Game Day Round 6 2015 - Western Bulldogs V St. Kilda

[Eastdog]

Dogs by 45 points
First Goal: Crameri to get our first
Best On Ground: Picken

[bornadog]

Dogs by 37 points

First Goal; Honeychurch

BOG: Dahl

[LostDoggy]

Dogs by72 points
First goal-Boydy
BOG-Bont

[Go_Dogs]

Dogs by 19
First goal Boyd
BOG Talia

[LostDoggy]

Dogs by 136.
Hunter first goal.
BOG Talia.

[Greystache]

Dogs by 55
BOG- Bonti
First goal- Boyd

[F'scary]

A number of things have me really worried about this game: the loss of Jong and Boyd on top of Wallis & Morris (& Libba) must have some sort of a negative impact. The continued insanity of selecting Ayce Cordy, the selection of Goodes, the unproveness of Roberts, the question marks over Hunter as a midfielder at this level, the lack of match conditioning of Clay Smith, the fact that the team is not used to being the hunted, that we may have been playing above ourselves (if that has any meaning), the worry that we may have started believing our own publicity, which has been hyped to a level not seen since about 2008 or 2009...

Saints by 36 points
First Goal: Riewoldt
BOG: Longer

[G-Mo77]

A number of things have me really worried about this game: the loss of Jong and Boyd on top of Wallis & Morris (& Libba) must have some sort of a negative impact. The continued insanity of selecting Ayce Cordy, the selection of Goodes, the unproveness of Roberts, the question marks over Hunter as a midfielder at this level, the lack of match conditioning of Clay Smith, the fact that the team is not used to being the hunted, that we may have been playing above ourselves (if that has any meaning), the worry that we may have started believing our own publicity, which has been hyped to a level not seen since about 2008 or 2009...

Saints by 36 points
First Goal: Riewoldt
BOG: Longer

I'm feeling uneasy but still think we've got a lot more polish which will get us over the line. Jong is a big loss. He's a good ball winner but also has line breaking pace. Goodes comes in for him who will help on the inside but leaves a lot missing if that's the swap which sounds like it is after listening to the presser.

Cordy I'm more comfortable having him in the side this week than on a boggy track in Sydney but if he's beaten consistently in ruck and the major ball winners missing like you pointed out it could hurt.

Smith? This may just be his time to shine with who is missing. This will be his 3rd hit out and he should be starting to hit his straps. I've been happy with his output.

Boyd's also a big out. Absolutely huge so far in 2015.

I'm uneasy but think we'll get there.

Dogs by 22
First Goal: Crameri
BOG: Macrae

[LostDoggy]

Danger. Diver Dan coming back has me worried.

Dogs by 7
First Goal TB
BOG JJ

[F'scary]

I'm feeling uneasy but still think we've got a lot more polish which will get us over the line. Jong is a big loss. He's a good ball winner but also has line breaking pace. Goodes comes in for him who will help on the inside but leaves a lot missing if that's the swap which sounds like it is after listening to the presser.

Cordy I'm more comfortable having him in the side this week than on a boggy track in Sydney but if he's beaten consistently in ruck and the major ball winners missing like you pointed out it could hurt.

Smith? This may just be his time to shine with who is missing. This will be his 3rd hit out and he should be starting to hit his straps. I've been happy with his output.

Boyd's also a big out. Absolutely huge so far in 2015.

I'm uneasy but think we'll get there.

Dogs by 22
First Goal: Crameri
BOG: Macrae

I would really love it if Brett Goodes can play like he did in the VFL Grand Final last year. I think we are going to need a stand out performance from one or two of the lesser lights tomorrow. It is interesting, our last two wins have had significant contributions from Picken and Stevens, both of whom had been playing so-so before the Adelaide game. We need a big step up tomorrow from the likes of Smith, Hunter, Roberts or Goodes (preferably all four) to make up for the loss of Jong and Boyd, two of our best so far this season.

[boydogs]

Dogs by 35
First goal T Boyd
BOG Stevens

[Twodogs]

Dogs by 41
First goal: Stringer
BOG: Here he comes we may as well just give him the ball. Marcus Bontempelli.

[LostDoggy]

Dogs by 54
First Goal : T Boyd
BOG : Picken

[GVGjr]

I think the quality of our forwards should get us home but I'm not as confident that we will put together a great game. We are due for a bit of a let down. Outside of the Adelaide game the wins we have had have been close encounters. Dogs by 19.

First goal, Crameri
BOG JJ.

[Twodogs]

First goal kicker and BOG please Gary?

[AndrewP6]

Like some others, bit worried about this one. Just hoping we don't have a letdown.

Dogs by 17
First goal Boyd
BOG Murph.

[SlimPickens]

Dogs 19pts
Goal Dahlhaus
BOG Murph

[1eyedog]

Bulldogs by 14 points
Murphy BOG
Tom Boyd for our first major.

[LostDoggy]

I was worried. I'm not any more. This isn't the Bulldogs circa 2009. These guys have been consistently putting in the effort and deserve our faith in them to once again put in the manic pressure, the total commitment to each other that has the entire footy world talking.

"Due" for a letdown? We've been "due" for a flag for 60 years and that hasn't eventuated so I don't see that being "due" for a negative result has any real bearing on the game. (Though I do understand your meaning and not having a crack per se).

Bring. It. On. Quilton to announce themselves as the Saints new sponsor by weekend's end.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

A little worried, only due to the fact that we have some serious quality not playing (Libba, Wallis, Boyd, Jong, Morris) - five good players out of a very young side is tough.

Hope we smash them, can't stand St. Kilda.

Dogs by 17 points
First goal Dickson
BOG Murphy

[josie]

I was worried. I'm not any more. This isn't the Bulldogs circa 2009. These guys have been consistently putting in the effort and deserve our faith in them to once again put in the manic pressure, the total commitment to each other that has the entire footy world talking.

"Due" for a letdown? We've been "due" for a flag for 60 years and that hasn't eventuated so I don't see that being "due" for a negative result has any real bearing on the game. (Though I do understand your meaning and not having a crack per se).

Bring. It. On. Quilton to announce themselves as the Saints new sponsor by weekend's end.

Being sponsored by a toilet paper company - hmmm, the mind boggles on possible puns....

Dogs by 38
First goal Boyd
BOG Boyd.

[LostDoggy]

Game Day - On my way shortly to Docklands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkXfatoR7OM

[G-Mo77]

Just about to head off. Feels like forever since I went, Round 2 against Richmond. Yikes! Still recovering from what kept me away from the Adelaide game but I'll worry about that tomorrow. :mad:

It'll be a good challenge in a week we're supposed to win and win well. We haven't been in this position for a while so I hope we respond the right way and put this team away. Give these guys a sniff like Essendon did and we'll be in for a battle.

[GVGjr]

Looking forward to today's game and I'm not sure what it will bring. We will really miss Jong and M.Boyd today.
For so many reasons especially to continue our membership drive a good win today would do wonders.

