WB Game Day V Melbourne R1 2023 - Saturday March 18, 7:25PM, MCG

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I'd reckon every midfield in the comp would love playing centre bounces against us. We don't adjust or anything.

[Mantis]

What the hell does Hannan offer?

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Melbourne are constantly ducking in tackles.

[Grantysghost]

I'd reckon every midfield in the comp would love playing centre bounces against us. We don't adjust or anything.

Yes I think individually we have some very good mids, collectively it doesn't stack up against the very best.

[DOG GOD]

Do you think saints will be silly enough to put Cordy on Lobb next week ? Might be the only way he gets near it

[EasternWest]

Jj. Jj.

[angelopetraglia]

JJ. Regulation chest mark. Wowsers. Every time we look like getting some momentum.

Brain fade.

[jeemak]

Libba's shit kick on the wing hurt us then....and JJ, man o man.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

OK, so it's going to be one of those games... bloody hell we're so fragile... JJ that was woeful.

[MrMahatma]

So many almost moments that cost us.

[Mantis]

What the hell JJ!

The goals come so easy to them after we work so hard for ours.

[chef]

We are beating ourselves.

[G-Mo77]

What the hell does Hannan offer?

Nothing. Much like JJ now, Baker, whonhas got into the game a little. Our bottom end of the 22 is extremely ordinary.

[jeemak]

Our skills are terrible. Dropping chest marks, missing targets by hand and foot.

[MrMahatma]

Grrr.

Who we got round 2?

[GVGjr]

Do we persist with Lobb up forward or do we get him on the ball and see if he can get him involved?

[Grantysghost]

Do you think saints will be silly enough to put Cordy on Lobb next week ? Might be the only way he gets near it

I think we should go for 5 tall forwards. Chuck Bruce down there.

On a positive note Treloar has been amazing.

Darcy really trying his guts out, English holding his own and Libba outstanding.

Not sure where our improvement comes from though.

Few guys just not up to it.

[angelopetraglia]

We make a bad mistake and just fold. JJ kicked that mini avalanche off. We try so hard to get back into the game but fold like a deck of cards whenever one moment doesn’t go our way. That could have been much worse too.

[DOG GOD]

We just can’t play against Gawn, Petracca and Oliver.

[G-Mo77]

Do we persist with Lobb up forward or do we get him on the ball and see if he can get him involved?

I don't think it matters but may as well leave him where we plan to play him for the rest of the season. Buddy Franklin in his prime wouldn't have done anything either with this garbage

[G-Mo77]

Grrr.

Who we got round 2?

Saints, next Saturday night

[bulldogsthru&thru]

You could read this thread and be accused of plagiarism from the last 5 years.

It's one game and all, but from what I've seen tonight we'll miss the 8 by a fair way.

[bornadog]

How did does Hannan get a game?

[angelopetraglia]

What the hell JJ!

The goals come so easy to them after we work so hard for ours.

So many soft goals. Against the trend. Form horrendous errors. It is the difference in the game. That and our inability to convert easy chances when we have momentum. Such a frustrating game to watch.

[G-Mo77]

How did does Hannan get a game?

Bevo.

[merantau]

I think I've seen this game before! Same old, same old. Usual suspects. Score at will, we miss important moments, let opposition score on the re-bound. Gawd, it is frustrating.

[bornadog]

I don't think it matters but may as well leave him where we plan to play him for the rest of the season. Buddy Franklin in his prime wouldn't have done anything either with this garbage
Forward entries have been pretty woeful

[The Bulldogs Bite]

We're just not good enough in many key areas. Major midfield issues, ball use putrid.

Anyone feel like we're intimidated by Melbourne? Physically, mentally, tactically.

[DOG GOD]

How did does Hannan get a game?
That question gets asked every game Bornadog…I have no idea why.

[DOG GOD]

We're just not good enough in many key areas. Major midfield issues, ball use putrid.

Anyone feel like we're intimidated by Melbourne? Physically, mentally, tactically.
Agree 100%

[Boots]

3 quarters in and we have the same problems we’ve had for five years. Letting teams out the back for easy goals, bombing it in to a pack mark in the forward 50 that nobody takes (without a crumber), and brain fades where the opposition slam on goals. Pretty dispiriting stuff.

[angelopetraglia]

Losing centre clearances 14-5. Getting torched and costing goals too.

[jeemak]

We're just not good enough in many key areas. Major midfield issues, ball use putrid.

Anyone feel like we're intimidated by Melbourne? Physically, mentally, tactically.

Every second game, yes.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I really hate how untrustworthy we have become.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

I have a feeling this is going to become ugly for us dog supporters

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Outscored 51 to 15 in time on

[MrMahatma]

We just can’t play against Gawn, Petracca and Oliver.

They own us. They’re so much better than our midfield. It’s undeniable… unfortunately.

[Stevo]

How did does Hannan get a game?

The match committee know what they are doing.

[Webby]

Rory Lobb's debut would have to be he worst I've seen to date, thus far..

[EasternWest]

I just hope we pick out Lever a few more times. Really get him into the game.

[Stevo]

We're just not good enough in many key areas. Major midfield issues, ball use putrid.

Anyone feel like we're intimidated by Melbourne? Physically, mentally, tactically.

You are right but I dont understand why.

[Grantysghost]

They score from our forward 50 again!

[angelopetraglia]

Just for a change. Out the back AGAIN!!!

[EasternWest]

A ha ha ha. Ha ha.

[Mantis]

Our forward pressure is non existent… so is our kicking inside 50… was Naughton trying ti kick it to someone in particular?

[Stevo]

Rory Lob’s debut would have to be he worst I’ve seen to date, thus far..

I had high hopes for Lobster and I wonder if the reports that he came off the training track early have played a part in this even allowing for our poor kicking to him.

[JanLorMill]

Naughton has let us down tonight. That was a woeful set up.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

That passage right there is emblematic of all that is wrong with us. Turn potential score into an easy opposition goal.
We're toast.

[Mantis]

Comical.

[Grantysghost]

Naughton is too dumb to be a forward

Chef and I on the other hand.

[jeemak]

That behind the goals footage was damning. All of our forwards crowding one area, Melbourne holding off. Of course we're out of position.

And even the centre bounce we had to **** around with it because we're just so ****ing clever aren't we. Just get it on the boot.

[angelopetraglia]

And again. One horrific turnover. Out the back. Should have been a goal. Horrific.

[JanLorMill]

We should have retired Keath

[MrMahatma]

Alex.

We’ve been shit.

I’m gonna say this is literally as bad as we possibly can play.

[G-Mo77]

Comical.

Haha. That's excactly what I said to my son about 5 minutes ago.

[Grantysghost]

Duryea, Footscray awaits!

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Yeah I can't watch this anymore. We've got a lot of work to do, to say the least.

[Mantis]

The number of kicking errors by our supposed best kicks in Daniel and Dale would be well over 10… if they can’t hit targets what hope is there for the rest of them?

[chef]

Naughton is too dumb to be a forward

Chef and I on the other hand.

It wouldnt make us worse so its worth a try.

[Hot_Doggies]

CD has missed more kicks last 2 years than in his first 6.

[bornadog]

It is cleared are rusty.

[Grantysghost]

So Hunter and Dunkley are the problems still right?

[EasternWest]

Good to see Lever get his hands on it. Always cheer for the battlers.

[chef]

It is cleared are rusty.

Playing just the 1 preseason game maybe why.

[Grantysghost]

Libba is our best player.

Always has been I think.

[Stevo]

So Hunter and Dunkley are the problems still right?

Add Treloar to the mix.

[JanLorMill]

It is cleared are rusty.
Thought it is more of same than rust.

[bornadog]

Playing just the 1 preseason game maybe why.
To clever for our own good

[EasternWest]

For real though, who's playing on Lever?

[GVGjr]

I really hate how untrustworthy we have become.

That sort of sums it up succinctly.

[MrMahatma]

Duryea, Footscray awaits!

He’ll be fighting Dale for a spot there.

[Grantysghost]

For real though, who's playing on Lever?

You'd think we'd have some kind of, I don't know, strategy to combat the best intercept player in the game.

Maybe play though his guy.

If that fails, tighten up on him and keep him defensive side?

Naaaa.

It's Marra btw.

[derb]

We cannot carry Caleb Daniel. We either find another spot for him or he gets dropped.

[bornadog]

AFL stupid rules, joke

[MrMahatma]

The umpiring has officially been mental.

[KT31]

He’ll be fighting Dale for a spot there.

Add in Hannah and Daniel.

[angelopetraglia]

Our inability to move the move with any cohesion all night has been a big worry. We always look rushed. Missing targets by foot. Putting players under pressure by hand. Nothing looks east for us.

[MrMahatma]

It’s funny how we hate them and all. I bet they quite like playing against us. We’re their teeny weeny little bitches.

[EasternWest]

Why does Bailey Smith still just bang it on his boot? Why can't he hit a target?

[Dogs 24/7]

Disappointing the way we have given up. The Dees play with a level of passion and professionalism we aspire to.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

This is pathetic.

[jeemak]

Our ****en skills are disgraceful.

We have dropped mark after mark, Melbourne haven't dropped one.

Jesus.

[G-Mo77]

Oh my god. Our best entry inside 50 all night and it bounces of his chest. You can't make this up.

[Mantis]

How many basic errors do we make?

Handballs to the opposition, dropped chest marks… these guys are professional athletes and make errors you’d expect from children.

[MrMahatma]

Ben Brown dominating us.

[merantau]

Scott drops a chest mark ... and the rest is history.

[angelopetraglia]

Scott. Misses a chest mark, coast to coast. Something seriously wrong. Going to be an interesting presser.

[Hot_Doggies]

Leg speed a big issue last year. We fixed by playing four tall forwards and 3 lumbering KPD.

[Dogs 24/7]

Here's a suggestion for Rory. Dye your hair orange so if catches the eye of our midfielders.

[G-Mo77]

Scott drops a chest mark ... and the rest is history.

I'm still laughing hysterically from that.

[Grantysghost]

Maybe one pre season game v Norf wasn't great prep.

Until we sort our defence we are going to be middle of the road.

Will beat up on a few sides and get owned by the contenders.

Bevo has always had the same system with minor tweaks.

Our high press is nightmare fuel.

[jeemak]

Can anyone at the ground tell me if Lobb is just lazy and not presenting or are we not looking for him?

