Three Things I've Learned - Round 16 Edition

[Eastdog]

Once the Round 16 match against Geelong is completed, let us know the three things you learned after watching the match.

Be constructive but be honest.

[GVGjr]

I think we are learning more about this young list each game.

[bulldogtragic]

1. We can be seriously rubbish when we want.
2. Stringer needs to start doing basic things right if he wants to fulfill his potential.
3. Roughead was personally embarrassed today and should be dropped or moved to ruck.

[bornadog]

1. I was right with my thoughts when I picked us to lose this round.
2. Convinced now Roughy is not a backman.
3. Geelong just has our measure - We have beaten them only 7 out of the last 21 games

[AndrewP6]

1. IF, by some some stroke of fortune, we make finals this year, we will only be making up the numbers.
2. The umpires don't give a stuff about the game, they have calls in t their minds pregame and no matter what, they're going to make them.
3. We need more, or different coaches for the forwards.

[Mantis]

1. IF, by some some stroke of fortune, we make finals this year, we will only be making up the numbers.
2. The umpires don't give a stuff about the game, they have calls in t their minds pregame and no matter what, they're going to make them.
3. We need more, or different coaches for the forwards.

Are you expecting a premiership?

[Twodogs]

1. I shouldn't be this worried watching a professional footballer taking a set sgot for goal
2. We really do need another quality key defender.
3. We also need some speed in the midfield. A players who can carry the ball away from contests.

[AndrewP6]

Are you expecting a premiership?

No, who said I was? Just an observation that we have a long way to go.

[Mantis]

1. I shouldn't be this worried watching a professional footballer taking a set sgot for goal
2. We really do need another quality key defender.
3. We also need some speed in the midfield. A players who can carry the ball away from contests.

Would this opinion change if Roberts & Hamling were in the line-up and not on the sidelines due to injury?

[Mantis]

No, who said I was? Just an observation that we have a long way to go.

No shit... We are miles ahead of where we thought we would be at the start of the year... If we sneak a final (or 2) it would be great for our development.

[Remi Moses]

No, who said I was? Just an observation that we have a long way to go.

Surely coming from the bottom, and expected to finish near bottom Making up the numbers is a silly comment

[kruder]

1. Roughead might be ruckman but it's finally been confirmed he is no backman or forward.
2. Josh Prudden is not an AFL player.
3. Caleb Daniel is absolutely AFL standard and he cleanness around the contest and ball retention is first class.

[kruder]

1. Roughead might be ruckman but it's finally been confirmed he is no backman or forward.
2. Josh Prudden is not an AFL player.
3. Caleb Daniel is absolutely AFL standard and he cleanness around the contest and ball retention is first class.

Point 4. I'd go for another midfield who can spread well from the contest rather then pay 750K for Jake Carlise.

[AndrewP6]

Surely coming from the bottom, and expected to finish near bottom Making up the numbers is a silly comment

No, that's not right. If I'd said "I expected us to go deep into September" that would've been silly. Making up the numbers is not silly, it is simply reality. It means we (might) make it but get knocked out straight away. That would be a monumental improvement on the Last three years.

[Dogs 24/7]

1 - Winning ugly is not necessarily a sign of a good team, ugly football is ugly football win, lose or draw. We played ugly for the 3rd week.
2 - Our chances of hitting wall for the balance of the season is higher than I thought.
3 - There are a number of positives in terms of player development but there are more than I thought that have slipped backwards.

[Dogs 24/7]

1. IF, by some some stroke of fortune, we make finals this year, we will only be making up the numbers.


Mantis is right, if you didnt know that before today you were kidding yourself.

[always right]

The level of criticism of Roughy after one poor game is laughable.
We seriously need a midfielder who can break the game open
Redpath must be sick of leading at the ball carrier

[Twodogs]

Would this opinion change if Roberts & Hamling were in the line-up and not on the sidelines due to injury?

No. I'm meaning the squad needs an extra quality KP for cover. I know we won't lose two each week but one injured/out of form/no match up seems to arise most weeks and you really need two defenders on the ground each week.

[soupman]

Why is everyone saying Roughead isn't a backman based on one poor game, but the same doesn't apply after he has been indifferent in the ruck for multiple weeks?

Yeah he was shit in defence today but it isn't like we are robbing ourselves of a dominant in form ruckman to put him there.

