Game Day Round 16, 2017 - Adelaide V Western Bulldogs

[always right]

Time and time again two or three dogs players run at the player with the ball, leaving it open for the handball over the top. Dumb dumb football.

[whythelongface]

If this form continues this year and we can't turn it around next year does Bevo come under pressure to hold his job? Are there internal issues? Is Bevo losing the group?

[ReLoad]

Three more inside 50s and lose by 10 goals! Game plan is shot. Dysfunctional forward line. Teams putting numbers behind us and then carving us up on the counter.

I couldn't disagree with you any more. The delivery into 50 was deplorable.

82% of entries were to a contest! Being a forward in our team sucks big time.

However any chance ever we could kick straight?

[bulldogtragic]

I couldn't disagree with you any more. The delivery into 50 was deplorable.

82% of entries were to a contest! Being a forward in our team sucks big time.

However any chance ever we could kick straight?

Yep, its the triple threat.

Horrible inside 50's
Horrible forwardline set up
Horrible kicking for goal

It might not be game plan, but that's what we've been dishing up most of the year. I honestly have no idea to even begin to fix this, leaving effort and intensity aside...

[SonofScray]

If this form continues this year and we can't turn it around next year does Bevo come under pressure to hold his job? Are there internal issues? Is Bevo losing the group?
I think the assistants are in strife.

[G-Mo77]

I've thought this a lot this year, but to me, they don't seem stung by serving up tripe like that. Very composed, relaxed almost.

Says a lot, really.

Yep. Every time they lose it doesn't seem to sting. I ended up watching the end when I should have stopped. Redpath having a joke with his opponent when missing a goal. WTF is that?

[bulldogtragic]

I think the assistants are in strife.

Maybe they can be returned to the roles they had last year...

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Three more inside 50s and lose by 10 goals! Game plan is shot. Dysfunctional forward line. Teams putting numbers behind us and then carving us up on the counter.

Not sure I can agree. We were just as frustrating last year, but our ability to keep working gave us tremendous amounts of repeat opportunity to eventually score. Moreover the team workrate and refusal to concede a stoppage that wasn't to our advantage was pivotal in denying the opposition time in possession.

The fact that our midfield as a collective were gasping for breath and on their haunches at half time says to me we have lost fitness to compete.

Not saying our gameplan has been proactive but i am not cobvinced its the root cause.

[Doc26]

Not sure I can agree. We were just as frustrating last year, but our ability to keep working gave us tremendous amounts of repeat opportunity to eventually score. Moreover the team workrate and refusal to concede a stoppage that wasn't to our advantage was pivotal in denying the opposition time in possession.

The fact that our midfield as a collective were gasping for breath and on their haunches at half time says to me we have lost fitness to compete.

Not saying our gameplan has been proactive but i am not cobvinced its the root cause.

It does make the loss of Graham Lowe at the start of the season look a costly one.

[bornadog]

Three more inside 50s and lose by 10 goals! Game plan is shot. Dysfunctional forward line. Teams putting numbers behind us and then carving us up on the counter.

The issue is we don't use the ball well enough. Hunter had 26 disposals, but he just wasn't damaging enough, same with Macrae. The inside 50's were mainly just bombing the ball in to midgets. When we did get a shot at goal, Redpath missed 3 set shots, Stringer one. They kicked all of their set shots.

[jeemak]

Our quick kicks lack penetration, and Hunter is a major culprit of this.

He and others think it's OK to slam it on the boot and not kick a drop punt, instead kicking a snap that sees the ball drop fiercely. It leads to shallow inside 50's and easy pickings for defenders filling the space.

It really pisses me off that each time the likes of Hunter get the footy the first thing they do is try to snap it instead of kicking a drop punt.

[bornadog]

Our quick kicks lack penetration, and Hunter is a major culprit of this.

He and others think it's OK to slam it on the boot and not kick a drop punt, instead kicking a snap that sees the ball drop fiercely. It leads to shallow inside 50's and easy pickings for defenders filling the space.

