Game Day Round 15, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V West Coast

[Eastdog]

Margin: Dogs by 23 points

First Goal: Hunter

Best On Ground: Wallis

Crowd: 32,564

Go Bulldogs!!

[bulldogtragic]

Dogs by 112
FG Bob
BOG Bob (6.2)

[Rocket Science]

It'd be brilliant if we torch this mob. All the the prerequisites are there dangling with one glaring exception; our form.

Time to turn the corner lads.

Dogs by, a lot.

[bornadog]

Dogs by 33

BOG: The Bont

First Goal: Redpath

Crowd: 27400

[1eyedog]

Dogs by 17
BOG Dahl
FG = Stringer
Crowd 24,617

[LostDoggy]

Dogs by 44
BOG McLean
1st Goal Bob
Crowd 28,161

[Eastdog]

It'd be brilliant if we torch this mob. All the the prerequisites are there dangling with one glaring exception; our form.

Time to turn the corner lads.

Dogs by, a lot.

Yeah we are due to get a big win. We got it a few weeks back vs the Saints by 40 points and another would be good for the % as well after taking a bit of a battering.

[kruder]

Has anyone been able to redeem a ticket for a friend under their membership? I got an email during the week they you can bring someone along for free but after longing into the system it said offer not available?

[Bulldog4life]

Scraggers by 10 points
First Goal Dicko
BOG.....Bonti

[Eastdog]

Has anyone been able to redeem a ticket for a friend under their membership? I got an email during the week they you can bring someone along for free but after longing into the system it said offer not available?

Yeah got an email but haven't gone into the link. Yeah a few woofers on the membership thread said they had issues.

[hujsh]

Has anyone been able to redeem a ticket for a friend under their membership? I got an email during the week they you can bring someone along for free but after longing into the system it said offer not available?

Worked for me when I got the email

[bulldogtragic]

If Sydney hold on, which looks likely, with Essendon likely to beat the Lions then this game is huuuuuge.

Win = 7th
Lose =11th

Heading to Adelaide Oval the week after.

[Remi Moses]

We'll win by 12 pts
BOG The Bont
1st Goal Dickson ( needs a decent game )

[ratsmac]

Dogs by 72. We are well overdue to wallop a team and this mob are proper fakes.
First goal - Redpath
BOG - Stringer. He's ready to explode. He's looked likely on and off for the last year and a half with no real BOG.
Crowd - 27777

[Go_Dogs]

As is obvious to all, we need a big win and this is as good an opportunity as we'll get.

Dogs by 56
First goal Picken
BOG Bontempelli

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Dogs by 19 points
BOG Bont
1st goal: Dickson

[aker39]

I'm in San Francisco and have found a bar that will show the match for me. It will be 8.45pm Friday night here.

Another Friday night game for the Dogs ;)

[westbulldog]

Dogs by 25
BOG Wallis

season over if we lose this one

time for Dickson to show something

[bornadog]

Roof open today

[Webby]

Roof open today

Awesome. I was just pondering that one - thinking that it'd be a shame on a beautiful day like today to have to sit in a cavern!

[GVGjr]

Early indications are its going to be a very poor turnout today its very light on at the moment.

Dogs by 8. Macrae BOG and Dickson for the first goal

[ratsmac]

As stated already multiple times, this is a must win today. And we need to be ruthless and get a percentage boost and get a psychological advantage over another top eight hopeful. If ever the eagles are ready for a thumping it's today. No Kennedy, Hurn, LeCras, Priddas, Nic Nat and no Scofield. They are primed for a touch up.

[bornadog]

As stated already multiple times, this is a must win today. And we need to be ruthless and get a percentage boost and get a psychological advantage over another top eight hopeful. If ever the eagles are ready for a thumping it's today. No Kennedy, Hurn, LeCras, Priddas, Nic Nat and no Scofield. They are primed for a touch up.
As usual I am nervous as hell

[bornadog]

No late changes

[GVGjr]

As stated already multiple times, this is a must win today. And we need to be ruthless and get a percentage boost and get a psychological advantage over another top eight hopeful. If ever the eagles are ready for a thumping it's today. No Kennedy, Hurn, LeCras, Priddas, Nic Nat and no Scofield. They are primed for a touch up.
LeCras being out might help them. He's typically a poor traveler and very much a home ground specialist

It would be nice to bury them today but its probably going to be close.

[GVGjr]

Has the footy record done an article on Elliot Yeo with a picture of Shannon Hurn?

