Bulldogs V Bombers - Round 5, 12/4/24 Marvel Stadium 7.40PM AEST

[Eastdog]

Margin:
First goal:
Best on ground:

[Eastdog]

Margin: Dogs by 27 points

First goal: Sam Darcy

Best on ground: Marcus Bontempelli

[Warrnambulldog]

What is the bet bombers come out sniping this week (their so called edge)? Hope we put them away early and humiliate them. Not sure what happens with Macrae and Daniel. Not much will be gained by Macrae going to vfl, perhaps a shame for everyone that there isn?t a mid season trade window. Kinda wouldn?t mind seeing Garcia given a crack. Hope Naughts comes out with a point to prove this week and dominates

[Eastdog]

What is the bet bombers come out sniping this week (their so called edge)? Hope we put them away early and humiliate them. Not sure what happens with Macrae and Daniel. Not much will be gained by Macrae going to vfl, perhaps a shame for everyone that there isn?t a mid season trade window. Kinda wouldn?t mind seeing Garcia given a crack. Hope Naughts comes out with a point to prove this week and dominates

Yes will be interesting to see how the Bombers come out.

Your not sure what to expect from them. If they do what they did after qtr time last Friday and we bring our game will beat them comfortably.

I'm expecting us to win but wary as well.

[angelopetraglia]

Looking forward to attending for the first time since round #1.

Dogs by 30
FG Weightman
BOG Naughton

[mighty_west]

Dogs by 23
FG : West
BOG : Bont

Think it'll be one of those frustrating games where we should win by a decent margin but only get up by 3 or 4 goals, the Bombers without Wright, Ridley, Perkins and a few others.

[bornadog]

Dogs by 34
First Goal VDM
BOG Bont

[MrMahatma]

Dogs by 55. Feels like it might be one of those years where we bash the irrelevant and lose to the contenders.
FG: West
BOG: Marra - which will make the Bombers offer $1.5m per season for 8 years.

[Danjul]

Dogs by 55. Feels like it might be one of those years where we bash the irrelevant and lose to the contenders.
FG: West
BOG: Marra - which will make the Bombers offer $1.5m per season for 8 years.
did we learn anything about winning in the Geelong loss? We have to if we want to be a contender. I would be happy if we spend the rest of the season doing what they do.

[jeemak]

I have clients taking me to the game Friday, so if it all goes to shit I can drown the sorrows on someone else's dime.

[Bulldog Joe]

We should celebrate the 100th anniversary of our World Championship over this mob.

Give them a well deserved thrashing to remind them where they really belong

[angelopetraglia]

We should celebrate the 100th anniversary of our World Championship over this mob.

Give them a well deserved thrashing to remind them where they really belong

Ha. Yes. I like that thinking.

1924 Championship of Victoria

Footscray 9.10 (64) def
Essendon 4.12 (36)

46,100 people rocked up to watch the Dogs embarass them.

[Bulldog Joe]

Ha. Yes. I like that thinking.

1924 Championship of Victoria

Footscray 9.10 (64) def
Essendon 4.12 (36)

46,100 people rocked up to watch the Dogs embarass them.

Champions of Victoria is small time thinking. As the Yanks do in baseball I see this as the world series

Champions of the World.

[Mantis]

I have clients taking me to the game Friday, so if it all goes to shit I can drown the sorrows on someone else's dime.

We are Geelong's bunnies, but Essendon are our's... we will smoke them.

[jazzadogs]

In my mind this is just a second West Coast match.

I expect a 10 goal win, with domination across all lines.

Who are their good players outside of Merrett?

[Scorlibo]

In my mind this is just a second West Coast match.

I expect a 10 goal win, with domination across all lines.

Who are their good players outside of Merrett?

They have a few very good smalls across the park in McGrath, Gresham and Martin. All of these guys can have a big impact on matches. Perkins is in the same category but out injured.

McKay is in great form down back, Stringer and Langford are two of the better medium forwards around.

I don't see them as a pushover but they are extremely vulnerable through the middle as evidenced last week, and even more so given Setterfield and Perkins are out through injury. Hopefully Parish takes another week to find his form, and it's our crew versus Merrett.

[bornadog]

Key timing

3:45pm ? Gates 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 open
4:05pm ? Footscray v Essendon (VFL) curtain raiser
5pm ? The Pack Kids Club zone opens (Gate 7)
5:45pm ? All gates and Bulldogs Shop (Gate 7) opens
7:25pm ? Team entry & light show
7:40pm ? First bounce

[Axe Man]

Mick McGuane: Western Bulldogs v Essendon round 5 preview (https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/mick-mcguane-western-bulldogs-v-essendon-round-5-preview-hawthorn-analysis/news-story/a9619cbcffd3eb34cfed243ff309f47d)

Friday night?s clash between the Western Bulldogs and Essendon is set to tell us a lot about both sides.

AFL analyst Mick McGuane looks at the keys to success for each team and the players who need to lift.

Plus, Mick takes a look at Hawthorn after a 0-4 start to the season. Is Sam Mitchell?s side still on the right track?

FRIDAY NIGHT SPOTLIGHT
ESSENDON

Forget the ?Essendon Edge?.

When things go pear shaped, Brad Scott?s team have once again proved they struggle to wrestle back momentum against a quality opponent.

Don?t get me wrong ? their first quarter was outstanding against Port Adelaide last week.

However, after that it was a procession from the Power at the centre bounce and Essendon was soft and lacked initiative as it failed to adjust.