It really pisses me off that each time the likes of Hunter get the footy the first thing they do is try to snap it instead of kicking a drop punt.

Exactly Jee, can't stand his kicking or Macrae's

[angelopetraglia]

Dysfunctional forward plan and play. Not just the players who players who play inside 50m.

[LostDoggy]

Well even Luke agrees "We don't deserve to play quickly" and playing next Sunday will aĺlow us to process the loss. Good to hear

[S Coast Simon]

It is sad to see our members turning on the team the way some have. They are young boys playing against men at the moment. We won a flag on heart. Now our boys are being smashed by much bigger men.

[merantau]

I am gutted. The last 15 minutes of the 2nd quarter promised a good second half - we didn't fire a shot! FFS! HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? We are shot. I can't see us winning more than 2 or 3 games. This year has been a total disaster for mine.
Why can't we kick goals from set shots? Why is our delivery so poor? What's happened to our fitness?

I feel completely dudded as I honestly thought we stood a chance at half time.

[AndrewP6]

It is sad to see our members turning on the team the way some have. They are young boys playing against men at the moment. We won a flag on heart. Now our boys are being smashed by much bigger men.

Yes, and now they are not playing with any heart at all.

[jeemak]

It is sad to see our members turning on the team the way some have. They are young boys playing against men at the moment. We won a flag on heart. Now our boys are being smashed by much bigger men.

We're not turning on the team, I can't say much about what you might be seeing personally or on FB etc. but I think we're fairly balanced.

The club deserves severe criticism for the tripe it has served its members this year. The players are not fit enough, the game plan either hasn't evolved or hasn't been executed, and our match committee and coaching has been full of hubris.

Like others I love the players and all involved at the club who delivered us the holy grail last year, and I'll forgive them for the bullshit that I'm seeing this year, but the latter is as I called it and we as members deserve better.

[whythelongface]

I think the assistants are in strife.

They are, but ultimately the Head Coach has the responsibility and is accountable for overall performance thus is the one under most pressure

[whythelongface]

It is sad to see our members turning on the team the way some have. They are young boys playing against men at the moment. We won a flag on heart. Now our boys are being smashed by much bigger men.

I don't think we are turning on the team, however as members we are able to demand answers for our poor performances, similarly as we praise the group for outstanding achievements.

[Sedat]

First Dogs game back from my overseas jaunt for a few weeks - was very happy with the intensity and application in the first half if not the execution. A couple of shit errors and Adelaide skunked out the back 2-3 times. We play like that for 120 minutes every week and we won't lose often if at all. I was rapt with how we were playing except for thr goal kicking and occasional crap error (Roberts on wing).

But that 2nd half was quite the abomination on every level - intensity sub par, skill execution dreadful, structure poor, one on one work woeful. Defending shithouse, 2 way running non existent. That was a performance of the worst team in the comp on form.

We can either put the cue in the rack for the season, which would be the pissweak option. Or we can suck up all the justified criticism we'll cop this week and get something out of the rest of the season in preparation for 2018. First half performance shows we can and should be much, much better than we have been for the last couple of months.

Players have careers on the line in the next 7 weeks - ok for fans to press play on the DVD but we don't have our future livelihood at stake. Bevo spoke really well in the presser - he hasn't put the line through 2017.

[FrediKanoute]

Really interesting snap shot of where we are.
First half we give it everything effort wise - almost 2016 standard...almost
I noted many were on their haunches at the end of half time. Looked spent. Played that way throughout 3rd Qtr.

What is wrong? Genuine question.

I said during preseason - we are unfit. We haven't done the work. Whether that is because:

a) we started preseason later;
b) we had a host of guys start later still because of post season surgery; or
c) we just didn't put the yards in.

I don't know, but we are unfit. When you add to this injuries, mental health issues depleting the squad further the pressure starts to mount. We held it together for first 10 rounds or so - but since the bye we have been putrid.

