Game Day - Bulldogs vs Blues

[GVGjr]

This is the discussion thread for todays game.

Who's you tip to kick the first goal for us? I'll go with Darcy

Critical game for us.

[LostDoggy]

Johnno for first goal.

[Go_Dogs]

I'll go for Coon.

Certainly going to be a great match, luckily it's televised live over here.

[GVGjr]

Well what a pitiful display today. The signs have been suggesting that we are just not our best for a while now but this really underlines it.
I think it's time that the media put us right under the microscope as they have been far too lenient with our otherwise unimpressive season.

Thoughts?

[LostDoggy]

Yes that was pitiful this afternoon. Inaccurate shots on goal reminded me of our team a few years ago - the horror! What has happened to our having 10 - 12 goal scorers in the game with more than a few from outside 50?

What is the problem? We clearly have some extremely talented players on our list but it just isn't all coming together at the moment. My gut reaction at the game (particularly that 3rd quarter) was that they weren't "trying enough". I just about blow a gasket when I see the ball spill and the opposition pick it up with minimal resistance. That bombing in long to our midget forwards was infuriating. Is that a direction from Eade or is it the players deciding for themselves at the time?

I always try and remain optimistic but today was so, so disappointing.

[GVGjr]

I'm fairly sure that Eade wouldn't want the players bombing long into the forward line and they is why I think he prefers a small forward set-up. That way the midfielders have to drill the ball into the forward rather than the bomb.

The worst part about about the way we are playing is that there does not appear to be a quick fix.

[LostDoggy]

It must be a mental thing at this point, together with some players that are recovering from injuries - Darcy, McMahon, Griffen, Hahn, Aker.

I also don't think Robbins has brought much to the side since being selected. Thought he was better last year (mind you so were many others!).

[GVGjr]

It must be a mental thing at this point, together with some players that are recovering from injuries - Darcy, McMahon, Griffen, Hahn, Aker.

I also don't think Robbins has brought much to the side since being selected. Thought he was better last year (mind you so were many others!).

I have been sticking up for Robbo but he was short of the mark today and is likely candidate to be replaced.

Isn't Griff down on form? It's been a real struggle for him this season.

[LostDoggy]

Looks like it's just you and me in the cool room GVGjr - too hysterical in the other place.

As for Griffen, down on form definitely but hasn't he been injured? He can't seem to pull off those shrugged tackles like he did last year which means he has lost that speed/twisting poetry. Must be tough for the young man. Personally I would rather him in the 1's not at 100% than in the B's. He has still pulled off some good runs this year, just not as consistently as last year.

[GVGjr]

Looks like it's just you and me in the cool room GVGjr - too hysterical in the other place.

As for Griffen, down on form definitely but hasn't he been injured? He can't seem to pull off those shrugged tackles like he did last year which means he has lost that speed/twisting poetry. Must be tough for the young man. Personally I would rather him in the 1's not at 100% than in the B's. He has still pulled off some good runs this year, just not as consistently as last year.


Yes I wouldn't drop him but he is sadly down on form. I'd return him to half back and just allow him to run back into form. Hopefully that is not too far away.

[LostDoggy]

Time to make some changes
(http://www.sportal.com.au/football.asp?i=news&id=99773)

Time to make some changes: Eade
by: Paul Gough
Sportal

Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade has forecast mass changes to his under-performing team admitting after Sunday's shock ten point loss to lowly Carlton at the MCG that the lack of consistency from some of his players was beginning to concern him.

The Bulldogs began 2007 season widely tipped to challenge for the flag but after ten rounds are struggling with just five wins and find themselves a game outside the top eight after becoming the first club to lose to the 14th placed Blues since round three.

Highlighting the Dogs' inconsistency is the fact they have beaten top four sides in Collingwood, Geelong and Hawthorn yet have lost to Carlton as well as other bottom eight sides in Sydney and St Kilda.

Eade said after the loss 'at least six' players were now under pressure to hold their place in the team.

"It's about individuals and the way they should go about it and what they bring to the team that they didn't bring today," Eade said.

"We had half a dozen like that today, which is disappointing."

"As I said to the guys after the game, there are some players we don't know if they are going to turn up."

"We don't know which players (are going to perform) and some of them have got good talent but what it shows over a period of time is maybe they can't produce consistently so we have got to move on and maybe they have got to go back (to the VFL)."

While Eade refused to name names - the following players were all badly down against Carlton and will come under selection pressure this week - Sam Power, Jordan McMahon, Peter Street, Cameron Wight, Luke Darcy, Mitch Hahn and Matthew Robbins while even young goalkicking sensation Shaun Higgins saw little of the ball.

Eade said star forward Robert Murphy would return from injury next week while ruckman Will Minson and tall youngsters Tom Williams and Andrejs Everitt - the younger brother of Swans' veteran Peter - were all pressing for senior selection.

However Eade denied his team was in crisis, saying the club's expectations for this year were nowhere near that of the media or public after the Bulldogs run to the semi-finals last year - their first finals appearance since 2000.

"I don't know if it (the club's form) is serious - it depends where your expectations are," he said.

"A lot of the expectations on us were from outside such as the public, media and supporters and that's fine."

