Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

[Doc26]

Can't imagine how some of you youngsters on here would have coped in the 70's & 80's when we were a basket case most of the time!

Although enduring this hasn't done much for my patience and expectation for a premiership.

[Flamethrower]

At least we have picked a good year to have a bad season. No one will get close to Collingwood for the flag this year.

We are probably better off concentrating getting some experience into Wally, Libba, LJ, Roughy, Merlin, Marko etc, so they will be ready to complement the existing players for a full on assault at the flag in 2012 and 2013.

As for Rocket, the game plan is fine - it is the execution and lack of work ethic that is killing us.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Boyd can get all the ball he wants each week, but if he uses it at 67% efficiency, it's useless.

And even disposal effectiveness is misleading. We often had little chains of good disposal, but it's the crucial one going inside 50 or through the middle of the ground that we seem to butcher with regularity.
Boyd's hands in close, especially early on were great, but when he's 45 out in front, sprays a crucial kick. And I'm not singling Boyd out in particular, it's just one that comes to mind to make the point.

[immortalmike]

No, I have faith in the players playing & think with the inclusion of Hargrave, Hall & Higgins over the next couple of weeks we'll do well.

Can't imagine how some of you youngsters on here would have coped in the 70's & 80's when we were a basket case most of the time!

I wasn't alive then but I was there for 96, 03 and 04. Were our supporters always this piss weak when we were losing?

On the game today I thought the effort was there but our skills let us down quite badly. Also we look really inexperienced out there especially in our forward line. Our two main forwards were Grant and Jones who are kids, and look lost at times. I think we made a mistake by not leaving Hahn on our senior list because what we need right now is exactly what he's providing at Willy, a cool experienced head in the forward half who works his arse off and does all the bullocking and tough stuff and provides a long target.

The big thing for me though was that we look unfit as a group. What exactly were they doing during the pre-season?

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I wasn't alive then but I was there for 96, 03 and 04. Were our supporters always this piss weak when we were losing?

On the game today I thought the effort was there but our skills let us down quite badly. Also we look really inexperienced out there especially in our forward line. Our two main forwards were Grant and Jones who are kids, and look lost at times. I think we made a mistake by not leaving Hahn on our senior list because what we need right now is exactly what he's providing at Willy, a cool experienced head in the forward half who works his arse off and does all the bullocking and tough stuff and provides a long target.

The big thing for me though was that we look unfit as a group. What exactly were they doing during the pre-season?

To be fair though, I think most thought he looked cooked last year, and was lucky to get a rookie spot.

[The Pie Man]

I have heard this line a lot and really get where you're coming from but no Bulldogs fan has had it easy. It's like a man living on the street saying a man living in a cardboard box has it easy.

I am 30 and know I missed out on on a whole lot of crap in the 70s but while I love the Dogs, we have been an extremely frustrating side to support. I have posted this a few times on WOOF but I think it's why our fans have become so very cynical/snide.

Absolutely tragic in the years you mention TCD, then when we actually get near the top, we turn into the greatest tease of all time.

Being 30 Rocco I imagine you might remember a fair bit of the 80's - my first memories of footy are from 84/85. Pretty ordinary for a stint thereafter.

Outside of 1996 & 2003/04, we've at least been competitive/in touching distance of a finals spot - and we're just that again now.

I think the expectation this year for many was a lot higher, hence the overly negative response to out start. This is sport - you have to control what are controllables, but there are SO many un-controllables that also have to go your way. That's not an excuse, it's the truth

[immortalmike]

To be fair though, I think most thought he looked cooked last year, and was lucky to get a rookie spot.

Yeah fair enough but I guess I just felt that he deserved another shot, especially with so much senior experience going outof the side.

[comrade]

Being 30 Rocco I imagine you might remember a fair bit of the 80's - my first memories of footy are from 84/85. Pretty ordinary for a stint thereafter.

Outside of 1996 & 2003/04, we've at least been competitive/in touching distance of a finals spot - and we're just that again now.

I think the expectation this year for many was a lot higher, hence the overly negative response to out start. This is sport - you have to control what are controllables, but there are SO many un-controllables that also have to go your way. That's not an excuse, it's the truth

TPM, what's your stance now. You said you would re-assess after the Swans game.

