Three Things I've Learned - Round 22 Edition

[GVGjr]

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

Be constructive but be honest.

[bornadog]

1. We have lots to do down the spine. CHB and CHF were missing today. Austina dn Grant can't hold those positions.

2. Leg speed, lack of. We should look at the draft for a speedy mid fielder.

3. Clawing back 50 points is a huge task in anyone's language.

[bulldogtragic]

1. We need another forward option for flexibility and become more dangerous. Or as Brad Johnson said, move Roughy there and recruit a KPB. I'm open to suggestions.

2. What a comeback. From 57 points to under a goal. A good lesson for a young list.

3. Some more (serious) leg speed will add another weapon to the side.


Edit: Looks like I owe royalties to BAD. Sorry mate.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

1. Tom Campbell is still very raw. Clunks some nice ones, but drops too many ones that should be taken.
2. We are growing a vast array of guys who are willing to keep digging deep to find that bit more to give when things get tough.
3. Based on the halftime turnaround its fair to say the players respond to the coach.

[Greystache]

1. This group has some character, in years gone by we'd have lost that game by 10+ goals.

2. Another key forward is needed for the team to be balanced

3. We're still going to have some ups and downs with a young group.

[Eastdog]

1. Need to play 4 instead of 2 quarters

2. Macca must of grilled our guys at half time to come out strong in the 2nd half

3. Not really from the game specifically today but kudos to the fitness staff. We just keep on running until the end.

[bornadog]

3. Not really from the game specifically today but kudos to the fitness staff. We just keep on running until the end.

A very good point. Kudos to the club for getting in two top fitness blokes. This area hasn't been an issue for us this year at all.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

1. Picken has been very good since returning to the side. I thought he had a big last quarter.

2. Tutt is still a long way off.

3. We've got some serious character and pride in the group.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

1. Lack of leg speed in first half proved costly with Stevens Cross Gia and Addison the main culprits.
2. Apart from Dahlhaus we lacked penetration up forward.
3. Roughead gave us a lift once moved from FB and showed that this experiment should continue.

[Happy Days]

1. All the slow dudes that played was too many and we only made things worse by bringing in another one

2. Our midfield dominance is too dependant on our Minson dominance

3. I see no reason to ever move Roughhead from the backline

[F'scary]

1. We are not as consistent a team as we had thought we had developed.
2. Echo the guys above on how fit we are and the good job the fitness staff have done.
3. A few of our guys are still pretty raw when it gets down to it.

Still we nearly pinched it.

[kruder]

1. We have lots to do down the spine. CHB and CHF were missing today. Austina dn Grant can't hold those positions.

2. Leg speed, lack of. We should look at the draft for a speedy mid fielder.

3. Clawing back 50 points is a huge task in anyone's language.

Maybe not a midfielder yet but billings is our man

[Eastdog]

Maybe not a midfielder yet but billings is our man

How would he fit in to our structure do you reckon kruder.

[azabob]

Maybe not a midfielder yet but billings is our man

Hunch, educated guess or inside word?

[LostDoggy]

1. We're a completely different team away from Etihad. (Suspected this but it's confirmed)

2. If you're lazy, lethargic, not switched on etc at the start of the game you deserve to lose, plain and simple.

3. We're still on the right track

[kruder]

Hunch. Dahl , hunter hrovat and billings will put the fright into teams going forward. The trend back to natural footballers is on in a big way, have a look at Collingwoods effective mosquito fleet. The key is all the boys can be developed to play midfield and forward rolls. I know Campbell dropped a hell of a lot of marks but I take the positives with him it shows he actually wants the ball in his hands and along with another key forward those boys above will be weapons.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Without having seen much of the potential draftees, I wouldn't mind Billings. Concern is he can't transition into the midfield but if Boyd/Aish/Sch are gone and the rest of the draft is fairly even, I don't mind taking a player like Billings. Gia will be gone, Higgins can't be relied upon, Dickson is OK for now but probably more of a role player in these next few years. I see Dahl and Hunter as our two quick, very good young forwards so another mid sized option wouldn't hurt.

Having said that, a quick skillful mid would be nice or a quick skillful HBFer.

[LostDoggy]

A lot of what is said above can be somewhat solved today with Cooney. Speed, penetration etc. I think it would have been a different game with him in.
As for Campbell, he was getting absolutely molested as the ball was coming in, probably should have got a few cheap free ones for his effort? And Brisbane peeled off a loose man now and again which didn't help his chances. I think he'll be ok moving forward.

[LostDoggy]

1. Fight back or not, not turning up until half time means you deserve your right whack. Would've been daylight robbery if we'd pinched it.
2. I've managed to blend pride and unfettered fury into one tight little ball in my stomach today.
3. If I see one more post about pick 4 “I'll spew up!”

[Bulldog4life]

A lot of what is said above can be somewhat solved today with Cooney. Speed, penetration etc. I think it would have been a different game with him in.
As for Campbell, he was getting absolutely molested as the ball was coming in, probably should have got a few cheap free ones for his effort? And Brisbane peeled off a loose man now and again which didn't help his chances. I think he'll be ok moving forward.

