Round 8 Games

[The Coon Dog]

Some real '8 pointers' this week. 4 of the games feature the top 9 teams.

Fremantle v Collingwood
Western Bulldogs v Sydney
Melbourne v West Coast
Brisbane v Geelong
North Melbourne v Adelaide
Richmond v Hawthorn
Port Adelaide v Carlton
St.Kilda v Essendon

[chef]

I was just going to start this thread:p beat me too it TCD.

Huge weekend coming up, we could be sitting in the top 4 next week if results go our way:eek:.

You could add the Saints/Essendon game to that list of 4 huge games, after last night I wouldn't be surprised to the Bombers victorious.

[chef]

My perfect weekend checklist

-Fremantle beats Collingwood by any margin(doesn't affect us but I'm surrounded by Pies fans at work)
-Dogs beat Swans by at least 5 goals
-Lions smash Geelong(can't see this one happening)
-Carlton narrowly beating the Power
-Bombers beating the Saints by any margin

Dogs now sit in third position:eek:(forth if Cats win or don't lose by much).

[Sockeye Salmon]

My perfect weekend


- Dogs smash Swans


Don't give a bugger about the rest*









*I must admit I did like seeing St. Kilda get rolled last night

[Scorlibo]

How tight is it this round? Just about every game could go either way. Going to be a make or break week in the tipping :p

[chef]

Wayde Skipper is on an extended bench for the Hawks.

[Remi Moses]

Dogs Win and Win and keep winning and the rest takes care of itself

[LostDoggy]

Wayde Skipper is on an extended bench for the Hawks.

Very good news.

[The Coon Dog]

Anyone catch the Collingwood & Freo clash last night?

Couldn't help noticing the absolutely appalling display by Adam McPhee. He couldn't hold a mark, miss kicked, turned the ball over, didn't shepherd & was a dead set liability for the Dockers.

I might have been biased as I don't like him, but you could sense the crowd were getting on his back too, got the bronx cheers when he got the ball in the final term.

Very impressive running display by Collingwood out of & through the middle.

[LostDoggy]

Collingwood are looking pretty good, round 11 is looking harder and harder every week!

[Hotdog60]

Anyone catch the Collingwood & Freo clash last night?

Couldn't help noticing the absolutely appalling display by Adam McPhee. He couldn't hold a mark, miss kicked, turned the ball over, didn't shepherd & was a dead set liability for the Dockers.

I might have been biased as I don't like him, but you could sense the crowd were getting on his back too, got the bronx cheers when he got the ball in the final term.

Very impressive running display by Collingwood out of & through the middle.

If Nanny McPhee doesn't improve he could be a goner, I've seen a couple of Freo games and he has been a liability. I think the wobbles are going to be a real worry this year, I'd love to see them taken back a bit because they are becoming very smart arsed about the way they are going about it.

[Go_Dogs]

Last night's game really surprised me. Collingwood were seemingly able to just pile on goals with ease (and without me really noticing). I was shocked at 1/4 time to see they had kicked 7!

Thankfully I tipped Collingwood and the game went much the way I had expected. I still think we are a better side than both Collingwood and Fremantle.

[Sedat]

Last night's game really surprised me. Collingwood were seemingly able to just pile on goals with ease (and without me really noticing). I was shocked at 1/4 time to see they had kicked 7!
They have more (albeit talented) skunks that roll the dice and run ahead of the stoppage than any other team in the competition. Guys like Didak, Swan, Davis, Thomas, etc.. rely on Collingwood winning the stoppage battle and are then in acres of space when they do break, which leads to several soft goals. These guys are very good at finding space and even better at punishing the opposition when they do. That's why they were so keen to get Jolly and Ball to the club to bolster their stoppage capabilities. Have to say they have been extremely effective at it all year, as we witnessed first hand in Round 1.

Easier said than done, but put the clamps on their inside ball winners (in particular Pendlebury), thereby preventing them from winning the clearance battle, and the skunks don't get anywhere near as much space to run riot. They certainly won't be getting that much space come September.

[Hotdog60]

They have more (albeit talented) skunks that roll the dice and run ahead of the stoppage than any other team in the competition. Guys like Didak, Swan, Davis, Thomas, etc.. rely on Collingwood winning the stoppage battle and are then in acres of space when they do break, which leads to several soft goals. These guys are very good at finding space and even better at punishing the opposition when they do. That's why they were so keen to get Jolly and Ball to the club to bolster their stoppage capabilities. Have to say they have been extremely effective at it all year, as we witnessed first hand in Round 1.

Easier said than done, but put the clamps on their inside ball winners (in particular Pendlebury), thereby preventing them from winning the clearance battle, and the skunks don't get anywhere near as much space to run riot. They certainly won't be getting that much space come September.

Very good Sedat, you summed it up very well. If Jolly gets beaten in the ruck and a couple of close taggers on their inside ball winners and it would be interesting to see how they go.

[comrade]

-Carlton narrowly beating the Power
-Bombers beating the Saints by any margin


If these results fall our way, we could finish the round in the top 4. Tracking along ok for a team that's apparently struggling.

[Go_Dogs]

If these results fall our way, we could finish the round in the top 4. Tracking along ok for a team that's apparently struggling.

Looking at our draw from this point on, top 4 should be attained fairly comfortably. Obviously, no easy games, but I think it's starting to come together, and with the players due to come back we are looking very good heading into the second half of the season.

[comrade]

I've erased the memories of 2003/2004 - can someone confirm that we weren't nearly as bad as Richmond are right now.