[The Pie Man]

TPM, what's your stance now. You said you would re-assess after the Swans game.

I think top 4 will be a massive challenge for the group from here - Carlton & Freo have the opportunity to extend the gap on everyone else this week, and Hawthorn are hovering (and winning games, albeit unconvincingly) We all saw Freo choke 4th up from around round 16 last year, but not so sure we'll be there to pounce should one of them fall away from here.

I thought we'd finish around 5th this year pre-season, and I'd be happy to get that high from here. Dems the breaks.

Was talking about this at work last night - I think Adelaide were the last side to win the flag from spots 5-8 (98) and since rewarding the top 4 more with the current system, it becomes extremely difficult to mount a challenge. Adelaide in 2009 were one candidate to potentially buck the system, getting the easiest of Elim finals first up (Ess) and then were very unlucky to lose to Collingwood in that semi. Would've been interesting to see them play Geelong the next week instead of Collingwood.

Long story short, who knows what team is going to get a run on at the right time ...like I thought we were at the end of 09........

[Evel]

Really makes you wonder where this midfield group is at, we've seemingly gone from a highly skilled, quick moving though heavily outside unit, to a tough in and under, hard ball winning unit with lesser skills but this year we're seeing the worst of both, poor skills and smacked in the clearances, all without a massive turnover in midfield personnel.

You've pretty much summed it up. Certainly in the last couple of years our midfield hasn't adapted to the way top teams play. In all our games this year, when we win the ball, we do tend to hack the kick forward instead of trying to spread or look for a running option and it's always got us into trouble. Teams like the Pies and even Essendon this year all seem to be able to break away from the contest, whereas we've struggled. Our lack of midfield pace with players like Cross and Boyd has been discussed before and from the Victorian games I've seen this year, this lack of pace does show when these players can't get to a contest in time or run to close the space when trying to defend.

[LostDoggy]

Boyd can get all the ball he wants each week, but if he uses it at 67% efficiency, it's useless.

Thats a comment that Mark Maclure mentioned in his post match reviewon ABC radio. He said that Boyds stats showed he picked up plenty of possessions but he didnt really notice him having any real effect on the game.

[Evel]

At least we have picked a good year to have a bad season. No one will get close to Collingwood for the flag this year.

We are probably better off concentrating getting some experience into Wally, Libba, LJ, Roughy, Merlin, Marko etc, so they will be ready to complement the existing players for a full on assault at the flag in 2012 and 2013.

As for Rocket, the game plan is fine - it is the execution and lack of work ethic that is killing us.

Agree with this. Although it stings to lose, getting games into younger players is a good thing. We've lost a lot of senior experience last year and likely to lose some more this year. In a tough competition, realistically we were always likely to slip. It will not be a wasted year if we get games into the above quoted players and perhaps a few more like Djkrra (sorry for abbreviation), Veszpremi, Skinner, Schofield just to get a taste of their capabilities. After all this is list we have and we need to give opportunities if they are deserved. If we cop an injury even Dalhaus must be a chance for promotion. I give Eade credit in that I think he realises he needs to develop new players to reload.

Please don't think I'm being a smart ass, but I would love to hear your thoughts on Rocket's game plan and what he's trying to execute. I have only seen the Victorian games this year from level 3 on the wing and I honestly cannot pickup what our game plan is.

[LostDoggy]

Thats a comment that Mark Maclure mentioned in his post match reviewon ABC radio. He said that Boyds stats showed he picked up plenty of possessions but he didnt really notice him having any real effect on the game.

It's not the first & won't be the last time he does this, him and Cross are very much culprits of this.

[SlimPickens]

Who did Picken and Morris pick up today? Noticed they a prominent once again in The Marmo votes.

[Mantis]

Who did Picken and Morris pick up today? Noticed they a prominent once again in The Marmo votes.

Picko was on McGlynn, Morris was on Goodes when forward and when he wasn't he rotated on many.

Both were more than serviceable.

[the banker]

The big thing for me though was that we look unfit as a group. What exactly were they doing during the pre-season?