[Grantysghost]

Here's a suggestion for Rory. Dye your hair orange so if catches the eye of our midfielders.

Apparently on camera saying fk this shit and shaking his head.
Nice.

[Grantysghost]

I'm still laughing hysterically from that.

To be fair he wasn't expecting it.

[EasternWest]

Can anyone at the ground tell me if Lobb is just lazy and not presenting or are we not looking for him?

Yes.

[Grantysghost]

50 points without May, Fritsch and Viney!

My word.

[macca]

3 quarters in and we have the same problems we’ve had for five years. Letting teams out the back for easy goals, bombing it in to a pack mark in the forward 50 that nobody takes (without a crumber), and brain fades where the opposition slam on goals. Pretty dispiriting stuff.

That first goal of the 4th quarter pretty much sums up our game plan. Long bomb and then Opposition just need to wait to score on us on the rebound.

We have been putrid tonight with skill errors and accountability.

this is so hard to watch.

[EasternWest]

Richards spoils Duryea, Neal Bulleen goals. We're actually not very good.

I've decided the best part about footy is the five minutes before the game starts for Rd 1 when the season is all there in front of you.

After that it's a crapshoot. Or crap.

[G-Mo77]

To be fair he wasn't expecting it.

Well why would you? A perfect pass inside 50, who would expect that in our team?

[Mantis]

Apparently on camera saying fk this shit and shaking his head.
Nice.

I’d be saying that too if I was playing in our forward line… our ball use is embarrassing.

[ledge]

We are a disgrace . That’s pathetic

[Grantysghost]

I’d be saying that too if I was playing in our forward line… or ball use is embarrassing.

I agree. Has been for a while. Libba aside, no one kicks to advantage.

Melbourne have gone from a bonafide basket case to winning everything.

[jeemak]

Aaaaaaannnnd, I'm already over this week and looking forward to next.

Nothing that happened can't be fixed with a bit of concentration and effort. It deserted us for some reason and Melbourne made us pay for it.

Really annoyed at the club and the players for the bullshit, because it shouldn't be that way and effort and concentration should be a given. But I won't dwell on it.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Can anyone at the ground tell me if Lobb is just lazy and not presenting or are we not looking for him?

Lobb was just one of a number of poor players. Apart from Liberatore Treloar Richards
Bailey Smith and Dale, the rest were very ordinary.

[merantau]

Lobb was just one of a number of poor players. Apart from Liberatore Treloar Richards
Bailey Smith and Dale, the rest were very ordinary.

Agree with that assessment. I thought English was good around the ground but very ordinary at centre bounces and throw ins.

[Mantis]

Not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater after 1 game… but as our first look into the year that was as bad as we could’ve imagined.

The issues from years past remain and our remedies that we either added or worked in failed at first try… on to next week.

[kruder]

The scary thing particularly defensively after working on it the entire preseason you couldn’t tell any difference in our defensive set up.

There was talk we wouldn’t be giving up space defensively and as expected Kosi walked around from the opening bounce without an opponent. Late in the third Keath refused to man up on him, choosing to guard space instead and you wouldn’t believe it, the ball found its way to Kosi out the back and it resulted in another goal.

I reckon that was one of the most disappointing performances we have had under Bevo its was absolutely pathetic.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Agree with that assessment. I thought English was good around the ground but very ordinary at centre bounces and throw ins.

English was always going to struggle against Gawn and Grundy at centre bounces. I just wonder having kept Sweet on our list that we should bite the bullet and use him in the ruck with English being released as the second key forward with Naughton. Lobb Darcy and Ugle Hagen all struggled up forward.
We also lack a quality small forward like a Pickett who was a match winner tonight.

[jeemak]

Melbourne had players out, however, I don't know whether those they selected were underdone like some of ours probably were or at least seemed to be.

[Dry Rot]

In this WOOF thread AFL Ladder projector I posted this on 7 Jan 2023


I have thought about your question for a few days.

Initially I was over the moon about getting Lobb and Jones, and I think we can cover the loss of Dunkley.

Upon further thought, I remembered our poor forward entries, poor midfield defence and teams running through us and our second half collapses in key games over the last 2 seasons.

We need to fix the causes of these things for 2023. If we can, then we are a chance - we have the talent.

If we don't, then we will finish like we did in 2022 or even miss the finals.

https://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?23152-2023-AFL-Ladder-projector&p=823744&highlight=#post823744

Prescient.

We are rubbish. Maybe we have gone backwards.

And the Dees were missing many key players.

[SonofScray]

I am furious.

Bevo and Chris Grant shouldn’t be allowed back in the rooms. Sack them now and move on.

[Grantysghost]

In this WOOF thread 2023 AFL Ladder projector on 7 Jan 2023 I posted this



https://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?23152-2023-AFL-Ladder-projector&p=823744&highlight=#post823744

Prescient.

We are rubbish. Maybe have gone backwards.

Scarily accurate.

[derb]

That was a disaster. I don't think it could've been much worse.

Injury to our best key defender.
Lost by heaps to a side that has the wood over us.

To the positives:

Treloar played well. He is the only mid that breaks lines. We need to get it into his hands more.

I thought English was huge. He held his own against the league's two best ruckmen.

I think Lobb was a victim of our midfield torching him and bombing it on Naughton's head repeatedly.

[Eastdog]

Thank goodness it’s only Round 1. Disappointing tonight and a lot to work on. We just turned it over way too much and the forward line was not cohesive.

The Demons much more clinical moving the ball forward and they made us pay.

Need a much better performance next week against the Saints back at Marvel.

[SonofScray]

Thank goodness it’s only Round 1. Disappointing tonight and a lot to work on. We just turned it over way too much and the forward was not cohesive. The Demons much more clinical moving the ball forward and they made us pay. Need a much better performance next week against the Saints back at Marvel.

Easty, I don’t think this is solace! Season’s over already. All we can hope for is to endure, not enjoy it.

[Dry Rot]

Scarily accurate.

Being a Time Lord helps.

We win our next flag in 2078.

[Grantysghost]

Easty, I don’t think this is solace! Season’s over already. All we can hope for is to endure, not enjoy it.

There's a certain comfort is this though right? It feels...nostalgic.

[jeemak]

Easty, I don’t think this is solace! Season’s over already. All we can hope for is to endure, not enjoy it.

Well you've always struck me as an all or nothing character SoS! From wining every game, to losing the first, to season done!!! :)

[G-Mo77]

Easty, I don’t think this is solace! Season’s over already. All we can hope for is to endure, not enjoy it.

I think so as well. It wasn't the loss by itself but how we lost. Teams have evolved, we still are doing the same things over and over. I watched the first quarter and thought nothing changed, a whimper in the 2nd made me think I went too hard too early. The 2nd half showed how poor we actually are. We'll win some games and beat some decent opponents here and there but we won't play finals. We're no better than last season we are worse.

[angelopetraglia]

Worst possible start to the season. We have not learnt anything. We lost the same way we lost last year and the year before that ...

1) When we had the momentum we missed easy shots or blew chances with indiscriminate kicking. We had a real chance to create some scoreboard separation in that second quarter and just blew it. Deja vu.

2) Our defensive mechanisms to defend the turnover from anywhere on the ground were non-existent. How pedestrian some of the turnover goals were was completely embarrassing. They literally walked goals in. Deja vu.

3) We lost the centre clearances 15-8. But the damaging part again was we lost far too many out the front that they scored easy goals from. Deja vu.

4) They kicked 5 goals in 17 possessions. 5 goals in 17 possessions!!!! We kicked five goals in the first half. Four goals in the second half. They split us open in a heartbeat. Another run on that came from no where when we had all the momentum in the game. That was basically the game from that point. We looked completely shot after that. Zero confidence. Played like deer in the headlights from that point. Deja vu.

[SonofScray]

Well you've always struck me as an all or nothing character SoS! From wining every game, to losing the first, to season done!!! :)

I like to be positive and genuinely believe we are good enough, but it’s like we are on a hamster wheel. Genuinely thought we’d done and said enough over summer to shake off my worries. We haven’t.

I won’t be pulling punches this year. I want blood. If not Bevo, then Grant, if not Grant, the Board

[jeemak]

Worst possible start to the season. We have not learnt anything. We lost the same way we lost last year and the year before that ...

1) When we had the momentum we missed easy shots or blew chances with indiscriminate kicking. We had a real chance to create some scoreboard separation in that second quarter and just blew it. Deja vu.

2) Our defensive mechanisms to defend the turnover from anywhere on the ground were non-existent. How pedestrian some of the turnover goals were was completely embarrassing. They literally walked goals in. Deja vu.

3) We lost the centre clearances 15-8. But the damaging part again was we lost far too many out the front that they scored easy goals from. Deja vu.

4) They kicked 5 goals in 17 possessions. 5 goals in 17 possessions!!!! We kicked five goals in the first half. Four goals in the second half. They split us open in a heartbeat. Another run on that came from no where when we had all the momentum in the game. That was basically the game from that point. We looked completely shot after that. Zero confidence. Played like deer in the headlights from that point. Deja vu.

At least we're not finding new ways to lose though.... :)

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Worst possible start to the season. We have not learnt anything. We lost the same way we lost last year and the year before that ...

1) When we had the momentum we missed easy shots or blew chances with indiscriminate kicking. We had a real chance to create some scoreboard separation in that second quarter and just blew it. Deja vu.

2) Our defensive mechanisms to defend the turnover from anywhere on the ground were non-existent. How pedestrian some of the turnover goals were was completely embarrassing. They literally walked goals in. Deja vu.

3) We lost the centre clearances 15-8. But the damaging part again was we lost far too many out the front that they scored easy goals from. Deja vu.

4) They kicked 5 goals in 17 possessions. 5 goals in 17 possessions!!!! We kicked five goals in the first half. Four goals in the second half. They split us open in a heartbeat. Another run on that came from no where when we had all the momentum in the game. That was basically the game from that point. We looked completely shot after that. Zero confidence. Played like deer in the headlights from that point. Deja vu.

Sobering but accurate.

[jeemak]

Pickett is such a vulgar little shit stain.

The weird thing is if you kicked him in the stomach in retaliation for what he did to Smith (when a kick in the guts is what he fully deserved for going a vulnerable player's head) you'd get six weeks, because kicking is bad - right?

