Game Day - Bulldogs vs Swans

[GVGjr]

This is the discussion thread for todays crunch game.
I really think this will be the test to see if we are the real deal or not.

O'Keefe is the danger guy for me and I hope we can limit his influence

Cooney to get the first goal and the Dogs by 9 points with Cross BOG

[Go_Dogs]

Geez, it's a tough one this week, your definitely right GVGjr. I'm nervous and excited about today. We'll really go a long way to seeing what is different about our side this year after today's game. Let's hope we can use our pressure skills, and most importantly maintain our execution under Sydney's extreme pressure.

I'll tip Murph for our first big one, and Dogs by 15.

Is it a live telecast in Melbourne this weekend? We thankfully have it live, after a two week hiatus.

[Mofra]

Doggies by 9 points, Hahn to kick the first 2 goals of the game.

[LostDoggy]

Swans by 43pts , Kirk with the first

[1eyedog]

I am saying the Swans by 17 points (please prove me wrong dogs) I am in the habit of tipping with my head and have gone with the Swans this week. I think O'Keefe will kicked the first goal. Sorry for being a downer:(

Never ever been so glad to be proven incorrect. Go Dogs

[LostDoggy]

I am saying the Swans by 17 points (please prove me wrong dogs) I am in the habit of tipping with my head and have gone with the Swans this week. I think O'Keefe will kicked the first goal. Sorry for being a downer:(
Unfortuneatley I agree, it will be close but we will just miss out. Swans by 1 point, Welsh to get the first goal. I do think that this is the best chance we have had to beat Sydney in five or six years though.

[Mofra]

Swans by 43pts , Kirk with the first
Given their average scoreline (ignoring Hall now being out), that'd mean we kick 2-3 goals for the entire match.

[The Underdog]

Swans by 43pts , Kirk with the first

I know it takes a while for the news to get over there, but we're traveling alright, we've won 5 out of 6, good news hey? Oh and usually it's a tip for the Dogs first goal being a Dogs supporters website and all.

Welsh for our first. Not confident of a win, but think we're better placed than we've been for a while with our improvement in the clearances and no Hall.
Goodes and O'Loughlin scare me though.
Now I've just gotta find somewhere to watch it.

[LostDoggy]

Swans by 43pts , Kirk with the first

Jerry can you ever admit that the Bulldogs might acctually be playing well. I know I said I dont think we will win but we do stand a chance at winning.

As mentioned in a previous post, for us to lose by that much to Sydney we would have to kick four goals or less for the entire match, so I just dont see it happening.

[DOG GOD]

my head says swans to absolutely strangle us in the midfield. Goodes to DOMINATE and buchanan (?) to kick 1st goal. Swans by 30 pts. :(

swans 14 gls
dogs 9 gls

[BulldogBelle]

Tough game without Westy. Gotta win or at least break even at stoppages. Eagleton first goal. Dogs establish early lead and hold on to win by 15 points.

[LostDoggy]

Watching the game on Fox. Who is the wanker commentator who said Tiller was on debut? I can't stand watching games against Sydney. Seems like every Swans player is around the contest. Very ugly.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Playing right into Sydney's hands so far.
What is the point of flooding back if you then don't actually defend the space you've run into? Seems many are content to drop back behind the play and think that's the end of it.
Might be stating the bleeding obvious here, but If we can't start winning ball out of the middle, AND pressuring the Sydney ball carriers when they have the ball we're going to be on a the receiving end of a hiding here.

We need our defenders to keep runnign to, we are not winning enough uncontested ball.. which indicates we're not working hard off the ball.

[GVGjr]

The scoreboard flatters us but if we can get more of the ball and use it a bit better we can get back into the game.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

The scoreboard flatters us but if we can get more of the ball and use it a bit better we can get back into the game.

Wise words, and hey presto 2 clean passages out of defense and 2 goals. Margin 3 points.

