If it is TRUE that things are...

[mjp]

...NEVER quite as GOOD (or as BAD) as they seem....

Then please tell me what I should be worried about right now.

I guess the depth is going to be further tested with the absence of Treloar (added to the absence of English, Dunks and Wood amongst our first choice players), but outside of that???

I mean, if things aren't quite as GOOD as they seem right now, what should I be stressed about. 'cos right now, I have ZERO stress. And it is making me uncomfortable!!!

[comrade]

The injury list is all I'm worried about.

[1eyedog]

...NEVER quite as GOOD (or as BAD) as they seem....

Then please tell me what I should be worried about right now.

I guess the depth is going to be further tested with the absence of Treloar (added to the absence of English, Dunks and Wood amongst our first choice players), but outside of that???

I mean, if things aren't quite as GOOD as they seem right now, what should I be stressed about. 'cos right now, I have ZERO stress. And it is making me uncomfortable!!!

It's a walking through the woods but not hearing any birds spooky scenario. Every team seems fallible and beatable. Except us?

It's uncomfortable having nothing to worry about. Like Comrade I do have an eye on our growing injury list though.

[Happy Days]

I’m suspect on how our possession chain style holds up under finals heat, and worry that a team with two good talls can get a hold of whoever Keath isn’t playing on, but those are things you can only really not worry about until after they don’t happen.

It’s looking good.

[DOG GOD]

Yep, injuries to the WRONG players....dunks, English, treloar, wood..
And I’m worried about the next 4 games as I think that will shape where we finish.

[bornadog]

I am stressing about next Friday night. Big audience, sceptics in media all ready to pounce and write us off - but they can get stuffed. The stress comes from just losing to Melbourne.

[azabob]

Yep, injuries to the WRONG players....dunks, English, treloar, wood..
And I’m worried about the next 4 games as I think that will shape where we finish.

To be fair DG you have been worried about our next four games since round 1.

[DOG GOD]

To be fair DG you have been worried about our next four games since round 1.

Lol possibly, but now we are in the position we are, it would be disappointing if we let slip a top 2 position, especially with our % literally giving us a game in hand.

[GVGjr]

I am stressing about next Friday night. Big audience, sceptics in media all ready to pounce and write us off - but they can get stuffed. The stress comes from just losing to Melbourne.

There is no stress in it for me. We are playing good football and if Melbourne beat us we have another game against them a few weeks later.

Looking forward to us on the big stage.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Our best is better than the rest. I'm convinced of that.

My only concern is injuries - we have some really good and key players out.

[Grantysghost]

All I'm concerned about is winning enough games to make top 4. We've banked enough to almost ensure it.

Injuries I don't stress because you really can't control it, you need some luck of course but every team will cop them and we are as well equipped as any to cover potential losses.

I'm excited to see who steps up for Treloar. We've seen what Weightman has done for the team, love to see Garcia bring in some more exuberance.

Same question week one of the finals I'll have a different answer. For now, just get to top 4 and get the wins where we can I don't care if we beat Freo in Perth and lose to the Hawks it's all about the 4 points!

[hujsh]

What we have to worry about is the same as ever for the most part. Maybe less concern that we'll wilt and give up like the Carlton game last year but structural/personnel issues with our defence aren't really 'fixed'.

But every team has issues and I think based on what we've seen so far it's fair to say that baring catastrophic injuries there's cause for hope in September.

[Ozza]

The only stresses are trying to keep the team healthy enough, and that I've booked September holidays.

Saturday night, I don't think I even barracked - I just sat quietly and absorbed the massacre. Its a strange feeling this year. We've never been the out and out best team in a season before - but I feel that Friday night we will take that position, by not only beating Melbourne, but putting them on notice. (And btw, I was saying this before Saturday).

[MrMahatma]

A few things that pop into my head in when I feel like being conservative...

1. Have we peaked too soon? (Maybe we haven’t peaked yet!)
2. Injuries are starting to stack up (but a few returning also, so hopefully we get a bit of consistency in the line up)
3. The 3 headed monster was looking good early in the year, and with English missing a month the fwd line missed a month of getting used to playing together under that structure. So... will it be finely tuned by finals?

[bulldogsthru&thru]

A few things that pop into my head in when I feel like being conservative...

1. Have we peaked too soon? (Maybe we haven’t peaked yet!)
2. Injuries are starting to stack up (but a few returning also, so hopefully we get a bit of consistency in the line up)
3. The 3 headed monster was looking good early in the year, and with English missing a month the fwd line missed a month of getting used to playing together under that structure. So... will it be finely tuned by finals?

I don't think we've peaked yet. It was only 2 weeks ago we were 27 points down to Carlton in the 3rd quarter a week after letting Richmond have their way with us for 1.5 quarters.

This is not a negative, but we were allowed to do whatever we liked on the weekend the saints were that bad with their efforts. I think we actually have plenty of improvement left in us which is a scary prospect for 17 other teams.

