WB Game Day V Carlton R5 2019

[Grantysghost]

Fair enough, I’ll use some baby powder next time I post.

Ha....I get your argument I just don't agree. Fluke to me is in the moment like a half court hail Mary etc. Not a hind sight call.

[GVGjr]

I have argued Cordy is not a KPP, but shot down by a few on this forum.

We were beaten in the clearances, stoppages and our mids just struggled to make an impact Williams DID NOT DESERVE HIS SPOT, so not sure how he was picked as VFL form ordinary.

Mckay is one of the best marks in the AFL, and we didn't stop the supply. At least English beat Kruezer.
And you said we were tall enough and had enough ruckman over the draft and trade period didn't you? Under Bevo Cordy is a KPD. We could have swung Naughton back there but had to put him in the ruck.

[Twodogs]

Stringer is an ordinary player and has not captured what he did 2015 and prior. Glad he is gone, with his attitude.


Because he is playing for a club that he didn't want to play for. He wanted to be a one club player, after all who was the first player to contact Gordon to ask what he could do to help after Griffen walked and the coach was sacked? Yep it was Stringer. Like I said he was high maintenance but he won us games. Other clubs understand that and work hard to keep the dickhead element under wraps, why don't we? At the very least why didn't we keep our mouths shut about his troubles when we ran him out the door?

Do you think that Garry Ablett was a perfect angel? Or Dermott Brereton? Or Darren Millane? They were/are dickheads of the highest order but what was important was their performance on the field. We are a football club, not a boy scout pack. Stringer will come good at Essendon and we will wonder why we let him go.

And if it was a choice between him and the coach? The way things are going pretty soon we will have neither. And I'm starting to think that the reason Bont only signed a short term extension wasnt just to take him to his FA status, it was also with half an eye as to whether the club would self implode (as per usual) by the time his next contract is due.

[bornadog]

He’s actually been very good this year.

How is it that all the players we let go are playing well - Stringer, Dahlhaus, Roughead and Hamling yet who did we replace them with? Gowers? Lloyd?

Our list management is pathetic. You might want to cover for Bevo and the coaching group but the heat should be burning hot because this isn’t a sample size of 5 games it’s a sample size of close to 50 games since 2016.

Stringer is not a once in a generation player, The Bont is. Stringer averages 12 dispoals a game, whoopee do.

I am not covering for anyone, I thought the MC erred this week, but you need to watch the game and see where we lost it.

I can't agree on list management being pathetic, but I don't want to argue either because it is tiresome - so we agree to disagree.

[AndrewP6]

While I don't agree that the premiership was a fluke I do agree that we should have done a lot more to try and turn the attitude of Stringer in particular around. He is a once in a generation player and we couldn't wait to show him the door. Players like Stringer are high maintenance. It comes with the territory, you can either have players like Stringer who require a lot of work but win you games or you can have a bunch of good boys who cause little trouble but turn in shitful performances that never win you games at all.

We might laugh behind our hands at Essendon always winning the trade period but which of our two clubs is closer to winning a premiership right here and now? I'll give you a clue, it isn't us.

From the information released publicly, we did a lot. Murph said there were 2 years of issues. That's a long time for someone.

[bornadog]

And you said we were tall enough and had enough ruckman over the draft and trade period didn't you? Under Bevo Cordy is a KPD. We could have swung Naughton back there but had to put him in the ruck.

I wanted Trengove in and Lewis Young in. Yes we have enough ruckman. English had more hitouts today than anyone else on the ground.

[The bulldog tragician]

I wasn’t able to get there today, or even view it on tv, but it doesn’t take away the pain of what was obviously one of our worst performances over the past 10 years. We didn’t expect to be a top four side in 2019, but we did hope for improvement, and further development of a young list.

Let’s criticise and discuss the issues since 2016 - the coaching, the selections, the skill development, the game plan, the players buy in, our culture even, if we are prepared to slip so quickly back to mediocrity. I believe Bevo needs more support and voices around him, and maybe he’s lost that balance between dare and creativity compared to hubris and stubbornness.

But that premiership was not a fluke. We all saw what those blokes achieved and how we achieved it. The fact that we’ve been so poor since then demands a question why, and some difficult and painful questions have to be asked. But trashing what we did in 2016 won’t get us those answers.

[G-Mo77]

I wanted Trengove in and Lewis Young in. Yes we have enough ruckman. English had more hitouts today than anyone else on the ground.

Who helped him?

[DOG GOD]

I wasn’t able to get there today, or even view it on tv, but it doesn’t take away the pain of what was obviously one of our worst performances over the past 10 years. We didn’t expect to be a top four side in 2019, but we did hope for improvement, and further development of a young list.

Let’s criticise and discuss the issues since 2016 - the coaching, the selections, the skill development, the game plan, the players buy in, our culture even, if we are prepared to slip so quickly back to mediocrity. I believe Bevo needs more support and voices around him, and maybe he’s lost that balance between dare and creativity compared to hubris and stubbornness.

