Winning doesn't reduce pressure...it CREATES pressure.

[mjp]

So. After wins over Carlton and Geelong (at Geelong no less), we are kind of back in it. But it is now that pressure REALLY starts to build.

I have been watching with interest Hawthorn's rise, and - to a lesser extent, Brisbane's run up the ladder. To me, their poor performances early in the season have 100% helped them do 'their thing'. The pressure has been OFF.

Hawthorn lost 5 of their first 6 or whatever it was and had been written off for the year. Mitchell was under some pressure for sure - but the players were not. They were expected to finish down the bottom, their losses confirmed everyone's opinion of them (including oppo teams) and they have really gone on a run through the competition. To me, their season starts NOW - NOW they are going to be scrutinised, NOW they are going to be challenged...because suddenly NOW it matters.

Brisbane are the same in so many ways - written off as a top 4 contender, the media LOVE Fagan so he's gotten away with whatever he dished up...but NOW (starting today vs Sydney) they are going to be assessed...NOW everyone thinks they are a top 4- chance and have a home game against the Swans.

We are the same, same...but different. We won 'just enough' during the year to be criticised and scrutinised...but the pressure is going to really ramp up now. If Bevo thought it was hard earlier this year, well - there will be no chance of escaping the spotlight. Winning the last two will really shine the spotlight on us - media types are now having to eat some words (and some tips) about the season and the last couple of weeks...they are going to come hard at us if we stuff this up.

The more you win, the more the NEXT GAME means. The more you win, the more a single loss can cost you.

Our remaining games are very tricky. VERY tricky. How we negotiate Sydney next week has suddenly become critical to the season...

[angelopetraglia]

Billie Jean King had a great qoute.

"Pressure is a privilege. It only comes to those who earn it."

[bornadog]

Another way you can look at it is the confidence that is gained by winning tough matches and your belief starts to rise. Certainly the pressure is on to win, especially this season as there is no room for errors. Lose against Sydney and we are 6 points from the 8, win and we are in and close to top 4.

[Mofra]

It may invite pressure BUT - isn't that a good thing?

Finals are pressure games so playing with that sense of importance only serves to help us if we actually want to do some damage in September. Pretty sure "embrace the challenge" was the mantra for the week leading into the Carlton game

[Go_Dogs]

That’s the challenge for this group.

Let’s see if this iteration has it.

[Uninformed]

If not for the Port game I could see us getting on a roll and using these games as finals practice. So embracing and pushing through the pressure.

It's that unexplained Port failure that will be making everyone nervous and building up the pressure.

[Scorlibo]

This is such an hilariously Bulldogs point of view! We have always been terrible frontrunners.

I don't think the pressure of expectation is on us just yet. I mean, we're still outside of the eight. If we beat Sydney, that changes on a dime. It will open up a chance for us to get a home final and a small chance to sneak into the four. So yeah, we'd probably lose our mind and lose a couple of the next three winnable games.

Then again there is a fair portion of the side that is young and aren't yet burdened by the Bulldogs syndrome. Maybe a win against Sydney will be just what they need to really 'believe'.

[1eyedog]

So. After wins over Carlton and Geelong (at Geelong no less), we are kind of back in it. But it is now that pressure REALLY starts to build.

I have been watching with interest Hawthorn's rise, and - to a lesser extent, Brisbane's run up the ladder. To me, their poor performances early in the season have 100% helped them do 'their thing'. The pressure has been OFF.

Hawthorn lost 5 of their first 6 or whatever it was and had been written off for the year. Mitchell was under some pressure for sure - but the players were not. They were expected to finish down the bottom, their losses confirmed everyone's opinion of them (including oppo teams) and they have really gone on a run through the competition. To me, their season starts NOW - NOW they are going to be scrutinised, NOW they are going to be challenged...because suddenly NOW it matters.

Brisbane are the same in so many ways - written off as a top 4 contender, the media LOVE Fagan so he's gotten away with whatever he dished up...but NOW (starting today vs Sydney) they are going to be assessed...NOW everyone thinks they are a top 4- chance and have a home game against the Swans.

We are the same, same...but different. We won 'just enough' during the year to be criticised and scrutinised...but the pressure is going to really ramp up now. If Bevo thought it was hard earlier this year, well - there will be no chance of escaping the spotlight. Winning the last two will really shine the spotlight on us - media types are now having to eat some words (and some tips) about the season and the last couple of weeks...they are going to come hard at us if we stuff this up.

The more you win, the more the NEXT GAME means. The more you win, the more a single loss can cost you.

Our remaining games are very tricky. VERY tricky. How we negotiate Sydney next week has suddenly become critical to the season...

