Saints V Bulldogs - Round 6, 18/4/24 Marvel Stadium 7:30PM AEST

[The bulldog tragician]

It’s never been truer that a week is a long time in football.

Some of the best wins come when your club is being kicked from pillar to post, when footy brings more angst than joy, when you wonder why you bother. I wasn’t thrilled about going tonight either, the couch looked tempting, but I’m so glad I was there. The effort was outstanding and we saw some brilliant and spectacular football. I’m not sure what the stats say but the hard running was really obvious perched up high with some great efforts by our half forwards to make space and provide an option.

Much as we ridicule the media’s pile on our fans were pretty horrific too. I felt like last week was pretty soul destroying too and also was guilty of catastrophising the loss, but wow how quickly we forget all those other disaster efforts and awful seasons. Strangely we don’t seem as resilient as a fan base as we were when we were truly terrible. Anyway, now we have to hope and expect that same effort ( and coaching dare…wow Ed was a revelation) every week. A stirring win in Perth would really set our season alight.

[SonofScray]

Apparently Ameet called out unfair media treatment of Beveridge prior to the game in an interview, by a particular few journalists. Was anyone around for that?

He also apparently reiterated Beveridge will be coaching until the end of 2025 as per his contract.

Big apricots to say that and back the coach in those terms - especially prior to the game.

At which point does the club reach out and suggest media stakeholders lay off as the hyperventilated coverage is actually bad for the mental health of its employees.

I've never seen anything like what I'm seeing with Beveridge now, particularly for a premiership coach that has had two positive seasons on the ledger after a grand final appearance.

What we're seeing in the AFL ecosystem with our coach is bullying, and the AFL is in part accountable for it. To have him portrayed as a bumbling fool for days until some decent minded journalists came out to provide a balanced view was beyond unfair. I get it's a tough industry, and I've worked in tough industries, but that was over the top.

The AFL needs to step up and pull its media partners into line, because the hysteria is over the top and its impacting their operational stakeholders and customers at the same time unnecessarily.

Bain’s was steadfast in his support of Bevo, and not in the ”full and unconditional support of the board” way, more of a “get stuffed SOS, he’s staying” sort of way.

Agree re: media. The prepared, cookie cutter news cycle is boring at the best of times, but when there is a clear personal agenda driving it and the venom is apparent, it’s a real problem for the industry as a whole. It’s malicious. It’s poor content. The ones I’ve seen, the critiques have been crap. Thousands of things to have a crack at and they rely on the stories that get prescribed onto people regardless of what’s actually happening.

Good on Bains for sticking up for him.

[ledge]

They should report the news not make up stories but the AFL will do nothing as it keeps them on the back page and people click on it.
I have seen headlines, clicked on the story and the story is not even related to the headline.

[jeemak]

These snakes will tell you the only thing that can make the pillorying go away is by giving them a bit of sugar. If that's not the epitome of an abusive relationship I don't know what is.

Our club doesn't feed them information on a favourable basis, and as such, they're unbalanced and vitriolic towards us. If that's not cooked, I don't know what is.

I don't see how it's sustainable.

[angelopetraglia]

Bailey Dale

39 touches
93% kicking effeciency
13 intercept possesions
9 score involvements
15 marks
867m gained

WOW

[ledge]

I wonder who the forward was that Dale was playing on because whoever it was has 0000 defensive game.

[angelopetraglia]

Pressure acts

Macrae 23
JJ 22
Harmes 20
Bont 20
Richards 18
Garcia 17

I thought that both Garcia and Harmes, in particular when the game was there to be one early, were great with their pressure. Kudos also to Macrae who was awesome tonight in a number of different facets.

[SonofScray]

Much as we ridicule the media’s pile on our fans were pretty horrific too. I felt like last week was pretty soul destroying too and also was guilty of catastrophising the loss, but wow how quickly we forget all those other disaster efforts and awful seasons. Strangely we don’t seem as resilient as a fan base as we were when we were truly terrible.

There’s something worth unpacking there. Tired and frustrated vent incoming.

Since the flag, as a supporter group we are a bit lost. Breaking the drought was a bloody minded, single focus. A beacon of hope in our sea of despair. There’d be all sorts of Scraggers, be they a Big Dave or Danny from Droop St, but there was a universal experience that tied us together.

We don’t have that as a fan base, or maybe even as a Club anymore. We haven’t replaced it with anything, is my feeling. Have we? I can’t see it. I don’t feel it.

I actually find myself absolutely hating a portion of our fan base, the contempt I feel for them is very real. The obnoxious, content, sugar hit, seen the flag wag, King Bevo job for life, whatever happens, happens crowd. They make me sick. It’s not a scene really present here, but I see it in my circles and in the broader social media space, I’m copping it from some of them right now as a matter of fact. It’s mindless banter. I don’t bite back.

