Three things I've learned-Round 13 v Geelong.

[Twodogs]

One to get ready, two to get set, three to go!

[GVGjr]

3 things should be easy.

[bulldogtragic]

1. We cannot win the premiership now. By next week we will be 7th and have the lowest % in the top 8. Stats say you need to be top 4 and that's not going to happen most likely now.
2. Williams will be a very good player.
3. I hope that's the worst performance of this year.

[westdog54]

1. Patrick Dangerfield is even better than I thought he was.
2. Easton Wood is irreplaceable to our structure.
3. The sooner Corey Enright retires, the better for us.

[westbulldog]

1. Some so-called supporters are so fickle, do you expect these kids to win every week ? Have you overlooked how draining the Port game was ? Give them a break.
I'll get to the other 2 later.

[The Underdog]

1. Some so-called supporters are so fickle, do you expect these kids to win every week ? Have you overlooked how draining the Port game was ? Give them a break.
I'll get to the other 2 later.

I don't expect them to win every week. I expect the effort I've seen most weeks which didn't show up until half time and then fell away.. I hoped we might be a serious contender this year. Hence the disappointment.

[Bullies]

1. We need our best side in to be competitive against the top teams
2. We need Tom Boyd as an option in the forward line
3. Dickson is having an ordinary year

[Remi Moses]

1. We need an overview of our forward structure , as it's horrible
2. I think we're a bottom part of the eight side
3. They need an unforced error count at champion data . We were Sam Stosur in a grand slam

[merantau]

When so many players have their worst game of the year, all at once, we are not going to have win (Wallis, Libber, Bonti, Redpath, Campbell, Biggs, Dickson, Roberts, Hunter)
Taking your chances is crucial.
Patrick Dangerfield will win the Brownlow.

[Remi Moses]

When so many players have their worst game of the year, all at once, we are not going to have win (Wallis, Libber, Bonti, Redpath, Campbell, Biggs, Dickson, Roberts, Hunter)
Taking your chances is crucial.
Patrick Dangerfield will win the Brownlow.

If only moggs creek was near Footscray . Surely Port Phillip bay would have sufficed

[Mantis]

1. We cannot win the premiership now. By next week we will be 7th and have the lowest % in the top 8. Stats say you need to be top 4 and that's not going to happen most likely now.


Our % is better than Hawthorn's and not far off Norf's.. Think you are over-playing it.

[bulldogtragic]

Our % is better than Hawthorn's and not far off Norf's.. Think you are over-playing it.

I really hope I am Mantis.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

1. Some so-called supporters are so fickle, do you expect these kids to win every week ? Have you overlooked how draining the Port game was ? Give them a break.
I'll get to the other 2 later.

I think you're giving a free pass to the boys tonight. It's not fickle to expect effort for 4 Qtrs, especially in a clash that opens up legitimate top of the table opportunities.
If you want to be spoken about as representing the higher echelons of the competition then you perform against the top teams. It's not fickle to point out that we've failed in that regard. It's a cold hard fact. Irrespective of our outs.

Not since our win against Sydney last year have we beaten a real contender. And before that...........?? Not since Eade was going to lead us to the promised land.

We are on a nice trajectory right now, irrespective of set-backs like tonight. But lets not beat about the bush, tonight was a setback, and clearly puts paid to any flag talk this year.
I would've been more forgiving of our performance, given our injuries if we had've fought it out and got within 4 goals.

[anfo27]

1. Some so-called supporters are so fickle, do you expect these kids to win every week ? Have you overlooked how draining the Port game was ? Give them a break.
I'll get to the other 2 later.

So if we make the finals and have a tough win first up, do you cut them some slack week 2 because the week 1 win was draining?

[Twodogs]

If only moggs creek was near Footscray . Surely Port Phillip bay would have sufficed


I understand the surf is better at Moggs Creek than Stony Creek or Koroit Creek.

[Mantis]

So if we make the finals and have a tough win first up, do you cut them some slack week 2 because the week 1 win was draining?

Not sure the comparison is fair given we have been 'up' for quite a while and given the age profile of the team.

[anfo27]

Not sure the comparison is fair given we have been 'up' for quite a while and given the age profile of the team.

I don't buy excuses. All i ask for is effort and it wasn't there for most of the night.

[Ghost Dog]

I don't doubt the character of these boys. Their must be some real fatigue in the list.
Not seen us start a first and second quarter so poorly in a while.

[Mantis]

I don't buy excuses. All i ask for is effort and it wasn't there for most of the night.

The effort was fine for most of the night.. Our skill execution, our forward structure and how we set up the ground was lacking.

