Game Day Round EF 2015 - Western Bulldogs vs Adelaide Crows

[Sedat]

I echo the thoughts of TBB and Sedat, Saturday night was shattering. Not because we lost, we're a young team who'd come a long way in one season, but more so because we saw another generation of players coming through who failed to take the moment when it arose on the big stage. We were easily the better team on the day but found a way to lose. I'd convinced myself that unlike the 99 draft group, or the 300 group before that that, the likes of Bonti and Stringer would lift for the big moment and drag us over the line. Sadly Bonti missed 3 very gettable chances when we had a chance to ice the game, Stringer was largely unsighted, and several others missed their moment.

That's not to say they won't deliver next time, but I had no faith Boyd or Murphy would deliver at the big moment based on previous form and I wasn't disappointed this time, and it's hard to have faith we won't keep seeing the same thing time and time again.

Agree with everything you've written, except for Bob's game on the weekend. Indeed he was the catalyst for that final surge through Adelaide's press that should have resulted in what would have in all likelihood been the winning goal for us. He was brave, uninhibited and classy with his disposal - thought he was the one senior player who showed real leadership for us on Saturday night. Sadly, Boyd returned to type at the most inopportune moment for us.

Bont's 3 misses (and especially the lack of a give-off when he kicked out of bounds in the last qtr), Stringer's lack of a give-off to Wally, Crameri's long bombs to Adelaide's defenders, the Hunter missed handball and Crameri inability to move the ball on to a free Grant, these are the moments that cost us big time. Even taking into account the missed set shots and the terrible lack of defensive running from halfway through the 1st qtr to half time, it ended up being a game of moments, and how many times do we ultimately fail to grasp our moments while the opposition ruthlessly take theirs?

It's by no means terminal for us moving forward - plenty of teams in recent history suffer heartbreaking losses in finals through lack of composure and are steeled by the experience. I am confident that the next generation are steeled by this experience rather than it becoming a millstone around their necks.

[bornadog]

Agree with everything you've written, except for Bob's game on the weekend. Indeed he was the catalyst for that final surge through Adelaide's press that should have resulted in what would have in all likelihood been the winning goal for us. He was brave, uninhibited and classy with his disposal - thought he was the one senior player who showed real leadership for us on Saturday night. Sadly, Boyd returned to type at the most inopportune moment for us.

Bont's 3 misses (and especially the lack of a give-off when he kicked out of bounds in the last qtr), Stringer's lack of a give-off to Wally, Crameri's long bombs to Adelaide's defenders, the Hunter missed handball and Crameri inability to move the ball on to a free Grant, these are the moments that cost us big time. Even taking into account the missed set shots and the terrible lack of defensive running from halfway through the 1st qtr to half time, it ended up being a game of moments, and how many times do we ultimately fail to grasp our moments while the opposition ruthlessly take theirs?

It's by no means terminal for us moving forward - plenty of teams in recent history suffer heartbreaking losses in finals through lack of composure and are steeled by the experience. I am confident that the next generation are steeled by this experience rather than it becoming a millstone around their necks.

Good assessment. I think on Boyd, he should have played in Brisbane to keep the momentum of his good form.

[Greystache]

So your saying they played a bad game.

No I thought he was pretty good, but when the time came for someone to step up and do something extraordinary to win their team the match I didn't think it would be either Murphy or Boyd. It turned out to be Walker.

[bornadog]

No I thought he was pretty good, but when the time came for someone to step up and do something extraordinary to win their team the match I didn't think it would be either Murphy or Boyd. It turned out to be Walker.

Murphy did everything in his power to get the ball to Hunter who unfortunately stuffed up the handball. Could have been a different story, wasn't Murphy's fault.

[Mantis]

No I thought he was pretty good, but when the time came for someone to step up and do something extraordinary to win their team the match I didn't think it would be either Murphy or Boyd. It turned out to be Walker.

If we are expecting or relying on Murphy or Boyd to do something extraordinary to win us games then we might as well give it away now.

[Greystache]

If we are expecting or relying on Murphy or Boyd to do something extraordinary to win us games then we might as well give it away now.

Given nearly every other player is under 22 who would you expect to lift at the big moment? I would've thought your 200 gamers who've just made the All Australian squad would be the obvious candidates.

[Mantis]

Given nearly every other player is under 22 who would you expect to lift at the big moment? I would've thought your 200 gamers who've just made the All Australian squad would be the obvious candidates.

There inlies one of our problems, we just don't that big moment player yet.. A few of our potential candidiates didn't step up when their opportunity arose this time around, but I'm confident that they will into the future.

Murphy & Boyd are there to add some stability, support and experience to a young side, they aren't there to be our match-winners.

[bornadog]

This is interesting:

Breakdown wk1 finals

Total ntl Audience - 5,952,049:
WCoast/Haw – 1,711,676.
Frem/Syd – 1,376,271.
WB/Adel – 1,503,840.
Rich/Nth – 1,360,262.

[Happy Days]

This is interesting:

Breakdown wk1 finals

Total ntl Audience - 5,952,049:
WCoast/Haw – 1,711,676.
Frem/Syd – 1,376,271.
WB/Adel – 1,503,840.
Rich/WB – 1,360,262.

I'll put that down to the entire state of South Australia tuning in.

[KT31]

This is interesting:

Breakdown wk1 finals

Total ntl Audience - 5,952,049:
WCoast/Haw – 1,711,676.
Frem/Syd – 1,376,271.
WB/Adel – 1,503,840.
Rich/WB – 1,360,262.

As much as I would love to be playing next week I'm assuming you meant 'Rich/NM', BAD

[bornadog]

As much as I would love to be playing next week I'm assuming you meant 'Rich/NB', BAD

Good pickup, it was off a tweet.

[LostDoggy]

Night games do usually rate higher.

[Remi Moses]

If we are expecting or relying on Murphy or Boyd to do something extraordinary to win us games then we might as well give it away now.

Blimey that's a bit harsh. I thought of the senior finals experienced players, Boyd was the most disappointing .

[comrade]

I echo the thoughts of TBB and Sedat, Saturday night was shattering. Not because we lost, we're a young team who'd come a long way in one season, but more so because we saw another generation of players coming through who failed to take the moment when it arose on the big stage. We were easily the better team on the day but found a way to lose. I'd convinced myself that unlike the 99 draft group, or the 300 group before that that, the likes of Bonti and Stringer would lift for the big moment and drag us over the line. Sadly Bonti missed 3 very gettable chances when we had a chance to ice the game, Stringer was largely unsighted, and several others missed their moment.

That's not to say they won't deliver next time, but I had no faith Boyd or Murphy would deliver at the big moment based on previous form and I wasn't disappointed this time, and it's hard to have faith we won't keep seeing the same thing time and time again.

Bonti was immense and Stringer twinged his hammy in the opening minutes, yet still kicked 2 freakish clutch goals to get us back in it.

[bornadog]

Bonti was immense and Stringer twinged his hammy in the opening minutes, yet still kicked 2 freakish clutch goals to get us back in it.

Just to punish myself I re-watched the last quarter up to where Tex starts bouncing the ball along the boundary after throwing Roberts to the ground illegally.

There were lots of errors after we hit the front and led by 8 or 9 points. One of the boundary umpires cheat when Stringer is chasing the ball, over runs it and Talia picks it up and runs off. The ball actually rolled over the line and the boundary umpire stood there watching.

Later on we made so many handball errors in the backline it wasn't funny. We seemed to panic, and hopefully the young players will learn from that.

I have now deleted the game off IQ