Scratch Match

[bornadog]

Josh Schache (Achilles soreness) not playing in the Western Bulldogs vs Geelong scratch match. Bailey Dale, Sam Lloyd and Cody Weightman all out there as the club ponders a possible replacement for Aaron Naughton.

[Happy Days]

This going on now?

[bornadog]

This going on now?

Yes it is

[1eyedog]

Josh Schache (Achilles soreness) not playing in the Western Bulldogs vs Geelong scratch match. Bailey Dale, Sam Lloyd and Cody Weightman all out there as the club ponders a possible replacement for Aaron Naughton.

Has Naughts been ruled out?

[bornadog]

Has Naughts been ruled out?

Not yet

[azabob]

Weightman ended up in a moonboot after the game.

[ledge]

Weightman ended up in a moonboot after the game.

Sad to read that , would finish him off for the year, in saying that I think all round he has had a good year, got a look at senior footy and can now concentrate on his body building for next season.

[Axe Man]

Scratch match wrap | Dogs v Cats (https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/817932?fbclid=IwAR0ADbbtSVCmtuyKCMoi8kDbN4em3sEOCPjuvoF7VOcE FCA56CjHsG8pRY4)

Assistant coach Daniel Giansiracusa believes the Western Bulldogs have a group of players ready to make the step up to finals football if required in the coming weeks.

The Bulldogs played a scratch match against Geelong on Monday on the Gold Coast after securing a finals berth with a win against Fremantle on Sunday night.

On the scoreboard, the Bulldogs came out on top, with Giansiracusa impressed by the attitude and performance of the team.

“They’ve attacked it with the right attitude the whole time, in trying conditions and circumstances,” Giansiracusa said.

“It was good to come up against a quality opponent in Geelong, a team that’s entrenched in the AFL finals equation and have their own motivations.

“It was a pretty high-quality hit-out in terms of the physicality, considering it was 16-v-16.

“The boys put in a great effort and are keeping themselves ready should an opportunity arise. All we keep preaching to the players is to control what you can – and if an opportunity comes, you’ll feel confident that you’re prepared well and ready to have an impact at the higher level.”

Billy Gowers was the stand-out performer, according to Giansiracusa, playing through the midfield and pushing forward.

“Billy had a good balance in his game, he was probably the best player on the ground,” he said.

“He came with an attitude to be physical but not reckless, and he did that really well. He was strong in the contest and worked extremely hard.

“He made a lot of 30-70 balls his and was a real presence around the ground. The other boys jumped on his back and came with him.”

Travelling AFL emergencies Ben Cavarra and Jordon Sweet both played after flying back from Cairns on Monday morning.

Cavarra was also among the Bulldogs’ best, alongside the likes of Riley Garcia, Bailey Dale and Tory Dickson.

“Ben had an interrupted preparation flying back the morning of the game but his ferociousness around the ball, alongside Riley was outstanding,” Giansiracusa said.

“The opposition know when they’re around and they tackled really hard, but also when they got the ball they were really clean. Both explored the space with their legs and bursting out of congested situations to set up scoring opportunities for us, which was good to see.

“Bailey did his better work as a midfielder and showed some real strength in his game. He’s been focusing on his pressure and that was at a really high level which was pleasing.

“Tory was good in the air and provided for his teammates at ground level. He worked extremely hard.”

Giansiracusa was also positive about the back line’s consistency through recent scratch matches.

“Our backline is gelling really well – they were good with their one-on-ones and ability to guard dangerous space and come off their men to support,” he said.

“Lachie Young had some really good support plays where he came off and spoiled and Jackson Trengove has been a really solid contributor, particularly with his experience, voice and energy.”

[comrade]

Billy 'Scratch Match King' Gowers loving the 16 v 16 format.

[bornadog]

No to Billy Gowers for finals footy :)

[bulldogsthru&thru]

No mention of Lewis Young again in defence.

Good to see Garcia among the best again. Considering he's a first year player and coming off an ACL he's doing really well.

[comrade]

No mention of Lewis Young again in defence.

Good to see Garcia among the best again. Considering he's a first year player and coming off an ACL he's doing really well.

Yep, excited to see more of him next year. Sounds like a bit of a terrier.

[Happy Days]

Billy Dangerfield popping up again is very worrying considering who's under a cloud.

[Happy Days]

https://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/818064/scratch-match-fort-continues-strong-form

Some highlights of us getting dunked on here. Find it pretty hilarious and petty that the Cats make their seconds play in VFL jumpers.

[comrade]

https://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/818064/scratch-match-fort-continues-strong-form

Some highlights of us getting dunked on here. Find it pretty hilarious and petty that the Cats make their seconds play in VFL jumpers.

Didn't make us look too bad, IMO.

