Western Bulldogs V Essendon - 1st Elimination Final 2021

[DOG GOD]

Simple….the white board should read 2 simple lines this week…

HUNT THEM

KILL THEM

[Grantysghost]

I remember a few years ago when people said Bont couldn't handle a tag. We played North and Firitto was sent to rough him up.
Bont hasn't been targeted the same way physically since.

This game has all the hallmarks of a 'statement' game.

GWS did in that Elimination final. Not sure we've recovered from that completely.

Long came out and flattened Macrae last year and we didn't really respond.

Agree this is such an important game to leave that behind and move forward.

[comrade]

GWS did in that Elimination final. Not sure we've recovered from that completely.

Long came out and flattened Macrae last year and we didn't really respond.

Agree this is such an important game to leave that behind and move forward.

The GWS game was bad enough but that Long incident and our lack of response made my blood boil. Literally the opening moment of our biggest game of the year and one of our prime movers gets sniped and we do...nothing. I thought it said a lot about the collective mindset of the group at the time.

[Grantysghost]

The GWS game was bad enough but that Long incident and our lack of response made my blood boil. Literally the opening moment of our biggest game of the year and one of our prime movers gets sniped and we do...nothing. I thought it said a lot about the collective mindset of the group at the time.

We need to conjure up that spirit we had v Melbourne.

I know there's a fair amount of animosity between those two playing groups so it's more organic, I hope we can manufacture it for a big game like this.

Not sure where a loss leaves us tbh; must win!

[merantau]

There is no chance that this game will be a carbon copy of a few weeks back. We will get our hands on the ball first, get players around the contest, pressure them in to mistakes and make them pay. The alternative is unthinkable.

[The bulldog tragician]

Why we will win:

We have Bont
Treloar and Dunks are bound to hit their straps this weekend
Liberatore hates Essendon and will play a game for the ages to spite them
Young will enjoy the challenge of playing on Draper and will make him earn it
Timmy will show 2M that he’s just a small man and kick 8 up front
Naughts to remind everyone why king Carey said he’s the best forward in the game.
We have the Bont.
Weightman due a few sausage rolls
Daniel and Dale to dominate with their foot skills as they have done repeatedly this year
Keath v whoever. He will be at his angry PE teacher best
Williams doesn’t think he should share a nickname with Ben Rutten, and will demand sole ownership of “Truck” by days end
Hunter after a quiet year has hit peak form. He’s bound to kick straight. And get 30 touches running everywhere
We have Bont
Roarke Smith will tag some pathetic excuse for a wingman out of the game and take a few game winning marks in the back half
Macrae to have 30 plus, and find lace out leading players in the F50 with at least 5 of them
Bevo creates a narrative that sparks our players, who remember how bloody good they are and why we will win the flag
JJ to go all “Normie” on Essendon, laughing at the memory of their pitiful offer years back and nail 4 chase down tackles for the ages to go with 2 goals
We have Bont
Duryea to do what’s he’s done all year and consistently be in the right place, right time
Bailey Smith to use his anger and aggression to close down space, and work his backside off on the defensive side of stoppages, making Jake Stringer look slow and hopeless as a midfielder forcing him to retreat to the F50, where Easton Wood plays his best game in 5 years and also makes Jake Stringer look slow and hopeless as a forward, crushing him mentally and ensuring that he plays our his huge contract extension for the Bendigo Bombers (who I’m not sure exist anymore, but you get the point)
We have Bont
Cordy to fly knee first into at least 3’opponents who look good early, forcing Essendon to use their sub and be 2 down on the bench all night
Hannan kicks the opening goal after sitting on someone’s head, setting a tone for redemption
VDM lays 8 tackles for the game, 4 in the F50 and shows the tenacity that made him a fan favourite for 120 minutes
We have Bont.

Love everything about this.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

If we're going down v Essendon, it better be via swinging.

If we meekly accept defeat and getting overrun, I'll Terry Wallet the entire off-season.

[bornadog]

love everything about this.

ditto

[bulldogsthru&thru]

There is no chance that this game will be a carbon copy of a few weeks back. We will get our hands on the ball first, get players around the contest, pressure them in to mistakes and make them pay. The alternative is unthinkable.

I thought we’d do all that against the saints last year too but it didn’t happen.

This group has me unconvinced right now. I hope we see something similar to the 2016 squad. But who’s going to replace the guys who get in your face or go in to battle for their teammates or unconditionally give that extra 1% no matter what? Who’s going to become the Matty Boyd, the Dale Morris, the Liam Picken or the Clay Smith? Hell I don’t really like them but even Dahl gave his all and Stringer at least asserted a presence and swagger. Right now we have Libba. Bailey Smith and VDM looked likely but it seems the club might have snuffed it out of them.