Port Adelaide won the centre clearances for the game 19-6, which is a smashing in anyone?s language.

That is the one area of the ground where you can?t saturate numbers to support stoppage loss and when you concede clearance numbers like that you will also give up significant inside-50s and put your defensive six under enormous pressure.

When they did have the ball, the Bombers managed only six goals from 43 inside-50s against the Power.

Much of that can be put down to their kicking and decision making when going forward, which was often fairly mediocre by AFL standards.

Port Adelaide only took one intercept mark in the first quarter, but grabbed 17 for the rest of the game as Essendon?s ball security imploded.

The Bombers are not hard enough for long enough and until they can find some greater consistency both from an offensive and defensive perspective they will remain a middle-of-the-road team.

What did Essendon?s legendary coach Kevin Sheedy and now current director say about another club and a couple of their football administrators in the late 1990?s?

?Marshmallow? Kangaroos comes to mind.

The way the Essendon on-ballers meekly surrendered to their more energetic and hungry counterparts last week resembled that of marshmallows.

To be blunt, they were soft and far too easy to play against.

Compounding the issues, two of their constants through the middle in Will Setterfield (knee) and Archie Perkins (hamstring) now find themselves on the sidelines.

But that might prove a good chance for Scott to be innovative with his midfield mix.

THE KEY

Bring the heat and hit back at centre bounce.

Winning first possession gains and transferring that into clearance wins against the Bulldogs is critical.

Also, the Bombers can ill-afford to get into a shootout, so their pressure and tackling game must be manic and kamikaze like.

On the back of a strong defensive mindset their attack will come.

Make no mistake ? this game starts and stops with ruck duo Todd Goldstein and Sam Draper, who face off with an in-form Tim English after being soundly beaten by Ivan Soldo and Jeremy Finlayson last week.

They need to be aggressive and set the scene, as do their midfielders ? both offensively and defensively.

Essendon can?t afford to let Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore or Adam Treloar come out the front of stoppage as easily as Connor Rozee and Jason Horne-Francis did last week.

Understanding trends and having solutions to counter the strengths of your opposition is what great leaders and on field organisers provide the team.

Last week the Bombers midfielders were rudderless and didn?t have the answers to change momentum, which is a facet of the game that hurt them.

If you are going to leave an area of space open, make it forward of the ruckman.

Don?t expose yourself with allowing your defensive side to be exploited, as Essendon did last week.

Talk about leaving the gate open.

WHO NEEDS TO LIFT?

If he doesn?t smarten up his game soon, Mason Redman could find himself in the VFL.

It has been an underwhelming start to the season for a player who inked a five-year contract extension last July.

Redman?s rebound-50s have dropped from 4.9 last year to 3.3 this year, his intercept possessions have halved from 6 to 3 and his intercept marks are drastically down from 2.1 to 0.7 a game.

As much as Redman is out of form, Nic Martin?s move to halfback hasn?t helped him.

Could Scott move Martin into the midfield to add some nimbleness and energy at the coal face, allowing Redman to be the main man off halfback once again?

It?s worth a try and may prove a win-win for both the team and players involved.

WESTERN BULLDOGS

The Bulldogs look to have found some bite.

It was a poor start to the season against Melbourne in round 1, but since then Luke Beveridge?s team has done a lot right.

They?re playing a strong front-half game and have the ability to do some damage centre-forward through the a potent attack which includes Aaron Naughton, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Sam Darcy and Cody Weightman.

The Bulldogs rank fourth in the competition for retaining the ?money kick? going inside-50, third for overall kicking efficiency, fifth for pressure rating and fifth for average points from turnovers at 53.8 points per game.

They are a side which wants to play the game at an up-tempo speed by playing on quickly from marks, changing angles and pinpointing open players in space.

That speed of ball movement will challenge Essendon?s defence on Friday night as the Bulldogs eye a third win in four weeks at Marvel Stadium.

However, as good as they have been with the ball, there is room for improvement without it.

Beveridge?s team ranks 12th for defending ball movement ? that is the opposition?s ability to move the ball from their defensive 50 to attacking 50.

This clash with the Bombers is big and will tell us a lot about the Bulldogs.

If Beveridge?s team wants to return to finals this year, these are the type of games they need to capitalise on.

THE KEY

It?s all about a strong inside-to-outside game around contest for the Bulldogs.

Tom Liberatore is one of the most influential players in the competition and had an off-the-charts match against Geelong last week.

He racked up 21 first-possession gains on his way to 19 clearances from 35 disposals.

If Essendon don?t put some serious work into Liberatore and take away his first-possession gains, he will again get the ball to the outside and kickstart the Bulldogs? offence.

On the flip side, the Bulldogs must ensure that the Bombers don?t get their tails up around stoppages after a poor showing last week.

Given that the Bulldogs? ability to defend ball movement is questionable, they won?t want to rely on winning the ball back across halfback.

The Bulldogs want to lock the ball in their front-half and generate repeat entries to hit the scoreboard ? which you do through winning clearances and gaining territory.

WHO NEEDS TO LIFT?

The Bulldogs? big names have all started the season in good form ? and that includes Naughton.

However, Naughton is a bit of a conundrum at the moment.

His forward-50 marks have dropped from 2.5 to 1.3 a game this year, as a result of playing higher up the ground and bringing with him the opposition?s best defender.

That is allowing Ugle-Hagan more space to work in inside-50, and as a consequence he is the Bulldogs? most targeted forward.

But he has only kicked six goals from four games and Naughton only has four majors.