I’m hungry for more. I’m not patient anymore. I want and expect better. I can accept getting beat, but I can’t accept standing still. I am angry with football post COVID because of the way it continued on without us and how empty it feels to go to the stadium now and have a predetermined experience shoved down your throat and in your ears and eyeballs regardless of the temperature of the actual football. I want to see my Club play football in a manner that reflects the identity of the Club. It has to be tenacious. It has to look like it matters, because it does. There should be moments of absolute joy, and despair. We should feel anticipation and excitement at what’s coming, or hope that today will uncover something affirming of our best version of ourselves as a Club.

It’s been eroded. I want it back. I want the club to start telling a story that goes beyond whatever middling, vanilla space we’ve found ourselves stuck in on-field (and off field, in some respects, despite the good manage of the finances and security of the club) Something other than the story of we are where we are and whatever happens will happen. Pick a fight. Chase something down.

Tonight was a great performance. But we know they can do that to a team that performs like StKilda did. We know they can get up when they have an emotional upswing. We know they are capable of grinding to a halt. We know they are capable of rolling over when it gets too hard. All those stories have been told.

I’m excited to see Darcy, Gallagher and Garcia and Sanders. I don’t know how they’ll handle those moments. I’m hopeful they’ll start weaving the new stories and foster some fresh belief. Maybe the fans aren’t as resilient, but the Club has to give us more to hang onto. Some momentum, some disruption, a fight, something we haven’t seen from this iteration of the team.

Anyway, I am glad I didn’t go tonight. The win means nothing yet.

[angelopetraglia]

Bont has had 24 touches. Kicked 3 goals. He also had the second most contested possesions on the ground with 13.

But I thought his first half in partiuclar, he was way off his normal self. He made that may errors, especially by foot that was very uncharacteristic. Just missed targets he normally hits in his sleep with his eyes closed.

But the champion players, even when they have an off night, have an influence and he definitely still had his moments.

[jeemak]

Bont has had 24 touches. Kicked 3 goals. He also had the second most contested possesions on the ground with 13.

But I thought his first half in partiuclar, he was way off his normal self. He made that may errors, especially by foot that was very uncharacteristic. Just missed targets he normally hits in his sleep with his eyes closed.

But the champion players, even when they have an off night, have an influence and he definitely still had his moments.

Bont had two very selfish moments in the first half and was also yelling at his team mates a lot. Is this one and a half game patch (leading up to half time) his poorest ever string of form?

He was going at 17% kicking efficiency before he hit up West and did a few other good things, and then in the second half he nailed his set shots.

If I'm honest, while I want him to be at his best all the time, I really want him to chip in as required and not have to be at his best to make sure we win week in, week out. Other playres need to help him, and the only way they'll learn to help him is if they have to and prove they can.

[merantau]

That was a very good team performance. Backing it up against Freo is the best way to silence the media.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Bailey Dale

39 touches
93% kicking effeciency
13 intercept possesions
9 score involvements
15 marks
867m gained

WOW

That is one of the most impressive performances I've seen from a Bulldog's player in my life. Definitely belongs in the top tier.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Bont had two very selfish moments in the first half and was also yelling at his team mates a lot. Is this one and a half game patch (leading up to half time) his poorest ever string of form?

He was going at 17% kicking efficiency before he hit up West and did a few other good things, and then in the second half he nailed his set shots.

If I'm honest, while I want him to be at his best all the time, I really want him to chip in as required and not have to be at his best to make sure we win week in, week out. Other playres need to help him, and the only way they'll learn to help him is if they have to and prove they can.

I'm glad this was picked up. I noted it in my '3 things..' response. Very peculiar...

It actually is reassuring a bit, that he's human after all. And was very pleasing to see us forge this win, without it being on the back of Bont carrying the team. If anything he was a hand brake on our performance last night!

[Grantysghost]

Apparently Ameet called out unfair media treatment of Beveridge prior to the game in an interview, by a particular few journalists. Was anyone around for that?

He also apparently reiterated Beveridge will be coaching until the end of 2025 as per his contract.

Big apricots to say that and back the coach in those terms - especially prior to the game.

At which point does the club reach out and suggest media stakeholders lay off as the hyperventilated coverage is actually bad for the mental health of its employees.

I've never seen anything like what I'm seeing with Beveridge now, particularly for a premiership coach that has had two positive seasons on the ledger after a grand final appearance.

What we're seeing in the AFL ecosystem with our coach is bullying, and the AFL is in part accountable for it. To have him portrayed as a bumbling fool for days until some decent minded journalists came out to provide a balanced view was beyond unfair. I get it's a tough industry, and I've worked in tough industries, but that was over the top.

The AFL needs to step up and pull its media partners into line, because the hysteria is over the top and its impacting their operational stakeholders and customers at the same time unnecessarily.

I guess when you allegedly physically assault one of them, question one of their wives, and unload on another for two minutes in a presser they're going to be queuing for their pound of flesh.

[Grantysghost]

That is one of the most impressive performances I've seen from a Bulldog's player in my life. Definitely belongs in the top tier.

Can't believe Ross didn't lock him down. It was one of the great games.