Three things you've learned Round twenty 2021 v Essendon

[Twodogs]

https://youtu.be/H-oH-TELcLE




Adios senor, Unos, dos, tres things you know now that you didn't know before the game.

[GVGjr]

Bump

[bulldogtragic]

1. 3 guys fresh off injuries did burger all (Dunkley, Treloar & Richards who needs to sign his contract before it’s reduced)

2. This as embarrassing a loss as I can remember

3. 12 Behinds, 6 within 30 and of them 4 within 20m, and 5-6 on the full is putrid.

[Testekill]

1. Whoever our goalkicking coach is should be reported to the police for fraud

2. Another loss where our midfielders don't put on pressure and leave it up to the defense; it's the exact same story as our three other bigger losses.

3. We need another tall defender; Keath is great and Gardner is adequate but Schache is untested and Cordy is a battler. We let Peter Wright and Aaron Francis kick 9 goals between them and Cordy was directly manned to Francis for both of his.

[comrade]

1. I was on the cusp of being convinced otherwise but we're not winning shit with English as our number 1 ruck and a bunch of misfits as back ups.

2. Our mids should hand back the match payments today. How many times did Macrae, Baz and even Libba just chase arse from the middle?

3. Dunkley is useless if he's not banging in like a bull in the middle.

[Mantis]

1/ Ed Richards either plays behind the ball or not at all.

2/ Schache and Cordy as our key defenders aren’t going through get the job done with clean ball coming in.

3/ 36 tackles… not good enough and f-all from our forward group who battled.

[westbulldog]

1. Naughton is playing on past glories and his goalkicking is sub-standard.
2. Cordy in the backline is a disaster and makes average players look like Hall of Famers, Keath can't come back soon enough.
3. The places of Scott, Garcia, Richards and JJ are up for grabs.

[DOG GOD]

1. Our goal kicking will lose us a final this year.
2. We are known for these games. Hopefully it’s our last for the year.
3. Geel, port and Melb will not fear us.

[Raels_d]

1. We need Alex Keath back and as soon as possible
2. Ed Richards needs to play in the back line only
3. Treloar and Dunkley are both underdone - hopefully they will be ready by finals

[Happy Days]

1. Schache is just as soft and as prone to giving it up as a key defender as he is as a key forward. He shouldn't play when Gardner and Keath are ready and Lewis Young has every right to be pretty vocal on the way out the door at his exit interview.

2. English annihilated Draper everywhere except in the ruck, where he wasn't remotely competitive and it let Essendon win the game. He's a jet player but nothing more than a timeshare ruck.

3. Dunkley is a shell of himself. Can't tell if its confidence, fitness or what but he's offering zero right now.

[Mutz]

1. Our highly vaunted mid-field aren't worth a pinch of salt if opposition ruckman can get pinpoint hit-outs. Tim and the back-up dudes need to jump into the contest.


2. Our small D without Keath and Gardiner is highly exposed from centre clearances and fast breaks (OK, I knew this already but this weakness had a very bright spotlight put on it today).

3. Forward line went retro – those missed gettable set shots at goal cost us momentum and the game.

Extra. Where was the smother game today? Indicates lack of pressure to me.

Bonus. Hate to say it but Stringer is very dangerous at centre bounces.

[DOG GOD]

1. Schache is just as soft and as prone to giving it up as a key defender as he is as a key forward. He shouldn't play when Gardner and Keath are ready and Lewis Young has every right to be pretty vocal on the way out the door at his exit interview.

2. English annihilated Draper everywhere except in the ruck, where he wasn't remotely competitive and it let Essendon win the game. He's a jet player but nothing more than a timeshare ruck.

3. Dunkley is a shell of himself. Can't tell if its confidence, fitness or what but he's offering zero right now.

You can tell Dunks is very wary of his shoulder.
Will be the same with Gardner. Would you risk him in a final after he’s done his shoulder twice already in 2021

[The Bulldogs Bite]

1. Dunkley would want to find form quickly. While you can understand trepidation, he looked horrible.

2. I didn't learn it but our defence is bloody awful. Keath and Duryea the only two who can actually defend. The fact 2MP kicks 7 is embarrassing; has he even had 7 possessions in a game this year? Again we make duds look like Carey.

3. Arrogance. Arrogance by our coaches and arrogance by our mids. That setup in the middle was pitiful and we got what we deserved.

[LostDog]

Wallis !!!