[Bulldog Joe]

I don't think we've peaked yet. It was only 2 weeks ago we were 27 points down to Carlton in the 3rd quarter a week after letting Richmond have their way with us for 1.5 quarters.

This is not a negative, but we were allowed to do whatever we liked on the weekend the saints were that bad with their efforts. I think we actually have plenty of improvement left in us which is a scary prospect for 17 other teams.

I really think we have improvement to come. The addition of Weightman has been a positive and Sweet will continue to improve.

The biggest problem is fitting in the players returning from injury.

Footscray is going to win a flag.

[comrade]

We’ve used 36 players already, so haven’t had a settled combo all year. I hope we can continue to bank wins while we find cohesion and stability and hit the finals with as close to our best 22 as possible.

[westdog54]

I'm genuinely excited for Friday night, even more so if English is fit.

The only area where we can't match them is in the ruck, and we were able to weather that storm against West Coast, I'm confident we can do it again.

A four pronged attack of Bruce, Naughton, English and Weightman will be a match-up nightmare even for Melbourne's formidable defence.

I'm predicting that we'll win in a shootout. There have only been two games so far where both teams have scored 100+. I'd be stunned if it didn't happen again on Friday night.

[Mantis]

We’ve used 36 players already, so haven’t had a settled combo all year. I hope we can continue to bank wins while we find cohesion and stability and hit the finals with as close to our best 22 as possible.

Given the lack of continuity I’m not sure we know what our best 22 might look like yet, but given our depth, and assuming have a reasonably healthy list we probably have 30-35 players who would have claims to being in our best team which puts us in a strong position.

What I’m liking is we know what our best footy looks like and the role that each player has which allows that to happen... still a few things to iron out, but as I and others have mentioned when we click there isn’t a team who can go with us.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I'm genuinely excited for Friday night, even more so if English is fit.

The only area where we can't match them is in the ruck, and we were able to weather that storm against West Coast, I'm confident we can do it again.

A four pronged attack of Bruce, Naughton, English and Weightman will be a match-up nightmare even for Melbourne's formidable defence.

I'm predicting that we'll win in a shootout. There have only been two games so far where both teams have scored 100+. I'd be stunned if it didn't happen again on Friday night.

Yep. If we can avoid long bombs most of the night we'll nullify Lever and May. We just need to ensure we don't all go for the same ball.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

As much as I want to win on Friday night, considering our injury list i think it's a bit of a free hit at the Demons.

Treloar, English (might play), Martin, Wood, Dunkley, Gardner (might play), Vandermeer, McLean on the sidelines as possible ins for later in the year.

[westdog54]

Yep. If we can avoid long bombs most of the night we'll nullify Lever and May. We just need to ensure we don't all go for the same ball.

Watching Saturday night made me appreciate just how clever Naughton and Weightman are with their leading patterns.

Their defence is beatable with the right approach.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Watching Saturday night made me appreciate just how clever Naughton and Weightman are with their leading patterns.

Their defence is beatable with the right approach.

The great thing with Cody is that defences have to respect his leads. He's not a small forward who can only crumb. He's excellent on the lead and overhead so it's just another opportunity to draw defenders away from our big guys.

[Bulldog4life]

There is no stress in it for me. We are playing good football and if Melbourne beat us we have another game against them a few weeks later.

Looking forward to us on the big stage.

Interesting about playing Melbourne twice in a short time. One at Marvel and one at the MCG. Brad Johnson said we are a 6 goals better team at Marvel. Time will tell. I think we will win both by the way.

[bornadog]

Yep. If we can avoid long bombs most of the night we'll nullify Lever and May. We just need to ensure we don't all go for the same ball.

We are the number one ranked team for marks inside 50, so I am confident that will continue.

[Mofra]

Yep. If we can avoid long bombs most of the night we'll nullify Lever and May. We just need to ensure we don't all go for the same ball.
We would watching the reply of last week's game closely. Hard leading and shallow entries nullified Lever and May to an extent.

Salem comes in which is huge for them so we'll have to get JJ to just sit on him.

[MrMahatma]

We would watching the reply of last week's game closely. Hard leading and shallow entries nullified Lever and May to an extent.

Salem comes in which is huge for them so we'll have to get JJ to just sit on him.

Thought our marks on the lead were great last week too. We have the weapons and the system to beat their defence for sure, just need to not panic kick.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

We've been good at spotting up players on the lead nearly all season. It's been a huge turnaround from years prior. We did start to lose it a bit against the tigers' pressure though so we'll need to be switched on against a very good melbourne outfit.

[KT31]

Rising injury toll is a bit stressful at the moment, another decent caliber player may stretch our depth.
Covid and another Hub scenario are unlikely but could still be a reality.
This would give the interstate sides home ground advantage again and possibly derail our season.