[Mantis]

Looking forward to today's game and I'm not sure what it will bring. We will really miss Jong and M.Boyd today.
For so many reasons especially to continue our membership drive a good win today would do wonders.

It seems we are all in the same boat.. If we bring effort, the result will look after itself.

[Go_Dogs]

Good article in the HS today, which refers to the players meeting room which has a picture of a snarling Bulldog, above the words "Men of Mayhem". Let's hope we see some mayhem today!

[bulldogtragic]

Dogs by 110
BOG Boyd, T
FG Boyd, T

[GVGjr]

It seems we are all in the same boat.. If we bring effort, the result will look after itself.

It will be a great test of our ability to cop some injuries and still perform. We have some very good players at Footscray as well. Minson, Campbell, Grant, Biggs, Darley, Dale, McLean, Hamilton, Redpath, Prudden and Hamling along with the players currently on the injured list.

As you say, if we show up to play we should get the win.

[Ghost Dog]

Just about to head off. Feels like forever since I went, Round 2 against Richmond. Yikes! Still recovering from what kept me away from the Adelaide game but I'll worry about that tomorrow. :mad:

It'll be a good challenge in a week we're supposed to win and win well. We haven't been in this position for a while so I hope we respond the right way and put this team away. Give these guys a sniff like Essendon did and we'll be in for a battle.

Get well soon G-Mo7

Dogs by 40 points
BOG Ayce Cordy
First Goal Ayce Cordy
Go Ayce Cordy

[Twodogs]

It will be a great test of our ability to cop some injuries and still perform. We have some very good players at Footscray as well. Minson, Campbell, Grant, Biggs, Darley, Dale, McLean, Hamilton, Redpath, Prudden and Hamling along with the players currently on the injured list.

As you say, if we show up to play we should get the win.


That's a fair blend of experienced and young players looking for the next spot that comes up. It's a good position for a club to be in.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Dogs by 17 points
BOG: Bontempelli
1st goal Dahlhaus

[ReLoad]

Saints by 14.
First Goal: Stringer
BOG: Reiwolting

I have a bad feeling in my waters about this game (and no I'm not pregnant)

[whythelongface]

Dogs by 39
BOG macrae
1st goal Stevens

[bornadog]

Hunter is sub, no changes otherwise.

[Eastdog]

I'm at Etihad now standing outside nearer gate 5 as the fans are slowly coming in.

[G-Mo77]

Hunter is sub, no changes otherwise.

Thought he'd be the unlucky one.

[GVGjr]

Shame for Hunter. I thought he might have been given a job as a defender.

[GVGjr]

Whats the prediction for the crowd? 25,000?

[bornadog]

Whats the prediction for the crowd? 25,000?
I thought 30k but I am still on the way so don't know how many there now

[G-Mo77]

Shame for Hunter. I thought he might have been given a job as a defender.

Beveridge said in the press conference they wouldn't be playing him in defense.

[GVGjr]

M
I thought 30k but I am still on the way so don't know how many there now

They are starting to flow in now. Im thinking 30k could be close. This would create a great atmosphere.

[LostDoggy]

15 guys under 50 games today. Go dogs!

[LostDoggy]

Boyd getting mauled early.

[LostDoggy]

First goal to the woodpecker!

[LostDoggy]

Great grab TB!

[SlimPickens]

Costly misses early. Boyd should be on fire

[LostDoggy]

Awesome pressure dogs, all over them.

[bulldogtragic]

Boyd!

[SlimPickens]

We should be up by more, our pressure has them rattled.

Silly 50m penalty.

[bulldogtragic]

Should be 5 goals up. Need to keep the pressure going and kick straighter.

[GVGjr]

Just missing some kicks. Skill execution is not quite there yet. This could be a close one

[AndrewP6]

Bit underwhelmed so far. Had the bulk of the play, yet only 7 points up.

[Mantis]

Didn't take our opportunities in that quarter.. Steven & Armitage got a bit of it late and need to be watched.

Our tackling for the most was very good.. Need to keep it up.

[jeemak]

That bogan crap blocking the scores on the level one TV screens is annoying. Can't see a score.

[LostDoggy]

Great tackle Luke!

[LostDoggy]

Woods defending really has improved out of sight this year.

[LostDoggy]

Oh no clay

[bulldogtragic]

Oh hell Clay...

[LostDoggy]

Really don't like clays instant reaction :(

[LostDoggy]

Stringer! They are saying clay looks ok..

[LostDoggy]

I understood but didn't like the selection but goodies has been well... Good...

[bulldogtragic]

I understood but didn't like the selection but goodies has been well... Good...

Ditto.

[LostDoggy]

Pickens has gone up a level as we'll this season. Tackles, possessions, now a great goal. 51 to 15, go dogs!

[jeemak]

Liam is a nice kick when he wants to be, lovely finish.

[Scraggers]

What is with Macrae's disposal?? He is normally laces out with his kicking ... He's left three short of the mark so far today.

[LostDoggy]

Stevens guts, destroyed himself and two saints

[LostDoggy]

Then takes a fine grab. Nice work Koby, pity about the kick...

[LostDoggy]

And then got destroyed again but kicked the goal

[whythelongface]

and then cops a knee on the back ouch.

[LostDoggy]

Clay is back out there!

[jeemak]

Why did he come back on?

[LostDoggy]

*!*!*!*!. Clays knee is gone now. How awful

[whythelongface]

How much bad luck can one guy have.

[LostDoggy]

I feel so bad for the guy.

[MrMahatma]

Should not have come back on. Far canal!

[LostDoggy]

I'm sure he told the docs he was fine

[LostDoggy]

64 to 15 and it's an all in brawl

[bulldogtragic]

Stringer doing a Danny Southerm on Riewoldt. I'd love to know what he told him.

[LostDoggy]

There is a lot to admire about this team and the coach.

[AndrewP6]

Jeez. Clay down again. Bloody hell.

[GVGjr]

What is with Macrae's disposal?? He is normally laces out with his kicking ... He's left three short of the mark so far today.
Its very annoying, he runs left and tries to chip kick it across his body. Jordon McMahonesque

[Mantis]

Great qtr ruined in the last 2 seconds... Feel sorry for the kid.

[Mantis]

Its very annoying, he runs left and tries to chip kick it across his body. Jordon McMahonesque

Yep.. Doesn't run in a straight line and is always kicking around his body.

[ReLoad]

That's devastating, the poor kid :(

I'm shattered for him.

Tin rattle for bionic knees needed, he is a gun footballer cut down :( tragic.

[GVGjr]

How good has Wood been? He really marks everything and is so attacking. Great crowd today.

Goodes has performed well and Picken has been good again.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Great qtr ruined in the last 2 seconds... Feel sorry for the kid.
Agree. I hope the guys are able to put aside young Clay's horrible misfortune and keep piling it on in the second half.
5 seconds before the end of the half i was excited by how we were going. Now I'm feeling flat as a tack.

