southerncross
01-05-2007, 05:42 AM
Dogs must dish up middle magic (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21649642%255E19742,00.html)
WESTERN Bulldogs defender Dale Morris says the side can not afford a repeat of Sunday's poor centre clearances when it faces West Coast at Subiaco on Saturday.
The Bulldogs had a 17-point win against Hawthorn on Sunday, despite managing eight centre clearances to the Hawks' 21. West Coast midfielder Daniel Kerr had eight clearances alone in the Eagles' 23-point victory against Richmond on Saturday.
Morris said improvements in and around the centre were needed if the Bulldogs were to avoid a repeat of last year's 74-point semi-final defeat at the hands of the Eagles at Subiaco.
"You can't afford to be down (on centre clearances) against West Coast," Morris said yesterday.
"It's something that you have to be on top of because of their good midfield.
"If you're not at your best, they'll come out and they'll just walk all over you."
Morris was critical of his team's performance during the final term against Hawthorn.
He said the Bulldogs would come out "all guns blazing" on Saturday.
"We'd like to finish off the game better," Morris said.
"We didn't play our best footy, but to get away with four points is a bonus.
"We can play a lot better."
West Coast dominated the Bulldogs in last year's final.
The Bulldogs went into that game on the back of a 41-point elimination final win against Collingwood.
However the Eagles' defensive pressure kept the Dogs to 39 points, their lowest score in 2006.
Morris hoped the side could rise to the occasion and serve the Eagles their first loss of the season.
"To come off the win against Collingwood, we were pretty happy to be going through to the finals and then West Coast gave us a massive reality check," he said.
"It showed how much further we had to go to become a serious finals contender."
WESTERN Bulldogs defender Dale Morris says the side can not afford a repeat of Sunday's poor centre clearances when it faces West Coast at Subiaco on Saturday.
The Bulldogs had a 17-point win against Hawthorn on Sunday, despite managing eight centre clearances to the Hawks' 21. West Coast midfielder Daniel Kerr had eight clearances alone in the Eagles' 23-point victory against Richmond on Saturday.
Morris said improvements in and around the centre were needed if the Bulldogs were to avoid a repeat of last year's 74-point semi-final defeat at the hands of the Eagles at Subiaco.
"You can't afford to be down (on centre clearances) against West Coast," Morris said yesterday.
"It's something that you have to be on top of because of their good midfield.
"If you're not at your best, they'll come out and they'll just walk all over you."
Morris was critical of his team's performance during the final term against Hawthorn.
He said the Bulldogs would come out "all guns blazing" on Saturday.
"We'd like to finish off the game better," Morris said.
"We didn't play our best footy, but to get away with four points is a bonus.
"We can play a lot better."
West Coast dominated the Bulldogs in last year's final.
The Bulldogs went into that game on the back of a 41-point elimination final win against Collingwood.
However the Eagles' defensive pressure kept the Dogs to 39 points, their lowest score in 2006.
Morris hoped the side could rise to the occasion and serve the Eagles their first loss of the season.
"To come off the win against Collingwood, we were pretty happy to be going through to the finals and then West Coast gave us a massive reality check," he said.
"It showed how much further we had to go to become a serious finals contender."