Hey, we won a close one!

[alwaysadog]

While our effort against Adelaide was full of all sorts of unbelievable skill errors and failures in decision making it needs celebrating for several reasons.

Firstly the obvious it was Johnno’s 300th and that is cause enough

More importantly we gutsed it out; all day the question kept getting asked and we kept answering. Late last year we lacked the resolve or the self belief to keep going, we would go out and have a crack and when the opposition came back and asked “How much do you want it?” our reply seemed to be, not that much. Well we wanted this one a lot where we might not have so there are at least some signs that the G&D we used to have is returning.

The third reason is that we won a close one. All the boards I have ever contributed to always go into paroxysms about the close ones that got away and I accept that it was round 1 not a final or even round 22 but it was a win made by team character assisted by a terrific character in our No 6.

[hujsh]

When they kicked about 8 in a row i thought, "here we go again, just like last year." Only this time it was like the Dogs who won my imagination.

Great game to remember

[alwaysadog]

When they kicked about 8 in a row i thought, "here we go again, just like last year." Only this time it was like the Dogs who won my imagination.

Great game to remember

I agree, there was a period from the middle of the second 1/4 when it looked very like last year, but the players found something in themselves that had gone missing last season. That is what made it such a memorable game.

[LostDoggy]

Yes, last year's loss to Adelaide left the team with doubts and a drop in confidence. This year it is the opposite, and Adelaide are now under scrutiny for not being able to win the close ones.:D

[mjp]

I think Adelaide have lost 7 out of the last 8 games that they have been involved in where the final result was less than 1 kick. Or that is the stat I heard on radio and I am way too lazy to verify it.

[The Coon Dog]

I think Adelaide have lost 7 out of the last 8 games that they have been involved in where the final result was less than 1 kick. Or that is the stat I heard on radio and I am way too lazy to verify it.

How does Neil Craig address that? Does it just come down to luck & whoever's infront at the siren or is it psychological & something that can be addressed by Craig?

[Sedat]

I'm very happy that we dodged a bullet and got the chocolates, but to be honest we are probably the worst team in the competition at icing the clock, and Sunday only proved that once again. Below are some recent examples of us gifting possession back to the opposition when literally only seconds left on the clock and we are in front:

Draw v Essendon in 2002 - West coughs it up at half back with a rushed grubber kick under no real pressure, Essedon win possession on the wing and pump the ball deep inside forward 50 for Lloyd to win a free, who kicks a point after the siren.

Draw v West Coast in 2003 - 13 poins up with 2 minutes left on the clock, somehow conspire to give WC 3 scoring opportunities in that time. Robbins was the chief culprit, hence his future shift to small forward and away from the back pocket. Sampi goals after the siren to draw the game.

1 point win against Geelong at TD in early 2006 - 13 points up with 3 minutes to go, Geelong score 2 quick goals to cut the margin to 1 point. Harris takes a steadying mark in defensive 50, chips the ball to Gia on HBF, who spills the simplest of marks. Geelong win possession from the throw in and pump it forward one last time forcing Harris to have to take another game-saving mark.

Draw v St Kilda in 2007 - probably the worst example. Did an amazing job coming back from 23 points down to hit the front by a point with a minute to play. We absolutely dominated possession for the next 40 secons but continued to cough it up repeatedly in our forward 50 - Aker kicking out of bounds was the worst example. St Kilda then win possession across half back and get the ball to Gram who torps it in hope only for Riewoldt to take a running mark with the flight 50m out. His kick off hands for a point (almost marked by Kosi in the square), draws the game.

And on Sunday we gifted Adelaide 2 scoring opportunities with only 80 seconds left on the clock. Bock had a very reasonable chance to steal the win but thankfully he didn't make us pay.

Icing the clock is a great skill that we haven't yet mastered. In all of the above examples, we had ample players providing options for the ball carrier, who then proceed to take the wrong option or make a poor skill error. I can't think of too many other examples of other clubs being so generous when they are in possession with a small lead late in games - in almost every other tight game I can recall, the leading team manages to easily keep possession until the final siren. As MJP pointed out with Adelaide's poor record in close games, probably Adelaide are as bad in this area as we are, as evidenced by their inability to protect a slender lead against the Hawks in last year's cut-throat final - Scott Thompson from memory kicked the ball OOB with only seconds left which gave Hawthorn one last chance which Buddy took.

[westdog54]

Draw v St Kilda in 2007 - probably the worst example. Did an amazing job coming back from 23 points down to hit the front by a point with a minute to play. We absolutely dominated possession for the next 40 secons but continued to cough it up repeatedly in our forward 50 - Aker kicking out of bounds was the worst example. St Kilda then win possession accross half back and get the ball to Gram who torps it in hope only for Riewoldt to take a running mark 50m out. His kick off hands for a point (almost marked by Kosi in the square), drawing the game.


I'm loathed to point this out, but Grant kicked it out, not Aker.

That torp and running mark was one of the most freakish things I have ever seen.

[Sedat]

I'm loathed to point this out, but Grant kicked it out, not Aker.