Yes I agree about Campbell. He was illegally scragged time and time again. I thought the umpiring was poor.

[Remi Moses]

1. Can't afford to go away from the basics( work ethic)
2. Good character in the group
1. We need line breaking speed

[Eastdog]

A very good point. Kudos to the club for getting in two top fitness blokes. This area hasn't been an issue for us this year at all.

It's so great the fact that we are easily running out games because at the end of last season this was a big concern for me.

[Chicago1]

1. Coming back to almost snatching the match from being down by so much is something that would not have happened last year. Progress.
2. Starting like crap is not acceptable. Imagine what might have been except...
3. I'm kinda liking this Macca guy a bit more.:p

[The Doctor]

* We really missed Cooney

* We picked too many plodders

* Lack of poise in the last 10 minutes

[LostDoggy]

1. Minson playing well makes all the difference. Any talk of trading him should be shelved.

2. First half - our players weren't in perpetual motion. Our runners didn't run. A number of handballs to where someone should have been. The system breaks down when we don't work hard enough.

3. We didn't adapt to the outdoor surface. We slipped over and seemed to be running in the ground, not on it. Not 'running' to the right spots didn't help.

[WBFC4FFC]

I have been saying it to mates for the last couple of weeks, for team-balance we need one extra speedstar at the expense of Cross. McCrae should have come in last night as opposed to Addison! Maybe the Coach is trying to teach them to play with what they have but if the Bullies are not winning the ball (like the first-half last night) our lack of pace gets found out.

We can't be a one trick pony side, in that if we don't win clearances we get beat.

[Ozza]

1. Cooney was a big loss.

2. Regardless of teh improvement we've shown in the last few weeks, we are still a young side - and inexperience means you're suceptible to inconsistency. We shouldn't expect it will 'just happen' next year - many of our guys still need another 15-30 games development.

3. The team has character.

[LostDoggy]

If I might break with convention and add a fourth thing I learnt, on a few day's reflection — we are quick to forget lessons learnt earlier in the year as fans. Case in point: Grant. We wrote him off too early. We may be making the same mistakes with Stevens.

[w3design]

Big drop in respect level from opposition without Cooney in the team.

This could be the game cost Griffen Brownlow.

The way we hang on to Pick 4 might tell the list manager may have had some deal sealed under the table or already set sight on some one in the draft.

[LostDoggy]

1. Fight back or not, not turning up until half time means you deserve your right whack. Would've been daylight robbery if we'd pinched it.
2. I've managed to blend pride and unfettered fury into one tight little ball in my stomach today.
3. If I see one more post about pick 4 “I'll spew up!”


Big drop in respect level from opposition without Cooney in the team.

This could be the game cost Griffen Brownlow.

The way we hang on to Pick 4 might tell the list manager may have had some deal sealed under the table or already set sight on some one in the draft.

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2010/287/a/8/chris_vomiting_colour_by_dman25666-d30q7d0.jpg

[Bulldog4life]

1. Brisbane were much too fast for us early on.

2. Campbell was scragged all day and receive virtually no assistance from umps.

3. Cooney should have been replaced in the 21 by Tutt with another player sub.

[Cyberdoggie]

* We really missed Cooney

* We picked too many plodders

* Lack of poise in the last 10 minutes

Very good points,

Add to that we took forever to bring Tutt back into the game, our one player that has speed didn't come on until Stevens was subbed in the last quarter.

Earlier in the year we made hard decisions by dropping Cross and subbing Gia because primarily we were too slow.

We turned it around by giving Hrovat, Hunter, Macrae, and Tutt games. Now we are back at playing Cross, Gia, Addison, and minus Cooney and JJ.

Bringing in Addison for Cooney didn't make any sense at all as we were already short on running players.

Anyway we'll see how the team selection this week reflects what the coaches learned up in Brisbane. (granted we don't have much to choose from at the moment with injuries).

I would expect Jones to come in. 6 goals in the VFL, took some strong marks, needs to be promoted for that effort. Perhaps Pearce can play his first game of the year to give him some confidence for next year. Has shown he tries to counter attack and tries to run with the ball. Played his best game on the weekend.

[Ozza]

I agree that bringing in Addison for Cooney wasn't ideal - but I suspect that because Coons was out with a virus, it was an unexpected change. Addison would have been taken to Brisbane as the emergency because he is a versatile player. Rightly or wrongly, Tutt may have been the impact type player earmarked already as being the sub.

[bornadog]

I agree that bringing in Addison for Cooney wasn't ideal - but I suspect that because Coons was out with a virus, it was an unexpected change. Addison would have been taken to Brisbane as the emergency because he is a versatile player. Rightly or wrongly, Tutt may have been the impact type player earmarked already as being the sub.

Wasn't Macrae up there as well?

[Ozza]

I'm not sure. I only remember hearing that Addison flew with the team - but Macrae could have been there as well.

[mighty_west]

I'm not sure. I only remember hearing that Addison flew with the team - but Macrae could have been there as well.

MacRae certainly trained the day before at the Gabba.