Bankers & Anchors: Rnd 4, 2020, vs Sydney Swans

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

his is the round 4, 2020 edition of the weekly Bankers and Anchors thread. Once the game against Sydney 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.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

1 Bont. Captain's game, full of captain's moments.
2. English - he's got soooo much to learn in centre ruck contests.... his hands invariably are down at the moment they should be up... BUT..... the things he does around the ground, if he can replicate with regularity, then all of a sudden teams with good centre square ruckmen who are not English's equal around the ground have some headaches...
2. Bailey Smith... we lucked out big time, should've been a top 2 or 3 pick.... he is just a midfield jet...absolute jet.

[Dry Rot]

Bankers

1. Ooh look, we play a tough team tonight who don't have to rip jumpers and scrag

2. Rhylee West

3. Bailey Dale, some tough stuff, got involved

Anchors

1. The two injuries

2. Bruce. Not impressing me so far.

3. English is great round the ground, but still poor in the ruck

[Vred]

Bankers -
1. Dale actually played well tonight, needs to continue to play like this
2. Our midfield can turn it on when needed, thankfully, with Hunter coming back we should be even stronger.
3. Our young guns show huge promise. West is a keep for me, Bont (still young) smashed it for us tonight

Anchors -
1. Drop Bruce already, his slow, doesn't leap for the ball, out of shape, doesnt deserve his spot over other people on our list
2. We need a proper Ruck and just say *!*!*!*! it and throw English either in D or F depending on what we need from him, his actually better around ground than ruck
3. Injuries ffs

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Bankers -
1. Dale actually played well tonight, needs to continue to play like this
2. Our midfield can turn it on when needed, thankfully, with Hunter coming back we should be even stronger.
3. Our young guns show huge promise. West is a keep for me, Bont (still young) smashed it for us tonight

Anchors -
1. Drop Bruce already, his slow, doesn't leap for the ball, out of shape, doesnt deserve his spot over other people on our list
2. We need a proper Ruck and just say *!*!*!*! it and throw English either in D or F depending on what we need from him, his actually better around ground than ruck
3. Injuries ffs

Bollocks Vred on English. you could make a case that tonight was English's best game. Tell me, how much influence on the game was Naismith (he did his knee way after the result was in the balance)?

[bornadog]

Bankers

1. Tim English, getting better every week.
2. Bont's first half set up the win
3. The teenagers, all of them did so well.

Anchors

1. Injuries of course
2. Bruce - needs to go on a diet, urgently
3. 3 posters - we want more goals

[bulldogsthru&thru]

So if we are to believe Bevo has rewarded players coming back from breaks fit, can someone explain Bruce’s selection?

[comrade]

So if we are to believe Bevo has rewarded players coming back from breaks fit, can someone explain Bruce’s selection?

That’s a good question. Schache must have come back like a beach ball if Bruce is considered in more pickable shape.

[SonofScray]

B:
Bont.
Cordy -> superb defensive efforts and use in the backline, physical, confident game.
Bevo : reacted well to Naughton injury. Sent Bont forward and slammed the door shut on a Swans comeback. It was his best response to a coaching adjustment in years.

A:
Injury to Naughty was deflating.
Lloyd injury after he looked to kickstart his form.
Only two, I was so impressed with the way we handled the bench scenario.

[soupman]

Bankers.
Beveridge - I was as critical as anyone two weeks ago and he has been much improved since. Better (still not perfect but atleast Gardner isn't involved teams selection, and has obviously adjusted our defensive setup to be better able to shut down the opposition (I stand by everything i said though and he there is still much room for improvement)).
English - I was as critical as anyone two weeks ago and he has been much improved since. Still giving us not much in the ruck, but this is two weeks now where I feel he has largely broken even in the ruck (albeit against some very mediocre ruckmen) and had a rel influence around the ground. Still not sold that he can be the ruck we want him to be, but the around the ground player he is atm is decent.
Cordy - This was easily his best performance for years. Finally he managed to have an impact in most contests, was largely excellent defensively and his trusty old left foot got a real workout.

Anchors
Bruce - Apart from being some kind of decoy blimp and occasionally laying a tackle he continues to add nothing. Just so slow, lumbering and undisciplined, it's especially evident when the entire side is able to contribute at such a high intensity and Bruce is lagging at the back. I would've been very open to dropping him, except with no VFL I'm not sure how you get his form up and obviously the Naughton injury makes us cutting another key forward unlikely.
Naughtons injury - His start to the game was incredible and if he played the whole thing could have a new go to game to show off Naughton instead of reruns of that Richmond performance. I know all the arguments for him in defence but not only is Naughton as a key forward potentially our best chance at having a genuine star there but he is so much fun while doing it.
Not being able to go to games - As a new resident of Sydney I am pretty excited by the prospect of going to the SCG to see us play, especially as we seem to be good there.

