Half way through the season.

[bornadog]

Where are we at?

What can we do different in the second half?

Have we improved?

Last year versus this year:




2014




2013





Rnd (http://afltables.com/afl/teams/bullldogs/allgames.html)
Opponent (http://afltables.com/afl/teams/bullldogs/allgames.html)

R (http://afltables.com/afl/teams/bullldogs/allgames.html)

Rnd (http://afltables.com/afl/teams/bullldogs/allgames.html)
Opponent (http://afltables.com/afl/teams/bullldogs/allgames.html)

R (http://afltables.com/afl/teams/bullldogs/allgames.html)


R1 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2014/071820140323.html)
West Coast
-65
L

R1 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2013/071920130330.html)
Brisbane Lions
68
W


R2 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2014/071220140330.html)
North Melbourne
-29
L

R2 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2013/070820130406.html)
Fremantle
-28
L


R3 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2014/071420140405.html)
Richmond
2
W

R3 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2013/071420130414.html)
Richmond
-67
L


R4 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2014/072120140412.html)
Greater Western Sydney
27
W

R4 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2013/010720130421.html)
Adelaide
-52
L


R5 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2014/030720140420.html)
Carlton
-28
L

R5 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2013/070920130427.html)
Geelong
-21
L


R6 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2014/010720140427.html)
Adelaide
-9
L

R6 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2013/071820130505.html)
West Coast
-70
L


R7 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2014/050720140503.html)
Essendon
-8
L

R7 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2013/071220130511.html)
North Melbourne
-54
L


R8 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2014/071120140510.html)
Melbourne
16
W

R8 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2013/072020130518.html)
Gold Coast
-32
L


R10 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2014/072020140525.html)
Gold Coast
-45
L

R9 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2013/071520130525.html)
St Kilda
9
W


R11 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2014/070820140601.html)
Fremantle
-38
L

R10 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2013/071320130601.html)
Port Adelaide
9
W


R12
Brisbane Lions
-8
L

R12 (http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/2013/040720130616.html)
Collingwood
-34
L



Average Loss
28.8




44.8




We are losing by less, we are in games for longer than we have been, we are on the improve and wins will come. We do have a tough second half.

[lemmon]

We had to make hay with that first half of the year draw, I can see maybe three wins in the rest of our draw

[bornadog]

We had to make hay with that first half of the year draw, I can see maybe three wins in the rest of our draw

Still to come



Round 13
Sun 15 Jun
Collingwood (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=5)
Etihad Stadium







Round 14
Sat 21 Jun
Port Adelaide (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=14)
Adelaide Oval







Round 15
Sun 29 Jun
Melbourne (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=12)
Etihad Stadium







Round 16
Sun 6 Jul
Geelong (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=10)
Simonds Stadium







Round 17
Sat 12 Jul
Gold Coast (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=24)
Cazalys Stadium







Round 18
Sun 20 Jul
Essendon (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=6)
Etihad Stadium







Round 19
Sun 3 Aug
Hawthorn (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=11)
Aurora Stadium







Round 20
Sun 10 Aug
St Kilda (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=16)
Etihad Stadium







Round 21
Sun 17 Aug
North Melbourne (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=13)
Etihad Stadium







Round 22
Sun 24 Aug
Sydney (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=17)
Etihad Stadium







Round 23
Fri 29 Aug
GWS (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=25)
Etihad Stadium

[bulldogtragic]

We had to make hay with that first half of the year draw, I can see maybe three wins in the rest of our draw

Yeah, that's the problem as I see it too. Honestly, if the team that played last night with the same attitude and execution, three more wins is optimistic. Gutting to think, but another wooden spoon is something that could happen and I can only hope every player on the list fights like hell not to have that on the 2014 list for an eternity.

[bornadog]

Yeah, that's the problem as I see it too. Honestly, if the team that played last night with the same attitude and execution, three more wins is optimistic. Gutting to think, but another wooden spoon is something that could happen and I can only hope every player on the list fights like hell not to have that on the 2014 list for an eternity.

I am trying to stay positive and also look at the postives. Comparing last year to this, I would have to stay we have improved. We have lost this year 3 games by less than 10 points and one by 16 points. Last years losses were horrendous.