[Eastdog]

What can say. The 1st half effort was very good and I really believed we were chance at half time based on that effort. The 2nd half was total crap plain and simple. Absolutely no hunger/spirit on display whatsoever after half time.

Our defence was very poor and Bevo in his presser said we really lack some height. Wood battled hard early on in the game. Roberts really struggled down there and we were out muscled way to often.

Zaine is a big positive this year and Bailey Dale's goal set by Redders was great.

Up forward just as bad. We had 57 entries to 54 and managed only 5.15 - simply not good enough. I thought Stringer's endeavour in the first half was very good and he tried but as the game went on nope went into his shell. Jack Redpath took some nice marks up there and tried to have an impact. Our kicking as well 18th in the competition which is just awful and highlighted with Bonti kicking 5.9 this year and Suckers missing a goal on the run which he really should have got.

All in all very very disappointing and I hope Bevo and co. review this game and see what we can do to get it right as we have not got it right at all so far this year going into our next match.

[jeemak]

Reviewing the instance in which JJ was thrown into the goal post I was extremely disappointed with our attitude towards Dickhead Texas Ranger immediately afterwards and throughout the rest of the game.

We should have been mauling him every opportunity we got, and walked off the ground at least subject to a livid Adelaide crowd due to how poorly we treated their captain. We should have the media talking about how feral we were towards an arsehole who so horribly disrespected our Norm Smith Medallist. We should have had the commentators uncomfortable about how badly we treated him on a repeated basis as the game wore on.

But we didn't, instead we allowed him to run around us and make us look stupid often, without any physical imposition from us.

What is so wrong with us that we let this go unchecked? I can tell you what it is, we don't care for ourselves or each other at the moment and it shows by our unwillingness to use the football well, run hard and hit hard. There's a stink in the group at the moment that needs to be addressed.

[Eastdog]

Respect for our premiership players. Be disappointed but remember how this team bled for you last year and what they gave you. Wiping your arse with premiership players is very shitty.

Yep I have the same sentiment as well 1eyedog.

Right now I am very disappointed with what is going on but I have great respect for all our players who got us the premiership last year after 60 odd years and that was only our 2nd ever flag since we joined the VFL/AFL. So it's a mix of emotions I am disappointed but at the same time just glad we got a premiership because it has been so many years since we last got one and I'm more hopeful now we won't have to wait long again for premiership success.

[Eastdog]

We need to make the finals and copy and paste the 2016 final series into 2017.

[AndrewP6]

Interesting to hear Bevo say we are physically strong enough. I'm no expert, but it doesn't seem that way to me.

[SonofScray]

Reviewing the instance in which JJ was thrown into the goal post I was extremely disappointed with our attitude towards Dickhead Texas Ranger immediately afterwards and throughout the rest of the game.

We should have been mauling him every opportunity we got, and walked off the ground at least subject to a livid Adelaide crowd due to how poorly we treated their captain. We should have the media talking about how feral we were towards an arsehole who so horribly disrespected our Norm Smith Medallist. We should have had the commentators uncomfortable about how badly we treated him on a repeated basis as the game wore on.

But we didn't, instead we allowed him to run around us and make us look stupid often, without any physical imposition from us.

What is so wrong with us that we let this go unchecked? I can tell you what it is, we don't care for ourselves or each other at the moment and it shows by our unwillingness to use the football well, run hard and hit hard. There's a stink in the group at the moment that needs to be addressed.

Agree. The response to him and then the subsequent contests was insipid. They brought shame upon the reputation to them as a group and us as a Club tonight. We just don't stand for anything at the moment.

[Eastdog]

Agree. The response to him and then the subsequent contests was insipid. They brought shame upon the reputation to them as a group and us as a Club tonight. We just don't stand for anything at the moment.

We need to start adhering to our motto "Cede Nullis".