[FrediKanoute]

Bankers

1. West - great game
2. English - 20 possessions and a goal, can't ask for much more - what he lacks in the ruck he makes up for around the ground
3. Bont - gem. really stood up again tonight

Anchors

1. injuries
2. Dale being reported......
3. Lloyd - I know he went off injured, bu up unil hat point he had no really done much

[Eastdog]

Bankers

1. West - great game
2. English - 20 possessions and a goal, can't ask for much more - what he lacks in the ruck he makes up for around the ground
3. Bont - gem. really stood up again tonight

Anchors

1. injuries
2. Dale being reported......
3. Lloyd - I know he went off injured, bu up unil hat point he had no really done much

Was a bit better tonight compared to previous weeks before he got injuried.

[ratsmac]

Bankers

1. The Bont for playing as a captain should. Forced the game in our favour.

2. West. We need to get games into this son of a gun. He has it.

3. English. As soon as he can break even in his ruck contests, they'll talk about him as a brownlow fancy if the rest of his game looks like that.

Anchors

1. Injuries

2. Posters who anchored English. He was arguably best on ground.

[Mofra]

Bankers

1. Vandermeer verballing Dane Rampe after marking. Love the cockiness, god we need some swagger in our forward half.

2. Rhylee West looks like he already had 50 games under his belt. Little nugget can't be shoved when he plants his feet. Clay Smith must love him too.

3. Ed Richards is pure class, flies under the radar as he is still building the production side of his game but he is really a 70m player

Anchors

1. Injury gods.

2. As well as our defence stood up, we had no answer for Papley. We need a fit Duryea, and a Duryea in training, if we're going to win a final this year and in the future.

3. Fox Footy camera work. It's great that they let the work experience kids loose on a live broadcast, but it's really hard to watch sometimes.

[bornadog]

3. Fox Footy camera work. It's great that they let the work experience kids loose on a live broadcast, but it's really hard to watch sometimes.

Hey Mof, that was a channel 7 broadcast.

[Happy Days]

Hey Mof, that was a channel 7 broadcast.

They both have no idea at the moment. That sky cam Fox are running is trash.

I need to go to the footy ASAP.

[Eastdog]

They both have no idea at the moment. That sky cam Fox are running is trash.

I need to go to the footy ASAP.

I have missed going to the footy. Normally watch all the interstate games at home but go to mostly all the Victorian games.

[bornadog]

They both have no idea at the moment. That sky cam Fox are running is trash.

I need to go to the footy ASAP.

Yeah, I hate the sky cam as well

[bulldogsthru&thru]

They both have no idea at the moment. That sky cam Fox are running is trash.

I need to go to the footy ASAP.

An example of how poor it is was Macraes soccer goal. Camera was so zoomed in we had no idea what/who was coming to the dead ball. Fortunately Macrae was first to it but if they just planned out a bit we could have seen it coming

[westbulldog]

Bankers
Tim English, his work and agility around the ground was excellent.
Vandermeer and West, they both look suited to AFL already.
Jack Macrae, unassuming, flies under the radar somewhat but is very good every week.

Anchors
Naughton's injury. When this bloke is fit and back on the park he will be hard to stop at FF.
Josh Bruce, looks overweight and unfit.

[Ozza]

Bankers:

Bont - obviously. Set the tone. Everything he did was impactful.
Cordy - Felt confident everytime he was in the area that we would win it or half it.
Dale - Stayed involved all night. He will have better and worse games on the stats sheet - but that should be his benchmark for staying involved and competing.

Anchors:

Bruce just seems way off. I held off in the first couple of weeks as a new team can take some adjustment, particularly for a forward, but we need so much more from him if Naughton is out for a while. Looks too heavy.

I thought our small/mid sized defenders were a little down. Sydney's poor kicking in the third quarter prevented them from being closer, but our smalls seemed to lose their way.

The injuries are less than ideal. We saw in the first 20-30 mins how destructive Naughton can be. And Lloyd had a better start this week.

[Remi Moses]

Bankers - Bont’s Game . Set the scene in the first half
I thought English was brilliant
Effort and intensity are back
Anchors - Josh Bruce , needs to put a pair of ASICS on and do some laps . Or get in the sauna
Brian Taylor naming a player who’d retired in the early 2000’s . The Llloooooyd call is nauseating to put it mildly

[ratsmac]

Bankers - Bont’s Game . Set the scene in the first half
I thought English was brilliant
Effort and intensity are back
Anchors - Josh Bruce , needs to put a pair of ASICS on and do some laps . Or get in the sauna
Brian Taylor naming a player who’d retired in the early 2000’s . The Llloooooyd call is nauseating to put it mildly

I liked it. My son and I were saying all night for a laugh

[Bumper Bulldogs]

My Bankers
1. The team
2. The recruiters
3. The club.
It’s been a while since I felt we have our stuff together

Bankers
1. Injuries, but it’s feeling just like 2016 again

[anfo27]

Bankers
1. Dale- Finally did some of the hard stuff! Really happy with what i saw from him tonight.
2. Smith- What a star this kid is. Never seen a kid in the system such a short time with so much power. What a find!
3. Bont- Nice to get a reminder of how big of a star he is. Kicking for goal has improved!

