Game Day - Bulldogs vs Crows

[LostDoggy]

Like Reiwoldt

This has been mentioned several times since the St Kilda game, but it's just wisdom by hindsight, and is becoming tiresome. Dale Morris has owned Nick Riewoldt for close to 3 years now to the point where he was almost seen as his bunny, and The Glove is widely acknowledged as one of the best in the business on roving medium talls.

A player the class of Riewoldt was always going to hit back at some stage, especially in his current form where any defender would struggle to play on him, especially when his team is delivering the ball pretty well.

To insinuate that the Morris on Riewoldt match-up was a Rocket stuff-up is to be ignorant of your football (recent) history.

[LostDoggy]

No-ones said much about Aker, IMHO the guy is in our top 3 players at the club, beacsue he has that rare ability to step up when it really matters, like the third quarter when the game was still in the balance. And i think the kids around him improve by 10-15% just beacsue he is there. Love or hate him, should go down as one of the greats of the game,alongside Buckley, and Voss, from his era. I hope he goes on next year, he adds so much quality to the forward line

Aker is a gun, and with his Brownlow, 3 (hopefully 4) premierships, and highlight reels populating YouTube, his legend will only grow once he's retired.

[Stefcep]

This has been mentioned several times since the St Kilda game, but it's just wisdom by hindsight, and is becoming tiresome. Dale Morris has owned Nick Riewoldt for close to 3 years now to the point where he was almost seen as his bunny, and The Glove is widely acknowledged as one of the best in the business on roving medium talls.

A player the class of Riewoldt was always going to hit back at some stage, especially in his current form where any defender would struggle to play on him, especially when his team is delivering the ball pretty well.

To insinuate that the Morris on Riewoldt match-up was a Rocket stuff-up is to be ignorant of your football (recent) history.

It was a stuff up because Eade took too long to move Morris. If Reiwoldt kicked straight, we'd have been down by 10 goals at half time. Game over. The coach can't wait that long to make the moves.

Fact is, tall forwards like Riewoldt, kozzie, Franklin, Lloyd, Fev are dependent on their midfielders firing: witness Franklin's performance in the Prelim against us ( Morris had him too, from memory, and Fev-Morris again, i think last year when they came from behind), and then Reiwoldt 1 week ago. If their midfield is firing Morris struggles, we need someone taller than Morris to go with the Reiwoldts. the Franklins and the Fevolas ie Lake. If our midfield is on top, Morris is the man.

[LostDoggy]

And a total of 2 years of total matches played. Those like Jerry who have doubts about a quick mobile strong kpp after only 25 games really need to understand that talls need at least 75 -100 games before they are fully mature as players. Kouta was being talked about at being trade bait when he was 22yo and had not reached his potential, ludicrous!

Top post, spot on.

[LostDoggy]

It was a stuff up because Eade took too long to move Morris. If Reiwoldt kicked straight, we'd have been down by 10 goals at half time. Game over. The coach can't wait that long to make the moves.

Fact is, tall forwards like Riewoldt, kozzie, Franklin, Lloyd, Fev are dependent on their midfielders firing: witness Franklin's performance in the Prelim against us ( Morris had him too, from memory, and Fev-Morris again, i think last year when they came from behind), and then Reiwoldt 1 week ago. If their midfield is firing Morris struggles, we need someone taller than Morris to go with the Reiwoldts. the Franklins and the Fevolas ie Lake. If our midfield is on top, Morris is the man.

Isn't it the case of a team's backline is only as good as their midfield?

If the backline is being bombarded with forward 50 entries from the opposition, they may have a 50% chance of rebounding the ball out of there.

Any backline will struggle if their midfield fails to win the ball or causes turnovers after the backline has stopped an attack.

Lake can only struggle - he got spanked last year by Mooney and Barry Hall kicked a few goals on him too in a final last year.

[bornadog]

And a total of 2 years of total matches played. Those like Jerry who have doubts about a quick mobile strong kpp after only 25 games really need to understand that talls need at least 75 -100 games before they are fully mature as players. Kouta was being talked about at being trade bait when he was 22yo and had not reached his potential, ludicrous!

Besides Lake and Williams, all the rest of our potential KPPs are 20 or younger, including Everitt. ( I don't include Minson and Skipper as they are rucks)

[always right]

It was a stuff up because Eade took too long to move Morris. If Reiwoldt kicked straight, we'd have been down by 10 goals at half time. Game over. The coach can't wait that long to make the moves.