He'll only get a week. But hopefully one day he gets his.

[SonofScray]

Bloke is a coward. Always looking for the cheap shots and pulling unsportsmanlike stuff after the fact. Deserved a proper hiding.

[anfo27]

What a disaster that was! Was really interested tonight to see how our defensive tactics would work. I read during the week what our plans were defensively this year & I was horrified. Watched tonight & nothing has changed!

How can we still not defend the centre square? Does Bevo come under some heat?

The more time goes by the more i start to believe that most of the 16 premiership was maccas hard work. Every season we get worse & worse defensively.

Not all of it was Bevos shocking anti-defensive tactics. Once they blitzed us in the 2nd term we were rattled for the rest of the night. Sure we needed the run tonight & will be better for it but how the heck do we fix this anti-defence?

[angelopetraglia]

Pickett is such a vulgar little shit stain.

The weird thing is if you kicked him in the stomach in retaliation for what he did to Smith (when a kick in the guts is what he fully deserved for going a vulnerable player's head) you'd get six weeks, because kicking is bad - right?

He'll only get a week. But hopefully one day he gets his.

One sad part of the modern game is that little taunting players like Pickett can get away with that behavior without fear of any real retaliation. Imagine what would have happened to him if he was carrying on like that in the 1980s. He would have been hit into tomorrow. But my guess is. If he knew players could actually hurt him if he carried on like a goose, he wouldn't. He just ain't that brave.

[Eastdog]

I love the passion SOS. Sooner or later if things keep going the way they are something has to change.

[anfo27]

Bloke is a coward. Always looking for the cheap shots and pulling unsportsmanlike stuff after the fact. Deserved a proper hiding.

The 2016 dogs would have clobbered him everytime he got the ball. Nobody went near him after the initial scuffle.

[angelopetraglia]

What a disaster that was! Was really interested tonight to see how our defensive tactics would work. I read during the week what our plans were defensively this year & I was horrified. Watched tonight & nothing has changed!

How can we still not defend the centre square? Does Bevo come under some heat?

The more time goes by the more i start to believe that most of the 16 premiership was maccas hard work. Every season we get worse & worse defensively.

Not all of it was Bevos shocking anti-defensive tactics. Once they blitzed us in the 2nd term we were rattled for the rest of the night. Sure we needed the run tonight & will be better for it but how the heck do we fix this anti-defence?

It is a valid perspective.

It was interesting to listen to Easton Wood talk about this on the podcast lately. Basically Macca instilled that hard edge mentality. It probably went too far. He lost a lot of players and was a bit of a one trick pony with the mentality. But all he wanted was players to be hard and crack in. It definitely had an impact. Macca was just brutal on those he didn't believe "cracked in".

Then Bevo comes in and releases the shackles. Play with confidence, play to your strengths, take the game on, take your man on, don't just defend get the ball if you can, take risks. But that hard edge was still instilled into the playing group.

I don't think it was Macca. I don't think it was just Bevo. It was the combination of Macca into Bevo. Bevo put a finishing layer on Maccas brutality. The extreme difference is part of what made that team great.

[jeemak]

Bloke is a coward. Always looking for the cheap shots and pulling unsportsmanlike stuff after the fact. Deserved a proper hiding.

I'd love a shenanigans law in footy. After clear acts of cowardice a team gets to officially lodge a claim of shenanigans to be judged by a random collection of anonymous voters. If the claim is adjudicated as valid, then retributions can be enacted.

Retributions need to be non-life threatening and geared towards humiliation rather than physical maiming. In the case of Pickett this evening a period of time prone without oxygen sufficient to engender sever panic would have been suitable - without intervention from his team mates. Just enough for him to show everyone that he's as shit scared as we all would be if that was done to us.

[jeemak]

What a disaster that was! Was really interested tonight to see how our defensive tactics would work. I read during the week what our plans were defensively this year & I was horrified. Watched tonight & nothing has changed!

How can we still not defend the centre square? Does Bevo come under some heat?

The more time goes by the more i start to believe that most of the 16 premiership was maccas hard work. Every season we get worse & worse defensively.

Not all of it was Bevos shocking anti-defensive tactics. Once they blitzed us in the 2nd term we were rattled for the rest of the night. Sure we needed the run tonight & will be better for it but how the heck do we fix this anti-defence?


It is a valid perspective.

It was interesting to listen to Easton Wood talk about this on the podcast lately. Basically Macca instilled that hard edge mentality. It probably went too far. He lost a lot of players and was a bit of a one trick pony with the mentality. But all he wanted was players to be hard and crack in. It definitely had an impact. Macca was just brutal on those he didn't believe "cracked in".

Then Bevo comes in and releases the shackles. Play with confidence, play to your strengths, take the game on, take your man on, don't just defend get the ball if you can, take risks. But that hard edge was still instilled into the playing group.

I don't think it was Macca. I don't think it was just Bevo. It was the combination of Macca into Bevo. Bevo put a finishing layer on Maccas brutality. The extreme difference is part of what made that team great.

All I'm reading here is jeemak was right when he said that Bmac had a huge influence over our playing style in the early Bevo years and everyone who derided him owes him an apology (or just BT, I'd be fine if only BT said sorry).

[EasternWest]

I'd love a shenanigans law in footy. After clear acts of cowardice a team gets to officially lodge a claim of shenanigans to be judged by a random collection of anonymous voters. If the claim is adjudicated as valid, then retributions can be enacted.

Retributions need to be non-life threatening and geared towards humiliation rather than physical maiming. In the case of Pickett this evening a period of time prone without oxygen sufficient to engender sever panic would have been suitable - without intervention from his team mates. Just enough for him to show everyone that's he's as shit scared as we all would be if that was done to us.

Have you been drinking?

[angelopetraglia]

All I'm reading here is jeemak was right when he said that Bmac had a huge influence over our playing style in the early Bevo years and everyone who derided him owes him an apology (or just BT, I'd be fine if only BT said sorry).

Ha ...

[jeemak]

Have you been drinking?

Insufficiently - and that's actually the truth!

I'm still able to put my silly thoughts to paper. The behaviour of Pickett tonight will prove what's wrong with the MRP/ tribunal, and there's nothing that can be done about it outside of fantastical scenario bullshitting.

[anfo27]

It is a valid perspective.

It was interesting to listen to Easton Wood talk about this on the podcast lately. Basically Macca instilled that hard edge mentality. It probably went too far. He lost a lot of players and was a bit of a one trick pony with the mentality. But all he wanted was players to be hard and crack in. It definitely had an impact. Macca was just brutal on those he didn't believe "cracked in".

Then Bevo comes in and releases the shackles. Play with confidence, play to your strengths, take the game on, take your man on, don't just defend get the ball if you can, take risks. But that hard edge was still instilled into the playing group.

I don't think it was Macca. I don't think it was just Bevo. It was the combination of Macca into Bevo. Bevo put a finishing layer on Maccas brutality. The extreme difference is part of what made that team great.

Agree 100%

How do we correct this?

At present we are the worst team without the football. Love what Bevo has given us over the journey but is this in his wheelhouse to fix? Do we need the best defensive assistant coach then?

At present its round 1 & all that crap about 'oh its only round 1' stuff is just that crap! Its how we lost. Those anti-defence tactics will not get us anywhere. Can defensive philosophy be changed after 1 game?

[angelopetraglia]

Insufficiently - and that's actually the truth!

I'm still able to put my silly thoughts to paper. The behaviour of Pickett tonight will prove what's wrong with the MRP/ tribunal, and there's nothing that can be done about it outside of fantastical scenario bullshitting.

Yes. It would be nice that his penalty was to go back in a time machine. Do the same shit acts. Then have to play the rest of the game against Diesel Williams, Dipper, Roger Merrett, Rhys-Jones, Dermie and Leigh Matthews. That would be nice.

[bornadog]

Insufficiently - and that's actually the truth!

I'm still able to put my silly thoughts to paper. The behaviour of Pickett tonight will prove what's wrong with the MRP/ tribunal, and there's nothing that can be done about it outside of fantastical scenario bullshitting.

Maybe he gets cited for this too
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Frf5YTvWAAAjmZr?format=jpg&name=mediumhttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/Frfuwl_aQAIxTL1?format=jpg&name=medium

[angelopetraglia]

Agree 100%

How do we correct this?

At present we are the worst team without the football. Love what Bevo has given us over the journey but is this in his wheelhouse to fix? Do we need the best defensive assistant coach then?

At present its round 1 & all that crap about 'oh its only round 1' stuff is just that crap! Its how we lost. Those anti-defence tactics will not get us anywhere. Can defensive philosophy be changed after 1 game?

We actually won the contested ball today by 16 and we had 5 more clearances. It is not just the hard edge of winning the ball. It is our ability to defend without the ball in hand as you said. I don't think Macca's teams were very good at that either. We would win the contested ball stats yet still lose.

It is our defensive shape and player profiles. It is hard to change during the season. That is what is so alarming after round #1. What have we been doing all offseason?

[angelopetraglia]

Maybe he gets cited for this too
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Frf5YTvWAAAjmZr?format=jpg&name=mediumhttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/Frfuwl_aQAIxTL1?format=jpg&name=medium

It is chook lotto. Who knows what will happen. But he deserves weeks. No place for that in the modern game.

[Boots]

I'm trying to stay upbeat, it's only one game after all, and it's a long season, but I'm really struggling. I actually don't think Melbourne covered themselves in glory; we just turned into witches' hats late in the second. They still made plenty of awful mistakes and we couldn't make them pay. Additionally, they came out blasting last year as well and then fell apart after 10 games. They have a long road to go too.

Some thoughts:

Our midfield is not as good as we think it is and we can't rely on it the way we used to. Libba is brilliant, Bont superb, but Macrae is dwindling, Smith has confidence issues, and Treloar is past his best. Even with Dunkley last year we struggled to deal with Oliver and Petracca. Melbourne just have a better midfield than we do, and so do a lot of teams now. We'll likely tear up lesser midfields, but we'll struggle with Geelong, Sydney, and Brisbane, probably Freo and Collingwood too. We're in the top 6 midfields, but I don't think we're top 3 anymore. I don't know how we fix this, given how much we've come to rely on them to carry weak bookends. To be honest, we might have fallen into rebuild territory here by accident. Smith is our only real up-and-coming midfielder. Where is the next generation of talent there?