Naughton is indirectly impacting the scoreboard in his higher role, averaging an elite 7.5 score involvements per game.

But is Beveridge getting his forward structure right when it comes to who he is trying to isolate?

That?s the big question given Ugle-Hagan?s returns.

KEY MATCH UPS

Harrison Jones v Liam Jones

The Bombers forward has to play a negating role but also make sure he stays relevant by being a viable option when his side is attacking the forward line. This will force his opponent to be accountable. Liam Jones is the Bulldogs? best interceptor, so Harrison Jones should be using him as a competitive starting point and make sure he doesn?t influence the air through intercept marks.

Tim English v Todd Goldstein & Sam Draper

This ruck battle will be fascinating. English is looking to secure a juicy new contract but will need to stand and deliver against a duo who should be fired up after being badly beaten last week. English often uses soft hands to tap down to Tom Liberatore, but if the Bombers give Liberatore some close attention then English might need to look to get the ball on the outside and into space, more like Ivan Soldo did against Essendon last week. English can also slide forward and be an aerial threat in front of the ball, which is something Goldstein and Draper will have to watch for.

Ben McKay v Aaron Naughton

Naughton has been playing higher up the ground this season and there will be some cat and mouse around how far he can take McKay with him to try and minimise his intercept game. I wouldn?t be surprised to see Naughton play a little deeper at times, though. Playing 20m forward of stoppages between the arcs doesn?t look to help the Bulldogs? forward structure.

Tom Liberatore v Sam Durham

Durham is a hard inside midfielder who will be a welcome addition given the losses of Perkins and Setterfield to injury. Durham can win contests himself, but he can also be accountable and take away Liberatore?s stoppage prowess. The Bombers need to cut the snake off at the head and that means limiting the impact of Liberatore.

[westdog54]

On the concourse for the first time since 2019, ready to walk in with the young bloke after we've visited the Kids zone.

Feels so good to be back. It's been too long.

Dogs by 40.
Gallagher first goal.
English to run Draper into the ground.

[bornadog]

On the concourse for the first time since 2019, ready to walk in with the young bloke after we've visited the Kids zone.

Feels so good to be back. It's been too long.

Dogs by 40.
Gallagher first goal.
English to run Draper into the ground.

Where have you been

[meenies]

Scoreboard is showing Sanders as sub

[Pleather Sole]

Scoreboard is showing Sanders as sub

Is that definite? 3 defenders and a mid/fwd on the bench......

[jazzadogs]

Is that definite? 3 defenders and a mid/fwd on the bench......

I think it's just the order they were listed in the team announcement, and Marvels graphics automatically make the 5th name the sub.

Every chance he is the sub, but I wouldn't take the scoreboard as official.

[Pleather Sole]

If Footscray whip Essendon in the VFL & there's some impressive performers who might trigger some selection pressure then:
Margin: Dogs by at least 70
First Goal: Sanders first goal or Marra if Sanders is sub
BOG:Think Marra might fill his boots in his 50th game.

[Pleather Sole]

I think it's just the order they were listed in the team announcement, and Marvels graphics automatically make the 5th name the sub.

Every chance he is the sub, but I wouldn't take the scoreboard as official.

Cheers, wondered if it was alphabetical?

[G-Mo77]

Scoreboard is showing Sanders as sub

:rolleyes:

What a great start.

[westdog54]

Where have you been
Without going into detail, some life complications have kept me away. Onward and upward from here.

[westdog54]

Is that definite? 3 defenders and a mid/fwd on the bench......

Official.

[bornadog]

Without going into detail, some life complications have kept me away. Onward and upward from here.

Great to have you back

[ledge]

Scoreboard is showing Sanders as sub

I’m not sure the reasoning in that . Play him in the reserves if that’s the case.

[bornadog]

:rolleyes:

What a great start.

He must need a rest

[angelopetraglia]

Bailey Dale is the sub

[G-Mo77]

I?m not sure the reasoning in that . Play him in the reserves if that?s the case.

Dale is sub.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Glad it's Dale.

Bravo MC.

[westdog54]

Bailey Dale is the sub

Weird that they would display Sanders' name in the ground before it was official but good result either way.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Dogs by 28 points
First Goal: Naughton
BOG: Richards

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Go Doggies. Burn Bont

[bornadog]

Dale is sub.
Good choice

[bornadog]

Marrrraaaaaa

[jazzadogs]

Great grab and finish from Marra. Should have left it for Cody, but great grab and finish regardless.

Also loved the Khamis tackle on Stringer just before.

[G-Mo77]

Is this Stringer matchup with Buku a concern?

Edit: No if he kicks like that

[MrMahatma]

Bruise free shoot out footy at the moment. Need to defend transition

[jazzadogs]

Sanders movement through traffic has been great so far, although would have loved for him to move forward once he had space instead of giving the handball back to Khamis.

[MrMahatma]

English making loads of errors

[bornadog]

3 goals from 3 free kicks - defence needs to be better

[hujsh]

Not many of Essendon's forward 50 entries have been particularly dangerous looking.

[lemmon]

I'm an English fan but he's had a stinker of a start.

[bornadog]

Jeezus

[lemmon]

Laith's bringing a heap of junkyard dog to that forward line and I'm loving it. We need more water carriers in the front half and he's bringing that tonight

[hujsh]

Why are the commentators confused about how that could be a free? He was whacked in the face while standing up lol

[kruder]

Another game where Bevo will have to remind English to Compete

[bornadog]

Bont only with his 3rd touch

[bornadog]

Where was prior?

