Game Day Round 8, 2017 - West Coast V Western Bulldogs

[cinder]

Far out JJ. Just not doing us any favours.

[bulldogtragic]

We don't want to win, you win. No we don't want to win, you win. No you. No YOU!!

No YOU!!!!!!!

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

We need guys who can kick goals. Period.

[Mantis]

So many bad handballs & kicks... just butchered it all night.

6-8 out and we lose like this.. Not far away.

[G-Mo77]

Who the ***** are they looking at when they're passing??

[ratsmac]

Well that was a shit display of skills from 2 teams.

[comrade]

We couldn't beat a team that kicked 1.9 after half time.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

West coast were out on their feet. Once more this season we were our worst enemy.
Flattered by Kennedy failing to put us away, but clearly our composure both bringing the ball inside 50 and then iur poor conversion is the Elephant in the room.

[AndrewP6]

Never deserved to be that close, but there you go. On that game, don't rate Wet Toast at all. Too many passengers or butchers for us. I hate losing.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Caleb Daniel was the only one who showed elite conposure when counter attacking tonight.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Disappointed.

Gonna need a big second half of the year.

[G-Mo77]

We couldn't beat a team that kicked 1.9 after half time.

I wasn't overly disappointed going down until I heard that.

[bornadog]

The Bont poor in the second half, Libba 2 disposals in 2nd half, Lin Jong not as good as his first half, and we just kept coughing up the ball, yet we had a chance to win.

On the positive, Caleb almost got us home with a great last quarter.

[merantau]

I did not enjoy that at all. I despise the Cokes. Just HATE them so much. But the reality is it would have been unjust if we had snatched the win. Sure, we missed a lot of chances but they missed a lot too - and easier ones than ours.
Their ball use was just so much better than ours all over the ground. We have a lot of improving to do but the upside is we have a lot of players out.
I hope I feel better in the morning cos at the moment I am seething.

[ratsmac]

Why rest Murphy in such an important game with the injury list we have at present. Did it cost us? Maybe

[Eastdog]

Why rest Murphy in such an important game with the injury list we have at present. Did it cost us? Maybe

Yeah good question. Maybe it was just a rest or there could be an injury but I don't believe so.

[G-Mo77]

The Bont poor in the second half, Libba 2 disposals in 2nd half, Lin Jong not as good as his first half, Redpath disappeared, and we just kept coughing up the ball, yet we had a chance to win.

On the positive, Caleb almost got us home with a great last quarter.

Bit harsh on Redpath. 12 months off, first game. .

Carrying a few week links right now who are well down on form. We can keep playing them and hope or send them back to VFL to find it.

[G-Mo77]

Why rest Murphy in such an important game with the injury list we have at present. Did it cost us? Maybe

Got to manage him. This was probably penciled in weeks ago.

[Ozza]

The Bont poor in the second half, Libba 2 disposals in 2nd half, Lin Jong not as good as his first half, Redpath disappeared, and we just kept coughing up the ball, yet we had a chance to win.

On the positive, Caleb almost got us home with a great last quarter.

In what way did Redpath disappear?
I'm stoked to have a tall player that took 10 marks.

The Gameday thread...its a good one...just jump on and pot players for the duration of the game.

[comrade]

In what way did Redpath disappear?
I'm stoked to have a tall player that took 10 marks.

The Gameday thread...its a good one...just jump on and pot players for the duration of the game.

Potting a player or just speaking the truth? When players continue to make the same mistakes over and over, it should be called out. Especially when it's so called senior players.

[Eastdog]

I did not enjoy that at all. I despise the Cokes. Just HATE them so much. But the reality is it would have been unjust if we had snatched the win. Sure, we missed a lot of chances but they missed a lot too - and easier ones than ours.
Their ball use was just so much better than ours all over the ground. We have a lot of improving to do but the upside is we have a lot of players out.
I hope I feel better in the morning cos at the moment I am seething.

Congrats merantau on reaching over 1000 posts on woof. Great effort! Your a very good contributor.

On the game disappointing with the result. A loss is a loss whether its by 1 point or 100 points. The effort was top notch but our goal kicking woes haven't gone away and it doesn't help having so many injuries. 5-3 isn't too bad but 6-2 would have been better.

Some of the players who I thought did quite good were: Webb, JJ, Daniel, Redpath I think along with Webb in their first games of 2017 were decent, Adams endeavour was good in the forward line. Wood did some important things. Just imagine having Morris down back and Stringer get a beauty in the last 5 mins of the game.

[ledge]

I think the downfall was only having Redpath in the forward line . Adams did what he could but isn't a natural forward , just Cloke playing I think we would have won.
Redpath was awesome just couldn't battle 3 or 4 at a time and we didn't deliver properly either.
West coast over there is a hard thing let alone only one forward.