Anchors
1. Fox footy- the love shown to the bont was over the top. Even a bulldogs supporter thought it was too much. There were other contributors guys.
2. Injury to Naughton- not fussed with Lloyd as that opens the door for Dickson but Aaron was starting to find some form.

[bornadog]

1. Fox footy- the love shown to the bont was over the top. Even a bulldogs supporter thought it was too much. .

Channel 7 Production not Fox Footy

[Dancin' Douggy]

Yes the recruiters. English, Naughton and Bailey Smith in 3 consecutive drafts is a phenomenal result.
My Bankers
1. The team
2. The recruiters
3. The club.
It’s been a while since I felt we have our stuff together

Bankers
1. Injuries, but it’s feeling just like 2016 again

[jeemak]

So if we are to believe Bevo has rewarded players coming back from breaks fit, can someone explain Bruce’s selection?


That’s a good question. Schache must have come back like a beach ball if Bruce is considered in more pickable shape.

You don't drop an established key forward who has come to the club on reasonable money and terms after a few unproductive games, particularly in a global pandemic when the competition is full of stupid things happening day to day, and after that two of the games he's played in have been plagued with shit forward movement. You just don't.

He improved this week, and while last week wasn't great it wasn't nearly as bad as some have made it out to be. If he hits the scoreboard which he has already had clear chances to do, things will turn around for him.

Just like Tom Lynch last year, the overreaction to the start of this year for our team, we need to just take a breath on this. He'll be fine, he's good enough, he'll trim down, and we'll benefit from having him in the team. Games played make a huge difference.

[comrade]

You don't drop an established key forward who has come to the club on reasonable money and terms after a few unproductive games, particularly in a global pandemic when the competition is full of stupid things happening day to day, and after that two of the games he's played in have been plagued with shit forward movement. You just don't.

He improved this week, and while last week wasn't great it wasn't nearly as bad as some have made it out to be. If he hits the scoreboard which he has already had clear chances to do, things will turn around for him.

Just like Tom Lynch last year, the overreaction to the start of this year for our team, we need to just take a breath on this. He'll be fine, he's good enough, he'll trim down, and we'll benefit from having him in the team. Games played make a huge difference.

The point being made wasn't about dropping him for poor performance, it was questioning why was he chosen in the first place when there has been loud whispers our post-break selection criteria was partly based on the physical shape players came back from quarantine in.

I get that game time will help him trim down, and dropping him won't help given the lack of VFL.

But if Schache kept himself in good nick over the break, you couldn't blame him for being a bit aggrieved seeing Bruce blobbing around our forward line.

[Danjul]

You don't drop an established key forward who has come to the club on reasonable money and terms after a few unproductive games, particularly in a global pandemic when the competition is full of stupid things happening day to day, and after that two of the games he's played in have been plagued with shit forward movement. You just don't.

He improved this week, and while last week wasn't great it wasn't nearly as bad as some have made it out to be. If he hits the scoreboard which he has already had clear chances to do, things will turn around for him.

Just like Tom Lynch last year, the overreaction to the start of this year for our team, we need to just take a breath on this. He'll be fine, he's good enough, he'll trim down, and we'll benefit from having him in the team. Games played make a huge difference.

I know this cannot possibly be correct so feel free to correct me:

After the first four games with the Bulldogs Bruce is yet to kick the ball a dozen times (for 2 goals).

If it is correct, please complete the following:

The last full forward to do this was .......


(in the first 4 games with Richmond last year Lynch kicked the ball 30 times for 15 goals)

[ledge]

I know this cannot possibly be correct so feel free to correct me:

After the first four games with the Bulldogs Bruce is yet to kick the ball a dozen times (for 2 goals).

If it is correct, please complete the following:

The last full forward to do this was .......


