Game Day Round 4, 2017 - North Melbourne V Western Bulldogs

[G-Mo77]

One thing again which hurt us was rebound defence. I think we're getting caught to far up the ground when we're pressing. There were some really cheap goals leaked out the back last night when we were out of position.

[SquirrelGrip]

One thing again which hurt us was rebound defence. I think we're getting caught to far up the ground when we're pressing. There were some really cheap goals leaked out the back last night when we were out of position.

They played most of the 2nd quarter with 7 or 8 in defence (playing five forwards and one wing) and we matched them up. Once started two wings and six forwards, that's when we took control with less opportunity for them to run off half back.

[Go_Dogs]

Strange comment - most agreed he should have been and unless you said otherwise, stating after the fact with the benefit of hindsight is a bit rich.

Having said that, certainly agree Clay was poor but hoping he'll improve, given he hasn't played a game since JLT.

Wasn't Clay's best game, but 15 tackles talks to his defensive work around the contest which became important given we weren't doing so well in winning the ball ourselves.

Dahlhaus was huge and I thought a number of players who had down nights all had moments where they impacted the outcome.

Conversion remains an issue as does our ball movement in the forward half. If we can't get the ball in JJ's hands, we look slow in transition.

[Twodogs]

Wasn't Clay's best game, but 15 tackles talks to his defensive work around the contest which became important given we weren't doing so well in winning the ball ourselves.

Dahlhaus was huge and I thought a number of players who had down nights all had moments where they impacted the outcome.

Conversion remains an issue as does our ball movement in the forward half. If we can't get the ball in JJ's hands, we look slow in transition.

We need Murph back to full confidence dancing around opposition players and sending the ball forward.

[merantau]

I thought Murph was very good in the second half and sparked is up a bit. He was really cool at the end too. Looks like the onjuries are on our back again. Crameri only played a half in the VFL, Cloke 4-6, (Ziebell, slap over the wrist with a wet tram ticket, if anything), Tom Boyd - who knows, Morris - weeks away, ditto Dicko.
Time to dig deep (again!).

[Twodogs]

Looking back that was a really good win to bank no matter how we got the points. We might have played badly at times and could have played better for most of the game but 3 and 1 is looking a lot better than 2 and 2 by the day.

We have to improve on a lot of fronts and invent solutions to a few problems we don't have tradional fixes for (running out of ruckmen for instance) but getting over the line in games like Friday night will be gold toward the end of the season.

Just as long as we don't let it mask what needs improving in the team.

[The bulldog tragician]

One thing again which hurt us was rebound defence. I think we're getting caught to far up the ground when we're pressing. There were some really cheap goals leaked out the back last night when we were out of position.

That used to happen to us a lot in 2015 too. I'm not sure why it's resurfaced as a problem - coaching, the way we implement it or whether other sides are more prepared or have ways of countering it - the long kick out from defence and a kind of pagans paddock set perhaps?

[jeemak]

During a client meeting this week a Norf supporter who attended the game immediately lambasted our preferential treatment from the umpires, and singled out the Cloke free kick in the square given when "he didn't have anyone within three metres of him".

His view was we continue to receive the rub from the umpires.

I asked him about the non-downfield to Cloke, and the interpretation of holding the ball that seems to have changed since John Longmire complained and was basically met with a blank face.

Given he was a client I didn't rub his face in anything a supporter whose club is on the way down after a failed climb didn't already have smeared all over it. I just thought it was interesting how differently a game of footy can be viewed.

[Greystache]

During a client meeting this week a Norf supporter who attended the game immediately lambasted our preferential treatment from the umpires, and singled out the Cloke free kick in the square given when "he didn't have anyone within three metres of him".

His view was we continue to receive the rub from the umpires.

I asked him about the non-downfield to Cloke, and the interpretation of holding the ball that seems to have changed since John Longmire complained and was basically met with a blank face.

Given he was a client I didn't rub his face in anything a supporter whose club is on the way down after a failed climb didn't already have smeared all over it. I just thought it was interesting how differently a game of footy can be viewed.

It might've been worth pointing out Norf kicked the ball out on the full 8 times vs our 2. Which means in play free kicks favoured them 19 to 7. Perhaps also that we've only won the free kick count once in four games.

[jeemak]

It might've been worth pointing out Norf kicked the ball out on the full 8 times vs our 2. Which means in play free kicks favoured them 19 to 7. Perhaps also that we've only won the free kick count once in four games.

I'd have just been met with the same blank face.

Nobody's interested in detail mate. Parroting base statistics is footy discussion these days, it's interesting that one can now only discuss football in a reasonable and informed way with a limited number of trusted people. The average Joe you come across is generally a convert to the lazy stuff and isn't worth talking to on matters that may paint their preferred team in a non-positive light.