The Pile-On

[Axe Man]

It was an interesting tactic - more aimed at not leaving English free around the ground than anything else.

Not rucking Ben King I can understand, not having Sam Day do it was ahead scratcher but it worked - we got caught out a couple of times. I distinctly remember Macrae taking one contest.

Macrae had one ruck contest against David Swallow which was quite strange. Jack got 2 hitouts as well so guess who our new backup ruck is!

[bornadog]

Especially when their nominee had a direct opponent in Bailey Smith.
Yes, silly by Smith to not raise his hand and say he was the ruckman.
Yes, silly by the umpire to not use common sense that the Bulldogs nominee was probably the player contesting with the GC nominee.
Yes yes yes, terrible by our coaching staff to not have a better plan.
Also confused why GC didn't send Ben King in to contest those hitouts, rather than have him stand in the goalsquare.

My point is there should be no need to nominate, just go up. Need third man up to come back as well

[Axe Man]

My point is there should be no need to nominate, just go up. Need third man up to come back as well

I agree but I doubt they will allow third man up again.

Just throw it up/in quickly, don't wait for the ruckmen and anybody can contest the tap as long as it's only 1 from each team if they are determined not to allow the third man.

[Topdog]

I criticises the pile on last night and in the pre match thread but at the same time cannot stop watching that gif of it that is going around. It was an incredible brain fart

[mjp]

I criticises the pile on last night and in the pre match thread but at the same time cannot stop watching that gif of it that is going around. It was an incredible brain fart

It was a mistake. Well. Actually a skill error from a player desperate to play on in order to get it to an open team-mate. He didn’t turn his hips and didn’t pull back to get momentum through the ball. His mis-kicked it because he was trying to do the team thing. If he had hit the target, I doubt anyone would care...but in all honesty, he didn’t need to kick it at all. Go back, hold, take your time. Easy for me to say...I’m not playing for my spot.

One other thing:

When Richards kicked the first goal of the last, that came from Vander who received from Young. Fine. What’s lost in this is before young got it, Gowers had it. And rather than handball to a teammate streaming towards goal (I think Wallis) he kicked it and it was smothered...I would not be surprised if he got a stern ‘give the first option’ message, which would have contributed to his urgency to kick the ball on quickly later.

I don’t think this stuff is as simple a simple we all make it out to be.

[comrade]

It was a mistake. Well. Actually a skill error from a player desperate to play on in order to get it to an open team-mate. He didn’t turn his hips and didn’t pull back to get momentum through the ball. His mis-kicked it because he was trying to do the team thing. If he had hit the target, I doubt anyone would care...but in all honesty, he didn’t need to kick it at all. Go back, hold, take your time. Easy for me to say...I’m not playing for my spot.

One other thing:

When Richards kicked the first goal of the last, that came from Vander who received from Young. Fine. What’s lost in this is before young got it, Gowers had it. And rather than handball to a teammate streaming towards goal (I think Wallis) he kicked it and it was smothered...I would not be surprised if he got a stern ‘give the first option’ message, which would have contributed to his urgency to kick the ball on quickly later.

I don’t think this stuff is as simple a simple we all make it out to be.

Wood didn't help by calling for the ball in the corridor.

[Bulldog Joe]

I agree but I doubt they will allow third man up again.

Just throw it up/in quickly, don't wait for the ruckmen and anybody can contest the tap as long as it's only 1 from each team if they are determined not to allow the third man.

This is how it should be. Logical therefore unlikely.

The AFL regularly proves that common sense is non existent.

If it is sense it will not be common
If it is common it will not be sense.

[Twodogs]

As far as Billy goes I made my point when we were rumoured to be looking at drafting him after watching him at Footscray for a season but once he is in the team he has my support.

The AFL regularly proves that common sense is non existent.

If it is sense it will not be common
If it is common it will not be sense.

Stupidest. Rule. Ever.

Speaking of a pile on, there was a huge media pile on in reaction to our 2016 premiership win and more specifically to Bont's tactic of going third man up at ruck contests. I think the official justification was ruckmen would be injured so in that case why are third men allowed up in marking contests?

Anyway in the best AFL tradition the AFL overeacted majorly to a (especially Bulldogs advantage) tactic and bought in the ridiculous third man up rule. The irony is that they now wonder how they will fix congestion!

