Game Day - Bulldogs vs Lions (NAB round 2)

[GVGjr]

Lets keep the discussions of tonights blockbuster to the one thread.

Prediction: Bulldogs by 28 points

[Dry Rot]

8 goals if we're switched on, damned close if we're not.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

18 points.

I think we'll play in bursts because we don't have Johnson, Griffen, Akermanis etc.

I'm really looking forward to seeing McDougall, Pask & The Aboriginal boys along with Higgins.

[GVGjr]

Well firstly the night got off to a good start because I caught up with part of the AAD clan.

Before the game commenced I listened to an interview with Peter Street (DR was jealous when I called him) and Tim Walsh. Both players talked well and answered the questions honestly and with a bit of fun.
Walsh talked about all the work he was doing coming back from his injury and gave a good insight to the 6 days training week. He indicated that there was currently 2 training sessions with running, a number weights sessions, pilates/yoga which they do not do during the season, and a couple of swimming sessions.
Walsh thought McDougall was a good addition and that he seemed to be enjoying himself here in Melbourne. Apparently he quite enjoys the Brunswick st lifestyle.

Street talked about his injury which is calf related. I think the fact that he is a ruckman and jumps off one foot means that he had to be careful. He is only another week or two away.
Street mentioned that one of the great things about Rocket is that if he gives them a spray it's forgotten about 5 mins later. Gave me the impression that he thinks the coach does not hold grudges. He made mention that the coaches box can get a bit spirited with with a few things flying around.

Now to the game. Very poor effort with very few good signs.

Hargrave's return from injury was very encouraging and Higgins was full of class and promise. McDougall contested well, held a couple of decent marks and laid a number of very good tackles up forward. Boydy tried hard but wasn't quite on his game.
Gilbee was very good early but made some mistakes in the latter part of the game. Gia was in and out of the game. Cross racked up a good possession rate but he wasn't nearly as effective as we come to expect. Eagle ran riot in the last quarter.

As AAD commented on Wight over committed himself to a couple of contests which resulted in the ball rebounding into the forward line. Ray's vision and decision making was very poor tonight and too often ran into trouble.
The team as a whole had problems with the 20mtr rule and time and time again kicked the ball too short to a team mate who was told to play on by the umps.

The Lions made the most of their chances and appear to be as fit as any team in the competition.

[bulldogtragic]

In short, probably as bad a performance as i've seen us dish up since Eade got the job.

[GVGjr]

In short, probably as bad a performance as i've seen us dish up since Eade got the job.

Very short Was he out coached or just couldn't answer the challenge when it happened in the 2nd quarter?

Harbrow and Lynch worked well the previous week but in the pristine conditions just weren't strong enough. We can't and shouldn't be happy with that performance but with the players we have coming back I don't think we should be shattered either.

[bornadog]

Lucky the start of the season is still a month away, lot a work to do, but also some good players to come back in.
Heard Rocket on the radio before the game:

Cooney: Played half a game for Werribee and pulled up ok
Darcy: Will play next week if ok in training during the week.
Grant: To play next week
Hahn: No power in legs at this Stage so still a few weeks off
Street: I think he said should be ok for next week.
Murphy: Very close to playing

Based on the team that took the field, I am not too worried and I have never taken these games seriously in the past. Good learning curve for the young guys.

Not sure where and who play in the regional game next week.

[LostDoggy]

Lucky the start of the season is still a month away, lot a work to do, but also some good players to come back in.
Heard Rocket on the radio before the game:

Cooney: Played half a game for Werribee and pulled up ok
Darcy: Will play next week if ok in training during the week.
Grant: To play next week
Hahn: No power in legs at this Stage so still a few weeks off
Street: I think he said should be ok for next week.
Murphy: Very close to playing

Based on the team that took the field, I am not too worried and I have never taken these games seriously in the past. Good learning curve for the young guys.

Not sure where and who play in the regional game next week.

I was talking to someone from the club last night who confirmed that Cooney pulled up well after his hit out with Werribee.This is a good sign for us because he and Griffen add a lot of spark to us.
It was a shocking result given that we started the game so well.As 42-C-3 pointed out we were insipid and it will most likely impact out membership drive.I got the impression that Rockets heart wasn't in this NAB campaign from the start.

Does anyone know why didn't Cam Faulkner play last night? I hope this is not the power of hindsight talking but young players like Lynch and Harbrow were very unlikely to come up two weeks in a row and Faulkner could have been a far better option.
Also does anyone else think that Boyd might not have been 100% last night?

[alwaysadog]

Well firstly the night got off to a good start because I caught up with part of the AAD clan.

Before the game commenced I listened to an interview with Peter Street (DR was jealous when I called him) and Tim Walsh. Both players talked well and answered the questions honestly and with a bit of fun.
Walsh talked about all the work he was doing coming back from his injury and gave a good insight to the 6 days training week. He indicated that there was currently 2 training sessions with running, a number weights sessions, pilates/yoga which they do not do during the season, and a couple of swimming sessions.
Walsh thought McDougall was a good addition and that he seemed to be enjoying himself here in Melbourne. Apparently he quite enjoys the Brunswick st lifestyle.

Street talked about his injury which is calf related. I think the fact that he is a ruckman and jumps off one foot means that he had to be careful. He is only another week or two away.
Street mentioned that one of the great things about Rocket is that if he gives them a spray it's forgotten about 5 mins later. Gave me the impression that he thinks the coach does not hold grudges. He made mention that the coaches box can get a bit spirited with with a few things flying around.

Now to the game. Very poor effort with very few good signs.

Hargrave's return from injury was very encouraging and Higgins was full of class and promise. McDougall contested well, held a couple of decent marks and laid a number of very good tackles up forward. Boydy tried hard but wasn't quite on his game.
Gilbee was very good early but made some mistakes in the latter part of the game. Gia was in and out of the game. Cross racked up a good possession rate but he wasn't nearly as effective as we come to expect. Eagle ran riot in the last quarter.

As AAD commented on Wight over committed himself to a couple of contests which resulted in the ball rebounding into the forward line. Ray's vision and decision making was very poor tonight and too often ran into trouble.
The team as a whole had problems with the 20mtr rule and time and time again kicked the ball too short to a team mate who was told to play on by the umps.

The Lions made the most of their chances and appear to be as fit as any team in the competition.

Very good summary GVG. Would add that I was disappointed with our tackling. If we have worked as hard as has been suggested it wasn't apparent to me that it has as yet had any impact. Also worried that our supposed speed advantage wasn't in evidence.

Thought they pretty well beat us at our own game.

[Go_Dogs]

Every list is going to be quicker this year - I still feel we hold the trump cards though for combining the run and carry with the skill. We just needed our full list playing.

[Max469]

Thought they pretty well beat us at our own game

This is exactly what I said to the people I was with on Friday night.


If this is how we were to play in season - we would have something to worry about. But the NAB is always a chance to find out where we are going and who we are - both the good and the bad.

The bad hit us big time.

They probably thought it was going to be an easy game - why not a lot of supporters did - but there is no easy game.

Humility is a wonderful tool - they now know there is still a lot of work to be done and the returning players will be a bonus.

There were good signs from Higgins, Shaggy and Doogs. Confidence will help a lot the players.


My concern is so many people are expecting so much from Darcy - they are putting so much pressure on him to be our Saviour - please let him get back into the game before we expect big things from him.