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[I]I believe there's nothing on this earth that we own. All we do is look after it for our children - Terry Wheeler[/I] -
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.Comment
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Re: Game Day - R6 Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
17 men running at them and blocking them, NFL style, then Gilbee slotting one from 55
Seriously though, there were things that we could have done to improve the number of scoring shots despite the Saints' negative setup - move the ball faster, kick long to advantage as opposed to kicking sideways/short to a contest, draw the defenders out by moving the forwards up the ground.
We had as much to do with the way it panned out in not wanting to take a risk and get burnt on the turnover as the Saints did in not wanting a shootoutIf you kicked five goals and Tom Boyd kicked five goals, Tom Boyd kicked more goals than you.
Formerly gogriffComment
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Re: Game Day - R6 Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
I don't think it was because we didn't want to take risks. We had enough scoring shots to win the game. I think we didn't take the opportunity to ice the game. There were a number of times we could've landed that 'killer blow' but we kept them in the game. They gained confidence, got a run on and a lot of our players got caught out. Had Grant kicked that very gettable goal or Gia slotted his like any leader should do you think the Saints would've won? I don't think so. I think this has been our problem for the last few years. When the heat is on and the game is there to be won, we crumble. Do we lack mental strength?17 men running at them and blocking them, NFL style, then Gilbee slotting one from 55
Seriously though, there were things that we could have done to improve the number of scoring shots despite the Saints' negative setup - move the ball faster, kick long to advantage as opposed to kicking sideways/short to a contest, draw the defenders out by moving the forwards up the ground.
We had as much to do with the way it panned out in not wanting to take a risk and get burnt on the turnover as the Saints did in not wanting a shootoutComment
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Re: Game Day - R6 Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
Essendon (of all teams) displayed a great example of possession footy that was very effective...though they were very lucky to get away with it.
Third quarter, Dawks have momentum (thank-you McLaren for another amazing bad call) ball in Essendon's defenders hands, and they chip short about 7 times up to the centre square sucking time - I figured they don't have the skills for this, and sure enough there was a 50-50 in the middle, but McVeigh wins it and sends it forward to Gumbleton to mark and it resulted in a much needed goal.
Different circumstances, but I thought it was smart of the Bombers at the time.Float Along - Fill Your LungsComment
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Re: Game Day - R6 Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
And this maybe stating the obvious, but this affects decision making and execution
Wouldn't call it a choke though like some in the media - I only look at the Gia miss now in hindsight, as at the time I thought we would go on to win comfortably anyway.Float Along - Fill Your LungsComment
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Re: Game Day - R6 Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
I accept it's not an easy scenario, but being at the top of the AFL isn't an easy place to maintain and the St Kilda kill-the-game style is not easy to overcome but it's going to be unpicked, may be we should have been even more patient, unpopular as that is. It's not me who has to find a way through it's the coaches jointly with the players and someone will do it, perhaps along the lines of a basketball motion offence.
On a side issue I am constantly amazed that a team that moves the ball backwards and keeps probing for openings in the defence gets booed and the media give them hell but a team that sets up all or almost all it's players behind the ball escapes condemnation.
There seems to be a you must go forward at all costs mentality no matter what trap has been set for you or if you like just give them possession of the ball.[I]I believe there's nothing on this earth that we own. All we do is look after it for our children - Terry Wheeler[/I]Comment
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Re: Game Day - R6 Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
There were a few incidents during the game that were mind boggling.
1. Hall giving a free kick away, when Gilbee was lining up for goal.
2. Gia not kicking a goal he should have.
3. Morris shitting himself & trying to kick the ball along the ground.
4. Williams running through the mark, giving away a 50m penalty.
You cut this out of the game completely & we win, these were match changing moments throughout the game. And they weren't because of St Kilda forcing us into making these wrong decisions, they were from our players lacking mental strength.Comment
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Re: Game Day - R6 Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
Just have one additional comment to make on the game but IMHO our forwards got no assistance from the umpires whatsoever!
Happened all night but 2 occasions in particular Murphy and Hall were getting very obviously held and the umpires ignored it.
Probably been an ongoing issue for Hall all season.
Hate to say it, but St. Nick would have gotten 6 frees on Friday night for the same way Hall was treated.
Havent heard even a comment from the club on this but surely it warrants a query with Jeff Geishen??Comment
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Re: Game Day - R6 Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
After cooling down, I read a few post here and my thoughts on the game from a attacking perspective is this.
I think even though the Saints were flooding back, we hesitated to much. If the forwards are making the moves we should move the ball on quickly and honor the leads if the forward gains a couple of metres on his opponent kick it to him. Also I saw a couple of times that players in the clear for a short pass were overlooked for the longer option that was covered by two opponents.
We need to be smarter, look quickly and react. By not moving it on we are then forced to send it backwards.
On another side of things would the result have been different with Ward, Picken, Reid and Boyd in the side. As I think Picken for the stopping power on Montagna, Boyd and Reid for the in and under clearance and Ward for taking the game on and breaking the lines.Don't piss off old people
The older we get the less "LIFE IN PRISON" is a deterrent...Comment
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Re: Game Day - R6 Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
I blame Eade. He coaches a team that scores 20 goals per match,(and concedes more than most), so we are an attacking side not a defensive one. Our game plan is therefore to score, a lot. When we get held to 6 goals-hell even IF made the three or four easy misses, its still 50% of what we score, and don't forget they missed three or four sitters as well-IMO its still clearly a tactical failure. To let Lyon play his game for 120 minutes with no real answer of how we get to play our game is indicative of a coach with no answer.
A mate was of the opinion that to beat this system you need the forwards to be very mobile, you need the midfielders prepared to take and beat their men to put pressure on their defense.
Harsh, but Eade has to learn from this, otherwise other clubs will do it to us.
But IMO Eade really needs to look at his role, beacsue Collingwood did it to us last year when we came back but were 40 points down for much of the game.Comment
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Re: Game Day - R6 Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda
Not strictly true. Sounds like the late run of the 2005 Bulldogs
We're 7th in the league in score for and 5th lowest in the league for score against this year. So our defence has been strong. Last year we were the highest scoring team in the league and we had the 6th lowest points against which does partially support you but proves we don't concede more than most.
No one kicks 20 goals a match. We haven't done it since round 12 last year.[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Comment
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