[jeemak]

Interesting to hear Bevo say we are physically strong enough. I'm no expert, but it doesn't seem that way to me.

I think he's in fairyland at the moment and needs to pull his head out of his arse and come back to earth.

Yes we win the contested ball, much like we did in the Bmac era, but that's because we crowd the contest and don't set up well 20-50m away from it.

Sure, he may be using data from testing that tells him this, but game day visual evidence doesn't lie, and we are not strong enough particularly when trying to impact contests where we may need to bring poor position back to a nullified position (aerial contests, for instance) and continually lose the ball.

[FrediKanoute]

Wait, you're serious?

Are our players beyond criticism because they bled for us last year? Do they get a leave pass for that this year?

Sorry mate, this is a new year, zero credits carry over. If you're content to not scrutinise our players due to the afterglow, that's cool, and I understand it. But that's not how I see it.

We've been average to putrid the last 6 weeks and it's our premiership players out there doing it.

I'll forever love what our players did for us last year - I'll never forget it - but they've still got a job to do and I'm not watching through rose coloured glasses.

Hate to say it, but yes. They get a leave pass. You know what if these guys did nothing else for the rest of their careers I would still be stoked about 2016 - what I would say though is that if they had any level of integrity and sense of self worth they would be unsatisfied with 2017 and missing the finals this year could actually work to our advantage - steeling the guys into wanting to achieve more.

Sometimes you need a step back to go forward

[merantau]

Make no mistake. Our second half was abysmal. We played as individuals and we seemed devoid of any plan to kick to our advantage, run into space and create something. We fumbled and bumbled. We kicked blindly or in hope and we failed to take chances - either red hot, 50/50 or slim.
The ins added little to the line up. Four premiership players all out of form. Clay Smith - zero impact. Fletcher Roberts - battled but no impact. Libba - a couple of kicks to advantage but that was it. Matthew Boyd - tried hard and can hold his head up but his time is frawing to a close.

It will be a miracle if we can recover from this. What a dofference it would make if next match we can nail 4 out of first 6 shots at goal. Is that too much to ask?

We can't be that bad, can we? Where there is life there is hope. Let's finish the year with a bang, not a whimper.

[Sedat]

I think he's in fairyland at the moment and needs to pull his head out of his arse and come back to earth.

Yes we win the contested ball, much like we did in the Bmac era, but that's because we crowd the contest and don't set up well 20-50m away from it.
You don't think we dominated all key indicators in the first half, and save for a couple of dreadful errors that gifted Adelaide 3 goals out of 5 and the obligatory awful missed set shots and butchered clear goal scoring opps by us at the same time, we shouldn't have been 20-30 points up at the very least?

The 2nd half was disgraceful on all levels, but what I saw in the 1st half was a team every bit as competitive against the best teams in 2017, and a team that looked an awful lot like our 2016 finals team.

[1eyedog]

Wait, you're serious?

Are our players beyond criticism because they bled for us last year? Do they get a leave pass for that this year?

Sorry mate, this is a new year, zero credits carry over. If you're content to not scrutinise our players due to the afterglow, that's cool, and I understand it. But that's not how I see it.

We've been average to putrid the last 6 weeks and it's our premiership players out there doing it.

I'll forever love what our players did for us last year - I'll never forget it - but they've still got a job to do and I'm not watching through rose coloured glasses.

Too right they do they're a bunch of kids and will be better for it. Our season ended last week and you're disappointed like the rest if us but talking about offloading Hunter, Stringer et. al. is very reactive.

[jeemak]

You don't think we dominated all key indicators in the first half, and save for a couple of dreadful errors that gifted Adelaide 3 goals out of 5 and the obligatory awful missed set shots and butchered clear goal scoring opps by us at the same time, we shouldn't have been 20-30 points up at the very least?

The 2nd half was disgraceful on all levels, but what I saw in the 1st half was a team every bit as competitive against the best teams in 2017, and a team that looked an awful lot like our 2016 finals team.

