Game Day Round 7, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V Richmond

[Eastdog]

Big game Saturday night

Margin: Dogs by 38 points
First Goal: Dahl
Best On Ground: Bonti
Crowd: 47,169


Go Bulldogs!!

[bornadog]

Dogs by 72 points
First Goal - Stringer (will kick 7 )
BOG: Macrae

Crowd 41,599

[bulldogtragic]

Dusty out early with an injury
Dogs win by 109
Tom Boyd BOG
Bob Murphy FG

[Eastdog]

BT you've done it again :) :)

[1eyedog]

Dogs by 123 points
BOG Dahl
FG Smith

[bornadog]

Dogs by 13 points
BOG Dahl
FG Smith

That is too realistic :D

[1eyedog]

Edited for accuracy

[ratsmac]

Dogs by 31
First goal - Adams
BOG - The Bont
Crowd - 40765

[boydogs]

WB by 27
First goal Dunkley
BOG Bont

[Go_Dogs]

Dogs by 47
First goal Jong
BOG T Boyd
Crowd 33,933

Hope we stamp our authority early.

Big opportunity for Boyd to beat up a green opponent.

[Remi Moses]

Dogs by 12 pts (would love a comfy victory )
1st goal Jake Stringer
BOG Jack Macrae

[Bulldog4life]

Doggies by 28 pts
First goal Stringer
BOG The Bont

[Ozza]

Dogs by 32 points
BOG: Bont to make it 9 brownlow votes in 3 games v the Tigers
1st Goal: The Package is flying, and will get us off to a flyer.
Crowd: 39,978

[Happy Days]

Anyone else a little wary after watching the Giants last night? Could really see the effects of a physical game against a not-absolutely-terrible side this evening.

Still think we win though.

[comrade]

Anyone else a little wary after watching the Giants last night? Could really see the effects of a physical game against a not-absolutely-terrible side this evening.

Still think we win though.

Yep, so I'm not expecting a belting. I'll just be happy to collect the 4 points.

[LostDoggy]

Dogs by 35
1st Goal: Dunkley
BOG: Bont
Crowd: 42,000

[bulldogtragic]

BT you've done it again :) :)

Did you just play Mike Moore, making me Elliott Rhodes? :)

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Dogs by 37 (the number of years since the tiges last won a flag).

Fletch to kick the first (to commemorate his goal after the siren against Richmond that got Footscray into the finals in 2014).

Tommy Boyd to take BOG with a commanding performance.

Crowd: 50000

Forecast: Rivers of Tiger Tears at the final siren

[SquirrelGrip]

Dogs by 59
1st goal Hunter
BOG Stringer
Crowd 49,000

[GVGjr]

Crowd. 46,345
Dogs by 11 points.
First goal McLean
BOG Picken

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Dogs by 19 points
First goal Stringer
BOG Bontempelli

[LostDoggy]

Dogs by 46
FG-Stringer
BOG-Macrae
46,829

[DOG GOD]

Too many upsets already...

Richmond by 11
1st goal - Dunkley
Bog - MaCrae
Crowd -47,538

[LostDoggy]

Dahlhaus late out.
Dogs by 19
FG Clay
BOG Clay
43,398

[Mantis]

Dahlhaus late out.
Dogs by 19
FG Clay
BOG Clay
43,398

A guess?

All emergencies are playing from reports.

[LostDoggy]

Got a Txt trying to confirm it sorry

[comrade]

Webb, Dale & Campbell played out the entirety of the VFL game, FWIW.

[LostDoggy]

Looks wrong and hopefully is.

[ratsmac]

Looks wrong and hopefully is.

I hope its wrong as well. He would be a massive out. All the upsets this round are making me nervous enough as it is!

[bornadog]

I hope its wrong as well. He would be a massive out. All the upsets this round are making me nervous enough as it is!
Yes I am nervous as hell

[kruder]

There is a photo of dahl on twitter warming up

[Funke disco]

Watching from work. Hopefully we can get home comfortably

[Murphy'sLore]

Oh Tom.

[Rocket Science]

I think in future Toyd should be instructed to play on at all costs.

[bulldogtragic]

Adams forward, Dunkley rucking. Interesting times.

[Bulldog4life]

I think in future Toyd should be instructed to play on at all costs.

He pokes at the ball instead of kicking through it

[kruder]

Amazing how far off the pace Easton Wood is...