[Remi Moses]

Footscray Rd nightmare is going to impact on the crows numbers today .
Complete nightmare

[GVGjr]

Interesting game so far, we have had our chances but WC are doing a bit better. That Macrae goal that was overruled hurt.

We need the likes of Wally and Picken to ignite us.

[bulldogtragic]

Interesting game so far, we have had our chances but WC are doing a bit better. That Macrae goal that was overruled hurt.

We need the likes of Wally and Picken to ignite us.

I've got no idea how advantage wasn't called.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

We just are unable to sustain forward pressure and lock the ball in our forward half and then we get burned through lack of midfield foot speed as they move it quickly through the middle.
If we cant address that quickly their forwards are going to get lots of great one on one opportunities.

[AndrewP6]

Need more from Wood, Morris, Stringer (need something from him!)

[merantau]

I am really sick of is cruelling set shots. The signs are not good at this stage. We need to lift. Getting sliced up after having chances to close them done indicates lack of intensity. Allowing McGoven to mark our kick outs? Not good.

[Bulldog4life]

Maggots are murdering us

[merantau]

I cannot believe this umpiring!!!!

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Seems the umps got the memo from opposition coaches.
Pathetic

[China Dog]

Stringer, JJ, Dickson and Suckling, all need to be in the VFL for the next few weeks.

[Murphy'sLore]

Can't believe the umpires have been sucked in by Barrett and co.

[AndrewP6]

Tell me again how we must not criticise umpires....

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

We are just lost right now. A shadow of the effort and passion we displayed last year.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

There has not been one game from us this year that i have enjoyed watching.

[westbulldog]

There's a train at Southern Cross to pick up our passengers

[Rocket Science]

Very, very ordinary.

Hands up when anyone sees something that suggests we're capable of defending a flag.

[ledge]

Piss poor delivery into forward line. This is shameful

[AndrewP6]

Redders the only forward looking likely.

[DOG GOD]

No matter what the ladder, we are a bottom 3 team.

[ledge]

They are getting everything from the umpires

[GVGjr]

Eagles have been very good in particular Karpany and McGovern. Karpany's kicking has been exceptional

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

We are lucky to still be so close.
I hate to think what the scoreline would be if West Coast had their full complement. Lucky for them the umpires are helping them out.

[bulldogtragic]

A loss puts us in 11th and then likely to miss finals. Surely that's enough to put some fire in the belly at half time.

[kruder]

Redders the only forward looking likely.

So let's play him in the ruck and kick it long to honey instead. Bevo stubbornness is costing us this year while he continues not to rate ruckman we will continue to struggle. How the hell he didn't put Campbell in the best 5 players last week is beyond me.

[GVGjr]

How do we get Stringer, Dickson and Suckling more active? Surely Stringer into the midfield has to happen?

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

We actually look like a team without a plan right now. Because our strength has typically been around controlling contested ball and applying vice like pressure with the ball in our 50. Without those aspects right now, we just look rudderless

[GVGjr]

Did anyone notice that Campbell couldn't get onto the ground for about 10 mintues in the first quarter? It must be frustrating for the player and the coach

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

How do we get Stringer, Dickson and Suckling more active? Surely Stringer into the midfield has to happen?

Does Stringer's lack of focus and application thus far allow us to pyt him there? He looks like he's got the shits and isn't apllying any pressure in the forward half as it is.

[GVGjr]

We actually look like a team without a plan right now. Because our strength has typically been around controlling contested ball and applying vice like pressure with the ball in our 50. Without those aspects right now, we just look rudderless

West Coast have been good at breaking our tackles but yes, I can't quite work out what we are trying to exploit them on.

Dahlhaus has a touch of the fumbles today

[Bulldog4life]

Stringer not working hard enough. Disappointing

[always right]

Stringer, Dickson, Honeychurch unsighted. Mind you I would hate to be a forward inour team. Our delivery has been horrendous.

[GVGjr]

Does Stringer's lack of focus and application thus far allow us to pyt him there? He looks like he's got the shits and isn't apllying any pressure in the forward half as it is.
I tend to think we have to do it and I'm sure he is frustrated because he cant get near it.

[always right]

West coast look likely to score every single entry.