[GVGjr]

Wise words, and hey presto 2 clean passages out of defense and 2 goals. Margin 3 points.


and I got the first Bulldog goal kicker I think I also projected O'Keefe as the danger guy ;)

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Well done fellas, much cleaner use, some great vision from Guido, and very good running from Callan to get on the receiving end.
Dogs in front.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

That piece of play best exemplifies why Griffen is such an enormous talent, strength to burst through a tackle, quick acceleration to get clear, great kicking skills to then find a target.

[1eyedog]

JOHNNO! Game over! :D

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

28 point lead. Fantastic defensive forward pressure by Tiller... caused the big turnover, then led to the last goal. & goals straight for us...

[Bulldog4life]

Where's Jerry???????????

[westdog54]

Another to Johnno, who Daniel Harford has accused of staging.

We lead by 28. Kevin Bartlett says we're killing the Swans.

[GVGjr]

It's encouraging that O'Keefe has had to go chase his kicks a lot deeper into the midfield which takes away some of their scoring options. Just need to outscore them for the balance of the quarter.

[westdog54]

Excellent 2nd quarter, 7 goals to one to take a 21 point lead into the second half.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Need to hang tough, Sydney are pushing hard to get back into it.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Just a slight drop in skills, and the Swans are right back in it with their pressure skills coming to the fore.
The effort is still there, just not as polished as the 2nd Qtr.
As I write, a brilliant busrt from the pack by Cooney for his 3rd goal!!!

[1eyedog]

The Coon man has 4 sausage rolls

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

swans are working harder than us now. WE really need to lift our work rate and skills.

[1eyedog]

Cooney has 5 sausage rolls, Dogs by 16 points 28 min 3rd quarter

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

The Coon man has 4 sausage rolls

now has 5!! and it was a very much needed and important steadier.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

That's a good sign. Clearance won by Guido, quick ball and Hahn playing in front marks and goals.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Very disappointed with Crossy's hands and disposal today,

[1eyedog]

Tiller gets his second, Dogs by 29 points 15 minutes gone.

[1eyedog]

EAGLETON!:mad:

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Very poor play. We've just let them get right back in this..
two goals down and still 3 and a half minutes.
Some very poor efforts by our defense in letting Micky get those last two marks and goals.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Hey Jerry... I'm really looking forward to possibly getting maybe a half positive comment from you on our team following this?

[1eyedog]

Best start for the year since 1946. Dogs are contenders not pretenders!

[LostDoggy]

GO THE DOGGIES

Brilliant game, we played awesome and we have beat a top side at their own home ground. Was getting stressed in those last couple mins almost lost it but we kept at it and brilliance won in the end.

Now the BYE is brilliant, rest up Westy and bring him back for the big clash in Perth

[bornadog]

Swans by 43pts , Kirk with the first

Convinced yet?

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Convinced yet?

I have funny feeling Jerry will find some way of seeing that not only is the glass half empty, but that there is also a fly doing backstroke in it as well!!

[GVGjr]

We were the better team on the day but they are a hard side to beat and kept coming at us. A lot of teams would have packed it in after some of the leads that we built. 7 minutes to go with a 30 point lead and it was far from a sure thing.

Some of our boys looked spent in the last 10 minutes.

[GVGjr]

I have funny feeling Jerry will find some way of seeing that not only is the glass half empty, but that there is also a fly doing backstroke in it as well!!

Jerry made a prediction and got it wrong which is no big deal, lets not divert all focus from a creditable win and focus on what Jerry has been saying.

[The Doctor]

Who gives a toss what Jerry thinks. Just ignore him.

We've won some important games already this year and it's been a great season to date.

[GVGjr]

Who gives a toss what Jerry thinks. Just ignore him.

We've won some important games already this year and it's been a great season to date.

Spot on. Our position within the competition as a quality side was tested today and we answered the challenge.

[bornadog]

Some of our boys looked spent in the last 10 minutes.

They sure did, but they threw themselves into the contest and bottled it up to hang on.

What a great smother by Murphy with a minute to go. If the Swans had of kicked a goal then, it would have been 6 points in it, but the smother allowed Aker to get posession in an open forward line. Lucky Johnno marked the errant kick, although Hill was on his own but Aker decided to try kicking it himself.