[Murphy'sLore]

We can't seem to string a chain of possessions together.

[1eyedog]

Adams to Riewoldt now!

[Rocket Science]

He pokes at the ball instead of kicking through it

You're right. The mark of a bloke lacking conviction and confidence in front of the sticks.

Slightly unrelated, jeez our forward entries remain diabolical.

[Happy Days]

"Watching" the game on the AFL ticker at work. Good to hear that Adams is up forward again /s.

[bulldogtragic]

Is it too late to bet on Rance for BOG?

[chef]

Out played so far. Another shit start.

[Murphy'sLore]

Well this is not much fun, watching the Jack Reiwoldt party.

[Funke disco]

This isn't good

[Remi Moses]

Absolutely crapola

[bulldogtragic]

Looking like a belting. Only one goal which was pure luck. Have we let them get enough ahead before playing properly yet?

[whythelongface]

What is it with our first quarters this year??

[chef]

Here i was thinking we're back. Going by last night and tonight we are no where near.

Ffs Dogs. Pull your finger out.

[DOG GOD]

Predictable start.....out played, no fwd structure, not working hard enough, and the 1 ruckman is a farce.
More inside 50's.

[DOG GOD]

Nowhere near the team we were last year. Will be lucky to make the 8.

[kruder]

The worst coaching performance we have seen from Bevo. Why play Boyd forward this week? We had 30 shots at goal against GWS when he played ruck its complete arrogance playing Dunkley in the ruck. The players have also gone out with the coaches mind set easily the worst quarter I've seen in his tenure.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Premiership hangover for sure. They don't even care anymore. We are nowhere near it at the moment. Making the 8 will be a challenge with performances like this

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Well that was a putrid quarter of football from us.
Why are we so anaemic up forward. We have almost of not the worst ball use going into our forward line.
Its actually quite amazing we have been such a good football team with such a poor ability to connect andcconvert oir forward entries.
Its a rarity to see us hit up a forward target on the lead andcthen convert.

[LostDoggy]

letting the opposition get well ahead first is surely a masterstroke about to pay dividends.

[EasternWest]

This is difficult to watch. It's strange to me that out default forward 50 entry plan is still "just bomb it long" even though we never mark it.

We're right in this game really, but they are being way cleaner with the ball. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

[Rocket Science]

We're such bunnies with our slack, non-competitive starts.

Galls me we're making chumps look like champs.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

When we turn the ball over like Murph did our defense in numbers has no chance to get an out number at the contest and we end up with a nightmare one on one like Williams on Riewoldt. Thats a horror show if that continues

[bulldogtragic]

Hard to see where or how we score...

[bulldogtragic]

Oh no, Jongy, what's happened?

[1eyedog]

Dunkley must not kick

[bulldogtragic]

Dunkley must not kick

Dropped a sitter 20m out, can't ruck, horrible kick. Ffs.

[kruder]

Amazing,Boyd goes in the ruck against two kids and we start to put score board pressure on. What was Bevo thinking?

[bulldogtragic]

Turning it over at will now, now we actually have some momentum.

[The Underdog]

Dunkley must not kick

Dunkley for Wallis next week I reckon. Libba needs to pick it up.

[bulldogtragic]

Matty Boyd is showing signs he should've retired.

[Murphy'sLore]

I think I would rather be in bed reading a book than watch this.

[GVGjr]

Inconsistent performance so far. We can rally in the 2nd half

Suckling much better away from the forward line. Adams should improve the back line as well.

A number of players need to lift

[The Underdog]

How the *!*!*!*! are we only 3 goals down. This team has served up some serious shit so far this season.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Boyd is finished.

Few blokes need to lift or should find themselves in the vfl next week. We're playing poorly and we're 7 weeks in, about time the axe swings.

[The Underdog]

Boyd is finished.

Few blokes need to lift or should find themselves in the vfl next week. We're playing poorly and we're 7 weeks in, about time the axe swings.

Which one? :)
But seriously, yes he looks cooked.

[westbulldog]

Hands up which woofer would like to do the pre-game address ?