[Scraggers]

Extremely impressed with Wood. He takes the game on and wins most contests !!!

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

How good has Wood been? He really marks everything and is so attacking. Great crowd today.

Goodes has performed well and Picken has been good again.
Wood has been fantastic; poise, skill and dash. Would have to be our most improved player, Lin Jong notnotwithstanding.

[jeemak]

Wood has been fantastic. Picken is in very good nick at present, he's gone up two levels.

Stringer needs another three or four.

Devastating for Clay. Horrible.

[jeemak]

What started the mallee?

[GVGjr]

Wood has been fantastic; poise, skill and dash. Would have to be our most improved player, Lin Jong notnotwithstanding.

With Picken a challenger. :)

[bulldogtragic]

What started the mallee?

Apparently Stringer ran up and gave Riewoldt some physical stuff after the goal went through.

[bornadog]

Apparently Stringer ran up and gave Riewoldt some physical stuff after the goal went through.
I think Reiwoldt said something. I hope it wasn't about Clay

[LostDoggy]

Stringer!

[westdog54]

ACL all but confirmed for Smith.

Devastating. Poor kid.

[LostDoggy]

Another guy I've maligned, Cordy has done some good things.

[LostDoggy]

A very rare murph mistake

[jeemak]

Hunter better get some defencive work into his game quickly.

[Webby]

Hunter uses the ball well. Will make it... Just a quick observation.

[chef]

Saints on top atm.

[FrediKanoute]

Last 5 goals.....need to stop the rot and turn the tide. This gets within 3 goals and Saints will fancy themselves.

[jeemak]

This has been pathetic. All the good aspects of our game are out the door.

[AndrewP6]

This is the letdown I was afraid of.

[FrediKanoute]

This is getting scary.

[FrediKanoute]

Worst quart of football or the year.......?

[bulldogtragic]

Awful...

[FrediKanoute]

55 points - 3 mins in to Q3
12 points at 3/4 time - need a big, big, big final term

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

What an awful qtr. Momentum clearly with the Saints going into the last. Gone from looking like a massive win to now be in a perilous position.
just hope thw young Saints have used up all their petrol tickets.

[whythelongface]

THis is a good test for the team. Let's see what they are made of.

[Mantis]

Didn't see that coming.

Struggling to get across the ground and our skill errors are hurting.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Reckon the players will be on the end of their first big bake from Beveridge.

[azabob]

Struggling to cover the ground. We are looking tired. Need to keep pushing through.

[Before I Die]

Perhaps the sadness of Clay going down has caused a team wide malaise to set in. Bevo needs to find the psychological key to turn them around.

[MrMahatma]

Injury to Smith has our heads all over the place?

[GVGjr]

They beat us at our own game tgat quarter. Plenty of our players barely sighted.

Real test of character await Stringer needs to do something magic for us because we are flat footed in the forward line.
A bit of panic evident in the back line.

[Ghost Dog]

Come on dogs.coach needs to sure up defence.

[bornadog]

Koby Stevens stuffed can't walk

[whythelongface]

Well done Ayce

[FrediKanoute]

AYCE!!!!!! Mark and goal....good start!

[Jasper]

Great work from Cordy. nice tap on in the middle and a great grab and goal we desperately needed.

[whythelongface]

Great work and Honeychurch goals

[LostDoggy]

Strong breeze at docklands????

[FrediKanoute]

Honeychurch!!!!!!!

[whythelongface]

Gee we are looking tired. We will do well to hang on.

[LostDoggy]

Very tired. Wood will save us!

[chef]

We're done.

[LostDoggy]

Last weeks game has taken a lot out of us

[LostDoggy]

Oh dear

[1eyedog]

Haven't touched it for a while...

[LostDoggy]

Come on dogs

[Mantis]

Billings has killed us.. Should have 6 this qtr.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Just a shocking day now.

[LostDoggy]

same shit, different year.

[GVGjr]

The Saints have been awesome. They made the right adjustments after half time. Massive comeback

[bulldogtragic]

Devastating.

[whythelongface]

same shit, different year.

Oh come on. The guys are stuffed had no run had one of their players get seriously injured and that is all you can say.

[GVGjr]

same shit, different year.
Come on, don't chuck in the towel

[LostDoggy]

yep, dont care how tired you, dont give up a 55 point lead.

[Mantis]

Regardless of how tired you are you never lose when you're 9 goals up against an ordinary team.

[Dry Rot]

Who was on Armitage and Billings?

[bulldogtragic]

Who was on Armitage and Billings?

No one.

[jeemak]

What a shameful second half.

[LostDoggy]

It was always a danger game after last week's slog. Just looks worse because we played a shit team

[Sedat]

Massive reality check by the sounds. Like Mantis said, you never lose a game when you are 9 goals up in the 3rd. Lack of run is a copout excuse when there such a massive buffer. We still have much to learn and work on.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

That's as poor a second half as we've put in for a long time. I don't care how tired we were from last week, when you are 55 points up 1 minute into the 3rd you should never lose.
Beveridge might not believe in tags as every week he seems to allow the opposition's best midfielder gather massive numbers. He might want to reconsider that.

[LostDoggy]

We are beginning to sound like Richmond supporters after we beat them. If ST Kilda are a shit team, makes us more average than them ?

[1eyedog]

Yep we thought we'd put them away and racked the que. We are young, younger actually than the Aints and their experienced midfield got hold of it.

It completely undoes all last week's hard work.

[Remi Moses]

That's one of the worst losses I've walked out on.
Regardless of who's injured, giving up a 9 goal lead is indefensible .
:mad:

[Remi Moses]

We are beginning to sound like Richmond supporters after we beat them. If ST Kilda are a shit team, makes us more average than them ?

Mate that's big footy nonsense.
Today showed why talk of us making the eight is complete folly

[FrediKanoute]

Well that was disappointing.

[LostDoggy]

Did you watch the game? Don't think it was a reality check at all. The boys couldn't run to apply the same amount of pressure as they could in the first half. Yes they're athletes but they're still human and last week's hard slog in the wet has taken it's toll today

[Remi Moses]

Yep we thought we'd put them away and racked the que. We are young, younger actually than the Aints and their experienced midfield got hold of it.

It completely undoes all last week's hard work.

Last weeks great win flushed down the S bend

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

And Freo next week, we needed to win today. We threw away a big chance to stay ahead of the pack. Come next week we could very well be back to middle of the pack.

[Remi Moses]

Did you watch the game? Don't think it was a reality check at all. The boys couldn't run to apply the same amount of pressure as they could in the first half. Yes they're athletes but they're still human and last week's hard slog in the wet has taken it's toll today
That maybe so but it was a 9 goal lead !
No excuses on that front

[bulldogtragic]

Today's games were the ones when we could slide into finals contention. Big dent to finals this year. Big.