[always right]

Is Libba injured? Having a very poor season....and don't quote me tackling stats.

Very frustrating match....had so much of the ball but in the first half it felt like every time we turned it over they waltzed the ball forward unopposed.

[SonofScray]

Really upset with that loss. Logically it isn't a disaster but fair dinkum, we make it so difficult with the poor goal conversions. More than enough opportunities to put scoreboard pressure on and change the tone of the game, yet we never got a run on.

[bornadog]

Bit harsh on Redpath. 12 months off, first game. .

Carrying a few week links right now who are well down on form. We can keep playing them and hope or send them back to VFL to find it.

Yes agree a bit harsh, did well for being out so long - amended post

[Grantysghost]

11 players with less than 50 games tonight, sometimes we forget how young we are. We never really looked like winning, but the game plan stands up anywhere against anyone. When it clicks again; look out !

[angelopetraglia]

We were so young tonight. Effort was there. Not enough class. We desperately need Dicko, Stringer and Roughead back.

Average Attributes

West Coast Attribute Western Bulldogs
187.8cm Height 186.4cm
88.9kg Weight 85.6kg
26yr 7mth Age 24yr 2mth
126.1 Games 72.8

Total Players By Games

West Coast Games Western Bulldogs
6 Less than 50 11
2 50 to 99 5
4 100 to 149 4
10 150 or more 2

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Need Murphy Roughead and Wallis back. This was a very undermanned team. Great effort by big Red with 3 goals and then tired badly after missing the past 10 months. Daniel Jong and JJ were outstanding against a very good midfield. Webb and Williams will be very good players for us. Dale still looks a fair way off. Liberatore is a huge concern and is being carried in the midfield by the likes of Daniel Macrae and Bontempelli.WCE are a good side but given the number of players missing currently we still remain in contention as a major finals contender.

[Sedat]

Missed the game but it seems like our delivery into F50 was poor again - Barrass, Yeo and McGovern look like they had a picnic. Also sounds like we saved some % with Kennedy kicking 3.6 and a lot of easy misses.

You'd imagine Hamilton is a big chance to come in next week based on our need for cleaner ball use. What to make of Libba?

[bulldogtragic]

Missed the game but it seems like our delivery into F50 was poor again - Barrass, Yeo and McGovern look like they had a picnic. Also sounds like we saved some % with Kennedy kicking 3.6 and a lot of easy misses.

You'd imagine Hamilton is a big chance to come in next week based on our need for cleaner ball use. What to make of Libba?

Has to be injured.

[always right]

Missed the game but it seems like our delivery into F50 was poor again - Barrass, Yeo and McGovern look like they had a picnic. Also sounds like we saved some % with Kennedy kicking 3.6 and a lot of easy misses.

You'd imagine Hamilton is a big chance to come in next week based on our need for cleaner ball use. What to make of Libba?
Forward entries were not great but of ore concern was our inability to stop their run out of defence in the first half. They took the ball forward unopposed so many times.

[bornadog]

Has to be injured.

I don't think he is injured. He is out of form and been struggling the whole season.

[Sedat]

Has to be injured.
8 possessions in 85% game time is a horrid return for an elite mid (which he clearly is at his best) - that is baically playing a man down in the middle, which no team can absorb and especially at that shithole of a long ground. If he isn't dropped/rested, perhaps he needs to channel his old man and lock onto the opposition's best mid all game.

[Eastdog]

At least one positive thing from tonight no more injuries as far as I know.

[The bulldog tragician]

We were so young tonight. Effort was there. Not enough class. We desperately need Dicko, Stringer and Roughead back.

Average Attributes

West Coast Attribute Western Bulldogs
187.8cm Height 186.4cm
88.9kg Weight 85.6kg
26yr 7mth Age 24yr 2mth
126.1 Games 72.8

Total Players By Games

West Coast Games Western Bulldogs
6 Less than 50 11
2 50 to 99 5
4 100 to 149 4
10 150 or more 2

I think only Brisbane less experienced.
of our premiership team we are missing Jake, Roughie, Dale, Hamling, Dunkley, Biggs, Dickson.
And in our best 22, we still have Murph, Wallis, Crameri, possibly Cloke.

I found this game excruciating. If we had a plan to counter McGoverns intercepts, it wasn't carried out. Our field kicking is actually a worse problem than our goal kicking.

For all that, we somehow nearly won it, with substandard contributions from many. Again, this team somehow always stays in the fight. I'm cranky with the loss but if you look at our inexperience, injury, and where most of our best players are missing (forwards) I feel we're still on track for a top 4 finish once we get continuity.

[jeemak]

I was actually pretty happy with the game.