Great win, Swans are so hard to beat and play the SCG so well.

[DOG GOD]

It was a great win by our guys today. What a difference it makes when u win the contested ball, something we didnt do in that 1st qtr.

That was the main reason my head said sydney. They are the best at bottling up the run of teams and getting bodies around the ball.

Once we got our run and hardness going we looked great.

How good was COONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

well done doggies.

[bornadog]

Spot on. Our position within the competition as a quality side was tested today and we answered the challenge.

There were many doubters out there but we have certainly silenced a few today.

[GVGjr]

What a great smother by Murphy with a minute to go. If the Swans had of kicked a goal then, it would have been 6 points in it, but the smother allowed Aker to get posession in an open forward line. Lucky Johnno marked the errant kick, although Hill was on his own but Aker decided to try kicking it himself.

Great win, Swans are so hard to beat and play the SCG so well.

Terrific stuff by Murphy and that smother was a critical part of a good win.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Jerry made a prediction and got it wrong which is no big deal, lets not divert all focus from a creditable win and focus on what Jerry has been saying.

Yep, Fair call.
No malice intended.. just a bit of ribbing for our very own contrarian, Jerry.

As you say it was a creditable win, and I think it's a good barometer for us going forward, that we can match it with the teams that are hard at the ball.
We've beaten alot of teams that have had the wood on us in recent years, so far this season. Adelaide, Saints, Eagles, and Sydney.
VEry happy going into the break. With a win to take us into it, it bodes well with some tough interstate games coming up to have the time for many of our players to freshen up for a big assault over the next month or so.

[GVGjr]

VEry happy going into the break. With a win to take us into it, it bodes well with some tough interstate games coming up to have the time for many of our players to freshen up for a big assault over the next month or so.

A few players will need to back up again next week but the break will be welcome for the balance of players and we can now focus on the next challenge which will be a very testing bunch of teams.

[bornadog]

....................to have the time for many of our players to freshen up for a big assault over the next month or so.

A few sore bodies will enjoy the break. I think Lake looks like he would enjoy a week off, Johnno probably will as well and of course West.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

A few players will need to back up again next week but the break will be welcome for the balance of players and we can now focus on the next challenge which will be a very testing bunch of teams.

Yep. Most will have a deserved break, but I'm not too unhappy about the prospects of Cooney, Griffen, Murphy and Morris testing themselves with the best players in the comp next week. Will be a good experience for them. Not sure if Johnno will play in the game next week- deserves a rest.

I think if we can win 3 of the next 5, we'll be well placed for the 2nd half of the year.

[bornadog]

The stats for the game were interesting:

Cooney for me was best on ground along with Gia, Callen, Boyd and Mitch Hahn. Murphy played well early but was shut out a bit in the second half. I think it was probably Gia's best game for the year and his 26 disposals inlcuding 18 kicks really hurt the Swans.

Amazing to see Cross with only 18 disposals and with Westy out, some of the younger players had to do the hard work. It certainly wasn't a day for the big men as both teams rucks didn't get alot of disposals. Minson ended up with 21 hitouts, and Hudson just 14, with Jolly 34 and Everitt 10.

Aker, Griffen, Eagleton and Hill all had less than 14 disposals and Welsh didn't get into the play much. Overall I suppose it was a real team effort.

[immortalmike]

Well done doggies! Was really impressed with the win today. Coons was fantastic again. Loved Hill's coolness under pressure a couple of times.

Now how will press spin this 20 bucks says they blame Sydney's goal kicking. :rolleyes:

[GVGjr]

Well done doggies! Was really impressed with the win today. Coons was fantastic again. Loved Hill's coolness under pressure a couple of times.

Now how will press spin this 20 bucks says they blame Sydney's goal kicking. :rolleyes:

They will spin it about our effectiveness in front of goal and they won't bother with the Swans.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

The stats for the game were interesting:

Cooney for me was best on ground along with Gia, Callen, Boyd and Mitch Hahn. Murphy played well early but was shut out a bit in the second half. I think it was probably Gia's best game for the year and his 26 disposals inlcuding 18 kicks really hurt the Swans.