[GVGjr]

What changes can we make? Id love to hear a few suggestions

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

It must sap the spirit that we have to work so hard to get reward for our inside 50's. We had control of most of that quarter yet could not fully capitalise.
I love the work ethic of our players, but many of our hardest workers just are a shade below AFL standard for skill execution.
We won a premiership through the sheer strength of our will and desire, having to exert the sort of pressure required to turn coal into diamonds in order to score enough points.
In theory a Tom Boyd type should alleviate that, but we both are required to use him predominantly in a ruck role & he also isn't yet a dominant enough key forward to get the job done when he is forward.

[EasternWest]

What changes can we make? Id love to hear a few suggestions

I think Toby McLean looks like he could use a break. Can we bring Webb in for him?

[bulldogtragic]

What changes can we make? Id love to hear a few suggestions

Tom Campbell or Tim English would be good. Matty Boyd retired. A genuine small, quick forward. Bailey Dale for Clay Smith. Starting well. Intensity. Not bombing long to a small forward line.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

What changes can we make? Id love to hear a few suggestions
I'm assuming you mean in the 2nd half, not next week.
It will be hard given a paucity of options, but we've got to minimise the amount of ruck time Dunkley & Jong get. Boyd has at least negated the hit outs to advantage Richmond were getting at stoppages.
We need someone up forward who can bring the ball to ground if they don't mark it. Could Adams stay back and Fletcher Roberts go forward or is he too slow on the transition?

[GVGjr]

Tom Campbell or Tim English would be good. Matty Boyd retired. A genuine small, quick forward. Bailey Dale for Clay Smith. Starting well. Intensity. Not bombing long to a small forward line.
Not quite what I was expecting but thanks

[GVGjr]

It will be hard given a paucity of options, but we've got to minimise the amount of ruck time Dunkley & Jong get. Boyd has at least negated the hit outs to advantage Richmond were getting at stoppages.
We need someone up forward who can bring the ball to ground if they don't mark it. Could Adams stay back and Fletcher Roberts go forward or is he too slow on the transition?

We probably have to keep Adams up forward to see if he can snag a goal for us.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Any chance Picken could follow Dusty around in the second half? He's strong enough to body him & isn't the worst defender for when Dusty goes forward?

[Happy Days]

How the *!*!*!*! are we only 3 goals down. This team has served up some serious shit so far this season.

Should at least have the courtesy to get up to 88 miles per hour first.

[The Underdog]

Not quite what I was expecting but thanks

Possible Adams back and Zaine forward/2nd ruck, but Adams has been our only semi forward target. I think it's more a lift in intensity and composure.

[DOG GOD]

If we keep bombing it, rance etc will just continue to read the ball and out mark our fwds. Our running half fwd flankers like Dunkley, Jong etc don't have the skills to hit a stringer on the chest....it's going to take running goals past the 50 for us to score with the likes of Picken, bonts and Jj (I'd play half fwd next quarter)

[chef]

What changes can we make? Id love to hear a few suggestions

I dont think we need to make many changes, more raise the intensity and lower the eyes going forward. No more bombing to midgets.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Gee Hunter has been horrid by foot and by hand. He might be due a spell in the 2nds.

[bulldogtragic]

Shooting ourselves in the arse.

[EasternWest]

Jack Macrae just superb.

[kruder]

On the positive Wood has been great since the first 5 minutes and Boyd's hit outs to advantage have been fantastic.

[bulldogtragic]

*!*!*!*! me dead, that's *!*!*!*!ing shit, for *!*!*!*! sake, *!*!*!*!wits.

[The Underdog]

Easton Wood has been our best player.
I'm also considering turning this off because it's not enjoyable in any way

[Murphy'sLore]

Oh great. Stringer's done his knee.

[bulldogtragic]

Matthew Boyd hand back your match fee.

[1eyedog]

We really need dicko in the side the sooner he's had a few runs in the seconds the better.

[EasternWest]

Caleb Daniel is really using the ball well tonight. We should try to get it to him every time.

[1eyedog]

Best goal kicking action in the team.

[EasternWest]

Also maybe I'm just being optimistic but Stringer didn't look too bad jogging off.

[bulldogtragic]

More shots at 3/4 time, and behind... Again... This is tiring.

[GVGjr]

Great comeback quarter but we have so much more to do. Need to conjure up 4 goals I suspect.

Hiw good has Fletch been after quarter time? Critical player for us in the last quarter

[cinder]

Yeah they are playing the type of footy that's draining to watch. There's just no flow or consistency.