[merantau]

I am not normally an umpire basher but this has been an appalling display. In the first minute there were 2 blatant holds not paid to us. I thought "Hmmm? Umpies reading the press". The Bont wrapped up a Coker. I could have read "War and Peace" in the time he had the ball. Incorrect disposal and ... play f $#king on!!! FFS!!! Picken in the forward pocket: held, breaks half free, held again. Free kick to them!!!
Be that as it may, we have been very poor. Will take a miracle to get out of this.
Get angry boys! Fire up!! The year is slipping away. Come on the come back. Look in the mirror. Look your mates in the eye. Are you fair dinkum? Or are you going to roll over. Come on. Let's go. I hate the Cokes. Get them. Sit a few of them on their arses and take this game from tjem.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Early in the year we were able to overcome deficits because whilst our execution was poor our belief and willingness to maintain pressure through whole of team workrate was still first rate.
I'm not sure we have that right now. Short of a 3Qtr run early on, I'm not sure I can see us winning this.

[The Underdog]

We actually look like a team without a plan right now. Because our strength has typically been around controlling contested ball and applying vice like pressure with the ball in our 50. Without those aspects right now, we just look rudderless

The plan of "be less shit" isn't working. I can't believe this is the same team largely as last year.

[aker39]

The bont had to be better than that

[Bulldog4life]

Stringer should tag Gaff. He will lead him to the ball

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Embarrassing. Just so many not doing anywhere near enough

[DOG GOD]

I think I've used the word "insipid" in every game except the GWS game, and today is no different.
Something is up with stringer and something is up with JJ....make of that what you will.
Maybe drop them both and we will see some effort

[ledge]

We are the worst side in the competition right now . Something is not right inside the club.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

We're gone and going to get pumped.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Pathetic and embarrassing.

[GVGjr]

Full credit to the Eagles but we have to fight this out. It's a necessity

[lemmon]

The structural things are what really annoy me. We know Rough isn't a backman, we know we're too small up front, why do we shoot ourselves in the foot?

[AndrewP6]

If WC had Huron, Kennedy, Schofield in, this would be 10+goals. Might still be. Horrific.

[1eyedog]

Season over.

[GVGjr]

Eagles are struggling on the bench as well

[Murphy'sLore]

I literally can't watch this.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

On the plus side...the way we're playing we're going to have a top 5 pick to play with.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

It says a lot about how bereft of forward defensive pressure we are. Morris was playing in the forward line late that Qtr

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Morris is finished.

[bulldogtragic]

On the plus side...the way we're playing we're going to have a top 5 pick to play with.

If we can get a good pick for JJ, then that's how we get Lever & Kelly (adding in other picks). Plus free agent/s.

[merantau]

I still believe in miracles. Call me stupid but where there is life their is hope. Kick a couple in a row and things can change.
We have been awful, but are we really that bad? Come on!

[kruder]

Our forwards getting sucked way too far up the ground all day

[Dry Rot]

I'm listening to this on 3aw. Sounds like everyone bar say Daniel has been poor.

Has anyone else won their position?

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Bailey Dale right now he's an almost player and that is just not good enough

[lemmon]

Bont has become a glory hunter around goal. He's worse than Stringer in that regard

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Where has this come from?
Is this largely because of West Coast being 2 down?

[AndrewP6]

Where has this come from?
Is this largely because of West Coast being 2 down?

Yep.

[Murphy'sLore]

We are like a kid who can't write their essay till the night before it's due.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Well done Stringer. Excellent effort!!!

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Umpires. Just cruel on Bont.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

We didn't deserve to win it..but the umpires have really lowered their colours today.

[GVGjr]

Hate that we lost it but really happy with our fight and come back. Vardy did the right things at the right time in the last quarter

[G-Mo77]

Bloody ordinary. Might pick up a few wins here and there but we're a very average team in 2017.

[DOG GOD]

Another putrid effort for 3.5 qtrs....some hard decisions need to be made.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Crap coaching, crap side. Back to being a side with no skills or system

[jeemak]

Terrible. We are really slow in thought and physically, our skills are completely disgusting and the effort is not consistent throughout games.

I can't comment on coaching too much, but something's not right in selection and style presently.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Hate that we lost it but really happy with our fight and come back. Vardy did the right things at the right time in the last quarter

Vardy and McGovern did what neither of our ruckmen or key defenders could do. Have an impact in key moments

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I might have to rethink taking my 4 year old to his first game in August at the GABBA. I dont want his first memory of a live Dog's game to be as insipid as what we've shown this year.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Hate that we lost it but really happy with our fight and come back. Vardy did the right things at the right time in the last quarter

With all due respect the 'fight back' counts for nothing. We were playing a side with 5 or 6 of its better players out and who are notoriously hopeless in Melbourne. We dished up a suburban level skill level and poor effort.

We should be embarrassed, but this has been the standard for 2017 and the coaching group have had no ability to inflict any change in 15 weeks.