But that premiership was not a fluke. We all saw what those blokes achieved and how we achieved it. The fact that we’ve been so poor since then demands a question why, and some difficult and painful questions have to be asked. But trashing what we did in 2016 won’t get us those answers.

No surprise saints are looking a different team since Rattens appointment. That’s why I wanted him badly to help Bevo.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Stringer is not a once in a generation player, The Bont is. Stringer averages 12 dispoals a game, whoopee do.

I am not covering for anyone, I thought the MC erred this week, but you need to watch the game and see where we lost it.

I can't agree on list management being pathetic, but I don't want to argue either because it is tiresome - so we agree to disagree.

You seem to sweep a lot of the issues we’ve had over the last 3 years under the carpet and don’t want Beveridge and co to cop any heat for it. How can we go from a Premiership to this and there not be ANY consequences for the men responsible for leading and directing the club?

We will agree to disagree but I’m amazed that you refuse to ask the question of those at the helm.

[bornadog]

Who helped him?

I agree with you, we needed Jackson today.

[Grantysghost]

How did you guys see the Walsh v Smith battle. Walsh had more of it but considering we were getting a belting in the midfield I thought honours were about even. Very happy with Smith's recruitment at 7.

[G-Mo77]

I agree with you, we needed Jackson today.

That is is the issue. Everyone from the outside knew we went in undersized. What on earth does our coach and MC see that no one else does. This game has been around for so long and it's still pretty traditional in terms of cattle on the park and positions. We're not in a position to be cute anymore.

[bornadog]

You seem to sweep a lot of the issues we’ve had over the last 3 years under the carpet and don’t want Beveridge and co to cop any heat for it. How can we go from a Premiership to this and there not be ANY consequences for the men responsible for leading and directing the club?

We will agree to disagree but I’m amazed that you refuse to ask the question of those at the helm.

I can go all emotional and carry on about our losses, but 5 games in I am not ready to sack the coach.

[Jeanette54]

Peter Rhodesque

Looked like Royce Hart was back.

[Sedat]

Two things. Carlton have been in all 5 games this season and are far from the worst team in the comp this year. Ditto Gold Coast from 2 weeks ago. These aren't embarrassing losses in 2019

Also we are nowhere near as good as we think we are. We have a very strong midfield group but massive holes everywhere else. So when the opposition bring the midfield heat like Carlton did to us today (42 clearances to 26 is a smashing) we are horribly exposed both in defence and in attack. If Bevo and the MC can't unlock the secret to our structural woes and inefficiencies in delivery and transition, he/they will eventually get sacked. The goodwill of 2016 is not an infinite resource.

[Eastdog]

Just gutted after that performance. Certainly not in that game today. Our pressure when they went forward was pretty much non existent and our forward pressure not good enough. We cannot kick for s**t. How many times have we said we need to fix this but we haven't. Our disposal efficiency would have to be the worst in the competition has to be fixed.

[ReLoad]

That was the most rubbish performance I’ve seen us dish up in a long time.

Or

It was the best Melbourne international comedy festival show I’ve ever seen.

What a crap day at the footy. Thanks bulldogs, thanks a bunch.

[EasternWest]

How did you guys see the Walsh v Smith battle. Walsh had more of it but considering we were getting a belting in the midfield I thought honours were about even. Very happy with Smith's recruitment at 7.

Both guns in the making. Both sides should be very satisfied.

[DOG GOD]

How did you guys see the Walsh v Smith battle. Walsh had more of it but considering we were getting a belting in the midfield I thought honours were about even. Very happy with Smith's recruitment at 7.

Held his own in a slaughtered midfield. A little more strength and endurance and he will be a good player indeed.

[angelopetraglia]

Round #1 - we are 40 points up half through the 3rd, our pressure was outstanding

Round #2 - all day defensive pressure was there, we kicked goals late to win but on balance we were the better team all day except for a few brain fades where we allowed them out the back

Round #3 - we don’t turn up, our pressure is lacking, we still manage 20 extra inside 50s but can hurt them due to a dysfunctional forward line, should have really won in the end with just a touch of composure

Round #4 - we go blow for blow with the Premiership favourite for 3 1/2 quarters after a five day break, our pressure and intensity can’t be questioned, we run out of steam late and again we pay a dear price for cheap turn overs

Round #5 - we get smashed on the inside, worst game our mids have played for a long time, that doesn’t represent what we have put out in the first four weeks, it’s an absolute train wreck (when we get half a sniff we can’t hit the side of a barn and to make it worse they make us pay directly from the point kick in multiple times)

For most of the first four weeks you can’t question our endeavour. Today was different. Did the players also think “what the hell was Bevo thinking with these sections?”. Let’s be honest, we were all bemused.

It’s never as good as it appears. It’s never as bad as it appears. Let’s see what happens next week!

[GVGjr]

I can go all emotional and carry on about our losses, but 5 games in I am not ready to sack the coach.