The games where we have lost we have had a lapse in one quarter of footy, but I remember last year we gave up most games after the first quarter. That second quarter last night was horrendous. The first was great and the second half we kept Brissie to 3 miserable goals.

We are slowly getting there and we need to be patient. We are still missing a player that can take a contested mark in the forward line and Griffen's bad form is killing us.

[chef]

Still to come



Round 13
Sun 15 Jun
Collingwood (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=5)
Etihad Stadium







Round 14
Sat 21 Jun
Port Adelaide (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=14)
Adelaide Oval







Round 15
Sun 29 Jun
Melbourne (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=12)
Etihad Stadium







Round 16
Sun 6 Jul
Geelong (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=10)
Simonds Stadium







Round 17
Sat 12 Jul
Gold Coast (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=24)
Cazalys Stadium







Round 18
Sun 20 Jul
Essendon (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=6)
Etihad Stadium







Round 19
Sun 3 Aug
Hawthorn (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=11)
Aurora Stadium







Round 20
Sun 10 Aug
St Kilda (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=16)
Etihad Stadium







Round 21
Sun 17 Aug
North Melbourne (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=13)
Etihad Stadium







Round 22
Sun 24 Aug
Sydney (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=17)
Etihad Stadium







Round 23
Fri 29 Aug
GWS (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_team_home?tid=25)
Etihad Stadium



I can see 2 or 3 wins if we're lucky.

[bornadog]

I can see 2 or 3 wins if we're lucky.

That is how its looking.

[bulldogtragic]

I am trying to stay positive and also look at the postives. Comparing last year to this, I would have to stay we have improved. We have lost this year 3 games by less than 10 points and one by 16 points. Last years losses were horrendous.

The games where we have lost we have had a lapse in one quarter of footy, but I remember last year we gave up most games after the first quarter. That second quarter last night was horrendous. The first was great and the second half we kept Brissie to 3 miserable goals.

We are slowly getting there and we need to be patient. We are still missing a player that can take a contested mark in the forward line and Griffen's bad form is killing us.

Yeah, I'm trying as hard as I can to find that preseason spark I had. But I think if were playing the style of footy in the last third of the year, I would look at those numbers optimistically. But we've played a dour, skill less negative over congested style of footy which should reduce the differential. It's an 'F' report card though for me. The real only positive is to the medicos for keeping Wood and Higgins fit. Other things have increased with CPI, ie Libba. But injuries hampered Roughy, Hrovat & Smith. Jones and Wallis treading water. Ayce and Tom C not kicking the door down (just yet). Game style neither good or good to watch and in the half we hoped for more wins we didn't. Remember the back end of 2012...

This was the really, really soft draw remember to balance out being Sunday Arvo specialists. I guess you call that a lose/lose.

[westdog54]

I can see 2 or 3 wins if we're lucky.
Three wins is a pass mark for the remainder of the year. GWS and StKilda are non negotiables and we should beast Melbourne at Docklands.

I'd like to think that we might be able to pinch a couple more (Essendon are vulnerable as far as I'm concerned) but on current form I just can't see it happening.

I was one of the ones last year selling the 'wins don't tell the whole story' mantra last yearand I'm afraid it's the same this year. I don't believe for a moment that we are tracking on the same level as last year.

These whole quarter fade outs are totally unacceptable. They have directly cost us 3 matches and deflated us severely.

We have to improve significantly over the remainder of the season if we are to call this year successful.

[lemmon]

Three wins is a pass mark for the remainder of the year. GWS and StKilda are non negotiables and we should beast Melbourne at Docklands.

I'd like to think that we might be able to pinch a couple more (Essendon are vulnerable as far as I'm concerned) but on current form I just can't see it happening.

I was one of the ones last year selling the 'wins don't tell the whole story' mantra last yearand I'm afraid it's the same this year. I don't believe for a moment that we are tracking on the same level as last year.

These whole quarter fade outs are totally unacceptable. They have directly cost us 3 matches and deflated us severely.

We have to improve significantly over the remainder of the season if we are to call this year successful.
If you were given a six win year before the season started would you have taken it?