[merantau]

My assessment: we were just not able to take our chances when they were there (Campbell, Dahlhaus, Dale, Redpath, Daniel, Hunter). AND when you are playing badly you just HAVE to do that.
We fumbled badly, missed tackles, butchered the ball into the forward 50 and were crucified by key decisions/non-decisions throughout the game.
It would have been a remarkable win, and so satisfying against a club I despise, but it was not to be.

There being 2 down helped us get back in it but the reality is we have too many players down and we have only played 12 - 15 really good quarters of football for the year.
The less said about the umpiring today the better. It was the worst I can recall for DECADES.

JJ - sorry son but you have lost me. What you have to do is get the guy who's needling you, grab two handfuls of jumper, pull him in real close, tell him what's what and then shove him away. Get angry but be in control
Show some intensity FGS!! Your value has dropped 200K in in the last 3 weeks.

Summary: even IF we make the 8 we are only making up the numbers. I won't be flying home this September. Bitterly disappointed at the moment.

[bornadog]

Morris is finished.
Yep, said that last week

[GVGjr]

With all due respect the 'fight back' counts for nothing. We were playing a side with 5 or 6 of its better players out and who are notoriously hopeless in Melbourne. We dished up a suburban level skill level and poor effort.

We should be embarrassed, but this has been the standard for 2017 and the coaching group have had no ability to inflict any change in 15 weeks.
I get that but I didn't want a blow out. It probably allows us to reset things in terms of direction for the balance of the season and the MC now has the chance to made some overdue tweaks to the selected sides.

[AndrewP6]

A team that only has 15 or so minutes of fight in it is going to find it hard. Question is, where did that fight go?

[kruder]

Yep, said that last week

How would you rate Easton Woods game?

[Bulldog4life]

A team that only has 15 or so minutes of fight in it is going to find it hard. Question is, where did that fight go?

It seems to have gone once we won the premiership

[GVGjr]

A team that only has 15 or so minutes of fight in it is going to find it hard. Question is, where did that fight go?
I talked to a few people today before the game and it surprised me how many said it's understandable that our effort has dropped off.
It a worrying sign to me that so many seem happy enough with less than 100% dedication or effort but I guess its a sign of the times.

[kruder]

Morris is finished.

Oops

[kruder]

It says a lot about how bereft of forward defensive pressure we are. Morris was playing in the forward line late that Qtr

He went to man up JM as he was playing loose man in defence

[Remi Moses]

Complete lack of confidence, and mixed with a lack of hunger and intent means we've fallen off in to many areas.
Signs were poor early in the year, and we've showed inconsistency all season . To much finger pointing and not enough getting dirty.
It's time everyone moved on from last years accomplishment and I'm including everyone at the club from the president down .

[merantau]

It's not just fight and effort. I haven't been too critical about those two measures. After all we won a number of games coming from well behind. Yes, effort against Sydney and Melbourne was putrid but mostly the effort has been there.

What has been totally lacking is ability to deliver the ball to advantage inside 50, clean hands, inability to handball with precision (so many high/low/slow/wide) and failure to stick tackles. Add to this pathetic set shots, poor field kicking, loss of form by key players, injuries to key players and what do you have? Our season in a nutshell. Somewhere along the way from Oct 1, 2016 we lodt our mojo. Can we get it back?

Think Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs : "Like tryin' find a needle in a haystack."

Got an electromagnet Bevo? Give Smorgo a bell. He mighy have a spare one knocking around at Simsmetal.

Come on Dogs. Let's get our mojo back. I want us to be up and about. Let's do some damage in the next 8 weeks.

[Grantysghost]

That's a ten goal loss v a Melbourne side, what happened during the bye? Stringers worst game I'd say but wasn't alone. Opposition teams smashing us at stoppages and when we do win a clearance it's a panic ball inside 50 . Long time since I can recall so many missed kicks .... ! Josh Kelly just get the brown paper bags out now .

[The Underdog]

Bont has become a glory hunter around goal. He's worse than Stringer in that regard

He was the same last year, it just wasn't as noticeable because we weren't playing so badly

[Sedat]

Just woke up and caught up with the result. Malcom Karpany 3 goals? lol. Latest member of the Marty McGrath/Luke Vogels club. Also saw that we got smashed -16 in stoppages and West Coke scored 7 goals to our zero from stoppages, all with Campbell dominating hitouts. That is a pantsing of the highest order. Something must be seriously amiss with our midfield and clearance work - are our mids skunking out ahead of the contest instead of getting their hands dirty?

Shame we have spudded it up this year because she's a wide open season.