You dismissed the 2 JLT games and tried to shut down all negative observations on here because it was just practice games. Now almost a quarter of the way into the H&A season and the sample size still isn't big enough for you even though it's essentially the same problems with skills and decision making.

I'm not one to get all negative but you should be able to concede there are some troubling issues about the way we are performing and acknowledge why many are concerned? Sure there are some over the top comments but most of the others are very well made.

[G-Mo77]

This will cheer some of you up. I got a good laugh out of it.

https://twitter.com/CcSpondon/status/1119315465652899841?s=09

[macca]

Im of the opinion Dunkley is being ruined with this pinch hitting ruck rubbish. How do you get confidence when you are put in a position to lose on purpose ! Beggars belief. The irony of Fletcher Roberts and Lewis Young fresh and happy up in the player sponsors room before the game was not lost on me. Did Fletcher run over Bevos dog ?

Why have fletcher on list if you don’t play him?.

The sooner we get 50 games into Lewis young the better he will be , If we don’t play him what a waste. Carlton was the ideal team to test lewis and improve his development

Are these 2 injured or something ?

[G-Mo77]

Why have fletcher on list if you don’t play him?.

The sooner we get 50 games into Lewis young the better he will be , If we don’t play him what a waste. Carlton was the ideal team to test lewis and improve his development

Are these 2 injured or something ?

Fetch has vanished since 2016. Kept on the list but never seen. Like Tom Campbell was.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

I can go all emotional and carry on about our losses, but 5 games in I am not ready to sack the coach.
I agree with your thoughts on Bevo. The responsibility for the Coach and MC or for that matter Recruitment should be the responsibility of the Director of Football, Chris Grant. We have now seen 3 years in the wilderness with little prospect of improvement.
Strong Clubs refresh their MC, we have failed to do so. I get the impression that Bevo is a one man band which is an unhealthy position to be in. Clubs need a strong 2IC which is lacking at the moment. Recruitment is also questionable with something like 7-8 half back flankers making up the list at the expense of quality big men apart from English who still lacks experience and now Naughton. We have consistently played 3 players out of position in Wood Maclean and Richards. Wood is not a key defender but a good half back flanker and should be returned there. As Captain we need him to lead by example which isn’t happening right now. Richards has been forced from his natural defender role to try and accommodate the likes of Duryea and Suckling which is wrong. At the moment North Melbourne, Melbourne and the WB rank as the three weakest teams. St Kilda for example has clearly gone ahead of us.
Our lack of height would suggest that both Trengrove and Schache should be recalled. Our defence was monstered today by McKay and Casboult largely caused by playing a far too short defence. All is not lost but we face a monumental task to get things back on track.

[hujsh]

Let's become a forum for something else as football is clearly only going to hurt us all again this year.

[Grantysghost]

Bevo said in press conference when asked about Williams starting in midfield and Libba forward that that had happened earlier in the season but also interestingly that the midfield group was cooked in the last quarter against the Pies ? Hence players like Gowers and Williams to help out the others. Found this odd after a long break from last week. Is conditioning an issue?

[G-Mo77]

Bevo said in press conference when asked about Williams starting in midfield and Libba forward that that had happened earlier in the season but also interestingly that the midfield group was cooked in the last quarter against the Pies ? Hence players like Gower's and Williams to help out the others. Found this odd after a long break from last week. Is conditioning an issue?

I'm yet to listen. Sounds like a load of crap to me.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I'm yet to listen. Sounds like a load of crap to me.

I'm not sure what people expect an AFL coach to say in a presser, especially following a horrid loss. It's a lose-lose proposition.
I listened, and what I took away was the colour almost draining from his face at the end when a journo asked about our poor conversion rate in front of goal, and the effect;especially when Carlton then would waltz downfield and score a goal.
Bevo spoke about the impact and about wanting to address it.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Bevo said in press conference when asked about Williams starting in midfield and Libba forward that that had happened earlier in the season but also interestingly that the midfield group was cooked in the last quarter against the Pies ? Hence players like Gower's and Williams to help out the others. Found this odd after a long break from last week. Is conditioning an issue?

Sounds like we are grabbing at straws. We are 5 games in with a healthy list. You should be very worried at the moment Bevo. I’m guessing your lucky that Smorgon is not running the show. It seems that Gorden Isn’t demanding perfection. Maybe Peters too busy to take a look st what’s going on at the kennel.

[Grantysghost]

I'm not sure what people expect an AFL coach to say in a presser, especially following a horrid loss. It's a lose-lose proposition.
I listened, and what I took away was the colour almost draining from his face at the end when a journo asked about our poor conversion rate in front of goal, and the effect;especially when Carlton then would waltz downfield and score a goal.
Bevo spoke about the impact and about wanting to address it.

The pause before he answered that goal kicking conversion question was telling

[bulldogtragic]

I'm not sure what people expect an AFL coach to say in a presser, especially following a horrid loss. It's a lose-lose proposition.
I listened, and what I took away was the colour almost draining from his face at the end when a journo asked about our poor conversion rate in front of goal, and the effect;especially when Carlton then would waltz downfield and score a goal.
Bevo spoke about the impact and about wanting to address it.