We contested well in the first half, definitely. The reason why our scoring was so bad and why we worked harder for our goals than Adelaide did was plain to see. So I don't think there's any point in going over it.

But, of the post of mine that you quoted, you edited out the most important part:

Sure, he may be using data from testing that tells him this, but game day visual evidence doesn't lie, and we are not strong enough particularly when trying to impact contests where we may need to bring poor position back to a nullified position (aerial contests, for instance) and continually lose the ball.

If it's not a physical, but rather a mental issue then I really worry about our coaching and leadership across all levels. I don't believe it's the latter solely, and fear we're not prepared.

Why did we seem to get by through only playing one or two quarters in the first half of the season when fresh after (delayed) significant preseason work, but seem to be falling away badly now? Everyone knows that the fitness base secured from a solid preseason is the best thing to ensure continuity in fitness and form for an entire season.

Adelaide set the ground up better than we did in the first half but we were able to keep up with them through effort. The second half saw us maintain effort around the contest but the rest of the ground opened up and we were burned time and time again.

That tells me we weren't fit enough to sustain our first half efforts. Maintaining effort on the inside is one thing, working hard enough to make the ground seem small is another. We failed miserably in the latter in the second half.

[Sedat]

We contested well in the first half, definitely. The reason why our scoring was so bad and why we worked harder for our goals than Adelaide did was plain to see. So I don't think there's any point in going over it.

But, of the post of mine that you quoted, you edited out the most important part:

Sure, he may be using data from testing that tells him this, but game day visual evidence doesn't lie, and we are not strong enough particularly when trying to impact contests where we may need to bring poor position back to a nullified position (aerial contests, for instance) and continually lose the ball.

If it's not a physical, but rather a mental issue then I really worry about our coaching and leadership across all levels. I don't believe it's the latter solely, and fear we're not prepared.

Why did we seem to get by through only playing one or two quarters in the first half of the season when fresh after (delayed) significant preseason work, but seem to be falling away badly now? Everyone knows that the fitness base secured from a solid preseason is the best thing to ensure continuity in fitness and form for an entire season.

Adelaide set the ground up better than we did in the first half but we were able to keep up with them through effort. The second half saw us maintain effort around the contest but the rest of the ground opened up and we were burned time and time again.

That tells me we weren't fit enough to sustain our first half efforts. Maintaining effort on the inside is one thing, working hard enough to make the ground seem small is another. We failed miserably in the latter in the second half.
What I saw was us getting our 2016 game back in the 1st half. Dominating field position, locking it in our forward half for repeat entries, getting our handball chain game going. Pressuring Adelaide on the ball. Double the clearances, big I50 and CP differential.

We need to review what went right in the 1st half and how it completely fell apart in the 2nd half.

[jeemak]

What I saw was us getting our 2016 game back in the 1st half. Dominating field position, locking it in our forward half for repeat entries, getting our handball chain game going. Pressuring Adelaide on the ball. Double the clearances, big I50 and CP differential.

We need to review what went right in the 1st half and how it completely fell apart in the 2nd half.

Sedat I loved what I saw in the first half.

I also saw a stat that showed how dominant our third quarters have been, whilst others have been negative throughout the season. What does that tell you about our season and about tonight's game?

It tells me we put all of our effort into the first half.

We're not fit enough and strong enough compared to the competition this year.

[Remi Moses]

Just saw great bloke top guy Walker's cowardly effort on JJ.
Apparently if you're a top bloke it's ok to do that .
Pathetic from the players in not giving top bloke great guy tex a hard time after the event .

[Hotdog60]

What got me was the umpire telling the players to watch the replay.
Well I just watch the replay and the ball was well passed the post when Walker pushed him into the post.
I hate the channel 7 commentators, I could punch someone in the head and say sorry afterwards but does that change the intent.

[Twodogs]

What got me was the umpire telling the players to watch the replay.
Well I just watch the replay and the ball was well passed the post when Walker pushed him into the post.
I hate the channel 7 commentators, I could punch someone in the head and say sorry afterwards but does that change the intent.