To be honest I don't particularly buy the improved percentage and 'in games for longer' line either, we've added 3 mature bodies to the lineup, two of which have been very good in Wood, Higgins while besides Dickson and Clay have had no serious injuries. Those guys alone account for a large portion of the percentage improvement as well as Picken having found form. I do question how quickly the kids are coming on.

[chef]

I expected the way we finished last year was we would have played everygame(or majority) this season. But we've gone backwards.

[F'scary]

I am in the we've gone backwards boat too. Oh well, fingers crossed for the second half of the season.

[westdog54]

If you were given a six win year before the season started would you have taken it?

To be honest I don't particularly buy the improved percentage and 'in games for longer' line either, we've added 3 mature bodies to the lineup, two of which have been very good in Wood, Higgins while besides Dickson and Clay have had no serious injuries. Those guys alone account for a large portion of the percentage improvement as well as Picken having found form. I do question how quickly the kids are coming on.

No I would not have. The first half of the season has been and abject failure as far as I'm concerned. The three win figure is a must for the games remaining.

[Remi Moses]

It's a fail for mine. Looking at the draw I'd have taken 5 wins.
One problem is a few who carried us late last year ( griffen Minson) have been ordinary .
A couple have second year blues

[Topdog]

First half of the season has been a fail. We haven't improved at all and in reality we are in games for longer against worse teams. As it stands we have played 1 team in the top 6 (Freo who will most likely be 6th at the end of the round). At the same stage last year we had played 3 of the top 6.

[bornadog]

First half of the season has been a fail. We haven't improved at all and in reality we are in games for longer against worse teams. As it stands we have played 1 team in the top 6 (Freo who will most likely be 6th at the end of the round). At the same stage last year we had played 3 of the top 6.

You don't rate North?

[Maddog37]

Injuries to Griff and Minno have killed us.

I also think our game style is unwatchable however we are "in" games for longer. How many times have we kicked more than 4 goals in any one quarter?

Gone backwards IMHO.

[anfo27]

Agree with everyone else that thus far its been a fail. A few players have taken steps forward but as a team on a whole we have taken a step or 2 back which i didn't see coming.

[Topdog]

You don't rate North?

comparing them with the top 6 of last season, nah not really. They are were they should be.

[Bulldog4life]

An interesting observation...The Bulldogs are two wins off their benchmark of eight last season, however they have won more quarters than the entire of 2013 (12 more quarters than this time last year).

see more at...http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2014-07-15/steady-gains-please-McCartney

[GVGjr]

An interesting observation...The Bulldogs are two wins off their benchmark of eight last season, however they have won more quarters than the entire of 2013 (12 more quarters than this time last year).

see more at...http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2014-07-15/steady-gains-please-McCartney

I talked to someone at the club a few weeks back and basically it's those results where we had a bad 15 minutes that cost us a couple of wins. On most metrics we are performing better than last year.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

I talked to someone at the club a few weeks back and basically it's those results where we had a bad 15 minutes that cost us a couple of wins. On most metrics we are performing better than last year.
Go dogs.

[Hotdog60]

When it all comes together I think we will be very happy woofers

[The Bulldogs Bite]

The last month or so has been very positive (Collingwood, Melbourne, Geelong, Gold Coast) with only one game the exception (Port Adelaide second half). Before that, I thought the signs were not good enough, much of it due to the MC and game day tactics.

Our form rise has coincided with our best young players all being in the same side/playing well (Bonti, Macrae, Hrovat, Hunter, Stringer, Wallis and even Roberts/Darley/JJ filling in).

[ledge]

Something bery special is brewing in this group.

[bornadog]

To be considered better than last year we still have to win more games.

Winnable games are:

*Essendon
*Saints
*GWS with North a 50/50

[westdog54]

To be considered better than last year we still have to win more games.

Winnable games are:

*Essendon
*Saints
*GWS with North a 50/50
On our current form I call all 4 of those winnable.

[chef]

To be considered better than last year we still have to win more games.

Winnable games are:

*Essendon
*Saints
*GWS with North a 50/50

I doubt it's that black and white.

[Go_Dogs]

I doubt it's that black and white.

I agree. What we're seeing is a transition of players who are responsible for the wins. Last year Minson and Griff were huge and we relied on them. This year our wins are much more attributable to our younger core which bodes well for the future and how our development program is coming together.