I want to address it. The coaches get paid to actually address it. Something they haven't done. So many coaches, so many years, yet nothing is improving. We need new coaches to improve the skills of current players, or new players who understand what our current coaches train. It's that simple. Our sport is about kicking goals through accuracy, and we are 18th for accuracy yet again.

[angelopetraglia]

Listened to Presser. Even more confused. Why would we see the need to rest our mids after a 9 day break? Why give the desperate Blues a sniff by playing Williams and Gowers as mids and leaving the likes of Libba forward? Why play such a young team? Carlton are young and we were 20 games per man on average less experienced.

We tried to be too cute and ended up with egg on our face.

[bulldogtragic]

Sounds like we are grabbing at straws. We are 5 games in with a healthy list. You should be very worried at the moment Bevo. I’m guessing your lucky that Smorgon is not running the show. It seems that Gorden Isn’t demanding perfection. Maybe Peters too busy to take a look st what’s going on at the kennel.

Gordon should appraise Bevo as if his name were not Luke Beveridge, but rather Terry Wheeler. How would PG rate this year so far if the coaches name was Terry Wheeler?

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

The pause before he answered that goal kicking conversion question was telling

You could almost see the thoughts tick over 'Don't tee-off, answer the question without fueling the gremlins.' But his facial expression left no doubt that this is something that eats away at him.
As it should. If you can't score from decent opportunities then you are by definition a poor football team. That Bontempelli sits at 1 goal 9, 5 weeks into our season should hurt. The fact Gowers, slots the hard one, when the game is over, but misses much simpler shots when the game is well and truly on the line.. makes me sick. Mclean, Hunter, English, Dickson,Libba, Lloyd, plus Naughton's OOTB on the full, all culprits.
They hit 3 or 4 of those, and Carlton fades, and they start to question themselves. Each miss, pumped their tyres whilst deflating ours somewhat.

[angelopetraglia]

You could almost see the thoughts tick over 'Don't tee-off, answer the question without fueling the gremlins.' But his facial expression left no doubt that this is something that eats away at him.
As it should. If you can't score from decent opportunities then you are by definition a poor football team. That Bontempelli sits at 1 goal 9, 5 weeks into our season should hurt. The fact Gowers, slots the hard one, when the game is over, but misses much simpler shots when the game is well and truly on the line.. makes me sick. Mclean, Hunter, English, Dickson,Libba, Lloyd, plus Naughton's OOTB on the full, all culprits.
They hit 3 or 4 of those, and Carlton fades, and they start to question themselves. Each miss, pumped their tyres whilst deflating ours somewhat.

Agree. 100%.

As bad as we were today, if we took our chances when they presented we could have asked some serious questions and see what they were made of. However we let them off. No questions asked.

[Bulldog4life]

Let's become a forum for something else as football is clearly only going to hurt us all again this year.

Ha ha I like that hujsh. Anyone for USA politics?

[Eastdog]

Efficiency Inside 50

Us 27 shots from 53 Inside 50s 51%
Them 29 shots from 48 inside 50 60%

Turnovers

Us 55
Them 57

Disposal Efficiency

Us 72%
Them 80%

Centre Clearances 9-14 their favour

Clearances 26-42 their favour

We won both the tackle count and tackle count inside 50.

[hujsh]

Ha ha I like that hujsh. Anyone for USA politics?

Ah finally a subject less divisive than post 2016 Buldlogs.

[bornadog]

You dismissed the 2 JLT games and tried to shut down all negative observations on here because it was just practice games. Now almost a quarter of the way into the H&A season and the sample size still isn't big enough for you even though it's essentially the same problems with skills and decision making.

I'm not one to get all negative but you should be able to concede there are some troubling issues about the way we are performing and acknowledge why many are concerned? Sure there are some over the top comments but most of the others are very well made.

Yes I dismissed two PRACTISE matches like I have done all my life. I don't take them seriously, I didn't even go to the 2010 Grand final.

As I said earlier it was a shocker today and embarrassing to say the least and the comments you mention over the top is over the top. I like to discuss why we lost, and analyse what we can do better, and have a non emotional debate.

As for sample size, well I think we were very competitive in the first 4 matches but really blew it today with a very poor performance.

Based on today, we will get killed the next two games. ( I haven't looked beyond that)

[The Adelaide Connection]

I avoided social media/friends/text messages for 8 hours to watch this “live”. I have been looking forward to it all day. So deflated.

Worse that that, on the back of this game I am going to spend the next week fearing what is going to happen against a red hot Fremantle in Perth.

[Rocket Science]

League-worst goal kicking is *the* issue, par excellence we've watched cost us momentum and literal points, time and time again, season upon season.

I'm not so consumed with rage to think it hasn't occurred to the coaching staff to try to fix it. But why farken WHY in a sport where goals are king haven't we been able to do jack crap about it? WHY can't we fix an obvious flaw despite it costing us again and again for bloody years now? YEARS!