Feel this could have been the strategy and ATM looks like it will backfire. We have failed to see seasons out strongly and maybe we have had the training regime geared to the backend of the season?

[LostDoggy]

Who did Picken and Morris pick up today? Noticed they a prominent once again in The Marmo votes.

McGlynn was kept quite, but, Picken was our worst user of the ball today.

[ledge]

The way the Tigers are playing tonight we will get smashed next week.

[Greystache]

They're Richmond, there's always hope.


The way the Tigers are playing tonight we will get smashed next week.

Nah I think we'll belt Richmond, the one thing I'm confident about this team is they'll belt a weakish team. Boyd, Gia, Higgins will all have a field day, against a good team they'll give us nothing, but give them a chance to front run and we'll be away.

[Hotdog60]

The big thing for me though was that we look unfit as a group. What exactly were they doing during the pre-season?


Feel this could have been the strategy and ATM looks like it will backfire. We have failed to see seasons out strongly and maybe we have had the training regime geared to the backend of the season?

I think this was the strategy, due to fade outs over the last couple of seasons. The trouble might be that if your not in contention it's all for nought.

[immortalmike]

Nah I think we'll belt Richmond, the one thing I'm confident about this team is they'll belt a weakish team. Boyd, Gia, Higgins will all have a field day, against a good team they'll give us nothing, but give them a chance to front run and we'll be away.

Yeah 10 marks, 23ish possessions and 2 goals in a losing side amounts to exactly nothing...:rolleyes:

[Pickenitup]

Tiges are going to be bloody tough to beat if we play like we did in the 3rd qtr we are GAWN

[Greystache]

Yeah 10 marks, 23ish possessions and 2 goals in a losing side amounts to exactly nothing...:rolleyes:

Sydney aren't a good team, they're middle of the road along with us, Adelaide, and Carlton. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Sockeye Salmon]

Boyd can get all the ball he wants each week, but if he uses it at 67% efficiency, it's useless.

So Boyd had more effective disposals than anyone, then?

[azabob]

Im at a loss what should be done.

I thought our rucks were beaten quite badly, our midfield was poor and so was the forward line.
Both forwards and mids don't seem to work hard enough to help out when needed.

When Murphy cramped why were there teamates hanging around him rather than running to space to provide an option?

It appears we are in some sort of transition phase but still expecting to win.

Cross did well today - I think he went head to head with Bolton but who does he match up on next week? Richmond is very very quick.

Jones and Grant are struggling and the forward line looks just as slow as it did last year.

[Sedat]

The big thing for me though was that we look unfit as a group.
I reckon the two consecutive 5 1/2 day breaks between matches since the Freo game has been a very tricky schedule that we haven't been able to cope with. Coupled with the injuries we look unable to run these matches out. We certainly cannot run and spread like we have been able to in recent seasons, an area where we normally kill teams like Sydney (especially on the wide expanses of Manuka).

God we butcher the ball a lot. We are using the ball like a botton 4 team, not a top 4 one. Effort and endeavour is not terrible, but turnovers and woeful disposal efficiency are killing us at the moment.

[LostDoggy]

Why do people think Grant struggled today?

He had 19 disposals, 3 marks, 6 tackles & 2 goals today.

[LostDoggy]

So Boyd had more effective disposals than anyone, then?

I am not sure what you are saying here.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Sydney aren't a good team, they're middle of the road along with us, Adelaide, and Carlton. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

I think you'll find that Carlton are a fair bit ahead of us at the moment

but teams like Adelaide, Sydney, St Kilda, Fremantle, West Coast and us are at about the same level, and maybe even Melbourne and Richmond

[Grantysghost]

No, I have faith in the players playing & think with the inclusion of Hargrave, Hall & Higgins over the next couple of weeks we'll do well.

Can't imagine how some of you youngsters on here would have coped in the 70's & 80's when we were a basket case most of the time!

We wouldn't have sold a game interstate in the 70's and 80's and would have banked the four points i would have thought.

[always right]

I am not sure what you are saying here.