[LostDog]

Back line will cost is this year soft

[bornadog]

This sums my three

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8QlUEJUYAM8piX?format=jpg&name=900x900

[angelopetraglia]

1. You can't win games of footy on talent alone. We just looked like we just needed to turn up and we would win. Not enough intensity and our skill execution was deplorable. Hopefully that is the kick up the ass we need to realise if we don't bring manic pressure we will lose.

2. Shaq is not our answer in defence. He is an OK intercept marker at best. He is too timid and doesn't have the physical presence to give you any confidence in a 1:1 contest with a half decent player. Let's be honest. On exposed form Wright is a plodder and we made him look like the reincarnation of the 1984 version of Paul Salmon (prior to Geoff Raines destroying his knee in the middle of Victoria Park).

3. We really missed the energy and chaos created by Weightman today.

[GVGjr]

1) People are quick to jump on umpires when they make a mistake but many of our supporters are far more tolerant of our players with easy missed shots for goals. We need to lift expectations on the playing group with goal kicking accuracy.
2) Our younger players were pretty disappointing today.
3) English got a bit of the ball but I thought he was a way off making an impact today.

[1eyedog]

1) People are quick to jump on umpires when they make a mistake but many of our supporters are far more tolerant of our players with easy missed shots for goals. We need to lift expectations on the playing group with goal kicking accuracy.
2) Our younger players were pretty disappointing today.
3) English got a bit of the ball but I thought he was a way off making an impact today.

To be fair to all posters on here we've been banging on about this for 3-4 years now.

[GVGjr]

To be fair to all posters on here we've been banging on about this for 3-4 years now.

The point is that we hang the umpires but accept this from the players. I've been raising our goal kicking woes for years but I question why the umpires are held to a higher standard than what we do with our players on a fundamental skill.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

1. Naughts is a gun, but he simply has to improve his goalkicking conversion if he's going to become the player we all want him to be. He misses far too many sitters.
2. Our mids have to work together and be able to adjust their tactics when oppositions start to get on a role at the centre. Yes Wright got a hold up forward, but that was largely off the back of horrible centre bounce work from our mids. No one took it on themselves to position more defensively when we really needed to shut that avenue down.
3. All is not lost, Geelong and Sydney also got wiped against lesser opponents. The job is now over to the MC and coaches to work around the likely loss of Bruce and get these guys up for the rest of the season. We've come too far to let it slip now.

[1eyedog]

1. Bags not playing any of our finals at home.

2. Bruce is a loss but we have the fire-power to cover him.

3. So many non-contributors across a number of weeks now. I'll open and close with JJ as the most experienced of all of them. He's taking up a spot and sucking funds that can be better used elsewhere.

[Danjul]

1. You can't win games of footy on talent alone. We just looked like we just needed to turn up and we would win. Not enough intensity and our skill execution was deplorable. Hopefully that is the kick up the ass we need to realise if we don't bring manic pressure we will lose.

2. Shaq is not our answer in defence. He is an OK intercept marker at best. He is too timid and doesn't have the physical presence to give you any confidence in a 1:1 contest with a half decent player. Let's be honest. On exposed form Wright is a plodder and we made him look like the reincarnation of the 1984 version of Paul Salmon (prior to Geoff Raines destroying his knee in the middle of Victoria Park).

3. We really missed the energy and chaos created by Weightman today.

Wright had 10 possessions. Schache had 14. Unfortunately for Schache, Wright can kick 50+ metre goals.

Just imagine how good we would feel if our forwards could.

[comrade]

Wright had 10 possessions. Schache had 14. Unfortunately for Schache, Wright can kick 50+ metre goals.

Just imagine how good we would feel if our forwards could.

Imagine if they could kick them within 40m!

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Imagine if they could kick them within 40m!

Let’s start at 5m and work our way up.

[Mofra]

1. We can play absolutely terribly and still generate more shots on goal then the opposition

2. If a ruck wasn't at the top of the trade-period shopping list before yesterday, it absolutely is now

3. Dunks may want to start showing he can contribute is he wants to play finals

[Grantysghost]

1. We haven't shown anything since 2016 to convince me we've got another one in us under Bevo. Yet, there's time.

2. When other teams bring real heat, we go into our shell and panic with possession it's rinse and repeat of finals. Tempo footy anyone? Leadership lacking at these times. You need to use your voice! It's stark at an empty ground. Will it take a Melbourne style hatred to get that out of us?

3. Naughton, has anyone ever wondered if he should be moved to defence? I've learnt his kicking action is ridiculously bad and my dogs future happiness depends on him getting it fixed over summer. Maybe a run up would help, anything, I want to see a different approach as this will cost us dearly.

