Round 4 Footscray Bulldogs v Sandringham Zebras - Sunday 20 April 2025 • 2:05 PM

[Smads57]

Gardy into ruck to start 4th

[doggies ftw]

These ruck free kicks are something else, genuinely must be what, 10-12?

Yet we take a mark inside def 50 and its play on?

[weltschmerz]

We've found a player in Jaques.

[doggies ftw]

Like the look of this Smith (small fwd 55), bit of a terrier down there, sneaky mid season option? Haven’t seen much of him before

[josie]

Anyone else think Gardner is possibly a better ruck than Smith?

What is Smith doing that is resulting in so many free kicks to oppo ruck? It’s a bit of a theme and not just today. I like his endeavour but it’s cost us quite a bit today, unless umps have it in for him.

[doggies ftw]

This is the most biased display of umpiring I’ve ever seen in the middle, Heath doesn’t even play the ball - he just completely blocks Smiths run at it, umpire does nothing to the point that no ruck is contesting the ball and it hits the ground. Smith tries to get around him or do literally anything and it’s a free against, then going the other way Smith tries to block Heath out of it and take position. Instant free.

actually don’t know what I’m watching here it’s completely ridiculous

[Bornadog]

Bad start to the game cost us the win

Goals: Poulter (3), Smith (2), Hargraves (1), Kennedy (1), Lewis (1), Middleton (1), Young (1).

Disposals: Busslinger (30), Baker (24), Jaques (22), Orgill (22), Scott (19), Craig-Peters (18), Gardner (18), Cuningham (17), L. Smith (17).




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[Bornadog]

* No wonder Buss hasn't debuted, it is what he does with the ball. Picked up 30 disposals but some very disappointing kicking.
* Jaques excellent
* Scott starting to find form, although his last quarter not so good
* Baker really missed in last quarter due to being emergency
* Poulter 3 goals was ok
* Croft, a long, long, long way off
* Arty can't get the ball - just 8 disposals
* Duryea ok
* Gardner just average
* Smith won many hitouts but also gave away frees
* Baker excellent for the three quarters he played

[doggies ftw]

* No wonder Buss hasn't debuted, it is what he does with the ball. Picked up 30 disposals but some very disappointing kicking.
* Jacques excellent
* Scott starting to find form, although his last quarter not so good
* Baker really missed in last quarter due to being emergency
* Poulter 3 goals was ok
* Croft, a long, long, long way off
* Arty can't get the ball - just 8 disposals
* Duryea ok
* Gardner just average
* Smith won many hitouts but also gave away frees

Bit harsh on Buss, he missed probably 3 kicks for the day, one out on the full off the side of the boot, and the two miskicks into the corridor late but was trying to make something happen when the game was dead - that’s 3 out of how many, 20+? He’s a better user than Jones & Buku, and probably not as damaging as Lobb but similar to Buss Lobb is also prone to a miskick. They’re key defenders after all.

I think people (not you but the general Sentiment I see in regards to his games on forums) just have ridiculously high expectations for a young developing key defender. Hes becoming seriously dependable, probably only lost a handful of contests out of an absolute mountain of ball directed towards him.

His ground level work is seriously underrated, he’s composed in traffic, I reckon half of his 30 touches would have been intercepts today - he puts himself in great positions behind the ball to chop off forward attacks at both ground level and aerially. Hes just very very hard to get past, and turning into a very well rounded key defender who doesn’t do much wrong

Would like to see him back himself in the air a little bit more but I think that will come with strength and confidence, he kills a huge amount of contests though which is a good start, start clunking a few more and skies the limit.

He was seriously impressive today, our best player by a mile and developing beautifully for a 21 year old key defender IMO

[ibonttobreakfree]

Did Poulter kick his goals as a winger or was he playing forward?

[Bornadog]

Did Poulter kick his goals as a winger or was he playing forward?

Played forward

[Bornadog]

Bit harsh on Buss, he missed probably 3 kicks for the day, one out on the full off the side of the boot, and the two miskicks into the corridor late but was trying to make something happen when the game was dead - that’s 3 out of how many, 20+? He’s a better user than Jones & Buku, and probably not as damaging as Lobb but similar to Buss Lobb is also prone to a miskick. They’re key defenders after all.

I think people (not you but the general Sentiment I see in regards to his games on forums) just have ridiculously high expectations for a young developing key defender. Hes becoming seriously dependable, probably only lost a handful of contests out of an absolute mountain of ball directed towards him.

His ground level work is seriously underrated, he’s composed in traffic, I reckon half of his 30 touches would have been intercepts today - he puts himself in great positions behind the ball to chop off forward attacks at both ground level and aerially. Hes just very very hard to get past, and turning into a very well rounded key defender who doesn’t do much wrong

Would like to see him back himself in the air a little bit more but I think that will come with strength and confidence, he kills a huge amount of contests though which is a good start, start clunking a few more and skies the limit.

He was seriously impressive today, our best player by a mile and developing beautifully for a 21 year old key defender IMO

Yeah maybe I am a bit harsh, but some of his decision making with the ball was not good.

Still young and lots of time to improve. We need to see him at AFL level to see if he is going to make it.

[jazzadogs]

* No wonder Buss hasn't debuted, it is what he does with the ball. Picked up 30 disposals but some very disappointing kicking.
* Jacques excellent

I wasn't able to watch the whole match, but I was really impressed with Buss' kicking. It's certainly no worse than Liam Jones or Buku (I think Lobb can be quite a damaging kick when he wants to be).

Lachie's surname is spelt Jaques, not Jacques.

[Bigdog]

* No wonder Buss hasn't debuted, it is what he does with the ball. Picked up 30 disposals but some very disappointing kicking.
* Jaques excellent
* Scott starting to find form, although his last quarter not so good
* Baker really missed in last quarter due to being emergency
* Poulter 3 goals was ok
* Croft, a long, long, long way off
* Arty can't get the ball - just 8 disposals
* Duryea ok
* Gardner just average
* Smith won many hitouts but also gave away frees
* Baker excellent for the three quarters he played

Pretty much bang on with my thinking.

I feel for Croft though. It’s really hard to get a gauge on him as:

- He hasn’t settled on a position
- The conditions for a key forward are atrocious at the VUWO
- The delivery is terrible

I also feel he is a system guy. I think he would be better suited playing in an afl system as his athleticism is his greatest asset. Let’s face it at VFL level there isn’t much structure (Especially when the bulk of our team currently are vfl guys) .

I think at afl level in time he could really compliment a 3 tall set up because I believe he does the defensive things well.

I’ll also give Scott an out. He just needs to get some confidence with his body. I’m shocked he was back playing this week unless he wasn’t actually concussed last vfl game and it was more precautionary.

[Bigdog]

Jaques looks brilliant. He looks more advanced than what Freijah did this time last year. Freijah probably has a few more weapons though given his speed and size.

Watched a few of intra clubs early this year and reckon he was a shoe in to debut round 1 had he been fit.