Three things I have learned-round 8 v Melbourne .

[Twodogs]

One. Two. Three!

[GVGjr]

Lets hear the 3.

[Testekill]

1. Having a permanent KPF helps Stringer out immensely
2. Morris is possibly my favourite Bulldog of all time
3. We rated Watts so little that we just let him stand on his own for most of the game and let him get his cheap couple of goals.

[Throughandthrough]

1. Leigh Matthews annoys me to the back teeth. Give it away, old man.
2. Whenever Stringer gets the ball I sit further forward in my seat.
3. Libba is back to his best.

[ledge]

1. Boyd was exceptional today
2. Woods hamstring has recovered.
3. Big Jack is a great help to Stringer.

[bulldogtragic]

1. Our ruck set up was very good. Campbell got a PB 34 hit outs & played forward, Roughy played some defence and Gawn was a non factor.
2. Libba is recruit of the year.
3. With Murphy & JJ out I'd like to find a better and regular kick out from behind kicker.

[comrade]

3. With Murphy & JJ out I'd like to find a better and regular kick out from behind kicker.

Suckers is back soon. Let his left cannon clear it out.

[always right]

1. Our handballing is elite and was on show today. Enjoyed watching us use our hands to extricate themselves out of trouble and then slice the demons open.
2. Campbell has come on leaps and bounds.
3. McLean is an intrinsic part of our forwardline.

[LostDoggy]

1 - Campbell and Roughy have now made the best 2 ruckmen in the league look silly.

2 - Bont is back. Building into the season nicely.

3 - Morris and Boyd will be playing with us in 2017! Exceptional form the both of them.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

1. Right now, Redpath provides more than Tom Boyd to us at full forward. He busts packs, brings the ball to ground and holds his marks, and just seems to make the rest of our forward line work better. That's not a slight on Tom, just a reflection on the current situation.
2. I am not sure if there has been a more tenacious, never give in Dogs' midfield group in my 35 years watching us play. We bat really deep there too. Libba, Wallis, and Dahlhaus are just inside beasts and Bont's hands are sublime, even better than Scott West's.
3. Tom Campbell's most competent performance for the club. Very good effort agains the form ruckman of the competition.

[comrade]

So is the 2 headed rucking monster that no one knows but is taking down every gun in the comp going to be known as Camhead or Roughbell?

[bulldogtragic]

So is the 2 headed rucking monster that no one knows but is taking down every gun in the comp going to be known as Camhead or Roughbell?

Camhead . If that doesn't work they could start a rock band with a name like that. Perhaps for this week Camhead vs Mumford & Son.

This was the first week seeing resting Roughy go back and resting Campbell go forward. It must be a great option to have as a coach. But obviously Tom Boyd must return so not sure what happens.

[LostDoggy]

1. Libba's back in a big way. Pre-injury, his tackling stats were insane - the best in Bulldog history. After 5 rounds this year he was modestly averaging 3 tackles per game. In R6 and R7 he went 7 and 7, highly promising, but today's performance was scary.

2. Bont is also building into the season beautifully. Back to back 30+ possessions with his quality will scare the hell out of 17 other clubs. Our midfield group is outstanding.

3. Bailey Williams was a very good draft pick and has every chance to be a long term Bulldog. He has a lot of development left but has some serious attributes.

[Ghost Dog]

1. After a few more seasons of this, our colors are going to start to psyche opposition players out, the same as Hawthorn do or Geelong used to do. Our pressure and perceived pressure, and reputation as a side will force errors.
2. We are going to have to watch for ways to protect and assist Caleb Daniel. He will be targeted and smashed the same way Luke is.
3. Our kicking for goal has improved.

[Scorlibo]

1. Bailey Williams' right boot makes a beautiful noise when it hits the football. He doesn't look out of place at AFL level.

2. Caleb Daniel wears a helmet to conceal the eyes in the back of his head.

3. We owe our great defensive record to a ferocious, brutal midfield unit that has serious chemistry.

[Doc26]

1. This is the type of game we might've lost last year (and did). There was some true grit by all out there this afternoon.
2. Bont and Libba were excellent in traffic but Dahl's workrate in and out was off the chart.
3. Playing for each other in and around contests to create outside run; Their preparedness to take a hit, the trust and belief in each other, and patience and speed to get the ball out to the next link in the chain has become thrilling to watch. It really is an engine room.

[Webby]

1. Campbell was not filled in by Gawn the way many had anticipated. He held his own and in my mind, that makes him a very good player.
2. My mate who continually says "We need to trade for a ruckman" has finally shut up.
3. If Tom Boyd becomes a good key forward, or Jack Redpath becomes a good key forward, who cares?? Win/win!