[The bulldog tragician]

I’d like to think there is a big difference in criticising what billy did and who Billy is. I think we’d have been equally horrified in that moment even if Bont made the same choice. It was an error. And errors at that stage feel more heartbreaking. While it is a fact that other costly mistakes were made, it’s also a fact that even after the countless decisions good and bad our players made all night, we were ahead with under a minute to go, one of our players had the ball and chose either a poor option or executed one badly.

But a line frequently gets crossed into personal abuse which should never happen. I’m sure Billy didn’t go out there with any other intent but to play well, secure his spot in the team and help us win.

Having doubts about Billy as an AFL footballer should never cross over with vitriol towards him as a person. With three (at least) of our players of recent times struggling with mental health issues we should know that by now.

[ledge]

Every club has a player fans favour as a scape goat, Billy is ours, I have met him and he is such a nice friendly bloke I would never question his efforts, he just seems to find the worst times to mess up, but I do still think he has the x factor.
I do remember a kind of karate kick goal that pretty much won us a game or was very important at the time.
His best and worst are polar opposites I just wish he showed more best.

[mjp]

Every club has a player fans favour as a scape goat, Billy is ours.

I guess I don't understand why our anger is so often directed at two players who have:

1/. Won their chance at a second club through hard work.
2/. Come off rookie contracts so clearly doing it tough compared to many of their team-mates financially.

The criticism levelled at Gardiner and Gowers is to me extraordinary...particularly since given no-one thinks they are any good anyway, why get surprised/upset when they mess things up?

And again on the error last night. It didn't actually COST US anything. And it was a SKILL ERROR. Sorry, but I just don't get the frustration or annoyance with one player who seemed to be trying his hardest.

[Before I Die]

Although I don’t like it, I understand the outpouring of frustration after a poor skill error or decision. What I hate and don’t understand is the vitriol that can flow after a player wins selection. Gowers and Gardner are the whipping boys at the moment and I think there is a need for a good hard look in the mirror by some posters. Question the selection of a tall when you think we need a small, or a lockdown player rather than a runner, but universally applaud the effort of a player to win selection and wish them all the best.
Last night the selectors and the players got us across the line. I was pretty happy and I’m confident the post game review will highlight and address the obvious areas of concern.

[Before I Die]

I guess I don't understand why our anger is so often directed at two players who have:

1/. Won their chance at a second club through hard work.
2/. Come off rookie contracts so clearly doing it tough compared to many of their team-mates financially.

The criticism levelled at Gardiner and Gowers is to me extraordinary...particularly since given no-one thinks they are any good anyway, why get surprised/upset when they mess things up?

And again on the error last night. It didn't actually COST US anything. And it was a SKILL ERROR. Sorry, but I just don't get the frustration or annoyance with one player who seemed to be trying his hardest.

Well said mjp, you beat me to it.

[josie]

Agree that criticism of poor decision making is different than criticism of person.

If we cannot voice our opinions (as long as we do so with civility) then why have a footy forum?

Without looking at woof game day and team selection posts again I cannot recall any that were over the top and “going the person”.

It just so happened that many of us were of the same opinion after the game - we would prefer to Gowers not to play seniors again as we think he has limited skills and low footy IQ. This opinion was stronger I suspect because of the other players many of us think have far superior skills eg a reasonably consistent ability to kick kickable goals and not giving away silly free kicks.

If MC does select Billy (or other players who i think should not be selected again) I will always wish him well and hope he proves many of us wrong in a big big way.

[Raw Toast]

I was pretty upset with what he did, and I find his general refusal to take the first option very frustrating.

But I think it must be very, very difficult to be a high profile athlete in this social media age - so much focus, so little mercy, so much cruelty/dehumanisation.

While there's always been a heap of pressure on players, I do think it has intensified, and there's a pretty clear link to how many players are struggling to with mental health issues in general, and depression in particular.

I think MJP's comments about the abuse Gowers and Gardiner have received is an excellent one, and while I'm never critical on social media, I'll still work to be better in my own communications around the game.

And finally, on Gowers, as I saw it, he got in the right place a lot of times in the 2nd half, but seemed to be trying too hard, either giving too quickly (before he could steady himself and do it accurately), or reverting to the hero ball which he often does. He's clearly got some promise, let's hope that he can get a bit more confidence and composure.