The forward line will take time to cohere. Currently there's no reliable forward craft on display in the whole forward six. The strategy tonight was still to kick it to a giant blob with Naughton in the middle. Far from tearing their best defender away from Marra or Lobb, it just meant that that one defender - usually Lever - could cover our whole forward line in the one pack. I feel like this will slowly get better, but it will likely take several more years. Marra has moments of total brilliance but he's still not there yet. Darcy is a year behind him. I think after tonight I'm in the "Naughton to defence" camp. I doubt he'll ever become Tomahawk, and with zero craftiness he's preventing our other forwards developing chemistry with the midfield. The forward line is also still incomplete despite our investment in it as we have no decent crumbers. After tonight, I'm mad we took Weightman over Pickett. Sure he did that dog act on Smith, but it only seemed to fire him up even more. If one of our guys did that, he'd crumple. Regardless of positional or structure changes, I think this one will just take time.

We had no confidence tonight and we looked unfit. We still look for 2:1s on the ball carrier and allow the quick exit while failing to stick the tackle. We still can't take contested marks around the ground. We lose every footrace and our zone defence constantly fails to cut off quick players like Pickett and Langdon. No wonder our players don't really trust each other. It's too late to fix the fitness for this year (though we always seem to come back slow). The confidence is far more worrying. Libba is the only one who gets mad when we're losing. Dale and Bont were valiant, but there wasn't rage there. I can accept that we're not an angry team, and that we like to triumph over adversity with skill. But we need something to fire us up when we are losing. They've mentioned this as a problem in pressers. How does it get fixed?

What can you even say about Jones? Much lauded as the saviour of our defence, had one disposal then went off injured leaving us badly exposed yet again. Not really his fault, and Bruce did pretty well in defence, but we have zero depth here, and no other options (except Naughton). God I miss Moz and Boyd.

I don't know what to make of all of this. I hope we're just underdone and we'll see dramatic improvement from next week. But I won't trust a win against the Saints, and I hate not knowing which Bulldogs team are going to show up each week - the sad, slow, introspective one that just goes to water, or the silky, tenacious one that plays with focus and style.

[jeemak]

Agree 100%

How do we correct this?

At present we are the worst team without the football. Love what Bevo has given us over the journey but is this in his wheelhouse to fix? Do we need the best defensive assistant coach then?

At present its round 1 & all that crap about 'oh its only round 1' stuff is just that crap! Its how we lost. Those anti-defence tactics will not get us anywhere. Can defensive philosophy be changed after 1 game?

I think it's a player empowerment vs. command and control issue. And we give our players too much bandwidth for whatever reason, whether it be ego protection or a genuine management philosophy agreed by the coaches and players.

Everybody sees it. Libba's the worst offender at it too, when it gets out our back from the centre it's often Libba not holding and chasing the footy. Do we tell Libba that we only want him to pick the times to go when he definitely will win the ball, or do we tell him to go all the time and hope percentages work in our favour?

I really don't know why we choose not to nullify the centre bounce and let players roll back and forth to balance numbers across the ground, but I'm not as smart as whoever's coaching us.

[jeemak]

We actually won the contested ball today by 16 and we had 5 more clearances. It is not just the hard edge of winning the ball. It is our ability to defend without the ball in hand as you said. I don't think Macca's teams were very good at that either. We would win the contested ball stats yet still lose.

It is our defensive shape and player profiles. It is hard to change during the season. That is what is so alarming after round #1. What have we been doing all offseason?

It's also the turnovers/ skill errors. Missed kicks, dropped marks. The missed handball from Libba early when Smith was going to break just showed a complete lack of respect for the footy that often creeps into Libba's game and did a few more times tonight after it. Libba gets a free pass and I'm a bit critical of him, to be honest.

[jeemak]

Maybe he gets cited for this too
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Frf5YTvWAAAjmZr?format=jpg&name=mediumhttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/Frfuwl_aQAIxTL1?format=jpg&name=medium

Yeah but you have to look past that and just say that everyone loves how Picket goes about it when he's attacking the head of prone players and that we need characters who punch people in the face in the game.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I don't think I can just lament the same old crap for yet another season. An entire refresh has been long overdue. Another mid table finish awaits us but this time we won't be so lucky to have Carlton fall over themselves so that we sneak into the 8. I'm predicting 11th this season.

[angelopetraglia]

It's also the turnovers/ skill errors. Missed kicks, dropped marks. The missed handball from Libba early when Smith was going to break just showed a complete lack of respect for the footy that often creeps into Libba's game and did a few more times tonight after it. Libba gets a free pass and I'm a bit critical of him, to be honest.

He isn't perfect but he ain't our worst culprit. But yes, our skills were horrific all night. Dropped chest marks that resulted in two goals. So many missed opportunities when we had the chance to slice them open on the counter.

When they go their chances. They hit targets and made it look easy.

[macca]

All I'm reading here is jeemak was right when he said that Bmac had a huge influence over our playing style in the early Bevo years and everyone who derided him owes him an apology (or just BT, I'd be fine if only BT said sorry).

There wss a toughness with the 2016 team . CLAY, M.boyd , Pickent they would tackle hard and put fear into the oppsossition . Our tackles did not stick tongiht .

My obseevarions were :
- Treloar was very poor up until middle of third quarter, he let Pettraca off the hook and did not defend
- we are crying out for crumbing small fwd who can read the drop off the ball from packs and put manic pressure. JJ is not the answer
- we .got terrible fumbles tongiht and team as skilled as Melbourne quickly got possession and torched us on the rebound
- i was hoping we were a 3 goal deficit team at the end of the third . We are worst than that
-english is not a number 1 ruck. The gap between English vs Gwan/Grundy was daylight

[jeemak]

There wss a toughness with the 2016 team . CLAY, M.boyd , Pickent they would tackle hard and put fear into the oppsossition . Our tackles did not stick tongiht .

My obseevarions were :
- Treloar was very poor up until middle of third quarter, he let Pettraca off the hook and did not defend
- we are crying out for crumbing small fwd who can read the drop off the ball from packs and put manic pressure. JJ is not the answer
- we .got terrible fumbles tongiht and team as skilled as Melbourne quickly got possession and torched us on the rebound
- i was hoping we were a 3 goal deficit team at the end of the third . We are worst than that
-english is not a number 1 ruck. The gap between English vs Gwan/Grundy was daylight

Have you asked Tim English about whether he's the man? He'd disagree with you, politely, but also emphatically.

[angelopetraglia]

There wss a toughness with the 2016 team . CLAY, M.boyd , Pickent they would tackle hard and put fear into the oppsossition . Our tackles did not stick tongiht .

My obseevarions were :
- Treloar was very poor up until middle of third quarter, he let Pettraca off the hook and did not defend
- we are crying out for crumbing small fwd who can read the drop off the ball from packs and put manic pressure. JJ is not the answer
- we .got terrible fumbles tongiht and team as skilled as Melbourne quickly got possession and torched us on the rebound
- i was hoping we were a 3 goal deficit team at the end of the third . We are worst than that
-english is not a number 1 ruck. The gap between English vs Gwan/Grundy was daylight

Treloar. A little tough. He is still building fitness. He offered a lot more than many others tonight.

Crumbing forward. Just a massive hole. We just don't have that type of player on our list and we have not had one for many years. A classy small crumbing player who makes something from nothing. They are worth their weight in gold.

Fumbles. We are normally a lot more skilled than what we showed tonight. That five goal burst took a lot of confidence away from the player IMHO. We are not that bad.

English. He ain't at their level in regards to ruck craft. He may never be at their level.

[josie]

I'm trying to stay upbeat, it's only one game after all, and it's a long season, but I'm really struggling. I actually don't think Melbourne covered themselves in glory; we just turned into witches' hats late in the second. They still made plenty of awful mistakes and we couldn't make them pay. Additionally, they came out blasting last year as well and then fell apart after 10 games. They have a long road to go too.

Some thoughts:

Our midfield is not as good as we think it is and we can't rely on it the way we used to. Libba is brilliant, Bont superb, but Macrae is dwindling, Smith has confidence issues, and Treloar is past his best. Even with Dunkley last year we struggled to deal with Oliver and Petracca. Melbourne just have a better midfield than we do, and so do a lot of teams now. We'll likely tear up lesser midfields, but we'll struggle with Geelong, Sydney, and Brisbane, probably Freo and Collingwood too. We're in the top 6 midfields, but I don't think we're top 3 anymore. I don't know how we fix this, given how much we've come to rely on them to carry weak bookends. To be honest, we might have fallen into rebuild territory here by accident. Smith is our only real up-and-coming midfielder. Where is the next generation of talent there?

The forward line will take time to cohere. Currently there's no reliable forward craft on display in the whole forward six. The strategy tonight was still to kick it to a giant blob with Naughton in the middle. Far from tearing their best defender away from Marra or Lobb, it just meant that that one defender - usually Lever - could cover our whole forward line in the one pack. I feel like this will slowly get better, but it will likely take several more years. Marra has moments of total brilliance but he's still not there yet. Darcy is a year behind him. I think after tonight I'm in the "Naughton to defence" camp. I doubt he'll ever become Tomahawk, and with zero craftiness he's preventing our other forwards developing chemistry with the midfield. The forward line is also still incomplete despite our investment in it as we have no decent crumbers. After tonight, I'm mad we took Weightman over Pickett. Sure he did that dog act on Smith, but it only seemed to fire him up even more. If one of our guys did that, he'd crumple. Regardless of positional or structure changes, I think this one will just take time.

We had no confidence tonight and we looked unfit. We still look for 2:1s on the ball carrier and allow the quick exit while failing to stick the tackle. We still can't take contested marks around the ground. We lose every footrace and our zone defence constantly fails to cut off quick players like Pickett and Langdon. No wonder our players don't really trust each other. It's too late to fix the fitness for this year (though we always seem to come back slow). The confidence is far more worrying. Libba is the only one who gets mad when we're losing. Dale and Bont were valiant, but there wasn't rage there. I can accept that we're not an angry team, and that we like to triumph over adversity with skill. But we need something to fire us up when we are losing. They've mentioned this as a problem in pressers. How does it get fixed?

What can you even say about Jones? Much lauded as the saviour of our defence, had one disposal then went off injured leaving us badly exposed yet again. Not really his fault, and Bruce did pretty well in defence, but we have zero depth here, and no other options (except Naughton). God I miss Moz and Boyd.