3.1 That all sounds really negative. I'm still glass half full but my confidence has taken a hit, we should be beating the Dons.

[azabob]

1. We haven't shown anything since 2016 to convince me we've got another one in us under Bevo. Yet, there's time.

2. When other teams bring real heat, we go into our shell and panic with possession it's rinse and repeat of finals. Tempo footy anyone? Leadership lacking at these times. You need to use your voice! It's stark at an empty ground. Will it take a Melbourne style hatred to get that out of us?

3. Naughton, has anyone ever wondered if he should be moved to defence? I've learnt his kicking action is ridiculously bad and my dogs future happiness depends on him getting it fixed over summer. Maybe a run up would help, anything, I want to see a different approach as this will cost us dearly.

3.1 That all sounds really negative. I'm still glass half full but my confidence has taken a hit, we should be beating the Dons.

Have you met Comrade?

[comrade]

Naughts has the same problem I have driving off the tee. Catch it skinny more often then not and slice it like a mofo. Both things cause me to yell bad words.

[AshMac]

Let’s start at 5m and work our way up.

5 and directly in front

[Grantysghost]

Naughts has the same problem I have driving off the tee. Catch it skinny more often then not and slice it like a mofo. Both things cause me to yell bad words.

There's so many techniques you can employ to fix it too. I just hope it's being worked on.

Without breaking it down too much and de-railing this, the point of impact is too weak, the momentum doesn't drive through towards the target.

Surely Dicko could be employed as a consultant goal kicking coach.

[Happy Days]

Wright had 10 possessions. Schache had 14. Unfortunately for Schache, Wright can kick 50+ metre goals.

Just imagine how good we would feel if our forwards could.

This is an inspired take.

What about - imagine how good our forwards would feel if our number one key defender knew to actually spoil from behind?

[bornadog]

This is an inspired take.

What about - imagine how good our forwards would feel if our number one key defender knew to actually spoil from behind?

Schache a long way off being a key defender

[bulldogtragic]

Schache a long way off being a key defender

He has 17 games more according to your often cited 20 games rule, does he not?

[Danjul]

This is an inspired take.

What about - imagine how good our forwards would feel if our number one key defender knew to actually spoil from behind?
Who is our No 1 key defender?

Just like the ruck, we don’t believe in that role.

[Happy Days]

Who is our No 1 key defender?

Just like the ruck, we don’t believe in that role.

I don't even know what to say to this.

Schache was HORRIBLE man deal with it.

[bornadog]

He has 17 games more according to your often cited 20 games rule, does he not?

True, but I am talking right now.

He can make ikt, has potential, but we cannot rely on him for finals.

[Grantysghost]

I've got a fourth thing..

Our dependable midfield can't do it every week with a make shift ruck. Martin's fitness is probably the most crucial missing cog this season. One I am very doubtful will return (but praying will).

Dons kicked 11.4 from stoppage source and were +16 in clearances. That's hard to phantom with our full midfield compliment.

This will be controversial, but I'd play Young in the ruck for the rest of the season. Do I think we will, no. But in that Swans game I really liked what I saw. Such a small sample size I know, and I'm clutching but with Bruce gone I'm moving English forward and bringing Young into ruck.

[bornadog]

Who is our No 1 key defender?

Just like the ruck, we don’t believe in that role.

Sorry Danjul but this is a rubbish statement.

[bulldogtragic]

True, but I am talking right now.

He can make ikt, has potential, but we cannot rely on him for finals.

I blame in part the MC. We made a two game defender #1 KPD, leaving Young whose got 5 seasons in the system at home. You could see this coming if our mids didn’t defend hard enough and that’s what happened. If we made Marra the #1 KPF in his third game what would we expect. The coaches should’ve moved Josh into defence earlier in the VFL as he hadn’t played a full game there in the VFL to work on developing those skills. He hasn’t had that or a preseason and he’s #1 in game three games with silver service given to their forwards. I look forward to him playing with Keath this year.

[bornadog]

I blame in part the MC. We made a two game defender #1 KPD, leaving Young whose got 5 seasons in the system at home. You could see this coming if our mids didn’t defend hard enough and that’s what happened. If we made Marra the #1 KPF in his third game what would we expect. The coaches should’ve moved Josh into defence earlier in the VFL as he hadn’t played a full game there in the VFL to work on developing those skills. He hasn’t had that or a preseason and he’s #1 in game three games with silver service given to their forwards. I look forward to him playing with Keath this year.

