Our opponents next week: West Coast Eagles

[Dry Rot]

Regardless of how they go against the Swans, can we stop them after tonight's efforts and our injuries/suspensions?

[The Bulldogs Bite]

No.

Gilbee out, Hhan out, possibly Cooney + West out on top of Cross & Griffen out.

Add that to the fact that McMahon is playing some dead set pathetic football, and we've got no run/skill in the backline, nobody to find the ball in the middle (Boyd, but he's 1 bloke).

We have some huge holes in our list.

In hindsight, The Hawks strategy was ten times better than ours. Built a good spine and then found quality midfielders. They identified the fact that you have years upon years to develop midfielders around quality KPP's, which has proven to be a far more successful approach. Picking an entire side of medium-small's and then trying to trade for players like McDougall and "making do" just won't work. They've identified this at least by going with Williams & Everitt in recent times, both are looking good prospects, although you can't help but think about the types of players we could of had, KPF wise.

I can't see us beating West Coast, too many soft, free running players that refuse to put their body on the line. Hahn, Cross, and possibly West & Cooney out is ouch. We are playing nothing like a team; it's a bunch of individuals playing a game, that's about it.

[Dry Rot]

Some will mount a counter argument that he got Walsh and Williams who got stuffed up with injuries.

I wish we also we got more Brock McLeans and fewer Farren Rays.......

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I wish we also we got more Brock McLeans and fewer Farren Rays.......

Arguably our biggest fault.

Williams/Everitt developing as good KP Backmen, and along with Harris & Morris, the backline should be OK.

Attacking wise we lack a CHF, but we've been able to compensate. We're second for points scored, or were up to last night. Still probably need to develop another one or two good forwards, expecially with Johnson and Robbins coming to the end. Grant too, for that matter.

But I agree in that we have too many Ray, Gia, McMahon types. McGlynn for The Hawks is the type of player we desperately need. Even The Kangaroos have quite a few hard nuggety good players.

[bornadog]

But I agree in that we have too many Ray, Gia, McMahon types.

Every week McMahon turns over the ball at a crucial time, his decision making is woeful and if I see him do one of those stupid little pathetic chip passes, that usually end up with the opposition, (in Terry Wallets words), I will spew up.

[LostDoggy]

Would the injury he suffered prior to his form slump have anything to do with what's going on with his form now? I know we're not meant to use injuries as excuse, but they can sometimes explain certain anomalies.

[Dry Rot]

Anyone watching WCE v Swans? Cracker game. Love these tight ones rather than shootouts.

1%ers, tackling, going in hard - these two teams are so much better than us.

[southerncross]

Anyone watching WCE v Swans? Cracker game. Love these tight ones rather than shootouts.

1%ers, tackling, going in hard - these two teams are so much better than us.

Ahh, to have a power athlete like Hunter or Staker.

[Dry Rot]

Ahh, to have a power athlete like Hunter or Staker.

Even Lynch would be handy. And I love Kerr - terrific player - great to watch him get in there and get the ball.

[Dry Rot]

What a game! I saw the round 1 clash at Telstra Stadium which was a one pointer but arguably that was a better game.

How the hell can we bat the Eagles if they play like that?

[LostDoggy]

What a game! I saw the round 1 clash at Telstra Stadium which was a one pointer but arguably that was a better game.

How the hell can we bat the Eagles if they play like that?

We beat them last year and they were in good form albeit they had a couple out. The players we are likely to be missing really will be a test but the Lions beat them on their home patch a couple of weeks ago and I don't really rate the Lions. A couple of weeks can really change things though form wise.

[BulldogBelle]

Looking at the ladder just now - we have managed to hold onto 7th spot this week, again this is a must win 8 point game against the Eagles. Glad the Cousins comeback was this week and not against us ( how good was he tonight) - will be a massive game for the Bulldogs on Friday night.

[Dry Rot]

Match-ups - who takes

- Kerr

- Cousins

- Judd

- Lynch

- Staker

- Hansen?

[Bulldog Revolution]

In hindsight, The Hawks strategy was ten times better than ours. Built a good spine and then found quality midfielders. They identified the fact that you have years upon years to develop midfielders around quality KPP's, which has proven to be a far more successful approach. Picking an entire side of medium-small's and then trying to trade for players like McDougall and "making do" just won't work. They've identified this at least by going with Williams & Everitt in recent times, both are looking good prospects, although you can't help but think about the types of players we could of had, KPF wise.



I think its a bit more complicated than that TBB

Recruiting cant miss key position players is really dependent on having early draft picks in the year they are available. We have clearly tried with Walsh, Williams, Everitt etc but its not like Walsh is Pavlich or Riewoldt etc. Its just unfortunate that when we have had early picks it has not been a key position driven draft. That said we should have been working to get more key position players on to the list but the philosophy of the club for well over a decade has been to play small - i.e Smith on Robran in a preliminary final. Eade inherited a group built for speed and ball use and has tried to play it to its strengths.

Hawthorn have done some good things yes, but we had no chance to get Roughead, and we picked Griffen over Franklin - and I personally have no problem with that decision as I think Griffen is still going to be a great player. Franklin was widely considered an enormous risk, extremely immature and someone who teams were unsure would realise his talent. They have recycled Gilham, Croad and Jacobs as key defenders and that looks good short term. Their ruckman in Taylor and Campbell are terrific and we clearly could use that sort of input. They have persisted with an injury prone Boyle for 6 seasons before getting good footy out of him.

I think the area they are clearly ahead of us is their toughness and defensive efforts- and that comes from Sewell, Mitchell, McGlynn, Guerra, Lewis, Hodge etc. They have been better at using their VFL alliance with Box Hill to develop their players.

[Go_Dogs]

Every week McMahon turns over the ball at a crucial time, his decision making is woeful and if I see him do one of those stupid little pathetic chip passes, that usually end up with the opposition, (in Terry Wallets words), I will spew up.

Personally I would like to see McMahon moved further up the field for a few weeks.