Opponents can't be too fussed about conceding forward fifty opportunities to us if they can rely on the fact we're highly unlikely to make them pay. Yet how often do we watch us dominate possession and forward entries for phases with stuff all reward only to watch opponents seize on a turnover and clinically go bang.

If you can't capitalise on scoring chances your fancy game plan's bloody pointless.

[SonofScray]

Credit to Carlton, they were full of running and kicked straight. Worked harder than us and cashed in when they got the chance. Kicked goals from everywhere in answer to our repeat misses from relatively simple areas to score from.

Time to sack the coach. I felt this was required at quarter time R2 2018 and we've just been wasting time ever since. From the hubris at selection to the bat shit, crazy responses to rule changes in the ruck, it is clear he is cooked. Struggled to find a cohesive narrative for the group since the flag and is just throwing darts at a map. Has even deviated from his original rhetoric of building a brand of footy to suit the strengths and skill set of the list. That he hasn't taken control of the goal kicking issue after so long and so many lost opportunities is a disgrace. He leaves that to the players as an empowerment exercise. It's a bad coaching beat. Needs mentoring/teaching approach.

It brings me no joy to go down this path, but we're bleeding out and I really want us to get help. Gordo, ring the Dr.

[Sedat]

You could almost see the thoughts tick over 'Don't tee-off, answer the question without fueling the gremlins.' But his facial expression left no doubt that this is something that eats away at him.
He should 'tee-off'. There is nothing to lose ahen you are already 18th in the comp for goal kicking accuracy and have been bottom 2 for multiple years.

If the coach and the MC want to let their careers hinge on the largesse of our players in front of goal and do nothing about it (or not change what they are doing, which clearly isn't working), they will be held to account accordingly in due course.

[Bulldog4life]

He should 'tee-off'. There is nothing to lose ahen you are already 18th in the comp for goal kicking accuracy and have been bottom 2 for multiple years.

If the coach and the MC want to let their careers hinge on the largesse of our players in front of goal and do nothing about it (or not change what they are doing, which clearly isn't working), they will be held to account accordingly in due course.

Chris Grant our footy director should be making these decisions for Bevo if he is too stubborn.

[Jam Donuts]

Both guns in the making. Both sides should be very satisfied.
Well I hope we enjoy watching Smithy over the next year or two because if we continue to serve up shit like that as a team he and his ilk will not be playing for us, they will be at other clubs, this loss reflects serious, serious problems and personally takes me back to the 70's and even earlier, and I do not want those memories rekindled. Today was total shit, the coaches must accept some responsibility for this debacle as well as the senior players.

[bulldogtragic]

Ha ha I like that hujsh. Anyone for USA politics?

I read the 448 page Mueller report a few days ago. I'm primed to own this new forum!

[Bulldog4life]

I read the 448 page Mueller report a few days ago. I'm primed to own this new forum!

Ditto BT....but only a third of the way through.

[bulldogtragic]

Ditto BT....but only a third of the way through.

A lot on interesting reading ahead for you. Keep an eye out for footnote 1,091 ahead. I think it's arguably the most important part in either volume, or so I reckon.

But back to footy. I'm usually over bad losses, or great wins (pre-lim win and premierships aside) a day later. This is different this loss. I'm just so frustrated, embarrassed and other adjectives still.

[DOG GOD]

A lot on interesting reading ahead for you. Keep an eye out for footnote 1,091 ahead. I think it's arguably the most important part in either volume, or so I reckon.

But back to footy. I'm usually over bad losses, or great wins (pre-lim win and premierships aside) a day later. This is different this loss. I'm just so frustrated, embarrassed and other adjectives still.

Same BT. I turned fox footy on this morning and a replay was on for our game. 10 mins into the 2nd qtr. I quickly turned it off. 5 seconds was enough to bring back the murderous disappointment I felt yesterday at 4:30pm. Just deflated, and I haven’t even got to work tomorrow, which will bring an abundance of absuse/sledging I’m sure...although I did pre worn them last Friday, that I didn’t expect a win.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

The prospect of a trip west this week off the back of yesterday's tripe makes it even worse...

[mjp]

The prospect of a trip west this week off the back of yesterday's tripe makes it even worse...

Yeah - nah.

In 1991 we finished 10th. We were TERRIBLE and I was not looking forward to the 1992 season.

In round 1 1992, we went to Adelaide and won. The travel galvanised us and the team had a great season (though a BS finals exit - the first of a few in the years to follow). This trip to Optus is a big chance for the group to do a bit of soul searching, spend some time together and bring EFFORT.

For me at least, there should be no talk about winning (of course, there should be no talk about losing either). Every single thing that is said should be related to the effort we will bring and what the spectators in the crowd will be seeing when we play at our best. I am thinking they will see a swarm of RWB around the footy, hard tackling and first option handball. And if Freo win the ball, they will see RWB players desperately pushing to get goal-side of their opponent.

This is a BIG opportunity to reset and probably one we don't deserve.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Yeah - nah.

