Western Bulldogs in Fast Lane on the Freeway

[LostDoggy]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/western-bulldogs-in-fast-lane-on-the-freeway-20170403-gvcnt8.html

[bulldogtragic]

I hope the umpires do take legal action as alluded to in the other thread.

The easiest thing would be to limit free kicks to 5 a half, like time outs in basketball. And then not paying fouls. Because everyone knows that free kick counts need to be even. Alternatively, a smart journo might suggest that Bevo had many radical ideas in applying for the job and many ideas on how to achieve optimal outcomes in games with small changes. A revolutionary coach might think, 'the players, the ball and umpires are all out there so how do we achieve less turnovers against, how do we achieve more turnovers for?'

A revolutionary coach might conclude; 'If we improve tackling and handballing techniques, we can limit giving away in the back and high free kicks and throws or illegal disposal. By doing that we reduce unforced errors and the self generating of turnovers. Plus, if we can get our guys positioned well at the contest, and improve techniques to allow tackles to ride high like Joel Selwood has been doing forever successfully. Then we might get an extra few frees (last year), and we might be able to generate effective turnovers. By training and skilling our players we can help reduce unforced errors, and give our guys best chance to succeed.'

They've tightened the shoulder shrugging interpretation, and they're hotter on holding the ball and deliberate out of bounds. So for all the crying last year the umpires and rules committee have addressed it, and yet we are still in front despite these areas of alleged advantage. That's not luck, it's training. A free kick is in tennis terms an unforced error. Either making an unforced error or being on the better end of an opponents unforced error. If Federer plays Nadal, and Federer makes many more unforced errors which get called by the umpire, then we blame the umpire and Nadal for the differential???

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I hope the umpires do take legal action as alluded to in the other thread.

The easiest thing would be to limit free kicks to 5 a half, like time outs in basketball. And then not paying fouls. Because everyone knows that free kick counts need to be even. Alternatively, a smart journo might suggest that Bevo had many radical ideas in applying for the job and many ideas on how to achieve optimal outcomes in games with small changes. A revolutionary coach might think, 'the players, the ball and umpires are all out there so how do we achieve less turnovers against, how do we achieve more turnovers for?'

A revolutionary coach might conclude; 'If we improve tackling and handballing techniques, we can limit giving away in the back and high free kicks and throws or illegal disposal. By doing that we reduce unforced errors and the self generating of turnovers. Plus, if we can get our guys positioned well at the contest, and improve techniques to allow tackles to ride high like Joel Selwood has been doing forever successfully. Then we might get an extra few frees (last year), and we might be able to generate effective turnovers. By training and skilling our players we can help reduce unforced errors, and give our guys best chance to succeed.'

They've tightened the shoulder shrugging interpretation, and they're hotter on holding the ball and deliberate out of bounds. So for all the crying last year the umpires and rules committee have addressed it, and yet we are still in front despite these areas of alleged advantage. That's not luck, it's training. A free kick is in tennis terms an unforced error. Either making an unforced error or being on the better end of an opponents unforced error. If Federer plays Nadal, and Federer makes many more unforced errors which get called by the umpire, then we blame the umpire and Nadal for the differential???

Unfortunately you just cant reason with the people crying foul. Because it's all clouded by jealousy and tall poppy syndrome. I am yet to see any factual based argument pointing to how it's wrong we are getting more free kicks. They are simply looking at numbers and having a whinge. They need to accept the poor struggling western bulldogs, who were everyones second favourite team, are now the premiers and best team in the comp. The quicker they accept that, the quicker they can move on and challenge us. The longer they complain, the longer they're accepting they're not good enough. This is all a part of being feared. We're just going to have to get used to it and hope the AFL doesn't succumb to the pressure.

[bulldogtragic]

Unfortunately you just cant reason with the people crying foul. Because it's all clouded by jealousy and tall poppy syndrome. I am yet to see any factual based argument pointing to how it's wrong we are getting more free kicks. They are simply looking at numbers and having a whinge. They need to accept the poor struggling western bulldogs, who were everyones second favourite team, are now the premiers and best team in the comp. The quicker they accept that, the quicker they can move on and challenge us. The longer they complain, the longer they're accepting they're not good enough. This is all a part of being feared. We're just going to have to get used to it and hope the AFL doesn't succumb to the pressure.

True, I'm not losing any sleep over it. Success = Hate. So bring it onl But we know journos read our stuff, maybe they find the counter argument sometime soon.

[SonofScray]

Was hard not to buy into the conspiracies watching last night. Logically you put things down to the fact we didn't play well and the stuff that generates free kicks wasn't present to normal levels. However, it felt like all this priming of the umpires to start looking at us differently started to have an influence. It's an irrational feeling, but there all the same. Can see how all these pissant inferior Clubs and media people succumb to it.

[AndrewP6]

5th for frees for in the season so far. I can live with that.

[jeemak]

I think Toby McLean is going to find things hard, even when he had his head ripped off without him shrugging and it was paid you had Freo players getting stuck into him.

A point to note is he's a premiership player, Nat Fyffe who was leading the charge isn't.

The area that concerns me most is the throw calls against our side. What was adjudicated to be a handball last year is now considered a throw, when there's a touch of uncertainty. The question I have, does a player clearly have to handball it or does it need to be a clear throw if a throw is to be paid? If it's 50-50 the umpire should judge it to be play on.

[always right]

Libba has a habit of getting his fist to the ball but actually propelling the ball with his other hand. I fear umpires will watch him closely this year. I just hope the umpires treat the other sides the same way as there is evidence so far that they believe we are the only team with suspect disposal.

[S Coast Simon]

Good on the AFL. We finally win a premiership with slick handball and third man up. So what do they do they tighten up the had ball rules and ban third man up. Give Bevo time he will come up with a solution you can bet on it