Tough also for MC when two of our preferred Key Defenders go down. Yeah maybe we should have looked at him earlier as a KPD.

[Ozza]

1. Pretty damn important that we win the clearance game. Centre breaks where the opposition come out the front of the stoppage make it significantly difficult for the defenders - regardless of being currently undermanned.

2. We are a fairly easy team to read in terms of if we are 'on' or not. Just look at whether we are smothering the ball or not. Only 1 to half time yesterday. When we are on the edge, we are great at this.

3. We are 5 wins away from winning the whole thing. Lets not lose sight of that.
We can still finish top (Cats v Dees round 23 will decide this if we win both of our games). Its as good a chance to win the flag as
we've ever had at this point in the season. The same as 97, 98, 08, 09, 10.....and better than where we were placed in '15 and
'16.

[macca]

1. We make ordinary players look like superstars: Wright and Draper due to 2 things: 1. not getting a proper ruckman and 2. losing the taps to advantage and letting their midfield win possession. When is the MC going to address this ruck issue? Either play Young or Sweet as number 1 ruck. Its a glaring gap on our list. Also, start tagging. I know its boring, its negative,but sometimes it needs to be done to stop the bleeding. DeBoer has been very effective this season. Stringer should have been blocked and tagged and prevented from kickouts from the middle. His actually a very good field kick.

Bruce was hopeless in the ruck and a bad idea as he could get injured. He was soundly outreached by Draper.

2. Is goal Goal kicking considered an important skills in training ? Guess what, it can costs us games. Not sure how much or what is done in training.

3. We can have a bad day , be flat, players across the board down just 1-2% and it can cost us games against an ordinary side.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

5 and directly in front

Step 1. Do not (and I mean DO NOT) look at the posts.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Step 1. Do not (and I mean DO NOT) look at the posts.
Look at the gap. When bending it do it inside the far post.
Balance affects shots. Guiding ball as low as, with hand onto foot with a follow through down the line after a purposeful run up with momentum.
Leaning left or right from upright sends the ball accordingly.
Commit to the kick. No guiding with a soft kick, strike it.

[azabob]

1. Our players are unable or unwilling to change their behaviours mid game to influence the result, especially if they don’t rate the opponent
2. Our lack of players to make it physically tough for the opposition is blatant for all to see. We are not a physical team. Finals footy is physical. I wonder if we can stand up?
3. Watching Melbourne and West Coast is making me angry and frustrated all over again

[Grantysghost]

1. Our players are unable or unwilling to change their behaviours mid game to influence the result, especially if they don’t rate the opponent
2. Our lack of players to make it physically tough for the opposition is blatant for all to see. We are not a physical team. Finals footy is physical. I wonder if we can stand up?
3. Watching Melbourne and West Coast is making me angry and frustrated all over again

I think your second point is my biggest concern. Sometimes you need to be overt and aggressive and apart from Libba we seem like a nice bunch of footballers who are quick to pull their heads in when they feel threatened.

The really good sides have a tendency to be unsociable.

Hope we can bring it like we did against the Demons more often than not from here on out.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I think your second point is my biggest concern. Sometimes you need to be overt and aggressive and apart from Libba we seem like a nice bunch of footballers who are quick to pull their heads in when they feel threatened.

The really good sides have a tendency to be unsociable.

Hope we can bring it like we did against the Demons more often than not from here on out.

Oh no not this again. This was a major issue last year. It seems talent got us only so far this year and now the nice footballers have been exposed again. I agree though. Unfortunately, it’s round 21 and we’re lamenting nice players, a need for a second ruck and a KPD. These were the main problems being discussed after last season….

[Grantysghost]

Oh no not this again. This was a major issue last year. It seems talent got us only so far this year and now the nice footballers have been exposed again. I agree though. Unfortunately, it’s round 21 and we’re lamenting nice players, a need for a second ruck and a KPD. These were the main problems being discussed after last season….

I think the Tigers were a bit like this and Cotchin kind of reinvented himself as a bit more of an antagonist. I believe at the behest of some of his team mates.

Edit : Was 2014 https://www.afl.com.au/news/444744/teammates-urge-cotch-to-be-more-aggressive

[jeemak]

When was the last time Libba really asserted mongrel or aggressive authority on a game?

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Since the eagles game we’ve really looked like we’re just going through the motions out there. North, Sydney, Adelaide and now Essendon. The only outlier was Melbourne. Is it motivation? I would have thought top spot was fair motivation.

