Sharp Axes

[DOG GOD]

We had a huge review of everything, came 6th and lost our only final.
In reality we played 1 month of really good football, for me that simply is not good enough. I would be looking to move Bevo on now.

Yep I’ve got the feeling that 4-5 weeks of great football will sugar coat the season in general.

[Grantysghost]

Yep I’ve got the feeling that 4-5 weeks of great football will sugar coat the season in general.

It was our 2016 finals run at the wrong time!

[mighty_west]

The loss is still raw but we could look to trade Duryea, Harmes, Macrae and Daniel for starters. Weightman and Ugle-Hagan's performance was woeful and they need a rocket for not showing up on the big stage.

We still need to keep experience and depth, understand the poor display on Friday night but most of the team was poor, from those 4 only Macrae and Daniel are tradable and i'd prefer we keep both (unless they wanted out), hopefully we can acquire a quality player of need with the Baz trade.

Hopefully Westy doesn't crack the sads and request a trade, that would hurt.

[SonofScray]

We had a huge review of everything, came 6th and lost our only final.
In reality we played 1 month of really good football, for me that simply is not good enough. I would be looking to move Bevo on now.

The 1 month thing is part of what has us by the balls. The flag has been reframed as ?just? one good month at the right time and therefore it can happen again if we are in striking distance.

[bornadog]

We had a huge review of everything, came 6th and lost our only final.
In reality we played 1 month of really good football, for me that simply is not good enough. I would be looking to move Bevo on now.

or

We won 11 of the last 15 pre final - not just a month of good footy.

[Grantysghost]

or

We won 11 of the last 15 pre final - not just a month of good footy.

That's top 4 form.

It's that crows game that burns me. We were never in it. That's our top 4 spot.

We would have played the Swans this week and been either in a prelim or playing the Lions at the G to get into one.

I was dirty at the time as it was clear that was the top 4 game.

I think that was the fail of the season.

[bornadog]

That's top 4 form.

It's that crows game that burns me. We were never in it. That's our top 4 spot.

We would have played the Swans this week and been either in a prelim or playing the Lions at the G to get into one.

I was dirty at the time and it was clear that was the top 4 game.

I think that was the fail of the season.

Couldn't agree more, we stuffed up and we need to work out why then and why Friday we just weren't on.

There is no need to slash and burn and blame the coach - we know what we are capable of. Head coach is not what it use to be. Assistants are the key and like the EPL, head coach is the team Manager, who, coordinates, and managers the coaching TEAM.

We saw some great wins in Geelong, SCG, Giants twice, Pies, demons, Carlton, smashed FREO when they were in top 4.

We need to tweak a few positions like small backman and small forwards and we can be top 4.
Keyback could also be something we need to look at - we have Gardner and Buzz coming through, so we could cover that too if Jones is not up to it next year.

Also, as I said in List Management thread, pay Smith big bucks and give him CBA - FFS he is 23.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

For mine. I think that after last year review and the injection of 4 to 5 new bulldogs into the side. I don?t see the need to change much. Bevo is safe and I think that we should trade CD, MaCrae and Baz. No doubt in my mind that we broke the number one rule of finals. We took unfit players into a final.

Trade these few. Next year we will see further growth and our your guys and we were actually a better midfield group without Libba. I love this guys but he is stopping the next generation of people and the game has gone past him now.

Great clubs make good calls.

We had the full season to train at WO and he I?ll be better off for it again next year.

I would also extend Bevo for 3 years. I think this year has been more predictable at selection and the side has come together in the back half of the season.

We also need to sure up Bevo as tassie will be looking for a coach and assistants. So unless we know of a coach waiting in the wings we need to lock Bevo on and back him in to get us to the top of the mountain in the next three years.

[jeemak]

jeemak, not sure if you listened to the audio rather than just reading the transcript, it wasn?t the worst discussion on our position going into next year. The club has a lot to think about.

https://megaphone.link/NTETP3625836195

I didn't listen to the commentary, and only read the transcript.

So Whately's words may be been taken out of context, or not represented fully and that's fine.

However, what I say about the media getting it wrong and wanting to punish clubs and coaches for it stands.

[Danjul]

For mine. I think that after last year review and the injection of 4 to 5 new bulldogs into the side. I don?t see the need to change much. Bevo is safe and I think that we should trade CD, MaCrae and Baz. No doubt in my mind that we broke the number one rule of finals. We took unfit players into a final.

Trade these few. Next year we will see further growth and our your guys and we were actually a better midfield group without Libba. I love this guys but he is stopping the next generation of people and the game has gone past him now.

Great clubs make good calls.

We had the full season to train at WO and he I?ll be better off for it again next year.

I would also extend Bevo for 3 years. I think this year has been more predictable at selection and the side has come together in the back half of the season.

