Round 10 2008 - Dogs Vs Saints

[Bulldog Revolution]

Saints vs Western Bulldogs, Sunday May 18th, Telstra Dome, 2.10pm AEST

FORM THIS SEASON:
Bulldogs: 8 wins, 1 draw, 1 Loss. (3rd)
Saints: 5 wins, 5 losses (9th)

After a fabulous team performance against the Hawks the Dogs return to the confines of the Dome. The only real criticism of the Dogs Tasmanian performance could have been the gifting of some soft goals to the Hawks. Otherwise the tackling, work at the stoppages and in particular a scintillating third quarter centre square performance propelled us to a fine win. With a multitude of options up forward firing (Welsh, Aker, Johno, Murph, Hahn) and a midfield well on top we probably should have won by at least another two goals.

After being declared soft by Coach Ross Lyon after there round 9 loss in Brisbane the Saints responded with an emphatic win over a hapless Demon outfit. Against the Dees all their prime movers were up and running, with Goddard, S Fisher and Gram all running the ball out of defence with apparent ease. The Saints best players were listed as: Ball, Fisher, Gram, Dal Santo, Goddard, Montagna, Riewoldt which is a bit of a warning to any Bulldog anticipating an easy win this Sunday, particularly given our struggles with the Saints in recent years.

PLAYERS MISSING - TEAM SELECTION:

The star power of Robert Murphy will be absent for the Dogs as he serves a one match ban that makes one really wonder about the tribunal but that’s a topic for another piece. He is arguably one of the hardest forwards in the competition to match up on and has been deadly in front of goal in 08. The absence of 08 suprise packet Tim Callan will also be felt in the backline. Callans courageous kamikaze dropping back in front of leading forwards and attack on the footy has set the tone for our work in our defensive 50. Obviously Higgins and West are the other two who would generally be expected to make up part of our senior team currently unavailable. Potential first gamers Ward, Stack, OKeefe are all in the frame for selection but Hill and or Harbrow might be recalled.

For the Saints, Maguire is done for the year, Gehrig on the long term injury list, whilst Baker and Xavier Clarke are chances to come back into the side. Andrew McQualter has been elevated from the rookie list for the injured Gehrig and may come into consideration. But after a big win its hard to anticipate how many changes they would want to make given the group responded to Lyons bake.

LAST MEETING:
Telstra Dome, Round 3 2008
Western Bulldogs (19-11-125) defeated St Kilda (13-9-87)

WESTERN BULLDOGS 1.2, 6.6, 11.9, 19.11 (125)
ST KILDA 7.3, 9.6, 10.8, 13.9 (87)

Goals
Western Bulldogs: M Hahn 3, R Griffen 3, J Akermanis 3, A Cooney 2, J Hill 2, J Harbrow 2, R Murphy, W Minson, S Welsh, C Wight. St Kilda: J Koschitzke 3, N Riewoldt 2, L Ball 2, S Milne 2, J Gram, F Gehrig, L Montagna, A Schneider.
Best
Western Bulldogs: A Cooney, R Griffen, J Hill, D Cross, D Morris, R Murphy. St Kilda: S Fisher, A Schneider, J Gram, N Dal Santo, L Ball, R Harvey.

After our worst first quarter of 2008 I don’t think anyone saw this coming, but after quarter time we outscored them 18 goals to 6 to record an emphatic victory. (**Side Note: It might also have been the night that Bruce MacAvaney admitted to having a man crush on Josh Hill). Griffen’s running goal, after his signature killer sidestep of a bamboozled Jason Blake, was the individual highlight of a fine team performance. For so long the Saints have smashed us around the packs and we really answered the challenge earlier in the season.

KEY DUELS:

Backline:
With no Gehrig in the line-up, and Tommy Williams coming off a good performance against Buddy Franklin our backline might be better placed to hold the Saints than at any time in recent memory. Of course all of that could change if Riewoldt was to have a blinder or everyone’s least favourite opposition small forward Milne were to get off the leash. Kozi could draw Williams or Lake, with Morris perhaps most likely to draw usual foe Riewoldt. With Callan absent, Hargrave is perhaps likely to get Milne, or maybe Morris if they decide to go with Lake or Williams on Riewoldt. Former Bulldog Birss is perhaps likely to be considered for a defensive half forward assignment curtailing prime mover Lindsay Gilbee.