I don't know what to make of all of this. I hope we're just underdone and we'll see dramatic improvement from next week. But I won't trust a win against the Saints, and I hate not knowing which Bulldogs team are going to show up each week - the sad, slow, introspective one that just goes to water, or the silky, tenacious one that plays with focus and style.

Passionate & thoughtful post Boots. I’d still prefer Cody as Kozzie is a sniper. We do need more hard nuts and speed. Agree our midfield is not in top few any more.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Wow that was disappointing enough to lose hope in the season and the team.
A bad start to the season and no excuses just not good enough.

[angelopetraglia]

Bevo presser.

-We did well to stay in the game early. The centre clearance count was 10-2 at one stage.
-We lost function forward of the ball. We didn't keep it in there often enough.
-The statistic we dropped off the most last year was the ability to defend the whole ground. Tonight it was largely how poor we used the ball which created those turnovers.
-Melbourne was good tonight. However, the perceived pressure aspect of the game got to us more than them. We had some good chances from turnovers that we should of made more of.
-The disappointing thing was the drop off at the end of the game. It was flattening.
-We hope that is an anomaly. We hope it doesn't happen again.
-You have to give the opposition credit. We just need to be better.
-We were in poor form with our ball use. An element of frustration crept in.
-The goals they got out the back, we have been working really hard to stop that. But it was off the back of some shallow entries. It is a work in progress. We need to do this better.
-Liam Jones. He has a knock to the neck. He is off for some scans. Hope he is OK.
-Brucy had a reasonable game as an intercept defender. Still trying to find his feet.
-Tall forwards tonight had a much tougher game against a seasoned Melbourne compared to North. We were a bit disjointed tonight.
-The four are never really out there together.
-Our medium smalls didn't have any impact at all forward of the ball.
-It is a hard forward line to play in tonight with the way we used the ball. We are a lot better than that.
-We need to build confidence in the boys who didn't have their best game tonight
-Pickett on Smith. I didn't see it. I can't comment on it. (Ha!)
-Cody. He is not in the next fortnight. Maybe in three weeks. Abductor groin issues can get nasty. We won't take any risks with him.
-Surface. We need to be better at keeping our feet. The surface was OK.

Short presser. Didn't really share much. Frustrated at the same elements as most the posters on WOOF.

[Vred]

Well..

that was shit

[jeemak]

Bevo presser.

-We did well to stay in the game early. The centre clearance count was 10-2 at one stage.
-We lost function forward of the ball. We didn't keep it in there often enough.
-The statistic we dropped off the most last year was the ability to defend the whole ground. Tonight it was largely how poor we used the ball which created those turnovers.
-Melbourne was good tonight. However, the perceived pressure aspect of the game got to us more than them. We had some good chances from turnovers that we should of made more of.
-The disappointing thing was the drop off at the end of the game. It was flattening.
-We hope that is an anomaly. We hope it doesn't happen again.
-You have to give the opposition credit. We just need to be better.
-We were in poor form with our ball use. An element of frustration crept in.
-The goals they got out the back, we have been working really hard to stop that. But it was off the back of some shallow entries. It is a work in progress. We need to do this better.
-Liam Jones. He has a knock to the neck. He is off for some scans. Hope he is OK.
-Brucy had a reasonable game as an intercept defender. Still trying to find his feet.
-Tall forwards tonight had a much tougher game against a seasoned Melbourne compared to North. We were a bit disjointed tonight.
-The four are never really out there together.
-Our medium smalls didn't have any impact at all forward of the ball.
-It is a hard forward line to play in tonight with the way we used the ball. We are a lot better than that.
-We need to build confidence in the boys who didn't have their best game tonight
-Pickett on Smith. I didn't see it. I can't comment on it. (Ha!)
-Cody. He is not in the next fortnight. Maybe in three weeks. Abductor groin issues can get nasty. We won't take any risks with him.
-Surface. We need to be better at keeping our feet. The surface was OK.

Short presser. Didn't really share much. Frustrated at the same elements as most the posters on WOOF.

Yep, Kossie was a **** act and if the AFL was serious they'd ban him for a few weeks to send a message.......is what should be said.

Otherwise pretty honest.

[Boots]

-The statistic we dropped off the most last year was the ability to defend the whole ground. Tonight it was largely how poor we used the ball which created those turnovers.

-The goals they got out the back, we have been working really hard to stop that. But it was off the back of some shallow entries. It is a work in progress. We need to do this better.

These two in particular sound like bad excuses. When you make shallow entries and let them over the back of you, you're not defending the whole ground.

[angelopetraglia]

These two in particular sound like bad excuses. When you make shallow entries and let them over the back of you, you're not defending the whole ground.

Yes. Agree. We played way too high at times and just left too much space behind. But I also understand what Bevo is saying too, there were some horrific skill errors that are basically impossible to defend. Some of the Caleb kicks. Some school boy dropped marks. Keath handballs. Some things you just don't expect AFL standard players to do.

[jeemak]

These two in particular sound like bad excuses. When you make shallow entries and let them over the back of you, you're not defending the whole ground.

I think they're reasons and not excuses. We did put the ball shallow. We did turn the ball over through dropped marks and skill errors.

The players are in control of their skills and they let us down. The players are also in control over whether they hold width and depth, but when the skill errors creep in we fall into the width and depth trap.

[kruder]

Our supporters are disappointing also.... 48k Rd1 nice weather at the G seriously? You could barely hear us after we kicked a goal tonight.

[josie]

Our supporters are disappointing also.... 48k Rd1 nice weather at the G seriously? You could barely hear us after we kicked a goal tonight.

And folks in cheer squad seats leaving early. If they are cheer squad members code of conduct says you should stay until end of game.

[comrade]

Pickett was an inch or two away from potentially crippling Baz. What an absolute stooge.

And yes I know, I would love him if he played for us.

[ReLoad]

How good is being in a different Timezone, waking up to find out we’ve been belted.

I don’t think nearly enough has changed from last year to see anything different.

We’re going to beat up sone teams, we’re going to get beaten comfortably, we’re clearly middle of the road. We are just not differentiating ourselves in any way.

On paper we’ve got a great team, but it’s just not working.

The grand final of 21’ haunts us. we are mentally weak, I’m all for some serious on-field changes to the team to bring in those that are relentless in application. Toby, west etc just need to be in the side.

I’m sick of the Bevo nice guy caring about the individuality of the players. I wonder what a 2008 Rodney eade would do with this team.

[FrediKanoute]

My observations:

1) they walked the ball too easily out of out forward line. Have to question the role JJ and Hannan played here as the pressure level was pretty low;

2) we bombed the ball in hope into a tall and crowded forward line allowing Lever etc to have a veritable feast;

3) we weren't desperate enough for long enough.

Whose fault? I think we got the selections wrong with Hannan and JJ in particular. I also think we played Scott in the wrong spot. I think we got our tactics wrong too.

A week is a long time in football, but if we don't come out firing and full of intensity next week then I will call the season done and Bevo in deep trouble.

[Jeanette54]

Maybe he gets cited for this too
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Frf5YTvWAAAjmZr?format=jpg&name=mediumhttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/Frfuwl_aQAIxTL1?format=jpg&name=medium

I'm betting he gets off, almost anybody else gets two weeks.

[chef]

Man as dirty as Kozzie is, I wish we had a few players who had his desire and hunger for the contest. He's exactly what we are missing up forward.

[Hotdog60]

It should be 4 weeks minimum the AFL have a group action against them over concussion and if they go light on for this it doesn't send a good message that they are doing what they can to protect players.

On the game would it have been worthwhile to put Baker on the defensive side of the middle as he wasn't doing much on the wing.
He has a bit of speed and is supposed to be a good tackler even if it was just to get the game back on our terms.

I thought Macrae was ordinary got his 30 odd disposals but from what I saw a lot of it was long bombs and all of Keath, JUH, Lobb, JJ, Hannan, Darcy, McLean and Jones (Not his fault as he got injured) had less than 10 disposals.

Also I would think about dropping Daniel because his game last night was poor by his standards may be he gets a reprieve on history but he needs to pick his game up.

[mjp]

In this WOOF thread AFL Ladder projector I posted this on 7 Jan 2023



https://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?23152-2023-AFL-Ladder-projector&p=823744&highlight=#post823744

Prescient.

We are rubbish. Maybe we have gone backwards.

And the Dees were missing many key players.

DR did you just quote...yourself?

If so, surely that's a $2 fine.

[Grantysghost]

Got an exclusive shot of the walls of our change room last night.

https://i.postimg.cc/Znyzv1dr/PXL-20230318-210357653.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

(seen on my morning bike ride)

[mjp]

Got an exclusive shot of the walls of our change room last night.

https://i.postimg.cc/Znyzv1dr/PXL-20230318-210357653.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

(seen on my morning bike ride)

Might have been a dogs mid pondering transition running who wrote that...seem to be heaps of spare pickets to cover but we covered 1 with 3 and left others by themselves...and one of them (represented by 'IS') has gone missing and decided not to get on anyone at all.

[mjp]

And folks in cheer squad seats leaving early. If they are cheer squad members code of conduct says you should stay until end of game.

Can you blame them?

[Mofra]

Yes. Agree. We played way too high at times and just left too much space behind. But I also understand what Bevo is saying too, there were some horrific skill errors that are basically impossible to defend. Some of the Caleb kicks. Some school boy dropped marks. Keath handballs. Some things you just don't expect AFL standard players to do.
At 3/4 time set shots were something like 2 goals 7 for us, 5 goals 2 for them.
We played terribly but still should have been in front.

Add some easy turnovers and we basically handed them the game

[SonofScray]

Our supporters are disappointing also.... 48k Rd1 nice weather at the G seriously? You could barely hear us after we kicked a goal tonight.

There is no joy in our footy.

The lack of emotion is because deep down, we know. We know that when it gets down to business, they’ll wilt.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

It should be 4 weeks minimum the AFL have a group action against them over concussion and if they go light on for this it doesn't send a good message that they are doing what they can to protect players.

On the game would it have been worthwhile to put Baker on the defensive side of the middle as he wasn't doing much on the wing.
He has a bit of speed and is supposed to be a good tackler even if it was just to get the game back on our terms.