[Hotdog60]

Skipper hasn't done much in the first half, he might have 1 or 2 possessions.

[bornadog]

Looking at our draw from this point on, top 4 should be attained fairly comfortably. Obviously, no easy games, but I think it's starting to come together, and with the players due to come back we are looking very good heading into the second half of the season.

Go Bombers:D

[chef]

Saints and Bombers are both wearing their clash jumpers:confused:

[comrade]

Good to see someone iron out Goddard - absolute faux-hardman.

[comrade]

Every time Carlton wins Baby Jesus cries, but at least it's allowed us to keep fourth spot. Now we just need the flaky Bombers to get over the line.

[chef]

Every time Carlton wins Baby Jesus cries, but at least it's allowed us to keep fourth spot. Now we just need the flaky Bombers to get over the line.

Go Bombers.

[comrade]

Bombers in front by 13 at 3 qtr time. Geez, we should have smashed the Saints.

[The Pie Man]

My perfect weekend checklist

-Fremantle beats Collingwood by any margin(doesn't affect us but I'm surrounded by Pies fans at work)
-Dogs beat Swans by at least 5 goals
-Lions smash Geelong(can't see this one happening)
-Carlton narrowly beating the Power
-Bombers beating the Saints by any margin
Dogs now sit in third position:eek:(forth if Cats win or don't lose by much).

Imagine what those two would've paid in a multi? Just the two results we needed to remain 4th, thought very unlikely though.

Sweeet :)

[chef]

Imagine what those two would've paid in a multi? Just the two results we needed to remain 4th, thought very unlikely though.

Sweeet :)

Certainly was.

[DOG GOD]

Ahh the saints lose another without Roo :) how sweet it is.

[The Pie Man]

Ahh the saints lose another without Roo :) how sweet it is.

Perfect sporting weekend - Dogs win, Saints lose...which also hands us 4th spot, M Hussey the hero in St Lucia...just gold! :)

[jazzadogs]

Ahh the saints lose another without Roo :) how sweet it is.
Would have been sweeter if we hadn't given them their only win in the past four weeks.

[comrade]

Would have been sweeter if we hadn't given them their only win in the past four weeks.

I think we underestimated how much they're battling and played accordingly. If we had our time again, we'd be much more aggressive.

[jazzadogs]

I think we underestimated how much they're battling and played accordingly. If we had our time again, we'd be much more aggressive.
Agree. The tactics, whilst not wrong, were not the optimal method of playing them without Riewoldt. With Riewoldt, perhaps that would have been the best option, in which case it's good to get the practice for when he comes back later this year.

Ah well, we're fourth =]

[lemmon]

Great result for us, St Kilda have well and truly lost their aura, big trip to Subi for them next week, hopefully the eagles put them to the sword.

[Sedat]

Would have been sweeter if we hadn't given them their only win in the past four weeks.
My absolute annoyance at that result dissipated 7 days later when we stole one back. Looking back I'd much prefer to learn a bitter lesson in Round 6 than in September.

[Rocco Jones]

The last two weeks have put a different slant on our loss to the Saints for me.

After we lost a game we should have won against a fellow top 4 contender (or even contender). It was another loss in a big/blockbuster (quality of sides blockbuster not ANZAC day blockbuster) type game.

Now I feel as if an ordinary team just pinched a game off us that we should have won comfortably.

Despite rating the side we lost to less, I oddly feel better about it as I think it says less about how we fare against the best sides and just see the loss as a big mistake.

[Mantis]

They have more (albeit talented) skunks that roll the dice and run ahead of the stoppage than any other team in the competition. Guys like Didak, Swan, Davis, Thomas, etc.. rely on Collingwood winning the stoppage battle and are then in acres of space when they do break, which leads to several soft goals. These guys are very good at finding space and even better at punishing the opposition when they do. That's why they were so keen to get Jolly and Ball to the club to bolster their stoppage capabilities. Have to say they have been extremely effective at it all year, as we witnessed first hand in Round 1.

Easier said than done, but put the clamps on their inside ball winners (in particular Pendlebury), thereby preventing them from winning the clearance battle, and the skunks don't get anywhere near as much space to run riot. They certainly won't be getting that much space come September.

That isn't one of our real strengths as Picken & Addison play the role of 'outside' taggers and we don't really have anyone else capable of fulfilling the task as the 'inside' tagger at present.

To win in September we are going to have to be able to shut down (at the very least reduce the impact) the likes of Ablett, Judd, Hayes & Pendlebury so it's something I supect the MC are planning for.

Boyd & Cross struggle in the role or are best used in other ways so I am not sure who else we can call on. Perhaps Ward or Reid could be used, not sure??

[LostDoggy]

That isn't one of our real strengths as Picken & Addison play the role of 'outside' taggers and we don't really have anyone else capable of fulfilling the task as the 'inside' tagger at present.



What's an inside tagger? Isn't that just a guy who goes in and gets the hard ball before the other inside guy gets it ie. Brett Kirk and Cam Ling (who have both erroneously been called 'taggers' on occasion)? In that case Boydy and Crossy are our go-to guys for that, with Ward, Gia, Addison and Coons able to pinch hit 'inside' as well.

The only real 'inside tagger' on any list at the moment is Clint Jones, and he doesn't have to win his own ball because he's a cheating maggot that is allowed to get away with murder when trying to stop his direct opponent from going for the loose ball.

[Go_Dogs]

Reid's effort on Bartel last year sticks in my mind.