Is the Freo game the one that counts?

[Rocco Jones]

Over our last 13 wins, the closest margin was 15 points.

We are 0-8 in matches decided by 14 or less during that same period.

Would be nice to not have to dominate a match to win games.

[ledge]

Watching them tonight, apart from Jackson, an old Fyfe and Serong they are very very slim list.
They actually look like WC the last 3 years.

[Scraggers]

Beware the wounded Docker. Like us last week, the Dockers will cop it in the media … especially the WA media. Longmuir’s head will be called for on a silver platter (even though he just signed a one year extension). They will come out hunting against us.

[whythelongface]

Beware the wounded Docker. Like us last week, the Dockers will cop it in the media … especially the WA media. Longmuir’s head will be called for on a silver platter (even though he just signed a one year extension). They will come out hunting against us.

Yep on paper we should win easily but they will be hurting and come out firing. I was dreading a West Coast win. Three losses in a row they will be desperate

[westdog54]

As soon as I saw the Derby result, I thought "Great, another team we play when they've been belted the week before and need to respond". Need to hit then hard and early and sap the life out of the game

[Grantysghost]

So the Eagles were tanking right.

[lemmon]

How are we feeling about the last fortnight after last night?

I think we know a lot more. This is a side that mostly works hard, the team defence feels better than last year and we have better plans for bringing the ball from back to front.

We also have some big flaws - it was alarming the way we were thrashed at the contest without Libba, some of the personnel in our back 6 can be exploited and the way we get the ball into our forwards is problematic by design.

This is an 'okay' side that's battling it out for the bottom places in the 8 (think we sit somewhere between 7-11), but has enough talent and maturity to see off the poor sides fairly easily.

[bulldogtragic]

How are we feeling about the last fortnight after last night?

I think we know a lot more. This is a side that mostly works hard, the team defence feels better than last year and we have better plans for bringing the ball from back to front.

We also have some big flaws - it was alarming the way we were thrashed at the contest without Libba, some of the personnel in our back 6 can be exploited and the way we get the ball into our forwards is problematic by design.

This is an 'okay' side that's battling it out for the bottom places in the 8, but has enough talent and maturity to see off the poor sides fairly easily.

I don’t see finals this year.

[GVGjr]

How are we feeling about the last fortnight after last night?

I think we know a lot more. This is a side that mostly works hard, the team defence feels better than last year and we have better plans for bringing the ball from back to front.

We also have some big flaws - it was alarming the way we were thrashed at the contest without Libba, some of the personnel in our back 6 can be exploited and the way we get the ball into our forwards is problematic by design.

This is an 'okay' side that's battling it out for the bottom places in the 8, but has enough talent and maturity to see off the poor sides fairly easily.

Shattered against Essendon, thought our effort against the Saints was very good and with a longer break I was hoping for a better effort against Fremantle. It's been a bit of a roller coaster.

[Grantysghost]

Watching them tonight, apart from Jackson, an old Fyfe and Serong they are very very slim list.
They actually look like WC the last 3 years.

They have more than that! Hayden Young is a gun half back/mid, Ryan is an incredible intercept defender, Pearce is a great captain and KPD, Darcy is a solid ruck, Walters, Brayshaw, Jordan Clarke.... theres more.. They go ok.

[FrediKanoute]

It's a lot like the Essendon game. A team challengng us for a spot n the 8 that we come up short againts.

We beat the lesser sides well - NM, WCE, Hawks, Richmond, Suns, but come up short againt quality, hungry teams.

Its not good enough

[lemmon]

It's a lot like the Essendon game. A team challengng us for a spot n the 8 that we come up short againts.

We beat the lesser sides well - NM, WCE, Hawks, Richmond, Suns, but come up short againt quality, hungry teams.

Its not good enough

It reminded me more of the Geelong game. We were beaten in the middle, couldn't get the game on our terms, missed some key chances, but managed to keep ourselves in it for the vast majority with decent pressure and effort. We were beaten by better sides on both nights, but we held on pretty doggedly and could've put more pressure on if we capitalised on momentum.

The Essendon game was a lot more dire for me - we were smacked in the mouth and completely overwhelmed.

[jeemak]

I thought too much emotional emphasis was placed on this game by posters when a trip to Perth is always difficult, and we're a team that is a long way off confidently doing the business over there.

Both teams worked really hard. Given the disparity in the clearance game I think we can be happy enough with our team resilience but you're always going to eat shit with Khamis being made accountable, JOD learning and Jones having a horrid first half.

Put that together with poor conversion in the third and we couldn't afford any slips in the last, which is fine for a team that is clinical, but we aren't a clinical team.

So I don't feel any differently than I did last week, outside of lamenting a loss rather than enjoying a win.

[Boots]

For me the Freo game wasn't a shock, but it was disappointing. Agree we're downhill skiiers again this year - able to crush witches hats but struggle against determined opposition of any quality. I also don't see us making finals.

For me the killer was the lethargic, timid play. If I'm really honest, if I want to see a good game of football, I'd rather watch the Swans (That's as far as I'd go, I'd never watch Geelong play by choice and I'm not quite there with GWS). They play with a bit of dash and momentum that's really fun to watch. The Freo game was a harsh reminder that I don't enjoy watching us play.

But also - it was a real reminder that with the exception of Bont and notably Darcy, the talent on our list can't make itself felt. Naughton, English, JUH (when he plays) all work really hard, but they really struggle to impact where it counts. It just feels like we're walking through treacle at all times. I hope that's the system re-set and it'll just click soon, but it's also what we're like most years.

Does anyone else feel like they can predict the result of one of our games within two or three plays from the first bounce? We're either on and electric, or off, and nothing seems to be able to change that between the sirens.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I thought too much emotional emphasis was placed on this game by posters when a trip to Perth is always difficult, and we're a team that is a long way off confidently doing the business over there.

Both teams worked really hard. Given the disparity in the clearance game I think we can be happy enough with our team resilience but you're always going to eat shit with Khamis being made accountable, JOD learning and Jones having a horrid first half.

Put that together with poor conversion in the third and we couldn't afford any slips in the last, which is fine for a team that is clinical, but we aren't a clinical team.

So I don't feel any differently than I did last week, outside of lamenting a loss rather than enjoying a win.

Yes we performed exactly as expected.

I just wish we didn't trade our first rounder if this is how the club expected to perform. It's gonna look like a bad trade come end of season when we're mid table.