[Mofra]

When was the last time Libba really asserted mongrel or aggressive authority on a game?
At the start of the third quarter, three times Merrett grabbed the ball and three times Libba clamped him.

[jazzadogs]

Oh no not this again. This was a major issue last year. It seems talent got us only so far this year and now the nice footballers have been exposed again. I agree though. Unfortunately, it’s round 21 and we’re lamenting nice players, a need for a second ruck and a KPD. These were the main problems being discussed after last season….

We're lamenting it while sitting 2nd on the ladder with a 15-5 record though...

[Mantis]

We're lamenting it while sitting 2nd on the ladder with a 15-5 record though...

And for our 5 losses the margins have been 22, 28, 5, 19 & 13 points... tough crowd!

[bornadog]

And for our 5 losses the margins have been 22, 28, 5, 19 & 13 points... tough crowd!

A top 4 finish guaranteed, first one since 2010, yes 11 years ago, and a much better team than that one.

[comrade]

A top 4 finish guaranteed, first one since 2010, yes 11 years ago, and a much better team than that one.

It's not guaranteed at all. If we lose the next 2 and Brisbane has big wins, we can drop out on %.

[Grantysghost]

We're lamenting it while sitting 2nd on the ladder with a 15-5 record though...

For me I am both at the same time very happy with our position currently and analysing why we just lost to 12th. So I think you can exist in both worlds simultaneously.

I am unsure if the lack of hardness from some of our leaders is real or perceived. What’s mongrel? Standing under a high ball knowing you’re about to get smashed, or intimidation when necessary...both ?

My sample size isn’t just this season, and I don’t think any of us would be happy with things since the GF but sometimes I see it and really wonder if we’ve got a finals hard side. So for me, with the core of the team over the last few years it’s a very valid question.

But it could also be rubbish ! Love the discussion.

[bornadog]

It's not guaranteed at all. If we lose the next 2 and Brisbane has big wins, we can drop out on %.

To make up 10% points with two games to go, will be very difficult.

[comrade]

To make up 10% points with two games to go, will be very difficult.

Difficult, but possible. They play Collingwood and Eagles.

[westbulldog]

I've just learned of course that we have dropped top spot due to carrying 8 passengers v Essendon and the stinking (non) goalkicking efforts of Naughton, Scott and Ugle-Hagan. Yes, angry..

[jazzadogs]

For me I am both at the same time very happy with our position currently and analysing why we just lost to 12th. So I think you can exist in both worlds simultaneously.

I am unsure if the lack of hardness from some of our leaders is real or perceived. What’s mongrel? Standing under a high ball knowing you’re about to get smashed, or intimidation when necessary...both ?

My sample size isn’t just this season, and I don’t think any of us would be happy with things since the GF but sometimes I see it and really wonder if we’ve got a finals hard side. So for me, with the core of the team over the last few years it’s a very valid question.

But it could also be rubbish ! Love the discussion.

I don't disagree. There has been a theme in our losses, and it is concerning.

But at the same time, we have won some games where we did show hardness, where Tim did play really well as a #1 ruck, where our backline did hold up really well and our midfield did work defensively. So I don't think it's all doom and gloom.

We can still beat any of the top 8 on our day. My concern more than anything else is the goalkicking - we can create as many great chances as we want, but if we don't convert them it makes it hard. Kicking a few of those early goals would have broken the Bombers.

[Grantysghost]

I don't disagree. There has been a theme in our losses, and it is concerning.

But at the same time, we have won some games where we did show hardness, where Tim did play really well as a #1 ruck, where our backline did hold up really well and our midfield did work defensively. So I don't think it's all doom and gloom.

We can still beat any of the top 8 on our day. My concern more than anything else is the goalkicking - we can create as many great chances as we want, but if we don't convert them it makes it hard. Kicking a few of those early goals would have broken the Bombers.

Especially with Bruce down he’s been pretty accurate. Hopefully we look at English to cover Bruce with Weightman back that straightens us up a bit. JJ needs to get 2 or 3 set shots a game more often too. Those 3 are very reliable.

[jazzadogs]

Especially with Bruce down he’s been pretty accurate. Hopefully we look at English to cover Bruce with Weightman back that straightens us up a bit. JJ needs to get 2 or 3 set shots a game more often too. Those 3 are very reliable.

It's probably the only argument for bringing Wallis back in to the team as well.

I found it really striking watching the WC game last night. They were able to maintain a sniff throughout the match as they are just so bloody accurate from set shots.