[westbulldog]

2. If some on here followed Geelong they would have immediately jumped off the bandwagon after successive losses to Collingwood and Carlton less than a month ago.
3. Geelong tonight were kicking at 92% efficiency early on and finished with high 70's which is said to be elite, they were way up and we were way down. Keep the faith.

[Ozza]

The effort was fine for most of the night.. Our skill execution, our forward structure and how we set up the ground was lacking.

Correct.

The indicators of effort such as contested footy and just plain watching of the game - would tell you that effort was there.
We just find ways to put ourselves under the pump. If there is a handball to be found somewhere, we find 3 of them to players standing still and put it above their head or at their shoelaces.

The most disappointing part about tonight was not being able to deal with the heat.

I will also be interested to see if we do something about the structural issues. Our players just did not have options ahead of them. We persist with having the extra at the stoppages around the ground, and Geelong would hang off - and after we palmed the ball to them, they just shuttled the ball out to the free extra and burnt us on the spread.

[F'scary]

The effort was fine for most of the night.. Our skill execution, our forward structure and how we set up the ground was lacking.

No it was down on our better matches. Tackles didn't stick, fewer tackles than normal, not taking tacklers on - we were on a hot potato handpass roll tonight. We let them out of our forward line too easily by not running hard enough to cut down the free players.

[LostDoggy]

1. Contested marking is actually a really important part of the game. Geelong are exceptional in this area.
2. Our forward entry and conversion, on a day, we can be bottom four in this area. It was today, kicking to free cats or 4 on ones or just missing targets/big fat goal posts. Signs have been there in other games this year but, really, 5.13 is embarrassing, a few conversions at some crucial times would have had us right in it, instead malaise infected the kicker and the team, again and again. Ugly. Shit football. Through the third stats were quite even, except conversion. Fix that please.
3. B. W. How many games? Looked more composed and desperate than most dogs in the first 45 minutes. I now have no doubt that he will be a bulldog champion.

[LostDoggy]

1. Where the forward line at tho
2. Dale Morris cannot play as our entire back line every week.
3. My hatred for Tom Hawkins has reached all new levels

[Twodogs]

1. We missed Dahlhaus more than I thought we would. And I really thought we would miss him
2. My contempt for the opinion of the football commentariat is bottomless.
3. Dickson can miss simple shots.

[jeemak]

1. We're not the best coached team when it comes to Docklands, we were out positioned, out thought, and it showed on the scoreboard

2. Tiredness is no excuse unles you live in fantasy land. I'm an unreasonable supporter doing my best to pretend I can avoid fantasy land

3. I have a very tolerant partner and friends. The first half really tested the resolve of all of us, after half time I kept a dignified silence

[westbulldog]

So if we make the finals and have a tough win first up, do you cut them some slack week 2 because the week 1 win was draining?

I would revel in the first win and hope for a second but yes I would cut them some slack, players are only human, not robotic perfectionists. Port, who still considered themselves a top 8 prospect, got done over here in Perth today by Freo who were 2-10

[Greystache]

1. We can't play Stringer forward against good teams. His refusal to do anything but hang out the back looking for a cheapie makes us effectively 17 vs 18. At least it seems Bevo has reluctantly come to the realization tonight and moved him up the ground shows we might make be making small progress.

2. Different generation, same result. Top of the table clash, most of our best players play their worst game for the season. Geelong know how to get it done, we don't.

3. Goal kicking will simply take care of itself, losing games because of it is apparently part of the journey.

[anfo27]

The effort was fine for most of the night.. Our skill execution, our forward structure and how we set up the ground was lacking.

Must be watching a different game to me. We were outnumbered going forward and in transition we were outnumbered in defence in that first half on many occasions. Clearly we weren't prepared to work hard enough last night for whatever reason. First time this year i can question that.

[anfo27]

I would revel in the first win and hope for a second but yes I would cut them some slack, players are only human, not robotic perfectionists. Port, who still considered themselves a top 8 prospect, got done over here in Perth today by Freo who were 2-10


Well I got news for you. If you want to win a flag you have to put up with draining wins and come out and perform the following week. With that attitude we'll never make a grand final and we'll be just fine with that.

I don't really care what Port or any other side do.

[GVGjr]

1 - The forward line isn't functioning like we hoped. The delayed start to the season by Dickson and Stringers inconsistent performances have left a gaping hole. I've waited patiently but it isn't happening like I hoped.

2 - The Cats are more efficient than I thought and the addition of Dangerfield with Selwood gives them a dynamic midfield. I suspected this at the start of the year but they really dismantled our midfield which surprised me to some extent.

3 - We can regroup but we need some luck on the injury front in the next month.

