AFL Game Day - R21

[GVGjr]

Lets keep all the non Bulldog discussions for the round to this thread.
Some fantastic games that will really shape the ladder.


Friday
West Coast vs Gold Coast

Saturday
North Melbourne vs Richmond
Geelong vs Adelaide
Collingwood vs Carlton
Port Adelaide vs Sydney

Sunday
GWS vs Hawthorn
Essendon vs Fremantle
St Kilda vs Brisbane

[lemmon]

West Coast has found one with Jack Williams as a ruck/forward. Big lump of a lad but he moves beautifully and seems to have really lovely skills.

[ledge]

West coast doing their best to look like they are trying to win.
Gold Coast doing their best to let WC win.

[azabob]

A cracking final ten minutes.

[azabob]

Eagles have kicked two huge goals to hit the front.

[azabob]

Eagles win by ten points.

Great way to end the night.

[lemmon]

The Eagles attack on the man and ball was manic in that last quarter. Fun watch.

[macca]

I really want Adelaide to beat Geelong today, for us to stay in the top 4.

Gee I felt dirty saying that, but I hate the entitled cats even more.

Stengle has been named

[ledge]

I really want Adelaide to beat Geelong today, for us to stay in the top 4.

Gee I felt dirty saying that, but I hate the entitled cats even more.

Stengle has been named

Nah I don’t want Adelaide getting confidence when we play them next week.

[The Adelaide Connection]

How about Adelaide win in a bruising encounter and get like 5 key players suspended (I don't wish injuries on people)?

[bornadog]

North win.

Richmond have gone from 3 premierships a few years ago to wooden spooners

[whythelongface]

Crows in front late in the 3rd. Love to see them win this.

[GVGjr]

Crows in front late in the 3rd. Love to see them win this.

It's an unreal season. Brisbane couldn't win at the GABBA early on and now the Cats are vulnerable at GMHBA

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Whatever way this Adelaide v Geelong game goes, it spells trouble for us next week.

[Grantysghost]

Whatever way this Adelaide v Geelong game goes, it spells trouble for us next week.
Considering our recent form in Adelaide that's the game that has the most concern out of those left for me.

GWS beat us fair enough they're good.

[azabob]

Guys, gals, guys, gals... don't worry about adelaide. mjp called out both the demons and crows games as danger games. He is already wrong once.... it is all under control.... i hope.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Hawks beat Crows in Adelaide by 66pts.

[comrade]

If we maintain the same pressure and structure as the last 4 weeks, Adelaide should be scared of us and not the other way around.

[chef]

We'll beat the Crows easily if we just play like we have the last 4 weeks. We are the danger.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

The buildup to pies n blues is sickening.
Yet Paul Dimma told me he regretted not playing in front of big loud crowds like his bro at Collingwood.

[soupman]

Geez this colour matchup is atrocious. Why would they put Carlton in white shorts and Collingwood in black? Flip that and it becomes much easier.

Although a proper clash strip would be welcome.

[hujsh]

Port up 4 on Sydney already. Not great for us if Carlton and Port both win

[whythelongface]

Geez the Swans have fallen in a heap. Early days against Port but 5 goals down in the first isn’t a good start.

[hujsh]

Geez the Swans have fallen in a heap. Early days against Port but 5 goals down in the first isn’t a good start.

Make that 6.

39-0

[whythelongface]

Make that 6.

39-0

I’ll raise you to 7. 45-0

[ledge]

PA are a confidence side , they get on top and they lift . If you can put pressure on them they collapse.
Sydney have really fallen in a heap could lose top spot at this rate

[azabob]

Dean Cox might want that west coast job after all.

51 to zip

[azabob]

Dean Cox might want that west coast job after all.

51 to zip

Boo... score review

[azabob]

Boo... score review

Still 51 to zip

[Grantysghost]

Sydney gone hard to come back from this type of form slump

[whythelongface]

Watching Carlton v Collingwood. Pretty bog average. We are miles ahead of these two teams

[The Underdog]

Not sure whether to feel better about the Port loss or worse about the Sydney win.
Bloody hell.