[bornadog]

Another game where Bevo will have to remind English to Compete
Really - early days

[The Bulldogs Bite]

English $1m. Lol.

[hujsh]

English has to hold that. Weak as piss and directly lead to a goal

[MrMahatma]

Really - early days

English’s worst quarter in 2 yrs.

[bornadog]

English’s worst quarter in 2 yrs.
Early days - winning HO

[chef]

Essendon really taking it up to us, bit worrying.

[lemmon]

Doesn't seem like we'll trust Darcy in the ruck much tonight, so English is really going to have to lift.

[bornadog]

Essendon really taking it up to us, bit worrying.

They did that last week against Port. 3 Goals came from free kicks

[Happy Days]

Are we playing with a different rule book to them or something

[Happy Days]

English has to hold that. Weak as piss and directly lead to a goal

He got his legs taken out. That bald umpire is a cheat.

[angelopetraglia]

Some very soft frees that cost us goals. Gee whiz. Umps having an influence.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I am livid with the umpiring thus far.
It's woeful.

[kruder]

Lade addressing English as expected.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

We just need the reset and power our eyes going into F50. The trees will balance out. That?s the best they have so it?s up to us now to grind them out

[Happy Days]

We’re cooking them, the main difference is when they get it inside 50 they get a free kick for no reason. If we we can fix that up we should be okay.

[Grantysghost]

English has to hold that. Weak as piss and directly lead to a goal

Goldstein pushed him i thought it was interference in the contest.

[jazzadogs]

I still think we overrun them comfortably.

That was a frustrating quarter with a few clear chances bungled by our players, while we gifted them some with silly free kicks.

[jazzadogs]

Goldstein pushed him i thought it was interference in the contest.

Yeh my initial thought was he spilled it, but then the replay clearly shows two hands from Draper as he fell over.

[ledge]

5 goals all from a free kick or a 50 metre penalty.
I’m worried about this turf it’s terrible , I think there was 3 or 4 players got ankle injuries in the vfl .

[Bumper Bulldogs]

He still gets schools by bigger bodied rucks everyday.

Why he allowed them to take front spot is mind blowing honestly

[Grantysghost]

We’re cooking them, the main difference is when they get it inside 50 they get a free kick for no reason. If we we can fix that up we should be okay.

And stop their butter through knife transition out of our forward 50.
Stringer is too smart for Buku, an interesting matchup. Footy smarts v atheltic ability.

[bornadog]

Need a few step up

[lemmon]

Jack Macrae's best quarter for a while. Feel like he's been very deliberate with his ball use.

[chef]

Onya Laith, having a good game.

[jazzadogs]

My man Laith.

[hujsh]

We all love you Laith everyone was just joking all those other times

[hujsh]

We all love you Laith everyone was just joking all those other times

Would like to highlight how he busted his ass at the start of the quarter to give someone an easy pass into the pocket. Pulled a man out of the zone to chase him too

[jazzadogs]

What alternate reality is that umpire living in?

[KT31]

Disgraceful umpiring, he played on.

[G-Mo77]

Am I biased or are we getting royally ****ed by umpires?

[hujsh]

Am I biased or are we getting royally ****ed by umpires?

Maybe both

[chef]

Haha how shit are we. Bombers are trash.

[MrMahatma]

Damn lads

[chef]

Weak effort Cody

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Is there any incorrect disposal against Bombers??

[Bumper Bulldogs]

How did we botch that up

[angelopetraglia]

The surface of the ground is horrendous. You can?t bounce the ball. Players slipping over.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

OK, if Bramble can't execute there, his other admirable traits are for naught

[ledge]

We have had the opportunity to run into open goals and stuffed it so many times.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

We look bog average.

[angelopetraglia]

OK, if Bramble can't execute there, his other admirable traits are for naught

Surface of the ground played a role. It?s horrendous.

[lemmon]

Bramble misses that handball to Treloar through the middle but Treloar strolling around not even considering the chase is not on. That's rubbish

[chef]

Giving them confidence. Danger signs.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Pretty poor effort from Williams and they Goal. We were all over them the first 10 minutes and we didn?t make them pay

[Grantysghost]

Giving them confidence. Danger signs.

Smashing us atm.

[ledge]

**** me wtf !

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Surface of the ground played a role. It?s horrendous.

He was too late in making a decision though by then. Both players were covered, he needed to have passed it earlier or kicked it long.

[DOG GOD]

Fumble and poor decisions one after the other. Mix that with poor kicking and we deserve to be down at half time. If we continue to play a tug of war of kamikaze football, we will lose

[KT31]

Dominate for half a quarter and not capitalise.
Bummers have five minutes of the play and put the runs on the board.

[angelopetraglia]

How can the AFL who own the ground have a Pink concert a week before the season starts? Horrendous. It just crazy.

Also, if the surface is suspect, why play a curtain raiser?

[bornadog]

Surface of the ground played a role. It?s horrendous.

Not AFL standard

[jazzadogs]

They've shut down Libba really well, only 9 touches to half time.
Bont has 12 but minimal impact.

English has been woeful in the ruck. Goldstein and Draper were always a danger combo for Tim, and he has let us down.

Macrae has had a really solid half. He's still in our best team imo.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I still think we win this.. but some conversations needs to happen at half time.
Macrae has had a lot of the ball, and yet on first viewing, I think I'd be okay with him going back to the VFL.

