Always Right Match Committee - Round 2 vs West Coast Eagles 2021

[jeemak]

The AFL needs to stop ****ing around with the game so much.

Absolutely they do, though they bloody won't which means in order to get conditioning into players we have to play them out of position because that makes perfect sense for a reserves competition.......

[westbulldog]

Re : The Eagles' trio of tall forwards – Oscar Allen, Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling – present as a big challenge for the Bulldogs as they aim to start their campaign 2-0. You can add Liam Ryan to that as well which having seen the Eagles last week leads me to suggest that Naughton should/must play back.

[Mofra]

Not picking Wood is very curious. Not changing a winning team because they won without more is a good way to make it a losing team too.

I'd be very surprised if Rhylee West doesn't play this week.
Perhaps one change - McNeill out, West in.

[bornadog]

Not picking Wood is very curious. Not changing a winning team because they won without more is a good way to make it a losing team too.

We need to pick a team based on the opposition matchups.

[dog town]

I think Bevo has signalled his intention to play Williams on the highest tall to gain an advantage in mobility. Williams has played on Tom McDonald and Cox without issue so far.

My concern is Liam Ryan without Wood, we looked vulnerable when De Goey got inside 50 and those types have been very difficult for us to match up on. I thought Wood was our best performed on those types last year.

[ratsmac]

I think Bevo has signalled his intention to play Williams on the highest tall to gain an advantage in mobility. Williams has played on Tom McDonald and Cox without issue so far.

My concern is Liam Ryan without Wood, we looked vulnerable when De Goey got inside 50 and those types have been very difficult for us to match up on. I thought Wood was our best performed on those types last year.

Great point re Wood. I was pondering whether Scott could keep Wood out of the team seeing that he picked up 16 disposals on debut. Wood would (Wood wood )be lucky to get that many touches in the last 2 years. But it's that defensive speed that he brings against the quick small forwards where he comes into his own.

In- Wood

Out- McNeil

Scott to be sub, West plays.

[comrade]

We already knew Jamarra wouldn't be making a debut yet but also sounds like Wood won't be getting a game either. No change the favourite at this stage.

No debut for No.1 gun, VFL rules a 'spanner in the works', says Bevo

THE WESTERN Bulldogs will resist blooding top pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan despite his five-goal haul in last week's VFL practice game, with the key forward set to be given more time to build his fitness.

And 2016 premiership skipper Easton Wood also looks set to miss selection for the Bulldogs' clash with West Coast on Sunday despite returning from his hamstring strain last week.

Ugle-Hagan, the Dogs' prized selection from last year's NAB AFL Draft, was a standout in their lead-up game last week against Collingwood's VFL but coach Luke Beveridge said there were still aspects of the 18-year-old's game that would need to improve as he pushes for a much-anticipated debut.

"He kicked five, which is fantastic and to see some of his specific gifts and traits come out that allowed him to rise to the top of that draft order was really exciting for all of us to see," Beveridge said on Tuesday.

"He's still got a fair way to go, 'Marra', and we've got to make sure that he's ready and to be productive in winning games of footy for us. It was a step in the right direction but he definitely won't be in the team this week."

Beveridge said the rule change in the VFL this season also meant it was harder for young key-position players to build their match conditioning which could delay Ugle-Hagan's first appearance at senior level for the club.

The VFL this season is trialling zones for stoppages, with a minimum of three players from each team needing to be stationed inside 50 – including a pair in the goalsquare – at all kick-ins, boundary throw-ins and ball-ups.

In Friday's practice game, there were several times where the resumption of play was stopped as umpires reorganised players to ensure they were correctly zoned.

Beveridge said it was a "spanner in the works" when deciding on team selection with a variation of rules for his players across both squads.

"Even in this game Jamarra didn't run anywhere near like he's going to be required to run in an AFL game so it's actually going to hold a player like Jamarra back because we can't get that match conditioning that he needs at AFL level," he said.

The Eagles' trio of tall forwards – Oscar Allen, Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling – present as a big challenge for the Bulldogs as they aim to start their campaign 2-0.

Beveridge said the Dogs' defensive effort in restricting the Magpies to seven goals in round one made it difficult to push Wood back into the line-up after his return from a pre-season hamstring tear.

"He's missed a bit of footy and sometimes it's hard to change a winning side, and the back end were particularly good. One of our objectives this year is to be better defensively. We still want to score as much as anyone like any team but to keep Collingwood to the lowest score of the round was a big win for us and the back seven were a critical part of that," he said.

"It will be difficult to change that and Easton's aware of that. He got through the game which was really important after he'd had a couple of hiccups so we'll see but he might spend another week or two playing state league and getting cherry ripe for his return."