In 1991 we finished 10th. We were TERRIBLE and I was not looking forward to the 1992 season.

In round 1 1992, we went to Adelaide and won. The travel galvanised us and the team had a great season (though a BS finals exit - the first of a few in the years to follow). This trip to Optus is a big chance for the group to do a bit of soul searching, spend some time together and bring EFFORT.

For me at least, there should be no talk about winning (of course, there should be no talk about losing either). Every single thing that is said should be related to the effort we will bring and what the spectators in the crowd will be seeing when we play at our best. I am thinking they will see a swarm of RWB around the footy, hard tackling and first option handball. And if Freo win the ball, they will see RWB players desperately pushing to get goal-side of their opponent.

This is a BIG opportunity to reset and probably one we don't deserve.

I am loving your rational and evidence based positivity Mike. Its exactly what I need right now.

[bornadog]

I am loving your rational and evidence based positivity Mike. Its exactly what I need right now.

Ditto

[1eyedog]

Yeah - nah.

In 1991 we finished 10th. We were TERRIBLE and I was not looking forward to the 1992 season.

In round 1 1992, we went to Adelaide and won. The travel galvanised us and the team had a great season (though a BS finals exit - the first of a few in the years to follow). This trip to Optus is a big chance for the group to do a bit of soul searching, spend some time together and bring EFFORT.

For me at least, there should be no talk about winning (of course, there should be no talk about losing either). Every single thing that is said should be related to the effort we will bring and what the spectators in the crowd will be seeing when we play at our best. I am thinking they will see a swarm of RWB around the footy, hard tackling and first option handball. And if Freo win the ball, they will see RWB players desperately pushing to get goal-side of their opponent.

This is a BIG opportunity to reset and probably one we don't deserve.

Yeah nah I'm not buying it.
Freo will smash us and it won't be pretty.
We have lost confidence and we are not playing for each other and it shows through soft half-hearted efforts.
If it wasn't for the Dees we'd be the new Carlton.

[mjp]

Yeah nah this is the guy that said we'll beat Collingwood. I'm not buying it.
Freo will smash us and it won't be pretty.
We have lost confidence and we are not playing for each other and it shows through soft half-hearted efforts.
If it wasn't for the Dees we'd be the new Carlton.

I guess we should just give up then. Take the weekend off.
Such a crap attitude...look ahead and fight.

[Eastdog]

Cede Nullis
Need to live up to our motto on Saturday night
Go Dogs! I’m not going anywhere. This is what it is all about being a supporter the highs (the premiership) the lows (what we experienced yesterday).

[Remi Moses]

Good thing some on here weren’t around In the 80’s or even the 70’s 60’s .
They’d have locked the doors and handed in the keys

[1eyedog]

I guess we should just give up then. Take the weekend off.
Such a crap attitude...look ahead and fight.

We'll do what we can but we seem a way off a cohesive unit. I hope we do fight it out but our hearts just don't seem like their in it.

[1eyedog]

Good thing some on here weren’t around In the 80’s or even the 70’s 60’s .
They’d have locked the doors and handed in the keys

I was it makes now all the more frustrating. Enough FFS.

[Eastdog]

Good thing some on here weren’t around In the 80’s or even the 70’s 60’s .
They’d have locked the doors and handed in the keys

Before my time. Yeah I have heard they were tough years for sure. We were playing at Western Oval back then but we probably didnt have a lot of great moments. Imagine having WOOF around in that dark period in the early 80s. Financially back then we weren't very strong either something that is much better today.

[hujsh]

I guess we should just give up then. Take the weekend off.
Such a crap attitude...look ahead and fight.

Not much we can do to influence the result. If they show us something this weekend I'm sure we'll all turn our attitudes around but the onus is well and truly on them now

[Sedat]

Yeah - nah.

In 1991 we finished 10th. We were TERRIBLE and I was not looking forward to the 1992 season.
Were you at the WACA for that Friday night game in 1991 when Sumich kicked 7 goals in a qtr and 13 for the match on Paul Gow, and we were humiliated by 20 goals in Noah's Ark conditions? Good times.

God I loved the 1992 season, especially beating the Saints 3 times. My 2nd favourite year behind 2016. Dammit, thinking about Del Re kicking 72 goals for the season has got me fired up for this week!

[bornadog]

Were you at the WACA for that Friday night game in 1991 when Sumich kicked 7 goals in a qtr and 13 for the match on Paul Gow, and we were humiliated by 20 goals in Noah's Ark conditions? Good times.

God I loved the 1992 season, especially beating the Saints 3 times. My 2nd favourite year behind 2016. Dammit, thinking about Del Re kicking 72 goals for the season has got me fired up for this week!

Loved Danny, strong as an ox and could take a strong mark.

[azabob]

Loved Danny, strong as an ox and could take a strong mark.

And kick straight!

[mjp]

Were you at the WACA for that Friday night game in 1991 when Sumich kicked 7 goals in a qtr and 13 for the match on Paul Gow, and we were humiliated by 20 goals in Noah's Ark conditions? Good times.

