sounds like everyone is tired and will be who makes the least mistakes - too much excitement for 4.30am
sounds like everyone is tired and will be who makes the least mistakes - too much excitement for 4.30am
2 quick adelaide goals...
crucial long goal by gilbee (ps i realise there is probably bo-one reading this, but I needed to release some of the tension)
getting too mcuh ... minson/cooney tandem in the middle set up johnson to put us 4pt up
crap - bock has a kick for it...
woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So good to get the win, glad I stayed up, sleep now - look forward to reading the post-match reports from all those who were there!
What a finish. Some concerns that we were going back to our 2nd half season efforts there during the 2nd and first part of the 3rd quarter. But they fought through it, and what's more against a team that if you give a sniff to usually grind you into the dirt.
Highlights for me.
* Overall (2nd quarter aside), there seemd to be a greater commitment to put the body on the line.
*Cooney- almost his best full game performance. During every quarter he contributed something. When it was hot late in the game, he won crucial clearances and his disposal was first rate.
*Minson- apart from a stupid bounce whilst being tackled, I thought his rucking efforts were of great support to Hudson. Didnt do anything up forward, but hit a number of taps to CRUCIAL advantage, and really gave us momentum.
*Josh Hill- faded late, when MacLeod went on him, but showed he has the ability to take a contested mark (took 4 contested marks out of twelve).
* Welsh-yet again he kicked a bag... in a Bulldogs Adelaide game... only this time it was for us. Took a lot of pressure off Johnno in the first half. As a result it took the pressure off the team by having a second avenue to goal, if Johnno was being held.
*Hudson- thought he drifted late, but was very good overall, and most of the time gave our on ballers 1st shot.
Disappointing were, Higgins, Lake, and Wight.
Higgins disposal was at times sloppy, and his defensive efforts were quite poor.
Lake- just looked out of sorts fitness and game time wise.
Wight- tried hard, but just doesn't seem to read play well and gets caught out of position more often than not.
Nice effort Fish... sleep the sleep of a satisfied Bulldog supporter!! Good luck getting the pulse rate down though after the nail biting finish.....
I went into the foetal position, on the floort, myself when Bock marked the ball inside fifty in the last 30 seconds..... visions of Pre Lim 97 came back.... and I just couldn't watch...... I heard the fans scream.....the siren go... I presumed he'd kicked it.... but my wife who has steelier nerves than me said "he missed it dogs won!
What a game. Our opening and then committment after the 1st half was great. Cooney was fantastic, Griffen and Gilbee very important, Gia played the best game he's played for 2 years, Akermanis used every touch to perfection, Higgins looks fitter, Hill was bloody fantastic. Johnno, Welsh, Hudson and Minson were all great too.
How good were some of Minson's spikes out the centre bounce? HUGE.
Some good signs from todays game, but both sides are well behind Geelong.
I must also comment on the umpiring - some very strange decisions paid and not paid both ways. I think it ended up fairly even, although a few obvious ones - like hands in Morris' back which resulted in McLeod snapping a goal etc were pretty poor and costly misses, thankfully though it worked both ways and we weren't too effected by the time the game was over.
BANG! Straight to Eagle or Gilbee. Really impressive in the ruck but they don't kick it to him on the lead when forward.
Without Minson Johnson couldn't have got that last goal as he worried them so the double-teamed leaving JOHNNO!
Loving Hill and Welsh and Hudson.
Was it Welsh who laid an awesome tackle on the Crows side of the centre square in the last quarter?
Although we made some poor decisions due to pressure we were able to reciprocate it and cause several free kicks due to them holding the ball.
Not perfect but we won AND THE FOOTY'S BACK!
Must say iv just got back from the game
Hill is a VERY exciting prospect and seems to very fit.
Cooney was awesome today, gave him my BOG for the dogs and cannot wit, he will have an amazing season if he can stay injury free.
Griffen showed some glimpses of the player he can become and did well in hist first league game since injury, cant wait. All in all, im VERY excited about this year and believe this was a brilliant first game for the dogs.
Just a question, for those of you who saw it, what happened between Van Berlo and Minson in the centre square in the 2nd half? it was way off the bal, and i just spotted van berlo on the ground wiht minson streaking away?
Cheers
Couldn't really see much from the tv replays, so I'm not exactly sure what happened. Certainly was Minson who hit him though according to the commentators, and it was definitely off the ball.
Perhaps someone at the game had a better view of the incident and can elaborate a bit further. Hate to lose Minson for a few weeks now.