libba Jnr will emulate his father and win a Charlie.

3. We are going places. Roughead and Talia could be a 10 year partnership in the key defensive posts. Definately a combination that you can build a team arround.

4. I know it's only supposed to be 3 things I have leared, but I just have to say that the Shiraz in the Corporate Suites at Etihad is a nice drop.

[Ozza]

- Wallis will certainly make it as a long term AFL player. The Cameron Ling type role might be the real making of him.

- The right thing has been done by Grant...the long term view on him, not bringing him in too early - he has come in physically and mentally more prepared than ever.

- The players and playing with great spirit - the way they are getting around each other reminds me of 2005 and 2006 when we turned the corner.

[Eastdog]

Yes, they're the worst supporters, but at least they show up in the first place. 17,500 to yesterday's game is a disgrace, and means despite the great win we've lost money.

We made up for that with our fans being quite vocal yesterday but yes I agree BAS that 17,019 actually which was the exact crowd was poor.

[Mofra]

Yes, they're the worst supporters, but at least they show up in the first place. 17,500 to yesterday's game is a disgrace, and means despite the great win we've lost money.
Our Stadium deal is fixed - 9,000 or 52,000 we get paid 4/5ths of SFA regardless. On balance we lose out due to what we'd get for crowds over 30,000 (fairly certain one or two decent crowds would earn us more than our current deal).

[Eastdog]

Our Stadium deal is fixed - 9,000 or 52,000 we get paid 4/5ths of SFA regardless. On balance we lose out due to what we'd get for crowds over 30,000 (fairly certain one or two decent crowds would earn us more than our current deal).

Yeah it hurts us but with crowd numbers that is really up to our supporters whether they turn up or not and some have good reasons for not coming which is fine (sick, function etc) but for those with no excuse then they really should be there if there members. I wouldn't mind one or two home games per year at the MCG against a higher drawing Victorian club.

[1eyedog]

1. Ryan Griffen doesn't need to be BOG for us to get a win.

2. Cooney's form is both going to attract big offers from rival clubs and provide our Football Department with some headaches about how to handle it.

3. We need to learn how to make good on field decisions.

[Ghost Dog]

Kevin Sheedy -I learned he's a total hypocrite this week.

''What's the good of building him and losing him at that age? It wouldn't be doing the game any good, I can assure you.'' ( Jeremy Cameron )

Well, once we had this guy called Callan Ward.....

[comrade]

Kevin Sheedy -I learned he's a total hypocrite this week.

''What's the good of building him and losing him at that age? It wouldn't be doing the game any good, I can assure you.'' ( Jeremy Cameron )

Well, once we had this guy called Callan Ward.....

In AFL group-think, the good of the game and the good of GWS is one and the same.

The good of the little old Western Bulldogs....not so much.

[LostDoggy]

1. Some terrific young players coming through together.

2. Dale Morris is an amazing man (watching him would you know what an awful injury he had).

3. Luke Dahlhaus is as cute as a button.

[LostDoggy]

1. Some terrific young players coming through together.

2. Dale Morris is an amazing man (watching him would you know what an awful injury he had).

3. Luke Dahlhaus is as cute as a button.

Dale is a legend. Absolutely love him, and regularly profess my deep man-love from my little hole in Level 2, Aisle 29.

How cute is a button?

[LostDoggy]

Dale is a legend. Absolutely love him, and regularly profess my deep man-love from my little hole in Level 2, Aisle 29.

How cute is a button?

A button is extremely cute and lovely! I can't say players are 'hot' or the like as I'm now in the age group of being old enough to be their mother. Time creeps along ...

[LostDoggy]

A button is extremely cute and lovely! I can't say players are 'hot' or the like as I'm now in the age group of being old enough to be their mother. Time creeps along ...

Haha. Fair enough.

[Twodogs]

How cute is a button?

According to my daughter buttons are very cute.


She is of course cuter than the cutest button in the world.

[LostDoggy]

1. We still miss too many targets

2. Our defensive positioning at contests is improving - one back, one to the side as a minimum and keeping an eye on opponents. Locking the ball in. Our spread in going forward from a contest was effective. This involved constant movement of players.

3. The Swans will reveal if we have made significant progress. Teams that outrun us, crowd our space and put pressure on the ball carrier have, in the past, meant that we have been forced to play slowly, go round in circles, and just bang the ball forward. It will be interesting to see if we are able to maintain fast movement of the ball. Spoiling the ball to the ground for crumbers to run onto was highly effective this week.

[Ghost Dog]

1. We still miss too many targets

2. Our defensive positioning at contests is improving - one back, one to the side as a minimum and keeping an eye on opponents. Locking the ball in. Our spread in going forward from a contest was effective. This involved constant movement of players.

3. The Swans will reveal if we have made significant progress. Teams that outrun us, crowd our space and put pressure on the ball carrier have, in the past, meant that we have been forced to play slowly, go round in circles, and just bang the ball forward. It will be interesting to see if we are able to maintain fast movement of the ball. Spoiling the ball to the ground for crumbers to run onto was highly effective this week.

- 4 kicks inside 50 for every goal we get.