Three Things I've Learned - Round 8 Edition

[Eastdog]

Once the Round 8 match against Melbourne is completed, let us know the three things you learned after watching the match.

Be constructive but be honest.

[GVGjr]

Bump

[bulldogtragic]

I haven't learned it this week, but Cordy is not working.

1. This is an embarrassing game/result.
2. Crameri has had a very average year, this game in particularly.
3. Bonts looks a little tired.

[ledge]

Stop playing players of the class of Macrae and Hrovat at VFL level!
Stop playing Cordy and injured players like Jong in the AFL
Why play Goodes he is a rookie for when we have injuries in his position .. We don't.

[FrediKanoute]

1. We cannot live up to the hype;
2. Increasingly it looks like we got the jump on sides earlier in the year and they are starting to figure us out;
3. The pressure game relies on getting numbers to a contest, which requires speed and agility, guys like Goodes just don't fit that profile.

[Jasper]

1. We won't play finals this year.
2. We have a Richmond like habit of losing the games we should win.
3. We don't play well at the MCG (lack of opportunities doesn't help)

[lemmon]

1. Roughy could be a damn good AFL ruck
2. Our skills still aren't where they should be
3. Dahl is in our top 3 players

[Ghost Dog]

1. Season fatigue has set in.
2. Early days. Keep a lid on our wins, don't get too down about losses.
3. Leadership group needs to step up. Our tackling has been good but today we were outdone.

[AndrewP6]

1. We're not as good as the first month led some to believe. That includes the coaching group.
2. Shane Biggs isn't going to help us this year.
3. If season fatigue has set in 7 rounds in, it will be another long year.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

1. For all our pressure and effort work in the offseason we still cannot move the ball consistently well to favour our forwards. Even with our wins this year we still do not get enough goals relative to the opportunities we generate.
2. In consecutive weeks when teams have got ascendancy at stoppages we've tried to stem the damage by hiding Cordy elsewhere. That cannot be sustainable. Cordy either holds his own as a 1st ruck or he doesn't play.
3. I thought in our win over Sydney our guys had shown they had moved beyond fragility when pressure was on. Today we reverted to type and when Melbourne got on top the group as a collective did not work harder and started playing the type of 'me first' mentality that is visible by guys just not working hard off the ball or just slamming boot or hand to ball just to avoid being the guy caught with the ball.

[Greystache]

1. If our plan is to concede stoppages with the view to kicking a winning score from turnovers then we won't be seeing too many more wins this season.

2. In the past 3 weeks we've been powerless to stop 2 of the worst teams we'll face this year.

3. Cordy will be in the team for the rest of the season barring injury.

[Remi Moses]

1. Melbourne went one on one and we couldn't respond.
2. I'm afraid the Cordy experiment isn't working. He plays from behind to often
3. Today was totally unacceptable. I can take the young group argument, but the effort was sub standard

[Remi Moses]

1. We're not as good as the first month led some to believe. That includes the coaching group.
2. Shane Biggs isn't going to help us this year.
3. If season fatigue has set in 7 rounds in, it will be another long year.

Season fatigue was always going to set in, but it's just a bit earlier than we'd like.

[whythelongface]

1. I thought we were better than that. But we are not.
2. I think the players think that they are better than they actually are, and think wins against 'lower' rated opponents will come easier. But of course they don't.
3. I think the coaching staff are starting to realise some of the players aren't as good as they thought they were, however they have given some of these players significant game time to prove otherwise. The reality has sunk in that there are still some huge gaps on our list.

4. Gee we miss Libba (not something that we didn't already know).

[hujsh]

3. Cordy will be in the team for the rest of the season barring injury.

hooray...

[LostDoggy]

1. I should never tip the dogs
2. Learnt last week reinforced this week Lin Jong should not be playing with a sore hand.
3. We play better against interstate teams

[Sedat]

2. Crameri has had a very average year, this game in particularly.
He has stunk it up the last couple of weeks - playing like someone who has an awful lot on his mind away from the ground.

[bulldogtragic]

He has stunk it up the last couple of weeks - playing like someone who has an awful lot on his mind away from the ground.

