Three Things I've Learned - Round 8 Edition

[LostDoggy]

1. I should never tip the dogs
2. Learnt last week reinforced this week Lin Jong should not be playing with a sore hand.
3. We play better against interstate teams

[Sedat]

2. Crameri has had a very average year, this game in particularly.

He has stunk it up the last couple of weeks - playing like someone who has an awful lot on his mind away from the ground.

[bulldogtragic]

He has stunk it up the last couple of weeks - playing like someone who has an awful lot on his mind away from the ground.

He didn't need to. The club and lawyers had a slap on wrist ready to take. I'm sure WADA would take a star witness for the same slap on the wrist. Come back after the bye and never ever think about sanctions over it ever again...

[The Bulldogs Bite]

He has stunk it up the last couple of weeks - playing like someone who has an awful lot on his mind away from the ground.

Fair point - easy to forget about that as a supporter, but it must be difficult. He's certainly struggling on field.

1. We are still an average side. I thought we'd turned the corner after our win v Sydney, and you can use the excuse that we're young - it is a valid to a degree - but whatever way you spin it we're a long way from being considered a quality football side.

2. Our midfield is a huge weakness. We rely so heavily on Bonti, a second year player. We need to go hard for Dangerfield or Shiel, and if all else fails, use our first pick on a skillful gun mid who can win ball.

3. Roberts may develop into a good player. Still undecided, but thought he showed some nice signs today with a couple of big grabs and some solid spoiling.

[jeemak]

He didn't need to. The club and lawyers had a slap on wrist ready to take. I'm sure WADA would take a star witness for the same slap on the wrist. Come back after the bye and never ever think about sanctions over it ever again...

On the one hand I get it, but on the other I fear that being the only player to come clean he'd be forever tarnished when the dust settles and WADA still can't get a result. For me it's too risky.

To be honest, if he wasn't so left side oriented he'd have been a lot more serviceable than he was today.

[jeemak]

1. A midfield without Liberatore, plus the players lost over the off season will struggle against a committed team when it doesn't show up to play

2. Significant numbers crowding our half forward line hampers our ability to run the ball out and play the free flowing offensive football we can play when things are going well. When we get strangled we can barely breath, and we don't have the strong bodies, experience and class to fight through it. This week's game saw a team go out to specifically target this, and it's probably something we'll see from the lesser lights more so than what we'll see against the top teams who pretty much play us against on merit and beat us through sheer talent and system

3. We are still mentally fragile, and still prone to doing the things that saw us finishing bottom four these past seasons. Crowding the receiver and not zoning off, easing up on our run and being reactive, and not working hard enough to protect or run hard for each other are issues we need to iron out immediately

[1eyedog]

He has stunk it up the last couple of weeks - playing like someone who has an awful lot on his mind away from the ground.

True. Essenson thumped Brisbane yesterday . Brisbane would have beat us based on yesterday's performance. I guess it affects everyone differently.

[LostDoggy]

1. We need more help for Bonts in the midfield, Macrae would have been perfect yesterday.......
2. This the the 3rd week we have given up goals because all of the players have jumped at a contest and the opposition have scored out the back
3. We don't have a go to player yet who can turn things around when the chips are down and take the team on their shoulders

[KT31]

1.Minson is as frustrated as me with the selectors and our lack of playing a ruckman in the seniors.
2.Honey moon period is over and if we keep putting in insipid performances the footy world will once again turn on us and rate us as irrelevant.
3.Bevo is capable of coaching the same as Macca and have us play the ugliest of football.

[bornadog]

3.Bevo is capable of coaching the same as Macca and have us play the ugliest of football.

I think the ugly football was the tactics used by Roos and we just couldn't find a way to play our style. Don't forget he used these tactics at Sydney where Demitriou labelled them the ugliest in the AFL.

[LostDoggy]

*Lukey D is not a downhill skier, consistently in our best 5

*Our Footscray side may be on track for consecutive flags

*Bev will stick to his guns regardless of scrutiny (happily back him to know 10x more than media or forum posters for that matter)

[LostDoggy]

3. Players continually dont honour Stevens lead
2. We give up a goal in the first minute of the game each week
1. Wood is an A grader

[Maddog37]

1 Opposition teams have worked us out.

2 Football is still and always will be 99% in the head.

3 I am happy with the season to date as the coach is still heavily experimenting.

[Templeton31]

1. Lin Jongs hand is not right and as a consequence he was no help.
2. We need to play more than 1 tall fwd. Especially on the MCG. Too much ground for just T Boyd to cover especially when opposition has 2-3 tall guys covering the CHB area. Amplified by Stringer being out of touch and Crameri being played midfield.
3. Time for some changes to team. Jong Goodes (both injured) Hunter and possibly, gulp, Stringer could all be replaced by guys going well in the twos - Grant Redpath Hrovat for starters.

[Bulldog4life]

1. Watching the replay saw Macca smiling like a Cheshire cat. Don't blame him.

2. With a number of Woofers expecting us to finish bottom 4 prior to the start of the season results like this shouldn't be unexpected.

3. Looking at a minimum of 4 changes this work in my opinion.