Bankers And Anchors - Round 13 vs Geelong

[Eastdog]

This is the round 13 2016 edition of the Weekly Bankers and Anchors Thread. Once the game against Geelong is concluded post your nominations for:

The Bankers = 3 guys/aspects of the game that we banked on to do the right thing during the game
The Anchors = 3 guys/aspects of the game that weighed us down by their errors or poor play

Please limit it to no more than three of each player or aspect of the game, but feel free to make honourable/dishonourable mentions. As usual try to make it constructive criticism.

Try and restrict it to individual players rather than aspects of the overall match - I will allow more freedom now as the thread seems to be going down more of the aspects of the game path so you can have 3 for each made up of aspects of the game and individual players.

The thread is named in honour of a popular WOOF Contributor, The Banker, who passed away on 22/04/2012 after a six month battle with cancer.

[GVGjr]

Bank them and Anch them

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

B.
Bailey Williams - young man tried and backed himself to try and create for 4 quarters
Picken - was one a few who brought a 4 qtr effort

Only 2.. I did have 3, but that last mark and goal by Hawkins negated all the good work I thought Roberts had done tonight.... Then again I have just closed in on the end of a bottle of red..and I am definitely more surly for it.


A.
About 19 or 20 guys for 2 and a bit quarters
Our midfield specifically in the first half, really dumb around the contest. I know we were missing Dahlhaus but the 3rd Quarter only highlighted what was missing in the first half, unrelenting pressure to deny the ball to the outside opposition from a contest.

I know it should only be 3.. but there is a 4th
Jeemak..was racking up posts in the first half here like Selwood was possessions despite it being his GF's birthday.....really low risk to reward ratio that decision was given our outs....

[MrMahatma]

Anchor: L Hunter shots a goal. He is horribly inaccurate from spots he should nail. Not just tonight, always. Needs to sort that out to take it to the next level.

[bulldogtragic]

B:

Bailey Williams
15 minutes of decent footy
The final siren putting an end to the bleeding of the last quarter

A:

Everything (inc. goal kicking (looking at you Hunter), disposals, forward 50 entries).
Bonts. Sorry, but by your lofty standards that's as least impact I've ever seen from you and the most fumbles from you.
Some umpiring decisions were incredibly average.

[merantau]

Bankers:
Macrae - tried hard all night
Matty Boyd - made a couple of bad blues in the first half but got plenty of ball and used it well.
Bailey Williams - tried to take the game on and was not overawed by the pressure.
Anchors: a lot of our big names were very quiet
Goal kicking: we have been abysmal all year.
Our lack of pressure : we were beaten to the ball all night and just gave them too much latitude.

[The Underdog]

Macrae- worked hard, mostly used it well
Roughead- was alive in the first half when we weren't, unfortunately died out
Um....something, something

Caleb- first time I've ever felt his size was a liability
Redpath- biggest contribution was getting kicked in the nuts
Mitch- Worst game of his career?

[Ozza]

Bankers:

Dale Morris
Jack Macrae
Caleb Daniel's second half after such a poor first half. Showed some real character.

Anchors:

Cam head - Well beaten. Work around the ground was awful.
Redpath - Completely outclassed by Lonergan. Went into his shell and didn't present.
3rd man up - Bonti no.1 culprit. Jump over the rucks and hit it straight to Geelong a good half a dozen times, Jong got in on the act too. I hate it.

[Mantis]

3rd man up - Bonti no.1 culprit. Jump over the rucks and hit it straight to Geelong a good half a dozen times, Jong got in on the act too. I hate it.

Drove me *!*!*!*!ing nuts too.. We would win the tap and drop it to the feet of the contest where we were out-numbered.

They did it a couple of times, but cleared the contest to their out-riders and away they went.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Drove me *!*!*!*!ing nuts too.. We would win the tap and drop it to the feet of the contest where we were out-numbered.

They did it a couple of times, but cleared the contest to their out-riders and away they went.

Insanity that Bonti kept doing it and doing it and doing it.

[Ozza]

Insanity that Bonti kept doing it and doing it and doing it.

8 hit outs!

I get that it is in Bonti's nature to try and make things happen for us, and try and lead the way - but his best endeavours weren't smart ones tonight. The kid is all heart, and despite things not happening for him tonight, he still got some footy, tackled and did what he could - but I can't remember his hands being off like that many (or any) times before.