He didn't need to. The club and lawyers had a slap on wrist ready to take. I'm sure WADA would take a star witness for the same slap on the wrist. Come back after the bye and never ever think about sanctions over it ever again...

[The Bulldogs Bite]

He has stunk it up the last couple of weeks - playing like someone who has an awful lot on his mind away from the ground.

Fair point - easy to forget about that as a supporter, but it must be difficult. He's certainly struggling on field.

1. We are still an average side. I thought we'd turned the corner after our win v Sydney, and you can use the excuse that we're young - it is a valid to a degree - but whatever way you spin it we're a long way from being considered a quality football side.

2. Our midfield is a huge weakness. We rely so heavily on Bonti, a second year player. We need to go hard for Dangerfield or Shiel, and if all else fails, use our first pick on a skillful gun mid who can win ball.

3. Roberts may develop into a good player. Still undecided, but thought he showed some nice signs today with a couple of big grabs and some solid spoiling.

[jeemak]

He didn't need to. The club and lawyers had a slap on wrist ready to take. I'm sure WADA would take a star witness for the same slap on the wrist. Come back after the bye and never ever think about sanctions over it ever again...

On the one hand I get it, but on the other I fear that being the only player to come clean he'd be forever tarnished when the dust settles and WADA still can't get a result. For me it's too risky.

To be honest, if he wasn't so left side oriented he'd have been a lot more serviceable than he was today.

[jeemak]

1. A midfield without Liberatore, plus the players lost over the off season will struggle against a committed team when it doesn't show up to play

2. Significant numbers crowding our half forward line hampers our ability to run the ball out and play the free flowing offensive football we can play when things are going well. When we get strangled we can barely breath, and we don't have the strong bodies, experience and class to fight through it. This week's game saw a team go out to specifically target this, and it's probably something we'll see from the lesser lights more so than what we'll see against the top teams who pretty much play us against on merit and beat us through sheer talent and system

3. We are still mentally fragile, and still prone to doing the things that saw us finishing bottom four these past seasons. Crowding the receiver and not zoning off, easing up on our run and being reactive, and not working hard enough to protect or run hard for each other are issues we need to iron out immediately

[1eyedog]

He has stunk it up the last couple of weeks - playing like someone who has an awful lot on his mind away from the ground.

True. Essenson thumped Brisbane yesterday . Brisbane would have beat us based on yesterday's performance. I guess it affects everyone differently.

[LostDoggy]

1. We need more help for Bonts in the midfield, Macrae would have been perfect yesterday.......
2. This the the 3rd week we have given up goals because all of the players have jumped at a contest and the opposition have scored out the back
3. We don't have a go to player yet who can turn things around when the chips are down and take the team on their shoulders

[KT31]

1.Minson is as frustrated as me with the selectors and our lack of playing a ruckman in the seniors.
2.Honey moon period is over and if we keep putting in insipid performances the footy world will once again turn on us and rate us as irrelevant.
3.Bevo is capable of coaching the same as Macca and have us play the ugliest of football.

[bornadog]

3.Bevo is capable of coaching the same as Macca and have us play the ugliest of football.

I think the ugly football was the tactics used by Roos and we just couldn't find a way to play our style. Don't forget he used these tactics at Sydney where Demitriou labelled them the ugliest in the AFL.

[LostDoggy]

*Lukey D is not a downhill skier, consistently in our best 5

*Our Footscray side may be on track for consecutive flags

*Bev will stick to his guns regardless of scrutiny (happily back him to know 10x more than media or forum posters for that matter)

[LostDoggy]

3. Players continually dont honour Stevens lead
2. We give up a goal in the first minute of the game each week
1. Wood is an A grader

[Maddog37]

1 Opposition teams have worked us out.

2 Football is still and always will be 99% in the head.

3 I am happy with the season to date as the coach is still heavily experimenting.

[Templeton31]

1. Lin Jongs hand is not right and as a consequence he was no help.
2. We need to play more than 1 tall fwd. Especially on the MCG. Too much ground for just T Boyd to cover especially when opposition has 2-3 tall guys covering the CHB area. Amplified by Stringer being out of touch and Crameri being played midfield.
3. Time for some changes to team. Jong Goodes (both injured) Hunter and possibly, gulp, Stringer could all be replaced by guys going well in the twos - Grant Redpath Hrovat for starters.

