Game Day Round EF 2015 - Western Bulldogs vs Adelaide Crows

[bornadog]

I thought the players who stood up were:

* Dickson - Have we ever seen anyone so good at set shots

* Hunter - 20 years old - Boy has he played well since coming back into the team. yes he made some mistakes, but pressure under finals is different

* Dahl - Great first half but subdued a bit in the second half. Has had a terrific year

* The Bont - 19 years old - Started off in spectacular style, then Adelaide put the breaks on him. Did some great things.

* Wallis - Another one that has had a great year, and was in and under with 26 disposals 11 contested.

* Lin Jong - Had a poor first half but then really got into the game

* Wood - If he isn't AA this year, I will eat my hat. How many times did he save us with his intercepts.

I thought Biggs was pretty good, Macrae could have done alot better, Will was very good against the comps top 3 ruckman, Bob played his heart out and was very steady in the backline, I thought Boyd looked a bit rusty and I wonder why he had last week off.

Grant was again a good link man, and the inexperience of our tall backs showed up. I can see a lot of upside in both Hamling and Roberts, remembering they have only played 11 and 19 games.

Stringer I believe was hampered by a hammy tweak in the first 5 minutes of the game.

In the end an experienced team beat an inexperienced team and I can't wait for next year.

[LostDoggy]

Agree with most of what you are saying, but somehow, I feel this group is different to other groups we have had play finals. This group is also inexperienced (3rd youngest in AFL) and they have the hunger. They have tasted the big stage and they will want to get there again and next time they won't let it slip away.

This.......I refuse to compare this group to previous (and I go back a long way).....they are young and inexperienced and have far exceeded my expectations for 2015. I have to believe this will make them hungrier next year, bring it on!!

[dog town]

We just made critical errors all night by not playing the percentages. Even simple things like punching the ball back in from the zone. I think we let the ball get over the back 2 or 3 times for scores. Wood was definitely one of them.

We lead by 8 points with 10 minutes left and have all the momentum. Murphy picks it up on the wing and has an easy kick handball down the line. Worst case scenario is we get a lock in on the narrow side instead of opening up the ground. To be honest we almost certainly score from it if we take that option. I don't think we lose from there. Murph turns inside and hits an impossible pass to Fletcher (brilliant kick) but he drops it. The ball should never have gone there. We just need to temper that run and gun stuff sometimes. Thought Murphy was amazing by the way.

Obviously the Hunter missed handball hurts but we had lots of those moments. Very similar to the Freo game earlier in the year.

[LostDoggy]

Dangerfield was just massive in the last quarter. As was Tex. We just don't have those superstars that will step up in big moments yet.

That Hunter handball was just awful! But he worked so hard all night.

Thought Boyd had a really really disappointing game. Him and Picken went back into the slam the ball on the boot without looking phase.

We will be back

[Stefcep]

With the list that we have considering the age and experience profile our focus will be on 2017. I get that we have a history that challenges the spirit of many but I believe our set-up with personnel, both playing and from an administrative perspective, is the best it's ever been and we will get stronger..a lot stronger.

Last night was a hiccup and a bitter pill to swallow in an otherwise hugely positive season

I think next year is actually the critical year for us. We will have a harder draw which is really going to test the mettle of these young players. Having said that this season their development has been two-seasons worth

Bevo said there will be a list management review, and for mine top of the list is tall key defender. Second I see a greater focus on Tom Boy as being a starting player, and an expectation that he be the key tall forward in the second half of next season.

As others have said, games are won and lost on key moments. We can talk about decision making, skill errors, the defense being cut to pieces too easily. None of this matters if Grant, Jong, Bont, Crameri kick their goals.

And Stringer definately played with doubt about his hammy. In fact the play where he got injury was so critical and had he kicked the goal would have mentally crushed the crows being five goals down under 5 minutes of play.

[lemmon]

Trying to avoid all football this morning but I think despite the loss it's hard to pick out guys who were poor on the night. We missed some big moments but the silver lining is obvious... Even if hard to see at the moment

[Sedat]

Yes we played really well, our collective intent and execution of the game plan was excellent, and we weren't rabbits in the headlight on the big stage, but let's not eulogise our opponent. We played 7th in a home final - Adelaide are not a champion team by a long stretch. If we have aspirations of getting into the top 4 and making an impact in future seasons, we are going to come against far better equipped teams than Adelaide last night. And likely in far more hostile environments on the road.

[dog town]

Would love to hear Bevo on what went wrong with our team defence in the last month or so. Big scores against from West Coast, Brisbane and Adelaide. Can't all be personnel. Obviously they found a chink in it that we need to get better at.

[chef]

This is an Adelaide that made the prelim (and should have won) 2 seasons ago and if not the tragic events of this season probably could have easily finished top 4.

[Lukewarm Beveridge]

Slept the pain off and struggling through work this morning, but not nearly as miserable as 10pm last night. The future is very very bright, and I think the pain will drive the group more..
I reckon port got more complacent by being a goal off the granny and thinking it would just happen, whereas we are out in the first round. There's plenty to do, and the boys will know it and come back fit and firing in 2016..
now bring on the silly season!

[Bulldog4life]

We are a very young squad.We have had only one year of Bevo's game plan. We will continue to get better at it as our players mature and become stronger. I am very bullish at our prospects for the future.

[Sedat]

This is an Adelaide that made the prelim (and should have won) 2 seasons ago and if not the tragic events of this season probably could have easily finished top 4.

Let's talk 2015. They were 7th and not even close to top 4. They were 7-5 (and about where they finished the season) when Phil Walsh passed away. They weren't elite opposition - any team with Kyle Cheney and Hartigan in it is not an elite side. They had a few kids playing as well.

We were a better team than the Crows in 2015, irrespective of age.

[chef]

Let's talk 2015. They were 7th and not even close to top 4. They were 7-5 (and about where they finished the season) when Phil Walsh passed away. They weren't elite opposition - any team with Kyle Cheney and Hartigan in it is not an elite side. They had a few kids playing as well.

We were a better team than the Crows in 2015, irrespective of age.

Fair enough, i dont see it that way. Adelaide are a good side, they destroyed WCE a couple of weeks back.

we came up short against a good side and should be proud of our effort this season. We are on the right track and the futures bright.

[Twodogs]

I can see a bit of light this morning. But next year is a long way away ans next weeks semi final that Adelaide and not us will be playing in is only six days away. It's gonna burn.

[bornadog]

I can see a bit of light this morning. But next year is a long way away ans next weeks semi final that Adelaide and not us will be playing in is only six days away. It's gonna burn.

The Hawks will make mince meat out of them.