Midfield:
The Saints midfield has copped a bit of stick lately with Dal Santo copping a public spray from Director Andrew Thompson however with Montagna, Harvey, Hayes and Ball there is plenty of talent, and Ball is in top form and having far more influence on games than I can remember. The criticism of the Saints midfield has been that there is not enough run and carry, and so Montagna is an important component of there set up because he does do that for them. I wonder if Eagle might take another shot at tagging Montagna or if Ray might draw that assignment on the back of his determined effort on Chance Bateman. If Baker is fit he might tag Cooney but otherwise it is hard to see who will be able to run with our maestro, such is the nature of his irresistable blend of inside ball wining and ability to carry the footy. Dempster has been getting run with roles for them but would he have the speed to go with Cooney? Boyd, Cross, Gia, Aker, Griffen, Addison should be able to match them for grunt and generate a bit more run and carry with help from Eagle and Gilbee.

Forward:
In the Saints backline S.Fisher, Goddard and Gram have taken a lot of uncontested marks against us previously and with a plethora of these mid sized defenders they appear well suited to matching up on us size wise. The absence of Murphy will definitely please the Saints coaching hierarchy. Fisher has often drawn the job on Johnson, whilst Goddard and Gram have annoyingly set up many attacks, but I don’t really know how accountable they are for there direct opponents. Hudghton is likely to get Minson. The thing that seems to have hurt us the most previously against the Saints has been our lack of pressure our forwards have put on there defenders. This has been a considerably improved area of our game in 2008

WHO WILL WIN & WHY?
St Kilda could win this game. Its not beyond the realms of possibility as they clearly have a group of players that the Dogs have struggled against and players like the Fishers, Kosi, Goddard etc seem to have almost better form against us than the rest of the competition. They have shown they can score if you give them time and space to set it up but they have also shown that when the best teams put the clamps on in the midfield they struggle to generate enough run and forward momentum.

The leadership and work rate of this Bulldogs team is vastly improved from anything we’ve seen for 5 years and I don’t expect them to let the Saints off the hook on Sunday, even if many might consider it a danger game. This is an important game in the context of the season given we face the rampaging Lions and Magpie outfits over the next 2 weeks.
I think there is too much at stake for us to take the Saints lightly. The dedication and application of players like Hudson, Boyd, Cross, Cooney and Morris is really the standard that drives this team and there are many others pushing up to that level. Johnson is due to get amongst the goals and I've got a feeling that Minson and Welsh will fire at the Dome on Sunday.

I think we will be too strong in the centre square, put too much pressure on the Saints and just have more avenues to goal.

Bulldogs by 32 points.

[Dry Rot]

Great review BR.

The Saints could clearly win if they play for 4 quarters like they did in the first quarter of the game this year.

Re that first quarter, did they play that well or did we just let them play that well?

[LostDoggy]

Yeah, great read BR.

DR, re that first quarter at the Dome, IMO it was purely a structural/tactical thing. No one was standing the mark in the first quarter, and instead was turning around to head back into space, and the downhill skier type Saints players just ran straight and delivered deep into the 50, and your Gehrigs, Kosis and Riewoldts, inconsistent as they are, will dine out on balls delivered with no pressure into the 50, as any tall marking forward worth their salt should, even in the VFL or park level.