But some of the mistakes we've made have effectively been 12 point plays.
We need Treloar to get off the chain and force Essendon to consider moving Durham because so far Bont is not having the impact he should, despite getting a fair bit of it.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Our fringe players have looked .... Awful. Khamis, Bramble, Baker, Sanders (just not strong enough yet), Gallagher...

Libba and Bont a little down and we look like a bottom 6 side.

[Happy Days]

I hate this team man. Every year it’s just endless shit performances.

[ledge]

How can the AFL who own the ground have a Pink concert a week before the season starts? Horrendous. It just crazy.

Also, if the surface is suspect, why play a curtain raiser?

Both clubs need to ask for a please explain off the AFL about this ground.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

At times English has flat out refused to compete.

I'd trade him tomorrow if we could.

[bornadog]

Missing some easy shots - two by Darcy and one by Westy really not good enough

[Grantysghost]

Not AFL standard

The dirt felt wet underneath when i went out before the game.
Also there were clear stud marks all over the place from the vfl game.

[bornadog]

The dirt felt wet underneath when i went out before the game.
Also there were clear stud marks all over the place from the vfl game.

That is pathetic

[bornadog]

Getting cleaned up in the Centre, really have to change our tactics

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Getting cleaned up in the Centre, really have to change our tactics

Starts with English.

He's getting bullied.

[ledge]

I can see why Macrae was playing VFL kicked it straight to the backman 30 metres on his own !
At least make it a 50/50 if in doubt.

[Doc26]

They've shut down Libba really well, only 9 touches to half time.
Bont has 12 but minimal impact.

English has been woeful in the ruck. Goldstein and Draper were always a danger combo for Tim, and he has let us down.

Macrae has had a really solid half. He's still in our best team imo.

But why have both Libba and Bont been left on the bench for such extended periods in both the first and second quarters ?
Some weird type of management or coaching going on to have Sanders, Macrae and Treloar at the centre bounce stoppages for such long periods. We’re giving their midfielders such a free pass in doing so.

[Grantysghost]

Starts with English.

He's getting bullied.

He is. They started with Goldstein as the main man v English and Draper as the second.

They've changed it up later and now Draper the main guy.

English getting smashed by both.

[Grantysghost]

But why have both Libba and Bont been left on the bench for such extended periods in both the first and second quarters ?
Some weird type of management or coaching going on to have Sanders, Macrae and Treloar at the centre bounce stoppages for such long periods.
Libba is getting worked over by multiple mids. Caldwell mainly.
Bont has played loads of forward time since the ankle roll v Suns.

We really depend on those two way too much.

[westdog54]

Bont and Libba need to lift. We need to capitalise on our opportunities because they're barely wasting the ones they're getting.

I still think we'll have more in the tank for the second half. We're scoring off turnovers and they're scoring from stoppages. Close down their midfield and their scoring will dry up.

[angelopetraglia]

English just being manhandled and then not competing hard enough. How is this midfield killing us in centre clearances.

[josie]

He is. They started with Goldstein as the main man v English and Draper as the second.

They've changed it up later and now Draper the main guy.

English getting smashed by both.

At Footscray end/our cheer squad end Tim had opportunity to put some body pressure/smash pack and was I thought he was timid. Led directly to a bombers goal. If he is getting smashed at clearances then he has to dominate around ground and he is not doing that. Not sure he is worth $1M a season. C?mon Timmy, prove me wrong.

[angelopetraglia]

They have doubled our centre clearances. Doubled!

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Libba is getting worked over by multiple mids. Caldwell mainly.
Bont has played loads of forward time since the ankle roll v Suns.

We really depend on those two way too much.

I think you're right. Bont does appear to be having his midfield time managed.

[Doc26]

Libba is getting worked over by multiple mids. Caldwell mainly.
Bont has played loads of forward time since the ankle roll v Suns.

We really depend on those two way too much.

So we bench our two best clearance players for such extended periods because one is being tagged. Libba’s been tagged his whole career. Last week against the Cats these two were hardly struggling.

[G-Mo77]

English just being manhandled and then not competing hard enough. How is this midfield killing us in centre clearances.

This is why I'm against making him our highest paid player. This happens a lot.

[hujsh]

We are getting, in the words of the great Rocket Eade, crucified.

[chef]

We are losing this tonight aren't we .

[hujsh]

I thought you couldn't just push a ruckman in the back like that?

[jazzadogs]

Our forwards are getting violated at every contest, and nothing is getting paid. I feel like I'm losing my mind.

Plenty of other things we're doing wrong...but some deserved free kicks would be nice.

[G-Mo77]

We are losing this tonight aren't we .

I think so. It has that bad smell about it

[bornadog]

This is why I'm against making him our highest paid player. This happens a lot.
Bont is the highest paid

[bornadog]

Another bullshit free kick

[bornadog]

Bramble too many errors, Gallagher will be dropped

[Mantis]

English can FRO and Darcy in the ruck is detrimental to our performance.

[MrMahatma]

Pretty frustrating

[bornadog]

Pretty frustrating
sure is

[lemmon]

Don't know about Sanders subbed out while I'm watching this kind of footy from Bramble, Baker and Gallagher as outside runners.

[josie]

Coach killer game. I had a sinking feeling Q1. Please prove me wrong Dogs.

[bornadog]

This umpiring is just crap.

Why didn't English get interference ? Bullshit free to Stringer

[chef]

We're done. Stick a fork in us.

[hujsh]

Soft from a couple there (English and Macrae)

[bornadog]

Stringer gutless hates body contact

[chef]

Stringer gutless hates body contact

Sounds like a few of our boys.

