Bankers And Anchors - Round 13, 2018 vs Port Adelaide

[Eastdog]

This is the round 13, 2018 edition of the Weekly Bankers and Anchors Thread. Once the game against Port Adelaide is concluded post your nominations for:

The Bankers = 3 guys/aspects of the game that we banked on to do the right thing during the game
The Anchors = 3 guys/aspects of the game that weighed us down by their errors or poor play

Please limit it to no more than three of each player or aspect of the game, but feel free to make honourable/dishonourable mentions. As usual try to make it constructive criticism.

Try and restrict it to individual players rather than aspects of the overall match - I will allow more freedom now as the thread seems to be going down more of the aspects of the game path so you can have 3 for each made up of aspects of the game and individual players.

The thread is named in honour of a popular WOOF Contributor, The Banker, who passed away on 22/04/2012 after a six month battle with cancer.

[GVGjr]

Bump

[bulldogtragic]

B

Richards - 3 goals in a quarter, I can't recall the last player of ours to do that. What a gem.
Bonts - Showed some spark and leadership.
Crozier - Wasn't awful for the first time. Now go back it up again.


A

Roarke Smith - I honestly can't say that he will be a good VFL player
Honeychurch - If he never plays again I will be happy
Biggs - See above. Thanks for a great month in 2016, but since then your Instagram output has overtaken your onfield output

[westdog54]

Bankers

Richards - *!*!*!*! me this kid is a dead set gem.
Bontempelli - Pulled his finger out and showed some leadership. I shudder to think how bad it would have been had he not stood up.
Williams - Firming in the 'my favourite player' ledger with every game.

Banchor

Crozier - A much better game but *!*!*!*! me some of those dropped/fumbled marks on his own in defence almost had me tipping over furniture.

Anchors

Biggs. Everything he touched seemed to turn to shite. I can't believe how badly he's fallen away.
Daniel. He's a far better player than a five possession game. Another who has inexplicably fallen away.
Honeychurch. Poor decision/disposal after poor decision/disposal. Is there no-one banging down the door to take his spot?

Dishon. mention

JJ. Its hard to have a gauge of where his head is at. Against Adelaide a month ago recorded the fastest sprint of the night to chase down a loose ball when they were on the counter, last night his effort is mediocre at best.

[Remi Moses]

B- Richards -thankfully he had car troubles and didn’t end up at caaaaarlton
Bont -thought he really stood up in the second
Williams - thought he was decent again
A - That first was park footy stuff , and that’s being generous
- soft tissue injuries - get it sorted
- the decline of Daniel, Johannisen, Dahlhaus ! Someone please explain

[bornadog]

Bankers

1. Richards brilliant goal from the boundary 50 out.

2. The Bont's kicking skills

3. Crozier stepping up in the absence of Suckling

Anchors

1. Trengove free kicks against Dixon - stop wrapping your arms around your opponent and just go for the ball.

2. The free against Mclean at the start of the game when he nearly had his neck broken

3. Hunters pathetic kicking skills and turnovers.

[Ozza]

Bankers:

The Drafting of Richards. The kid is a jet.
Bont - that second quarter was the Bont we have been missing.
Crozier - really stepped up his game in Suckling's absence.

Anchors:

Honeychurch - just has no class. Every bulldog supporter in the country knew he'd get smothered on that shot on goal. He tries and tries, but he is not up to it. That is as nicely as I can put it.
Daniel - I know he's been given some jobs, I'm really not quite sure what last nights was (how could you tell from the CH7 broadcast - they say nothing about match ups outside of the main 3-4 players)...but Caleb is just unrecognisable from the player we used to know.
Biggs - we were never winning that game - but he fair dinkum handed it to them in the first quarter, goal after goal after goal. I'm not sure anyone has had a worse quarter of footy, at any level, ever. He stinks.

[bornadog]

Bankers

3. Crozier stepping up in the absence of Suckling

.


Bankers:


Crozier - really stepped up his game in Suckling's absence.

.

Great minds think alike. :D

[SlimPickens]

Bankers
Schache- Improved again last night, thought he had some really solid contributions. The contested mark and finish was good to see.