"But we certainly need to make some changes as a selection panel because we have been very patient with quite a few players and shown confidence in them but we need to make a statement and make some changes."

[LostDoggy]

Listening to the radio after the game - apparently the coaching staff locked themselves away from the players for quite some time before calling them all in for the post match meeting. They would be very disappointed with that effort today (see above article). I wonder how many changes Eade will make for next week up at the Gabba? Too many, I believe, would do more harm than good.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Yes I wouldn't drop him but he is sadly down on form. I'd return him to half back and just allow him to run back into form. Hopefully that is not too far away.

I haven't seen todays game yet, but the problem is we have so many guys down on form there does come a time when he may have to get back and work on his game - Ray had to do that this week. He obviously has attracted more opposition attention this year and seems to be struggling under expectation.

Does Griffen now have the engine to be given some shut down roles?

[BulldogBelle]

I wonder how many changes Eade will make for next week up at the Gabba? Too many, I believe, would do more harm than good.

There probably will be a few changes happening this week, he needs to let them know that their positions aren't as ridgy didge as some would be believe. There are others knocking on the door for selection - eg, Minson, Skipper, Faulkner, Ray etc.

[Go_Dogs]

Pretty disappointing game. We need to do better if we're going to make finals, let alone make an impact in them.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I am not meaning to scapegoat the knee reco recovering players BUT I've just watched the replay and you have to wonder if Darcy and Hahn will play next week. Hahn was very quiet, kicked one goal and only got into it a little in the last quarter - Darcy rucked ok in patches but appeared to panic when getting a few last quarter posessions and bombed long to nobody.

[southerncross]

Eade threatens clean-out of erratic Bulldogs (http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/eade-threatens-cleanout-of-erratic-bulldogs/2007/06/03/1180809340124.html)


MORE than half a dozen Western Bulldogs players were at the crossroads of their careers, coach Rodney Eade said yesterday after his team's 10-point loss to Carlton at the MCG.
Eade said long-term success could not be built on flaky foundations, and the time had arrived for hard decisions to be made on a clutch of players who routinely disappointed.
"There are some players that we don't know if they are going to turn up; we don't know which player we are going to get," Eade said.
"Some of them have got good talent, and what it shows over a period of time is maybe they can't produce consistently … maybe we have got to move on and maybe they have got to move back.
"We certainly need to make some changes. As a selection panel, we have been very patient with a few players and shown confidence in them; not that there is going to be a knee-jerk reaction, but we certainly need to make a statement and make some changes.
"When you say 'line in the sand' it is always a bit crisis mode and sends the wrong message. It is not that. It is more about players who are up and down so much that you think, 'Are they valuing where we are going as a side?' or, 'Do they value being part of the team?' 'Are they a bit blase?' I am not sure."
Eade would not name the players, but judged on form, Sam Power and Matthew Robbins would struggle to retain their positions in the 22, while bigger names will be given a fright.
Former captain Luke Darcy, now 10 games into his return from knee reconstructions, is labouring badly. With Will Minson among the best players in the VFL yesterday, Darcy will battle for his position.
"It is something we will have to look at during the week, whether we can take the three (ruckmen) in or not," Eade said.
Recruit Jason Akermanis, in the first of a three-year contract, has yet to deliver on his promise and was dreadful yesterday.
Eade said he was disappointed in full-forward Brad Johnson yesterday in that he lapsed into bad habits when under pressure.
"Brad's effort you can't question, but sometimes there are some old habits in this club that when things get bad you try a bit harder. So it is not selfish, but it is trying harder at what I know best instead of having that outward vision sometimes."
Carlton coach Denis Pagan described his team's first victory in seven weeks as one that might prove more important psychologically than gaining the premiership points. The win had the potential to build the self-belief that had been missing in a string of recent near misses, he said.
Pagan conceded that when Bulldog defender Ryan Hargrave goaled at the nine-minute mark of the final term to reduce Carlton's lead to seven points, he feared another strong performance from his team was about to count for nothing.
Instead, the Blues went goal-for-goal over the next 16 minutes and professionally protected their lead over the last four.
"When you've been in a situation like we have, and played very well for long periods of games … there is a hump in the road. We got over the hump today," Pagan said.
He said that, contrary to the popular view, he was reasonably confident that his attack could produce the goals to compete in an open game against the Dogs, a side without peer over the past 12 months in high-scoring contests played on their swift and skilful terms.
Pagan admitted he didn't understand what made the difference yesterday, other than the commitment to persist and grind.
"Who knows? Maybe it was doing some paintball. Maybe it was someone, our sporting psych, having a chat to our boys about (being) scared of losing, being scared of winning. Maybe it was a bit of old-time rock 'n' roll at training. Maybe it was a bit of all those things.
"At the end of the day it came down to our group," Pagan said.