Some nice tackling and pressure from Cavarra & Dale, a good spoil by Lachie Young and multiple appearances of Brad Lynch's Naughton-esque mullet.

[bornadog]

https://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/818064/scratch-match-fort-continues-strong-form

Some highlights of us getting dunked on here. Find it pretty hilarious and petty that the Cats make their seconds play in VFL jumpers.

All we get are some snaps of players:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EikmFAwUYAE1rcQ?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

[bornadog]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EikmFAwU0AAJvrY?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

[comrade]

The club must have left the video camera in Melbourne.

[bornadog]

The club must have left the video camera in Melbourne.

I noticed they are advertising for a new video production person.

[Rocket Science]

Billy Dangerfield popping up again is very worrying considering who's under a cloud.

Quietly hoping we're gilding the prodigious lily to give Billy his best chance of finding a new home at season's end.

[Rocket Science]

All we get are some snaps of players:

Don't forget this portrait of raw power.

https://i.ibb.co/7ybZb71/Screen-Shot-2020-09-23-at-3-59-36-pm.jpg (https://ibb.co/f0QyQmx)

[Smads57]

In that clip, Geelong's Narkle looked pretty handy...

[Twice Bitten]

"All we get are some snaps of players: ....."

Scratch Match video found on Cats site under Latest then Videos tab ...

https://www.geelongcats.com.au/video/817704/scratch-match-highlights-v-dogs?videoId=817704&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1600748433001

[GVGjr]

"All we get are some snaps of players: ....."

Scratch Match video found on Cats site under Latest then Videos tab ...

https://www.geelongcats.com.au/video/817704/scratch-match-highlights-v-dogs?videoId=817704&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1600748433001



Thanks for posting the link

I know this would have been edited in the Cats favour but gee we missed sticking some tackles and at times we appeared flat footed

[jazzadogs]

The BOM Gowers getting written up as having dominant midfield displays terrifies me.

He is still at an age where he could conceivably put it all together and become an AFL player (is he significantly worse than Jong, who also has a burst of speed and questionable decision-making?). But I would not have faith in that happening in a final.

[josie]

The BOM Gowers getting written up as having dominant midfield displays terrifies me.

He is still at an age where he could conceivably put it all together and become an AFL player (is he significantly worse than Jong, who also has a burst of speed and questionable decision-making?). But I would not have faith in that happening in a final.

IMO he is significantly worse than Jong. I like what Jong brings. Gowers reminds me of a rambunctious oversized puppy who lacks commonsense.

[WBFC4FFC]

IMO he is significantly worse than Jong. I like what Jong brings. Gowers reminds me of a rambunctious oversized puppy who lacks commonsense.

I don't like putting down our players. Gowers has a crack but I do totally understand what you are saying.

Took me three minutes to compose myself (and my wife) after reading your description, given the torrent of tears from laughing so much. Needless to say, I could not say it better myself!

[Dry Rot]

Good to see Garcia among the best again. Considering he's a first year player and coming off an ACL he's doing really well.

If Garcia makes it, what position will he be playing?

[soupman]

The BOM Gowers getting written up as having dominant midfield displays terrifies me.

He is still at an age where he could conceivably put it all together and become an AFL player (is he significantly worse than Jong, who also has a burst of speed and questionable decision-making?). But I would not have faith in that happening in a final.

I think he is.

He shares a lot of the same attributes, and may even be better than Jong in quite a few, but Gowers has two key differences:

a) He plays dumb. Jong can be panicky and almost naïve with the ball, but he is usually doing the right thing and works well when he is swept up in the wave of runners our gamestyle produces. Gowers is neither of those things, but has a tendency to gravitate towards low percentage plays and try to do way too much. I guess the results are often similiar, but I feel like Jong in form is when he plays almost on instinct and works well with those around him while Gowers in form is more his low percentage moves are all coming off despite the odds.

b) Gowers is lazy. Jong works super hard, runs both ways, does the one percenters and knows where to be to get the ball or influence the contest. Gowers can work hard, but his defensive game is severely lacking, he is often undisciplined (flies for marks from behind, gives away frees for sloppy tackles etc.), he is over ambitious with his disposals (rarely handballs to better options and instead uses haphazard longish kicking a lot) and worst of all he has a tendency to make things super hard for himself with really bad positioning (playing from behind a lot).

Jong is frustrating because he is doing so much right and just lacks a little bit of polish, Gowers is frustrating because he is all chaos and struggles to do the simple and disciplined things he needs to build into his game.

[kruder]

Its interesting that Garcia, is often getting in the best off an ACL and Weightman(injured during) has been pretty quiet since getting dropped.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

If Garcia makes it, what position will he be playing?

As a junior he played midfield but he loves a goal and I think with us he’d be used as a small forward. He’s intense and would apply enormous pressure.