[cinder]

I went to the bar at half time and stayed there.

[kruder]

Just woke up and caught up with the result. Malcom Karpany 3 goals? lol. Latest member of the Marty McGrath/Luke Vogels club. Also saw that we got smashed -16 in stoppages and West Coke scored 7 goals to our zero from stoppages, all with Campbell dominating hitouts. That is a pantsing of the highest order. Something must be seriously amiss with our midfield and clearance work - are our mids skunking out ahead of the contest instead of getting their hands dirty?

Shame we have spudded it up this year because she's a wide open season.

It dosent help when the whole team is rotated through there. Honey spent time in the centre and had 0 impact and we had Redpath rucking when you had our second ruck AKA Roughead who is now our full back not having any impact at all. Make no mistake its a premiership hangover for the coaching staff and match committee along with the players.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Saw Sloane struggled with the tag v Carlton today.

Is there anything more certain that a tagless Sloane racking up 30 + 2 goals next week?

[always right]

Saw Sloane struggled with the tag v Carlton today.

Is there anything more certain that a tagless Sloane racking up 30 + 2 goals next week?

We are too arrogant to bother with a tag. Mark my words.....Sloane will get BOG in a 12 goal win next week.

[lemmon]

It dosent help when the whole team is rotated through there. Honey spent time in the centre and had 0 impact and we had Redpath rucking when you had our second ruck AKA Roughead who is now our full back not having any impact at all. Make no mistake its a premiership hangover for the coaching staff and match committee along with the players.

Completely agree, and we're simply not playing enough inside mids at the moment. Libba went out and we brought in another half back flanker.

In terms of real inside mids, I reckon we only played 3 today: Bont, Dahlhaus and Wallis (who spent large chunks at full forward).

[josie]

And of Bont, Dahl, Wally only one can kick well. Love Wally's efforts however I have thought for as long as I have watched him he is a bit of a turnover merchant, along with Dahl. We simply must recruit players who can kick and reliably take a mark.

[AndrewP6]

Bevo says he's never going to worry about our hunger.... Well, they must be concealing the hunger fairly well.

[anfo27]

It dosent help when the whole team is rotated through there. Honey spent time in the centre and had 0 impact and we had Redpath rucking when you had our second ruck AKA Roughead who is now our full back not having any impact at all. Make no mistake its a premiership hangover for the coaching staff and match committee along with the players.

I feel for bevo & the coaching staff. Don't get me wrong cause i think they could definitely be doing a better job. Its clear to me that we have lost that fire in the belly, our blue collar work ethic. Bevo has turned over so many players trying to find something that will work & click us into gear. But as we've seen for 15 weeks now nothing is working. We can talk tactics till we're blue in the face but i don't see it as a major issue. Tactics mean little when players refuse to work hard both ways.

If bevo can't unlock that passion to work hard for each other in the next fortnight then its officially season over for the defending premiers. Maybe I'll give you a hand bevo. Show them a bit of this!

https://youtu.be/RVXD2gQEPCc

[Eastdog]

Frustrating game today.

Came back in the final term but it wasn't enough in the end. Our forward line just not getting enough goals. Stringer simply doesn't work hard enough throughout the game and has to do better. I thought Biggs, Hunter, Dahl, Morris, Muprh did pretty ok. Suckling makes way to many turnovers - he has a great left foot but needs to improve his disposal efficiency.

All in all a dissapointing day and I dint enjoy losing between 7-12 points. Will be tough now to even make the 8 with season how it is but will be very dissapointing if we missed the finals after the best year ever for us last year.

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

I have been waiting for Bevo to unleash his glorious master plan for this season but now I don't believe he has one

[Eastdog]

I have been waiting for Bevo to unleash his glorious master plan for this season but now I don't believe he has one

Hopefully it will be in fruition soon the master plan but like you I'm not so sure.

[bornadog]

How would you rate Easton Woods game?

One of our better players. 21 kicks, 8 marks 4 tackles - pretty good day for him.

[always right]

One of our better players. 21 kicks, 8 marks 4 tackles - pretty good day for him.

Thought he tried to make things happen but like many of his team mates, he struggled to have an influence. I actually thought Biggs was our best small defender today.

[bornadog]

Thought he tried to make things happen but like many of his team mates, he struggled to have an influence. I actually thought Biggs was our best small defender today.

I agree Biggs was the best of the smaller defenders. I was answering Kruder's question on how did Wood go today - he has been bagging Wood the whole season.

[merantau]

I thought Wood tried really hard to get things happening but did not have much support. He can hold his head up.