(in the first 4 games with Richmond last year Lynch kicked the ball 30 times for 15 goals)

I’m not being smart but is Bruce taking away the best backman and letting Naughton have some freedom ?
If so he is doing his job.
By the way the overweight thing seems to be just people saying it, have t heard the club or anyone else (media) mentioning it, he is a big boy but I think that’s a furphy.
Did anyone notice after Naughtons injury he came into the game more?
We did start to look for him and he presented , yeah he missed one he should have got but which bulldog player didn’t on the night ?
Every club seems to struggle to kick what seems like easy goals.
I’m sticking by him and I think it’s scapegoat stuff.
Last week he was interviewed and actually praised for just being a presence and using his size.
He will have his days in the sun the minute we look for him more ( which could be sooner than later ) with Naughton injured.

[comrade]

I’m not being smart but is Bruce taking away the best backman and letting Naughton have some freedom ?
If so he is doing his job.
By the way the overweight thing seems to be just people saying it, have t heard the club or anyone else (media) mentioning it, he is a big boy but I think that’s a furphy.
Did anyone notice after Naughtons injury he came into the game more?
We did start to look for him and he presented , yeah he missed one he should have got but which bulldog player didn’t on the night ?
Every club seems to struggle to kick what seems like easy goals.
I’m sticking by him and I think it’s scapegoat stuff.
Last week he was interviewed and actually praised for just being a presence and using his size.
He will have his days in the sun the minute we look for him more ( which could be sooner than later ) with Naughton injured.

Lol you only have to look at him to know he's carrying extra weight.

[Danjul]

I’m not being smart but is Bruce taking away the best backman and letting Naughton have some freedom ?
If so he is doing his job.
By the way the overweight thing seems to be just people saying it, have t heard the club or anyone else (media) mentioning it, he is a big boy but I think that’s a furphy.
Did anyone notice after Naughtons injury he came into the game more?
We did start to look for him and he presented , yeah he missed one he should have got but which bulldog player didn’t on the night ?
Every club seems to struggle to kick what seems like easy goals.
I’m sticking by him and I think it’s scapegoat stuff.
Last week he was interviewed and actually praised for just being a presence and using his size.
He will have his days in the sun the minute we look for him more ( which could be sooner than later ) with Naughton injured.
????
last year Schache started better (not great- 5 goals in 4 games) and was dropped for 8 games.

[Ozza]

On Bruce, I've been really really unimpressed with him....BUT....would also say that we have made the investment in him, we owe it to ourselves to stick with him I think. With Naughton out - we need Bruce as a focal point, and hopefully he hits the scoreboard during the time Naughton is out and gets some confidence and connectedness with his new team mates.

[comrade]

On Bruce, I've been really really unimpressed with him....BUT....would also say that we have made the investment in him, we owe it to ourselves to stick with him I think. With Naughton out - we need Bruce as a focal point, and hopefully he hits the scoreboard during the time Naughton is out and gets some confidence and connectedness with his new team mates.

Yeah, I agree he needs to play, for the reasons you suggested and also because if he's dropped, he'll only blow out more.

[Mofra]

Who are the tall forwards actually having an impact this season?
Charlie Dixon who is getting A-grade supply. Anyone else?

The game just doesn't suit tall forwards right now, but they are still vital structurally.

[GVGjr]

Who are the tall forwards actually having an impact this season?
Charlie Dixon who is getting A-grade supply. Anyone else?

The game just doesn't suit tall forwards right now, but they are still vital structurally.

All bar Dixon are struggling. Go in with a smaller line-up might become the trend

[Mofra]

All bar Dixon are struggling. Go in with a smaller line-up might become the trend
Look at Collingwood - Mihocek is a mid-sizer playing tall, they get a spare-parts tall (Cox/Cameron) as the "get out" option, and their genuine mid-sizers are doing the damage (Stephenson/De Goey).

We seem to be doing things remarkably different - defenders or midfielders doing as much scoring as forwards who spend as much time defending the rebound as they do attacking. Bont may and up in our top 5 goal scorers again despite playing 95% of his time in the centre.

[bornadog]

The game just doesn't suit tall forwards right now, but they are still vital structurally.

I have been paying a lot of attention to this lately and it seems teams are just bombing the ball into the forward line hoping for the big mark.

Is it the way they are bringing the ball down the ground, or is it because forwards aren't able to lead into space due to congestion?

[1eyedog]

Look at Collingwood - Mihocek is a mid-sizer playing tall, they get a spare-parts tall (Cox/Cameron) as the "get out" option, and their genuine mid-sizers are doing the damage (Stephenson/De Goey).

We seem to be doing things remarkably different - defenders or midfielders doing as much scoring as forwards who spend as much time defending the rebound as they do attacking. Bont may and up in our top 5 goal scorers again despite playing 95% of his time in the centre.

I'm not sure they seem to be playing in a similar vein to us. Everything happens off half back and while they've had a reliable target (Mihocek) must of their goals have also come from their mids (Brown, Adams). De Goey has been a witches hat so far this year.

As an aside I don't think Collingwood can win a flag without Howe.