Game Day Round EF 2015 - Western Bulldogs vs Adelaide Crows

[Remi Moses]

Completely different team than other finals .
The only correlation is the supporters go through the pain .

[Sedat]

A typical Bulldogs finals performance.

Play well, win key statistical areas, blow the game through an inability to convert chances. In simple terms: we choked again.

Thought we were past that stage with this group to be honest. Maybe this will be a blip on an otherwise improved finals record, but tonight felt like basically all of our other big finals. If we were outplayed and lost, fair enough. But no. We lost as we've lost what feels like a hundred times before in finals.

We desperately need a FB and CHB. Whilst our young core is quite good, I'm not convinced our trend will continue upward. We relied a lot on Murphy, Boyd and Morris this season - all three should probably finish next year.

Some astute trading and drafting is certainly needed.

Yep on all fronts. Such a sickening feeling and yet so predictable

[firstdogonthemoon]

very painful - but also ok - i'm in my underpants drinking whisky - could have been should have been but

i'm really looking forward to 2016

[Eastdog]

Disappointed with the result in the end and we had a lot of chances and in this game being so close that was the difference pretty much in the end.

In saying that we have had a great season and to even play a final where a lot didn't expect us too is a great achievement. Right now I just want to recovery from this game before even talking about next year.

[always right]

Strange feeling. Hell of a game in which we really stood up. Just needed to take our chances. For me it was different to other finals losses but agree it exposed our need for a key defender. Roberts really struggled and whilst Hamling was good, he is a third defender.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I think Hawthorn would have given us a clinic next week. The occasion got to us tonight

[boydogs]

We gave a good account of ourselves, just a handful of turnover goals and missed set shots away

The future is still bright, but we weren't without a chance this year so it stings a bit

[Eastdog]

I think Hawthorn would have given us a clinic next week. The occasion got to us tonight

I certainly think we did overall rise to the occasion but I'm sure some of the younger ones were nervous before the start of the match. We simply just need to take our chances.

[angelopetraglia]

Just didn't have the composure when it counted. They took their chances (9 out of 10 set shots they kicked) while we missed ours, in particular in that third term when we missed sodas and they kicked them from the boundary and outside 50m. When it absolutely mattered they chose the right option and executed and we didn't. Gutted, but so proud of what the club has achieved this year.

[LostDoggy]

Numb at the moment but really proud as well.

Gee we did so much right and so many did everything we could've hoped. Lin Jong and Fletcher Roberts really exceeded my expectations.

9 times out of 10 we win that, when Tex is forced to take his shots outside 50 and he keeps nailing them, and their misskick helicopters sail through, it's hard to feel we failed.

I feel others' pain about our finals history and failure to grasp big moments. It's very harsh that this group gets lumped in with that legacy, they really did most things very well. On the other hand, we had our chances.

Next season all those kids will be that bit stronger and smarter and we'll have Libba, Koby, Boyd, MacLean and others to add. Its gonna be a long preseason, I miss watching these guys already.

Bevo acknowledged in the presser that list weaknesses need addressing.

Interesting weeks ahead.

[The bulldog tragician]

I've just read Rohan Connolly's review of the game. He says "sometimes , you just know you're witnessing something special. This game, one of the great finals of all time, let alone the modern era, was all that and more."

It hurts like hell to know we won all the key indicators. Again we had many more inside 50s. We lacked composure and made panicky bombed forward entries. And who would have dreamt The Bont would miss two sitters, though his game overall showed just what a champ we have in the making.

But I don't think we choked, I don't think it has anything to do with other finals failures. We came to play, unlike our insipid disappointing efforts in week 1 in 08 and 09. Tonight we left nothing in the tank, we just weren't clean enough when it mattered. With so many players with under 50 games, and bright prospects like Lukas Webb, Bailey Dale, Tom Boyd and Toby McLean ready to step up too (not to mention recruit Libber) we've never been better placed.

Oh how we missed JJ tonight! We just lacked that extra run and speed, and it meant they could lock down more on Murf.

I wish we'd won, I know we should have goddamn won, but I thank these guys for the amazing journey of 2015: bring on next year!!

[Sedat]

Just didn't have the composure when it counted.

We never do in big finals. Sad but true. It's never about a lack of effort or endeavour or a poor game plan - we just bottle it time and time again in tight finals. We've never had a Taylor Walker, a Darren Jarman, a Nick Riewoldt, a Leigh Matthews, someone who just ices the really big moments.

[AndrewP6]

Shattered. Coulda, shoulda....but didn't. What a ride though, 12 months ago I never would've thought I'd be ruing an elimination final loss right now. Plenty to excite.

But I'm shattered though. Whiskey, come at me.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

We never do in big finals. Sad but true. It's never about a lack of effort or endeavour or a poor game plan - we just bottle it time and time again in tight finals. We've never had a Taylor Walker, a Darren Jarman, a Nick Riewoldt, a Leigh Matthews, someone who just ices the really big moments.

Yep. It really stings that Bonti missed two sodas and kicked another out on the full.

I can understand supporters being proud of how far we've come and are excited for the future, but it's a long journey to even get back to this point. Quite frankly, I am sick and tired of these carbon copy losses whereby we win every stat with the exception of the scoreboard.

[bornadog]

Strange feeling. Hell of a game in which we really stood up. Just needed to take our chances. For me it was different to other finals losses but agree it exposed our need for a key defender. Roberts really struggled and whilst Hamling was good, he is a third defender.

This is the key, Roberts and Hamling really should not have played but we had no choice. Could Talia have played on Tex and kept him quiet? Who knows.

Everyone will be bigger and better next year with more experience under their belt.

I noticed Stringer clutched his hammy early in the first quarter? Does anyone know if he played the game out injured?