[GVGjr]

Massive reality check by the sounds. Like Mantis said, you never lose a game when you are 9 goals up in the 3rd. Lack of run is a copout excuse when there such a massive buffer. We still have much to learn and work on.
All traits of a young side. When a young side gets a sniff they can lift like the Saints did today but our young side panicked when it counted.

How did people rate Cordy today?
Looks like he might have the job for a while yet.

[whythelongface]

This is the type of loss our team will learn from. Maybe a reality check for both players and coach. Disappointing that we lost but hardly catastrophic. We will learn and continue to get better. We had ample chances in the first qtr to be 6 goals in front but poor delivery and finishing let us down. That is where we lost the game.

[whythelongface]

All traits of a young side. When a young side gets a sniff they can lift like the Saints did today but our young side panicked when it counted.

How did people rate Cordy today?
Looks like he might have the job for a while yet.

Thought Ayce was one of our better players. Should hold his spot.

[LostDoggy]

Yes it was but when you can kick a few quick ones to get back within striking distance it's possible to put yourself in a winning position against a team tiring. Koby couldn't actually move out there due to his injury. Yes they had Savage out but they still had more rotations at their disposal. I'm disappointed as I've ever been, don't worry about that

[bornadog]

We were completely stuffed, couldn't run couldn't apply the pressure.
I think we should had made more changes To refresh players.
Our midfield has taken a battering with Libba, Wallis Koby, Clay, Jong, out we were relying on very young players in the midfield

Rotations down in the second half didn't help

[chef]

Losing 2 at half time and after the slog last week we really needed to rotate a bit more with some fresh players. We looked shot, not much the players could do about it.

[azabob]

We were completely stuffed, couldn't run couldn't apply the pressure.
I think we should had made more changes To refresh players.
Our midfield has taken a battering with Libba, Wallis Koby, Clay, Jong, out we were relying on very young players in the midfield

Rotations down in the second half didn't help

Agree with that BAD.

Lack of run was extremely notable from 3rd quarter on.

[LostDoggy]

Same old same old from this club.

[bornadog]

Same old same old from this club.
I don't think so at all

[Sedat]

All traits of a young side. When a young side gets a sniff they can lift like the Saints did today but our young side panicked when it counted.
Granted I didn't see the game but it sounded like a mirror image of Geel v Coll last night. Cats were down in rotations after jumping the Pies, Pies came back hard but Geelong won comfortably running away. By crumbling so meekly against a fellow youthful side, we basically wiped away all of the massive gains from last week - not just talking premiership points either. Self-belief and confidence would have been shattered today.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

[OTE=GVGjr;435374]All traits of a young side. When a young getsa sniff they can lift like tge Saints did today but our young side panicked when it counted.

How did people rate Cordy today?
Looks like he might have the job for a while yet.[/QUOTE]

On the one hand I agree with you. However in the context of the season these sort of losses can also knock the stuffing out of a young teams confidence. It will be very important we acquit ourselves well against Fremantle next week.
Today was the 3rd biggest comeback in AFL history.
On Cordy he did quite well today especially in the air, if not necessarily at the ruck contests. He's definitely shown today the benefits of having played multiple games in a row. Massive test for him next week against Sandilands.

[G-Mo77]

Tough to stomach. Sat there for about 5 minutes in disbelief and them had to front up to some St. Kilda supporters who to their credit didn't rub it in.

Looked out of gas but still had a 55 point lead. Nice excuse but still think we where a bit cute at times when we should have gone to basics. We'll learn from it, hopefully.....

[LostDoggy]

I don't think so at all
I wished i could feel the same way as you but after supporting the past 30 years i just cant. Once again feeling really flat.

[jeemak]

I thought we paid the price for being poorly set up in the second half and not reacting to Saints change in structure. Sure we were tired, but we got opened up badly and there didn't seem to be much reaction from the group and I'm not sure if that was because of a lack of instruction or an unwillingness to execute instructions. We'll see whether this becomes a pattern when we're up against it, though at this stage I'm not sure which of the two scenarios I'd prefer.

There was a massive part of me that wanted to leave half way through the third quarter. We dropped our bundle severely, and this was the time when we needed to stem the tide whilst we still had something in the tank with some smarter football instead of playing like millionaires and not doing anything remotely similar to the things that have made us more than competitive this year. I figured at the time, if the players have gone home why should I stick around? Anyway I did stick around and saw the game slip away as we tired.

What really disappointed me was the complete and utter lack of composure with the football and the disposal strategy employed by our players, which as far as I could tell involved shutting their eyes and kicking mongrels all over the joint.

Tom Boyd really let himself down early in the day with some terrible kicking and I think he'll be extremely disappointed with himself. His day could have been much more productive if he had have taken two relatively simple opportunities early in the day. He needs to bounce back and take care of those opportunities next week.

Jack Macrae's kicking seems to be getting worse, and his flawed technique seems more pronounced. I was bitterly disappointed with some of his usage today.

I thought Cordy was easily the dominant ruck around the ground, though we were hurt by being too offensively minded at stoppages when it was a given we'd be giving up the majority of hitouts. The midfield and stoppage coaches need to work on this immediately.

Crameri played as if he was drunk.

This is probably the worst day our club has had since the 2009 preliminary final in my view. Clay going down was just horrible, and for us to then let a 55 point lead slip through our fingers was the bullet between the eyes. The club has done itself a massive disservice today, and I think this will have commercial implications with people likely to be turned off all too easily.

[Mantis]

Jack Macrae's kicking seems to be getting worse, and his flawed technique seems more pronounced. I was bitterly disappointed with some of his usage today.



It was utterly disgraceful.. His decision making was just as bad.

[The Pie Man]

Needed to find a way - thought we had 5 mins into the last qtr too. Bitterly disappointing doesn't cover it.

[Ghost Dog]

Same old same old from this club.

Phhhhht. Rubbish.

[The Pie Man]

It was utterly disgraceful.. His decision making was just as bad.

Seems to want to tap the ball into space or kick around the body too much. Ordinary day, though not alone

[F'scary]

We ran out of legs but I think this reflects there were some selection policy issues going into the match. Yes, Ayce played better but we were still well beaten in the ruck. Hunter is not a midfielder. It seems there were more players than Moyd who were too sore from last week. For one, Clay was rushed back, had two ordinary games and then broke down today. Perhaps Biggs, Minson, and Hamling should have been selected in place of some of the sorer guys.

Overall, I think Bevo is going to have to get a bit more orthodox in the selection policy after this loss.

[G-Mo77]

It was utterly disgraceful.. His decision making was just as bad.

Glad I saw it the same way. He was one of the players i thought was being a bit cute. Disappointed with his game.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Pretty angry - one of the worst losses I've seen, even withstanding we were understandably tired - but that doesn't excuse coughing up a 55 point lead in the third quarter.

Very disappointed with the coaching team's inability to stem the flow in the third quarter. We knew we'd tire, yet we persisted with a fast paced game style. Idiotic to say the least; we never tried taking the sting out of the game. As fatigue set in, our decision making was deplorable and our skills even worse.