Rocket clearly thought that the Saints would come out playing more Sydney style tempo and not play on immediately, so thought that clogging up space would be more effective, but when they started running and kicking long, he switched it around in the second quarter and went man on man as well as setting up our zone across the middle -- the media have been focussing on Hawthorn's 'zone', but in their blinkered haste, they've missed another pretty effective zone across the middle set-up that we've been using this year with three to five mids strung across in a sort of umbrella-line zone that stops teams running through -- the only times I've seen us lose our shape this year was against the Dons when they were free-wheeling through the middle in the second and third quarter, and against Freo in the third quarter. With our forwards chasing and herding them into our umbrella, we've been able to stymie some teams' run almost completely, and we managed to do that to the Saints. Man on man, our top class tackling tells immediately, which tells me that we should do that pretty exclusively (and we have, for the most part, except some times when Rocket seems to think we should turn the heat up and run forward of the contest, but usually just end up giving a few goals up and losing momentum).

[GVGjr]

Like a lot of games this one will be won or lost in the midfield so BR I wonder if we would look to tag either Ball or Dal Santo?

Montagna, Goddard and Gram also provide them a lot of run from defence so I would assume that our forward line needs to be extra careful not to let these guys have a free go at it.

[LostDoggy]

The pleasing thing about our increased fitness and hardness this year is how we've really been able to be implement any tactical changes that Rocket's called for mid-game. This improved flexibility gives us the ability to really take advantage of Rocket's brilliant tactical nous -- very few coaches (maybe Matthews and Roos) are able to go with him on game day, so that as long as the team is able to keep up with him we should always have the structural superiority.

Tactically, he basically eats Ross Lyon for breakfast.

[Topdog]

Does that mean Ross Lyon is the new cornflakes?

I think Welsh could prove the difference this week. As has been mentioned their mid sized defenders have match ups in most spots but I can't see a logical match up for Welsh.

Hahn's pressure is going to be very important in our forward line this week and I'd like to see Tiller stay up forward to provide that extra bit of grunt.

SEN were saying that Michael Gardiner played his best game for the Saints last week but I honestly can't see him doing much to curb Hudson.

Lantern I must say I have never picked up on this zone of ours that much. I will be paying attention to see it in action this week.

[DOG GOD]

Like a lot of games this one will be won or lost in the midfield so BR I wonder if we would look to tag either Ball or Dal Santo?

Montagna, Goddard and Gram also provide them a lot of run from defence so I would assume that our forward line needs to be extra careful not to let these guys have a free go at it.

I would certainly be tagging Ball on recent form.Maybe Boyd would be a good run with player for him.

[LostDoggy]

Does that mean Ross Lyon is the new cornflakes?

I think Welsh could prove the difference this week. As has been mentioned their mid sized defenders have match ups in most spots but I can't see a logical match up for Welsh.

Hahn's pressure is going to be very important in our forward line this week and I'd like to see Tiller stay up forward to provide that extra bit of grunt.

SEN were saying that Michael Gardiner played his best game for the Saints last week but I honestly can't see him doing much to curb Hudson.

Lantern I must say I have never picked up on this zone of ours that much. I will be paying attention to see it in action this week.


Watch how our designated midfield guys line up when the ball goes into our forward 50 and a contested situation develops in open play. Our forwards will start to chase in packs while most of our midfielders will literally run back into position a kick and a half out from the 50 metre arc, forming a sort of 'umbrella'. This (depending on the situation) tends to be optimally four/five guys, but can be as few as three or as many as seven (two 'sweepers' behind the 'umbrella'). This umbrella starts quite wide and 'tightens' towards the ball as the opposition half-back unit tries to run it out.

This is how we cut up Hawthorn's quick switch. Every time they went back to their full back, he would look up across the other side, and the 'umbrella' would have slided slightly across and numbers were pretty even across the ground so there was no numerical advantage in switching. Thus remember the last quarter against Freo and Essendon, when their runners off half back were literally running into a waiting and tightening 'net'.

(Obviously we line up differently if there is a set-play/bounce in the forward 50, pushing more midfielders -- Cooney, Huddo, Griffo -- into the forward 50, which is actually when we've been most vulnerable to the quick rebound.)

---

Don't know if Lyon is the new cornflakes, but the Saints are definitely flakey. I would be terribly disappointed if we drop this game.