[Bulldog4life]

Why is everyone saying Roughead isn't a backman based on one poor game, but the same doesn't apply after he has been indifferent in the ruck for multiple weeks?

Yeah he was shit in defence today but it isn't like we are robbing ourselves of a dominant in form ruckman to put him there.

I was more disappointed that the Club didn't leave Talia in

[comrade]

Roughead was average but everyone was afraid his direct opponent (Hawkins) would tear us apart. Yeah, he kicked 3 but one was a Joe the Goose.

Not sure why everyone is so anxious. Plus, he's a ruck man.

[Bulldog4life]

Roughead was average but everyone was afraid his direct opponent (Hawkins) would tear us apart. Yeah, he kicked 3 but one was a Joe the Goose.

Not sure why everyone is so anxious. Plus, he's a ruck man.

That's the answer

[Smads57]

We missed Koby Stevens hardness around the ball
Our overall performance is diminished if our half back line is limited with their run and carry
Although we lost the game in a most disappointing manner, I'm still bullish about our football teams future

[ReLoad]

1. Part of a young list, add 50 games to every young kid today and there is no way we would get the same result.
2. our forward line teases so much yet is the youngest part of our team.
3. I dunno whats up with Disco Stu, but he is half the player he has been the last 2 years.

[GVGjr]

Roughead was average but everyone was afraid his direct opponent (Hawkins) would tear us apart. Yeah, he kicked 3 but one was a Joe the Goose.

Not sure why everyone is so anxious. Plus, he's a ruck man.

I think we learned today that many people are impatient. I'd still prefer to see him as a defender because I think rucking increases the injury risk with him. I'd like to see him have a couple of short term bursts as a ruckman but I'm not convinced he can be the #1 ruck week after week.

[always right]

Beveridge has shown this year that he will select players for needs and for match ups. It's why there have been games where he has played Roughy in the ruck because he has been satisfied with our defensive match ups. Today he played Roughy full back because we had no one else with the size to play on Hawkins. And whilst Roughy was poor in general play, Hawkins was never a major influence.

Next week I imagine he takes the resting ruckman as it looks like Cloke will be out. I expect the coach will give Campbell another game.

[Jeanette54]

Once again we allowed the opposition to clear centre bounces with putting sufficient pressure on the ball carrier. Whether we win the knockout or not isn't so important if we don't allow the opposition free passage.

I guess this is one area that Koby was really missed.

[boydogs]

I guess this is one area that Koby was really missed.

Yep, very concerning downturn in the middle the last two weeks without him. Hope he can get back but fractured heel doesn't sound good

[Remi Moses]

1) the loss of Koby really hurt, as we were slaughtered in the contest
2) football really is now a game of taking your chances when on top .
3)We should have had someone run with Caddy

[Scorlibo]

Mantis is right, if you didnt know that before today you were kidding yourself.

I refuse to believe that any side that makes the 8 in this now competitive 18 team competition is 'just making up the numbers'. Teams won't make the 8 this year by accident, any team that makes the eight will have the ability to beat good teams in big games. Surely last year's finals series proves that to be the case.

[Twodogs]

1. Part of a young list, add 50 games to every young kid today and there is no way we would get the same result.
2. our forward line teases so much yet is the youngest part of our team.
3. I dunno whats up with Disco Stu, but he is half the player he has been the last 2 years.

50 games ago we would have been beaten by 12 goals in a game like that and everyone was saying " wait 2 years and those games will be a lot closer" "it will be ugly but we'll be able to go defensive, keep it close and maybe pinch it". Well we did. We dint pinch it yesterday but we did in the two games beforehand. In 50 games time we'll be beating teams like that by 12 goals.

We're on track.

[LostDoggy]

1- Despite leading the competition for tackles we never seem to be rewarded. We must rank very low for total free kicks this year.

2 - Matty Boyd needs to stop reading articles that say he's the best kick in the game. Didn't have many kicks today but when he did he went for way too much.

3 - Roughy is playing with no confidence. Dropped marks, inability to get a fist in. Worst I've seen him play.

[westbulldog]

1. Too much negativity when it was only an 8 point loss, without the Redpath miss and the Grant turnover we win, give the kids some slack.
2. We will play finals and we deserve to.
3. Caleb Daniel has made the grade.