Dunno the answer to that one. Let's try it with a channel 7 commentater and find out.

[bornadog]

Dunno the answer to that one. Let's try it with a channel 7 commentater and find out.

Start with Ling

[EasternWest]

What got me was the umpire telling the players to watch the replay.
Well I just watch the replay and the ball was well passed the post when Walker pushed him into the post.
I hate the channel 7 commentators, I could punch someone in the head and say sorry afterwards but does that change the intent.

I actually think that was Easton Wood saying "watch the replay" and the umpire responded with something like "you watch it, I'll watch the game".

[S Coast Simon]

It feels like there is something going on behind the walls a bulldog land. It might have something to do with JJ and his contract. The boys don't really seem to be standing up for him. The last few weeks and the bump from Tex. the boys gave a half arsed response to one of our boys be smashed. I feel like they are dirty with him holding the club to ransom over his contract. Sign on for reasonable money and get on with it. Stringer and JJ don't seem to be best buds anymore since Stringers separation.

[EasternWest]

Too right they do they're a bunch of kids and will be better for it. Our season ended last week and you're disappointed like the rest if us but talking about offloading Hunter, Stringer et. al. is very reactive.

Ay Caramba.

Again, I will explain that I am just messing around re trading. I thought the ridiculousness of what I suggested spoke for itself.

I can't agree with you that the players get a leave pass for what they gave us. I'm not arguing with your opinion - I understand completely why you hold it - I just disagree. I'll forever love 2016, but these professional athletes had to front up again next year and for whatever reason they are not where they were/should be.

Funnily enough, I feel like we're actually not that far away (as we saw in the first half last night), but when we're off we're miles off.

Anyway, I'm not trying to start an argument with you - I respect your contribution here as always - maybe we just have different philosophical viewpoints on it.

[Go_Dogs]

They're also allowed to shepherd in marking contests apparently.

Couple of obvious ones were missed, right at the start Wood got blocked out of competing in a contest which set the scene for what would follow. What upsets me is our forwards lack the nous to do this - no one is blocking, creating space, working together.


Fletcher Roberts has embarrassed himself and should be ashamed. Pathetic effort on the wing, worst of the season.

Was a poor effort. Had to keep his feet and stay in the contest, but at the first opportunity went down. The Crows handled the slippery conditions better than us, so gathered cleanly and off they went...

I'm a little unsure on Roberts' role at the moment, although Jenkins is a tough match up. Roberts lacks speed and strength, so he struggles on the lead and in the wrestle and got out-pointed frequently.



Weird game. It feels like we're actually winning the contest, but they're so much cleaner.

A lot of comments later in the thread around this too, Jeemak's pretty accurate.

We were OK around the contest, but the Crows set the ground up and we couldn't get the right exit kick in transition, and every time they moved the ball they seemed to have space and time to make little 45 degree kicks and get the overlap. The uncontested mark stat is damning and shows our skills are poor, our offensive run is down and we can't close out the field and create 50/50's defensively.


The apologist thugs are making excuses for him. The ball was past the contest and he clearly pushed him towards the post and in the back.

*!*!*!*!ing disgraceful.

Poorly umpired and Tex deserves a whack for it, too.



To finish on some positives:-

McLean played his best game for the club and is growing in confidence as a midfielder. This adds to our mix.

Bontempelli played his best game for a while

Macrae keeps on keeping on. Yes, he has a few limitations, but he's an important part of our side and one who usually always finds a way to impact the game.

Zaine Cordy and Bailey Dale are 10 year players.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Well, that was a tough old night in the end.

*Puts on magical optimism cape*

Things I took out of it:
-Great first half as mentioned. Really quite dominant and if we could capitalise I think it would have gone the same way as the Melbourne game I saw here. Much like we did last night, Crows implode when they get a few goals down.

