W W Biscuit
10-03-2007, 07:28 PM
FINAL SCORE:
Western Bulldogs: 15 12 (102)
Essendong: 13 13 (91)
A decent win for the Doggies in a game where our midfield rotations gave me a headspin. We fielded 28 players in this match, and I can't honestly recall having the same combination in the centre square at two consecutive bounces (although I did get to the ground about 15 mins into the first quarter - damn roadworks).
Note that Scott West did not play, and his place was filled by rookie Gavin Hughes (who was given very little time on the ground and did not appear to have a possession). Of the other players:
Will Minson: I thought that we were more likely to win a clearance with Will in the centre. At the start of the last quarter, with Skipper on ruck duties, the Bombers cleared three times for three quick goals. Enter Minson and we were able to steady. He ran hard at times to become a good running option. His usual aggression was evident!
Robert Murphy: What a pleasure to see this man in action again. He looked as nimble as ever, attacked the ball fiercely and had a few shots on goal (kicking two). As good a comeback game as most would have hoped for.
Andrew McDougall: Another very positive performance. From some of the derision he received when at West Coast, I was led to believe that his aggression and second efforts were totally insipid. Not so, as was demonstrated again today. He took a couple of good grabs under pressure, lead extremely well and contested as if his life depended on it. I would almost credit one of Johnno's goals to Doogs. He absolutely refused to let James Hird win a one-on-one contest just outside our fifty. With Hird trying some fancy footwork to step around him, Doogs forced an error, dived to the ground and knocked the footy to Johnno as he streamed past. Goal. Magnificent.
Sam Power: A busy, housekeeping type of performance. A link up here, a quick handball there. Typically Sam Power. He did perform one beautiful intercept and pass late in the game.
Jason Akermanis: A good game from Aker. He didn't often fail to win a contest, and was one of our main playmakers. What a treat to see him in our colours.
Daniel Giansiracusa: I didn't really think much of his game until the last quarter, when he patrolled the half forward line, kicked a couple of goals and looked generally threatening. His little stab kick grubbers do worry me though.
Wight: Not bad. Spent a bit of time on Lloyd in the third quarter and was a bit outclassed. Otherwise did some nice spoiling and contesting. Quite amusing to see him try to sidestep Leroy Jetta in the third quarter. What was that about a man and his limitations??
Harris: Well, I thought that he "did OK", despite Lloyd booting seven majors (all but one of those I think were on BH). Lloyd was able to get on the end of a couple of beautiful passes with BH breathing down his neck. Harris took a couple of nice grabs himself and even lurked around full forward for a bit in the last quarter.
Luke Darcy: He looked extremely tentative and stiff, particularly when plonked in the forward line. However, when shifted loose in defence, he did a few things that were extremely encouraging. A couple of cheap possessions seemed to lift him. In the final quarter, he streamed towards attacking fifty, took on a man, stepped around him, had a bounce and let fly....directly to an opponent, but heh, it was just good to see the great man backing himself. In racing parlance, will be better for the run.
Andrejs Everitt: He didn't get much game time, and scraped together around five disposals. He took a nice overhead grab backing deep into defence. To me, despite one turnover when he was off balance, he looked quite composed.
Daniel Cross: I liked his game. Very industrious, and did a couple of things that really impressed me. He can have beautiful vision at times. One particular centering kick to McDougall in the second quarter was a beauty.
Brad Johnson: Think of all the reasons you love Johnno. That's how he played. That's how he always plays.
Adam Cooney: Looked fit, and did 'enough.' Nothing spectacular, but certainly a reasonalbe performance.
Paul O'Shea: One stat - a sprayed handball. Pretty hard to evaluate him when he was on the ground for about five minutes.
Nathan Eagleton: Did a few nice things, all with his left foot of course.
Cameron Faulkner: Provided some good aggression at the ball, but just did not feature in the play that much. He is still very much trying to find a role in this team.
Lindsay Gilbee: Good game from Gilbs. He set up quite a few nice passages of play, and his disposal was as sure as ever. A gun.
Shaun Higgins: He didn't take the field after half time. I saw very little of him out there.
Dylan Addison: First class attack on the ball, but his decision making tended to be spurious and his disposal suspect. In one final quarter passage of play, the Dogs had the ball just outside attacking fifty and somehow managed to move the ball fifty metres backwards into no-mans land with two uncontested disposals. Probably looking to centre the ball and under no pressure, Addison produced one of the worst mongrels you'll ever see to roost the ball into a paddock just outside our DEFENSIVE fifty.
Farren Ray: A 'scraggy' game from Ray. He appeared to lack acceleration at times, and some of his disposal was poor. He really does need to improve his disposal around goal. One shot from about 45 metres shanked 30 degrees to the right and didn't make the distance, falling into a nest of Bomber defenders.
Chris Grant: Decent first game back from Granty. He didn't have to do that much. He spent a bit of time back, a bit of time forward. At one stage, his direct opponent was new boy Scott Gumbleton, who seemed very unsure of himself.
Jordan McMahon: Didn't see a lot of him. I think that he spent quite a bit of time off the ground.
Dale Morris: Very steady in the backline, providing good run.
Ryan Hargrave: As above. Ryan looks quick and sleek.
Matthew Robbins: It was another one of those Robbo games where, when he finally gets the ball, you ask yourself, "Has he had a stat?" Just didn't happen for him today (although he did kick one goal).