[merantau]

Thanks for posting. I put my hand up - guilty as charged. Must remember: they are, for the most part, a bunch of young kids and we have to be patient. In my defence I can only plead that, at times, patience is not my long suit. But next year I celebrate 60 years as a supporter so, with permission, I'm cutting myself a bit a slack too!

[westdog54]

1. Too much negativity when it was only an 8 point loss, without the Redpath miss and the Grant turnover we win, give the kids some slack.
2. We will play finals and we deserve to.
3. Caleb Daniel has made the grade.

If anything winnable games are the worst, particularly when we dominated as we did in the 3rd and couldn't capitalise.

I still think we'll make finals, but I don't believe we'll "make up the numbers".

The biggest problem is that West Coast, Hawthorn and Fremantle are so far ahead of everyone else its not funny.

[Mantis]

The biggest problem is that West Coast, Hawthorn and Fremantle are so far ahead of everyone else its not funny.

Agree with the Hawthorn call, but not sure on the other 2.. Especially Freo who struggling.

[whythelongface]

Agree with the Hawthorn call, but not sure on the other 2.. Especially Freo who struggling.

Agree. It is Hawthorn and then the rest.

[Eastdog]

If anything winnable games are the worst, particularly when we dominated as we did in the 3rd and couldn't capitalise.

I still think we'll make finals, but I don't believe we'll "make up the numbers".

The biggest problem is that West Coast, Hawthorn and Fremantle are so far ahead of everyone else its not funny.

Now looking back the West Coast win in Round 1 was a very good win. Nearly beat Freo but unfortunately we lost by a lot against Hawthorn. Beat the Swans who were last years grand finalists.

[Happy Days]

1. Our forward line is not reliable enough to kick consistent scores and too dependant on heroic freak goals

2. Koby Stevens is incredibly important to our side and a genuine gun

3. The red kit needs a bullet in it

[Eastdog]

3. The red kit needs a bullet in it

Yep I have the same attitude towards it as well.

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

It's cursed have we ever won wearing it?

[bornadog]

It's cursed have we ever won wearing it?

I couldn't work out who was who sometimes, in that colour

[Mantis]

1. Our forward line is not reliable enough to kick consistent scores and too dependant on heroic freak goals



Our forward line would function a whole lot better if we didn't miss quite simple set shots.. The misses by Redpath, Stringer and to a lesser extent Grant are inexcusable.

[Ozza]

Quite ridiculous that people would think that one off game for Roughead is definitive proof that he isn't a backman.

I don't think he played well, he was uncharacteristically pretty ordinary in the air...but then again, I was only watching on tv, and without being at the game - have no idea how many times off-camera Roughead's defensive work meant that the cats couldn't go to Hawkins.

[Ozza]

1. At 16.1 for set shots this season, Dickson really shows us how its done inside 50. He is also the equal of any player we have in a one on one marking contest against a similar sized opponent.

2. Barring Mitch Wallis' attack on the contested ball, we aren't absolutely ferocious and ruthless enough in the midfield at the moment.

3. Luke Dahlhaus and Jackson Macrae have both been able to work through some small flat patches in their season, and are doing everything they can to help us win games of footy right now.

[Hot_Doggies]

1. Our forward line is not reliable enough to kick consistent scores and too dependant on heroic freak goals

2. Koby Stevens is incredibly important to our side and a genuine gun

3. The red kit needs a bullet in it

A genuine gun??

Good solid AFL player might be closer...

[Happy Days]

Our forward line would function a whole lot better if we didn't miss quite simple set shots.. The misses by Redpath, Stringer and to a lesser extent Grant are inexcusable.

Kind of what I said?

[Mofra]

Would this opinion change if Roberts & Hamling were in the line-up and not on the sidelines due to injury?
I think relying on the two of them is a big risk - I'd love more depth in KPD posts. Roberts has never played a full senior football season at any level, misses games every year due injury.
I like Hammers - I think he will make it - but not sure he is a genuine no 2 defender as yet.

[Mofra]

1. Too much negativity when it was only an 8 point loss, without the Redpath miss and the Grant turnover we win, give the kids some slack.
Our expectations are higher. Good, I like that.
Even with kids I hate the near enough is good enough" mentality. The players hate losing.

[westbulldog]

But next year I celebrate 60 years as a supporter so, with permission, I'm cutting myself a bit a slack too!