-The Richmond game. They played one good quarter and then got even more smashed than we did. There is a way back from this, a hard way, and maybe this (more so than the WC close one) can be the galvanising, look super hard into the mirror, season changing one.

-I have said it before, the umpiring at grounds with non-bipartisan crowds is just another reason that those home clubs rarely drop games and needs to be looked at. It is not corruption, it is psychology. Any 50-50 free is going to be paid when you have 40,000 people in your ear and much less likely when there is no one calling for it. Worse, the dubious ones also get paid. A handful of these at the wrong time can turn a game.

-Crows, like Geelong in Geelong, are very hard to beat at home (see above) and are probably the best team in the comp with next to no injuries.

-Any team that found themselves more than three or four goals down tonight was going to likely get belted. Once the Crows skipped ahead they relaxed and were able to play on their terms while the pressure of trying to play catchups manifested into nervey, mistake ridden footy for us.

-All is not lost. Seriously, we are likely still only going to be one game out of the eight and have an "easier" draw than those around the mark. It sucks we are not the all conquering, dominant ex-premier type at the moment but in another not so long ago era a sniff of finals would fill us with hope. Backs to the wall is how our club was made. This isn't over.

[1eyedog]

Well, that was a tough old night in the end.

*Puts on magical optimism cape*

Things I took out of it:
-Great first half as mentioned. Really quite dominant and if we could capitalise I think it would have gone the same way as the Melbourne game I saw here. Much like we did last night, Crows implode when they get a few goals down.

-The Richmond game. They played one good quarter and then got even more smashed than we did. There is a way back from this, a hard way, and maybe this (more so than the WC close one) can be the galvanising, look super hard into the mirror, season changing one.

-I have said it before, the umpiring at grounds with non-bipartisan crowds is just another reason that those home clubs rarely drop games and needs to be looked at. It is not corruption, it is psychology. Any 50-50 free is going to be paid when you have 40,000 people in your ear and much less likely when there is no one calling for it. Worse, the dubious ones also get paid. A handful of these at the wrong time can turn a game.

-Crows, like Geelong in Geelong, are very hard to beat at home (see above) and are probably the best team in the comp with next to no injuries.

-Any team that found themselves more than three or four goals down tonight was going to likely get belted. Once the Crows skipped ahead they relaxed and were able to play on their terms while the pressure of trying to play catchups manifested into nervey, mistake ridden footy for us.

-All is not lost. Seriously, we are likely still only going to be one game out of the eight and have an "easier" draw than those around the mark. It sucks we are not the all conquering, dominant ex-premier type at the moment but in another not so long ago era a sniff of finals would fill us with hope. Backs to the wall is how our club was made. This isn't over.

The WC one was worth imo. Five of their best players out, at home, point to prove...

[merantau]

Well, that was a tough old night in the end.

*Puts on magical optimism cape*

Things I took out of it:
-Great first half as mentioned. Really quite dominant and if we could capitalise I think it would have gone the same way as the Melbourne game I saw here. Much like we did last night, Crows implode when they get a few goals down.

-The Richmond game. They played one good quarter and then got even more smashed than we did. There is a way back from this, a hard way, and maybe this (more so than the WC close one) can be the galvanising, look super hard into the mirror, season changing one.

-I have said it before, the umpiring at grounds with non-bipartisan crowds is just another reason that those home clubs rarely drop games and needs to be looked at. It is not corruption, it is psychology. Any 50-50 free is going to be paid when you have 40,000 people in your ear and much less likely when there is no one calling for it. Worse, the dubious ones also get paid. A handful of these at the wrong time can turn a game.

-Crows, like Geelong in Geelong, are very hard to beat at home (see above) and are probably the best team in the comp with next to no injuries.

-Any team that found themselves more than three or four goals down tonight was going to likely get belted. Once the Crows skipped ahead they relaxed and were able to play on their terms while the pressure of trying to play catchups manifested into nervey, mistake ridden footy for us.