Anyone else reckon Bevo has gotten progressively more grumpy? Obviously we only get his public persona on show, but you don't see much banter or the witticism of his earlier years at the club.

I reckon the 2020 season clearly took its toll, and the constant tinkering with the game by AFL HQ is just making him more prickly.

[GVGjr]

Anyone else reckon Bevo has gotten progressively more grumpy? Obviously we only get his public persona on show, but you don't see much banter or the witticism of his earlier years at the club.

I reckon the 2020 season clearly took its toll, and the constant tinkering with the game by AFL HQ is just making him more prickly.

Nah, I think he is just focused on getting wins. I think he has the balance about right

[Doc26]

Our sudden stance on JJ is a mite confusing ...

We're collectively guilty of lax defensive application but we make an example of perhaps our best counter-attacking weapon not named Daniel at the precise moment the game's being adjudicated further in his favour. Not to mention the logic of insisting an attacking run-and-carry type start focusing on the one-percenters, or something.

Not suggesting JJ's immune from being held accountable in the name of better two-way play though I felt he showed more willingness last year to get his hands dirty but where's the value in using your Ferrari to go bush-bashing?

If we can't utilise him in the current go-at-all-costs climate you'd reckon 17 other teams could.

I wouldn't discount a key change in coaching / match committee personnel being a factor. For one, taking out our senior assistant coach in Gia is likely to have a factor in the conversation being had at the table.

[Mantis]

I think Bevo has signalled his intention to play Williams on the highest tall to gain an advantage in mobility. Williams has played on Tom McDonald and Cox without issue so far.

My concern is Liam Ryan without Wood, we looked vulnerable when De Goey got inside 50 and those types have been very difficult for us to match up on. I thought Wood was our best performed on those types last year.

Given we played Gardner on Elliot for much of the night do we look at Ryan v Ryan?

[dog town]

Given we played Gardner on Elliot for much of the night do we look at Ryan v Ryan?

We seem a bit bloody minded with the way we employ this. It seems like we are happy to let match ups be dictated by how deep/high the opposition deploy their players, if we are not on and let the ball through we get exploited.

Gardner looked like he ended up on De Goey a few times too. He looked really comfortable under high balls (a tall back that punches it forward...hallelujah) but I get nervous when he is trying to locate a small/medium on the last line. Butler got him a few times in the final too. It’s probably a fair chance but that leaves Keath, Williams and genuine smalls for the 3 talls. Be very interesting to see what we do, I get the feeling the small backline move is a trade off for playing the extra tall forward in some ways.

[Danjul]

He had at least 4 shots on goal, 2 out on the full and 1 didn't make the distance that I recall. It was the only disappointing part of his game. He got enough ball close to goal, he just didn't execute well.

To be honest, when he kicks out on the full the opposition gets the ball and it goes out of our 50 metre zone. That’s a bonus for the opposition.

And 1 scoring shot per game was his average from 16 games last year (8 goals and 8 behinds). I know, reality can be harsh.That’s why it is overlooked.

It prompts the question: where should he play?

[jeemak]

To be honest, when he kicks out on the full the opposition gets the ball and it goes out of our 50 metre zone. That’s a bonus for the opposition.

And 1 scoring shot per game was his average from 16 games last year (8 goals and 8 behinds). I know, reality can be harsh.That’s why it is overlooked.

It prompts the question: where should he play?

If he kicks a point the opposition is able to exit the 50m zone much easier than if he kicks out on the full.

First game of the year, he's taken 11 marks playing deep forward, high forward and as the link out of defence. Let's see if he can back that up with another strong performance and hopefully more goals rather than stick him in a defence that only conceded seven goals.

[bornadog]

Anyone else reckon Bevo has gotten progressively more grumpy? Obviously we only get his public persona on show, but you don't see much banter or the witticism of his earlier years at the club.

I reckon the 2020 season clearly took its toll, and the constant tinkering with the game by AFL HQ is just making him more prickly.

I don't blame him.

Since the premiership -

* third man up - gone - club felt it was aimed at us
* limited use of runners
* 6.6.6
* Man on the mark
* ruck changes re prior opp
* 75 limit on rotations
* kick out man on mark 15metres from square
* injury Sub

and the VFL ones where the AFL has totally lost the plot:

Three players to be stationed inside 50 metres at each stoppage

Utter madness and not necessary

[Doc26]

I don't blame him.

Since the premiership -

* third man up - gone - club felt it was aimed at us
* limited use of runners
* 6.6.6
* Man on the mark
* ruck changes re prior opp
* 75 limit on rotations
* kick out man on mark 15metres from square
* injury Sub

and the VFL ones where the AFL has totally lost the plot:

Three players to be stationed inside 50 metres at each stoppage

Utter madness and not necessary

and a tiny thing called COVID