We went in clearly undermanned and out classed and brought it to a scrap which was well fought out. We missed some chances, they missed some easier ones and kept us in it to the extent that with a little cleaner use in the second half we'd have almost made them pay.

We gave them way too much space laterally, the amount of uncontested marks they took wide on a narrow ground was astounding. Effort and experience of the group are to blame for this. On a ground that should be the easiest in the competition on which to shut down wide space we really let ourselves down tonight and paid dearly letting them out time after time.

Everyone tried in my view, and we took it up to a team that just beat Port on their home deck a week ago in the most hostile environment the AFL has to offer for Victorian clubs.

There's plenty I'm not happy about, on a team level and player level, but I'm cool with the loss.

[Twodogs]

I was actually pretty happy with the game.

We went in clearly undermanned and out classed and brought it to a scrap which was well fought out. We missed some chances, they missed some easier ones and kept us in it to the extent that with a little cleaner use in the second half we'd have almost made them pay.

We gave them way too much space laterally, the amount of uncontested marks they took wide on a narrow ground was astounding. Effort and experience of the group are to blame for this. On a ground that should be the easiest in the competition on which to shut down wide space we really let ourselves down tonight and paid dearly letting them out time after time.

Everyone tried in my view, and we took it up to a team that just beat Port on their home deck a week ago in the most hostile environment the AFL has to offer for Victorian clubs.

There's plenty I'm not happy about, on a team level and player level, but I'm cool with the loss.


The four points would be nice but I see your point.

[GVGjr]

Is Libba injured? Having a very poor season....and don't quote me tackling stats.

Very frustrating match....had so much of the ball but in the first half it felt like every time we turned it over they waltzed the ball forward unopposed.

He has to be. He doesn't get to as many contests as he normally would.

[comrade]

How does a 200cm behemoth take zero marks? I thought Boyd battled OK in the ruck but not a single mark? Gave us nothing around the ground. It's one step forward, one step back with Tom at the moment.

[Twodogs]

How does a 200cm behemoth take zero marks? I thought Boyd battled OK in the ruck but not a single mark? Gave us nothing around the ground. It's one step forward, one step back with Tom at the moment.

It will be for a while with Tom.

[merantau]

It's now the morning after and the red/black cloud of frustration and disappointment has lifted to reveal a blue sky and clear weather ahead.
There a quite a few positives to bear in mind. The Cokers are not a bad side. They proved that last year and they sat 5-2 before this game.
We were playing on their dung heap - a
a handicap for all sides. We have a lot of heavy hitters to come back into the team. There is no team better at the contested ball than us and the team is super fit. We run out games better than any side in the competition.
Downside. We simply are not taking our chances. Even easy shots are being missed, especially at vital times in games. Libba, for example, missed a sitter against GWS straight after half time. Jacko, Marcus Adams and Clay Smith missed very getable goals last night. 50/50 chances? Forget 'em! We are just so poor in this area. Snaps for goal? More not than likely.
We were fumbly last night which is just so damaging at times. Our field kicking was right off. So many times our poor delivery gave their backs a chance to spoil. And as for our delivery inside 50 - it was south side of the Antarctic Circle
Still, helped by their yips and some sterling efforts by the likes of Daniel, JJ, the dashing Easton Wood, Lin Jong and Big Jack we gave them a real scare. Don't worry - if they left the ground feeling all smug and satisfied then their heads are a lot further up their backsides than I thought was humanly possible.
Wait till we get the troops back - we will come storming home. Go Dogs.

[Stefcep]

Is Libba injured? Having a very poor season....and don't quote me tackling stats.

Very frustrating match....had so much of the ball but in the first half it felt like every time we turned it over they waltzed the ball forward unopposed.


Both he and Picken's form has plummetted after their concussions.

[Stefcep]

Watched the game out at a bar so didn't hear any of the commentary and analysis but I thought our pressure and our cleanness with the ball by hand was as good as its been all season. Again butchering the foot passing and kicking for goal at critical times cost us dearly. We can't keep giving the opposition head starts like we do and rely on getting over the line by under goal every week.

So many forward outs makes me feel very confident we're a top 4 side, even if the ladder doesn't show it

[Go_Dogs]

Only saw bits and pieces last night and won't be watching the replay, so appreciate the commentary in here.

Seems like certain themes from the season thus far continued, which is disappointing, however we are missing a number of quality players and leaders. The latter is perhaps the most disappointing aspect as it appears no one really stepped up to fill the void.

[Bullies]

8 possessions in 85% game time is a horrid return for an elite mid (which he clearly is at his best) - that is baically playing a man down in the middle, which no team can absorb and especially at that shithole of a long ground. If he isn't dropped/rested, perhaps he needs to channel his old man and lock onto the opposition's best mid all game. Libber/Picken and Boyd have all suffered with performance since the concussion. All played the week after.

