Three Things I've Learned - Round 1 Edition

[westdog54]

Its back again.

Once the Round 1 match against West Coast is completed, let us know the three things you learned after watching the match.

Be constructive but be honest.

[bulldogtragic]

1. Jackson will be targeted by other teams, he's a gun in the making.
2. As disappointed as I am, I'll wait to next week.
3. Thanks to the WCE players.

[GVGjr]

1. Jackson will be targeted by other teams, he's a gun in the making.
2. As disappointed as I am, I'll wait to next week.
3. Thanks to the WCE players.

You learned you could thank the West Coast players?

[always right]

1. I really hate the WC crowd
2. Hunter and McCrae are the real deal
3. Thank god for Dale Morris

[GVGjr]

1) Skill level execution needs to improve substantially
2) We have some young and exciting players in Macrae and Hunter. 2nd year players with poise and composure
3) We need Williams and Jones in the side to give us the right structure.

[bulldogtragic]

You learned you could thank the West Coast players?

Yep. Usually my annoyance at losing takes control and I have no interest in acknowledging them. But their genoristy has made me realise in some cases there's something more than just a bad, socking, god awful loss.

[GVGjr]

You learned you could thank the West Coast players?

Sorry BT, now I know what you mean

[bulldogtragic]

Sorry BT, now I know what you mean

No need to apologise G.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

1. Talia and Jones have to play next week
2. Smith should play - if anything to highlight that we need 100% intensity, which we didn't have
3. Macrae will be a genuine gun of the competition in 2 years time

[Remi Moses]

3. To many poor kicks and decision makers in the team
2. Jones and Talia must come in,we need structure.
1. Got beat in something we pride ourselves in

[bornadog]

1. We need Libba to be a star every week.

2. We can't go into games with players not in form

3. Skills haven't improved much in the last three seasons.

[SonofScray]

1. We are terrible when we don't deliver on Macca's promise on a ferocious appetite for a contest. Really unpleasant viewing.

2. Our foot skills have not progressed beyond a poor standard.

3. I hate the obsession in AFL with the idea that everyone has to get through the midfield. Let goal kickers play forward and kick goals.

[AndrewP6]

We are still many miles off being active at the pointy end of the year.
Our skills have not improved much in years.
Macrae is a keeper.

[Greystache]

1. Seeing how much McCrae and Hunter standout for their poise and decision making makes me realise how bad many of our more experienced players are in that area.

2. We still lack quality key position players at both ends

3. Stringer is still a long way off.

[ratsmac]

1. Our skills under pressure are worse than I thought.
2. Our skills under zero pressure are worse than I thought.
3. MaCrae and Hunter have a bright future.

[Throughandthrough]

1.too small and meek
2. We handball when under pressure or perceived pressure
3. We won't win the flag this year

[boydogs]

1. Wallis isn't an outside tagger
2. Macrae's composure at junior level translates to AFL level
3. Morris has still got it

[LostDoggy]

3. I hate the obsession in AFL with the idea that everyone has to get through the midfield. Let goal kickers play forward and kick goals.

I don't like it either, but it's only going to get worse as the interchange caps, etc. keep coming.

Mine:

1. I still harbour the old, deep hatred for WCE. Our willingness to play right into their game plan made them look better than they are.
2. Naitanui has the arrogance of Franklin. Spent most of the game trying to look good.
3. Expectation is the tool of the devil.

[whythelongface]

3. We won't win the flag this year

Gold. This made me chuckle.

1. Macrae's poise is Pendlebury esq;
2. We continue to handball to players under pressure;
3. I know it is only the first game but I expected us to be a lot better than that. For a team that went into this game with high expectations what we dished out was dismal.

[Mofra]

1. We have players competing for the same spots that should not play in the same side (Wood & Goodes, Dickson & Gia, Wallis & Boyd)

2. Without the 2012 draft we are competing for the spoon - I'd hate to be in Brisbane's position

3. Koby Stevens would be an absolute gun if only he didn't have the peripheral vision of a CUB Clydesdale.

[Go_Dogs]

1. We still lack players prepared to stand up when it isn't going our way
2. Despite it being a focus our positioning (both offensive and defensive) still needs a lot of work
3. West Coast may well be a top 4 team this year

[G-Mo77]

1. We're still a long way off the upper end of the competition.
2. Run and spread as well as too many being sucked into contests is still a huge problem.
3. Jackson is legit. What a GUN!

[KT31]

1.Big Will is going to need more support over a long season.
2.We are still a long way from being competitive against the top four.
3.Macrae and Hunter are already showing more poise than our senior players.

[Throughandthrough]

4. Wallis is too slow. Or unfit. Got burned off badly in a couple of chases.
5. Gia gutted out of a competition on the outer wing
6. WCE look very good.