[hujsh]

70-0

All in

[whythelongface]

Not sure whether to feel better about the Port loss or worse about the Sydney win.
Bloody hell.

Look it as if we started the rot and now other teams will capitalise.

[Grantysghost]

Are the port fans booing Ken?

[josie]

70-0

All in

Sydney imploding. What a season.

[Grantysghost]

Are the port fans booing Ken?
We spooked em. They realised it wasn't a one horse race.

[angelopetraglia]

What has happened to the Swans? They look gone.

This will be five losses in last six games.

[Grantysghost]

What has happened to the Swans? They look gone.

This will be five losses in last six games.
Do they have decent talls?

Grundy for every one going on about him isn't some amazing ruckman. He's ok.
McDonald is young, McLean and Amartey naff.... Not sure they're as good as they seem. Rampe isn't tall and he's their best defender. Great mids obviously.

Lions have a good side, they've gone into flag favorites we are nearly second believe it or not.

[westdog54]

Brisbane will be half a game off top spot if they beat StKilda tomorrow.

This ****ing season is ****ing bonkers.

[comrade]

Sydney dropping from top spot would be an insane capitulation. I?m not watching but what are Port doing to destroy them so easily?

[hujsh]

If Carlton lose this week next week against the Hawks is a massive danger game for them.

Also might be our best look at stealing a top 4 spot

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Never rated Sydney as highly as everyone else. Relying on those 3 mids to dominate the middle of the ground AND kick all their goals just wasn't sustainable and I found it laughable anyone thought it was.

Didn't expect a drop off to this degree but they overachieved.

Brisbane would be my clear flag favourites. I'd have us up there, but we need to finish top 4 and that might be hard given Geelong have an easy run home (besides v Freo) and Port are in hot form.

[JanLorMill]

Can you lose by 100+ and still win a premiership in the same year?

[josie]

Thanks for that miss McGovern. Happy for Pies and Pendlebury.

[bornadog]

Thanks for that miss McGovern. Happy for Pies and Pendlebury.

Tense last 6 minutes - good to see Carlton lose

[hujsh]

Huge miss from after the siren might really hurt Carlton. I hope we make it hurt at least

[azabob]

Pendlebury is a legend.

He just said “I have a basketball background if people don’t know”.

[soupman]

Love how they keep running with the narrative that Collingwood are amazing in close games.

Commentators were talking about how they are the "clutch kings' after that result. As if being demolished at every single clearance and being unable to control the ball let alone look like scoring in the last 5 minutes, plus conceding an after the siren shot on goal for the opposition to beat them in said close game is the definition of clutch.

[jeemak]

Umpiring must have been really bad for Sydney to lose by 112 points.

[Flamethrower]

Never rated Sydney as highly as everyone else. Relying on those 3 mids to dominate the middle of the ground AND kick all their goals just wasn't sustainable and I found it laughable anyone thought it was.

Didn't expect a drop off to this degree but they overachieved.

Brisbane would be my clear flag favourites. I'd have us up there, but we need to finish top 4 and that might be hard given Geelong have an easy run home (besides v Freo) and Port are in hot form.

Fremantle play both Geelong and Port in Perth on the run home - if we win all 3 the lowest we can finish is 5th and a home final, while a top 2 and top 4 finish is still very much alive.

[Grantysghost]

Umpiring must have been really bad for Sydney to lose by 112 points.
Loooooolz. You can leave on that high.

Their tears are so sweet Scott Tenorman style to me.

[azabob]

Fremantle play both Geelong and Port in Perth on the run home - if we win all 3 the lowest we can finish is 5th and a home final, while a top 2 and top 4 finish is still very much alive.

Tonight Squiggle ladder predictor has us finishing 3rd.

[comrade]

Saw a comment on Twitter that last week?s result was more about how the Bulldogs played, but this week was all on how Sydney played.

[Happy Days]

Personally I thought Sydney were horrible last week, their skill level was dog water and their three good mids looked exhausted from having to carry two thirds of the ground by themselves. They would’ve lost by a lot more to us but for our average finishing and their junk time goals.