[DOG GOD]

The worst game I've seen murph and Boyd both play...what is wrong with murphy tonight...some decisions have been putrid. The game is passing mboyd by very quickly.

Hunter is very lucky if he survives next week...looks slow and disinterested.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

For all the frustration it is to watch us right now, we must be blessed with a level of persistence unrivalled in AFL/VFL history. We just don't go away.
For all our faults, we just find a way to give ourselves a chance.
I can't believe we are only 3 points down at 3 Qtr time.

[GVGjr]

So what do you reckon? More likely or less likely to win it?

[The Underdog]

Great comeback quarter but we have so much more to do. Need to conjure up 4 goals I suspect.

Hiw good has Fletch been after quarter time? Critical player for us in the last quarter

He's quelled Riewoldt. Been fantastic

[bulldogtragic]

Who no sheperd on the goal line?

[EasternWest]

So what do you reckon? More likely or less likely to win it?

Less.

[cinder]

Ouch Dunkley

[bulldogtragic]

Shooting ourselves in the arse.

[cinder]

Clay has his kicking boots on.

[EasternWest]

Geez Caleb Daniel has been good.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Great fight.
Bont, JJ, Daniel, Smith, Williams fantastic lift.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Hate to say it. Matty Boyd cooked.

[Murphy'sLore]

How the hell are we in front?

[cinder]

I hate these games

[cinder]

Far out

[bulldogtragic]

Didn't enjoy one second of that. FFS...........

195/110

[EasternWest]

We just can't keep playing like that.

Dahlhaus is such a warrior for our club. Must be approaching the greatest rookie selection ever made.

[DOG GOD]

Didn't enjoy one second of that. FFS...........

195/110

Same....like most of the year...another win we probably didn't deserve.

[bulldogtragic]

Same....like most of the year...another win we probably didn't deserve.

And last week we probably deserved to win (less kicking inaccuracy).

[GVGjr]

Cracking game, exhausting but great result. We stood up when it counted. I won't forget this game anytime soon

[LostDoggy]

Clay smith is back baby!!!!!!

Breaking the Tigers hearts doesn't get much better than that.

[DOG GOD]

And last week we probably deserved to win (less kicking inaccuracy).
That's very true.

[AndrewP6]

Cracking game, exhausting but great result. We stood up when it counted. I won't forget this game anytime soon

I will be trying to, we stunk for most of the night. I'll take the win though.

[1eyedog]

We have to keep Adams at all costs

[GVGjr]

We have to keep Adams at all costs
Absolutely

[kruder]

We have to keep Adams at all costs

He is no good in the preseason though.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Cracking game, exhausting but great result. We stood up when it counted. I won't forget this game anytime soon

I reckon we are doing 95% of things right, but because we play a very highly strung style of gamestyle, that 5% bit we're off is causing us so much pain.

We're like a high performance vehicle that to perform at it's best requires precision tuning. Just the little bit of quantum level out od calibration and we can be exposed.
In football terms that is a ball that gets out of the scrimmage on terms other than what we set up for - results in an easy goal for the opposition. Or an unexpected turnover in an attacking phase leaves us out of position for an easy opposition goal.
Our poor return in front of goal magnifies this.
But gee i reckon our finals experience last year is just dragging us over the line right now.

[merantau]

I don't know if I can take much more of this. Even the players looked as if they'd just gone through the death of a thousand cuts ... again. They just seemed too emotionally and physically drained to enjoy the victory.
Tom Boyd got us back in the game and kept us back in it.
We are doing it so hard at the moment because of our shocking kicking for goal and delivery inside 50.
But let's not forget - the Tigers were 5 - 0 so they are not a bad side.
I am now a little recovered from the trauma of this game. Even my wife who is pretty new to footy said: "This is so hard (to watch)."

They just showed a shot of Bevo looking really relieved post siren. Her comment: "That's how you look" Relieved - it's become an UNWANTED buzzword.
GO DOGS!!!!

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Adams earns big points from his teammates tonight. If he was ever feeling a bit unloved amongst the group, tonight has changed that.
Well done.

[jeemak]

Didn't get to see the game, all I'll say is the win came at the perfect time given those around us all fell.

[Sedat]

Bevo was very quick to point out in the presser that Boydy is a legitimate AFL ruckman - he's not what we traded him for but his importance to the team is no less important.