Amazing to see Cross with only 18 disposals and with Westy out, some of the younger players had to do the hard work. It certainly wasn't a day for the big men as both teams rucks didn't get alot of disposals. Minson ended up with 21 hitouts, and Hudson just 14, with Jolly 34 and Everitt 10.

Aker, Griffen, Eagleton and Hill all had less than 14 disposals and Welsh didn't get into the play much. Overall I suppose it was a real team effort.

I thought Crossy was down today, his worst game for the year. Hands were poor for much of the game, and his disposal decisions sub-par. No doubt he'll bounce back as he's quality.

[Dry Rot]

I've just had a most pleasant afternoon at the SCG. :)

[GVGjr]

I've just had a most pleasant afternoon at the SCG. :)

I thought you might. I was amazed to see so many Bulldog jumpers and caps in the crowd. We seemed to have a fairly strong following today.

[immortalmike]

They will spin it about our effectiveness in front of goal and they won't bother with the Swans.

Would love for you to be right but the press' MO is to not give us anything.

[BulldogBelle]

I've just had a most pleasant afternoon at the SCG. :)

I bet you did, fantastic to see them win up there for a change - bet you enjoyed yourself immensley. Are you not going to the player function at that RSL?

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I've just had a most pleasant afternoon at the SCG. :)

It's a good feeling being at an away game win.. especially outside of Melbourne.

[Dry Rot]

I bet you did, fantastic to see them win up there for a change - bet you enjoyed yourself immensley. Are you not going to the player function at that RSL?

I had to drive my elderly father home. A Swans supporter.

Loser!

It was grand to hear our club song after full time at the SCG again.

[Dry Rot]

I thought you might. I was amazed to see so many Bulldog jumpers and caps in the crowd. We seemed to have a fairly strong following today.

There were in one section but otherwise there was a sea of red and white around the rest of the ground.

Just made it all the more sweeter!

[BulldogBelle]

It was grand to hear our club song after full time at the SCG again.

They - the SCG Admin must have had to search high and low for the Bulldog anthem, hasn't been played up there for such a long time. :)

[Topdog]

Swans by 43pts , Kirk with the first

Close.

We were fantastic today. When we don't play with all our players behind the ball we are almost unstoppable.

I'd still like to know why we start games with no defensive pressure.

[Topdog]

Terrific stuff by Murphy and that smother was a critical part of a good win.

Ahh it was Murphy! I've been wondering who that was. Absolutely brilliant bit of play.

How shocking were the camera angles all day?

Oh and congrats DR.

[LostDoggy]

Well this will teach me to doubt the Bulldogs. That was a great game from all the playrs and it is good to see that Brad Johmson seems to be back to around 100%.

[Rach]

First post :o
I went to the SCG today in my Doggies gear with my brother in his Swans gear. First and last time I'll get to see the boys in the flesh this year. Was mighty impressed by Cooney. He is a champ. It was good to see Johnno is getting back to his best. Overall a great effort by Bulldogs to beat the Swans, always nice to beat them.

The umpires were very ordinary all day!

Got home and my dad said the Foxtel commentators were pretty much barricking for the Swans. Doesn't surprise me :rolleyes:

[1eyedog]

First post :o
I went to the SCG today in my Doggies gear with my brother in his Swans gear. First and last time I'll get to see the boys in the flesh this year. Was mighty impressed by Cooney. He is a champ. It was good to see Johnno is getting back to his best. Overall a great effort by Bulldogs to beat the Swans, always nice to beat them.

The umpires were very ordinary all day!

Got home and my dad said the Foxtel commentators were pretty much barricking for the Swans. Doesn't surprise me :rolleyes:

Like that avatar, that was Welshy against the Eagles when he finally kicked truly after kicking atrociously all day against Richmond. Like it;)

[GVGjr]

First post :o
I went to the SCG today in my Doggies gear with my brother in his Swans gear. First and last time I'll get to see the boys in the flesh this year. Was mighty impressed by Cooney. He is a champ. It was good to see Johnno is getting back to his best. Overall a great effort by Bulldogs to beat the Swans, always nice to beat them.