McLean- His shoulder was cooked, suspect he may have broken his collarbone in that hit with Gray. Tough effort to play it out.

Cordy- Incredibly reliable defender already, with significant growth to go.


Anchors
Soft Tissue Injuries- It has been a massive problem at the club for 4 year now and won't improve anytime soon, until something changes off-field.

Honeychurch- The most tackled player in the history of the sport. My gosh, remarkable how little space he could create.

Sliding Rule/Contact below the knees- This is at crisis point, the McLean one was staggering, the Westhoff one even worse. Either change the rule or bloody coach the umpires on how to interpret it.

[Eastdog]

Bankers:

- Ed Richards - We have found a good one here.

- Bont - Great 2nd quarter in particular to try and get us back in the game.

- Crozier - Played much better last night compared to what he has produced this season.


Anchors:

- That 1st quater - just awful and that pretty much got them the game.

- JJ - a player seriosuly down on confidence at the moment and needs to get some spark back. I thought once those rumours around his contract went that we would be better but things still the same.

- Our injury crisis - Macrae, Wood, Boyd, McLean - quality players. Just so so frustrating and we have others who were not playing tonight out injured so it has played a part in our average season but not the only reason.

[Eastdog]

Bankers
Schache- Improved again last night, thought he had some really solid contributions. The contested mark and finish was good to see.

Was good to see. If he does that more often he will be dangerous up forward for us. Needs to build more confidence but he is getting there. Still young.

[Eastdog]

1. Trengove free kicks against Dixon - stop wrapping your arms around your opponent and just go for the ball.

2. The free against Mclean at the start of the game when he nearly had his neck broken

Yeah Trengove giving away those frees very frustrating. Agree with that free at the start against McLean - ridiculous. It was a contest for the footy and we get penalised.

[Doc26]

B

Ed Richards - Looks to have all the bases covered. I hope Collingwood doesn't come after him in time.
Marcus Bontempelli - Lifted in adversity
Josh Schache - Small but promising signs. Like how he doesn't try to rush his disposal and appears to be one of those few players who can slow time around him. Nice signs.


A

Caleb Daniel - Was completely lost out there and didn't bring intent to the contest. Doesn't deserve a spot after that showing.

Match committee - I'm reluctant to anchor Mitch Honeychurch or Lukas Webb as they are not up to it but the match committee should not be rewarding every other week such mediocrity. Unfortunately our list position doesn't help.

Football Department - We're appearing all lost at sea. Our list is unbalanced, we lack genuine classy outside mids, we have a bunch of talls but none that can truly hold their own in the ruck division (albeit English looks promising), we pursue a Trengove type in the trade period when an Impey type is what we really require, we seriously lack damaging small forwards - now the flavour of our times, our foot skills are atrocious, our game day structure and game plan has gone missing (yes we are now a young group), we are copping too many soft tissue injuries, many on our our coaching panel appear past their best before, and for a mix of reasons right now we are also on the nose with so many outside the Club that our brand is continuing to get smashed, making us look an unattractive proposition for potential free agents and corporate supporters.

The loss of Graham Lowe is appearing one of the most significant losses that we've had in our journey.

[The bulldog tragician]

Bankers:
1. Little Red. The joy of a player who is unafraid to kick a clutch goal. Nimble on his feet. Brave. Love him.
2. Bont. I doubt he is fully fit somehow but after a quiet first quarter, he showed his class and quality.
3. Not throwing in the towel after a hideous first quarter. We were honest, and committed. There are too many guys though who sadly aren’t up to scratch. We all know who they are.

Anchors
1. The unfunny social media post by the Western Bulldogs showing a gif of runners missing the starting gun after Port kicked the first few goals. Of course as we all sat there facing a trouncing, this was just what we wanted to see. Are they for real? From the Comms team who shut down Danny McGinlay banners... WTF???...
2. The look on Easton Wood’s face as he sat in the race after yet another hammy.
3. The decision against Toby McLean in the opening 20 seconds was just appalling. It was actually the sort of knock to the head that causes serious neck injuries. Inexplicable.

