Three things you've learned. Round fifteen 2021 v West Coast

[Ozza]

1/ I was in the Naughton plays in defence team. I was wrong. His ability to mark the ball is a thing of beauty. Our forwardline is set for the next 10 years with JUH & Darcy to follow. Good luck to all opposing teams.

2/ Tim might make it as a no.1 ruck after all. He looked in all sorts early doors, but adjusted and was very effective.

3/ Lachie Hunter can mark overhead… I didn’t know he could. His work-rate was exceptional.

I've never seen anyone take pack marks against the McGovern/Barrass/Hurn group like Naughton did yesterday. I'm not sure I've ever been so confident in one of our players in that situation. As a supporter you can confidently say "Naughton!" before he even launches. No defender is a chance unless they get body contact with him really early and blocks his run.

[westdog54]

I've never seen anyone take pack marks against the McGovern/Barrass/Hurn group like Naughton did yesterday. I'm not sure I've ever been so confident in one of our players in that situation. As a supporter you can confidently say "Naughton!" before he even launches. No defender is a chance unless they get body contact with him really early and blocks his run.

When he took the one in the second that he then handballed to McLean I turned to my dad and asked "How the *!*!*!*! did he mark that?"

[Mofra]

When he took the one in the second that he then handballed to McLean I turned to my dad and asked "How the *!*!*!*! did he mark that?"

It's not the fact that he marks those balls. It's the fact he often starts out of position when he launches.
No player launches at the football like Naughton and you can't teach that - it's purely instinctive.

[Mofra]

1. Bravo to the coaching group who clearly learned from the Melbourne game. Bruce to dummy lead to split their tall defenders, let Naughton fly, defend the fat side of the ground at all costs and only switch when necessary (which means when we had to, we could).

2. Garcia has "it". There is just something about him to suggest he'll make it.

3. I was very unsure on Weightman who is making me eat my words, which I'm happy to do. Munch munch munch. He's got some real energy about him which is just what we've needed.

[Happy Days]

2. Garcia has "it". There is just something about him to suggest he'll make it.

Sling tackle and giving away a 50 for umpire abuse in his second game? Annoying, but also something that very cool players do.

[comrade]

It's not the fact that he marks those balls. It's the fact he often starts out of position when he launches.
No player launches at the football like Naughton and you can't teach that - it's purely instinctive.

Great example was the effort that led to the goal to Bazlenka. Naughton was involved up the ground, then tailed back to the 50 and launched at a ball he had no right to get to, and brought it down to ground where we outnumbered them and Baz got the clean snap. Unreal.

Some Geelong fans I spoke with after last week scoffed when I said Naughton going down was crucial to our chances, claiming Henry was destroying him and yeah, it might be so. But you can't keep him out of an entire game and given his 4th quarter marking stats, I have no doubt he would have clunked a couple late to get us over the line.

[Mofra]

Sling tackle and giving away a 50 for umpire abuse in his second game? Annoying, but also something that very cool players do.

I'll wear it. Our problem has been too many 'nice' players, and with Libba back in good form, Garcia out there, Naughton strutting around like the genetic clone of a peacock and Dermot Brereton and Weightman getting yappy at every opportunity we are getting some real mongrel and spite into the oppisition.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I'll wear it. Our problem has been too many 'nice' players, and with Libba back in good form, Garcia out there, Naughton strutting around like the genetic clone of a peacock and Dermot Brereton and Weightman getting yappy at every opportunity we are getting some real mongrel and spite into the oppisition.

Add Bailey Smith when playing on the edge - he's just a great footballer when he plays with an edge.

[Sedat]

Great example was the effort that led to the goal to Bazlenka. Naughton was involved up the ground, then tailed back to the 50 and launched at a ball he had no right to get to, and brought it down to ground where we outnumbered them and Baz got the clean snap. Unreal.

Some Geelong fans I spoke with after last week scoffed when I said Naughton going down was crucial to our chances, claiming Henry was destroying him and yeah, it might be so. But you can't keep him out of an entire game and given his 4th quarter marking stats, I have no doubt he would have clunked a couple late to get us over the line.

I'm happy to have a gallant, injury-affected loss at White Elephant Park in the 2nd half of the 2021 season if it is in a premiership year, as it was in 2016.

[Happy Days]

Great example was the effort that led to the goal to Bazlenka. Naughton was involved up the ground, then tailed back to the 50 and launched at a ball he had no right to get to, and brought it down to ground where we outnumbered them and Baz got the clean snap. Unreal.

Some Geelong fans I spoke with after last week scoffed when I said Naughton going down was crucial to our chances, claiming Henry was destroying him and yeah, it might be so. But you can't keep him out of an entire game and given his 4th quarter marking stats, I have no doubt he would have clunked a couple late to get us over the line.

You can't possibly look at Naughton and look at Henry, who has been dropped on form this year, and consider that 2-3 marking contest wins means that Naughton wasn't going to get a hold of him. Naughton is the best contested mark in the game and losing him was devastating to our chances.

You can't tell me Naughton doesn't grab at least one of those long balls down the line in the last two minutes.

[ratsmac]

1. When we have the appetite for the contest we are very hard to play against. It was great to see numbers around the contest and players shepherding for each other. I noticed we protected the ball carrier a lot yesterday.

2. Naughton is maybe the most exciting player I've seen in our colours. I mean Bont is just everything you could ever want as a footballer but for exciting moments he trumps The Bont just. And that is as complementary as you can get. I used to think Stringer was exciting, pfft!

3. We can thump west coast in Perth. I thought that was only for fairytale premiership seasons....maybe it is!

[Bulldog Joe]

1. When we have the appetite for the contest we are very hard to play against. It was great to see numbers around the contest and players shepherding for each other. I noticed we protected the ball carrier a lot yesterday.

2. Naughton is maybe the most exciting player I've seen in our colours. I mean Bont is just everything you could ever want as a footballer but for exciting moments he trumps The Bont just. And that is as complementary as you can get. I used to think Stringer was exciting, pfft!

3. We can thump west coast in Perth. I thought that was only for fairytale premiership seasons....maybe it is!

Well every other time we beat West Coast in Perth under Bevo we won the flag

[Topdog]

I really like how much Duryea has improved. His just a tough defender, and hates getting beaten, so those 1-1 contests always chance of spoil. Runs all day, and is a long kick.

When he came to us, the knock on him was his inaccurate kicking. I think his playing the percentages more and knows his game much better. Real maturity to his game, and compliments well with the backline we have.

Great pickup for us from the Hawks, who are crying out for some solid senior players in the backline.

Hawks supporting mate of mine said his real knock was a lack of consistency and a tendency to do stupid things. When he said this I was quite happy as both issues can be resolved with maturity and experience.

He has really settled down nicely.

[SonofScray]

Sling tackle and giving away a 50 for umpire abuse in his second game? Annoying, but also something that very cool players do.

That was a bullshit free kick. The dangerous tackle is now just another crap shoot decision the umpires can choose to make.

[bornadog]

That was a bullshit free kick. The dangerous tackle is now just another crap shoot decision the umpires can choose to make.

Agree, no way that was a dangerous tackle. Umpires should watch Richmond and how they constantly throw players on the ground and never get pulled up for it.