[Stevo]

WHO WILL WIN & WHY?
St Kilda could win this game. Its not beyond the realms of possibility as they clearly have a group of players that the Dogs have struggled against and players like the Fishers, Kosi, Goddard etc seem to have almost better form against us than the rest of the competition. They have shown they can score if you give them time and space to set it up but they have also shown that when the best teams put the clamps on in the midfield they struggle to generate enough run and forward momentum.

The leadership and work rate of this Bulldogs team is vastly improved from anything we’ve seen for 5 years and I don’t expect them to let the Saints off the hook on Sunday, even if many might consider it a danger game. This is an important game in the context of the season given we face the rampaging Lions and Magpie outfits over the next 2 weeks.
I think there is too much at stake for us to take the Saints lightly. The dedication and application of players like Hudson, Boyd, Cross, Cooney and Morris is really the standard that drives this team and there are many others pushing up to that level. Johnson is due to get amongst the goals and I've got a feeling that Minson and Welsh will fire at the Dome on Sunday.

I think we will be too strong in the centre square, put too much pressure on the Saints and just have more avenues to goal.

Bulldogs by 32 points.

I'm normally optimistic but there is something about all the negative attention the Saints are getting that concerns me this week. I don't mind a punt on the games but I might look at other games this week. Murphy being out is not something that we will cover.

I like your optimism and 32 points would be a great result.

[bulldogsman]

Murphy is a huge lost our lead up player, hopefully Tiller can embrace this role and deliver well into the forward line. Lake might have a few stints in the forward line too when ferguson has a break.

With Murphy out I'll say dogs by 10 points

[LostDoggy]

This has the potential to be either a nailbiter or an absolute blowout. If the result is not under a goal, I'm going for a 50+ point blowout to the Dogs to once and for all stamp an end to the Saints hoodoo and end the Saints' finals hopes.

The only reason we wouldn't absolutely destroy this team would be mental.

[LostDoggy]

This has the potential to be either a nailbiter or an absolute blowout. If the result is not under a goal, I'm going for a 50+ point blowout to the Dogs to once and for all stamp an end to the Saints hoodoo and end the Saints' finals hopes.

The only reason we wouldn't absolutely destroy this team would be mental.
Agreed, as long as we go in with the right mental attitude, we will come out with a win.

[Sockeye Salmon]

I hope St. Kilda are feeling pretty good about themselves after their shellacking of Melbourne last week.

They might not realise than Melbourne are just mobile witches hats and they haven't sorted out any of their problems after all.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Re that first quarter, did they play that well or did we just let them play that well?

It's always hard to know, and probably a bit of both, but our backline particularly did not look switched on early


Like a lot of games this one will be won or lost in the midfield so BR I wonder if we would look to tag either Ball or Dal Santo?

Montagna, Goddard and Gram also provide them a lot of run from defence so I would assume that our forward line needs to be extra careful not to let these guys have a free go at it.

I think you've hit two of the prime movers on the head GVGjr and the effort given to slowing Montagna last year suggests we view him as such also.

Ball is in top form and might draw Cross in a run with role, he is not super quick but good at the stoppages and is actually doing more run and carry this year.

I am thinking Ray on Montagna, but then they could ask Eagle to do that and send Ray to Dal Santo - I cant see the obvious matchup for Dal Santo - who played on him earlier in the year? Anyone else have thoughts on who will get Dal Santo. I think Boyd is a likely matchup for Hayes, but maybe Boyd could take Dal Santo.

I can imagine one of Goddard or Gram getting Hahn, so Hahns tackling should keep one of them accountable, but I guess maybe Gia might get a role in attack where he is asked to make sure he curtails there run. Could Harbrow be a likely inclusion across half forward with his tackling to curtail these two?

[Mantis]

The interview with Ross Lyon in HUN today is really talking up our 'star-studded' midfield.

We have far greater depth than St.Kilda through this region which has been mentioned previous times.

If we stop there run from defence (Gram, Goddard, Fisher) we should have no problems accounting for the Saints.

[Go_Dogs]

The interview with Ross Lyon in HUN today is really talking up our 'star-studded' midfield.