[hujsh]

What would be great is if the ground was stable enough for the players to have confidence in running and/or bouncing the ball too

[lemmon]

Need the leaders to stand up here.

[Happy Days]

Man that’s one of the worst quarters of footy I’ve ever seen.

[chef]

This is as embarrassing as the WCE game last season. Weak as piss.

[1eyedog]

Cannot hit a target.

[whythelongface]

We are making the Bombers look like world beaters. Unbelievable

[hujsh]

https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/025/543/eca.png

[The Bulldogs Bite]

MC have tried throwing the magnets around a little.

We're just no good.

[bornadog]

12 players with 10 or less disposals.

[Grantysghost]

Lucky we dropped Caleb

[kruder]

Back flankers killed us two weeks straight

[whythelongface]

Man that’s one of the worst quarters of footy I’ve ever seen.

Some of our play was downright awful. That passage with Bramble and JJ in particular

[G-Mo77]

Lucky we dropped Caleb

Drop English next week! That is something I'd agree with

[bornadog]

Some of our play was downright awful. That passage with Bramble and JJ in particular

JJ really disapointing, have not seen him run and bounce again. We are moving the ball then Turning it over

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Gee we can still win this. We a lift from Libba and English and we e win by 3 goals

Simple really

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

This is the problem often with guys like Bramble, they have a streak where only their good traits show, but then you get games like this where their bushleague level traits in some aspects take centre stage, and you start to see whey they ultimately were delisted before.

That's not to say delisted players can't be good, but I think the successful ones, somehow learn to either mitigate their weaknesses to an extent that their either neutral or only a minor negative.

[Grantysghost]

Drop English next week! That is something I'd agree with
Worst I've seen him play for a couple of years.

[JanLorMill]

Drop English next week! That is something I'd agree with
Well 850K on offer is way over.

[ledge]

We won’t win this , we are missing goals we should get , turning it over with no pressure , umpires might as well be wearing black and red.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

To say a massive last quarter is required is a super under statement.

A lot of guys have got to lift here. This will show what we're made of.

[hujsh]

Oh god and now I'm having to listen to Garry Lyon. Please someone make it stop

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Weightman would want to have a big last term.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Thank goodness for Duryea.

[chef]

Game over

[angelopetraglia]

Umps having a massive influence.

We are not helping ourselves. But gee whiz.

[ledge]

Game over , this is rubbish they have no forwards at all and one backman and we still lose

[whythelongface]

Umps having a massive influence.

We are not helping ourselves. But gee whiz.

Umpires are pathetic

[angelopetraglia]

How is that not a free to JOD?

[hujsh]

I'm not watching this

[lemmon]

JOD had his head ripped off and nothing

[BornInDroopSt'54]

My two men sons are let down by the Dogs tonight.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Wow,we have lost all method now.

And the umpiring just continues to kick us in the nuts too.

[chef]

The umpiring is the least of our problems

[Grantysghost]

Can we try Naughton back hes a woeful forward.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

JOD had his head ripped off and nothing

I thought the same, had a look at the replay, it was actually fine.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Now we're running into each other.
We've cracked.

[ledge]

Could see this happening a mile away after last week the media putting it to the bombers. Why couldn’t the club see it ?

[lemmon]

Things are going to get messy in the media this week

[Mantis]

Bye, bye Bevo.

[ledge]

Roll the dice sign has gone up

[chef]

Can we try Naughton back hes a woeful forward.

Yep, what's to lose

[whythelongface]

The umpiring is the least of our problems

True. But we need to take some positives from the game.

[westbulldog]

Outplayed, uncompetitive, embarrassing, listless, still can't kick straight, poorly coached, pathetic sums it up.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Goodnight ladies and gentleman.
I'm not going to stay for the dissection tonight. I'll respond tomorrow, once I've settled. I'd rather do something more productive tonight than acknowledge what we served up tonight.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Pathetic.
Someone must hang for this weak performance.
Tje B9nt era is ruined.

[Rocket Science]

It's okay everyone we have a sign with some dice on it.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Percentage and hope in ruins!

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Yeah, bye Luke. You're cooked. Been cooked for a long time.

[chef]

True. But we need to take some positives from the game.

Man, what positives can you take from this dumpster fire.

It's a coach killer.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Bye, bye Bevo.

He is approaching the event horizon, no doubt. The spaceship Bevo will need to change its course in weeks, or its too late.

[MrMahatma]

Reckon this is a coach killer.

[Happy Days]

**** these guys. See you all in three maybe four days.

[DOG GOD]

The writing was on the wall in that first quarter. English absolutely bullied by Goldstein and Draper, and was always going to happen.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

This game is a lanxe to the heart.
Talent galore and piss poor, Bevo!

[The Adelaide Connection]

If we lost every game and beat Essendon I would still be somewhat contented.

This is hard to stomach.

[ledge]

This is disgusting

[whythelongface]

I can’t believe this performance. Absolutely pathetic

[ledge]

Pressure coming now for Bevo no excuse for this

[DOG GOD]

Literally given up now.

[angelopetraglia]

This is as bad a loss as you will ever see. We have embarrassed ourselves against a basket case under the Friday night lights.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Bevo you call this morivation?
8calk you lost, sadly lost as a coach.
Give us ahard arse backmen ascoach.
Tjexloae relationshio and loyalry to player is a disaster!

[dukedog]

Lol... sell tim english... he is soft as . Game plans is a joke.