[Mantis]

Must be watching a different game to me. We were outnumbered going forward and in transition we were outnumbered in defence in that first half on many occasions. Clearly we weren't prepared to work hard enough last night for whatever reason. First time this year i can question that.

Yep... Our defensive transition was poor.. Too many players loping through the middle of the ground.


Well I got news for you. If you want to win a flag you have to put up with draining wins and come out and perform the following week. With that attitude we'll never make a grand final and we'll be just fine with that.

I don't really care what Port or any other side do.

Not sure we are 'seasoned' enough to come up week in - week out just yet.. We ground out some good wins the previous 3 weeks, but in hindsight we were kinda ripe for the picking last night given the outs + tough previous games.

[Mantis]

1/ if you're off game at this level you get whacked.

2/ playing 3 or 4 mids in your forward line doesn't work against the best.. Especially when most of these don't have natural forward instincts.

3/ I must be mallowing.. 5-10 years ago I would've been headless after that game, but I'm not.. What have I become?

[SonofScray]

1. I am clairvoyant. Said to a mate earlier this week that there was a hiding around the corner for us. Last week's injury felt like it'd be the straw that broke the camel's back. We were cherry ripe for a flogging as personnel issues reached tipping point and energy levels dipped after a tough month of footy. I was still surprised at how poor we were right across the board though.

2. There has been a shift in the way our games are adjudicated. This is probably paranoid and choc full of bias but it feels like since the Adelaide game and the Toby McLean ducking furore that in our games the whistle just gets put away more often. The threshold required for an infringement to draw a whistle seems to have been lifted. Saw one where Macrae was collared and the umpire hesitated after initially going to pay the free, struck me as a second guess re: ducking.

3. We were smashed on the fringes of the contest, rope a dope style. Shades of the BMAC era where we'd get outnumbered everywhere because our boys fought over pill in close to fault. I thought we were over that.

[DOG GOD]

1. Our fwd line is as dysfunctional as bottom 6 teams
2. Why do we handball to players ankles???
3. Dangerfield/Selwood monstered our mids

[westbulldog]

Well I got news for you. If you want to win a flag you have to put up with draining wins and come out and perform the following week. With that attitude we'll never make a grand final and we'll be just fine with that.

I don't really care what Port or any other side do.

Respect your opinion but I couldn't agree with you less.

[ratsmac]

1. The bye couldn't come quick enough.

2. We really missed Dahl. His work rate must inspire others because our a lot of players looked lazy in his absence. Whether it's Dahl being there or not Geelong players worked to make space for each other in close and spread quickly with no prssure. Too many times we were still picking ourselves off the ground and Geelong were gone.

3. Injuries have finally gotten the better of us I think.

[azabob]

Must be watching a different game to me. We were outnumbered going forward and in transition we were outnumbered in defence in that first half on many occasions. Clearly we weren't prepared to work hard enough last night for whatever reason. First time this year i can question that.

That was the most frustrating part for me.

We may have won the contested footy but it doesn't mean much if we are not prepared to run and take the game on.

Watching Geelong share it around in their forward 50 like it was circuit work or the Harlem Globe Trotters V The Washington Generals...

[Scorlibo]

1. We were outrun on the outside because we have no pace. Wood, Stevens, Dahlhaus and Johannisen can't come back soon enough.

2. When we can't get quick entry to the forward line, we need a Plan B! Too many times we were stuck with 20+ players just pottering around the forward fifty, waiting for the long ball in. Forwards need to spread the opposition's defence.

3. Bailey Williams will be a quality AFL player.

[hujsh]

Not sure we are 'seasoned' enough to come up week in - week out just yet.. We ground out some good wins the previous 3 weeks, but in hindsight we were kinda ripe for the picking last night given the outs + tough previous games.

Yes. While it's been mentioned that the Port win was a really good win none of the last 3 weeks have suggested that we're in particularly good form. If anything we've found ways to win despite ourselves

[Flamethrower]

1. It's Geelong's to lose - take away one bad quarter against Collingwood & a lazy afternoon against Carlton and they would be miles on top. They dominate fellow top 8 teams (sans GWS in Canberra).

2. Having a no tag philosophy is fine most of the time, but when the oppo has a match winner like Dangerfield, or a game controller like Heath Shaw, a hard tag is needed. Motlop goes to water on a dour defender too.

3. 4 umpires doesn't work. Half the time they didn't seem to know who was running the show. And no Razor, you shouldn't get to pay EVERY decision.