I thought Macrae was ordinary got his 30 odd disposals but from what I saw a lot of it was long bombs and all of Keath, JUH, Lobb, JJ, Hannan, Darcy, McLean and Jones (Not his fault as he got injured) had less than 10 disposals.

Also I would think about dropping Daniel because his game last night was poor by his standards may be he gets a reprieve on history but he needs to pick his game up.

He chose to bump.
He left the ground to do it.
He was running full tilt.
He aimed his shoulder for Bailey's jaw and head at maximum force.

In all seriousness its a criminal act. He had no other intention but to maximise damage to Smith. In my opinion it should be 6 weeks considering the lawsuit against the afl. That act and decision has no place in football. It was utterly disgraceful.

[bornadog]

At 3/4 time set shots were something like 2 goals 7 for us, 5 goals 2 for them.
We played terribly but still should have been in front.

Add some easy turnovers and we basically handed them the game

I was surprised that Melbourne's skills at time were pretty bad. How many times did they pass the ball direct to our players, however, we weren't good enough to take advantage.

[Happy Days]

So I wasn’t gonna get to see this game because I was at a buddy’s birthday, but it actually ended early enough for me to be lucky enough to see the last quarter after a couple too many beers.

Anyway long story short I’m out a robot vacuum.

I obviously don’t have anything too analytical to add but we simply have to bin this one for our prospects and summarily execute the Saints next week.

[GVGjr]

So I wasn’t gonna get to see this game because I was at a buddy’s birthday, but it actually ended early enough for me to be lucky enough to see the last quarter after a couple too many beers.

Anyway long story short I’m out a robot vacuum.

I obviously don’t have anything too analytical to add but we simply have to bin this one for our prospects and summarily execute the Saints next week.

You seriously crack me up. :) This is the reason why you should have been at the game, the price of the beers and the time it takes to get them probably means you don't get drunk and the added bonus is there is no robot vacuums. :)

[soupman]

That was as demoralising a start to the season as we could have feared.

All the same bullshit issues we have had for years being exposed:
-Terrible forward entries
-No ability to stop the opposition transition
-Goals out the back
-Basic skill errors from us always get punished, always
-Basic skill errors from the opposition never get punished
-Midfield dominates us, particularly from Centre Bounces
-No ability to adjust and stop the rot
-If we are losing in the third quarter we are guaranteed to lose the game, probably by a large margin
-Astonishingly quickly go from being in a good position with momentum to basically game over within an incomprehensively short timeframe
-Opposition guns always fire against us, we seem powerless to stop them
-No ability to kill the contest defensively
-No ability to not hit up their intercept guys constantly
-Low percentage passes
-Caleb Daniel embarrassing himself by foot enough times to completely negate the benefits his adventurous disposal offers
-Bont being dominant then seemingly vanishing
-Naughton getting frustrated up against multiple opponents and getting sucked into trying to bend the rules, and then missing half his chances when he gets them anyway
-We look stupid slow
-Opponent does something nasty, we retaliate then immediately fold over like a wet lettuce leaf with hinges
-We fail to make the opposition pay for their mistakes
-We give away careless free's off the ball that hurt us
-Anytime something doesn't go our way (a bounce, a free, a fumble) we completely crumble and while we bemoan how we got screwed by that incident/umpire/fringe player our sides inability to do anything to stop the inevitable opposition goal is consistent as always

On top of that none of our recruits were good, or really even close to ok (Jones was doing so so pre injury), all the focus areas of the our pre-season were shit (defending out the back, hitting up targets in the forwardline, low sharp kicks to advantage across the field), and Melbourne will never be weaker (I mean they killed us without May or Fritsch who always kill us).

The most optimistic I can be would be that maybe the forwardline needs more time than an intraclub and a game against North to figure their shit out, plus can't wholly be blamed for our midfield forfeiting (still not without blame), and I guess Josh Bruce wasn't the disaster I expected???

I am just so flat. I'm obviously going to be up and about by Wednesday but atm the fool is me for expecting anything different from us, we are so unenjoyable to watch because at any point even when everything is going great you are terrified any and all of the above issues are just going to pop up and we will seem baffled about how they happened and about ow anyone could possibly overcome them.

Such a positive pre season and such a pathetic round one performance.




-We hope that is an anomaly. We hope it doesn't happen again.

Lol.

Anomaly: "something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected."
I couldn't think of a performance than was more standard, normal and expected if you took the Dogs rose coloured glasses off. It was almost a carbon copy of the Grand Final.

[Go_Dogs]

Couple of quick thoughts:

Melbourne were able to execute a switch, spread our zone and then hit a 45 kick into the corridor. Shouldn’t be allowing that to happen. Maybe it’s the G, maybe something else, but we broke down way too easily.

Our skills are collectively a long way off. Sometimes we look great, but too often we burned the ball and/or lacked the nous to create movement ahead to give our players something better to kick at.

Melbourne are a great contested ball side but also have wheels, and also have players who back their man to win the contested ball and are already 10-15m clear in transition while our blokes have been plodding around the contest or ball watching.

I suppose the upshot is, we can’t play worse??!!

[bornadog]

Couple of quick thoughts:

Melbourne were able to execute a switch, spread our zone and then hit a 45 kick into the corridor. Shouldn’t be allowing that to happen. Maybe it’s the G, maybe something else, but we broke down way too easily.

Our skills are collectively a long way off. Sometimes we look great, but too often we burned the ball and/or lacked the nous to create movement ahead to give our players something better to kick at.

Melbourne are a great contested ball side but also have wheels, and also have players who back their man to win the contested ball and are already 10-15m clear in transition while our blokes have been plodding around the contest or ball watching.

I suppose the upshot is, we can’t play worse??!!

We handed them the game with 76 clangers to 55 - skills were shocking.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

That was as demoralising a start to the season as we could have feared.

All the same bullshit issues we have had for years being exposed:
-Terrible forward entries
-No ability to stop the opposition transition
-Goals out the back
-Basic skill errors from us always get punished, always
-Basic skill errors from the opposition never get punished
-Midfield dominates us, particularly from Centre Bounces
-No ability to adjust and stop the rot
-If we are losing in the third quarter we are guaranteed to lose the game, probably by a large margin
-Astonishingly quickly go from being in a good position with momentum to basically game over within an incomprehensively short timeframe
-Opposition guns always fire against us, we seem powerless to stop them
-No ability to kill the contest defensively
-No ability to not hit up their intercept guys constantly
-Low percentage passes
-Caleb Daniel embarrassing himself by foot enough times to completely negate the benefits his adventurous disposal offers
-Bont being dominant then seemingly vanishing
-Naughton getting frustrated up against multiple opponents and getting sucked into trying to bend the rules, and then missing half his chances when he gets them anyway
-We look stupid slow
-Opponent does something nasty, we retaliate then immediately fold over like a wet lettuce leaf with hinges
-We fail to make the opposition pay for their mistakes
-We give away careless free's off the ball that hurt us
-Anytime something doesn't go our way (a bounce, a free, a fumble) we completely crumble and while we bemoan how we got screwed by that incident/umpire/fringe player our sides inability to do anything to stop the inevitable opposition goal is consistent as always

On top of that none of our recruits were good, or really even close to ok (Jones was doing so so pre injury), all the focus areas of the our pre-season were shit (defending out the back, hitting up targets in the forwardline, low sharp kicks to advantage across the field), and Melbourne will never be weaker (I mean they killed us without May or Fritsch who always kill us).

The most optimistic I can be would be that maybe the forwardline needs more time than an intraclub and a game against North to figure their shit out, plus can't wholly be blamed for our midfield forfeiting (still not without blame), and I guess Josh Bruce wasn't the disaster I expected???

I am just so flat. I'm obviously going to be up and about by Wednesday but atm the fool is me for expecting anything different from us, we are so unenjoyable to watch because at any point even when everything is going great you are terrified any and all of the above issues are just going to pop up and we will seem baffled about how they happened and about ow anyone could possibly overcome them.

Such a positive pre season and such a pathetic round one performance.




Lol.

Anomaly: "something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected."
I couldn't think of a performance than was more standard, normal and expected if you took the Dogs rose coloured glasses off. It was almost a carbon copy of the Grand Final.

Nailed it.

Could not have summarised it better.

[bornadog]

Good thing is there are 22 games to go :D

[GVGjr]

Good thing is there are 22 games to go :D

So no finals? :)

[bornadog]

So no finals? :)

After last night, maybe not.

[soupman]

Can't wait for us to beat up enough of the shit sides and somehow find a good patch of form for 5 weeks to scrape into the finals, be ok for a half then lose by 80 points and watch Bevo talk about how "it was a complete anomaly....no similarities at all to 2019, 2020 or 2022".

[GVGjr]

I think we were light on for supporters last night, I wonder how many of us in Melbourne avoided this away game?
It ended up for me being a quiet trip home on the train and we Bulldog supporters were outnumbered by 4 to 1 where I was sitting and I get heading east isn't in the right direction for a lot of our supporter base.

[GVGjr]

I'm going to watch a replay of the game tonight. I'm a glutton for punishment.

[kruder]

How did people view Baker? He is the least of our problems but just looked like a VFL player for mine.

[kruder]

I think we were light on for supporters last night, I wonder how many of us in Melbourne avoided this away game?
It ended up for me being a quiet trip home on the train and we Bulldog supporters were outnumbered by 4 to 1 where I was sitting and I get heading east isn't in the right direction for a lot of our supporter base.

Our fan base has a soft underbelly just like the current side.

[G-Mo77]

How did people view Baker? He is the least of our problems but just looked like a VFL player for mine.

Played a decent 3rd quarter but he is what he is, another teams reject clogging up a list spot. See Tim O'Brien, Mitch Hannan.

[soupman]

How did people view Baker? He is the least of our problems but just looked like a VFL player for mine.

Struggled but like our entire team found it hard to find space, and if you weren't an inside mid last night then you were going to have a hard time seeing the ball in our side.

[kruder]

Played a decent 3rd quarter but he is what he is, another teams reject clogging up a list spot. See Tim O'Brien, Mitch Hannan.

Yeah it is early and I got Biggs wrong after a few games but that's how I viewed it also.

[Go_Dogs]

I was on level 2A and quite a few Dogs fans in that area, but certainly felt like we were under-represented across the stadium GVG. Small crowd too, I suppose a lot of neutrals would’ve gone Thurs / Friday which may have reduced it too.