Yep pressure and anxiety. You can be the hunted very quickly in this caper.

We just need to not be sipping our own bath water either. We have to maintain the rage.

[macca]

I don't know what our mindset was at the Port game. But what I see of our players at Carlton and Geelong game was they were in the moment. Did the right thing instinctively and worked their backside off with defense.

When the first option was not taken, it resulted in a clanger , yes, it was the 2 VDM clangers I recall in the last quarter.

In the Carlton game we had most of the fwd play in the first quarter but yielded 7 points in the first quarter.

Q1. Are the players listening to the coaching more and responding ? JUH first quarter was putrid vs Carlton, as he goat outmuscled by Weitering( his impossible to beat 1-1). He got separation , ran harder and used his agility and speed to get away from his opponent. In Geelong game, you could see he was doing that more instinctively. Result, he had a high impactful game?


Q2. Are the players unifying and playing more cohesively ? Geelong game was such a good 4 quarter effort.

I think there is another gear to this team and I want to see them put on beast mode and start tearing teams apart with physicality.

[Ozza]

We seem to do well under pressure....but only after we've backed ourselves into a corner.

I'm beyond frustration with the way we start seasons. Matt Lloyd and Kane Cornes are spot on about it when they say that the Dogs stuff up the start of every season with Bevo's selections and then rattle home once we start to pick the right side. The evidence absolutely backs it up and it is the reason Beveridge has never got us into the top 4.

It is incredibly frustrating that we all know that we are one of the best teams in the league and we are fighting for our lives to just make finals again.

[mjp]

It is incredibly frustrating that we all know that we are one of the best teams in the league and we are fighting for our lives to just make finals again.

Do we all know?? You are what your win loss says you are...I think we're in the middle and that's where we are right now.

If the Lobb experiment turns into something a bit longer term - and JONES comes back and they play well together - AND if we are able to maintain our forward pressure despite probably having to play one less small forward then I will be a believer.

I know 'Jones back' sounds cool and all - and he's probably been our best player this year - but now he has to play alongside Lobb and who knows how that works out. And when he comes in, who goes out? It's easy to say Coffield or Khamis I guess, but the balance seems about 'right' at the moment, so what happens when we change it??

I think we're on the precipice right now of finding the right mix - but two weeks is two weeks - no matter how good they are - and a season is a season and right now, well, we've still got unknowns galore.

[jeemak]

Way too much is made of our selections that are mostly peripheral to the core. It's the latter's performance that we live and die by.

[comrade]

Way too much is made of our selections that are mostly peripheral to the core. It's the latter's performance that we live and die by.

I think that?s mostly right but we?ve lost plenty of games where Bont & co have big performances but we still lose (the first Geelong game standing out like dogs balls).

For us to beat the best, first the structure has to be right and then every player has to make the most of their chances. Bramble is a great example - probably not considered a ?core? player in terms of being one of our best half dozen but he gets the job on Miers and nails it, then also takes his big moment in the last quarter. Too often those peripheral players fluff their lines against the best sides and it costs us dearly.

The core players determine if we?re even in the game or, but the role players regularly decide if we win those tight, close ones.

[Happy Days]

I think that?s mostly right but we?ve lost plenty of games where Bont & co have big performances but we still lose (the first Geelong game standing out like dogs balls).

For us to beat the best, first the structure has to be right and then every player has to make the most of their chances. Bramble is a great example - probably not considered a ?core? player in terms of being one of our best half dozen but he gets the job on Miers and nails it, then also takes his big moment in the last quarter. Too often those peripheral players fluff their lines against the best sides and it costs us dearly.

The core players determine if we?re even in the game or, but the role players regularly decide if we win those tight, close ones.

In a matter of two weeks our bottom 6 has gone from nightmare fuel to the strongest it’s looked in years. Guys like Bramble, Khamis, even Poulter have never looked this good before.

[comrade]

In a matter of two weeks our bottom 6 has gone from nightmare fuel to the strongest it’s looked in years. Guys like Bramble, Khamis, even Poulter have never looked this good before.

Yeah, it?s hard to know if it?s a matter of when the opposition is poor everyone looks good. Or we were all good so it made the opposition play like trash.

I?m convinced Bramble is the goods & Khamis is showing good signs with Rory Lobbovich beside him, but Poulter, McNeil & Vanders are all still massive watches. We?re probably going to back them in now for at least a few weeks, so we?ll know more within a fortnight.

[hujsh]

I know 'Jones back' sounds cool and all - and he's probably been our best player this year - but now he has to play alongside Lobb and who knows how that works out. And when he comes in, who goes out? It's easy to say Coffield or Khamis I guess, but the balance seems about 'right' at the moment, so what happens when we change it??