Western Bulldogs: 15 12 (102)
Essendong: 13 13 (91)
A decent win for the Doggies in a game where our midfield rotations gave me a headspin. We fielded 28 players in this match, and I can't honestly recall having the same combination in the centre square at two consecutive bounces (although I did get to the ground about 15 mins into the first quarter - damn roadworks).
Note that Scott West did not play, and his place was filled by rookie Gavin Hughes (who was given very little time on the ground and did not appear to have a possession). Of the other players:
Will Minson: I thought that we were more likely to win a clearance with Will in the centre. At the start of the last quarter, with Skipper on ruck duties, the Bombers cleared three times for three quick goals. Enter Minson and we were able to steady. He ran hard at times to become a good running option. His usual aggression was evident!
Robert Murphy: What a pleasure to see this man in action again. He looked as nimble as ever, attacked the ball fiercely and had a few shots on goal (kicking two). As good a comeback game as most would have hoped for.
Andrew McDougall: Another very positive performance. From some of the derision he received when at West Coast, I was led to believe that his aggression and second efforts were totally insipid. Not so, as was demonstrated again today. He took a couple of good grabs under pressure, lead extremely well and contested as if his life depended on it. I would almost credit one of Johnno's goals to Doogs. He absolutely refused to let James Hird win a one-on-one contest just outside our fifty. With Hird trying some fancy footwork to step around him, Doogs forced an error, dived to the ground and knocked the footy to Johnno as he streamed past. Goal. Magnificent.
Sam Power: A busy, housekeeping type of performance. A link up here, a quick handball there. Typically Sam Power. He did perform one beautiful intercept and pass late in the game.
Jason Akermanis: A good game from Aker. He didn't often fail to win a contest, and was one of our main playmakers. What a treat to see him in our colours.
Daniel Giansiracusa: I didn't really think much of his game until the last quarter, when he patrolled the half forward line, kicked a couple of goals and looked generally threatening. His little stab kick grubbers do worry me though.
Wight: Not bad. Spent a bit of time on Lloyd in the third quarter and was a bit outclassed. Otherwise did some nice spoiling and contesting. Quite amusing to see him try to sidestep Leroy Jetta in the third quarter. What was that about a man and his limitations??
Harris: Well, I thought that he "did OK", despite Lloyd booting seven majors (all but one of those I think were on BH). Lloyd was able to get on the end of a couple of beautiful passes with BH breathing down his neck. Harris took a couple of nice grabs himself and even lurked around full forward for a bit in the last quarter.
Luke Darcy: He looked extremely tentative and stiff, particularly when plonked in the forward line. However, when shifted loose in defence, he did a few things that were extremely encouraging. A couple of cheap possessions seemed to lift him. In the final quarter, he streamed towards attacking fifty, took on a man, stepped around him, had a bounce and let fly....directly to an opponent, but heh, it was just good to see the great man backing himself. In racing parlance, will be better for the run.
Andrejs Everitt: He didn't get much game time, and scraped together around five disposals. He took a nice overhead grab backing deep into defence. To me, despite one turnover when he was off balance, he looked quite composed.
Daniel Cross: I liked his game. Very industrious, and did a couple of things that really impressed me. He can have beautiful vision at times. One particular centering kick to McDougall in the second quarter was a beauty.
Brad Johnson: Think of all the reasons you love Johnno. That's how he played. That's how he always plays.
Adam Cooney: Looked fit, and did 'enough.' Nothing spectacular, but certainly a reasonalbe performance.
Paul O'Shea: One stat - a sprayed handball. Pretty hard to evaluate him when he was on the ground for about five minutes.
Nathan Eagleton: Did a few nice things, all with his left foot of course.
Cameron Faulkner: Provided some good aggression at the ball, but just did not feature in the play that much. He is still very much trying to find a role in this team.
Lindsay Gilbee: Good game from Gilbs. He set up quite a few nice passages of play, and his disposal was as sure as ever. A gun.
Shaun Higgins: He didn't take the field after half time. I saw very little of him out there.
Dylan Addison: First class attack on the ball, but his decision making tended to be spurious and his disposal suspect. In one final quarter passage of play, the Dogs had the ball just outside attacking fifty and somehow managed to move the ball fifty metres backwards into no-mans land with two uncontested disposals. Probably looking to centre the ball and under no pressure, Addison produced one of the worst mongrels you'll ever see to roost the ball into a paddock just outside our DEFENSIVE fifty.
Farren Ray: A 'scraggy' game from Ray. He appeared to lack acceleration at times, and some of his disposal was poor. He really does need to improve his disposal around goal. One shot from about 45 metres shanked 30 degrees to the right and didn't make the distance, falling into a nest of Bomber defenders.
Chris Grant: Decent first game back from Granty. He didn't have to do that much. He spent a bit of time back, a bit of time forward. At one stage, his direct opponent was new boy Scott Gumbleton, who seemed very unsure of himself.
Jordan McMahon: Didn't see a lot of him. I think that he spent quite a bit of time off the ground.
Dale Morris: Very steady in the backline, providing good run.
Ryan Hargrave: As above. Ryan looks quick and sleek.
Matthew Robbins: It was another one of those Robbo games where, when he finally gets the ball, you ask yourself, "Has he had a stat?" Just didn't happen for him today (although he did kick one goal).