You want a top 4 finish or even a flag in 2020? Then what do we need to do to improve?

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Originally Posted by chef

I don't think we need to improve a heap, we just need to play consistently at our best. We are as good as any when we do.

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Gold Coast, St Kilda, North, Carlton.

We improve our consistency, we win those four games.

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Originally Posted by GVGjr

Dropping the ball onto the foot incorrectly is an issue with technique and concentration
A player missing 3 set shots to the same side of the goal (in a dome) is something that can be fixed

I agree, it's often just about education and practice. A 20% improvement is very achievable

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An interesting article by Nathan Burke last year mentioning how Peter Hudson helped Stewart Lowe's accuracy in front of goal.

https://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/afl...ers-have-lost/

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Originally Posted by Bulldog4life

An interesting article by Nathan Burke last year mentioning how Peter Hudson helped Stewart Lowe's accuracy in front of goal.

https://thenewdaily.com.au/sport/afl...ers-have-lost/

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"Run straight, drop straight, kick straight"
Funny thing about Hudson was he kicked flat punts. No-one before or since kicked flat punts yet he was the greatest of all time. Go figure.

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Originally Posted by BornInDroopSt'54

"Run straight, drop straight, kick straight"
Funny thing about Hudson was he kicked flat punts. No-one before or since kicked flat punts yet he was the greatest of all time. Go figure.

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His son was pretty good too in front of goal, the Dickson of years gone by.

Just thinking about the OP, I think we have to become ruthless and when we get in front, really put the peddle down. None of these 3 or 4 point/goal wins, lets crush teams like we did to Essendon and GWS towards the end of last season.

One team I admire (and hate) is Hawthorn. When they are having a good season, they are relentless, and never ease up and just keep going till they absolutely make mince meat of you.

We showed in rounds 21, 22 and 23 last year, we are capable of kicking big scores.

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Originally Posted by bornadog

Just thinking about the OP, I think we have to become ruthless and when we get in front, really put the peddle down. None of these 3 or 4 point/goal wins, lets crush teams like we did to Essendon and GWS towards the end of last season.

One team I admire (and hate) is Hawthorn. When they are having a good season, they are relentless, and never ease up and just keep going till they absolutely make mince meat of you.

We showed in rounds 21, 22 and 23 last year, we are capable of kicking big scores.

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We have never been known to be a side that hammers teams and what we saw the last three rounds was is pretty amazing.

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Originally Posted by bornadog

Just thinking about the OP, I think we have to become ruthless and when we get in front, really put the peddle down. None of these 3 or 4 point/goal wins, lets crush teams like we did to Essendon and GWS towards the end of last season.

One team I admire (and hate) is Hawthorn. When they are having a good season, they are relentless, and never ease up and just keep going till they absolutely make mince meat of you.

We showed in rounds 21, 22 and 23 last year, we are capable of kicking big scores.

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Amen. We really need to learn how to maintain control.

That and scoring efficiency when we are dominating the play.

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Originally Posted by BornInDroopSt'54;668672[B

]"Run straight, drop straight, kick straight"[/B]
Funny thing about Hudson was he kicked flat punts. No-one before or since kicked flat punts yet he was the greatest of all time. Go figure.

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That along with taking a deep breath and making sure that your head is directly over the ball when it hits your foot should be written in six foot letters on the dressing room wall.

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Originally Posted by Mofra

Gold Coast, St Kilda, North, Carlton.

We improve our consistency, we win those four games.

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Yep for sure Mofra. Those are games I would have liked to have won in 2019 very disappointing and who knows we could have been top 4. Consistency through the whole season the key.

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Originally Posted by ledge

We have never been known to be a side that hammers teams and what we saw the last three rounds was is pretty amazing.

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I was surprised how much we beat Essendon by as I thought pre game that it would be quite close. Great win that was. We should have not allowed them to score in the end of the game.

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Originally Posted by Eastdog

I was surprised how much we beat Essendon by as I thought pre game that it would be quite close. Great win that was. We should have not allowed them to score in the end of the game.

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I brought a mate from England to that game. It was his first ever AFL game and he’s coming to round 1. I think he will expect something similar

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Originally Posted by AshMac

I brought a mate from England to that game. It was his first ever AFL game and he’s coming to round 1. I think he will expect something similar

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What a start to the season that would be. Huge confidence!

Need to be able to win ugly on a consistent basis. Its all very well playing expansive pretty football when the opposition lets you, but being able to play that ugly lock down style when things aren't going your way is what wins you a flag.

https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/n...ugher-bulldogs
Expect a rougher, tougher Western Bulldogs outfit this season as they seek to prevent a repeat of last year's ignominious finals exit.

The nature of the elimination final thrashing at the hands of Greater Western Sydney made it one of those September defeats that hurts more than most.

But key defender Zaine Cordy said it would act as a spur for the Bulldogs as they attempt to harden up and cement a place among the competition's best sides in 2020.

"I think a few teams had thought that we were a little bit soft in the underbelly, so this year we've really focused on just being more aggressive in everything we do, just to prepare ourselves in case a team throws that at us again," Cordy said.

"If we can get a couple of those harder boys around the footy we should do alright."

Five months on, Cordy admitted the 58-point loss to arch rivals GWS still sits in the guts of a proud playing group that was torn to shreds on the big stage.

"It wasn't expected what GWS did, but they did do it and they did it pretty well," Cordy said.

"That definitely stuck with us and a few of the boys have still got some sore wounds from it.

"We'll be using that as motivation throughout the year. Especially when we play them (in round three), it's going to be a pretty hot contest."

Cordy did not miss a game last year, taking his career tally to 71 in five seasons, including the 2016 premiership.

But the 23-year-old enters 2020 facing more competition for spots in defence, after the arrival of trade recruit Alex Keath to sit alongside fellow tall defenders Jackson Trengove and Lewis Young, and former skipper Easton Wood.

"We've got a lot more competition for spots now, which is always healthy," Cordy said.

"We don't really know how the team's going to look at the moment so we're all trying to put our best foot forward.

"You have to play well or you get dropped, but it's very healthy and I'm excited about it."

The Bulldogs open their AFL pre-season series against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on February 21.


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Originally Posted by BornInDroopSt'54

"It wasn't expected what GWS did, but they did do it and they did it pretty well," Cordy said.

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In the words of John McEnroe, you cannot be serious! How did they not expect GWS to come at them physically in a final? Maybe not the extent that they did but that quote from a player astounds me.