Beveridge said on Triple M that they only started focusing on St. Kilda yesterday! I nearly drove off the road. Yesterday! Yes, the win v Sydney was great, but we've essentially won nothing. We've been losing for 4 or 5 years on a weekly basis, and all it took was one great win to set the club into complacency? Even if it were true, why on earth would Beveridge come out and say this. I know it didn't impact how we played in the first half, but it says to me we went into half time thinking the game was done.

I thought Picken, Wood and JJ were sensational. Goodes tried hard, ditto Dahlhaus. Stevens was good prior to his injury. Cordy competed OK but got dominated in the ruck, which certainly hurt us.

Roberts and Roughead were really poor. Really poor. Hunter was extremely disappointing, Honeychurch and Hrovat zero impact. Stringer kept wanting the cheap one 'over the back' in the second half whilst that was the worst game I've seen from Macrae. Utterly deplorable by foot and his decision making equally bad.

All in all, a very disappointing and frustrating display. The 'tired' excuse doesn't rub well with me, not when you're 55 points up and failed to change the style of the game to slow it up. Once again we've undone our good work - I know this is an entirely different side - but I'm sick of this club not being able to back up its performances when it should be able to. We "celebrated" last week's win until Friday? I hope we dwell on this loss until next Friday.

[Flamethrower]

That's what happens when you don't respect your opposition. All that macho garbage at half time showed how big headed we had become.

If last week was our best win ever, then this was our worst loss ever.

We still haven't worked out how to stop an opposition team getting a run on....no plan B.

And Tommy Boyd....please stop getting goal kicking tips from Travis Cloke.

[HOSE B ROMERO]

I wished i could feel the same way as you but after supporting the past 30 years i just cant. Once again feeling really flat.

Come on 4by2...dig deep. Get on down to that beach down at Hampton, take a few deep breaths and scream your lungs out.

[merantau]

I'm lucky to be in Lombok. Indonesia so did not see the game. Only just found out the result but, sadly, I am not surprised. We have an appalling, but historically consistent, habit of dropping games we should win and putting pressure on ourselves. However, to cough up a 55 point lead is breaking new ground. I don't know what the answer is, I don't think there IS a simple answer and, to some extent, the reasons for it are out of our control because maybe it's the attitude of other clubs towards US that is a telling factor - viz "It's the Bulldogs; we're always a chance against them." I hark back to the time when Libba, Jose and Dimma, Steve Kretiuk and Daniel Southern were manufacturing mayhem. Looks like we could have done with some of that after half time today. But hey, not to worry - there's always next week!

[bornadog]

I wished i could feel the same way as you but after supporting the past 30 years i just cant. Once again feeling really flat.

I am flat as a tac after that game, still can't believe we lost it. All I am saying is the players looked like they could run no more, they were spent.

[bornadog]

Glad I saw it the same way. He was one of the players i thought was being a bit cute. Disappointed with his game.

He has had a couple of ordinary weeks.

[Happy Days]

Okay, lets just start by saying that you never, ever lose a game when you're 5 goals up.

Jeemak and TBB have nailed it pretty much, but I'll just add how disappointed I am in our inability to adapt to the game as it plays out. The big lead really masked a lot of what was really happening, and we should have been quicker to realise.

If we are down a rotation, then our game style is obviously going to have to become more methodical. Instead we tried to go step for step and got opened up again and again.

[kruder]

Pretty angry - one of the worst losses I've seen, even withstanding we were understandably tired - but that doesn't excuse coughing up a 55 point lead in the third quarter.

Very disappointed with the coaching team's inability to stem the flow in the third quarter. We knew we'd tire, yet we persisted with a fast paced game style. Idiotic to say the least; we never tried taking the sting out of the game. As fatigue set in, our decision making was deplorable and our skills even worse.

Beveridge said on Triple M that they only started focusing on St. Kilda yesterday! I nearly drove off the road. Yesterday! Yes, the win v Sydney was great, but we've essentially won nothing. We've been losing for 4 or 5 years on a weekly basis, and all it took was one great win to set the club into complacency? Even if it were true, why on earth would Beveridge come out and say this. I know it didn't impact how we played in the first half, but it says to me we went into half time thinking the game was done.

I thought Picken, Wood and JJ were sensational. Goodes tried hard, ditto Dahlhaus. Stevens was good prior to his injury. Cordy competed OK but got dominated in the ruck, which certainly hurt us.

Roberts and Roughead were really poor. Really poor. Hunter was extremely disappointing, Honeychurch and Hrovat zero impact. Stringer kept wanting the cheap one 'over the back' in the second half whilst that was the worst game I've seen from Macrae. Utterly deplorable by foot and his decision making equally bad.

All in all, a very disappointing and frustrating display. The 'tired' excuse doesn't rub well with me, not when you're 55 points up and failed to change the style of the game to slow it up. Once again we've undone our good work - I know this is an entirely different side - but I'm sick of this club not being able to back up its performances when it should be able to. We "celebrated" last week's win until Friday? I hope we dwell on this loss until next Friday.

You sum the player performances up exactly how I saw it. Gee Picken, Wood and JJ were unbelievable! On the downside, Hunter and Hrovat had their chances with the injuries in the midfield to really stamp themselves and they both were bloody awful. They were the most disappointing for mine.

Overall though I'm as disappointed as you, as I think we should still expect a poor performance from this group being nearly the youngest list in the league. I backed the cats last night as I thought the Pies were not good enough to be 5-1 side and there were many concerns on this blog before the match in respect to us. I'm sitting here now watching a different GWS side from last week its all about a learning experience for this young group, a group I think is as talented as any in the Bulldogs history.

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Last week wasn't our best win ever and today wasn't our worst loss ever.

If somebody told me at the start of the year that we would be 5 and 2 after 7 i would have laughed at them.

We are an inexperienced team with an inexperienced coach.

[LostDoggy]

Well that was like putting an icecube in your cornhole - awkward and uncomfortable

T.Boyd missed the two goals and some wind escaped from the balloon , Stevens gets a badly corked hip, more air out of the balloon and a reshuffle of structure , Smith goes down in a crumpled heap and the balloon burst , Goodes was forced to go the middle and it just didn't work his lack of speed allowed the Saints to use him as a roundabout , Macrae had a shocker thats for sure , the one player who stood out in trying to re-inflate the balloon was Wood
For Bevo the loss will be disappointing but he will know that the side can only learn and grow from the experience
For the Supporters it tastes like off milk
For the Bevo and Football Dept there will some big decisions to make in the build up to the Fremantle game
For the Media the bandwagon they jumped on has hit a speed bump and some of them will have fallen off

[LostDoggy]

Who would have taken 4 and 2 after round 6?

That's where we are. I'll take it gladly.

[angelopetraglia]

Tired. Injured. No run left. Could change our style to suit where the game was at. We will learn from that no doubt.