[Bulldog4life]

1. Watching the replay saw Macca smiling like a Cheshire cat. Don't blame him.

2. With a number of Woofers expecting us to finish bottom 4 prior to the start of the season results like this shouldn't be unexpected.

3. Looking at a minimum of 4 changes this work in my opinion.

[LostDoggy]

1. My rule of not posting on WOOF for two days once I've exceeded my profanity quota during a game is paying dividends.
2. Crossy really enjoyed beating us, and I'll happily accept that as a good thing, a compliment to us that he plays his best against us. Bloke's as hard as they come.
3. Umm, I don't know… Jeremy Howe can take a mark…


1. We won't play finals this year.
2. We have a Richmond like habit of losing the games we should win.
3. We don't play well at the MCG (lack of opportunities doesn't help)

Going into this match we'd won 3 of the past 5 games at the 'G, and lost one of the remaining 2 by merely 3 points.

[KT31]

1. Watching the replay saw Macca smiling like a Cheshire cat. Don't blame him.

If true it says a fair bit about his character and another good reason not to have him at the Dogs anymore.

[Bulldog Joe]

If true it says a fair bit about his character and another good reason not to have him at the Dogs anymore.

You do know that he is now on Melbourne's coaching staff.

He would have every right to be smiling about the development of Melbourne's youngsters since he was appointed to assist in that area.

[KT31]

You do know that he is now on Melbourne's coaching staff.

He would have every right to be smiling about the development of Melbourne's youngsters since he was appointed to assist in that area.

I do realise he is not now with our club and is with the Dee's, but I find it ordinary for him taking pleasure in the failings of a group of kids he mentored and coached for over three years.
I will take it for what it hopefully was and not something more sinister like hoping our club and kids will fall into a big hole because he is no longer at the helm.

[Bulldog Joe]

I do realise he is not now with our club and is with the Dee's, but I find it ordinary for him taking pleasure in the failings of a group of kids he mentored and coached for over three years.
I will take it for what it hopefully was and not something more sinister like hoping our club and kids will fall into a big hole because he is no longer at the helm.

Surely he was taking pleasure in the performance of the kids he is working with now.
Why would it need to be anything else?

[Sedat]

I will take it for what it hopefully was and not something more sinister like hoping our club and kids will fall into a big hole because he is no longer at the helm.
How can you fall into a big hole when you were already inside one? ;)

[KT31]

Surely he was taking pleasure in the performance of the kids he is working with now.
Why would it need to be anything else?

And as said I will take it for what it hopefully was and nothing more.

[always right]

Wow....we have become a little precious on the back of a disappointing performance. Now we are trying to read an opposition coach's mind.

[Jeanette54]

1. Stop penalising the team by sending top 22 players back to the twos to learn whatever lesson you want to teach them. I am sure that Macrae, Hrovat and Big Will can learn equally well in the ones, and be better contributors than their replacements.
2. Libba is much more important to our midfield than even his most ardent supporters think.
3. Surely it is time that Redpath and Campbell had a chance to show their wares at senior level. I am sure Redpath would have cleared a bit of personal space in our crowded forward line against the Dees.
3.5 (well I can't have four) We are not doing Lin Jong or the team any favours by playing him injured. No doubt his form is suffering, so give him a chance to heal so we can see him play with his customary spirit again.

[hujsh]

1. Stop penalising the team by sending top 22 players back to the twos to learn whatever lesson you want to teach them. I am sure that Macrae, Hrovat and Big Will can learn equally well in the ones, and be better contributors than their replacements.

I disagree. We aren't winning a GF this year so while we want to win every game possible we still need to be doing everything we can to make sure we're premiership contenders for a good 3-7 years. If we lose a game or two now to make sure players like Macrae are superior footballers in the long run then who cares that we lost to Melbourne in 2015.