The umpires were very ordinary all day!

Got home and my dad said the Foxtel commentators were pretty much barricking for the Swans. Doesn't surprise me :rolleyes:

Welcome aboard. Make sure you put your votes in for the best players.

[LostDoggy]

WE are the real deal:D We have knocked over all of our bogie teams - now for Geelong and Hawthorn:)

[Bulldog Revolution]

Very pleasing display against a very tough outfit, our second quarter was super. The focus in front of goal fabulous. Mitch Hahn inspirational.

Looked like loads of dogs in the stands - great camera work foxtel, but Lynch, Campbell and Pickering didnt do it for me

[LostDoggy]

WE are the real deal:D We have knocked over all of our bogie teams.

What about North Melbourne.

[LostDoggy]

What about North Melbourne.

A bogie team? Anyway we beat them in the NAB at Darwin - and by all accounts they were trying. Note they got smashed by Adelaide today.

[The Doctor]

I've just had a most pleasant afternoon at the SCG. :)

Did Matty Boyd's Mum propose?

[dog town]

Extremely good win by the boys. Worth more than 4 points IMO. I think it is a very important psychological barrier that we have broken.

The way I read it was that in the first quarter and for part of the third quarter our players didn't work hard enough in a number of areas and thats why the swans got on top during those periods. We didn't work hard enough to close down the swans excellent leads and trailed in our opponents for alot of marks. This meant that we just couldn't get our hands on the ball because the swans are amazing at just making space for those leading players so that they can hold onto the ball. In the second quarter we lifted around the stoppages and more importantly we started to force some turnovers with some very good defending. We started getting a fist to the ball and preventing those cheap lead up possesions. Once we got the ball into a 50-50 we were pretty much breaking even in close but were able to spread and run the swans ragged. We dropped off for a bit in the third but recovered well. The swans come back in the last betrayed the fact that we controlled most of the last quarter. Was more to do with fear of losing and us stopping than Sydney out playing us.

I was very impressed with our stoppage work once again. We won the contested possessions around the ground and broke even at the stoppages. Hudson, Boyd, Minson, Cooney, Griffen, Guido and Cross all worked really hard in close. It was a bit of a team effort in that regard. Even guys like Eagleton, Callan and Addison chipped in. We had 3 players with over 10 contested possessions (Cooney, Callan and Boyd) as well as a couple on 9 which is a great effort.

Our forward line is close to the most dangerous in the comp at the moment. We just have to many options for teams to cover. It makes us hard to zone off on and very unpredicatble. Minson has given us a bit of a long target and some presence and the 6 or 7 other guys that go through our forward line are all incedibly dangerous players. We have brilliant efficiency up forward at the moment.

Kirk is a very awkward player to combat. Plays the game like no other player in the comp. He has this awkward style of smothering the area around the ball. He is not only hard but he is a very skilled technician in close. Just forces the ball to bobble out. Very strange style of play. He was the main reason that Cross was down today I thought.

Hudson continues to be an awesome pick up. Its not only his taps and his brilliant second, third and fourth efforts at ground level. He gets his hands on alot of throw ups and bounces by angling his opponent off the ball and grabbing it out of the ruck. Even if he is dispossessed the odds are straight away in our favour to win the clearance. Minson was also very good around the ground today when rucking and got alot of important knock ons and touches. Had 9 Cp's today. Not far away from a bag of 5 or 6 up forward either IMO.

Cross- was well down today. Hands wern't working properly and as I said earlier Kirk made it hard for him. Showed his quality with a very good last quarter. Was in everything when we were under the pump late.

Callan- Time for people to start giving this guy some credit. Had quite a few roles today but gave us a real hard edge at times. Made some errors including stuffing up a transition after a kick out but he gives us alot IMO. Won important contests all day.

Addison- Not a huge game stats wise. Steadily improving though. Enjoy his toughness but he needs to keep working on his running game and the way he distributes the ball.