[G-Mo77]

Was it 8 clearances for Geelong as well? Not sure if it's Bonts fault or lack of structure. We did it so much it seems like he's instructed

[Remi Moses]

Bankers - the two kids Williams and Daniel . Good decision makers and execute well
- the Bye , as I think we need it

Anchors - The unforced areas under perceived pressure
- The last term , we fought hard in the third and through it away
- the forward half, as it looks disfunctional

[westbulldog]

Bankers:
Macrae - tried hard all night
Matty Boyd - made a couple of bad blues in the first half but got plenty of ball and used it well.
Bailey Williams - tried to take the game on and was not overawed by the pressure.
Anchors: a lot of our big names were very quiet
Goal kicking: we have been abysmal all year.
Our lack of pressure : we were beaten to the ball all night and just gave them too much latitude.

agreed, that sums it up very well.

[Greystache]

Bankers

Suckling- We recruited a cream player for the big games and he played his role.

Goal kicking- At first I was frustrated, then became bemused, these days I'm entertained by how comical it's become.

Sneaky flag chance- At least we can finally put to bed some supporters talk of the chances of pinching a sneaky flag... Well at least for this year

Anchors

Composure- You'd be forgiven thinking it was a final given the deer in the headlights performance tonight.

I had other things to put football into perspective. Maybe that's a banker actually.

[jeemak]

I know it should only be 3.. but there is a 4th
Jeemak..was racking up posts in the first half here like Selwood was possessions despite it being his GF's birthday.....really low risk to reward ratio that decision was given our outs....

Jesus.

I timed the linner/dunch beautifully and this is what I get in return. A Bulldogs team making me angry on my GF's birthday and a lack support from my fellow Woofers.

Cut.

[Ghost Dog]

Shortest B and A thread for a while!

Bankers - No injuries - JJ, Koby, Easton, few more in.

Anchors - Giving up easy goals.

[EasternWest]

Jesus.

I timed the linner/dunch beautifully and this is what I get in return. A Bulldogs team making me angry on my GF's birthday and a lack support from my fellow Woofers.

Cut.

I support you mate - I recognise true courage when I see it.

[jeemak]

I was a titch annoyed. Given the negotiation to be allowed to move the dinner party to the couch area was quite strenuous a rewarding effort was sought. It didn't come and I bleated and moaned.

Now a standard has been set, I look forward to YHF policing diligently henceforth and making sure none of us extend their annoyance to the extent I did last night.

:)

[comrade]

Uh oh, the Bulldogs can't ever win big games curse has reared its ugly head again.

[Eastdog]

Bankers

3rd quarter - our best of the game

Caleb Daniel tried hard

Liam Picken goal and Dale Morris working hard as best he could


Anchors

Our forward line - non existent and needs to be reconfigured

Our field kicking is letting us down

[ratsmac]

Bankers

1. Williams - a shining light on a dark night. Showed a lot of promise. Looks like he belongs.
2. Morris - his standard is very high and he brings that standard every time he takes the field.
3. Crowd - it was a decent turn out at least.

Anchors

1. Lack of pressure - we simply got out worked and didn't lift the pressure until the 3rd quarter when it was all too late.
2. Goal kicking - bad kicking for goal is bad football. We all knew this day would come when we would lose an important game because of goal inaccuracy. To rub salt in the wounds, Geelong's goal kicking was off the charts.
3. Once again forward 50 entry - under pressure we go back to our old ways. Bomb it in to an outnumbered forward line. When we weren't outnumbered we would kick it to the advantage of the defender rather than our forward. Redpath had a stinker but what chance did he have.

[always right]

B:
Stringer......dies out in the last but he was in great form last night but had no support. Broke tackles and tried to create.
Suckling and Boyd. Never gave up and despite a couple of clangers from each, they should be happy with their games.
Caleb and Bailey both sustained their effort and showed poise when few around them were showing any.

A:
Biggs has had a good season but the Cats put some work into him and he had his worst game for the season.
Our blokes just didn't work hard enough to provide options. Too many times we had numbers but they were too close together, making it easy for the cats to stop our run.
Some of our supporters too quick to jump off. I'll reserve judgement until we have close to our full side playing again. At the moment we seriously lack blokes who can break the lines.

[Greystache]

Uh oh, the Bulldogs can't ever win big games curse has reared its ugly head again.

We've played 4 of the other 5 top teams and lost them all. But next time will be different and we can still pinch a flag... again.

[Mantis]

We've played 4 of the other 5 top teams and lost them all. But next time will be different and we can still pinch a flag... again.

We are at a very different place in our journey to the top 4 teams we have faced... All of Geel, North & Haw are consistently rolling out teams with 120+ games played per player, we are around the 70-80 mark.. It makes a difference, especially when our 3-5 year players are now just getting a taste of playing in high stakes/ high profile games as opposed to Sunday twilight,who-cares, we have to play the Bulldogs at some stage games.