[bornadog]

We have to keep Adams at all costs

I am back on board, he has been good this year. (except Freo game)

[bulldogtragic]

Bevo was very quick to point out in the presser that Boydy is a legitimate AFL ruckman - he's not what we traded him for but his importance to the team is no less important.

Also that he can become 'that key forward'. Three weeks rucking by himself in the first 7 weeks. He must be stuffed!

[Sedat]

Also that he can become 'that key forward'. Three weeks rucking by himself in the first 7 weeks. He must be stuffed!
This patch is going to be so valuable for him and for us in the long run.

Also there is no better 2nd half player in the game than the Bont.

[EasternWest]

Also there is no better 2nd half player in the game than the Bont.

There really isn't. What a freak.

[Stefcep]

I never played elite level, but for a can a coke and burger I'll hold a kicking clinic for the players if they want.

[Go_Dogs]

I will be trying to, we stunk for most of the night. I'll take the win though.

Aside from the first, we controlled the game comfortably - just took time for our dominant field play to be reflected on the scoreboard.

[Stefcep]

Aside from the first, we controlled the game comfortably - just took time for our dominant field play to be reflected on the scoreboard.

They killled us in the air. Game was a alive until the last 30 seconds.

[FrediKanoute]

I think the Tigers are a good team. Not great, their 2nd tier guys are just ok. Should play finals and will be tough.

[Remi Moses]

I thought we got on top during the second , but our connection and execution going forward was abysmal .
They hardly took a mark in the front half in the second half .

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

They killled us in the air. Game was a alive until the last 30 seconds.

Whilst that may be true, it's not relevant to the result, and is far too simplistic. The game was ultimately not played on those terms. Richmond would've like it that way, but if it was such a supreme advantage to the Tiges then we would not have been able to wrest the game from a 5 goals deficit.

Richmond capitalised on our mistakes to get multiple one on one opportunities or overlaps inside 50, due to mistakes at stoppages or ill-timed turnovers.
Game was alive in the lat 30 seconds due to above, not through their air power control. Their air power control as you posit, was merely a symptom of our inability to capitalise on our opportunities, when we rectified the areas we needed to get the game on our footing we were able to control large parts of the game and eventually we did take the chances that our game style dominance gave us.

[GVGjr]

A bit off topic but I saw 3 games of footy today and the total winning margins were just 13 points.

Back to tonight's game, is anyone sick of paying for a seat each week when you just end up sitting in the edge of it for most of the game? :)

[Twodogs]

We are like a champion thoroughbred. We are never beaten and we keep getting our noses in front just before the finishing line.

I love breaking Richmond's pea hearts!

[always right]

We did not get the bounce of the ball once tonight. Frustrating game I'm glad we got away with.

[kruder]

I am back on board, he has been good this year. (except Freo game)

He was a gun last year, I'm still confused by peoples recollection of him. Go and try and find a key back that can play forward that is excellent mark for a mid 30's pick in the draft that is ready to go. I think he has been absolutely undersold on here.

[Eastdog]

Another close game last night on the edge of our seats again which is well known to us. Good to get the win considering our poor 1st quarter start. From then on we came into the game more but did not hit the lead until the last and I thought we weren't going to get up but we did in the end and got the points which puts us in a good position 5-2.

I liked the games of Easton Wood who took some fantastic marks in defence, Clay Smith kicked a couple of goals, Bonti popped up at the right time. Getting Dickson, Crameri, Redpath into the forward line could help but very tough to play all of them together of course with Cloke also in the wings. Marcus Adams as well wasn't too bad in the forward line and kicked a good goal. Our ruck is an area that needs to be addressed.

[Eastdog]

We are like a champion thoroughbred. We are never beaten and we keep getting our noses in front just before the finishing line.

I love breaking Richmond's pea hearts!

:D yeah it always good beating that mob

[Twodogs]

I've never seen or heard such a one sided bulldog dominated crowd since the days of the Whitten oval. Richmond goals almost got polite applause while bulldog goals were greeted with a huge roar.

The huge appeal from around the ground had a bit to do with the deliberate OOB toward the end I thought and the countdown from ten at the end was pretty loud too. The players must have heard it.

[comrade]

Bevo was very quick to point out in the presser that Boydy is a legitimate AFL ruckman - he's not what we traded him for but his importance to the team is no less important.