[D Mitchell]

Personally I thought Sydney were horrible last week, their skill level was dog water and their three good mids looked exhausted from having to carry two thirds of the ground by themselves. They would’ve lost by a lot more to us but for our average finishing and their junk time goals.

A sobering dampener on hubris arising from the penultimate win. Wouldn't you know it, the giant killers, Port, get another crack at denting our confidence by slaughtering the Ds next weekend. As me sainted, Irish grandmother said to Grandpa, on the way to mass, "ye aren't as good as ye told me ye'are."

[mjp]

Umpiring must have been really bad for Sydney to lose by 112 points.

This might be the best WOOF quote ever!

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Go Hawks, giant killers.

[Happy Days]

I’m not convinced this is a good result for us. Hawks are scary and even beat us before they were good.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Hope springs eternal, go Bummers, FFC is rooting for you Tullamariners.

[comrade]

Hawks defensive structure is phenomenal, made easier today with GWS basically being Hogan or bust when going inside 50. If we face them again, the 3 headed monster needs to fire.

[jeemak]

So we want Hawthorn to win? I guess so, but it increases our chances of having to play them at the MCG week one of finals.

[Happy Days]

I want Giants to win I want Hawks dead and buried. They are bad news.

[azabob]

Stringer v Young show at the mcg currently.

[Sedat]

No draw either way please GWS v Hawks. That would really suck.

[chef]

Giants on fire

[Happy Days]

Banger in Canberra. Now suddenly I’m terrified of GWS again.

[GVGjr]

Unreal season, there has been some terrific contests

[josie]

How did Hawks lose that? What a season.

[Sedat]

How did Hawks lose that? What a season.
Brent Daniels massive last qtr. Ditto Greene. They also took the game on quickly through the corridor.

Hawks losing is the slightly better result. They have the easier draw to GWS so having them almost out of business removes them from a finish higher than 7th at best. GWS have a brutal run home including us at Ballarat so we have it in our hands to get ahead of them if we are good enough in R24

[bulldogtragic]

Brent Daniels massive last qtr. Ditto Greene. They also took the game on quickly through the corridor.

Hawks losing is the slightly better result. They have the easier draw to GWS so having them almost out of business removes them from a finish higher than 7th at best. GWS have a brutal run home including us at Ballarat so we have it in our hands to get ahead of them if we are good enough in R24

If Carlton beat Hawks next week, I think the top 8 is almost set. With us in it.

[mighty_west]

This has to be the greatest season ever as far as top 10-12 teams go and how even the comp is, how topsy turby most teams have been, GWS winning was great for us and if Freo beat the Dons, that bridges a gap between 8 and 9, also means we can drop one and still make the 8 no matter what else happens given our percentage.

That said we just need to keep winning, and the final game v Giants will be an absolute cracker!!! which could be the game that get's us top 4.

[Sedat]

If Carlton beat Hawks next week, I think the top 8 is almost set. With us in it.
Swans v Pies Friday night is also big. If the Pies get up they are very much back in the top 8 frame.

[bulldogtragic]

Swans v Pies Friday night is also big. If the Pies get up they are very much back in the top 8 frame.

Not sure. They’ve got Lions & Dees with a shitty percentage. I reckon their best case is losing to Lions and missing on percentage if we drop two games and still make it.

It’s a hell of top 8. Impossible to tell where teams will finish it.

[bornadog]

Tight one at the G so far

[mighty_west]

Tight one at the G so far

We really need Freo to win this, if Essendon come good again they have the Suns and Swans both at Marvel and will only be 2 points behind us with a win today, they would be sweating on us and Carlton although they'll have a hungry Brissy at the Gabba final round, Freo have a hard run home with Geelong, GWS and Port.

[angelopetraglia]

We really need Freo to win this, if Essendon come good again they have the Suns and Swans both at Marvel and will only be 2 points behind us with a win today, they would be sweating on us and Carlton although they'll have a hungry Brissy at the Gabba final round, Freo have a hard run home with Geelong, GWS and Port.

If Freo lose. We can make the finals with one more win?

[comrade]

Freo showing how important efficiency is up forward. I?m praying our guys find the radar over the next 3 weeks.

[Rocket Science]

F**k me Freo, don't do this to me.