[Remi Moses]

I thought the umpiring was good to be honest

[LostDoggy]

- We are an honest team who win when we should, but we have a way to go against quality opposition, especially with regard to forward transition.
- Bailey Williams has massive upside, is further advanced than could be reasonably expected and may already be best 22.
- Jackson Macrae is arguably our most reliable young midfielder, who consistently stands up when the collective struggles. I reckon he leads our b&f and rivals Bont and Mitch as a future captain.

[Bulldog4life]

I think you're giving a free pass to the boys tonight. It's not fickle to expect effort for 4 Qtrs, especially in a clash that opens up legitimate top of the table opportunities.
If you want to be spoken about as representing the higher echelons of the competition then you perform against the top teams. It's not fickle to point out that we've failed in that regard. It's a cold hard fact. Irrespective of our outs.

Not since our win against Sydney last year have we beaten a real contender. And before that...........?? Not since Eade was going to lead us to the promised land.

We are on a nice trajectory right now, irrespective of set-backs like tonight. But lets not beat about the bush, tonight was a setback, and clearly puts paid to any flag talk this year.
I would've been more forgiving of our performance, given our injuries if we had've fought it out and got within 4 goals.

Funny how things turn. The experts were saying this about Geelong when they were beaten by Collingwood and Carlton.

[Bulldog4life]

1. We can't play Stringer forward against good teams. His refusal to do anything but hang out the back looking for a cheapie makes us effectively 17 vs 18. At least it seems Bevo has reluctantly come to the realization tonight and moved him up the ground shows we might make be making small progress.

2. Different generation, same result. Top of the table clash, most of our best players play their worst game for the season. Geelong know how to get it done, we don't.

3. Goal kicking will simply take care of itself, losing games because of it is apparently part of the journey.

Just let me know if I will be reading this over and over again every time we lose to a top side so I can avoid it. It seems to rear its ugly head repeatably.

[stefoid]

1. we rely on winning clearances and if we dont, it puts our backline under pressure
2. manning up our wide players denies the easy switch which puts our rebounders under pressure
3. The way we have soldiered on without Murph and JJ is by switching play as opposed to blitzing the corridor. Opposition coaches will have taken notes on this game...

[Greystache]

Just let me know if I will be reading this over and over again every time we lose to a top side so I can avoid it. It seems to rear its ugly head repeatably.

Perhaps the result may one day change. But blindly repeating next time will be different is an alternative coping mechanism to dealing with reality.

[Bulldog4life]

Perhaps the result may one day change. But blindly repeating next time will be different is an alternative coping mechanism to dealing with reality.

I can understand what you are saying and but the thread reads 3 things you have learned after the game. Surely not the same thing that has been said over and over again.

[LostDoggy]

1. Following this team has given me post traumatic stress disorder.
2. For only the third time in my entire life, I didn't watch the end of the match.
3. I still love 'em, and have faith that they'll be back on top soon enough. Of course, with the PTSD as soon as we're back on top I'll be expecting the crash again.

[1eyedog]

1. Having to change your game plan 4 rounds into the season because you lack drive from the back half is really difficult.

2. Bevo would be wrapped to be 9/4 based on the above.

3. We have probably lulled opposition teams into a falls sense of security with the way we are playing. We have been winning ugly playing a grinding type of game style which is not the primary way we want to play. However, it is testament to the group that they have been able to adapt to a new hard-edge style. It will stand us in good stead come finals.

Wait until we get JJ, Wood and Stevens back into the team. These three guys make a big difference because, with the exception of Murph, are almost our three most critical ball carriers.

[SonofScray]

3. We have probably lulled opposition teams into a falls sense of security with the way we are playing. We have been winning ugly playing a grinding type of game style which is not the primary way we want to play. However, it is testament to the group that they have been able to adapt to a new hard-edge style. It will stand us in good stead come finals.

Wait until we get JJ, Wood and Stevens back into the team. These three guys make a big difference because, with the exception of Murph, are almost our three most critical ball carriers.

It'll be a legitimate feather in our cap if we can switch back to Plan A relatively smoothly and start driving the footy forward and inside 50 on the rebound like we were earlier this season and for long patches of last. Even better if we can switch between the two distinct patterns of play we've adopted at times this year. We've been very good at both when the personnel are matched appropriately and energy levels are up.

[mitch0418]

Couldn't have said it any better. It wasn't the fact we lost that hurt so much as it was the lack of effort. The Dogs simply didn't work hard enough and looked like a completely different team. Yes the Cats played well but we made them look a lot better than they actually are. Even with our losses to Hawks, North and GWS I came away proud because the boys tried their guts out. I didn't see that on Saturday night. I saw too many players just standing around and not being accountable. I seriously hope they show something the next 2 games or our chances of top 4 are gone.