Also ... we were young. Very, very young. Even compared to a young Saints team. Matty Boyd missing really hurt us today, we were screaming out for a wise head when things hot.

Players under 50 games: Dogs 15 | Saints 12
Players more than 100 games: Dogs 2 | Saints 7
Average Games: Dogs 47.3 | Saints 83.4

[Eastdog]

Disappointed today. Excellent in the 1st half and terrible in the 2nd half. Thought Stringer, Wood, Boyd despite missing a few were great in the first half. I liked Cordy's game today. Goodes was ok not the worst. We went to sleep after half time and lost our run totally.

[kruder]

You sum the player performances up exactly how I saw it. Gee Picken, Wood and JJ were unbelievable! On the downside, Hunter and Hrovat had their chances with the injuries in the midfield to really stamp themselves and they both were bloody awful. They were the most disappointing for mine.

Overall though I'm as disappointed as you, as I think we should still expect a poor performance from this group being nearly the youngest list in the league. I backed the cats last night as I thought the Pies were not good enough to be 5-1 side and there were many concerns on this blog before the match in respect to us. I'm sitting here now watching a different GWS side from last week its all about a learning experience for this young group, a group I think is as talented as any in the Bulldogs history.

No as disappointed that should read!

[ratsmac]

How the hell did we lose that???

I've been home now after the match for a while and I'm still stunned.
Gee I really hate stkilda.

The lack of hard bodies through the midfield was telling in the end. They got to many easy ball and exploited our tired legs. They certainly taught us a lesson in that second half.

[chef]

That would have to be close to the youngest side we've ever fielded wouldn't it.

[Eastdog]

Bonts had a bad game. Picken was another who was good and just gave it his all.

[G-Mo77]

He has had a couple of ordinary weeks.

Only saw highlights of last week so can't really judge. I'm a huge fan of his so was disappointed with his performance. I thought I may have been judging him to harshly because I hold him so high but glad others saw it that way.

[ReLoad]

Macrae needs to kick the percentages in second halves, until his fitness improves the dinky around the corner kicks are nonsense.

why didn't anyone go to Billings? He's a gun for sure but without any pressure he wasn't made to earn anything.

I hope the coaching team learn just as much as the players, they need to learn tempo footy, when to take a breather and slow things down.

[G-Mo77]

Macrae needs to kick the percentages in second halves, until his fitness improves the dinky around the corner kicks are nonsense.

why didn't anyone go to Billings? He's a gun for sure but without any pressure he wasn't made to earn anything.

I hope the coaching team learn just as much as the players, they need to learn tempo footy, when to take a breather and slow things down.

We haven't been sacrificing our players with run with roles at all this year. I don't mind it, back in our players against theirs but there are times like tonight it bites you. Hodge had his own ball and we didn't try and slow him down. Do we need to move Picken back to jobs like this? Jong? Wallis?

[stefoid]

Macrae needs to kick the percentages in second halves, until his fitness improves the dinky around the corner kicks are nonsense.

why didn't anyone go to Billings? He's a gun for sure but without any pressure he wasn't made to earn anything.

I hope the coaching team learn just as much as the players, they need to learn tempo footy, when to take a breather and slow things down.

Murph was on Billings - he had a shocker.

[Mantis]

We haven't been sacrificing our players with run with roles at all this year. I don't mind it, back in our players against theirs but there are times like tonight it bites you. Hodge had his own ball and we didn't try and slow him down. Do we need to move Picken back to jobs like this? Jong? Wallis?

Armitage and Steven took us to the cleaners today.. Our lack of inside mids hurt, but going man on man against their only 2 would have helped achieve a better result.

[hujsh]

I know its a big letdown and frustrating to watch but I think we all knew in the abstract that there was going to be days like today. We have a young team and that means they can be inconsistent and can tire more easily after a game like last week.

But let's also not lose perspective with regard to other teams in the AFL. Hawthorne just lost to GWS. Good teams still lose games they're expected to win and put in sub-par performances. Sydney lost to us and we lost to St.Kilda. It's just football. Hell it's every sport.

Like how StKilda just lost to Essendon and then managed to get over the line today, I hope that we are able to show that we've learned from this game in the future.

[G-Mo77]

I know its a big letdown and frustrating to watch but I think we all knew in the abstract that there was going to be days like today. We have a young team and that means they can be inconsistent and can tire more easily after a game like last week.

But let's also not lose perspective with regard to other teams in the AFL. Hawthorne just lost to GWS. Good teams still lose games they're expected to win and put in sub-par performances. Sydney lost to us and we lost to St.Kilda. It's just football. Hell it's every sport.

Like how StKilda just lost to Essendon and then managed to get over the line today, I hope that we are able to show that we've learned from this game in the future.

We did have a 55 point lead though. I know we had a hard slog last week and we're still a young side who are going to have ups and downs but dropping a lead like that is inexcusable.

[Ghost Dog]

Granted I didn't see the game but it sounded like a mirror image of Geel v Coll last night. Cats were down in rotations after jumping the Pies, Pies came back hard but Geelong won comfortably running away. By crumbling so meekly against a fellow youthful side, we basically wiped away all of the massive gains from last week - not just talking premiership points either. Self-belief and confidence would have been shattered today.

Maybe we are back to,realistically, where we are at. A young, talented side with potential, but not premiership material for a few years yet.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

We did have a 55 point lead though. I know we had a hard slog last week and we're still a young side who are going to have ups and downs but dropping a lead like that is inexcusable.

This is how I see it.

If we lost in normal circumstances, whatever. Live and learn, get fitter and stronger etc. but we blew a 55 point lead and that utterly disgusts me when it's against such poor opposition. Feels like five steps back and a big kick in the guts.

[Sedat]

This is how I see it.

If we lost in normal circumstances, whatever. Live and learn, get fitter and stronger etc. but we blew a 55 point lead and that utterly disgusts me when it's against such poor opposition. Feels like five steps back and a big kick in the guts.
Yep, all the talk about being happy to be 4-2 and also the youth of our team pales into insignificance when you consider that we did something only 5 other teams have done in the history of this competition. As such, the manner of our capitulation is something that cannot be masked by any factors.

[chef]

We'll be right. We'll bounce back next week and put in a decent shift against the Dockers.

As crappy as it was it was just one of those things that happens. 2 players over 100 games, we've got to be the youngest team in the league.

[SonofScray]

Our gameplan isn't particularly resilient to changes in rotations and personnel going down. Everything broke down after Smith's injury, Stevens was hobbled, Stringer was looking for the bench and all of a sudden the load was being carried by too few.

I think in normal circumstances, we go on with it. We defended against the concern around being flat & tired from last week's slog but once we added the trauma of seeing a mate potentially end his career, I think it became too big a hurdle to jump. We were scrambling all through the 3qtr and just couldn't hang on. I had us cooked at the 12 minute mark.

What I would've lied to have seen is a shift towards territorial footy. Keep the ball long and wide, kick to the big blokes and drive it out of bounds. We would've hung on if we executed that late a handful of times but instead kept opting to keep the ball in play and up the middle. It wasn't particularly wise.