That torp and running mark was one of the most freakish things I have ever seen.
They both did, Granty did it on the city side of the ground and Aker did it on the opposite flank about 20 seconds later, when he had 2 players in space inside 50. He rushed a left footer which sailed OOB.

[LostDoggy]

During the game I definitely thought 'here we go again', particularly at half time when I had time to think about it. I was really impressed with the resolve the boys showed to continue, their tackling and smothers really improved throughout and even though they almost ruined it all at the end, at least they proved to themselves that if they keep at it, they can win (surely not something that should need to prove it to themselves, but apparently it is).

I definitely agree that we've messed it up before, the St Kilda game at least it was as if we stole 2 points from them, not the other way round like the Bombers and Eagles matches.

[LostDoggy]

I personally think you can tell when the dogs are on and when they're not. I had a great feeling (like most fans) in the first quarter when we looked to have the dash and confidence back. The second quarter gave me flashbacks of dogs games from the second half of 2007 when our confidence dropped and with that our skill level and decision making.

The biggest plus from the game for mine has got to be the way the team never thought a win was out of reach. There will be games where we will simply be beaten by a better team on the day but I'm confident the towel won't be thrown in ala 2007. Johnno was the hero but ultimately the ball needed to reach him to kick those goals and that's where players like Aka etc really earned their money in that last quarter.

Winning close games demands that players dig deep and forget the fatigue they might be experiencing, run hard to create and support your team mates. The skills should be there so it comes down to mental strength and decision making thrown in with a bit of luck.

There will be high's and low's in any season, lets enjoy the ride!!

[1eyedog]

How does Neil Craig address that? Does it just come down to luck & whoever's infront at the siren or is it psychological & something that can be addressed by Craig?

He wasn't unhappy about it, but you have to question 7 close losses out of 8 under a kick.

[Go_Dogs]

How does Neil Craig address that? Does it just come down to luck & whoever's infront at the siren or is it psychological & something that can be addressed by Craig?

Neil has often stated that these close games that are decided by a goal or so always come down to luck. He's going to need to come up with something more substantial than that though now me thinks, as they certainly do have a habit of losing the tight matches.

[Sedat]

Seems as though Rocket shares the view about icing the clock:
http://sportal.com.au/AFL-news-display/eade-not-happy-with-skill-level-45388

Another area which irked Eade was the Bulldogs' inability to ice the clock after moving 10 points clear with just on a minute remaining.

"We'd rehearsed those situations and a couple of players went to wrong spots. I just think we weren't hungry enough to force another stoppage," he said.

[LostDoggy]

Neil has often stated that these close games that are decided by a goal or so always come down to luck. He's going to need to come up with something more substantial than that though now me thinks, as they certainly do have a habit of losing the tight matches.

They don't have a good record with the close ones. luck or no luck the good teams win the close ones.

[Raw Toast]

They both did, Granty did it on the city side of the ground and Aker did it on the opposite flank about 20 seconds later, when he had 2 players in space inside 50. He rushed a left footer which sailed OOB.

I could be wrong but my memory is of Aker quickly kicking around his body only to look up and realise neither Jonathan Brown nor A Lynch were waiting for it, but two or three Saints players were.

[Mantis]

Good post by Sedat in this thread.

Our lack of 'cool heads' has always been a concern. We have too many players who panic in pressure situations. The one player who showed a certain calmness on Sunday when all his team-mates were faltering was Hill. He picked the correct option and executed it to perfection on a number of occassions in the 2nd and 3rd qtr's..

I suppose we will only get better by getting into these tense situations and dealing with it properly. On Sunday the end result in a way was out of our hands when if we had played with some poise it wouldn't have been the case.

[Mofra]

Icing the clock is part of the tempo style we are still to learn - and the culprit on the weekend was our hero, Johnno.

He had the ball with about 40 seconds left on the clock, marked on the HBF. He could have taken half the time off the clock, but played on instantly, handballed backwards, upon which a lazy kick allowed the Crows to force a turnover. Maybe it was a rush of blood/adrenalin however we need to have the presence of mind to slow things down occasionally.

[hujsh]

Icing the clock is part of the tempo style we are still to learn - and the culprit on the weekend was our hero, Johnno.

He had the ball with about 40 seconds left on the clock, marked on the HBF. He could have taken half the time off the clock, but played on instantly, handballed backwards, upon which a lazy kick allowed the Crows to force a turnover. Maybe it was a rush of blood/adrenalin however we need to have the presence of mind to slow things down occasionally.

Touched off the boot called play on.

[The Coon Dog]

Icing the clock is part of the tempo style we are still to learn - and the culprit on the weekend was our hero, Johnno.

He had the ball with about 40 seconds left on the clock, marked on the HBF. He could have taken half the time off the clock, but played on instantly, handballed backwards, upon which a lazy kick allowed the Crows to force a turnover. Maybe it was a rush of blood/adrenalin however we need to have the presence of mind to slow things down occasionally.

As soon as the Adelaide player kicked the ball the umpire called 'touched, play on' so Johnno was OK on that score. I thought at the time 'what the bloody hell's he doing' until someone nearby pointed it out & the TV replay confirmed it too.