We have far greater depth than St.Kilda through this region which has been mentioned previous times.

If we stop there run from defence (Gram, Goddard, Fisher) we should have no problems accounting for the Saints.

Agreed, I'd honestly be disappointed with anything other than a 6 goal win. The Saints are slow, they have only a few guys capable of running the lines, and if we can choke up the delivery, their forward line will hopefully be too top heavy and we'll have a field day running it out.

I'd like to see Welsh tried in the Murphy role, as I think he's good on both the lead, and with his vision and ball use. Not as nimple and agile as Murph, but ticks a few of the same boxes and I'd like to see the responsibility thrown to him, especially after a good week last week.

[Rocket Science]

The Saints have been grabbing plaudits in the wake of their win over Dees in much the same way the knee jerk footy media were quick to talk up the Tigers after they beat an equally hapless Essendon the week prior...and we all saw the Tigers of old rear their heads versus a quality outfit like Sydney last Sunday.

With the nick he's in, Murph's a monumental 'out' this week, but one still suspects the Saints are due for a reality check of comparable magnitude. They're still a disfunctional on-field footy club for mine right now, and I hope we punish them accordingly.

[ledge]

Sometimes the media and people focus on one player too much, ok they are better than the normal players but does it really mean the difference between winning and losing?
If a star gets dropped and gets 20 posessions a week it doesnt mean we lose 20, another player takes his spot and even if he is a young or only a 50 gamer he would still give you 10, if all your players are focused the other 10 will be made up with other players helping out.
Yes this player might be able to do something out of the ordinary but maybe once, twice a match maybe?
I never believe one player can make that much difference unless his teammates drop there head when he doesnt play and actually dont believe in themselves.
3 or 4 players good players missing yes it will affect you.
Our team is a team at the other end of the scale where if we do lose a quality player we do the opposite to dropping our heads, we fight harder and in affect letting the player know we will win it for him.
Sometimes it can be an advantage and the players play better without him, eg Lockett and St kilda, because they know they must try harder.
Yes lets not be negative without Murphy, its only one game but we ARE a team and teams bond more in these situations.
Footnote: Dont get me wrong Murphy is a great player, but so is West, we are going along quite well without him.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Sometimes the media and people focus on one player too much, ok they are better than the normal players but does it really mean the difference between winning and losing?
If a star gets dropped and gets 20 posessions a week it doesnt mean we lose 20, another player takes his spot and even if he is a young or only a 50 gamer he would still give you 10, if all your players are focused the other 10 will be made up with other players helping out.
Yes this player might be able to do something out of the ordinary but maybe once, twice a match maybe?
I never believe one player can make that much difference unless his teammates drop there head when he doesnt play and actually dont believe in themselves.
3 or 4 players good players missing yes it will affect you.
Our team is a team at the other end of the scale where if we do lose a quality player we do the opposite to dropping our heads, we fight harder and in affect letting the player know we will win it for him.
Sometimes it can be an advantage and the players play better without him, eg Lockett and St kilda, because they know they must try harder.
Yes lets not be negative without Murphy, its only one game but we ARE a team and teams bond more in these situations.
Footnote: Dont get me wrong Murphy is a great player, but so is West, we are going along quite well without him.

Murphy provides more than just his 20 touches.

We handball quickly in tight to get us out of trouble across halfback until we finally get someone clear. He looks up to see someone working hard presenting upfield where Murphy would be and he sees... red, white and black. So he hesitates, or gives one more handball than he should and we turn it over.

Murphy is the biggest out we could have and I'm worried about this week.

[Mantis]

Murphy provides more than just his 20 touches.

We handball quickly in tight to get us out of trouble across halfback until we finally get someone clear. He looks up to see someone working hard presenting upfield where Murphy would be and he sees... red, white and black. So he hesitates, or gives one more handball than he should and we turn it over.

Murphy is the biggest out we could have and I'm worried about this week.

Agree wholeheartedly..

At the start of the season I rated Murf our most important player. If he isn't our most important now, he is certainly in my top 2 or 3.

