Round 4 2008 Match Preview: Bulldogs v Dons

[bornadog]

... I hate Essendon so lets hope we smash em!!!

Don't we all.

In my eyes they are the true rival to the Bullies and it goes right back to the days the dogs were formed and Essendon did everything to keep us out of the VFL.

If the AFL was fairdinkum about rivarly, we would play Essendon at the G, not this put on rivalry like last week that only appeases certain people.

[The Underdog]

The match ups will be interesting once again.
**Callen has a lack of pace and maybe found out against the likes of Davey.

**Agree that McVeigh will go to Cooney, which means the Dons will have to sort out who goes to Johnno?

**What happens to Flectcher and Mal Michael? I guess Fletcher will go to Big Will and maybe Mal on Johnno.
Fletcher played very well last week and maybe even be used at CHF to try and stretch the backline.

Overall its going to be a fast paced game and we need to get a good start as Essendon won't sit back if they get a good start like St KIlda.

I think Mal will go to Will. There's not really a natural matchup for Fletcher, but wouldn't be surprised to see him go to Welsh. He loves to run off upfield so whoever has him will have to be wary. Interesting to see who goes to Johnno.

The Davey one is interesting, really quick forwards have often given us trouble (his brother the prime example), although Morris may get him

[bornadog]

I think Mal will go to Will.

Interesting that Mal is only 190 cm, Of course he can play tall. Lets hope Will continues to be a big headache up forward.

[Topdog]

Great write up, better than the sports section of today's paper. Thanks for that.

Agreed, great write up.

I'm not too sure of the Callan on Davey match up. Having said that I can't think of anyone else to put on him/

Hill on L-M would be a great match up to see.

I tend to agree about the ruck match up being ultra important. Laycock or Hille usually have a cracker of a game against so it will be vital for Hudson to step up.

Overall though based on what we have done so far this season and from what I have seen of Essendon I am tipping us by 52 points.

[BulldogBelle]

The Bulldogs Bite - what more can I say what a great summary/analysis you have put up - well done!

Cooney vs McVeigh is one I would like to see - that would be an awesome match-up.

This game will have plenty, battle of of the midfields I reckon. Hopefully ours can continue on its merry way and pick up where they left off when the siren went last Friday night.

[Sockeye Salmon]

The match ups will be interesting once again.
**Callen has a lack of pace and maybe found out against the likes of Davey.

**Agree that McVeigh will go to Cooney, which means the Dons will have to sort out who goes to Johnno?

**What happens to Flectcher and Mal Michael? I guess Fletcher will go to Big Will and maybe Mal on Johnno.
Fletcher played very well last week and maybe even be used at CHF to try and stretch the backline.

Overall its going to be a fast paced game and we need to get a good start as Essendon won't sit back if they get a good start like St KIlda.

In our dreams.

Mal has just about the worst endurance in the AFL. Fev ran him up to the wing and back and Mal was stuffed. Mal would dead set collapse and die if he had to try to run with Johnno.

Mal will take Will, lock it in.
Fletcher will take Welsh.
McVeigh will take Cooney.
Johnno will kick a bagfull.

[LostDoggy]

The only way Essendon could win this is if the get the umpiring of the NAB cup game back.

[Mantis]

The only way Essendon could win this is if the get the umpiring of the NAB cup game back.

Not quite ern, but I see where you are coming from. If we sit back as we have in the past we will have a fight on our hands.

Let's hope last weeks game has been replayed to the players over and over again, like it has in my house and that it has sunk in that when our pressure skills are up and we fight hard to win the contested ball we are a pretty good side.

Let's hope we see performances like that on a consistent basis.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Yep fine post TBB

I see Harris getting the job on Lloyd and Harris should be right for this challenge after 3 matches post his hip injury. I could see Morris locking horns with a McPhee across half forward and making his night hell.

Cooney is working so hard without it and in packs that I dont think McVeigh is going to seriously trouble him.

Is my least favourite player in the league Andrew Welsh going to be right? They might be tempted to try him on Johnson

Am I right in thinking Fletcher has been spending time across half forward?

[BulldogBelle]

Essendon beating us in that pre-season game scared the pants off most of us. The players said that they were surprised by Essendon's intensity. Although we are now well aware just how intense Essendon can be - will we learn by it? We haven't in the past, hope we do now.

Another great post, I read every word. It must have taken you ages to write it all up. You must have conducted hours of research.

Please limit the size of your paragraphs to between 4 and 7 lines. A paragraph any more than 7 lines will turn people off, they won't read it. Your work was so good it all deserves to be read. Single sentence paragraphs are OK.

[Mantis]

Please limit the size of your paragraphs to between 4 and 7 lines. A paragraph any more than 7 lines will turn people off, they won't read it. Your work was so good it all deserves to be read. Single sentence paragraphs are OK.

Are you an English teacher or just anal?

[LostDoggy]

So far this season we are yet to win a toss yet we have won all three games. keep an eye out for that this week.

I think the other team have kicked the first goal of the game as well, so ill be hoping essendon kick the first goal.

Great write up as well, was an awesome read.

[dog town]

In some ways its a bigger game than last week. We are the hunted now and they will be right up for it. Were we faking it last week? To do what we did last week consistently you really have to enjoy the physical aspect of the game. Time will tell how serious we are about it. One game means pretty much nothing at the moment. We beat Geelong for contested ball in Round 1 last year from memory and look how we ran out the season. IMO each game until we are beaten gets more and more important. Now is the time to set our season right up.

The bombers will be a bit of a wierd side for us to play. If they have a style that is like anyone in paticular I would probably liken it most closely to West Coast of 2005/2006. They certainly dont have the physical force or hardened pro's that West Coast had but they are just handball happy through the middle of the ground. They will work the ball forward through constant movement and handball. They are not even afraid to handball to a guy standing still with his back to goal and then going back past him for the quick one-two. I suppose its a mixture of the West Coast/Bulldogs/Geelong style that has crept into the game. Emphasis on sweeping the ball forward with run and carry more than anything. I was amazed at how they consciously over used the handball against us in the NAB cup. I would think quite a few occasions will arise on friday night where we might be better off sitting off our opponents and boxing them in rather than over committing for the tackle. If they get that flow going it might be quite difficult to stop so hopefully we can slow them down a bit.

I wouldn't be suprised if Knights whacked Fletcher or Ryder forward. They missed Lucas immensely over the last 2 weeks. He might just back a couple of his kids on our smaller forwards and try to hurt us up our end.

McVeigh will go to Cooney or perhaps even Griffen IMO. Dont like McVeigh for some reason but he has actually turned into a player who is bordering on elite right now. Would be a great result for us if he went to Johnson as it takes him out of the action and we showed last week that we have other avenues to goal.

Laycock (and Hille if he gets up) may well be dangerous for them. It is the first time that Hudson and Minson have come up against anyone who will push forward pretty hard. Interesting to see how they handle it.

[The Underdog]

Does anyone see a matchup for Wight? Maybe Hille/Laycock if they go forward.

[GVGjr]

Does anyone see a matchup for Wight? Maybe Hille/Laycock if they go forward.

About the only one that make sense unless the Bombers decide to try Ryder up there.