Pretty obvious.....Boyd was one of our most effective today. I recall thinking his possessions were more constructive today than usual. Shame that brilliant handball to Grant in the first quarter didn't finish in a goal.

[always right]

We wouldn't have sold a game interstate in the 70's and 80's and would have banked the four points i would have thought.

Not with the team we had back then.

[LostDoggy]

Pretty obvious.....Boyd was one of our most effective today. I recall thinking his possessions were more constructive today than usual. Shame that brilliant handball to Grant in the first quarter didn't finish in a goal.

Fair enough.

I just can't get my head around someone being effective, when the stats show otherwise.

[LostDoggy]

Fair enough.

I just can't get my head around someone being effective, when the stats show otherwise.

And the radio commentators too.

[Scorlibo]

So everyone seems to have gone into crisis mode, and rightly so, the result was heartbreaking and immensely frustrating. But now is not the time to start talking about blooding the youngsters and throwing this season away.

1. The Swans aren't a poor side, and that wasn't our home ground.

2. We would have won easily today if not for disgracefully poor umpiring.

3. Match results have shown that we're at least as good as the Swans, Fremantle and Collingwood for three quarters.

4. Of our best 22, we have Higgins, Hall, Lake, Hargrave and Wood out as well as Gilbee, Giansiracusa and Hudson having been in and out of the side. That totals 8 players. Add to this the loss of Hahn, Johnson, Harbrow and Eagleton from our 22 last year. That's over half the team. Were we ever going to fire early in the season?

5. Cooney and to a lesser extent Grant can, and will, lift big-time as the season progresses.

6. Griffen, Morris, Hill, Murphy, Ward, Picken and Minson have all made big improvements so far this season.

7. Sherman and Liberatore have proven to be valuable additions to the side.

8. Having played the variety of players we have will give us good depth come later in the year.

9. We are now underdogs, just how we like it.

10. There are 16 more matches to play before finals.


There are ten reasons not only not to panic, but to continue to expect big things from this team. The calls to focus on rebuilding for 2012 or 2013 are off the mark imo, we will begin to lose our core group of players in the coming years, and it may take years after that for our younger players to gel with each other. Our time to challenge is now.

[AndrewP6]

So everyone seems to have gone into crisis mode, and rightly so, the result was heartbreaking and immensely frustrating. But now is not the time to start talking about blooding the youngsters and throwing this season away.

1. The Swans aren't a poor side, and that wasn't our home ground.

2. We would have won easily today if not for disgracefully poor umpiring.

3. Match results have shown that we're at least as good as the Swans, Fremantle and Collingwood for three quarters.

4. Of our best 22, we have Higgins, Hall, Lake, Hargrave and Wood out as well as Gilbee, Giansiracusa and Hudson having been in and out of the side. That totals 8 players. Add to this the loss of Hahn, Johnson, Harbrow and Eagleton from our 22 last year. That's over half the team. Were we ever going to fire early in the season?

5. Cooney and to a lesser extent Grant can, and will, lift big-time as the season progresses.

6. Griffen, Morris, Hill, Murphy, Ward, Picken and Minson have all made big improvements so far this season.

7. Sherman and Liberatore have proven to be valuable additions to the side.

8. Having played the variety of players we have will give us good depth come later in the year.

9. We are now underdogs, just how we like it.

10. There are 16 more matches to play before finals.


I agree with some of your points...nos. 1,6,7,8 and 10 particularly. But on no.2 - we would have been thumped if the Swans had've kicked straight.

[Ghost Dog]

Go right back to basics for these guys. A good solid team of no-names with reasonable kicking and contested footy is going to carve us up every week until we get some poise and stop wasting posession.

[immortalmike]

Sydney aren't a good team, they're middle of the road along with us, Adelaide, and Carlton. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

They were good enough to beat us.:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Ghost Dog]

So everyone seems to have gone into crisis mode, and rightly so, the result was heartbreaking and immensely frustrating. But now is not the time to start talking about blooding the youngsters and throwing this season away.