[Raw Toast]

Thanks for the preview BR.

Like Stevo and SS, I'm pretty worried about this game. These are the types of games we've tended to lose the past few years - the tough encounter after we've had a big win.

While we should win, the Saints are definitely no gimme, they have lots of talent (though its certainly not evenly spread), have the potential to play much better than they have, still have a good recent record against us, and will not doubt be gunning for this one.

If we come to play (and its still a decently sized if), then we should be able to match their toughness and desperation and take it away from them as the game goes on.

Murphy's really been an on-field leader this season, and there's no doubt we'll miss him. He helped turn the game against the Saints, and they like many others, struggled to match up on him. We certainly don't want to let Sam Fisher run amok, and maybe if we bring in Everitt and Ward we can have players delivering the ball forward with precise enough footskills to compensate for Murph's presence. I wouldn't mind Griffen resting down forward some more, as he's showed he can outmark most opponents when one-on-one.

[The Underdog]

Put me on the list of the worried.
If only because traditionally we've come out the week after games we've clearly set ourselves for and lost a winnable one. Although I can't believe how much press St.Kilda have gotten for a big win over an awful dispirited Melbourne.
Agree Boyd will go to Ball or Dal Santo. I don't think St.Kilda have a good match up for Cooney or Griff. We're better matched to go with their tall forwards than ever before and should be too strong for them in other areas. Again we'll have to be mentally switched on because they will come out very hard at us.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Murphy's really been an on-field leader this season, and there's no doubt we'll miss him. He helped turn the game against the Saints, and they like many others, struggled to match up on him. We certainly don't want to let Sam Fisher run amok, and maybe if we bring in Everitt and Ward we can have players delivering the ball forward with precise enough footskills to compensate for Murph's presence. I wouldn't mind Griffen resting down forward some more, as he's showed he can outmark most opponents when one-on-one.

I think thats a good call on resting Griffen forward Raw Toast - The move over the past 2-3weeks of resting Griffen forward has worked well. If there is one part of Griffens game that has been underdeveloped it is his marking. For a guy his size and shape you would think he'd be able to take a few good grabs, but its never really been a huge feature of his play. They seem to be using him in the same resting role they do Cooney with good results.



I don't think St.Kilda have a good match up for Cooney or Griff.

Dempster might get the job on Griffen, but he also might go with Aker

[hujsh]

Could Hill get the job on Dal Santo again? (if he comes in)

[The Pie Man]

Put me on the list of the worried.
If only because traditionally we've come out the week after games we've clearly set ourselves for and lost a winnable one. Although I can't believe how much press St.Kilda have gotten for a big win over an awful dispirited Melbourne.
Agree Boyd will go to Ball or Dal Santo. I don't think St.Kilda have a good match up for Cooney or Griff. We're better matched to go with their tall forwards than ever before and should be too strong for them in other areas. Again we'll have to be mentally switched on because they will come out very hard at us.

it's a fast filling list, as I'm very worried about this game. Thankfully we've got a few in the bank and will stay in 3rd regardless. I can see Tom Williams having a dip in performance coming off a high last week, and Riewoldt will kill him if he does. I still think he has to start there though. We have to be switched on for this.

Ross Lyon has said this is a good game to see where they're at - exactly the same for us really. We're just starting to command some respect, seen as a genuine flag contender, and a game against a mid range club with a good list is really a must win for a club to show it's legit. It's the kind of game we've dropped in the past, good opportunity to show those kinds of efforts when we're expected to win are a thing of the past.

Still worried though

[Rach]

I was looking at the fox sports channels on the TV guide and wondering why the game wasn't being played live. Then I realised it was on Sunday, not Saturday :rolleyes:

I'm a bit worried about this game, like a few people! Should be a good game. Why is it after round 11 we would've played the Saints twice, when there's teams we haven't played yet. Has the draw always been like that every year? I've forgotten :o

[hujsh]

I was looking at the fox sports channels on the TV guide and wondering why the game wasn't being played live. Then I realised it was on Sunday, not Saturday :rolleyes:

I'm a bit worried about this game, like a few people! Should be a good game. Why is it after round 11 we would've played the Saints twice, when there's teams we haven't played yet. Has the draw always been like that every year? I've forgotten :o

Other years you would play all 15 teams once then play 7 twice after that (they would usually be the teams you played at the start of the year but as we saw when we played the Roos twice it didn't HAVE to happen that way).