But JJ? He is in danger of becoming my scapegoat for some of our ills this year.

Not wanting to sign after winning a flag and the NSM! Does that tell us about a bloke's motivation?

He is so ordinary at the moment maybe no one is interested in him anymore. If all it takes to render him useless is a few shoves here, a push there and a bit of a spray then maybe he should take up golf. Bit harsh, I know but he's just embarrassing at the moment.

[merantau]

I thought Wood tried really hard to get things happening but did not have much support. He can hold his head up.

But JJ? He is in danger of becoming my scapegoat for some of our ills this year.

Not wanting to sign after winning a flag and the NSM! Does that tell us about a bloke's motivation?

He is so ordinary at the moment maybe no one is interested in him anymore. If all it takes to render him useless is a few shoves here, a push there and a bit of a spray then maybe he should take up golf. Bit harsh, I know but he's just embarrassing at the moment.

[always right]

I agree Biggs was the best of the smaller defenders. I was answering Kruder's question on how did Wood go today - he has been bagging Wood the whole season.
Reckon Wood is one bloke who can hold his head up for most games this season. Started slowly but kicked into gear about a month or so in. Unfortunately he has not been able intercept mark as he has in the past but has still managed to positively impact most contests he has no right to even get to. Has been a really strong leader.

[bornadog]

Reckon Wood is one bloke who can hold his head up for most games this season. Started slowly but kicked into gear about a month or so in. Unfortunately he has not been able intercept mark as he has in the past but has still managed to positively impact most contests he has no right to even get to. Has been a really strong leader.

When you go in with a small backline and force guys like Wood and Morris to play tall, it effects their own games.

Wood started the season slowly due to an ankle reconstruction but as you say he has been solid. He hasn't had a lot of intercept marking because of the structure in defence and he is playing on talls.

[always right]

I thought Wood tried really hard to get things happening but did not have much support. He can hold his head up.

But JJ? He is in danger of becoming my scapegoat for some of our ills this year.

Not wanting to sign after winning a flag and the NSM! Does that tell us about a bloke's motivation?

He is so ordinary at the moment maybe no one is interested in him anymore. If all it takes to render him useless is a few shoves here, a push there and a bit of a spray then maybe he should take up golf. Bit harsh, I know but he's just embarrassing at the moment.
Today I could see JJ running his arse off trying to get into the game.....especially the second half. Unfortunately his confidence is shot and he often ran to the wrong spaces. I think the effort is there but he is horribly out of form. I compare him to Stringer today who had his disinterested face on the whole game. Almost choked when he kicked that goal in the last and celebrated with the crowd like it was his 10th goal. He was disgraceful today.

[LostDoggy]

Today I could see JJ running his arse off trying to get into the game.....especially the second half. Unfortunately his confidence is shot and he often ran to the wrong spaces. I think the effort is there but he is horribly out of form. I compare him to Stringer today who had his disinterested face on the whole game. Almost choked when he kicked that goal in the last and celebrated with the crowd like it was his 10th goal. He was disgraceful today.

Agree totally, annoyed the crap out of me his celebration. Where was he for the 1st 3 quarters. Happens way to often with him.

[LostDoggy]

Honestly if it wasn't for the fear of him becoming elite at another club, I'd be looking to trade him.

No other player frustrates me more

[merantau]

Honestly if it wasn't for the fear of him becoming elite at another club, I'd be looking to trade him.

No other player frustrates me more

I think it's time to play Stringer on the ball for extended periods. What use is he hanging around the forward line if he's not getting the ball/getting some decent delivery?

He's strong, he's quick off the mark and, when he gets into space, he has serious leg speed. He's a good kick on the run too.

It seems a no brainer to me that we should put he where the ball is and tell him to go and get the ball.

[bornadog]

Honestly if it wasn't for the fear of him becoming elite at another club, I'd be looking to trade him.

No other player frustrates me more

In the first three quarters, we hardly had the ball inside 50, which was one of our strong advantages last year.

The delivery into the forward line has been atrocious all year and gives very little opportunity to our forwards.

[soupman]

I think it's time to play Stringer on the ball for extended periods. What use is he hanging around the forward line if he's not getting the ball/getting some decent delivery?

He's strong, he's quick off the mark and, when he gets into space, he has serious leg speed. He's a good kick on the run too.

It seems a no brainer to me that we should put he where the ball is and tell him to go and get the ball.

This is something which has been an ongoing issue this season and is really disappointing. Our coaching staff continue to be reactive and refuse to throw things around to either get the team going or get a player into the play.