1. The Swans aren't a poor side, and that wasn't our home ground.

2. We would have won easily today if not for disgracefully poor umpiring.

3. Match results have shown that we're at least as good as the Swans, Fremantle and Collingwood for three quarters.

4. Of our best 22, we have Higgins, Hall, Lake, Hargrave and Wood out as well as Gilbee, Giansiracusa and Hudson having been in and out of the side. That totals 8 players. Add to this the loss of Hahn, Johnson, Harbrow and Eagleton from our 22 last year. That's over half the team. Were we ever going to fire early in the season?

5. Cooney and to a lesser extent Grant can, and will, lift big-time as the season progresses.

6. Griffen, Morris, Hill, Murphy, Ward, Picken and Minson have all made big improvements so far this season.

7. Sherman and Liberatore have proven to be valuable additions to the side.

8. Having played the variety of players we have will give us good depth come later in the year.

9. We are now underdogs, just how we like it.

10. There are 16 more matches to play before finals.


There are ten reasons not only not to panic, but to continue to expect big things from this team. The calls to focus on rebuilding for 2012 or 2013 are off the mark imo, we will begin to lose our core group of players in the coming years, and it may take years after that for our younger players to gel with each other. Our time to challenge is now.

No way. I have to disagree. How many points did they kick??
It's a big ground that's suited us very well in the past. Why not now?
IMO we do not ALL like being underdogs. What we need / want is a culture of success and to be TOP dogs. I have being everyone's second team, the air of 'failure' ...the dismal 'blue collar' also rans. We have to shake this.

[Ghost Dog]

Sydney aren't a good team, they're middle of the road along with us, Adelaide, and Carlton. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Totally Disagree here Greystache. Sydney are a great team and that's why they got the four points.
There's some complacency about us. Cite GVG's observations at training as an example.

After being convincingly beaten today you still think they're not a good team?

The guys just need to calm down a bit. Steady. slot a few set shots, a little more poise in disposal, few extra steps before a kick, more care with a handpass.... . The little things add up and fitness...we USED to be a great 4q team

. We have to get alot of basics if we want to beat even the likes of Richmond.

[kruder]

Disagree here Greystache.
I think this is really the problem with the team frankly. They think they're better than they are, but other clubs have passed us by. With really simple things. There's some complacency about. Cite GVG's observations at training as an example.

After being convincingly beaten today you still think they're not a good team?
The guys just need to calm down a bit. Steady. If Gia had slotted that goal, a little more poise in disposal, few extra steps before a kick.... Don't need to tweak that much, but we lack polish. and fitness...we USED to be a great 4q team

Was just one or two of us who picked them to beat us ( thought as much straight after watching the Carlton V swans game) and was within 2 points of the margin. We have to get alot of basics if we want to beat even the likes of Richmond.

Yep agree with the Richmond quote! And its such a scary thought and so is this...

We kicked 3 goals in the first 4 minutes of the match and only had 6 at 3qrt time!!!!!
Last week we basically didnt score for 2qrts , so there are many issues at the kennel.

I didnt think we had a chance of winning a premership this year but I must say I thought we would make the 8 easily. I might have got the latter wrong unfortunatly.

[Scorlibo]

No way. I have to disagree. How many points did they kick??

Simply looking at scoring shots can be misleading, a lot of their points came from difficult shots where they blazed, if you're counting every point as a missed goal you're looking at it the wrong way.

The free kicks ended up 25-14 against us, it should have been in our favour considering how often we were first to the ball. Especially in the first quarter when we were dominating, the umpires stopped the momentum with their whistle blowing, all of a sudden the Swans sneaked home a couple of goals and they're within a goal of us at quarter time?! That would have been one of the most unfair scoreboard reflections on general play this year at quarter time. We should have been 5 goals up, if you don't believe me go watch the replay.


It's a big ground that's suited us very well in the past. Why not now?

I didn't say it didn't suit us, just that it's not home, where it definitely suits us. New team, new setup, the addition of different grounds doesn't help.


IMO we do not ALL like being underdogs. What we need / want is a culture of success and to be TOP dogs. I have being everyone's second team, the air of 'failure' ...the dismal 'blue collar' also rans. We have to shake this.

I agree with your views on the club, but looking from an on-field performance perspective, we seem to have been hailed as top dogs to kick off the year for the last three years, and all three years we have had shocking starts. Therefore I, personally, feel more comfortable coming from where we are now.