But at the end of last season the AFL chose a canadian company to create a draw that would work over several years and allow them to keep their sponsorship commitments(ANZAC day ect)

It may mean that over say 5 years Essendon will play Collingwood as often as the Roos while with the old fixture Essendon would play Collingwood almost twice as often due to the ANZAC Day clash.


So it could create an even draw in terms of how often you play the big clubs but it's random and unfair in terms of the difficulty.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Other years you would play all 15 teams once then play 7 twice after that (they would usually be the teams you played at the start of the year but as we saw when we played the Roos twice it didn't HAVE to happen that way).

But at the end of last season the AFL chose a canadian company to create a draw that would work over several years and allow them to keep their sponsorship commitments(ANZAC day ect)

It may mean that over say 5 years Essendon will play Collingwood as often as the Roos while with the old fixture Essendon would play Collingwood almost twice as often due to the ANZAC Day clash.


So it could create an even draw in terms of how often you play the big clubs but it's random and unfair in terms of the difficulty.

Up until then you were doing well.

There is no such commitment to provide and even draw. Essendon, Collingwood and Carlton will continue to play each other twice a year and will continue to rake in gate takings we can only dream about.

But we are parasites living off welfare.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Not to worry we should be able to cover the loss of Murph as we really have a forward line that doesn't rely on 2 or 3 players. I'm sure that Jonno will take it upon himself to life for this game and cover any whole left by Murph's out.

What are the thoughts on Wight in to play CHF for Murph.

Dogs by 9 goals.

[LostDoggy]

I agree that the dogs will miss Murph's class and creativity and that Johnno could lift to cover a large aspect of this loss. I too am slightly anxious, mainly because (besides a win) I'd really like the Grant Thomas smug club ("I know everything, can see the true future") to be utterly discredited with a huge 120 point doggies victory.
Having said that its really pleasing to be in a position to watch development of young guys Williams, Ward, Tiller. Depth of list augurs well at this stage for September- perfect timing really.

[Mantis]

I agree that the dogs will miss Murph's class and creativity and that Johnno could lift to cover a large aspect of this loss. I too am slightly anxious, mainly because (besides a win) I'd really like the Grant Thomas smug club ("I know everything, can see the true future") to be utterly discredited with a huge 120 point doggies victory.
Having said that its really pleasing to be in a position to watch development of young guys Williams, Ward, Tiller. Depth of list augurs well at this stage for September- perfect timing really.

Our depth hasn't really been tested considering we have had 17 players play every game (before this week) and have used the least amount of player's in the competition (27, again before this week)

I do agree that our depth, atleast on paper looks alot better than in previous year's.

[hujsh]

Up until then you were doing well.

There is no such commitment to provide and even draw. Essendon, Collingwood and Carlton will continue to play each other twice a year and will continue to rake in gate takings we can only dream about.

But we are parasites living off welfare.

Well i do know they called them in for sponsorship reasons as that's the quote on the company's website but the rest is just what i heard on radio.

[Rach]

Other years you would play all 15 teams once then play 7 twice after that (they would usually be the teams you played at the start of the year but as we saw when we played the Roos twice it didn't HAVE to happen that way).
I think I prefer it that way.

I had a look at the TV guide for Sunday this time, and the game isn't even being played live here on Fox Sports. Its not on channel 7 either, they've got the same game is on both channels. What's the point in having foxtel? :mad:

[hujsh]

I think I prefer it that way.

I had a look at the TV guide for Sunday this time, and the game isn't even being played live here on Fox Sports. Its not on channel 7 either, they've got the same game is on both channels. What's the point in having foxtel? :mad:

There isn't really one in Sydney on a Sunday.