[comrade]

We'll be right. We'll bounce back next week and put in a decent shift against the Dockers.

As crappy as it was it was just one of those things that happens. 2 players over 100 games, we've got to be the youngest team in the league.

Only Gold Coast had a younger team than us this week and only because their squad is full of drunks :D

And even with wholesale changes, they still had 1 more player with over 100 games experience than us.

20 players under 100 games experience would have to be close to a record, even for the expansion teams who topped up with some older guys.

I'm going to sound like a broken record, but I don't understand or feel comfortable with all the fretting going on. History suggests we're no chance at finals, let alone a flag this year so take the good with the bad, and yeah demand improvement over the course of the season but don't get tied in knots when weird stuff happens.

Looking forward to playing the Dockers next week to see how we'll respond.

[chef]

Great post comrade.

[comrade]

Great post comrade.

Hey, after almost 30 years I'm usually a glass half empty type of supporter but I just don't feel as bitter as some after yesterday.

[chef]

Hey, after almost 30 years I'm usually a glass half empty type of supporter but I just don't feel as bitter as some after yesterday.

Yep, I'm 38 and I've never been more excited by a young Bulldog side. This team is going to go places, yesterday was just a learning experience. With a team so young and raw physically we are going to have these fade outs.

[bornadog]

Hey, after almost 30 years I'm usually a glass half empty type of supporter but I just don't feel as bitter as some after yesterday.

I don't feel bitter either, just stunned and very disappointed. It just goes to show the type of game we play, we can't afford to lose players during the game, and we need a little bit more experience, ie some older heads like MBoyd to steady the ship. Like Bevo said in his press conference, its a game of inches. Another goal here and there and the Saints would not have caught us.

[comrade]

I don't feel bitter either, just stunned and very disappointed. It just goes to show the type of game we play, we can't afford to lose players during the game, and we need a little bit more experience, ie some older heads like MBoyd to steady the ship. Like Bevo said in his press conference, its a game of inches. Another goal here and there and the Saints would not have caught us.

That's all fair enough.

[F'scary]

I'm feeling a little calmer this morning. We clearly ran out of legs in the second half. We persisted with our "mayhem" style of play when we should have looked to close the game down by playing down the line, lots of out of bounds, resetting after taking marks and playing the percentages with long kicks to position, employing a defensive flood, etc. Perhaps we were flattered by our halftime lead and didn't realise how gone we were in the legs at half time?

[BornInDroopSt'54]

The players may have been affected by fatigue but also the tragedy of Clay Smith, in the face of the team's Herculean efforts last week, as if even that supreme effort to raise the club's prospects were not enough to overcome ruthless Fate that cut Clay down three times and finished him off, despite him being the bravest of young warriors.
Psyches can work like this. I know mine did. It's just a feeling that plays in the back of the mind but is not terminal, although Clay's injury is.

[merantau]

Many have commented on why we lost this game: inexperience, injury and exhaustion featuring prominently. But football is a game of mistakes - misdirected kicks/handballs, choosing the wrong option, poorly-laid tackles, dropped marks, missed shots, failure to shepherd and the list goes on. When you give up a 55 pt lead there MUST have been a lot of mistakes made. If I were on the coaching panel, I'd go through the 2nd half with a fine tooth comb, sit each player down and go over their performance. I guess this is done anyway, but now is NOT the time for it. I would forget about this game until we get our mojo back - then do the analysis. Right now, I'm sure the players are bleeding - far more than us supporters. I'm sure this loss can be turned around and turned into a positive by this young group. NEVER AGAIN should we give up such a lead, no matter WHAT the circumstances. We can, and will, bounce back from this.

[Doc26]

As silly as it might sound, given that we got to a 55 point lead, there were danger signs from early on in this game, that were we to drop off in our endeavour we would be vulnerable, particularly if they could lift theirs further after half time. We gave their most damaging running players from early in this game too much space when going the other way.

They would too often cut through using the width of the ground to exploit our luck of defensive pressure and lack of leg speed. The likes of Stevens, Armitage, Billings, Montagna, even Dunstan simply got on top from our lack of defensive pressure, which is the bare minimum we, and all teams, must bring to every game.

I'm not as convinced that this was about physical conditioning but more in our mental conditioning to work hard enough defensively particularly when we see ourselves as the front runners. Taking out MBoyd and even Lin Jong, two of our hardest workers when going the other way magnified this current deficiency.

This gives the coaching staff and team something to address for the months ahead.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

You had to admire the Saints fight back with its 10 goal turn around in the second half. Our lack of run and experience was too obvious. Our midfield had minimal impact without Jong and Wallis plus the season loss of Liberatore. We had very few good players for 4 quarters with exceptions being Picken who was again outstanding and Easton Wood. Matthew Boyd was a huge out for us in particular with Robert Murphy struggling after half time. Young players such as Tom Boyd, Roberts Bontempelli Hrovat and Honeychurch simply showed their lack of experience when it counted most. This was an unfortunate let down after the fantastic win against the Sydney Swans but not entirely unexpected.

[Bulldog4life]

Only Gold Coast had a younger team than us this week and only because their squad is full of drunks :D

And even with wholesale changes, they still had 1 more player with over 100 games experience than us.

20 players under 100 games experience would have to be close to a record, even for the expansion teams who topped up with some older guys.

I'm going to sound like a broken record, but I don't understand or feel comfortable with all the fretting going on. History suggests we're no chance at finals, let alone a flag this year so take the good with the bad, and yeah demand improvement over the course of the season but don't get tied in knots when weird stuff happens.

Looking forward to playing the Dockers next week to see how we'll respond.

Keep it up comrade I am with you brother.

[Hotdog60]

We could of had a bigger lead if we didn't miss some easy shots on goal.

We could have had at least 18 more points in the kitty. But hey the first half was good to watch.

Let's see how we go against Freo this week. If we account for ourselves well then it's not all doom and gloom.

I'd go as far to say we may break Freo's run.

[LostDoggy]

It was all my fault as I tipped us for the first time this year!

[Ozza]

We were never going to win in that jumper! History suggests we were massively against the odds wearing a one off gimmick Guernsey!

[soupman]

We were never going to win in that jumper! History suggests we were massively against the odds wearing a one off gimmick Guernsey!

Hawthorn also suffered from the novelty jumper curse.

[1eyedog]

I don't feel bitter either, just stunned and very disappointed. It just goes to show the type of game we play, we can't afford to lose players during the game, and we need a little bit more experience, ie some older heads like MBoyd to steady the ship. Like Bevo said in his press conference, its a game of inches. Another goal here and there and the Saints would not have caught us.

Another goal here or there, the Aints missing one, Tom Boyd kicking one isn't / wasn't the difference. There are a million instances in a game that affect the end result, pressure acts, tackles at critical moments, umpires giving Crywoldt a 50 and him goaling for no reason. Football is a motion of sliding doors and there are a myriad of causalities that directly affect where we are when the final siren sounds.