Multiple times this year we have been struggling, as have players like Stringer, Cloke, Dickson, Suckling, JJ etc. The coaching staff however refuse to try to work them into the game and instead just leave them struggling in their positions.

Stringer yesterday should have been run through the middle by the mid point of the second quarter. Or played off the back of the square running through. Or made to tag someone like Mitchell or Gaff. That way instead of being able to sulk around up forward thinking it's just not happening he is put where the ball is and encouraged to impact more than the occasional contest.

The Cloke incident that comes to mind was the game at the SCG. Cloke was being starved up forward, and we were being killed in the ruck. From halftime we should have thrown Cloke into the ruck to get him in the play and change the midfield dynamic. Instead we played Jong and Bont in the ruck and only put Cloke around the ball in the dying stages of the match.

Dickson has been struggling for supply up forward all season and hasn't been great at creating chances. He should be rotating through the wing or even further back to try to give us his pace out of defence and get him involved. It also means if he pushes further he might be able to play on a lesser defender than usual and opens him up more. Dale appeared to be playing as a wingman dropping behind the ball yesterday and running it out, Dickson could also do something like this.

Suckling has been trying hard but is a poor defender and is struggling to really impact games. Why aren't we pushing him further forward in bits, onto the wing or half forward where he is more likely to be in range of goals and is alleviated of one on one defensive responsibilities? Particularly when we are struggling so hard to finish our work why don't we put our best kick somewhere more dangerous when he is struggling?

And JJ as everyone is aware is dying a slow, painful, embarrassing death in defence. He has had no impact for a month now, are we adopting some tough love philosophy where he has to grind his way out of this rut to the detriment of the team? Play him up forward like he did in round 1, play him on the ball, just change his role to something else which gives him an opportunity to regain confidence and get in the game. For his current output we may as well play Brett Goodes. JJ is a good player, why aren't we trying harder to restore him to his previous standards?

There are more (including the way we have failed to use Bont this season), and there are other factors like our refusal to tag anybody or adjust our gameplan. But these are simple changes that we need to start making with a team horribly out of form. They aren't responding to the current challenges so give them new ones.

[bulldogtragic]

Great post.

I'd add in why we are playing Roughy, a proven big game ruckman, in defence when Roberts is available.
Why we refused to play Campbell for much of the season, and forced Tom Boyd to ruck by himself (a kid with one season rucking experience), thereby not playing him forward.
Knowing several HBFs are going, why we wouldn't be putting Webb back there to see if he's worth re-contracting with that in mind.
Why Libba has been the only big name player go get dropped?
Why was AA Matty Boyd not playing predominantly off the HBF, and the known problems with that come back and fester badly?

I don't know if there's a plan or not. The only plan I can think of is the match committee putting pressure on JMac to recruit certain players to fit into whatever they're unsuccessfully trying to do.

[The bulldog tragician]

This is something which has been an ongoing issue this season and is really disappointing. Our coaching staff continue to be reactive and refuse to throw things around to either get the team going or get a player into the play.

Multiple times this year we have been struggling, as have players like Stringer, Cloke, Dickson, Suckling, JJ etc. The coaching staff however refuse to try to work them into the game and instead just leave them struggling in their positions.

Stringer yesterday should have been run through the middle by the mid point of the second quarter. Or played off the back of the square running through. Or made to tag someone like Mitchell or Gaff. That way instead of being able to sulk around up forward thinking it's just not happening he is put where the ball is and encouraged to impact more than the occasional contest.

The Cloke incident that comes to mind was the game at the SCG. Cloke was being starved up forward, and we were being killed in the ruck. From halftime we should have thrown Cloke into the ruck to get him in the play and change the midfield dynamic. Instead we played Jong and Bont in the ruck and only put Cloke around the ball in the dying stages of the match.

Dickson has been struggling for supply up forward all season and hasn't been great at creating chances. He should be rotating through the wing or even further back to try to give us his pace out of defence and get him involved. It also means if he pushes further he might be able to play on a lesser defender than usual and opens him up more. Dale appeared to be playing as a wingman dropping behind the ball yesterday and running it out, Dickson could also do something like this.

Suckling has been trying hard but is a poor defender and is struggling to really impact games. Why aren't we pushing him further forward in bits, onto the wing or half forward where he is more likely to be in range of goals and is alleviated of one on one defensive responsibilities? Particularly when we are struggling so hard to finish our work why don't we put our best kick somewhere more dangerous when he is struggling?