[comrade]

1. Dahl must be leading our B&F. Just gets it done every week.
2. Enjoying the double headed ruck monster known as Camhead. Mummy, they're coming for you.
3. I could watch Bailey Williams drilling passes into the forward 50 all day long.

[SonofScray]

1. Hunter and Daniel can really open up the field wth their kicking and quick handball. Put to bed any doubts on our ability to play on the G? Surely so.

2. Bont can play anywhere and do anything.

3. Libba is a machine.

[westbulldog]

For all the doubters - Jack Redpath deserves and justifies his spot.
Toby McLean is getting better and better.
Bailey Williams showed some promise.

[LostDoggy]

1. My cat (name: Tom Boyd :)) doesn't appreciate game day. Nearly scratched my face off when I suddenly jumped forward screaming “Gimli!!!” Scared the crap out of the poor fella.
2. Melbourne have finally found their grit. Kept coming even though they'd lost at quarter time. Never gave in.
3. There. Is. Only. One. Tom. Liberatore.

[bornadog]

1. I learnt to never question Bevo's picks each week, even though I scratch my head on Thursdays at 6.25pm

2. Dalrmyple really knows his stuff and Williams will be a player.

3. Our game plan is one to be envied.

[comrade]

2. Dalrmyple really knows his stuff and Williams will be a player.


His penchant for picking players that bolted in their final year of junior footy is paying dividends - Macrae, Bonti, McLean & now Williams.

[ratsmac]

I learned that....

1. Libba is getting back to his best.
2. The Bont is getting better than his best.
3. We have probably the slickest hands in the business. And it's across the board, not just the midfielders

[1eyedog]

1. You can knock off beers really easily at the G. I sat eating my burger watching a group of young doggies fans grab pre-poured beers and just hand them over the turn stiles. Easy as.

2. The G is crap for trying to move around between quarters. Can't go this way MCC Members, can't go that way AFL members. You have to leave the ground and walk around to get from one set of goals to the other.

3. When you park 6 or 7 blocks from the G in daytime and walk to the ground make sure you look at the street name you left your car in because when you walk out at night and try to find it it can take up to an hour.

[Bulldog4life]

1. Redders is our number 1 key forward and the other players love having him there.

2. Tommy C and Roughy are great tag team partners and helping our mid fields immensely

3. Young Bailey Williams played a very good first game and shut Garlett out completely

[Mantis]

1/ Our rucks are doing a great job at nullifying their opponents.

2/ Our mids are beasts in the contest.

3/ Our defence is helped by the pressure up field, but can't regularly beat their opponents in a 1 on 1 contest. Lack of size doesn't help on occassions.

[Ozza]

1. When the Bont gets 30+ possessions, we won't lose very often or at all.
2. Unless we get an injury to one of the three talls, I don't see Tom Boyd getting into the senior side anytime soon.
3. There is not many more enjoyable sights in footy, than Marcus Bontempelli cruising through the middle of the MCG, choosing who he is going to deliver a 55 metre left foot to.

[Mofra]

1. We're tough, physically and mentally
2. Our kids are being developed well. Williams seemed to know what to do and when to do it.
3. Our handball skills are the best I've ever seen

[Ghost Dog]

1/ Our rucks are doing a great job at nullifying their opponents.

2/ Our mids are beasts in the contest.

3/ Our defence is helped by the pressure up field, but can't regularly beat their opponents in a 1 on 1 contest. Lack of size doesn't help on occassions.

Isn't this the price of a more mobile back-line? That sets up faster, and closes up space quicker?
Their late goals were a blow out for us yesterday but luckily we did enough damage early.
Seems to be a pattern with us. Flurry of goals and do a lot of damage, then wrestle out the game.

[1eyedog]

1/ Our rucks are doing a great job at nullifying their opponents.

2/ Our mids are beasts in the contest.

3/ Our defence is helped by the pressure up field, but can't regularly beat their opponents in a 1 on 1 contest. Lack of size doesn't help on occassions.

I don't think winning aerial duels down back are high on the list. Actually, I don't think it's even a consideration anymore.

[Mantis]

I don't think winning aerial duels down back are high on the list. Actually, I don't think it's even a consideration anymore.

It would nice to have the feeling that the opposition aren't going to score everytime they kick to anyone other than Dale Morris's opponent.

I get that our mobile defence is a great asset, but being able to compete in the air is going to be vitally important against the better teams, especially if our midfiled doesn't dominant like they have been.

[LostDoggy]

We have probably the slickest hands in the business.

After watching Caleb slot that pass to Dale, yes, I'd agree/ :D

[The Bulldogs Bite]

It would nice to have the feeling that the opposition aren't going to score everytime they kick to anyone other than Dale Morris's opponent.

I get that our mobile defence is a great asset, but being able to compete in the air is going to be vitally important against the better teams, especially if our midfiled doesn't dominant like they have been.

Agreed.