I think we're on the precipice right now of finding the right mix - but two weeks is two weeks - no matter how good they are - and a season is a season and right now, well, we've still got unknowns galore.

How much of that was due to the availability/decline of Hawkins allowing Khamis and Coffield to play on appropriate match ups? While there were good parts of his game, Khamis' direct opponent did have 10 shots on goal the week before. Against many teams the balance probably works better with Jones/Lobb and one of Khamis/Coffield doesn't it? And if there's not a big key forward match up for both who would take Coffield or Khamis loose over Jones?

[comrade]

Lobb will be even more effective with Jones beside him.

[mjp]

Lobb will be even more effective with Jones beside him.

Well...we THINK that. But we don't KNOW that for sure.

If games were won and lost based on how teams look on paper, life would be so much easier.

[jeemak]

I think that?s mostly right but we?ve lost plenty of games where Bont & co have big performances but we still lose (the first Geelong game standing out like dogs balls).

For us to beat the best, first the structure has to be right and then every player has to make the most of their chances. Bramble is a great example - probably not considered a ?core? player in terms of being one of our best half dozen but he gets the job on Miers and nails it, then also takes his big moment in the last quarter. Too often those peripheral players fluff their lines against the best sides and it costs us dearly.

The core players determine if we?re even in the game or, but the role players regularly decide if we win those tight, close ones.

Agree with that, and by core I mean everyone up to player number fifteen to sixteen that get games every week, not just our few elite players.

[Ozza]

Do we all know?? You are what your win loss says you are...I think we're in the middle and that's where we are right now.

.

My point is we absolutely should be higher on the ladder. There is no doubt in my mind that we have the tools we need to be a top 4 team but we don't maximise our assets until we are in this scramble for finals. I don't think any team IN the 8, would want to play us, because they know that we are a better side than our results suggest. And this isn't the first time that our start to the season has meant we are in this position.

2024 - 3-5 after 8 rounds.
2023 - 5-3 but were smashed rounds 1 & 2. Missed finals
2022 - 3-5 coming off being a grand finalist. Snuck in to play an interstate final.
2021 - obviously an outlier season
2020 - 5-6 in the shortened season, scrambled home into 8th
2019 - started 2-4, interstate final

Meanwhile, in terms of teams inside the 8, we've demonstrated we can compete with anyone.

Sydney - we were very competitive against on a night we got smashed with injuries
Carlton - won
Brisbane - lost
Freo - lost over there, smashed them by 11 goals at home
Giants - won in Sydney
Geelong - won in Geelong, lost by 4 points in Adelaide.
Port and Essendon beat us.

[Go_Dogs]

I think percentage is generally a good indicator of where teams sit when it gets to this stage of the season. On balance, we’re a top 4 quality side - hopefully the balance of the season will see that come to fruition.

[GVGjr]

I think percentage is generally a good indicator of where teams sit when it gets to this stage of the season. On balance, we’re a top 4 quality side - hopefully the balance of the season will see that come to fruition.

It's normally a fair indicator but there are the occasional anomalies.
It depends a bit on the draw from my perspective. If you were copping North and Richmond twice by this stage of the season you might have a flattering percentage.

[DOG GOD]

Watching the last 2 games it seems we are more TEAM focused than I have seen this year. The tackling and pressure was relentless over those games and this is where it has to be for us to go further. The moment this lags off, is the moment our season is gone.

Our backs also seem to be attacking the ball a lot more. Dale has really gone to his AA level recently, considering his shocking start. His tackling, his run, his aggression at the ball and ball carrier is very pleasing.

And I don?t think it?s that surprising that when we see what Lobb has done against Carl and Geel. The team, like him, looks focused, looks hungry, and looks to be players enjoying their footy. They look like they know their roles and have been given clear messages and are taking it on board.

Can we do it again against Sydney? This will be THE game for mine. It could set us up, or it could really push us back. Will be interesting to see how we come out in those first 5-10 mins.

[Go_Dogs]

It's normally a fair indicator but there are the occasional anomalies.
It depends a bit on the draw from my perspective. If you were copping North and Richmond twice by this stage of the season you might have a flattering percentage.

And sides like Essendon who have perhaps had a favourable draw have a low percentage that should put them in the bottom six (where they belong!!).

Agree - the “fixture” means there are exceptions to the rule. I look at it this year and think it’s a good indicator of the form sides.

[FrediKanoute]

It's normally a fair indicator but there are the occasional anomalies.
It depends a bit on the draw from my perspective. If you were copping North and Richmond twice by this stage of the season you might have a flattering percentage.

Which we haven't, When we are on we are good. Scarily good. But when we are off......we suck.