God I loved the 1992 season, especially beating the Saints 3 times. My 2nd favourite year behind 2016. Dammit, thinking about Del Re kicking 72 goals for the season has got me fired up for this week!

Yep. I was at the WACA that night. I was at Subi for the 2016 tank-job vs Freo...there have been some ugly days at all of the grounds in Perth, that's for sure. Then again, I was also at Subi for the final vs WC in 2016 and I will be at Burswood this Saturday night.

We are at where we are at - what can any of us do about it? May as well try and think good thoughts and have SOMETHING to look forward too on the weekend...the alternative is to just say "that's it, season over" and give it up - I know I will end up watching the games anyway so I may as well take the former course otherwise I am just being a miserable old barstard!

[Twodogs]

Looked like Royce Hart was back.

It wasn't that bad. We haven't lost ten games in a row to start the season. God they were awful days.


Round #1 - we are 40 points up half through the 3rd, our pressure was outstanding

Round #2 - all day defensive pressure was there, we kicked goals late to win but on balance we were the better team all day except for a few brain fades where we allowed them out the back

Round #3 - we don’t turn up, our pressure is lacking, we still manage 20 extra inside 50s but can hurt them due to a dysfunctional forward line, should have really won in the end with just a touch of composure

Round #4 - we go blow for blow with the Premiership favourite for 3 1/2 quarters after a five day break, our pressure and intensity can’t be questioned, we run out of steam late and again we pay a dear price for cheap turn overs

Round #5 - we get smashed on the inside, worst game our mids have played for a long time, that doesn’t represent what we have put out in the first four weeks, it’s an absolute train wreck (when we get half a sniff we can’t hit the side of a barn and to make it worse they make us pay directly from the point kick in multiple times)

For most of the first four weeks you can’t question our endeavour. Today was different. Did the players also think “what the hell was Bevo thinking with these sections?”. Let’s be honest, we were all bemused.

It’s never as good as it appears. It’s never as bad as it appears. Let’s see what happens next week!

Great post and the bolded bit is so true. Win the next couple and we are well and truly back on track.

However I would like us to stop talking about improving/fixing our goalkicking and actually do something about it. And the answer is so obvious. It all comes back to technique. Speaking of which I've noticed something else that our guys are doing that isn't helping-when they are taking a set shot they are running in to kick while looking at the scoreboard. How can you kick straight if you don't have your head over the ball? Kicking for goal is a lot like driving a golf ball off the tee, you keep your head over the ball and kick through it. What you don't do is lift your head until you have kicked the ball/driven the ball off the tee. Back in the '70s we were all taught this as kids. What are they teaching them now?


This will cheer some of you up. I got a good laugh out of it.

https://twitter.com/CcSpondon/status/1119315465652899841?s=09

Love it! It reminds me of me.

[1eyedog]

Can't be technique it's just way too unfathomable this hasn't been looked at over and over for each player. Has to be kicking under extreme fatigue or a mental / pressure issue. Perhaps it becomes a technical issue under fatigue I dunno. Either that or most of our players are in league with a sports betting agency.

[angelopetraglia]

Bevo sounds flat in his weekly "Bevo's Brief" https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/video/2018-04-23/bevos-brief-members-message-rd5?camefrom=EMCL_2864667_136321241

[bornadog]

Bevo sounds flat in his weekly "Bevo's Brief" https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/video/2018-04-23/bevos-brief-members-message-rd5?camefrom=EMCL_2864667_136321241

Aren't we all.

[Twodogs]

Can't be technique it's just way too unfathomable this hasn't been looked at over and over for each player. Has to be kicking under extreme fatigue or a mental / pressure issue. Perhaps it becomes a technical issue under fatigue I dunno. Either that or most of our players are in league with a sports betting agency.


That's exactly where you need to rely on your technique. When you are fatigued or you are lacking confidence it can help just to have 3 or 4 things (walk back to the top of the mark and take a deep breath to relax yourself, walk in straight and hold the footy still in your hands, keep your head over the ball until it hits your foot and don't lift it until you have kicked through the ball) that you go through every time when you kick the footy. It's basically a routine that you default to.

Its the same as an out of form batsman relying on his technique to survive at the crease until the ball starts to hit the middle of his bat. You aren't going to make runs sitting in the pavilion but your technique (playing with a straight bat and keeping your head still) might just get you through a bad patch until you can start to make runs.

[Bulldog4life]

Coaches votes:

WESTERN BULLDOGS v CARLTON
10 Harrison McKay (CARL)
7 Patrick Cripps (CARL)
7 Sam Petrevski-Seton (CARL)
4 Zac Fisher (CARL)
1 Lachie Plowman (CARL)
1 Marcus Bontempelli (WB)

LEADERBOARD
36 Patrick Cripps
35 Marcus Bontempelli
26 Tim Kelly
25 Patrick Dangerfield
24 Lachie Neale
23 Lachie Whitfield
22 Nat Fyfe
21 Michael Walters
20 Stephen Coniglio
19 Seb Ross

The Bont not in the first 2 of the Woof votes!