Tiller- A useful contributor. Hard player to put a finger on at this early stage. Always pops up with a couple up forward but has added versatility now with the ability to go down back. He will need that versatility as only very good players make a go of being a permanent mid size forward. Tiller might not be in the class to be able to be a one position player. Versatility makes him more useful.

Boyd- Very good again. His season has probably been over shadowed by higher profile mates but he is going along very well.

Cooney- Had 10 cp's and 5 goals. His touches were very damaging today. He is getting outside and running more with each game. His first instinct earlier in the season when under pressure was to fire out a quick handpass even to players who were under pressure. Today he was taking guys on and going sideways as soon as he got the ball. Got the ball outside the traffic for us quickly which made it hard for the swans to combat. Close to the in form midfielder in the comp at the moment. His confidence is at an all time high. Cant tag all of us either.

Griffen- A similar game to last week. In everything but not alot of clear touches. Doing alot of bullocking work but they are just locking him down. McVeigh seemed to do the job on him for a fair while and he is a very good player. Saw him kill Judd in a final once so it is a tough ask.

Wight- Thought he struggled down back. Got lead to the ball alot at times. Looks more than useful everytime he goes forward and did that for a brief period again today. Going with guys on the lead is his problem at the moment down back. His lack of muscle has barely been an issue in actual one on one marking contests. It is a problem against leading players because they push him off and then he doesn't have the closing speed to gain the 2 or 3 metres back on them.

Hahn- He was enormous IMO. Just bashed his way through packs all day and stood up at crucial times. His workrate is right up and he is leading the league in inside 50 tackles.

Murphy- Brilliant first half but Bolton came back hard at him and nullified his influence. Not many players can go with him at the moment. His agility is his best asset and few defenders can stay with him.

Guido- Having a very good season. Barely wasted a touch today and even got involved at the stoppages. Use of the ball was brilliant today.

Morris- Worth mentioning that last quarter effort where he dropped back to stop a mark then beat 3 players to find the boundary line.

Welsh, Aker and Hill all were pretty quiet today. Aker did some important things.

[craigsahibee]

Watching the game on Fox. Who is the wanker commentator who said Tiller was on debut? I can't stand watching games against Sydney. Seems like every Swans player is around the contest. Very ugly.

Today it was Matthew Campbell, Alastair Lynch and Liam Pickering.

Matthew Campbell is useless. Has to be one of the worst three commentators along with Michael Christian and Steve Quartermain.

Alastair Lynch struggles to find anything positive to say about the Bullies, which is fine as most Bulldog supporters struggle to have anything positive to say about Lynch after his choking gesture towards Westy back in 99.

[LostDoggy]

Did Matty Boyd's Mum propose?

:)
He is probably posting nude right now.

[Dry Rot]

Did Matty Boyd's Mum propose?


Actually I wasn't at the game this afternoon........ and not alone


:)
He is probably posting nude right now.

Doesn't everyone after a great win?

[LostDoggy]

Kirk is a very awkward player to combat. Plays the game like no other player in the comp. He has this awkward style of smothering the area around the ball. He is not only hard but he is a very skilled technician in close. Just forces the ball to bobble out. Very strange style of play. He was the main reason that Cross was down today I thought.

He is awkward because he is allowed to do as he pleases against the opposition main ball getter.
In 100+ Cross matches, I have never seen him that upset and reminstrate like that with the umps over Kirk's treatment on him. Funny how last week Boyd copped it for one close checking game on Kerr while Kirk gets away with it weekly.

[dog town]

He is awkward because he is allowed to do as he pleases against the opposition main ball getter.
In 100+ Cross matches, I have never seen him that upset and reminstrate like that with the umps over Kirk's treatment on him. Funny how last week Boyd copped it for one close checking game on Kerr while Kirk gets away with it weekly.Very effective though.

[bornadog]

How shocking were the camera angles all day? .

I can't stand the camera angles at the SCG, the camera is not high enough and you can't get a prospective on the outer, ie whether the ball is in or out as they run along the boundary. To tell you the truth its disgraceful, the AFL should do something about it.