And JJ as everyone is aware is dying a slow, painful, embarrassing death in defence. He has had no impact for a month now, are we adopting some tough love philosophy where he has to grind his way out of this rut to the detriment of the team? Play him up forward like he did in round 1, play him on the ball, just change his role to something else which gives him an opportunity to regain confidence and get in the game. For his current output we may as well play Brett Goodes. JJ is a good player, why aren't we trying harder to restore him to his previous standards?

There are more (including the way we have failed to use Bont this season), and there are other factors like our refusal to tag anybody or adjust our gameplan. But these are simple changes that we need to start making with a team horribly out of form. They aren't responding to the current challenges so give them new ones.

Soupaman to the coaching panel immediately!

I've been bewildered by all of the above (though I think yesterday Jake did go into the middle a couple of times).

I know Suckling is becoming a whipping boy - but he just isn't a defender. One on one he really struggles. He is a winger, surely.

I'd add one more comment, Wally, a clearance specialist, stranded at half forward for long periods, is not working either.

In my view the single biggest difference between us this year and last is the clearance/stoppage work. Getting quick kicks out of the centre disguised some of our skill level deficiencies. Even last year we were hardly consistently delivering it lace up to leading forwards, but it got in there much more frequently.

[Mantis]

I'd add one more comment, Wally, a clearance specialist, stranded at half forward for long periods, is not working either.



Wally has no pace and can't kick more than 40m.. He is an extremely limited player.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Wally has no pace and can't kick more than 40m.. He is an extremely limited player.

We seem to have a lot of players who fit this bill

[Mantis]

We seem to have a lot of players who fit this bill

Yep, we have lots of plodders.. If Dunkley, Jong & Libba are all fit I'm not sure Wallis plays.

I love the way Wallis goes about it, but he doesn't have many strings to the bow.

[always right]

Wally has no pace and can't kick more than 40m.. He is an extremely limited player.

But one you can rely on to turn up every week. We could have done worse than have him spend more time in the midfield.

[merantau]

Wally has a few limitations but heart is not one of them. And he nailed his set shots on the weekend.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Who on our list are genuine outside players, or players with lethal skills that can hit a target by foot consistently? I'm talking midfielders here as most of our good users are off the half-back flank (Murph, Biggs and Suckling). I can think of Bont. Daniel is limited beyond 40m as well. We are bereft of talent in this area and it's killing us. We need to get the balance right this offseason.

[always right]

Wally has a few limitations but heart is not one of them. And he nailed his set shots on the weekend.

As he normally does.....within 40m.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

But one you can rely on to turn up every week. We could have done worse than have him spend more time in the midfield.

We lack quality in the midfield and depth with only Bont and Macrae performing with any consistency. I would like to see both Wallis and Daniel used in tagging roles to offset the better midfields of Adelaide, Geelong and GWS.

[Mofra]

Why Libba has been the only big name player go get dropped?
Matthew Boyd & Travis Cloke are pretty big names who have been dropped.

[jeemak]

I'm watching the second quarter out of a sense of perversion. First three minutes the free kicks missed were disgusting.

From there, with 8m 44s to go I see Bob bomb it into the forward line when a confident player would just stroll to 45 and slot a goal. It's a genuine debacle mentally.

[jeemak]

In the biggest case of WTF known to Man, what the *!*!*!*! did Sheed do in our forward pocket/flank area when his arm was pinned and he disposed of it with one hand with 32 seconds to go in the third? Seriously, WTF?

[Hotdog60]

The umpiring was a disgrace and I really think the club should gather video evidence and submit it to the AFL with a please explain on the back of other clubs complaining about the free kick count.
Not that it would change how we played but you would think it would have a deflating effect on the players to know you put in the effort and you don't get rewarded.

[bornadog]

I'm watching the second quarter out of a sense of perversion. First three minutes the free kicks missed were disgusting.

From there, with 8m 44s to go I see Bob bomb it into the forward line when a confident player would just stroll to 45 and slot a goal. It's a genuine debacle mentally.

I have noticed he does this in every game. I love Bob and he is a lovely kick when he gets on to them, but please find a target don't kick it to no one in particular. A bit of composure in the last few minutes of a game would help as well.

[Ozza]

I have noticed he does this in every game. I love Bob and he is a lovely kick when he gets on to them, but please find a target don't kick it to no one in particular. A bit of composure in the last few minutes of a game would help as well.

On a separate note - I don't think we get great value out of Bob kicking out. Prefer JJ doing it, has more penetration with his kicking and it might help to get him into the game a bit. When Bob is forced to go long on a kick in, it really hangs up there in the air for a while.