I await for that 2016 attitude to be inserted into this group. But I’m not confident. We only seem to be able to manufacture it like for 10 minutes last week.

Prove me wrong dogs.

[Bulldog4life]

Last week the boys were forced to lockdown for the week, otherwise SA Gov wouldn't allow Port to play us. Port only had to lockdown for 3 days.
Pretty sure the Tassie Gov is being more lenient, so makes sense.

Tassie Govr want s team in the AFL so are being extra nice

[The bulldog tragician]

I thought we’d do all that against the saints last year too but it didn’t happen.

This group has me unconvinced right now. I hope we see something similar to the 2016 squad. But who’s going to replace the guys who get in your face or go in to battle for their teammates or unconditionally give that extra 1% no matter what? Who’s going to become the Matty Boyd, the Dale Morris, the Liam Picken or the Clay Smith? Hell I don’t really like them but even Dahl gave his all and Stringer at least asserted a presence and swagger. Right now we have Libba. Bailey Smith and VDM looked likely but it seems the club might have snuffed it out of them.

I await for that 2016 attitude to be inserted into this group. But I’m not confident. We only seem to be able to manufacture it like for 10 minutes last week.

Prove me wrong dogs.

Jake stringer to be enveloped in a huge tackle when he bursts out of the centre would send that statement. Of all the galling things, seeing him doing that unchallenged was the most galling-iest.

earlier in the year there were conversations about this group being better than 2016. If we don’t show up as desperate junkyard dogs on Sunday that comparison is laughable. Our biggest advantage over Essendon should be that we are finals- hardened, while their attacking style is one not suited to finals. We need to make it ruthlessly clear that the pressure and intensity has ratcheted up. Bulldogs’ sides of the past have often faltered at that point. We need to make them the ones suddenly coming to the panicky realisation that everything is now different. Please don’t let us down Dogs.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Jake stringer to be enveloped in a huge tackle when he bursts out of the centre would send that statement. Of all the galling things, seeing him doing that unchallenged was the most galling-iest.

earlier in the year there were conversations about this group being better than 2016. If we don’t show up as desperate junkyard dogs on Sunday that comparison is laughable. Our biggest advantage over Essendon should be that we are finals- hardened, while their attacking style is one not suited to finals. We need to make it ruthlessly clear that the pressure and intensity has ratcheted up. Bulldogs’ sides of the past have often faltered at that point. We need to make them the ones suddenly coming to the panicky realisation that everything is now different. Please don’t let us down Dogs.

Bevo said in his presser that it’s a totally different game now. Essendons free wheeling style won’t be suited to finals pressure. But neither did the saints’ style last year. This side has more raw talent than 2016. But it has about a tenth of its grit and desperation.

[jeemak]

I guess the 2016 team had one tenth of its grit and determination until it didn't and demonstrated the step to that was achievable.

But like you BTT I'm not convinced it will take the required steps to reach that level just yet. What I really want to see is improvement, not perfection, but improvement.

Hang in the contest for longer, scrap for longer, fight for longer. If we can do that our talent then gets an opportunity to shine.

[SonofScray]

Please don’t let us down Dogs.

That we are playing the obtuse, insightless, PED riddled, salary cap cheating, corrupt, nouveau riche, bougie, scum rats from Essendon really ramps up how important it is that our best qualities are on display and we get a result.

I will be disappointed with a loss. Angry even.

But I will be shattered if the question “is our true face the brilliant, robust footy we are capable of, or the shell shocked, joyless footy recently re-emerged?” is answered in the negative against this mob. Legitimately broken.

There is a lot riding on this in terms of our Club’s identity. We can assert ourselves and affirm the new world order in this neck of the woods, of wilt and put us back into a space where pig scum like EOC fans can think they are entitled to look down their nose at us.

The only acceptable outcome is a strong performance and a win.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I guess the 2016 team had one tenth of its grit and determination until it didn't and demonstrated the step to that was achievable.

But like you BTT I'm not convinced it will take the required steps to reach that level just yet. What I really want to see is improvement, not perfection, but improvement.

Hang in the contest for longer, scrap for longer, fight for longer. If we can do that our talent then gets an opportunity to shine.

That’s a fair point. It’s easy to see now with hindsight the 2016 group but I don’t see guys like Picko and Smith in this side. But doesn’t mean it won’t eventuate. I just don’t see it yet with this team. It’s like each time we’ve faced a pressure situation, we’ve had to manufacture some sort of response each time. Like when the giants went after Bont. It’s like the coaches had to tell the playing group that wasn’t ok and next time retaliate. We didn’t respond to Long and the saints game either. Even last week it felt like the players had to manufacture some aggression and it lasted about a quarter. It just doesn’t feel like these attributes come naturally to this team. We’ve got yet another chance on Sunday so let’s see who steps up to the plate. If we’re run over by yet another inexperienced finals side, it won’t reflect well.