[bornadog]

Another goal here or there, the Aints missing one, Tom Boyd kicking one isn't / wasn't the difference. There are a million instances in a game that affect the end result, pressure acts, tackles at critical moments, umpires giving Crywoldt a 50 and him goaling for no reason. Football is a motion of sliding doors and there are a myriad of causalities that directly affect where we are when the final siren sounds.

No you misunderstand or I didn't make it clear. When you are so far in front, if you can kick those couple more goals, it puts it out of the reach of the other club. We allowed too many goals in the third quarter and they had a sniff. We only kicked three in the second half, which wasn't good enough.

[1eyedog]

No you misunderstand or I didn't make it clear. When you are so far in front, if you can kick those couple more goals, it puts it out of the reach of the other club. We allowed too many goals in the third quarter and they had a sniff. We only kicked three in the second half, which wasn't good enough.

I agree and I understand what you were saying but how many is enough? We were 55 points up, which was surely enough (someone mentioned only three comebacks from so far back at half time in AFL history). I'm saying that rather than those 2 extra goals how about a few of our players actually touching some of the St. Kilda players / slowing the tempo of the game in the second half, then we wouldn't have needed to be 70-80 points up in order to win the game. There's more to winning than just being 12 goals up.

[bornadog]

I agree and I understand what you were saying but how many is enough? We were 55 points up, which was surely enough (someone mentioned only three comebacks from so far back at half time in AFL history). I'm saying that rather than those 2 extra goals how about a few of our players actually touching some of the St. Kilda players in the second half, then we wouldn't have needed to be 70-80 points up in order to win the game. There's more to winning than just being 12 goals up.

Yes agreed. I wonder if they took the foot off the pedal for the first 15 minutes of the third quarter?

[1eyedog]

Yes agreed. I wonder if they took the foot off the pedal for the first 15 minutes of the third quarter?

It was a bizarre second half for us and I have thought long about what happened. It must have been part that because we thought we'd done enough, part Clay going down and our attention focused elsewhere and, later on, part fatigue from the previous week. That coupled with three very good players in Boyd, Jong and Wallis out of our side. It seemed like we clicked again for the start of the last, probably following a spray, but after we kicked the first two and were 4 goals up we sat back again. Can't do that with any team in the AFL like we saw with Carlton yesterday.

[always right]

We were never going to win in that jumper! History suggests we were massively against the odds wearing a one off gimmick Guernsey!

I still don't know why were wearing that god awful jumper. Can someone enlighten me? Anyone? Bueller?

[bornadog]

I still don't know why were wearing that god awful jumper. Can someone enlighten me? Anyone? Bueller?

$$$$

[always right]

$$$$

As in merchandise sales?

[bornadog]

As in merchandise sales?

I think so, can't think of any other reason.

[soupman]

I think so, can't think of any other reason.

They should have come up with some better designs then if they actually wanted someone to buy them.

[bornadog]

They should have come up with some better designs then if they actually wanted someone to buy them.

They look awful on the ground, but ok for supporter jumpers.

[LostDoggy]

I deliberately stayed away from WOOF after watching that match, and I'm glad I did. I posted earlier about how this was a different group and we'd be fine. I was wrong but I was also right in a way: You could see the effort there, in the final quarter, we just had no more tickets to punch. Every time St Kilda gained possession they blazed away into open space and we just couldn't do the same. I'm not interested in the excuses but that doesn't mean they're not reasons. You can't accept them but you can't ignore them either.

So I guess how I feel is inextricably linked to how we play next week. Win or lose, if we at least push Freo with our "Men Of Mayhem" style then we can put this week down to youth — a loss of 4 points and some percentage but not much more. If we let it mess with our heads then we have indeed lost far more.

[LostDoggy]

They look awful on the ground, but ok for supporter jumpers.

My son got one and loves it. I guess they are trying to target the younger generations?

[Twodogs]

I deliberately stayed away from WOOF after watching that match, and I'm glad I did. I posted earlier about how this was a different group and we'd be fine. I was wrong but I was also right in a way: You could see the effort there, in the final quarter, we just had no more tickets to punch. Every time St Kilda gained possession they blazed away into open space and we just couldn't do the same. I'm not interested in the excuses but that doesn't mean they're not reasons. You can't accept them but you can't ignore them either.

So I guess how I feel is inextricably linked to how we play next week. Win or lose, if we at least push Freo with our "Men Of Mayhem" style then we can put this week down to youth — a loss of 4 points and some percentage but not much more. If we let it mess with our heads then we have indeed lost far more.

Exactly. I really hope this doesn't seep into the psyche of the players.

[SonofScray]

Exactly. I really hope this doesn't seep into the psyche of the players.

In round one and two Bevo and Murphy made comments which were a bit tingue in cheek, but deliberately brash, to paraphrase "there are 24 games to, one week at a time" very casually slipping in that we expected to make the Big one. I loved it. Extreme positive language and audaciousness. After the sydney game it was all cliche one week at a time, keep a lid on it stuff.

I liked the brash behaviour a lot better. Coupled with the style of play it brought footy back to life in a big way for me. Has to keep going.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I was dreading going to work today as i have two mates there who are both Saints supporters. I was expecting a razzing, but both said the same thing. Namely that they thought the game would be a positive lesson in the development of both clubs. For the Dogs the first half represented the talent of the Dogs whilst the second half highlighted how much more development they have left to build their bodies to suit the rigours of a 22 week AFL schedule.

[Maddog37]

Where were the dancing mascots???????

[Twodogs]

Where were the dancing mascots???????

The dog pack or whatever it is? Were they not there?

[Remi Moses]

I was dreading going to work today as i have two mates there who are both Saints supporters. I was expecting a razzing, but both said the same thing. Namely that they thought the game would be a positive lesson in the development of both clubs. For the Dogs the first half represented the talent of the Dogs whilst the second half highlighted how much more development they have left to build their bodies to suit the rigours of a 22 week AFL schedule.

I work with a pragmatic Saints fan as well who said the same thing .
Also commented on some animosity between our sets of fans, and said he'd seen and heard a lot of Stkilda supporters sticking it to us after the 09 PF. I ventured over to BF and noticed their supporters being their usual prick selves .

[KT31]

I work with a pragmatic Saints fan as well who said the same thing .
Also commented on some animosity between our sets of fans, and said he'd seen and heard a lot of Stkilda supporters sticking it to us after the 09 PF. I ventured over to BF and noticed their supporters being their usual prick selves .

Wish I was as fortunate, I had to put up with a couple of light jibes and then one real imbecile.
Unlucky for me we were all in the change room after our game and some bright spark put it on their iphone.
Brushed most comments of it aside but did pull out the old, "buy a membership you flog" and "only knowing he was a Saints supporter when they win."

[bornadog]

Where were the dancing mascots???????

Before the game they appeared.