Do you think it is personnel based - as in - we need to recruit/trade/draft or are you comfortable we have Collins, Cordy, Hamling and then Suckling, JJ, Murphy for 2017+?

[westdog54]

After watching Caleb slot that pass to Dale, yes, I'd agree/ :D

Bonti's over the shoulder handball to Stringer was ridiculous.

[bornadog]

Bonti's over the shoulder handball to Stringer was ridiculous.

and in heavy traffic

[Mantis]

Agreed.

Do you think it is personnel based - as in - we need to recruit/trade/draft or are you comfortable we have Collins, Cordy, Hamling and then Suckling, JJ, Murphy for 2017+?

I guess you can also include Adams to that list, and whilst he looks the goods he still has a long way to go.

Would like to see a bit more of Hamling this year so we can make a definitive call on him, seems to have the right tools (athletic, good mark), but isn't giving the MC what they want.. I've only seen a bit of Collins, his ability to get across the ground is a worry, but he is still a boy in footy terms (a bit a big one!)

Really don't think it's a priority to draft any more tall defenders, but if a ready made is available via trading or free agency then I think we should be testing the market.

[1eyedog]

It would nice to have the feeling that the opposition aren't going to score everytime they kick to anyone other than Dale Morris's opponent.

I get that our mobile defence is a great asset, but being able to compete in the air is going to be vitally important against the better teams, especially if our midfiled doesn't dominant like they have been.

That's reasonable enough. It will be severely tested this week.

[LostDoggy]

1.We have the slickest hands in the AFL.

2.Libba is a Brutal Tackling Machine

3.Melbourne supporters turn on their own quicker then Richmond supporters.;)

[Ghost Dog]

1.We have the slickest hands in the AFL.

2.Libba is a Brutal Tackling Machine

3.Melbourne supporters turn on their own quicker then Richmond supporters.;)

I can't remember ever hearing any of our players being given a bronx cheer en mass like I've seen other clubs do.
Not all club cultures are the same - it's true.
Nathan Jones deserves a special award from the AFL for putting up with everything at that club.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I can't remember ever hearing any of our players being given a bronx cheer en mass like I've seen other clubs do.
Not all club cultures are the same - it's true.
Nathan Jones deserves a special award from the AFL for putting up with everything at that club.

I couldn't believe the bronx cheers they gave Gawn!! Been unbelievable for them! Then has one down game and they're on his back!

[Happy Days]

3. McLean is an intrinsic part of our forwardline.

Except when he's on the wing, and an extrinsic part of our forward line?

[Ghost Dog]

I couldn't believe the bronx cheers they gave Gawn!! Been unbelievable for them! Then has one down game and they're on his back!

Yes, has been the number one ruckmen in the comp. If I was MFC I would not let that slide and go after the supporters with a similar ' be loud but fair' campaign. It's a disgrace. Personally, I could not match 1% of the effort required for elite AFL and I'm sure MFC are the same.

[F'scary]

1. Melbourne supporters give up easily and too soon. The Bronx cheering started when they were about 5 goals down but with plenty of time to go, i.e., more than a quarter.

2. Melbourne supporters have no respect for their players. So, they're down by about 5 goals and don't think they can win. And Gawn, one of their stars and one of the most prominent rucks in the comp, played an average game. So they gave him the Bronx cheer over and over when he got a possession. It is one thing to be frustrated with one of your stars when he plays an average game but what they did was something else. It was as if he was some kind of slave, a piece of human cattle bought at an auction.

3. Melbourne supporters only turn up if they think they are odds on to win.

[Ghost Dog]

More a member's club than a football club.

[Twodogs]

Is it just me or do Melbourne seem to have lots more male supporters than female? Most clubs have about 50/50 male/female crowds but Melbourne seem to be overwhelmingly adolescent males and quite old males.

[bornadog]

Is it just me or do Melbourne seem to have lots more male supporters than female? Most clubs have about 50/50 male/female crowds but Melbourne seem to be overwhelmingly adolescent males and quite old males.
Barristers

[Twodogs]

Barristers

Like el Presidente Gordon.

[LostDoggy]

More a member's club than a football club.

Ski Club. :)

[Twodogs]

Ski Club. :)

The first rule of Ski club is everyone heads to Perisher after round 7.

[Prince Imperial]

Is it just me or do Melbourne seem to have lots more male supporters than female? Most clubs have about 50/50 male/female crowds but Melbourne seem to be overwhelmingly adolescent males and quite old males.

You're probably right and I think it reflects that over half their supporters at games are also MCC members which is still male dominated.

[Twodogs]

You're probably right and I think it reflects that over half their supporters at games are also MCC members which is still male dominated.

That's a good point. A large part of Melbourne's crowd is made up of MCC members value adding and it would be largely made up of the older man demographic.