Yep, he's a ruckman that can go forward and provide a presence. Tonight was just further proof.

[Eastdog]

For sure Twodogs. The crowd as well was fantastic over 46K at Etihad and we made of noise even more than they did and they are usually very loud. So glad we got the win as then the media I'm sure would have pounced.

[Twodogs]

Yeah, the trip over the. footbridge to southern cross took so long tgat we ended up abandoning the train and catching the bus back to Footscray. It was pretty lucky we walked through to Spencer st turned toward Latrobe intending to catch the 220 because it drops us near home but the 216 was already waiting so we caught that back to Footscray and walked from there..

[Eastdog]

Yeah, the trip over the. footbridge to southern cross took so long tgat we ended up abandoning the train and catching the bus back to Footscray. It was pretty lucky we walked through to Spencer st turned toward Latrobe intending to catch the 220 because it drops us near home but the 216 was already waiting so we caught that back to Footscray and walked from there..

Would be hard for the country woofers making it home particularly with the frequency of the V-line services.

[jazzadogs]

I was watching on the sidelines of my London footy match, and had given up when Stringer went down. Glad I started watching again in the last quarter, even skipped the warm up for it!

Gee it's frustrating to watch us butcher inside 50s and goal opportunities.

[1eyedog]

A bit off topic but I saw 3 games of footy today and the total winning margins were just 13 points.

Back to tonight's game, is anyone sick of paying for a seat each week when you just end up sitting in the edge of it for most of the game? :)

Ive got a reserved seat but paced between aisle 36 and 32 for the last 5 minutes looking over peoples heads in different locations.

[ReLoad]

In my wildest dreams I never thought I'd say this;

"We miss Travis Cloke"

He would have made Rance far more accountable and given our diabolical inside 50s would have made life much easier.
Injuries now are pretty much at crisis levels.

I'm loving bailey williams with the footy in his hands, his kicking is astounding.

[bornadog]

Back to tonight's game, is anyone sick of paying for a seat each week when you just end up sitting in the edge of it for most of the game? :)

I think every home game has been like that this season to date.

[bornadog]

I've never seen or heard such a one sided bulldog dominated crowd since the days of the Whitten oval. Richmond goals almost got polite applause while bulldog goals were greeted with a huge roar.

The huge appeal from around the ground had a bit to do with the deliberate OOB toward the end I thought and the countdown from ten at the end was pretty loud too. The players must have heard it.

Great Crowd, 46k plus

[GVGjr]

Ive got a reserved seat but paced between aisle 36 and 32 for the last 5 minutes looking over peoples heads in different locations.

I'll have to give it a try :)

[GVGjr]

I think every home game has been like that this season to date.

We also had a couple of them late last year :)

[GVGjr]

Crowd. 46,345
Dogs by 11 points.
First goal McLean
BOG Picken

I couldn't have got much closer to the crowd numbers but missed on the others.

[SonofScray]

Great Crowd, 46k plus

Tigers had a fairly raucous following on the night but the weight of numbers was with the home side and when we started to put the hammer down you could really feel the lift in the crowd, urging us to pull away (which we never really did on the scoreboard) while the Tiger fans slowly went into their box, resigned to fate.

[LostDoggy]

I reckon we are doing 95% of things right, but because we play a very highly strung style of gamestyle, that 5% bit we're off is causing us so much pain.

We're like a high performance vehicle that to perform at it's best requires precision tuning. Just the little bit of quantum level out od calibration and we can be exposed.
In football terms that is a ball that gets out of the scrimmage on terms other than what we set up for - results in an easy goal for the opposition. Or an unexpected turnover in an attacking phase leaves us out of position for an easy opposition goal.
Our poor return in front of goal magnifies this.
But gee i reckon our finals experience last year is just dragging us over the line right now.

I said similar to my daughter in Q3, it's like we are nearly there, just not quite, slow starts and uncharacteristic mistakes that break down the whole system. The ball bounced away from us at every chance too.



A bit off topic but I saw 3 games of footy today and the total winning margins were just 13 points.

Back to tonight's game, is anyone sick of paying for a seat each week when you just end up sitting in the edge of it for most of the game? :)

I just love winning the close games, after a very disappointing Q1 we were the dominant team in a high pressure game. I would like to win by 20 goals soon for a change up.