[GVGjr]

F**k me Freo, don't do this to me.

It could wreck an otherwise beautiful weekend.

[whythelongface]

Would have thought Essendon winning is better for us. We would be one win out of third with a better percentage.

[whythelongface]

A draw would be good

[bornadog]

A draw would be good

36 seconds and scores level

[Happy Days]

So is that good or bad?

[GVGjr]

36 seconds and scores level

Mozzed it. :) Damn, that would have been nice

[bornadog]

bugger - and not a Moz

[bulldogtragic]

So is that good or bad?

Opens up top 4.

[angelopetraglia]

With out % a draw was like a loss to both of them.

Bombers still very much in the hunt now.

[GVGjr]

So is that good or bad?

I guess if I take my I hate Essendon cap off it's probably good for us but I feel dirty just implying that.

[Mofra]

I feel a little dirty too - but by god that's good for us.

Next week Brisbane play GWS and Freo play Geelong. We just need one more win and we're firmly entrenched in the 8.
Carlton playing Hawthorn is pretty handy for us too

[angelopetraglia]

What the results of this weekend mean is that Dogs need to keep winning. Top eight still in the balance.

[bornadog]

I feel a little dirty too - but by god that's good for us.

Next week Brisbane play GWS and Freo play Geelong. We just need one more win and we're firmly entrenched in the 8.
Carlton playing Hawthorn is pretty handy for us too
What a season

[Flamethrower]

Freo showing how important efficiency is up forward. I?m praying our guys find the radar over the next 3 weeks.

Freo showing how overrated kicking accuracy is. This isn't soccer - kicking points mean the ball stays in your forward 50, and builds pressure on the oppo, and having more scoring shots mean you have the ball and the other team doesn't - can't score when you can't get your hands on it.

Coaches always prefer 15.20 over 18.2.

A draw would have been perfect - a Bomber win 2nd best for our top 4 and therefore premiership chances.
Freo have Geelong (H), GWS (A) and Port Adelaide (H)...if they win out, kudos to them but it means Port, GWS and Geelong drop games and fall below us if we win out as we should.

[macca]

Freo just blew it. With top 4 spot online.
Now they lose , with tough few games. Gee, they have lost a few games close this year.

[whythelongface]

What the results of this weekend mean is that Dogs need to keep winning. Top eight still in the balance.

Good news is it is totally in our hands (or is that no so good!!! :))

[jeemak]

Good news is it is totally in our hands (or is that no so good!!! :))

Mixed blessing I'd say.

[Sedat]

I threw out the Bombers Freo draw as a hail mary in the rooting thread, and I've dirtied right up knowing that the best clearance team in the comp suddenly became Bulldogs 2021.GF and just let Merrett waltz it out the front of the centre square with 30 seconds on the clock. Draw would have been a perfect finish to a near perfect weekend.

[Grantysghost]

We really need Freo to win this, if Essendon come good again they have the Suns and Swans both at Marvel and will only be 2 points behind us with a win today, they would be sweating on us and Carlton although they'll have a hungry Brissy at the Gabba final round, Freo have a hard run home with Geelong, GWS and Port.
I hope they make it and we play them the first week.

[The Adelaide Connection]

I threw out the Bombers Freo draw as a hail mary in the rooting thread, and I've dirtied right up knowing that the best clearance team in the comp suddenly became Bulldogs 2021.GF and just let Merrett waltz it out the front of the centre square with 30 seconds on the clock. Draw would have been a perfect finish to a near perfect weekend.

Great call- it would have been perfect.

I heard a rumour that another super good looking, super cool poster might have even called for a draw a few posts before your post in that thread too.

Great minds.

[Dry Rot]

I watch the Pies vs Carlton game and two things stood out to me.

The first is that the top five Carlton players are very good to elite: Mackay, Curnow, Cripps, Walsh and Weitering. However, their list seems to seriously falls way after that.

The second thing was the contrast between Bobby Hill and Martin. I remember when Martin was the next best thing some years ago, but he now seems to be a shell of his former self. Maybe that's due to injuries, or just playing with that rabble.