Well said merantau, we are of the same vintage, may there be many more bulldog years ! :)

[1eyedog]

If anything winnable games are the worst, particularly when we dominated as we did in the 3rd and couldn't capitalise.

I still think we'll make finals, but I don't believe we'll "make up the numbers".

The biggest problem is that West Coast, Hawthorn and Fremantle are so far ahead of everyone else its not funny.

When it counts at the MCG the Hawks are so far in front of WC and Freo its not funny.

1. The slog and ultimate euphoria of the win in Cairns took it out of our young list

2. Redpath has his leading patterns right. This takes time to learn and because he has learnt them he provides a good leading option up forward and should stay in.

3. I thought our ability to stay in the contest through sheer will (Read Wally and Dahl) was really pleasing. No more capitulations. Our biggest test of the second half of the year comes this week.

[mjp]

I am not going to go 1-2-3 but here goes:

- Starting the 3rd q with both Redpath and Boyd on the bench was a really, really good idea. We got some repeat entries and should have put ourselves in a dominant position in q3.

- Starting the 3rd q with both Redpath and Boyd on the bench was a really, really DUMB idea. We got some repeat entries but at one point in time we had 18 entries for 2 goals whilst Geelong had 3 entries for 3-goals.

Why did we go from playing two talls which wasn't working to playing NO talls (and why does it keep trying to auto-correct talls with 'balls') which wasn't working either. Couldn't we have just gone with a one-tall, five small, 2-in / 4-out setup and at least give ourselves a chance of kicking a goal?

[boydogs]

2. Barring Mitch Wallis' attack on the contested ball, we aren't absolutely ferocious and ruthless enough in the midfield at the moment.

We've got too many out now :(

[merantau]

But next year I celebrate 60 years as a supporter so, with permission, I'm cutting myself a bit a slack too!

Well said merantau, we are of the same vintage, may there be many more bulldog years ! :)
I'm banking on another 34 at least. When we both make it I'll buy you a beer or three!

[GVGjr]

Our forward line would function a whole lot better if we didn't miss quite simple set shots.. The misses by Redpath, Stringer and to a lesser extent Grant are inexcusable.

Agreed, Dickson aside we don't get great returns.
Grant is almost at the point where he should play on at all times expect if the siren goes.

[Twodogs]

Our expectations are higher. Good, I like that.
Even with kids I hate the near enough is good enough" mentality. The players hate losing.

I'm not overly keen either.


Agreed, Dickson aside we don't get great returns.
Grant is almost at the point where he should play on at all times expect if the siren goes.

Ive seen him at training walk around the arc of the 50 taking set shots every ten metres. Drilled all of them. How can't he convert simple set shots like that.

[LostDoggy]

Just an observation, in Q3 and Q4 when kicking towards the shaded area it was very hard to distinguish Geelong players in that dark Guernsey and we often seemed to kick it straight to them. I don' think the players were aware they were there half of the time!

[Murphy'sLore]

Geelong in camouflage, Bulldogs playing in red… surely it doesn't help with those automatic reactions? Surely on some level the players are conditioned to look for the royal blue, it must just take a split second to adjust to looking for red? Or is that ridiculous?

(Never played team sport, happy to be corrected.)

[1eyedog]

I think relying on the two of them is a big risk - I'd love more depth in KPD posts. Roberts has never played a full senior football season at any level, misses games every year due injury.
I like Hammers - I think he will make it - but not sure he is a genuine no 2 defender as yet.

Agreed. I think he is suited to the Ryan Hargrave 3rd defender role, albeit a tall one.

I would also like to bolster our key back stocks. I have doubts on Talia making it, Roberts is injury prone and I just don't think Roughie is a full back.

[Twodogs]

Geelong in camouflage, Bulldogs playing in red… surely it doesn't help with those automatic reactions? Surely on some level the players are conditioned to look for the royal blue, it must just take a split second to adjust to looking for red? Or is that ridiculous?

(Never played team sport, happy to be corrected.)


You tend to go by short colours in close and jumper colour long. I did anyway.

[Ozza]

Geelong in camouflage, Bulldogs playing in red… surely it doesn't help with those automatic reactions? Surely on some level the players are conditioned to look for the royal blue, it must just take a split second to adjust to looking for red? Or is that ridiculous?

(Never played team sport, happy to be corrected.)