[Bullies]

How did people view Baker? He is the least of our problems but just looked like a VFL player for mine. Ask any Melbourne Supporter and they were happy for him to get an opportunity elsewhere as long as it wasn't with them. Your assessment may be spot on. When you look at the exchange of wingmen - Hunter for Baker then i think I know who may have won that one.

[MrMahatma]

I'm going to watch a replay of the game tonight. I'm a glutton for punishment.

You really are! I’ll be keen to hear your diagnosis on 2nd viewing.

[josie]

Can you blame them?

Cheer squad members should show some fortitude, something our team as a collective did not.

[bornadog]

Ask any Melbourne Supporter and they were happy for him to get an opportunity elsewhere as long as it wasn't with them. Your assessment may be spot on. When you look at the exchange of wingmen - Hunter for Baker then i think I know who may have won that one.

Melbourne supporters were saying lucky they let Hannan go. I think he has played 1 decent game in 3 years

[HOSE B ROMERO]

And folks in cheer squad seats leaving early. If they are cheer squad members code of conduct says you should stay until end of game.

Round 1, perfect conditions. I was expecting a lot more dogs supporters. I was sitting in the top of the Olympic stand and there just seemed to be a very tame reaction to our 'inspirational moments' from the get go.

And the cheer squad seemed light on for members at the first bounce compared to previous visits to the ground.

[Curly5]

So I wasn’t gonna get to see this game because I was at a buddy’s birthday, but it actually ended early enough for me to be lucky enough to see the last quarter after a couple too many beers.

Anyway long story short I’m out a robot vacuum.

I obviously don’t have anything too analytical to add but we simply have to bin this one for our prospects and summarily execute the Saints next week.

Similar story to mine. Didn't throw anything but read a good book instead.

[HOSE B ROMERO]

I'm going to watch a replay of the game tonight. I'm a glutton for punishment.

Good grief GVG... i'd rather watch election night '92 when Kennett became premier. That was a long tortuous evening.

[Grantysghost]

How did people view Baker? He is the least of our problems but just looked like a VFL player for mine.

Like a school boy scared of the head mistress (Gawn).

[bornadog]

How did people view Baker? He is the least of our problems but just looked like a VFL player for mine.

Like Hannan, not sure why we picked him up.

[The Underdog]

Like Hannan, not sure why we picked him up.

Because he has pace and can play on a wing. Unlike 97% of our list.
His stats last night were comparable to Hunter and Langdon. I’m not sure he’ll make it, but I might give him at least 2 games to show something.
I’m sitting here watching Ben Keays who was delisted by the Pies and has made a real place for himself at the Crows. Sometimes players can improve.

[bornadog]

Because he has pace and can play on a wing. Unlike 97% of our list.
His stats last night were comparable to Hunter and Langdon. I’m not sure he’ll make it, but I might give him at least 2 games to show something.
I’m sitting here watching Ben Keays who was delisted by the Pies and has made a real place for himself at the Crows. Sometimes players can improve.

Seems the wings were a non factor last night.

I think playing the G, we should always go straight down the guts.

[D Mitchell]

Quite right. Time after time, our defenders would intercept then kick sideways, giving Melbourne players time to flood back and take up defensive positions. Frustrating. Underdog's right, too, Baker was no worse than anyone else, pace is lacking and he doesn't have to be a star, he just has to fill a role.

[macca]

Because he has pace and can play on a wing. Unlike 97% of our list.
His stats last night were comparable to Hunter and Langdon. I’m not sure he’ll make it, but I might give him at least 2 games to show something.
I’m sitting here watching Ben Keays who was delisted by the Pies and has made a real place for himself at the Crows. Sometimes players can improve.

Thanks for the insight on Ben Keays . Where do you see he has improved ?

My biggest question on Hannan is he drops marks when they matter. He gets into the right positions, but his skill errors let him down more often than not. He just does not seem to be a one grab player, or be able to grab the ball cleanly in the moment.

[Boots]

I think we were light on for supporters last night, I wonder how many of us in Melbourne avoided this away game?
It ended up for me being a quiet trip home on the train and we Bulldog supporters were outnumbered by 4 to 1 where I was sitting and I get heading east isn't in the right direction for a lot of our supporter base.

I was there, in ground floor MCC GA. The Melbourne fans around me were really awful, endless carping about the umpires with every free. Honestly it was a fairly shit experience even before we started to get thrashed. Total lack of humility and no sense whatsoever that they felt player skill mattered. We've all done it on bad nights, but complaining about the umpiring is the sign of a weak-willed supporter in my book.

[Grantysghost]

I was there, in ground floor MCC GA. The Melbourne fans around me were really awful, endless carping about the umpires with every free. Honestly it was a fairly shit experience even before we started to get thrashed. Total lack of humility and no sense whatsoever that they felt player skill mattered. We've all done it on bad nights, but complaining about the umpiring is the sign of a weak-willed supporter in my book.

I've heard their fans in the MCC are the worst.

[azabob]

Our fan base has a soft underbelly just like the current side.

Mate don’t be so hard on yourself. Cleary your not soft you turned up.

[azabob]

I was there, in ground floor MCC GA. The Melbourne fans around me were really awful, endless carping about the umpires with every free. Honestly it was a fairly shit experience even before we started to get thrashed. Total lack of humility and no sense whatsoever that they felt player skill mattered. We've all done it on bad nights, but complaining about the umpiring is the sign of a weak-willed supporter in my book.

Boots, Melbourne supporters have always been like this, even when they were tanking. Now they are somewhat successful both players and club have become a million times worse.

[SonofScray]

I just watched the replay.

Fair dinkum. We were worse than I even thought. The skill level was atrocious. Looked like we were stuck in the mud.

English, Libba, Treloar and Duryea the only ones that seemed to be really in it.

Tackling was rarely rewarded, which was frustrating, but it was also regularly lacking in real intent. Lots of hesitation.

[merantau]

Surely we cannot play that badly again. Schoolboy errors by hand and foot, unwillingness to play close, lack of communication down back (all up, no one staying down) and no connection between mids and forwards. Then we have our inability to nail set shots. So disappointing. I am expecting a massive turn around next week. Anything less will be a huge concern to me.

[Danjul]

Like a school boy scared of the head mistress (Gawn).
A bit harsh.

He was replacing Hunter who usually gets 30 possessions. Last night Baker showed he can do as much with half as many.

one thing that struck me last night was Melbourne did not use Hunter the way we did. None of the chipping the ball sideways to someone on the boundary. They usually set the ball moving towards goal immediately so that the forwards still maintained space.

I saw a little of that mindset with Baker.

[G-Mo77]

Baker had like 2 possessions in the first half. Had a decent 3rd but overall pretty ordinary. The bar needs to be set much higher.

Sadly he'll get so many weeks to prove he's no good and a player who is better has to put together 5 - 6 weeks of incredible football to replace him then get yanked from the team after one poor performance.

[Danjul]

Baker had like 2 possessions in the first half. Had a decent 3rd but overall pretty ordinary. The bar needs to be set much higher.

Sadly he'll get so many weeks to prove he's no good and a player who is better has to put together 5 - 6 weeks of incredible football to replace him then get yanked from the team after one poor performance.

Compared to Bont:

Baker scored 1 behind less, had 3 less kicks, metres gained was 100 m less and that’s from 10% less game time.

He did significantly better than a number of others in the team. So for a first game I’m comfortable with his contribution. It was far better than Lobb, Jamarra, Darcy, McLean, Hannan …..

[The Underdog]

Baker had like 2 possessions in the first half. Had a decent 3rd but overall pretty ordinary. The bar needs to be set much higher.

Sadly he'll get so many weeks to prove he's no good and a player who is better has to put together 5 - 6 weeks of incredible football to replace him then get yanked from the team after one poor performance.

Which player is that then?

[bornadog]

Anyone listen to Bevo's members summary on the game? Have a listen and hopefully the coaches will work on what he said ready for the Saints

[jazzadogs]

I think we were light on for supporters last night, I wonder how many of us in Melbourne avoided this away game?
It ended up for me being a quiet trip home on the train and we Bulldog supporters were outnumbered by 4 to 1 where I was sitting and I get heading east isn't in the right direction for a lot of our supporter base.

They were all watching at home on their digital memberships :p

I didn't really have an issue with the crowd tbh. I was pretty close to not going because it was an away game, and my membership has already stretched my football outlay for the year.

I was pretty vocal early in the game but once we missed all our set shots it became harder to get involved. The writing was on the wall, and unfortunately it seemed our players had the same reaction.

[Grantysghost]

Anyone listen to Bevo's members summary on the game? Have a listen and hopefully the coaches will work on what he said ready for the Saints

I thought it was really refreshing to hear him speak candidly about goals in the pre season.
That's what I want to hear from the coach as a member.
Doesn't have to reveal too much, just give us something.

[GVGjr]

They were all watching at home on their digital memberships :p

I didn't really have an issue with the crowd tbh. I was pretty close to not going because it was an away game, and my membership has already stretched my football outlay for the year.

I was pretty vocal early in the game but once we missed all our set shots it became harder to get involved. The writing was on the wall, and unfortunately it seemed our players had the same reaction.

Neither do I but with a lot of anticipation and a big game in a prime time slot it sort of stood out to me.

[Grantysghost]

Neither do I but with a lot of anticipation and a big game in a prime time slot it sort of stood out to me.

Should've been our home game. Disgraceful really the AFL is a joke. Glad the Demons didn't make much cash off of it!

[azabob]

Should've been our home game. Disgraceful really the AFL is a joke. Glad the Demons didn't make much cash off of it!

I still don't understand why Baines accepted us to play against Melbourne round one again this year.

I get the supposed GF replay in round one, but that didn't even happen this year.

We certainly are the ugly step child when it comes to the AFL fixture whims.

[angelopetraglia]

I still don't understand why Baines accepted us to play against Melbourne round one again this year.

I get the supposed GF replay in round one, but that didn't even happen this year.

We certainly are the ugly step child when it comes to the AFL fixture whims.

Agree 100%.

Every time we start to build a momentum in a game it is taken off us. Collingwood Round #1 on Friday night was a great opening fixture for our club.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

When Petracca starts destroying us out of the middle for what seems like the millionth time in the last few years, why can't our captain take it upon himself to stand him?