[bornadog]

3. The decision against Toby McLean in the opening 20 seconds was just appalling. It was actually the sort of knock to the head that causes serious neck injuries. Inexplicable.

As Chris Grant said this morning, what his he supposed to do, he had his head over the ball. We are getting to a stage where AFL is being ruined because of this stupid rule, no one will want to bend over anymore to get the ball.

[LostDoggy]

As Chris Grant said this morning, what his he supposed to do, he had his head over the ball. We are getting to a stage where AFL is being ruined because of this stupid rule, no one will want to bend over anymore to get the ball.

Also, McLean primarily made contact with the thigh and hip of the Port player, vastly different to sliding and taking someone out from their ankles. Just a horrid decision.

[Axe Man]

Also, McLean primarily made contact with the thigh and hip of the Port player, vastly different to sliding and taking someone out from their ankles. Just a horrid decision.

The most ridiculous part was McLean was still on his feet, how can you 'slide' on your feet wearing footy boots? Watch the AFL come out and justify it as a correct decision though.

[Flamethrower]

Toby should consider legal action against the AFL over the treatment he has received from the umpires this year - he is being punished due to his reputation as a ducker to the point that it is open season on his head.

[Twodogs]

Toby should consider legal action against the AFL over the treatment he has received from the umpires this year - he is being punished due to his reputation as a ducker to the point that it is open season on his head.

That's why the umpire payed the free kick. Because he thought Toby was initiating contact to the head trying to draw a free kick. To then compound the stupidity and say the free was for tunnelling was just silly by the umpire.

[The Doctor]

Bankers

3. Hunters pathetic kicking skills and turnovers.

It's farcical now. I cringe when he gets it

[bulldogtragic]

It's farcical now. I cringe when he gets it

I don't understand how he hasn't fixed it and how the coaches haven't worked it out of his game. He's getting a lot of the ball this year, but he's not doing any damage to the opposition. Maybe he and the coaches are happy with things the way they are.

[bornadog]

I don't understand how he hasn't fixed it and how the coaches haven't worked it out of his game. He's getting a lot of the ball this year, but he's not doing any damage to the opposition. Maybe he and the coaches are happy with things the way they are.

You only have to look at Macrae and the improvement he has made.

[bulldogtragic]

You only have to look at Macrae and the improvement he has made.

Then why hasn't Hunter made the same type of improvement that Macrae & McLean have?

[bornadog]

Then why hasn't Hunter made the same type of improvement that Macrae & McLean have?

Mclean has a long way to go with his kicking. He tends to kick high rather than long.

Hunter - Why? Because he hasn't worked on it and probably thinks his kicking is ok.

[bulldogtragic]

Mclean has a long way to go with his kicking. He tends to kick high rather than long.

Hunter - Why? Because he hasn't worked on it and probably thinks his kicking is ok.

Do you think the various coaches feedback on Hunter's kicking and decision making is that it's ok?

[bornadog]

Do you think the various coaches feedback on Hunter's kicking and decision making is that it's ok?

I would only be guessing

[bulldogtragic]

I would only be guessing

What's your guess? My guess is they've said it's an area he can vastly improve.

[bornadog]

What's your guess? My guess is they've said it's an area he can vastly improve.

Maybe he has reached his limit.

[bulldogtragic]

Maybe he has reached his limit.

If this is what to expect, if this is his limit, poor decision making and awful kicking on top of elite aerobic capacity, what's the club to do with him? It's hard for the club to endorse him as a leader when he's not pushing his overall game to the next level. So going ahead with a lot of kids, the club has to come to a conclusion about Lachie. If he's the standards driver, the kids going ahead won't have huge standards in decision making and effective disposal. He's far from the most pressing issue right now, but that shouldn't mean he gets a pass, especially since his ceiling ought to be a lot higher than we've seen this year.

[EasternWest]

payed.

TD for shame!

A farcical rule that jumped the shark with that call.

If the AFL wants to change that rule in the off-season I'm ok with it.