-All is not lost. Seriously, we are likely still only going to be one game out of the eight and have an "easier" draw than those around the mark. It sucks we are not the all conquering, dominant ex-premier type at the moment but in another not so long ago era a sniff of finals would fill us with hope. Backs to the wall is how our club was made. This isn't over.

I really like your optimism and I am usually an optimist but I'm afraid I've seen very little this year, and more so in the last 5 weeks, to indicate that we can turn things around in the next 7 weeks.
After the pasting we got in Sydney we had a chance to bounce back against Melbourne and we were awful.
Against a weakened Coke outfit we played one good quarter.
We had miraculous escape against North.

By my count we have had one really convincing performance against GWS in a game we threw away with poor kicking. We had a chance to massacre St.Kilda and won by 40 instead of 80.
Most of our other wins have been big efforts coming from behind with the exception of the Sydney win when we played a brilliant third quarter only to see Franklin get them back in it before some brilliant work by Picken, Bont et al got us a great win.
That was the high point of the year for me and it seems SOLONG AGO now.

Still, as Bulldog die hards we are, if not anything, Prisoners of Hope and it is my earnest hope that we come out of the blocks at warp speed next week, put the game out of reach by quarter time, and then go on with it.

[merantau]

Well, that was a tough old night in the end.

*Puts on magical optimism cape*

Things I took out of it:
-Great first half as mentioned. Really quite dominant and if we could capitalise I think it would have gone the same way as the Melbourne game I saw here. Much like we did last night, Crows implode when they get a few goals down.

-The Richmond game. They played one good quarter and then got even more smashed than we did. There is a way back from this, a hard way, and maybe this (more so than the WC close one) can be the galvanising, look super hard into the mirror, season changing one.

-I have said it before, the umpiring at grounds with non-bipartisan crowds is just another reason that those home clubs rarely drop games and needs to be looked at. It is not corruption, it is psychology. Any 50-50 free is going to be paid when you have 40,000 people in your ear and much less likely when there is no one calling for it. Worse, the dubious ones also get paid. A handful of these at the wrong time can turn a game.

-Crows, like Geelong in Geelong, are very hard to beat at home (see above) and are probably the best team in the comp with next to no injuries.

-Any team that found themselves more than three or four goals down tonight was going to likely get belted. Once the Crows skipped ahead they relaxed and were able to play on their terms while the pressure of trying to play catchups manifested into nervey, mistake ridden footy for us.

-All is not lost. Seriously, we are likely still only going to be one game out of the eight and have an "easier" draw than those around the mark. It sucks we are not the all conquering, dominant ex-premier type at the moment but in another not so long ago era a sniff of finals would fill us with hope. Backs to the wall is how our club was made. This isn't over.

I really like your optimism and I am usually an optimist but I'm afraid I've seen very little this year, and more so in the last 5 weeks, to indicate that we can turn things around in the next 7 weeks.
After the pasting we got in Sydney we had a chance to bounce back against Melbourne and we were awful.
Against a weakened Coke outfit we played one good quarter.
We had miraculous escape against North.

By my count we have had one really convincing performance against GWS in a game we threw away with poor kicking. We had a chance to massacre St.Kilda and won by 40 instead of 80.
Most of our other wins have been big efforts coming from behind with the exception of the Sydney win when we played a brilliant third quarter only to see Franklin get them back in it before some brilliant work by Picken, Bont et al got us a great win.
That was the high point of the year for me and it seems SOLONG AGO now.

Still, as Bulldog die hards we are, if not anything, Prisoners of Hope and it is my earnest hope that we come out of the blocks at warp speed next week, put the game out of reach by quarter time, and then go on with it.

[Twodogs]

I'm not giving up until it's not possible to do.

[Eastdog]

I'm not giving up until it's not possible to do.

Yep Bevo not and I'm not either. Was speaking to a mate today (Dogs fan) and he reckons we can win the next 2.