[MrMahatma]

1. 80% of our team can't kick
2. I'm kind of not sure why we got all excited by Crameri. He's appears far from a real gun.
3. Like test cricket, wins away from home are very hard unless you're a very good team.

I never expected to take home the 4 points against WC, I'd expect us to be in it up to our eyeballs against the Roos though.

[LostDoggy]

3. I know it is only the first game but I expected us to be a lot better than that. For a team that went into this game with high expectations what we dished out was dismal.

Just a question: Which side of that high expectations / dismal output equation was the most unrealistic?


3. Koby Stevens would be an absolute gun if only he didn't have the peripheral vision of a CUB Clydesdale.

If you're referring to the play where he was pinged on the 50, I thought he would have benefitted more from some obvious options upfield. Maybe then he could've spared a sideways glance instead of looking for somebody actually leading.

[The Doctor]

West Coast were

1. Bigger
2. Faster
3. more skillful

and apparantly younger

[Mofra]

If you're referring to the play where he was pinged on the 50, I thought he would have benefitted more from some obvious options upfield. Maybe then he could've spared a sideways glance instead of looking for somebody actually leading.
It was more than that - commentary mentioned twice he missed a player on upfield, Stevens just didn't see them.
He is great in a "see ball, get ball" role but he is very much a straight line player in running & delivery.

[bornadog]

West Coast were

and apparantly younger

Healy is a wanker. We had ten blokes with less than 50 games to their 4. The age difference means nothing, when average total games were WC 99.2 to our 87.8

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

1. The MC had a very bad night.
2. Our forward structure was non existent
3. The efforts of Dale Morris was outstanding.
It was one of the worst starts possible after a promising build up to the season.
I would make at least 4 changes this week as we have players who simply are not good enough against quality opposition.

[ReLoad]

Well I have only learned one thing this week, with Tony Abbott bringing back knighthoods, Sir Doug Hawkins can now officially become what his name suggests.

[Mofra]

Well I have only learned one thing this week, with Tony Abbott bringing back knighthoods, Sir Doug Hawkins can now officially become what his name suggests.
Deserves quoting.

Peter Gordon, make this happen!

[LostDoggy]

1. Posters continue to focus on mistakes a player makes rather than the good that he does or the progress he is making. Mistakes happen in round 1.

2. Dickson has become a whipping boy again. He took several games to hit his straps last year after a long injury. He knows where to run and where the goals are - better than most in the side - it just seems to take him a while longer to be on song.

3. We have several players who struggle in the heat. Cooney seemed sluggish all game.

[LostDoggy]

Didnt take any notice, 34 deg day first up over there with a new coach so they were always going to be primed and would've beaten anyone. No injuries so for me we got away with it.

Will have the school bag on this week.

[KT31]

Didnt take any notice, 34 deg day first up over there with a new coach so they were always going to be primed and would've beaten anyone. No injuries so for me we got away with it.

Will have the school bag on this week.

I actually think this has been an excuse for teams over the years, we actually went in under height and had the wrong game plan.

[BulldogBelle]

1. The match committee mucked up by not picking either Talia or Williams at Centre-half-back. In the first ten seconds of play a WCE tall just stood still at CHF and took a mark over Wood who was in front and tried hard to spoil. A few seconds later WCE get a goal. That boosts their confidence, excites their crowd and deflates us. What is our coach doing? Why no Talia again this week? God I hope he doesn't turn out like Eade where you could hardly ever understand his team selections.

2. Goodes is good for the VFL. I liked him in our team, great endeavor, nice bit of pace, not afraid to try things out, courage to take them on, gives it a good go. But he may be too risky for us, too many things not coming off. Can help to develop the VFL side.

3. Lachie Hunter confirmed that he is a good player. Last year and through the pre-season he played well and he has carried that form into this year. Before he was picked up in the draft a few people were saying that he probably wouldn't amount to much, might go late in the draft, if at all. Was that all BS or what? I thought that Jackson Macrea was going to be this good after showing great skills last year and through the pre-season so his great form did not surprise me.

[LostDoggy]

2. Goodes is good for the VFL. I liked him in our team, great endeavor, nice bit of pace, not afraid to try things out, courage to take them on, gives it a good go. But he may be too risky for us, too many things not coming off. Can help to develop the VFL side.

This is contradictory. Let me get this straight: you like him, he works hard, he's quick, courageous, takes the game on and tries hard. But you want him dropped?

Which one is it?

[MrMahatma]

This is contradictory. Let me get this straight: you like him, he works hard, he's quick, courageous, takes the game on and tries hard. But you want him dropped?

Which one is it?

He has a crack but he's not good enough.

[F'scary]

3. Koby Stevens would be an absolute gun if only he didn't have the peripheral vision of a CUB Clydesdale.

Cruel but unfortunately proving week-by-week to be a fair statement.