I'm as desperate for success as anyone, but I'm realistic to know that whilst we aren't that far away, we aren't there yet and even more so when we have 1/3 of the team in the stands.

[comrade]

We've played 4 of the other 5 top teams and lost them all. But next time will be different and we can still pinch a flag... again.

Who said anything about pinching a flag? Though I forgot the memo that the AFL were handing them out in June.

If you can't rationally view the team as per Mantis's post, I feel for you. But I guess you'll get to trot out the big game curse angle you enjoy reminding us of so much.

[Greystache]

If you can delude yourself next time will be different time after time after time then I'm happy for you. And I'm sure you'll enjoy reminding us all of it so much. I forgot about the June flag chestnut, I'd almost forgotten that old cliché.

The best players play their worst matches in the biggest games, nothing can be surer. But next time will be different, and if you don't agree then something something blah blah not a true Bulldog etc.

[Mantis]

The best players play their worst matches in the biggest games, nothing can be surer. But next time will be different, and if you don't agree then something something blah blah not a true Bulldog etc.

Who are our best players?

[chef]

We've played 4 of the other 5 top teams and lost them all. But next time will be different and we can still pinch a flag... again.

We're also like the 2nd or 3rd youngest side in the comp atm. Bit early for the same old same old stuff.

This side has shown some true grit in big games(while missing a huge core of decent players).

[Greystache]

Who are our best players?

Stringer, Bontempelli, Libba take your pick.

[Mantis]

Stringer, Bontempelli, Libba take your pick.

Stringer isn't our best player, maybe our most exciting, but isn't consistent enough to earn that tag.

Agree with the other 2, but Bont has had an exceptional last 4-6 weeks and to think a 20yo is going to kill it every week is a bit unrealistic at present... But the time that he will (like when he is the same age as Danger or Selwood) will be good fun... Libba was flat as a tack last night, but probably not unexpected given his circumstances.. I think we could have managed him a little better too, but given the number of injuries it was probably a little tough to do... A week off will help him recharge.

I would also have Wood, Dahl, Murf and JJ pretty high on our best player / most important list.. They were sorely missed.

[soupman]

Bankers:
Three players who seem to copping a bit of criticism elsewhere for their games, the fist two both being mentioned as possible omissions and the latter for not having enough impact.
1. Bailey Williams. This kid is very talented, has composure, confidence and is creative. I like how much like Suckling he runs with the ball ready in a kicking position as if he is about to dispose of it any second. A good size and will still be contending for a spot upon JJ and Wood's return.
2. Lin Jong. Not a great game but encouraging. Aside from the EF his best game since the hand injury and finally we are using him around the ball instead of exclusively up forward where he isn't clever enough to play for extended periods. Very much a confidence player, and i would like to see him given a bit more time to build on this promising performance because as he showed early last year that when he is in form he fits in at AFL level.
3. Jake Stringer. Not his greatest game and didn;t have a huge impact up forward but I though his work up the ground was good. He broke tackles, used his pace and was always working hard to create something, even though it often didn't come off. I like that he is starting to play higher up the ground and I hope we persist with it because he creates space by dragging in opponents and capable of launching the ball into attack.

Anchors:
1. Composure going forward. In the first half there was none, and as much as 1.9 was "bad kicking" we barely had a shot that was higher than a 50% probability of going in (Hunter's set shots the exception). After two weeks of hitting up leads we reverted to the bomb it long tactic and for some reason our forwards tended to be starting much higher than previous weeks making this tactic even stupider.
2. Pressure around the ball. Geelong owned us here. Usually we can flick it around 4-6 times by hand until someone finds space but Geelong would intercept the 4th handball and quickly feed it our to the player they were sitting inboard an they were away. We looked flat in the first half and ready for the bye. Pretty dissapointing but very out of character for us which I guess is a potisive in that it should rectify itself.
3. Joe the goose's. We got caught over the back way too often and some of Geelong's goals resembled a training drill. It's very easy to be as accurate as they were when half of your shots come from the goalsquare. Despite the stats indicating we are one of the best teams at preventing these goals I think they;d actually represent a fairly large portion of our conceded scores.

Also found it amusing that many of the headlines seemed to focus on our inaccuracy being a major factor. Honestly it was our inability to look dangerous at all going forward for almost the entire first half, even the shots we did have were speculative at best. The second half had a few more costly misses but really only Dickson's and maybe a couple of others were bad misses.