[southerncross]

Angry Eade set to wield the axe (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21843344%255E20322,00.html)

WESTERN Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade warned of axings this week after yesterday admitting he was losing patience with several players.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/images/main_bluearrow.gif Carlton stats (http://heraldsun.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21841442%255E19762,00.html)
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/images/main_bluearrow.gif Western Bulldogs stats (http://heraldsun.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21841443%255E19775,00.html)

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,5510367,00.jpg Rocket launch: Rodney Eade berates Brian Harris.
Andrejs Everitt, younger brother of Sydney ruckman Peter, is among a group Eade said was pushing for selection to play the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Saturday night.
The disappointed Dogs coach said at least six players were underperforming and he emphasised that when addressing the team after it let a 22-point lead early in the third quarter slip, to lose to Carlton by 10 points at the MCG yesterday.
"As I said to the guys after the game, there are some players we don't know if they're going to turn up. We don't know which player we're going to get," Eade said.
"What it shows over a period of time is that maybe they can't produce consistently, then maybe we've got to move on. Maybe, they've got to go back (to the VFL). So where we want to head to is still a work in progress.
"We've got some good kids - Everitt is not far away, Tom Williams is not far - so we certainly need to make some changes.
"As a selection panel, we've been very patient with quite a few players and shown confidence in them. Not that there's going to be a knee-jerk reaction, but we certainly need to make a statement."
Versatile Robert Murphy will be ready to return this week and ruckman Will Minson was among the best players for VFL affiliate Werribee.
Eade denied he was drawing a line in the sand to no longer tolerate inconsistency from some players who have dined out on reputations for too long.
"When you say line in the sand, it's like crisis mode and maybe sends the wrong message," he said. "No, it's not that. It's more about players who are up and down so much that you think, 'Are they value where we're going as a side and do they value being part of the team?'.
"We're finding some little chinks in the armours of individuals and we've just got to keep educating and teaching and at the same time, maybe find some new ones."
Even skipper Brad Johnson, who didn't add to three first-half goals, copped Eade's ire on the phone on the interchange bench after missing a shot on the run when teammate Jason Akermanis was unmarked 20m out directly in front late in the third quarter.
"You can't question Brad's effort, but sometimes there's old habits in this club that when things get bad, we try a bit harder," Eade said.
"There's a lack of hard work at times, a bit of one-day footy and it cost us the game. We certainly expected more pressure on the opposition at times."

[bornadog]

The third quarter was a real shocker for us today after being 22 points up we gave the game away. Its started with three major turnovers coming out of the backline which resulted in Carlton kicking three goals. You can see the confidence building up with the Carlton players and all of a sudden they got the momentum and we couldn't do anything about it.

Eade is blaming a few players for not showing up but lets look at the team we have in. Griffen and McMahon were coming back from a hammy, Darcy and Hahn have clearly not come up since the knee reco, Addison, Higgins and Wight are still learning the game, Robbo (who I backed), was woeful, couldn't mark anything that came his way, Power (who i have no confidence in ) vindicated my assessment of him.
Street had no one to help him in the ruck, and the midfield is bombing into the forward line. As much as I love Johnno, he has to look for other options if he is on the impossible angle.

We have concentrated so much on winning the clearances that we are now losing out on the uncontested posessions with the opposition smashing us. How can we win so many more centre clearances and lose a game?

Our problem is not kicking a big score, its how to stop the opposition kicking so many? I have longed believed the backline is lacking a couple more tough guys that can shut down the opposition. Its all well and good to have the run out of the backline but if their delivery goes straight to the opposition then the ball comes straight back. Yesterday, McMahon, Wight and Gilbee were shocking with their disposal. I can't believe Gilbee had the most clangers, is it a confidence thing?

The selection panel has to take a long hard look at this game as the next few weeks are vital.

[GVGjr]

Gilbee's kicking is obviously a strength and it was out of character for him to miss his targets so frequently.

This season is fast slipping away from us and we need to make the right people accountable.
I don't think the playing group of even the coaching group should escape the scrutiny of poor performances.

We need to make at least 4 changes to the senior line-up this week. Ray, McDougall, Minson, Faulkner, Williams and Everitt need to be considered. Not sure about Murphy because I think he needs a run with the Bees.

[bornadog]

We need to make at least 4 changes to the senior line-up this week. Ray, McDougall, Minson, Faulkner, Williams and Everitt need to be considered. Not sure about Murphy because I think he needs a run with the Bees.

Forgot about Murphy, ahhh what a dilema, glad I am not the coach.

[Go_Dogs]

The season is starting to slip away isn't it. Last year we were looking very good at this time, this year we are really struggling, still a long way to go but we need a lot of improvement, quickly.

[GVGjr]

The season is starting to slip away isn't it. Last year we were looking very good at this time, this year we are really struggling, still a long way to go but we need a lot of improvement, quickly.

This is a big of a test for the coach than it is for the players. A few of our wins have been unimpressive so if anything being 5/5 is flattering us slightly.

[bornadog]

The season is starting to slip away isn't it. Last year we were looking very good at this time, this year we are really struggling, still a long way to go but we need a lot of improvement, quickly.

Yes your right we looked good this time last year, but fell away a bit after the break and had a bit of a slump. I am hoping with the run home (8 of 9 at Telstra Dome) we can gain some form and make the finals. Hopefully we have had our share of injuries and players coming back from injury and we can make a good run home. The next two weeks are vital for us and we are playing two teams that are not in form.