[chef]

Coaches votes:

WESTERN BULLDOGS v CARLTON
10 Harrison McKay (CARL)
7 Patrick Cripps (CARL)
7 Sam Petrevski-Seton (CARL)
4 Zac Fisher (CARL)
1 Lachie Plowman (CARL)
1 Marcus Bontempelli (WB)

LEADERBOARD
36 Patrick Cripps
35 Marcus Bontempelli
26 Tim Kelly
25 Patrick Dangerfield
24 Lachie Neale
23 Lachie Whitfield
22 Nat Fyfe
21 Michael Walters
20 Stephen Coniglio
19 Seb Ross

The Bont not in the first 2 of the Woof votes!

Woofers value goal kicking accuracy more than our coach perhaps?

[GVGjr]

Coaches votes:

WESTERN BULLDOGS v CARLTON
10 Harrison McKay (CARL)
7 Patrick Cripps (CARL)
7 Sam Petrevski-Seton (CARL)
4 Zac Fisher (CARL)
1 Lachie Plowman (CARL)
1 Marcus Bontempelli (WB)

LEADERBOARD
36 Patrick Cripps
35 Marcus Bontempelli
26 Tim Kelly
25 Patrick Dangerfield
24 Lachie Neale
23 Lachie Whitfield
22 Nat Fyfe
21 Michael Walters
20 Stephen Coniglio
19 Seb Ross

The Bont not in the first 2 of the Woof votes!
It's a good point you raise but Bont has kicked something like 1 goal 9 from scoring shots and I don't think he has performed as well as the coaches seem to think.

[Bulldog4life]

Woofers value goal kicking accuracy more than our coach perhaps?

And the opposition coaches.......

[bornadog]

And the opposition coaches.......

I respect the coaches more when it comes to voting. We do it based on emotion

[FrediKanoute]

We'll do what we can but we seem a way off a cohesive unit. I hope we do fight it out but our hearts just don't seem like their in it.

I am inclined to put the Carlton game to one side and take a more pragmatic view. We played well and won in rounds 1 and 2. Not perfect but at the level of intensity we needed to. We dropped off a little in round 3. Got beat by less than a kick. A game we should have won. We came to the party in round 4 and to be honest had chances to win, but were beaten by a better team, one which will play finals this year and probably go deep. We could easily be 4-1, but we find ourselves 2-3.

The first 4 games were all hard games. Tough physical contests.The Carlton game was insipid. Personally I think our guys looked wrecked. Tired/hurting and that maybe 4 hard games finally took its toll. Can we bounce back? I think we can. I think we need to get our heads right and some fresh bodies from the VFL side (remembering they had a bye) will help.

[azabob]

For all of our sanity can we please close this thread!

[bornadog]

For all of our sanity can we please close this thread!

YES!! please

[Eastdog]

YES!! please

I’m for that

[hujsh]

Alternatively we pin it as a reminder for all eternity that
a) we're never so good as we might think and however high we climb a fall down the ladder is never far off if we're not vigilant
b) we have had more humiliating losses in the past.

[FrediKanoute]

That's exactly where you need to rely on your technique. When you are fatigued or you are lacking confidence it can help just to have 3 or 4 things (walk back to the top of the mark and take a deep breath to relax yourself, walk in straight and hold the footy still in your hands, keep your head over the ball until it hits your foot and don't lift it until you have kicked through the ball) that you go through every time when you kick the footy. It's basically a routine that you default to.

Its the same as an out of form batsman relying on his technique to survive at the crease until the ball starts to hit the middle of his bat. You aren't going to make runs sitting in the pavilion but your technique (playing with a straight bat and keeping your head still) might just get you through a bad patch until you can start to make runs.

Its what golfers do with swinging and putting. Its a routine they will go through to give themselves the best chance possible to hit the ball well.

[GVGjr]

For all of our sanity can we please close this thread!


YES!! please

You know there is an option to friendly ban people just from any specific thread if they don't like the content, send me a PM if it will assist

[Twodogs]

Its what golfers do with swinging and putting. Its a routine they will go through to give themselves the best chance possible to hit the ball well.

Indeed. The technique for both goalkicking and hitting a golfball are very similar. Keep you head over the ball and don't lift it until you have completed kicking it.

I see a lot of players walk in with their heads up looking at the goal. There is no way a golf coach would just stand by and let that fly and I am mystified at why football coaches allow it.

[Bulldog4life]

Indeed. The technique for both goalkicking and hitting a golfball are very similar. Keep you head over the ball and don't lift it until you have completed kicking it.

I see a lot of players walk in with their heads up looking at the goal. There is no way a golf coach would just stand by and let that fly and I am mystified at why football coaches allow it.


Yep Lockett hunched forward and Peter Hudson seriously hunched forward when they were walking into goal. Both dead eye kicks for goal and played in some atrocious muddy conditions too.