Fact is, tall forwards like Riewoldt, kozzie, Franklin, Lloyd, Fev are dependent on their midfielders firing: witness Franklin's performance in the Prelim against us ( Morris had him too, from memory, and Fev-Morris again, i think last year when they came from behind), and then Reiwoldt 1 week ago. If their midfield is firing Morris struggles, we need someone taller than Morris to go with the Reiwoldts. the Franklins and the Fevolas ie Lake. If our midfield is on top, Morris is the man.

Morris was fine on Fevola.

I suspect the reason Eade took so long to move Morris off Riewoldt is because Morris is one bloke capable of fighting his way back on top. Never drops his head, never concedes it isn't his day. His consistency of effort never changes. With St Kilda's midfield so much on top, no-one else was going to stop Riewoldt. Morris was the best bet and he will be when we play St Kilda again.

[Stefcep]

Isn't it the case of a team's backline is only as good as their midfield?

If the backline is being bombarded with forward 50 entries from the opposition, they may have a 50% chance of rebounding the ball out of there.

Any backline will struggle if their midfield fails to win the ball or causes turnovers after the backline has stopped an attack.

Lake can only struggle - he got spanked last year by Mooney and Barry Hall kicked a few goals on him too in a final last year.

I wouldn't go as far as that, but I agree that if your midfield is struggling, the defense's job is that much harder. One thing that happens is that the forwards and the defender get isolated one-on-one, or the forward can mark on the lead. A defenders lack of height will then be exposed. Thats why i think Eade should moved Morris earlier, it was clear to everyone at the ground that on that day, Morris was in a mismatch.

[Stefcep]

Just another point: the fade out in the last quarter, when Adelaide got 3-4 goals in a row. Sure the game was as good as won, but with so many teams on 3 and 4 wins I would have thought percentage would have been stressed to the players at 3/4 time.

[Happy Days]

Just another point: the fade out in the last quarter, when Adelaide got 3-4 goals in a row. Sure the game was as good as won, but with so many teams on 3 and 4 wins I would have thought percentage would have been stressed to the players at 3/4 time.

Hardly a fade out, more us taking the foot off the pedal. The game was over half-way through the third quarter.

[Go_Dogs]

Hardly a fade out, more us taking the foot off the pedal. The game was over half-way through the third quarter.

Agreed. Plus when you get smashed 8 goals to 1 in a 1/4 of football, you tend to come out a bit harder the next 1/4.

Thankfully Hill was able to mark and goal, because I admit I was starting to get sweaty palms when they had their little run on in the last.

[Mantis]

Just finished watching the game, I had an offer to good to refuse yesterday. (My avatar might have something to do with where I was)

Couple of notes I took while watching the game:

* Our young tall defenders either over-committed or got caught out of position once too many times. Hopefully Peter Dean can help with this in the review process.

* Work-rate was much much better, worked hard chasing, worked hard to receive the ball and worked hard to assist. Good signs.

* Doesn't Adam Cooney being able to run make a difference. He looked great.

* Absolutely astounded that they didn't try and man up on Gilbee & Eagleton, they just let them run free and they paid the price. Both worked much harder and were rewarded for their efforts.

* Murphy looked better again which is promising, still a bit off his best, but he is getting there.

* Defensive pressure & tackling was good.

* Adelaide were pretty ordinary, yeah we played some good football in the 3rd qtr, but I don't think they are much chop.

Definitely a game we can build from.

[AndrewP6]

Just finished watching the game, I had an offer to good to refuse yesterday. (My avatar might have something to do with where I was)

* Our young tall offenders either over-committed or got caught out of position once too many times. Hopefully Peter Dean can help with this in the review process.
.

GOLF?? Better than the Dogs?? You've gotta be kidding...

Do you mean "young DEfenders"?

[Mantis]

GOLF?? Better than the Dogs?? You've gotta be kidding...

But you don't get an invitation to play at one Australia's best courses everyday.

Fixed the other stuff up.

[AndrewP6]

But you don't get an invitation to play at one Australia's best courses everyday.

Fixed the other stuff up.

No, and if I did I'd still go for the Dogs...golf just doesn't do much for me...

Hope it didn't look like I was nitpicking...I am a teacher (in the middle of report writing time!) after all.