[Dry Rot]

Did any of you watch the Port versus Swans game? If so, what the hell happened to the Swans?

[comrade]

Did any of you watch the Port versus Swans game? If so, what the hell happened to the Swans?

They've been dissected over the last month.

Ramp up the pressure at the contest, slow them down and don't allow them to run and spread through the corridor. This clogs up their forward half and scoring has dried up. This plan culminated in a belting last week by us, which no doubt shook the confidence of the group. After another bad start v Port, the confidence completely evaporated along with their work rate which is the worst thing you can do against Port who front run better than anyone. Their backline without Rampe is barely holding together and relying on some very undersized keys, and with the amount of ball Port won, they were completely overwhelmed. The same thing happened against us except Port kicked straight.

I think they can reign it back in but it's going to take a change in style and a massive uptick in work rate at stoppage if they are to come back into the mix.

Brisbane is the team to beat, they are ****ing animals.

[jeemak]

I watch the Pies vs Carlton game and two things stood out to me.

The first is that the top five Carlton players are very good to elite: Mackay, Curnow, Cripps, Walsh and Weitering. However, their list seems to seriously falls way after that.

The second thing was the contrast between Bobby Hill and Martin. I remember when Martin was the next best thing some years ago, but he now seems to be a shell of his former self. Maybe that's due to injuries, or just playing with that rabble.

Carlton's list is awesome if everyone just does what they're supposed to do. Like any team they are only as good as their top six or eight or whatever until they hit a bad patch of form which is their issue now.

The issue Carlton has is the media just wants to 1995 reminisce **** them because they've been shit for so long.

Jack Martin almost got them a win with some of his touches in his first or second game back after chronic injury. He's a jet. And that's a problem for Carlton because you can't leave someone as good as he is out of the team if fit, but he's completely unreliable.

If he didn't go the hit last year he'd have been a chance to do some serious damage in the finals.

[Dry Rot]

Jack Martin almost got them a win with some of his touches in his first or second game back after chronic injury. He's a jet. And that's a problem for Carlton because you can't leave someone as good as he is out of the team if fit, but he's completely unreliable.

If he didn't go the hit last year he'd have been a chance to do some serious damage in the finals.

My best guess is that you have seen far more of Carlton and Jack Martin than me this season.

I'm just going on what I saw on Saturday night and Martin was very ordinary, especially compared to Bobby Hill.

[1eyedog]

Carlton's list is awesome if everyone just does what they're supposed to do. Like any team they are only as good as their top six or eight or whatever until they hit a bad patch of form which is their issue now.

The issue Carlton has is the media just wants to 1995 reminisce **** them because they've been shit for so long.

Jack Martin almost got them a win with some of his touches in his first or second game back after chronic injury. He's a jet. And that's a problem for Carlton because you can't leave someone as good as he is out of the team if fit, but he's completely unreliable.

If he didn't go the hit last year he'd have been a chance to do some serious damage in the finals.

Or as good as their bottom six as the case may be.

[azabob]

My best guess is that you have seen far more of Carlton and Jack Martin than me this season.

I'm just going on what I saw on Saturday night and Martin was very ordinary, especially compared to Bobby Hill.

Hill and Martin are totally different players.

Martin plays as a marking forward where as Hill is a small forward.

[hujsh]

I thought Martin was pretty decedent from what I saw and I'm not sure given his injuries that Bobby Hill is necessarily the standard he needs to be at right now. I was surprised to see him playing at all.

[GVGjr]

I thought Martin was pretty decedent from what I saw and I'm not sure given his injuries that Bobby Hill is necessarily the standard he needs to be at right now. I was surprised to see him playing at all.

Hill is capable of absolute brilliance and really poor performances but thats part of being young and playing a difficult role.

[mighty_west]

My best guess is that you have seen far more of Carlton and Jack Martin than me this season.

I'm just going on what I saw on Saturday night and Martin was very ordinary, especially compared to Bobby Hill.

I watched quite a bit of Jack Martin when he was playing up here for the Suns, he has so much talent it's not funny but very injury riddled, and don't think he works hard enough at times too, looks as though he is coasting along, dangerous player without a lot of luck and possibly work rate.