Yes, there's structures in place for this. THEY WEREN'T WORKING.

I love Bont but besides his inept goal kicking, I wish he would take more responsibility in these occasions. Sometimes it's not just about winning the ball - we couldn't touch it in the latter part of the second quarter - STOP the man doing all the damage. If it doesn't work, fine, but we seem to 'hope' we'll just win the ball rather than give any thought to negating the oppositions best player.

I feel like this is what separates Hodge/Selwood from 99% leaders. They could win their own ball, but they weren't afraid to physically inject themselves in games defensively when needed.

[Grantysghost]

Coaches votes :

Melbourne v Western Bulldogs
9 Jake Lever (MELB)
9 Kysaiah Pickett (MELB)
5 Christian Petracca (MELB)
5 Max Gawn (MELB)
2 Clayton Oliver (MELB)

[jeemak]

When Petracca starts destroying us out of the middle for what seems like the millionth time in the last few years, why can't our captain take it upon himself to stand him?

Yes, there's structures in place for this. THEY WEREN'T WORKING.

I love Bont but besides his inept goal kicking, I wish he would take more responsibility in these occasions. Sometimes it's not just about winning the ball - we couldn't touch it in the latter part of the second quarter - STOP the man doing all the damage. If it doesn't work, fine, but we seem to 'hope' we'll just win the ball rather than give any thought to negating the oppositions best player.

I feel like this is what separates Hodge/Selwood from 99% leaders. They could win their own ball, but they weren't afraid to physically inject themselves in games defensively when needed.

It can be any one of Bont, Libba, Jack or whoever is in there. They're all mature enough, they're all capable.

Just create another stoppage. Let us roll our half forwards up. Just stop the flow/ rot. **** me drunk.

[jazzadogs]

Coaches votes :

Melbourne v Western Bulldogs
9 Jake Lever (MELB)
9 Kysaiah Pickett (MELB)
5 Christian Petracca (MELB)
5 Max Gawn (MELB)
2 Clayton Oliver (MELB)

I would expect brownlow to be 3 Pickett (actually, can you get votes in a match you're reported?), 2 petracca, 1 Gawn. I didn't think Lever was particularly good and surprised he got 9 votes - we just forgot he was out there and left him alone, apart from when we decided to kick it straight to him.

[azabob]

The most depressing part is that thanks to mjp woof scenario planned for the run on, but clearly the coach and players neglected to.


https://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?23240-You-re-the-Coach-Question-2&highlight=

[Jasper]

The most depressing part is that thanks to mjp woof scenario planned for the run on, but clearly the coach and players neglected to.


https://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?23240-You-re-the-Coach-Question-2&highlight=

Its like it happened before so we should plan for it. ;)

[EasternWest]

Coaches votes :

Melbourne v Western Bulldogs
9 Jake Lever (MELB)
9 Kysaiah Pickett (MELB)
5 Christian Petracca (MELB)
5 Max Gawn (MELB)
2 Clayton Oliver (MELB)

Weird Lever got top billing. I rarely saw him near the ball.

[angelopetraglia]

Weird Lever got top billing. I rarely saw him near the ball.

21 touches and 13 intercept possessions. I thought he was influential. We kept kicking it to him. He also set up a few goals from his attacks out of our F50 from memory (edit: just checked the stats, two score involvements).

[angelopetraglia]

I thought this stat sums up our night and overall competitiveness. Tackles inside 50m. Who had more than 2?

Melbourne - Total 21

Pickett 7
Chandler 4
Petracca 2
Hunter 2

Bulldogs - Total 9

Treloar 2
Darcy 2


Basically just tells you what we saw happen on the night. Our defensive pressure was woeful and the players who were allocated these roles didn't get the job done.

[D Mitchell]

Watching footy on TV is hardly worth the time, a bit like hundreds and thousands without bread and calling it fairy bread. A mate of mine who was with me but who ordinarily watches C'wood, commented that the difference between the 'dogs and the 'pies is that when C'wood defenders gain possession, it's up the middle as fast as possible whilst we chip sideways, "possession" footy, and back went Melbourne to take up defensive positions. We have 4 Talls, now, not that 3 of them are up to it, yet (if ever?), and ball winners in the midfield; why play yesterday's style ? Melbourne gained possession then took off direct to goal, 5 goals in 17 possessions. I sometimes fall into the heresy of thinking that the game plan prioritises accommodating individual players.

[EasternWest]

21 touches and 13 intercept possessions. I thought he was influential. We kept kicking it to him. He also set up a few goals from his attacks out of our F50 from memory (edit: just checked the stats, two score involvements).

Sorry AP I was being facetious. Every second comment I made in the game day thread was around the ubiquity of Lever.

[azabob]

Sorry AP I was being facetious. Every second comment I made in the game day thread was around the ubiquity of Lever.

Ubiquity what now?

[EasternWest]

Ubiquity what now?

It's like bornadog on woof

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/ubiquity

[Matjoh]

When Petracca starts destroying us out of the middle for what seems like the millionth time in the last few years, why can't our captain take it upon himself to stand him?

Yes, there's structures in place for this. THEY WEREN'T WORKING.

I love Bont but besides his inept goal kicking, I wish he would take more responsibility in these occasions. Sometimes it's not just about winning the ball - we couldn't touch it in the latter part of the second quarter - STOP the man doing all the damage. If it doesn't work, fine, but we seem to 'hope' we'll just win the ball rather than give any thought to negating the oppositions best player.

I feel like this is what separates Hodge/Selwood from 99% leaders. They could win their own ball, but they weren't afraid to physically inject themselves in games defensively when needed.
Although I agree with this there was a lot more than Patracca where this game was lost.
1. Do we actually have a forward coach & strategy? We hopelessly bomb into the forward line. I think I saw about 5 leads the whole game three of which were ignored for some reason, all the rest long bombs to a crowded forward line unlike melbourne who often had a nice open one mainly because
2. when we went forward we all ran forward including our backs, and on turnover we were caught out whereas Melbourne kept back then ran into an open forward line. 17 marks inside 50 to our 7, tackles inside 50 = 21 to our 9.
3 Melbourne ran and spread all day, we chased.
4 They nearly always kicked long and forward whereas we zig zag then long bomb a crowded forwardline. 5 Gawn , [no more needs saying]
6 Shit kicking/disposal.
But hey its only one game!

[bornadog]

It's like bornadog on woof

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/ubiquity

you are so jealous

[1eyedog]

you are so jealous

55k posts suggests everyone is jealous of your free time BAD.

[bornadog]

55k posts suggest everyone is jealous of your free time BAD.
I am lucky with my work life balance

[EasternWest]

you are so jealous

I'm not - I like to spend my free time more productively. Staring at the ceiling in existential dread.

[bornadog]

I'm not - I like to spend my free time more productively. Staring at the ceiling in existential dread.

I average 9 posts a day over 16 years . Not really that much.

[jazzadogs]

I average 9 posts a day over 16 years . Not really that much.

I average half a post a day over 14.5 years.

I feel like Billy Gowers to your Plugger Lockett.

[jazzadogs]

On Lever...it actually shits me that he could get 9 votes, so either 4 or 5 from our coaching staff. He did the EXACT THING you would have expected him to do. What was our plan? What did we change during the game to reduce his impact? How did none of our 4 tall forwards + Hannan have responsibility for an elite intercept mark? It was very frustrating.

[bornadog]

I average half a post a day over 14.5 years.

I feel like Billy Gowers to your Plugger Lockett.

Nothing wrong with that.

[Grantysghost]

On Lever...it actually shits me that he could get 9 votes, so either 4 or 5 from our coaching staff. He did the EXACT THING you would have expected him to do. What was our plan? What did we change during the game to reduce his impact? How did none of our 4 tall forwards + Hannan have responsibility for an elite intercept mark? It was very frustrating.

Oh I felt your angst with that one JD.

I also nodded along vehemently.

Coaches : Wow that guy we said in the pre ham planning not to kick it to was outstanding!
5 votes!
Also, that guy that became a surface to air missile and nearly killed one of our guys, he was amazing too!

Edit : I'm leaving pre ham

[Hotdog60]

Marc Webb is our stoppages/Opposition Analysis Coach Has he been on leave. :)

[bornadog]

Marc Webb is our stoppages/Opposition Analysis Coach Has he been on leave. :)

We won the stoppage clearances ;)

[Dancin' Douggy]

I couldn't watch the game as I was working in a remote location with no mobile service, and I can't bring myself to watch the replay. But let me guess.....
1. Long bombs to forwards all flying against each other over and over again.
2. Goals easily given up to the dees getting out the back and strolling them in.
3. Lobb had very little involvement/impact.
4. Libba was great.
5. We kept kicking it to Lever.

[bornadog]

I couldn't watch the game as I was working in a remote location with no mobile service, and I can't bring myself to watch the replay. But let me guess.....
1. Long bombs to forwards all flying against each other over and over again.
2. Goals easily given up to the dees getting out the back and strolling them in.
3. Lobb had very little involvement/impact.
4. Libba was great.
5. We kept kicking it to Lever.

All correct except one. Long bombs but no packs and ball going straight to Dees players.

[bornadog]

From Champion data (https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/03/21/five-round-1-performances-that-flew-under-the-radar-according-to-champion/) - Players under the radar

Ed Richards (Western Bulldogs)


“The one I just wanted to raise is Ed Richards. Yes they lost by 50 points, but his game was second to only Max Gawn on the weekend.”


“He had 16 intercept possessions. That’s the most ever by a Bulldogs player. He won 13 at ground level. He probably got missed because he’s not winning that clean intercept mark.


“He won 13 at ground level. To put that into context. That’s the equal most ever by any player we have recorded.”

[MrMahatma]

From Champion data (https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/03/21/five-round-1-performances-that-flew-under-the-radar-according-to-champion/) - Players under the radar

Ed Richards (Western Bulldogs)


“The one I just wanted to raise is Ed Richards. Yes they lost by 50 points, but his game was second to only Max Gawn on the weekend.”


“He had 16 intercept possessions. That’s the most ever by a Bulldogs player. He won 13 at ground level. He probably got missed because he’s not winning that clean intercept mark.


“He won 13 at ground level. To put that into context. That’s the equal most ever by any player we have recorded.”

That's something to get behind! Nice one Ed. All Australian?