[Ghost Dog]

Simply looking at scoring shots can be misleading, a lot of their points came from difficult shots where they blazed, if you're counting every point as a missed goal you're looking at it the wrong way.

The free kicks ended up 25-14 against us, it should have been in our favour considering how often we were first to the ball. Especially in the first quarter when we were dominating, the umpires stopped the momentum with their whistle blowing, all of a sudden the Swans sneaked home a couple of goals and they're within a goal of us at quarter time?! That would have been one of the most unfair scoreboard reflections on general play this year at quarter time. We should have been 5 goals up, if you don't believe me go watch the replay.



I didn't say it didn't suit us, just that it's not home, where it definitely suits us. New team, new setup, the addition of different grounds doesn't help.



I agree with your views on the club, but looking from an on-field performance perspective, we seem to have been hailed as top dogs to kick off the year for the last three years, and all three years we have had shocking starts. Therefore I, personally, feel more comfortable coming from where we are now.

Ok Scorlibo, it's good to read a diversity of opinions. I certainly admire those who are 'cool' with the loss. I wish I felt their calm sense of surety.
The worst thing was, I really wanted to pick us this week but couldn't. We have the Cahoonas but often, we seem to lack the poise to dispose correctly. More calm, just hitting targets and doing the simple things, we'll win more than we lose.

[Scorlibo]

Ok Scorlibo, it's good to read a diversity of opinions. I certainly admire those who are 'cool' with the loss. I wish I felt their calm sense of surety.


:D I can't say I truly fit the calm description, at roughly 2:30pm yesterday I was shouting at the telly like a madman, but it's hard to explain the momentum in a game of footy, you can just feel it swing and deviate, and today I just felt, even when shouting, that with a different dealing of luck and chance we could have run in easy victors - which is maybe why I was so frustrated.

[Desipura]

I'm glad I opted to spend time with my young kids and watch the game when they went to sleep.
It would have felt like a waste of a day, next week against the red hot tigers is going to be very difficult I feel.

[the banker]

Time is running out for us to make something of the season. Wins over the Tigers and Eagles are essential but look problematic. Losses will see the season unravel very early.

Think the rucks are a major problem, every time Hudson gets the ball I think we are 50/50 for a turnover. Will can get his hand on it but very rarely to advantage and Roughead looked incredibly slow against Collingwood.

We desperately need Hall and Lake back and firing.

Morris, Murphy, Griffen, Picken, Ward, Boyd have set the tone with great endeavour and commitment, however skill errors and 1%ers from many of the others have sapped us of momentum at times.

Where there is life there is hope.

Would rarely comment on this but I thought the umpiring influenced the result. Thought the same thing about it in the Rich-Freo game, but Richmond overcame it!!

Dig deep dogs.

[Ghost Dog]

:D I can't say I truly fit the calm description, at roughly 2:30pm yesterday I was shouting at the telly like a madman, but it's hard to explain the momentum in a game of footy, you can just feel it swing and deviate, and today I just felt, even when shouting, that with a different dealing of luck and chance we could have run in easy victors - which is maybe why I was so frustrated.

And for this reason, I almost always watch the footy alone!~:D
Well, the thing is, almost everyone picked us to win here on woof, which surprised me. There is at times a sense that we have been contenders for so long that it's 'our time' and the league 'owes us'.
Too used to going up to Manuka and running all over them.
I could never really see us getting there at the moment. Our f50 entry is just a wing and a prayer, but mostly, I can't sense any kind of plan - or poise. My hearts in my mouth often when our senior players kick the ball..... it just seems a bit ad hoc going in. our backs look solid mind you. Marco is a great kid, I love him.

[Mantis]

No way. I have to disagree. How many points did they kick??

6 of their first 8 goals were either directly from frees or the play was started by a free.

The umps were a big factor.


It's a big ground that's suited us very well in the past. Why not now?

Because we have become lazy.

Many of our players don't lead to position, instead they stand around waving their arms in the air waiting for a precise kick to hit them on the chest.... and our kicking isn't a strength.

