Werribee Today

[Bulldog Revolution]

Dont know if others wasted a few hours watching it, but they were terrible today and beaten by 80 points.
The midfield was smashed, they were just hopeless at picking it up off the deck and using it cleanly. They have so many of those little guys who all seem a bit one paced - some of them are good but the balance seemed wrong to me. The fact there were not bulldog onballers/centre square players in the team really hurt them

Not many bulldog players did a great deal:

Minson didn't have a good one for my money,
nor did Skipper,
Robbins couldn't get into it, partly due to supply, he probably tried to do a bit much when it did get down there, but he was certainly trying to spark them
Everitt was not at his best, he got in the right spots but looked a kid today
Grant is rusty
Hill was quiet
Stack made his debut and did some nice things but made some mistakes
Wight has lost confidence but improved as the game went on
McDougall isn't getting as much of it as I would like, but we really aren't moving the ball to his area with any precision

Hughes didn't play, DMac didn't play, nor did Power

[Go_Dogs]

So Power will play tonight then.

[LostDoggy]

We were shocking today. Grant still looks a way of returning. Does anyone else think he needs at least 3 more games with Werribee? Also where would he slot in? Forward or defence?

[bornadog]

We were shocking today. Grant still looks a way of returning. Does anyone else think he needs at least 3 more games with Werribee? Also where would he slot in? Forward or defence?

I ventured down to the ground today to mainly watch the doggies listed players and I was very dissapointed. Pretty much summed up by Bulldog Revolution. I don't think Grant was putting in as much as he would in the AFL, but yes he looks a long way off to mine.

Stack seemed to position himself beautifully but then either fumbled or slipped over. He is only young and looked nervous playing with men instead of boys.

Other observations, Wight looked better up forward in the last quarter, I thought Minson was pretty good and tried really hard to get the players going. Everitt, lets remember he is still a kid, not much meat on him but did a couple of nice things. Hill, didn't do much, Pask was lost and got killed in defence then move forward and just couldn't get his hands on the ball.
Faulkner started well but fell away.

They did not play the Port ground very well.

[Topdog]

My mate said the same thing about Grant. Actually he probably went further and said that he looks like someone who should give the game away.

We have to remember that this is his preseason and practice matches rolled into 1. He hasn't played a competitive game for about 9 months and he is going to need time. The other thing is he will better playing seniors and playing as a loose man or a forward rather than a key defender.

[GVGjr]

I'm very confident that Grant will be back in good form in another couple of weeks. He can really top off our team and I think he will be used in defence. He's moving around OK and providing he hasn't lost a yard in pace he can still be a vital player for us.

[bornadog]

I'm very confident that Grant will be back in good form in another couple of weeks. He can really top off our team and I think he will be used in defence. He's moving around OK and providing he hasn't lost a yard in pace he can still be a vital player for us.

If Williams can hold down a backline role do you think we are better off to have Grant up forward, or can they both play in the back half and release Hargrave up the wing?

[LostDoggy]

If Williams can hold down a backline role do you think we are better off to have Grant up forward, or can they both play in the back half and release Hargrave up the wing?

I have posed that question in the mid season review. I think it really does depend on his fitness. Easier for him to be played in defence if he is short of a gallop.

[Sockeye Salmon]

My thoughts:

27. Minson - ordinary. Got smashed by a not-very-good ruckman in Fanning (ex-Collingwood dud). Hit out to Castello for a goal in the last the highlight.

29. Everitt - ran and created faily well but leaked a few goals as well. Wasn't our worst but you don't (well, shouldn't) get promoted on that performance.

30. Robbins - missed a couple from long range but probably got <10 possies as usual.

31. Hill - started well but goes missing for long periods. No defensive side to his game and is miles away from AFL for mine. <15 touches at a guess.

32. McDougall - had a shocker. Got the first goal of the game and from then on was unsighted and had no impact at all. Spent a fair amount of time in the bench.

33. Stack - had a nightmare VFL debut. Fumbled, fell over, missed targets. Clayton doesn't draft guys this bad so forget about this game altogether.

34. - Skipper - quite possibly worse than McDougall. Kicked one good goal in the 3rd from what was just about his only touch.

37. Wight - gave up some goals early, first to Pitt and then 3 to Dukes. Went into the ruck after half time and while he hardly won a knockout, turned into another midfielder and got a fair bit of the ball. The first time I've thought that maybe he could be a winger after all.

41. Pask - what a shocker of a game from Marty! Dukes kicked two on him early, missed another sitter (after Pask fell over and gave up possesion) and set up another. Went to Smith who then kicked another one or two. Went forward after half time and didn't get a touch.

44. Faulkner - was OK. Not big numbers but had a crack. Another one who flashes in and out.

72. Grant - Didn't get much of the ball himself but was about the only defender we had who didn't get a bag kicked on him. Started on Smith (ex-Adelaide) and went to Dukes after Dukes kicked 5 in the first half. Dukes got one more on Grant.

[Bulldog Revolution]

My mate said the same thing about Grant. Actually he probably went further and said that he looks like someone who should give the game away.

We have to remember that this is his preseason and practice matches rolled into 1. He hasn't played a competitive game for about 9 months and he is going to need time. The other thing is he will better playing seniors and playing as a loose man or a forward rather than a key defender.

Sure he didn't look great, but the ground was heavy, the team was flogged and we never got anything going at all

Dont write off the champion just yet

[LostDoggy]

Sure he didn't look great, but the ground was heavy, the team was flogged and we never got anything going at all

Dont write off the champion just yet
I agree but the ground wasn't heavy. If it was I think it would have helped him more in terms of speed.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I agree but the ground wasn't heavy. If it was I think it would have helped him more in terms of speed.

no wanting to split hairs but I would have thought coming off little pre season that a heavy ground would have been hard work on his legs, even if it slowed others down. But it probably wasn't heavy on saturday

However, I thought Grant took good steps forward from his week 1 of vfl footy so hes definitely headed in the right direction