[bornadog]

Today it was Matthew Campbell, Alastair Lynch and Liam Pickering. Matthew Campbell is useless. Has to be one of the worst three commentators along with Michael Christian and Steve Quartermain.

.

Its Matthew Campbell's voice, its just not pleasant to listen to. Pickering is ok and likes the dogs and you summed up Lynch.

[LostDoggy]

I can't stand the camera angles at the SCG, the camera is not high enough and you can't get a prospective on the outer, ie whether the ball is in or out as they run along the boundary. To tell you the truth its disgraceful, the AFL should do something about it.

Spot on - hard to see the player kicking for goal, especially from left side of the ground
(too low and and no close-ups).

Was a really great confidence building win today.

Cooney was sensational today (and has been consistantly good for weeks).

I was critical of his decision making in round one (when under pressure - turning blindly).
Since I made my comments, he has been exceptional - really impressed with his strength, and decision making.

[GVGjr]

This from the Hun

THE impressive Western Bulldogs continued their unbeaten start to the AFL season, beating Sydney by 18 points at the SCG today.

The Dogs triumphed 18.4 (112) to 14.10 (94) to register their first victory in Sydney since 2002, withstanding a late Swans comeback to keep the pressure on ladder-leaders Geelong and Hawthorn.

Rodney Eade's team barely rated a mention in the pre-season, but the Bulldogs have now recorded six wins and a draw from their opening seven games in 2008.

The Swans, who started the year in promising form, slipped to their third loss and are still struggling to overcome the absence of spearhead Barry Hall.

Adam Cooney put in a best-on-ground performance for the visitors, kicking five goals and gathering 25 possessions, ably assisted by tireless skipper Brad Johnson.
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Johnson kicked four goals.

Ryan O'Keefe worked hard for the home side, but poor kicking for goal and some dreadful skill errors condemned the Swans to their first loss at the SCG this year.

Even the late withdrawal of onballer Scott West with knee soreness failed to hinder the `Dogs, who deserved to maintain their undefeated start to the season.

There was little sign of what was to come when Sydney's Jarrad McVeigh kicked the first two goals of the game.

Eade said leading up to the match he felt his side were finally equipped to combat Sydney's lockdown style, but that didn't appear to be the case in the opening exchanges.

The visitors struggled to get their hands on the ball and the Swans were comfortably keeping the Dogs at bay.

A goal from former Cat Henry Playfair in his first game for Sydney gave the home side a 15-point edge at the first break.

But whatever Eade said at the quarter-time interval worked a treat as the Bulldogs emerged a completely different team after a quiet opening term.

Suddenly first to every contest, the Bulldogs kicked seven unanswered goals to turn a 15-point deficit into a 28-point lead.

The Swans threw everything into the third term, but repeatedly blew their opportunities in front of goal, managing only 4.6 for the quarter to the Dogs' four straight goals.

The visitors then kicked four of the first five goals to start the final quarter to guarantee the four points.

WESTERN BULLDOGS 3.1 10.2 14.2 18.4 (112)
SYDNEY 5.4 6.4 10.10 14.10 (94)
Goals: Western Bulldogs: A Cooney 5 B Johnson 4 R Murphy 2 M Hahn 2 S Tiller 2 T Callan W Minson N Eagleton. Sydney: M O'Loughlin 3 J McVeigh 2 A Buchanan 2 R O'Keefe D Jolly H Playfair K Jack P Everitt A Goodes J Bolton.
Best: Western Bulldogs: A Cooney B Johnson R Murphy D Giansiracusa M Hahn L Gilbee. Sydney: R O'Keefe J McVeigh T Richards J Moore J Bolton M O'Loughlin.
Umpires: B Rosebury M Stevic S McInerney.
Official crowd: 29,018 at the SCG.

[LostDoggy]

Hey Jerry... I'm really looking forward to possibly getting maybe a half positive comment from you on our team following this?

I didnt see it. They must of played well. Considering Tiller got a game i am very suprised with the win. Sets the season up now with the week off. In all honesty,i dont really rate Sydney as a top 4 side, but it still is a good win! The real test is Geelong/Hawks.