[SonofScray]

:D I can't say I truly fit the calm description, at roughly 2:30pm yesterday I was shouting at the telly like a madman, but it's hard to explain the momentum in a game of footy, you can just feel it swing and deviate, and today I just felt, even when shouting, that with a different dealing of luck and chance we could have run in easy victors - which is maybe why I was so frustrated.

Every time we score one or two in a row I get the sense we've hit our straps and will start playing to our ability, that the previous quarter was just a case of coaches resting players etc. In the past a qtr here and there has got us over the line so it didn't frustrate me so much. Now I am struggling to even enjoy the good patches in a game because it is more than likely that they won't go on with it.

[LostDoggy]

Malthouse to finish career where it started!!!

[Ghost Dog]

Malthouse to finish career where it started!!!

Man...your user name made me LOL. Classic.

[aker39]

Ted Richards suspended for 1 week for hit on Gilbee, yet no free kick on the day.

[bornadog]

Ted Richards suspended for 1 week for hit on Gilbee, yet no free kick on the day.

yep, umps killed us all day.

[LostDoggy]

On the game: No comment. Sorry, trying to stay positive.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Fair enough.

I just can't get my head around someone being effective, when the stats show otherwise.

The stats say Boyd had 33 touches @ 67% which means he had 22 effective disposals - comfortably more than anyone else on our side.

[Rocco Jones]

The stats say Boyd had 33 touches @ 67% which means he had 22 effective disposals - comfortably more than anyone else on our side.

I am with you.

It's one thing to see weaknesses in quality players but I think a lot of posters are misguided in the blame they place on players like Boyd and Cross. These guys are making the most of their efforts. If there are issues on their accountability, I place most of the blame on Rocket anyway who has them in leadership roles. I really believe these guys can be part of a premiership side. Don't blame Boyd because his 40 touches aren't Gilbee circa 06-08, blame the guys who aren't getting near it in the first place.

[Ghost Dog]

The stats say Boyd had 33 touches @ 67% which means he had 22 effective disposals - comfortably more than anyone else on our side.

What if we didn't have him? That's the easiest way to measure how effective he is.

[Twodogs]

Malthouse to finish career where it started!!!


At St kilda?

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

I am with you.

It's one thing to see weaknesses in quality players but I think a lot of posters are misguided in the blame they place on players like Boyd and Cross. These guys are making the most of their efforts. If there are issues on their accountability, I place most of the blame on Rocket anyway who has them in leadership roles. I really believe these guys can be part of a premiership side. Don't blame Boyd because his 40 touches aren't Gilbee circa 06-08, blame the guys who aren't getting near it in the first place.

This is a good summary. Boyd, Griffen, Cross, Murphy, Morris and Ward give their all each week. Quite a difference when you see the quality and quantity of effort from the trendsetters in Collingwood and Geelong. We have slipped alarmimgly in 2011 and yet inspite of some lethargic efforts could have beaten both Freo and the Sydney Swans. Both of these games were winnable.

[Ghost Dog]

This is a good summary. Boyd, Griffen, Cross, Murphy, Morris and Ward give their all each week. Quite a difference when you see the quality and quantity of effort from the trendsetters in Collingwood and Geelong. We have slipped alarmimgly in 2011 and yet inspite of some lethargic efforts could have beaten both Freo and the Sydney Swans. Both of these games were winnable.

We deserved to lose the Sydney game. They just couldn't put us away.

[bornadog]

could have, should have, might have, would have
If I have to hear rocket say 4 points is "gold" again......

We deserved to lose the Sydney game. They just couldn't put us away.

Don't want to hear that either, bad kicking is bad football.

[The Pie Man]

Because we have become lazy.

Many of our players don't lead to position, instead they stand around waving their arms in the air waiting for a precise kick to hit them on the chest.... and our kicking isn't a strength.

McClure on AFL360 tonight :

Midfield kicks too short (suggested they'd love stats)
Midfield runs forward of the ball, don't work the other way (said they 'cheat')
Don't trust the forwards there to kick to them (won't kick to Grant)
Only moved the ball forward with speed once Murphy moved there in the last

Interesting