The Underdog
10-04-2014, 08:55 PM
The Underdog’s Match Preview (of sorts)
Where & When: StarTrack Oval, Saturday April 12 @ 4.40pm
No, seriously, where? StarTrack Oval? Where’s that? Oh it’s Manuka Oval in Canberra you say? Maybe StarTrack can courier Canberra to Western Sydney.
Weather: Cloudy. Chance of showers. Winds northwesterly and light increasing to 15 to 25 km/h during the morning. Min: 11 Max: 19
Spells spectacle to me
Changes:
Western Bulldogs
In: K.Stevens, J.Tutt, T.Young
Out: J.Roughead (shoulder), L.Dahlhaus (calf), J.Johannisen
AFL’s Vietnam
In: J.Lamb, L.Sumner
Out: D.Addison, D.Smith (suspended)
Canberra specialist Tutt gets a game for the Dogs, big loss of Dahlhaus takes away some run and goal-kicking.
Addison is omitted ruining a couple of jokes further down that i’ve left in anyway
All-time record:
Super AmazeBulldogs 2 – AFL manufactured franchise 0
That’s right, we’ve never been beaten by them, EVER.
R15, 2013, Western Bulldogs 13.9 (87) d GWS 12.11 (83) at Manuka Oval
R5, 2012, Western Bulldogs 15.14 (104) d GWS 9.8 (62) at Manuka Oval
We’ve struggled to convincingly beat the Giants when they were really quite bad, so not sure how that plays out now that they seem to be improved.
We played not particularly good football in 2012, going goalless in the first quarter before righting the ship somewhat to win fairly comfortably.
We fell over the line last year in what most thought was the start of the apocalypse. Turns out that it was the start of an apocalypse…of awesomeness (or at least free-flowing, promising football in the final 6-8 weeks, including quite a few games we actually won)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Bulldogs:
Aesthetics – Sure there’s all the fancy stats and playing style and analysis and stuff, but man the Giants jumper is awful. Orange and charcoal. Charcoal? Plus they add a crucifix or something to it when they play in Canberra, probably in honour of Tony Abbott’s Catholic leanings. Our jumper on the other hand, is awesome. Classic, traditional, elegant.
Unless we wear the white jumper. Then we’re screwed.
Also, their song sounds like a bunch of Russians singing folk songs after a bender. Whereas our song…did I mention our awesome jumper?
Midfield – I’m actually not sure if this is a strength at this point. Minno has been ok so far, but Mumford is a pretty good match for him and while we should have an advantage from the middle, they have this guy Ward who is pretty solid in a contest…grumble. He really cracks in.
Tall defenders – The GWS have some good young tall forwards, Unfortunately with Roughy out, Williams playing like a tiny weakened kitten and Talia and Young “learning to play the right way” in the two’s, this is a problem. Looks like Dale Morris will play on everybody, all at once.
Jackson Macrae – did you know he’s the best, most composed, awesomest draft pick ever and we got him with the Callan Ward compensation pick / Jordan McMahon trade family tree that keeps on giving. He’ll probably win the B&F.
Best AFL internet forum- that’s right people of WOOF. We’re ace, good looking, dapper, witty, always keeping things in perspective while having civilized discussion about tactics and fish & chip shops. I’m not sure the GWiants have enough supporters to fill a fish & chip shop, let alone a forum about one.
GWS Croissants:
All the draft picks! – That’s right, the GWSer’s had pretty much every pick in the first round of the draft for a couple of years, plus access to 17 year old’s, getting to wax picks with the Suns for guys from WA with the initials JM and access to all babies born in NSW forever, probably. As a result they have a fast rising young group that have been augmented this season by some older, wiser heads like Mumford & AddiSon’s and some total geese like Josh Hunt and Heath Shaw.
Tall forwards – No wonder we haven’t been able to uncover a young one in the last few years. GWS have them ALL. Cameron, Patton, Boyd-on, Jaksch, McCarthy. Jeremy Cameron is obviously the most developed and best of them, even Wayne Carey thinks he’s going to be as good as Wayne Carey.
Supporter – they have one. His name is Tony. He used to barrack for Collingwood, but didn’t like crowds that much so changed.
The patronage of the AFL – the Giantons will win a premiership in the next 5 years…by any means necessary. I’m sure Andrew will be brought back to hand them the cup. Then they can really pretend they never wanted Buddy.
Subplots:
Coaches- Former Bulldog player Leon Cameron was the clear favourite for the Bulldogs coaching job after the dismissal of Eade. That was until Brendan McCartney came from nowhere to get the job. Pretty sure Leon’d like to notch up a win and then stand cackling maniacally over the Bulldogs race while triumphal music plays in the background. To be fair, GWS look much improved since he took the coaching reins from the head of the marketing department.
Callan Ward – did you know he used to play for the Bulldogs? But left for a chance to be make a boatload of cash, oh sorry, I meant, be part of building a team from scratch and experiencing a new city. Yeah, really. That’s disappointing. Oh well, he’s no Jack Macrae.
Dylan Addison- also played for us, but losing DFA was more like the equivalent of telling the kids that we sent our mangy favourite dog to a “farm”.
“Yeah kids, since DFA bit Timmy, we had to send him to Sydney, where he gets to be a Giant. Doesn’t that sound fun?”
(And now GWS have sent him to the "NEAFL")
I have no idea who matches up on who. I haven't really watched NWA play this year.
Prediction:
Bulldogs by 23 points, but I’m secretly a bit worried. Have the Western Sydney Wandering Giantists already stepped ahead of us and towards their premiership patio?