[bornadog]

Only saw bits and pieces last night and won't be watching the replay, so appreciate the commentary in here.

Seems like certain themes from the season thus far continued, which is disappointing, however we are missing a number of quality players and leaders. The latter is perhaps the most disappointing aspect as it appears no one really stepped up to fill the void.

The biggest issue for me was the ease with which WC ran the ball out of our forward line and all the way to their F50. This was evident in the first half. We had no forward pressure at all. McGovern, Yeo, Barass, and Ahern outmarked us and had a field day.

We came home like a train, only after Kennedy missed three set shots in a row, all easy goals that he should have had. Caleb had 15 disposals in the last quarter and almost single handedly got us home, but in the end we were once more playing catch up footy after they got to around 26 points ahead early in the game.

[1eyedog]

I was actually pretty happy with the game.

We went in clearly undermanned and out classed and brought it to a scrap which was well fought out. We missed some chances, they missed some easier ones and kept us in it to the extent that with a little cleaner use in the second half we'd have almost made them pay.

We gave them way too much space laterally, the amount of uncontested marks they took wide on a narrow ground was astounding. Effort and experience of the group are to blame for this. On a ground that should be the easiest in the competition on which to shut down wide space we really let ourselves down tonight and paid dearly letting them out time after time.

Everyone tried in my view, and we took it up to a team that just beat Port on their home deck a week ago in the most hostile environment the AFL has to offer for Victorian clubs.

There's plenty I'm not happy about, on a team level and player level, but I'm cool with the loss.

Lateral space was the least of our concerns last night they tore us a new at the back end and then launched through the middle of the ground to the big bear who should have slotted 7 or 8.

[bornadog]

He has to be. He doesn't get to as many contests as he normally would.

If he is injured, he shouldn't be playing. I don't believe he is injured, he has lost form.

[Eastdog]

Does Bob have something going on an injury maybe? Would have been good to have Bob out there last night.

[bornadog]

Does Bob have something going on an injury maybe? Would have been good to have Bob out there last night.

He was just being managed.

[Eastdog]

He was just being managed.

Yeah I can understand with our veterans we would probably do that from time to time. M. Boyd could be due for a spell.

[bornadog]

Yeah I can understand with our veterans we would probably do that from time to time. M. Boyd could be due for a spell.

He had one two weeks ago

[bulldogtragic]

He had one two weeks ago

Yep, this is him refreshed!

[1eyedog]

Yeah I can understand with our veterans we would probably do that from time to time. M. Boyd could be due for a spell in the seconds for the rest of the year.

Edited for accuracy

[Eastdog]

Edited for accuracy

I hope Boyd can still make it to 300 games. Been a quality player for our club. Hopefully he can find some form.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Whilst we have some issues to work through, the biggest problem is simply the fact we are missing 8 or 9 of our best 22 players. Our injury list has been worse than last year so far IMO.

Yes, we are still butchering our shots at goal. Yes, our decision making and skill execution is letting us down. But the crux of it is that we're nowhere near full strength and it's blatantly showing.

My main concerns are the form of Libba, Picken, Boyd and to a lesser extent Suckling. Three of them had concussion bouts but none have been overly effective prior to their injury and Suckling shouldn't be in the side in a few weeks time when we start getting players back.

Boyd, as good as he's been, is clearly struggling. One year too long from what I can see. Hope we have the nerve to drop him sooner rather than later.

Want to see us blood Webb, Williams and Dale. Think they're all showing capable signs.

It's not panic stations but we really need some key players back to start chalking up wins otherwise top 4 will be hard to achieve and quickly out of sight.

[1eyedog]

I hope Boyd can still make it to 300 games. Been a quality player for our club. Hopefully he can find some form.

I hope so too but we cannot sustain having him fill a position in the team on last night's output. I've defended him this season but he was woeful last night. Looked unsure with the ball, lacked space and time, fumbled, missed targets, was bumped off the ball too easily and went half-hearted in the air.

We aren't exactly short of half backs and Morris coming back after the bye will be able to steady the ship down there if we start losing our heads.

[josie]

Hi Sedat, regarding Hamilton, I have watched a fair bit of vfl and think Hamilton is pretty weak at the contest and has average diposal. I recall early on someone at club saying he has footy smarts. I just do not see it. He does not appear to be quick either. I doubt he is afl grade. Much prefer Webb, Dale, Williams and Lynch (latter has to be more defensive although is quick and is a good kick) as all have much cleaner disposal imo. Love to be proven wrong though. Also think the last group recruited look really promising and if not for injury Lipinski or Green would be in consideration.