[bornadog]

I disagree. We aren't winning a GF this year so while we want to win every game possible we still need to be doing everything we can to make sure we're premiership contenders for a good 3-7 years. If we lose a game or two now to make sure players like Macrae are superior footballers in the long run then who cares that we lost to Melbourne in 2015.

I will go one better, play the players in form as part of the best 22.

[Eastdog]

1. That young sides like us a bound to have bad patches of footy.
2. That we don't play 4 quarters consistently enough and need to try and rectify this.
3. That there are some players in our team that aren't up to it - Cordy, Goodes etc.

[boydogs]

I disagree. We aren't winning a GF this year so while we want to win every game possible we still need to be doing everything we can to make sure we're premiership contenders for a good 3-7 years. If we lose a game or two now to make sure players like Macrae are superior footballers in the long run then who cares that we lost to Melbourne in 2015.

So play the kids in the AFL to fast track them, not Brett Goodes over Nathan Hrovat and Jack Macrae

Goodes was handy and justified his rookie selection when Libba, Smith, Stevens, Hunter, Wallis, Hrovat were all out, but after that he just made us slower and created a gap in our defensive pressure

[hujsh]

So play the kids in the AFL to fast track them, not Brett Goodes over Nathan Hrovat and Jack Macrae

Goodes was handy and justified his rookie selection when Libba, Smith, Stevens, Hunter, Wallis, Hrovat were all out, but after that he just made us slower and created a gap in our defensive pressure

I didn't love having Goodes in the team and personally wouldn't have picked him but I disagree young players should get games just because they're young, ahead of the older guys. We still need to try and win and ensure developing players earn their spots.

In the case of Macrae it appears he was sent to VFL to fix specific issues with his game. I'm fine with that. Let's face it he'll get plenty of game time this year and he's well and truly AFL standard in most respects so there's a limit to how much he'll be 'fast-tracked' by getting AFL games when he's not performing

[LostDoggy]

I didn't love having Goodes in the team and personally wouldn't have picked him but I disagree young players should get games just because they're young, ahead of the older guys. We still need to try and win and ensure developing players earn their spots.

In the case of Macrae it appears he was sent to VFL to fix specific issues with his game. I'm fine with that. Let's face it he'll get plenty of game time this year and he's well and truly AFL standard in most respects so there's a limit to how much he'll be 'fast-tracked' by getting AFL games when he's not performing
Liam Jones says hello. Don't get in the habit of gifting games.

[boydogs]

In the case of Macrae it appears he was sent to VFL to fix specific issues with his game. I'm fine with that. Let's face it he'll get plenty of game time this year and he's well and truly AFL standard in most respects so there's a limit to how much he'll be 'fast-tracked' by getting AFL games when he's not performing

Macrae was told to work on his defensive pressure. That's fine. But how is he going to get more practice at that in a 150 point win in the VFL than in the AFL?

Defensive pressure is hardest to carry out when you're tired from a hard fought contest at AFL level

[Bullies]

Macrae was told to work on his defensive pressure. That's fine. But how is he going to get more practice at that in a 150 point win in the VFL than in the AFL?

Defensive pressure is hardest to carry out when you're tired from a hard fought contest at AFL level

Macrae will be back a better player. He was also low on confidence and playing well in the twos will give him the confidence he needs.

[hujsh]

Macrae was told to work on his defensive pressure. That's fine. But how is he going to get more practice at that in a 150 point win in the VFL than in the AFL?


Do you know that's all he was told to work on? Maybe he had to work on kicking around the corner less, something that might be easier to work on at first at VFL level, to at least get out of a bad habit. It also sends a message that the team doesn't carry any player who won't do their part defensively to Macrae and others.

[bornadog]

Do you know that's all he was told to work on? Maybe he had to work on kicking around the corner less, something that might be easier to work on at first at VFL level, to at least get out of a bad habit. It also sends a message that the team doesn't carry any player who won't do their part defensively to Macrae and others.

Yes he was told to improve his kicking.