Western Bulldogs whacked with measuring stick

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/spo...-19742,00.html

THE Western Bulldogs didn't just lose a game on Saturday, they lost a large slice of credibility. Self-belief in similar proportions, too, I suspect.

A 10-goal thumping was the worst result imaginable for the Doggies at Skilled Stadium.

Not just for the margin, for Geelong wins by an average 50 points these days, more the fact so few of the Bulldogs played anywhere near their best.

Probably none of them, actually. Against a Geelong team minus Gary Ablett, Cameron Ling and David Wojcinski.

Perhaps the Cats are that good. Or have the Doubting Thomases been proven correct about the Dogs?

The match may have been all tied up at halftime, but the momentum was blue and white: 17 scores to 12, 247 possessions to 187.

Geelong surged in the second half of the third quarter, then kicked eight goals to one with the breeze in the final term.

The Cats had the best 6-8 players in the game; the Doggies had eight players who didn't register more than a dozen possessions.

That's a fatal stat when the big guns such as Robert Murphy, Dale Morris, Brad Johnson and Jason Akermanis are off their game, while poor Will Minson just couldn't find anywhere to hide.

The problem now is the Doggies can't be sure whether they can stand up in September until September comes round.

They have a win over what was a depleted Hawthorn in Launceston, but they need a big scalp or two in the run home, Sydney and North Melbourne, for example.

It's not panic stations, of course, for it was just the second loss of the season.

Geelong also was hammered by Collingwood early in the season, so even the best can hit the odd hurdle.

The concern, though, is the quality of the Hudson-Minson ruck partnership, the query at centre half-back and a forward set-up which, while even, doesn't have a star.

Johnson, you say? Not sure Johnno is what Johnno was, as 29 goals from 16 games suggests.

The Bulldogs need Tom Williams and Shaun Higgins in their best line-up.

Williams isn't far away, but he is what you may safely term a risky conveyance, given his injury record, while Higgins has played just two games this year.

The Doggies have to put Saturday behind them, regroup for Carlton next Sunday, and make sure they finish second or third, which will mean they dodge Geelong in the first week of the finals.

No disgrace to fail against the Cats, just lessons to be learned.

It's Hawthorn's turn this week - the MCG on Friday night - and the Hawks also had a reality check of their own Saturday night.

They flirted with their form early in the game, when they should have led by 50 points, and paid the price when St Kilda found rhythm and confidence.

They will learn exactly where they are at Friday night.