[DOG GOD]

10 of the last 11 goals. Haha

[DOG GOD]

Lol... sell tim english... he is soft as . Game plans is a joke.
He?s certainly not worth 850k lol

[Rocket Science]

Dale's been on for 11 minutes and already jibbed at least three contests.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Pl3ase 3xcuse misguided word processing minus glasses but not my disgust.

[lemmon]

After losing to Hawthorn and West Coast last year, it's all well and good to shuffle around assistant coaches or throw the whiteboard magnets around, but it's time to change the one bloke who's been pretty untouched.

[DOG GOD]

1 goal since HT to a team I rate as top 3 worse defences (on paper). Geez

[dukedog]

Lol our kicking

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Tim English can be transported back to England.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

This is both coach and career killing for some players too.
I really am turning off now and going to play some serene No Man's Sky instead.
Bye peeps. I'll post tomorrow with a clearer head, because right now, my needle is starting to shift in terms of whether Bevo should stay or go, for the first time. This troubles me.
But for me. Pre game Buckley said or to the effect of 'if the Bulldogs play fast, Essendon will love it and it will give them the best chance of success. I'd say Bevo has seen how Port played them last week and will respond accordingly game style wise and we'll see them be more patient with ball....''

Nope..

[ledge]

Ok one good thing , Darcy.

[dukedog]

Saints next week... dockers in perth following.... Good luck bevo.

[MrMahatma]

I think we should sack Bevo now… in game. Make a point. This season is officially wasted.

[KT31]

Embarrassing, insipid and totally unacceptable performance.

[angelopetraglia]

Every week a coach brings a different game plan to beat us. This week we didn?t lose to the transition game. They made it a I?m close fight and we were not up to it.

There first six goals originated from a free kick, which has to be a record. I thought the umps kept them in it early. We looked the better team.

Half way through the second we had control. We looked like we would gap them. Didn?t take a few chances.

After that, we didn?t look like scoring. We hang in there, but didn?t throw any punches.

A few 50/50 calls didn?t go our way that resulted in two quick goals after Marra missed a simple opportunity to close the game to a kick.

After that, they lifted and we just crumbled. Embarrassing. Pathetic. Disgraceful. Throw in any other adjective you want.

We are cooked. Put a fork in us.

[ledge]

Tim English can be transported back to England.

Hey ! **** off not ours lol

[angelopetraglia]

With the game in the balance we let a pedestrian team that is injury riddled kick six consecutive goals against us

[ledge]

So I’ve already had bomber supporters mouth off . So I said come back to me when you win a flag this century and they think 2000 was this century lol

[jeemak]

Glad I came. Absolute coach killer.

[Mantis]

What an embarrassing performance.

I can?t see how Beveridge survives this.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Chris Grant,
This aged pensioner will give you $200 to 2xecute Luke Beveridge's tenure.
The Fates have decreed, forget the Ides of March, beware the 19th of April wirhout decisive surgery of coaching staff.
Such agreat side pathetic, as bad as teams Whitten had to suffer.

[JanLorMill]

Reckon this is a coach killer.
We said that about the gws loss, the hawks loss and west coast loss.

[MrMahatma]

What an embarrassing performance.

I can?t see how Beveridge survives this.

He shouldn?t. Enough is enough. Weeks and season matter. Someone call Simpson.

[merantau]

Every week a coach brings a different game plan to beat us. This week we didn?t lose to the transition game. They made it a I?m close fight and we were not up to it.

There first six goals originated from a free kick, which has to be a record. I thought the umps kept them in it early. We looked the better team.

Half way through the second we had control. We looked like we would gap them. Didn?t take a few chances.

After that, we didn?t look like scoring. We hang in there, but didn?t throw any punches.

A few 50/50 calls didn?t go our way that resulted in two quick goals after JOD missed a simple opportunity to close the game to a kick.

After that, they lifted and we just crumbled. Embarrassing. Pathetic. Disgraceful. Throw in any other adjective you want.

We are cooked. Put a fork in us.

Sadly, I think you might be on the money. I cannot understand how we can dominate the game in the second quarter and then just go to water. It was really embarrassing.

The same old problems are still there. We just don't take our chances and so many of those are gimmes!

We are in trouble. There is no doubt about it. That was a game we should have won and we blew it big time.

[angelopetraglia]

Swamp

Most recent 4 quarter wins for ESS
2024 R05 v WBD
2023 R11 v wce
2022 R20 v nth
2022 R18 v gcs
2021 R17 v adel
2021 R03 v stk

Ha. Lose the last quarter to a team who never wins the last quarter. Gee whiz.

[Rocket Science]

Just tremendous that we continue to rock a game plan that means if Bont & Libba don't poll Brownlow votes we basically lose.

[jazzadogs]

Just tremendous that we continue to rock a game plan that means if Bont & Libba don't poll Brownlow votes we basically lose.

Is that game plan or personnel?

Who stepped up and played a good game in their place?

I put this loss at English's feet, more than Beveridge. He was monstered in the exact way that we all knew he would be. It flowed from there.

[kruder]

The timing of it all with players out of contract and now a coach under significant pressure. It all started with Tim English tonight make no mistake his first quarter was beyond?. Bevo has made a statement by dropping AA talent but it looks like the rest of the group hasn?t responded and its now questionable whether they are behind him. 50k awesome crowd sad night for the football club.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Libba decked by Stringer, on all fours, nobody does a thing.