We also need to sure up Bevo as tassie will be looking for a coach and assistants. So unless we know of a coach waiting in the wings we need to lock Bevo on and back him in to get us to the top of the mountain in the next three years.

I was at the game in Ballarat that locked up a final position. Great relief.

Both of your two rejects played (I?m assuming Smith is walking). Both got 23 high quality disposals.

How did others go? Freijah 16. Bramble 15. Gallagher 13. McNeil 9. Jones/Vander 9.

Cannot see anything near 23. But maybe I am looking in the wrong place. I should focus on those who got more.

Richards 29. Dale 27. Libba 24. Treloar 24.

In case anyone is wondering, they are the only bulldog players who had more disposals than CD and Macrae.

Only 4 players got more possessions to lock in Friday?s embarrassment. (They should be traded for that crime!)

So lets move on to that catastrophe.

The AFL website has details relevant to Friday?s humiliating spectacle. It claims Meek was best on ground. It has Hawks as the best 4. I am pretty happy with that assessment. Their best Bulldogs come in at 5 and 8.

And who might they be? Injured??? Treloar and Daniel.

That can?t be correct can it? Where are all our stars? Personally I thought Lobb was our best and without him we would have finished 10 goals behind. But independent reviewers said Daniel was better than most. They didn?t say that of Macrae. I wonder why.

[soupman]

Daniel may have been better than most but that doesn't mean he makes us better.

[macca]

Couldn't agree more, we stuffed up and we need to work out why then and why Friday we just weren't on.

There is no need to slash and burn and blame the coach - we know what we are capable of. Head coach is not what it use to be. Assistants are the key and like the EPL, head coach is the team Manager, who, coordinates, and managers the coaching TEAM.

We saw some great wins in Geelong, SCG, Giants twice, Pies, demons, Carlton, smashed FREO when they were in top 4.

We need to tweak a few positions like small backman and small forwards and we can be top 4.
Keyback could also be something we need to look at - we have Gardner and Buzz coming through, so we could cover that too if Jones is not up to it next year.

Also, as I said in List Management thread, pay Smith big bucks and give him CBA - FFS he is 23.

Good list management requires tough decisions as they know internally who can grow to fill the void

Geelong: Kelly(40), Stokes(11), Chapman(29) , ironically they all went to Essendon, with only Kelly playing more than 30 games ( 2 full seasons??)

Hawks: Tom Mitchell, Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell

[JanLorMill]

We can change personnel but it won’t fix all problems.

[Danjul]

Daniel may have been better than most but that doesn't mean he makes us better.

Absolute nonsense. Better than most doesn?t make us better?

He and Macrae have more natural ability than half of the team that shamed themselves on Friday.

Against GWS Macrae was second best for tackles. That is putting on pressure effectively.

Who had least clangers Macrae. I can appreciate quality when I see it.

That?s why I applauded one of Daniel?s kicks that day. It hit A Jones on the lead perfectly. Naturally Arty has the goal, he kicked well. But Daniel made him look good. Also got a goal of his own when we needed it. In what was a tight game for a long time his contribution was extremely valuable.

And remember, Richards had 29 possessions but 8 are in the record book as clangers.

I have always seen Richards as a valuable player, but in the last two games Daniel has been better.

I understand that for CD and Macrae their time is coming to an end, but they are still valuable, especially when team selection can lead to what we were given this weekend.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

I was at the game in Ballarat that locked up a final position. Great relief.

Both of your two rejects played (I?m assuming Smith is walking). Both got 23 high quality disposals.

How did others go? Freijah 16. Bramble 15. Gallagher 13. McNeil 9. Jones/Vander 9.

Cannot see anything near 23. But maybe I am looking in the wrong place. I should focus on those who got more.

Richards 29. Dale 27. Libba 24. Treloar 24.

In case anyone is wondering, they are the only bulldog players who had more disposals than CD and Macrae.

Only 4 players got more possessions to lock in Friday?s embarrassment. (They should be traded for that crime!)

So lets move on to that catastrophe.

The AFL website has details relevant to Friday?s humiliating spectacle. It claims Meek was best on ground. It has Hawks as the best 4. I am pretty happy with that assessment. Their best Bulldogs come in at 5 and 8.

And who might they be? Injured??? Treloar and Daniel.

That can?t be correct can it? Where are all our stars? Personally I thought Lobb was our best and without him we would have finished 10 goals behind. But independent reviewers said Daniel was better than most. They didn?t say that of Macrae. I wonder why.

Just saying 12 months on when we get to the 2025 finals. We will not be the same side that played the Hawks this year.

All good sides have speed. Cats, Hawks, Power Blues, GWS etc. we can match them for grunt and class but we need some more speed and what I do believe is that unfortunately Lidda, CD and MaCrae will not be part of the solution. Get something for them while we can.