In my wildest dreams I never thought I'd say this;

"We miss Travis Cloke"

He would have made Rance far more accountable and given our diabolical inside 50s would have made life much easier.
Injuries now are pretty much at crisis levels.

I'm loving bailey williams with the footy in his hands, his kicking is astounding.

Timely return for some players, and while the injuries are serious they aren't season ending. I'm sure most of us thought Jake was done for the year initial.

Opportunity for Wally and Dicko or others this week. Our depth in most areas is good.

[Eastdog]

I think every home game has been like that this season to date.

Even in the games against the Swans and Lions we won more comfortably but they were quite close as well in stages. Will be nice to win comfortably at home soon. Our supporters were great last night really into the game. Love where I seat very passionate bunch that get the Bulldogs chant going.

[Eastdog]

Ive got a reserved seat but paced between aisle 36 and 32 for the last 5 minutes looking over peoples heads in different locations.

I would have been one of those heads in there Level 1 Aisle 33 represent :)

[Twodogs]

I'll have to give it a try :)

Standing on level 1 leaning against the railing is the best view in the house. Only problem is you can't see the scoreboard and the score on the TV screen has gone really tiny this year so all last night I had to keep checking whether the score was right.



Even in the games against the Swans and Lions we won more comfortably but they were quite close as well in stages. Will be nice to win comfortably at home soon. Our supporters were great last night really into the game. Love where I seat very passionate bunch that get the Bulldogs chant going.

They were weren't they? One of the best bulldog crowds I've been in at Etihad. It was lots of fun being the biggest boof heads in the house against one of the "big four"


Ive got a reserved seat but paced between aisle 36 and 32 for the last 5 minutes looking over peoples heads in different locations.

You would have been quite near us at stages underneath the 31 sign along the right hand side of the gate.

[Eastdog]

What aisle on Level 1 do you usual stand in Twodogs?

[Twodogs]

What aisle on Level 1 do you usual stand in Twodogs?


31, Kelvin Templeton's old number.

[merantau]

Agree, standing Level 1 is where the atmosphere is absolutely the best. Massive noise, excitement, passion, raw emotion on show during a close finish - simply cannot be topped.

[Eastdog]

31, Kelvin Templeton's old number.

I have a few Bulldog mates who usually stand around Aisle 33 or 34. I have probably gone past you Twodogs walking around Etihad during the quarter breaks :)

[Twodogs]

I have a few Bulldog mates who usually stand around Aisle 33 or 34. I have probably gone past you Twodogs walking around Etihad during the quarter breaks :)


If you saw some Richmond supporters being escorted away by the cops at 1/4 time we were the guys standing next to them.

[jeemak]

Finally got to watch most of the game, though decided to not to put myself through the first quarter as I feel as if I've already seen it before this season more than once. It's probably why I didn't think Moyd was as bad as others. There really were times in the last few quarters where his input was invaluable, especially in a play that led to Suckling hitting up Bont for a missed set shot. I thought a lot of his work was really good.

Bont seems to be a player really working hard to do what the team needs of him with close checking from the opposition. Once we get our forward structure settled and can free him up to spend more time outside of the forward 50m he'll rack up more touches and possibly kick more goals.......which seems like a strange thing to say, but in my view he'll be able to make the most of a miss match if going forward is the secondary option for him rather than what we do with him more often than not. His performances this year have been fantastic, I pinch myself about how good he could be if we had our full compliment around him and didn't need him to be Johnny on the spot for the sake of the team.

With a full compliment of defenders Adams could become a genuine swing man. With confidence and continuity as that type of player he could fulfil that role with aplomb. His AFL journey so far is one still in its infancy, we really need to work hard to keep him on our list.

Jacko, like many others in this thread, really impressed me with his work in close. Looking at him now he's clearly worked so hard to be the strong worker that he is today. He's gotten a lot bigger and a lot fitter, and there's still more to come. A player like him will always be around to do the hard work he did in the second and third quarters and he was a massive reason why we chipped away at the Tigers.

It's a testament to the playing group that they can follow the non-conventional approach to how anyone should traditionally play placed on them by the coaching group. We are clearly mixing things up when it comes to playing players in different positions - versus their strengths - due to our personnel issues and coach's penchant for experimenting. That we continue to win games under these circumstances leaves me with a lot of comfort that we are building a team that will be more resilient over time.