The actual ledger (or improvement in it) will look good, but scratching beneath that and quantifying the cogs which are driving that is what we need to focus on.

[Webby]

I doubt it's that black and white.

Very true. Had we signed, say Paul Chapman and won an extra couple of games, would we have really 'improved' in the greater scheme of things?

Equalling last season's win tally with a growing core of younger players is clear progression. The fact that we've also done it with Minson and Griffen (senior players who were huge last year) having comparatively ordinary years is fantastic.

The context should always be the path to building a premiership side. That's a project which takes some years from where we were at in 2011.

Finally, the Dogs last 25 games have us at an 11-14 win loss record. For some context, the preceding 25 games had us at 4-21.
Clear improvement, and it's been done whilst introducing younger players.

[Topdog]

Very pleased with the last 5 weeks. We are scoring more and also conceding less. Better ball movement overall and os others have said its been our young guys doing it all.

[LostDoggy]

To be considered better than last year we still have to win more games.


I agree. What we're seeing is a transition of players who are responsible for the wins. Last year Minson and Griff were huge and we relied on them. This year our wins are much more attributable to our younger core which bodes well for the future and how our development program is coming together.

The actual ledger (or improvement in it) will look good, but scratching beneath that and quantifying the cogs which are driving that is what we need to focus on.

We need to measure our gains against our targets set at the beginning of the year:

Development of the squad = We've improved.
Making finals in 2014 = We've declined.

I think it's rather obvious. BAD isn't wrong – next year we'd be screaming if we have the same win-loss ratio – he's just looking at the wrong context for 2014.


Finally, the Dogs last 25 games have us at an 11-14 win loss record. For some context, the preceding 25 games had us at 4-21.
Clear improvement, and it's been done whilst introducing younger players.

Love your work. I'm going to steal that stat, and ram it down some of my Essendon family members' throats. Thanks bud.

[Hot_Doggies]

We need to measure our gains against our targets set at the beginning of the year:

Development of the squad = We've improved.
Making finals in 2014 = We've declined.

I think it's rather obvious. BAD isn't wrong – next year we'd be screaming if we have the same win-loss ratio – he's just looking at the wrong context for 2014.



Love your work. I'm going to steal that stat, and ram it down some of my Essendon family members' throats. Thanks bud.

Who set that target?

[G-Mo77]

Very pleased with the last 5 weeks. We are scoring more and also conceding less. Better ball movement overall and os others have said its been our young guys doing it all.

This.

It was starting to look a little bleak there for a while but we're starting to show some signs. Although the Port game was a real let down. We're still having those 10 - 20 minutes of real poor footy though once we eradicate that we'll really be competitive overall.

One thing to also be excited about is our depth. I look at players in the VFL and think "How can they get him in the side?" We've got players banging at the door, past seasons it's been quite bare.

[ledge]

Have we kicked more goals this year than last year at the same stage ?
I ask the question as everyone says we need a big forward but if we are kicking more each year is it as bad as it seems ?

[Ozza]

Have we kicked more goals this year than last year at the same stage ?
I ask the question as everyone says we need a big forward but if we are kicking more each year is it as bad as it seems ?

This time (after 16 games) last year

2013: For: 1268 Against: 1649 76.89%
2014 For: 1286 Against: 1514 84.94%

Not a huge difference. Conceding 8.5pts per game less. There were a few games last year where we conceded big scores (WCE 137, North 151, Richmond 135 & 121). Worst result this year has been WCE 134 in round 1, and Port 128.

[lemmon]

Was about this time last year we started kicking into gear as well. Definitely encouraging and the younger guys have come on but it's a pattern we can't repeat again in 2015 if we are going somewhere with this group.

If you had been told me pre-season we'd be sitting 13th at 6-10 I'd have been fairly disappointed and admittedly if things had gone our way in a few close loses, this year would have a vastly different sheen but my minimum expectation for next year is to play a final.

[Ozza]

Four losses - Adelaide, Essendon, Carlton and Brisbane were all disappointing, and very very winnable.
Whereas I guess we snuck by Richmond and Melbourne to go some way to evening that ledger.

Would be nice to be 8-8 rather than 6-10.

Ultimately, I think we have improved, but that all comes undone if we start poorly again next year.