Bulldog4life
21-05-2013, 11:36 AM
One win in 19 games and nightmare stats have made these Western Bulldogs yelpless
WESTERN Bulldogs have been exposed as all power and no polish, with rivals feasting on their chronic lack of ball movement.
As former star forward Barry Hall laments "you don't know what side is going to show up" each week, exclusive Champion Data figures reveal serious problems at Whitten Oval.
Under coach Brendan McCartney, the Dogs average more clearance and contested possessions than the opposition each week, but struggle badly to move the ball with any fluency.
From their defensive 50m, the Dogs are the worst side in the competition at advancing the ball inside their forward 50 with an unbroken chain of possession.
Bulldogs hit the paws button
They score only 18.5 per cent of the time from a clearance - again ranked 18th.
Remarkably, they are the worst kicking team in the AFL at a paltry 60.6 per cent efficiency.
For a club once renowned for its sizzling attack, there is a major lack of pizzazz in the red, white and blue in 2013.
The Bulldogs, 16th on the ladder, have won only one of their past 19 games and six of their past 30.
Hall, who played 39 games and kicked 135 goals for the club in 2010-11, backed McCartney but said the players needed to step up.
Dogged by poor draft choices
"You see some really competitive games, admittedly lacking a quarter here or there, but you can walk away and feel OK," Hall said.
"Then the next week is totally different and that is the most concerning thing for me.
"But I do think they are on the right track with the coach who is doing all the right things. It's up to the player group to give more."
Hall's views on McCartney are shared by former captain Luke Darcy.
Darcy, who played 226 matches between 1994-2007, admitted it was hard for former players to be impartial about their old clubs.
"But I don't believe there is any massive issue," Darcy said.
"Having said that, the Gold Coast loss really, really hurt. Nobody enjoyed that, but I understand where we are at and it will take time. I just hope our supporters do as well.
"But I understand the game style the coach is trying to play and I like the players he's recruiting.
"They are recruiting at the hardest time in the history of the game due to the two expansion clubs."
Jason Akermanis, who ended his career with the Dogs (77 games and 114 goals from 2007-10) refused to criticise McCartney but did query the lack of leg speed brought into the club in recent seasons.
"Unfortunately one-paced players in today's game are starting to become irrelevant. (Matthew) Boyd, (Daniel) Cross and (Daniel) Giansiracusa get eaten alive and are unable to close space down," he said.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/one-win-in-19-games-and-nightmare-stats-have-made-these-western-bulldogs-yelpless/story-fndv8weh-1226647181267
WESTERN Bulldogs have been exposed as all power and no polish, with rivals feasting on their chronic lack of ball movement.
As former star forward Barry Hall laments "you don't know what side is going to show up" each week, exclusive Champion Data figures reveal serious problems at Whitten Oval.
Under coach Brendan McCartney, the Dogs average more clearance and contested possessions than the opposition each week, but struggle badly to move the ball with any fluency.
From their defensive 50m, the Dogs are the worst side in the competition at advancing the ball inside their forward 50 with an unbroken chain of possession.
Bulldogs hit the paws button
They score only 18.5 per cent of the time from a clearance - again ranked 18th.
Remarkably, they are the worst kicking team in the AFL at a paltry 60.6 per cent efficiency.
For a club once renowned for its sizzling attack, there is a major lack of pizzazz in the red, white and blue in 2013.
The Bulldogs, 16th on the ladder, have won only one of their past 19 games and six of their past 30.
Hall, who played 39 games and kicked 135 goals for the club in 2010-11, backed McCartney but said the players needed to step up.
Dogged by poor draft choices
"You see some really competitive games, admittedly lacking a quarter here or there, but you can walk away and feel OK," Hall said.
"Then the next week is totally different and that is the most concerning thing for me.
"But I do think they are on the right track with the coach who is doing all the right things. It's up to the player group to give more."
Hall's views on McCartney are shared by former captain Luke Darcy.
Darcy, who played 226 matches between 1994-2007, admitted it was hard for former players to be impartial about their old clubs.
"But I don't believe there is any massive issue," Darcy said.
"Having said that, the Gold Coast loss really, really hurt. Nobody enjoyed that, but I understand where we are at and it will take time. I just hope our supporters do as well.
"But I understand the game style the coach is trying to play and I like the players he's recruiting.
"They are recruiting at the hardest time in the history of the game due to the two expansion clubs."
Jason Akermanis, who ended his career with the Dogs (77 games and 114 goals from 2007-10) refused to criticise McCartney but did query the lack of leg speed brought into the club in recent seasons.
"Unfortunately one-paced players in today's game are starting to become irrelevant. (Matthew) Boyd, (Daniel) Cross and (Daniel) Giansiracusa get eaten alive and are unable to close space down," he said.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/one-win-in-19-games-and-nightmare-stats-have-made-these-western-bulldogs-yelpless/story-fndv8weh-1226647181267