Some of the non-throw calls against Richmond, especially the one that landed Riewoldt's last goal were bewildering. Some of the game calling throughout was ordinary.

Dusty Martin if he finished his work would have won the Tigers the game. He's an absolute gun, and will be the best player in the comp alongside the Bont for the next few years.

[jeemak]

As for the Tom Boyd non-mark in the last when things were tight, cast your mind back to our elimination final at Subiaco when Liam stood up and took a really strong contested mark over numerous grabs in the first quarter for our first goal and tell me how different it was from that............

[ledge]

As for the Tom Boyd non-mark in the last when things were tight, cast your mind back to our elimination final at Subiaco when Liam stood up and took a really strong contested mark over numerous grabs in the first quarter for our first goal and tell me how different it was from that............

As the commentators said it was touched but they usually get paid.
I agree but technically it wasn't a mark.
I think we could dissect plenty of decisions either way, the rules are so grey and stupid nowadays.
Seriously it's that bad a bloke gets a free kick then gets a week suspension for the same play.
I would hate to be trying to teach a foreigner the rules of the game.

[Mantis]

Finally got to watch most of the game, though decided to not to put myself through the first quarter as I feel as if I've already seen it before this season more than once. It's probably why I didn't think Moyd was as bad as others. There really were times in the last few quarters where his input was invaluable, especially in a play that led to Suckling hitting up Bont for a missed set shot. I thought a lot of his work was really good.

Moyd's game looked better on replay than live.. Lot's of in-decision on when to peel off his opponent and rarely made the right choice in this area.. I also thought his inability to affect the Grigg mark was poor.. he needed to make soem body contact and it was a futile attempt to swipe the ball... He no doubt did some good things, but he I think the balance is heading in the wrong direction


Jacko, like many others in this thread, really impressed me with his work in close. Looking at him now he's clearly worked so hard to be the strong worker that he is today. He's gotten a lot bigger and a lot fitter, and there's still more to come. A player like him will always be around to do the hard work he did in the second and third quarters and he was a massive reason why we chipped away at the Tigers.

He was the player who was really trying to lift us when we were struggling... As 'comrade' mentioned somewhere he gave a fair old spray to Jongy after he made an error.. He has high standards and wants the rest to follow.


It's a testament to the playing group that they can follow the non-conventional approach to how anyone should traditionally play placed on them by the coaching group. We are clearly mixing things up when it comes to playing players in different positions - versus their strengths - due to our personnel issues and coach's penchant for experimenting. That we continue to win games under these circumstances leaves me with a lot of comfort that we are building a team that will be more resilient over time.
.

We are all over the place at present, but we have simply found a way to get to 5-2.. If we somehow ever get our full compliment on the ground together we are in for some fun... you know, like that time last year when we finally had something like our best 22 on the park. :)

[Ozza]

Moyd's game looked better on replay than live.. Lot's of in-decision on when to peel off his opponent and rarely made the right choice in this area.. I also thought his inability to affect the Grigg mark was poor.. he needed to make soem body contact and it was a futile attempt to swipe the ball... He no doubt did some good things, but he I think the balance is heading in the wrong direction


I definitely didn't see it this way. Thought Boyd showed fantastic judgement a number of times, and was pretty crucial coming off his player to affect contests. Must admit, I don't recall the Grigg contest. But I do recall him coming off his opponent to spoil Riewoldt late in the game, as well as the ball he read well to mark Cotchin's kick and rather than blazing away (as we've seen him do before) he chipped sideways to JJ who had a shot.

Personally, I think the reaction on here to how Boyd is going this season is well off the mark.

[Murphy'sLore]

I would hate to be trying to teach a foreigner the rules of the game.

I started watching AFL ten years ago and I still don't know what the rules are. Just when I get my head around something, they go and change it.

[bornadog]

Personally, I think the reaction on here to how Boyd is going this season is well off the mark.

He has certainly slowed down and not playing as well as last year.

The last 14 games he has played against West Coast, he has had 25 or more disposals.

[Twodogs]

I started watching AFL ten years ago and I still don't know what the rules are. Just when I get my head around something, they go and change it.

Same. I started going 47 years ago.

[1eyedog]

31, Kelvin Templeton's old number.

I see you all the time. Tall guy long hair.

[Twodogs]

I see you all the time. Tall guy long hair.


Might be my son. I have long hair but I'm not as tall.