I don't really know what the right answer to that question is, however, an anectdote from when I played a significantly lower/slower version of footy!:

I played for a side who wore green and gold, and one day the opposition we were playing were also green and gold. I asked our team manager whether the opposition would be wearing a clash strip and he laughed. "What for, you don't clash!"....'Well, we're both wearing green and gold!'..."They've got white shorts, you've got green. You know our blokes, you don't know them...there's no drama!".

Sure enough...when playing, I never thought about a clash once and didn't think it was an issue out there. The mind works pretty quickly and adjusts quickly. So all these clash jumpers, after teams haven't clashed for 100 years prior - I don't really think its for the players - its for the spectators.

[1eyedog]

I might sound a bit Sam Newmanish here but we've been playing Geelong since 1925 and there hasn't been a problem with the two guernseys until recently. In all my years of going to watch these two teams (and I was born and raised in Geelong so saw all our away matches down there), I have never had to stop and look twice to determine which player was ours. It must be said that I haven't been under any pressure as a spectator other than juggling four beers back to my standing position and my differentiating between the two has never had the repercussion of turning the ball over to the opposition.

Still, in all my time I can't remember a time when we have blatantly kicked the ball to a Geelong bloke because our guernseys clashed, blue, white, red or otherwise. I don't think the umpires have a hard time of it either, except for that time when that stupid umpire in our Prelim match against Geelong mistook Max Rooke for a Bulldogs player who had just poleaxed Brad Johnson on the half back flank, to which Rooke subsequently goaled thereby snuffing out a Grand Final berth...

For those that missed the night when the umpires mistook Max Rooke for a Bulldog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FAx5j30zVk

[Sedat]

For those that missed the night when the umpires mistook Max Rooke for a Bulldog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FAx5j30zVk
Thanks 1eyedog, really needed to see that again!

[1eyedog]

Sorry Sedat, I haven't got over it yet and think of it often. My therapist said that talking about my Bulldog-related problems will help.

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

My eyes my eyes

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Geelong in camouflage, Bulldogs playing in red… surely it doesn't help with those automatic reactions? Surely on some level the players are conditioned to look for the royal blue, it must just take a split second to adjust to looking for red? Or is that ridiculous?

(Never played team sport, happy to be corrected.)

You will find that this is a ruling by the AFL to suit the television audiences, which I struggle with given some of the ridiculous choice of jumpers.

[merantau]

I might sound a bit Sam Newmanish here but we've been playing Geelong since 1925 and there hasn't been a problem with the two guernseys until recently. In all my years of going to watch these two teams (and I was born and raised in Geelong so saw all our away matches down there), I have never had to stop and look twice to determine which player was ours. It must be said that I haven't been under any pressure as a spectator other than juggling four beers back to my standing position and my differentiating between the two has never had the repercussion of turning the ball over to the opposition.

Still, in all my time I can't remember a time when we have blatantly kicked the ball to a Geelong bloke because our guernseys clashed, blue, white, red or otherwise. I don't think the umpires have a hard time of it either, except for that time when that stupid umpire in our Prelim match against Geelong mistook Max Rooke for a Bulldogs player who had just poleaxed Brad Johnson on the half back flank, to which Rooke subsequently goaled thereby snuffing out a Grand Final berth...

For those that missed the night when the umpires mistook Max Rooke for a Bulldog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FAx5j30zVk

Thanks for posting. A bitter memory. As for the commentators!!! Max Rooke - the first player to have eyes IN THE BACK OF HIS HEAD!!!

[Twodogs]

Thanks for posting. A bitter memory. As for the commentators!!! Max Rooke - the first player to have eyes IN THE BACK OF HIS HEAD!!!

Yeah. I don't know what eyes the commentators were looking at. The eyes in Max Rooke's head were firmly planted on Brad Johnson.

[1eyedog]

Yeah. I don't know what eyes the commentators were looking at. The eyes in Max Rooke's head were firmly planted on Brad Johnson.

99 times out of a 100 a free kick.

[LostDoggy]

99 times out of a 100 a free kick.

My brother in law will no longer go to a footy match with me after this. Was a side of me he has never seen!

[merantau]

My brother in law will no longer go to a footy match with me after this. Was a side of me he has never seen!
Please elaborate. I love a good "First I went ballistic, and then I really lost it." story especially if it's accompanied by lots of blood!