Where & When: StarTrack Oval, Saturday April 12 @ 4.40pm
No, seriously, where? StarTrack Oval? Where’s that? Oh it’s Manuka Oval in Canberra you say? Maybe StarTrack can courier Canberra to Western Sydney.
Weather: Cloudy. Chance of showers. Winds northwesterly and light increasing to 15 to 25 km/h during the morning. Min: 11 Max: 19
Spells spectacle to me
Changes:
Western Bulldogs
In: K.Stevens, J.Tutt, T.Young
Out: J.Roughead (shoulder), L.Dahlhaus (calf), J.Johannisen
AFL’s Vietnam
In: J.Lamb, L.Sumner
Out: D.Addison, D.Smith (suspended)
Canberra specialist Tutt gets a game for the Dogs, big loss of Dahlhaus takes away some run and goal-kicking.
Addison is omitted ruining a couple of jokes further down that i’ve left in anyway
All-time record:
Super AmazeBulldogs 2 – AFL manufactured franchise 0
That’s right, we’ve never been beaten by them, EVER.
R15, 2013, Western Bulldogs 13.9 (87) d GWS 12.11 (83) at Manuka Oval
R5, 2012, Western Bulldogs 15.14 (104) d GWS 9.8 (62) at Manuka Oval
We’ve struggled to convincingly beat the Giants when they were really quite bad, so not sure how that plays out now that they seem to be improved.
We played not particularly good football in 2012, going goalless in the first quarter before righting the ship somewhat to win fairly comfortably.
We fell over the line last year in what most thought was the start of the apocalypse. Turns out that it was the start of an apocalypse…of awesomeness (or at least free-flowing, promising football in the final 6-8 weeks, including quite a few games we actually won)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Bulldogs:
Aesthetics – Sure there’s all the fancy stats and playing style and analysis and stuff, but man the Giants jumper is awful. Orange and charcoal. Charcoal? Plus they add a crucifix or something to it when they play in Canberra, probably in honour of Tony Abbott’s Catholic leanings. Our jumper on the other hand, is awesome. Classic, traditional, elegant.
Unless we wear the white jumper. Then we’re screwed.
Also, their song sounds like a bunch of Russians singing folk songs after a bender. Whereas our song…did I mention our awesome jumper?
Midfield – I’m actually not sure if this is a strength at this point. Minno has been ok so far, but Mumford is a pretty good match for him and while we should have an advantage from the middle, they have this guy Ward who is pretty solid in a contest…grumble. He really cracks in.
Tall defenders – The GWS have some good young tall forwards, Unfortunately with Roughy out, Williams playing like a tiny weakened kitten and Talia and Young “learning to play the right way” in the two’s, this is a problem. Looks like Dale Morris will play on everybody, all at once.
Jackson Macrae – did you know he’s the best, most composed, awesomest draft pick ever and we got him with the Callan Ward compensation pick / Jordan McMahon trade family tree that keeps on giving. He’ll probably win the B&F.
Best AFL internet forum- that’s right people of WOOF. We’re ace, good looking, dapper, witty, always keeping things in perspective while having civilized discussion about tactics and fish & chip shops. I’m not sure the GWiants have enough supporters to fill a fish & chip shop, let alone a forum about one.
GWS Croissants:
All the draft picks! – That’s right, the GWSer’s had pretty much every pick in the first round of the draft for a couple of years, plus access to 17 year old’s, getting to wax picks with the Suns for guys from WA with the initials JM and access to all babies born in NSW forever, probably. As a result they have a fast rising young group that have been augmented this season by some older, wiser heads like Mumford & AddiSon’s and some total geese like Josh Hunt and Heath Shaw.
Tall forwards – No wonder we haven’t been able to uncover a young one in the last few years. GWS have them ALL. Cameron, Patton, Boyd-on, Jaksch, McCarthy. Jeremy Cameron is obviously the most developed and best of them, even Wayne Carey thinks he’s going to be as good as Wayne Carey.
Supporter – they have one. His name is Tony. He used to barrack for Collingwood, but didn’t like crowds that much so changed.
The patronage of the AFL – the Giantons will win a premiership in the next 5 years…by any means necessary. I’m sure Andrew will be brought back to hand them the cup. Then they can really pretend they never wanted Buddy.
Subplots:
Coaches- Former Bulldog player Leon Cameron was the clear favourite for the Bulldogs coaching job after the dismissal of Eade. That was until Brendan McCartney came from nowhere to get the job. Pretty sure Leon’d like to notch up a win and then stand cackling maniacally over the Bulldogs race while triumphal music plays in the background. To be fair, GWS look much improved since he took the coaching reins from the head of the marketing department.
Callan Ward – did you know he used to play for the Bulldogs? But left for a chance to be make a boatload of cash, oh sorry, I meant, be part of building a team from scratch and experiencing a new city. Yeah, really. That’s disappointing. Oh well, he’s no Jack Macrae.
Dylan Addison- also played for us, but losing DFA was more like the equivalent of telling the kids that we sent our mangy favourite dog to a “farm”.
“Yeah kids, since DFA bit Timmy, we had to send him to Sydney, where he gets to be a Giant. Doesn’t that sound fun?”
(And now GWS have sent him to the "NEAFL")
I have no idea who matches up on who. I haven't really watched NWA play this year.
Prediction:
Bulldogs by 23 points, but I’m secretly a bit worried. Have the Western Sydney Wandering Giantists already stepped ahead of us and towards their premiership patio?