[LostDoggy]

Yep, Fair call.
No malice intended.. just a bit of ribbing for our very own contrarian, Jerry.

As you say it was a creditable win, and I think it's a good barometer for us going forward, that we can match it with the teams that are hard at the ball.
We've beaten alot of teams that have had the wood on us in recent years, so far this season. Adelaide, Saints, Eagles, and Sydney.
VEry happy going into the break. With a win to take us into it, it bodes well with some tough interstate games coming up to have the time for many of our players to freshen up for a big assault over the next month or so.

Fair call Yankee Hotel foxtrot. I like ribbing the 'woof' crew, and today was a good win, im prepared to cop it. When a supporter base has been starved of success like ours, they seem to get a little carried away with 6.5/7 starts. Im not getting excited until we are a genuine flag chance.

ps. Why yhf? Wilco's most overrated album

[ledge]

Hope i dont get shot down here and am no way saying Gia played a bad game but the last few weeks he has been in the back line a while and i dont think it is good for him , a few really bad errors and he is not really a body on body person , love him in the forward or centreline as he is so opportunistic when he gets the ball and knows where the goals are.
Lake definitely struggling with some sort of injury you could see it, but played well still.
Johnno too needs a week to recover, he is carrying some sort of nagging injury.
A few lesser lights i think who are really showing desire , Addison, Callan and Tiller really did some hard stuff today.
Great to see that we dont rely on certain players every week, Aker had a quiet one, Hudson and Welsh also, this of course will happen , all players have those days but now we have other players who are good enough to take over.
Griffin gets tagged pretty hard now, think opposition still giving Cooney a little space but that will change.
Good thing is we have so much talent they cant tag them all.
Great effort today boys, loved it.

[BulldogBelle]

Johnno too needs a week to recover, he is carrying some sort of nagging injury.

Johnno has played his best game since Round 1 - he looked fine to me.

Looking forward to watching him play in the Vic side this week.

[1eyedog]

Would like to see Johnno take a week off, freshen right up. Thought Gia was good today???

[ledge]

Would like to see Johnno take a week off, freshen right up. Thought Gia was good today???

Sorry i didnt say he was bad just noticed today and against Richmond that he is more a forward than defensive player.
Maybe another way of saying it is his body is not what you call a defensive build and it struggles body on body.
Yes he played a good game.
Some players are ball users some are taggers, some are both,Gia is a ball user.
Rather see him around our goals.
Does anyone agree?

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Fair call Yankee Hotel foxtrot. I like ribbing the 'woof' crew, and today was a good win, im prepared to cop it. When a supporter base has been starved of success like ours, they seem to get a little carried away with 6.5/7 starts. Im not getting excited until we are a genuine flag chance.

ps. Why yhf? Wilco's most overrated album

Not getting carried away at all Jerry, but it is good to enjoy a win, and I just don't think it's worthwhile being pessimistic for pessimism's sake.
I think you'll find most fair minded supporters here, will criticise when we don't play well, but don't go fossicking to find flaw in an otherwise positive start to a season. Just because folks are pleased with a win or six, doesn't mean we are getting ahead of ourselves.
Alot can happen and we may yet fall away as you seem to think. However I'm not going to go seeking storm clouds on a sunny day. Life's to short to always dwell on the negatives that may or may not happen.
It's good to be prepared for potential problems , but a tad morose to let it cloud your disposition permanently so that you can't appreciate small victories, like say, not losing the first 7 games of the footy season.

I'm sure Jeff Tweedy is crestfallen at your not rating YHF.. I don't know how he will go on....

[1eyedog]

Sorry i didnt say he was bad just noticed today and against Richmond that he is more a forward than defensive player.
Maybe another way of saying it is his body is not what you call a defensive build and it struggles body on body.
Yes he played a good game.
Some players are ball users some are taggers, some are both,Gia is a ball user.
Rather see him around our goals.
Does anyone agree?

Yes, I misunderstood and agree with the above. I had observed this as well.