Fatigue

[LostDoggy]

Very pertinent observation, considering at 3/4 time Carlton had over 50 more handballs than us. The constant fast movement of ball by Geelong cut us to pieces, and Carlton ovbiously saw what happened and did the same thing.

Question is - how do we stop it? Every team will do it to us from now on unless we combat it.

Manning up would be a start.

[Sockeye Salmon]

It's an interesting issue, form leading into the finals. I don't think it is such a big deal.

I think the Pies lost four in a row (including to us in round 22) to end the season in 2002, having locked up a top 4 spot already. Then they went on to miss out on the flag by 9 points.

Adelaide also didn't go into the 97 and 98 finals series flying.

2000 Essendon had their only blip for the year only 2 weeks out form the finals.

2001 Hawthorn limped into the finals after a great start to the season (including getting belted by us at the MCG, in a year when we missed the 8), then went within a couple of goals of making the grand final.

The cats also dropped one of only their 2 games in the last 600 or whatever it is, very close to the finals starting in '07.

Couple of inches.

Trent Croad hit the post from about 55m out in the last minute.

[BulldogBelle]

Have inserted a couple of paragraphs below from Rohan Connolly's article in The Age from yesterday

Think the team has increased its traning load in recent weeks, and its on field performance has suffered...the club may experience a slump over a month, but you wouldnt expect it to last longer than that...and our performance into the finals, and in the finals should benefit

The other thing to keep in mind is that with the increased physical traning, the players mindset/confidence will also have changed being mindful that they have increased their traning load, hence our performances against the Dee's, Cats + Blues...

Wonder when the Cats are going to increase their traing load!

Better to peak in September rather than in July



Bring it on....

Sleeping Dogs promise to recapture their hard edge
The Age
Rohan Connolly | July 29, 2008

The Bulldogs are also paying a temporary price for a heavier training load since the mid-season break, an attempt to replenish the fitness that diminishes gradually during the season.

While the club is reluctant to comment publicly, sources say the senior list had been "flogged" since its week off, the aim being to have the team at a physical peak for the finals.

[LostDoggy]

I remember back to the essendon game where we were absolutely run off our feet by the bombers in the 3rd quarter and probably would of lost that game had it not been for the injuries sustained to essendon players.

Point is we seem to struggle with fast sides who move the ball at all costs by hands. We play more of a zone defence than a man on man defence so if the zone is broken with a chain of quick fire handballs or short pin point kicks into the corridor, we are left flat fotted and looking slow. We have seen in the last two weeks and against Essendon, I don't think we can blame fatigue for that game, can we?

[Sockeye Salmon]

I remember back to the essendon game where we were absolutely run off our feet by the bombers in the 3rd quarter and probably would of lost that game had it not been for the injuries sustained to essendon players.

Point is we seem to struggle with fast sides who move the ball at all costs by hands. We play more of a zone defence than a man on man defence so if the zone is broken with a chain of quick fire handballs or short pin point kicks into the corridor, we are left flat fotted and looking slow. We have seen in the last two weeks and against Essendon, I don't think we can blame fatigue for that game, can we?

I don't agree that Essendon only lost that game because of injuries.

[Raw Toast]

thought it might be worth bringing this up - I'm just about out the door on the way to the game, but am hoping that our mid-season fitness work might pay off tonight.

The way I see it, we took a calculated risk with it - basically I think we thought we needed something extra to give us the best chance this year, and so we did some pretty heavy loading. We paid for it a bit, but it might have helped our confidence in the second half last week, and hopefully will be of use tonight. Might be extra useful if the conditions are heavy.

[aker39]

. We paid for it a bit, but it might have helped our confidence in the second half last week, and hopefully will be of use tonight. Might be extra useful if the conditions are heavy.

Good point Raw Toast, I have no doubt that it helped us last week. We ran them off their legs in the 2nd half.

[hujsh]

Good point Raw Toast, I have no doubt that it helped us last week. We ran them off their legs in the 2nd half.

I think it was close to happening again. They looked somewhat tired and under pressure as we continually attacked and pressured in the last quarter.