A vision of our soulless footy club.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

It as obvious as a bulldog's knackers that the coach has list the players who played wirhout belif or hope.
Moreover the game plan is shizenhausen!
Cut deep is b3st pol7cy, a hard prune into old wood required.
We ain't going nowhere with our great hopes.
Like a death 8n the family, we must find new life from rot!

[josie]

Libba decked by Stringer, on all fours, nobody does a thing.

A vision of our soulless footy club.

Yep. That told us a lot.

[Mantis]

Libba decked by Stringer, on all fours, nobody does a thing.

A vision of our soulless footy club.

Draper mocking Libba after said tackle and not being put on his ass was worse.

We stand for nothing.

[macca]

Was at the game tonight
The umpires were down right cheating tonight ..
4 goals to bs free kicks. In the first quarter. And some of the softest over the shoulder taps.

The players looked dejected at 3 qtr time and played even worse than essendon . They had to double down and worker harder.

There was some selfish footy tonight by our players. These type of games are coach killers i am afraid.

How on earth can ordinary players like langford get some much space.
Some serious sole searching needs to be done this week.

[Happy Days]

Draper mocking Libba after said tackle and not being put on his ass was worse.

We stand for nothing.

I think if you do anything to Draper the teachers aide comes in and tells you off.

[Uninformed]

Every week a coach brings a different game plan to beat us. This week we didn?t lose to the transition game. They made it a I?m close fight and we were not up to it.

There first six goals originated from a free kick, which has to be a record. I thought the umps kept them in it early. We looked the better team.

Half way through the second we had control. We looked like we would gap them. Didn?t take a few chances.

After that, we didn?t look like scoring. We hang in there, but didn?t throw any punches.

A few 50/50 calls didn?t go our way that resulted in two quick goals after Marra missed a simple opportunity to close the game to a kick.

After that, they lifted and we just crumbled. Embarrassing. Pathetic. Disgraceful. Throw in any other adjective you want.

We are cooked. Put a fork in us.

Didn't get to watch the game. This seems a nice summary. Any other thoughts on why we lost? (Other than sack to coach, please..)

[BornInDroopSt'54]

The crap irony is Dons fired up after being called soft all week, we weak as an old teabag.
So do we fire up next week?
No, hope killed.
I will take up golf.
There's always next year.
A dark day in FFC history like WCE pathetic effort.
We have every reason to hope with our list, I fear Bont will need to wait a few years yet, a dusty path to another premiership.
This ship is marooned and it gives me the flying shizenhausen!

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Libba is my hero.

[Grantysghost]

Libba decked by Stringer, on all fours, nobody does a thing.

A vision of our soulless footy club.
Same happened with Harmes rd 1

Worst part for me tonight was the disintegration of our game plan.
We had no answers when the real heat came.

English spoiled by Heppell was indicative of the difference in desire.


Really spiritless performance. I vacillate between not having the cattle and not having the gameplan / buy in to the message.

Maybe, just maybe... Its both.

We've got no injuries to speak of either.

Crikey, bad times ahead.

Where was Bont for long parts of the third quarter?

[lemmon]

Channel 7 showing footage of Libba collapsing in the middle of the ground not long after the Stringer hit. Hope he's okay

[Warrnambulldog]

Team were flat, and so are we.
Highlighted by Bont and English. Do not know how we get killed out of the middle so often with the names we have in there. English dropped some sitters that he usually takes too.
Have been impressed by Bramble and Bakers start to the year but gee they were both sloppy and costly.
Gallagher quiet. Some bad goalkicking. Umps didn?t help.
We?ve got some soul searching to do. Not sure whether there has been some faith lost with the coach by unsettling the group with his ?evolution?

[angelopetraglia]

How does our midfield lose Centre Clearances 10-16? At one stage it was 5-10? To this Esssendon midfield? How?

That started all their drive. Tim English just got monstered. The most disturbing part is Bevo saw it coming. He called it out in his presser. So we planned for it. He asked Tim for a big effort and he probably had one of the worse games I have seen him play. He was pushed around. He gave away a cheap free kick for the first goal. He dropped marks he normally takes. He wasn't physical enough in some critical contests.

[angelopetraglia]

Channel 7 showing footage of Libba collapsing in the middle of the ground not long after the Stringer hit. Hope he's okay

Gutless weak hit from Stringer. But they were doing it all night. How many bone crunching tackles did they hit us with tonight. When they had a chance to bury us they did.

[Mantis]

Gutless weak hit from Stringer. But they were doing it all night. How many bone crunching tackles did they hit us with tonight. When they had a chance to bury us they did.

How was it gutless?

Libba was open and he hit him hard, fairly though? no issue with that from me. How we responded was gutless.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

How does our midfield lose Centre Clearances 10-16? At one stage it was 5-10? To this Esssendon midfield? How?

That started all their drive. Tim English just got monstered. The most disturbing part is Bevo saw it coming. He called it out in his presser. So we planned for it. He asked Tim for a big effort and he probably had one of the worse games I have seen him play. He was pushed around. He gave away a cheap free kick for the first goal. He dropped marks he normally takes. He wasn't physical enough in some critical contests.

How many times can we say the same thing about English though? The fact some still think he's worth anything above $700k is ridiculous. He won the AA role by default last year because many of the rucks were injured for periods of the year, or in the case of Gawn/Grundy, spent half the year cancelling each other out.

He's a midfielder trapped in a rucks body. He lets us down in the same way over and over again.

[Warrnambulldog]

Cannot stand Geelong and Essendon and the Scott twins. Painful couple of weeks