Barry Hall puts Dogs in uncharted waters

[LostDoggy]

A lot of pressure on big Bazza, with all these articles coming out.

I wonder how many he actually reads though???

Mark Stevens
From: Herald Sun
March 06, 2010

TED Whitten is sadly gone, but Stuey Magee might have been having a chuckle on the couch last night.

Would you believe the pair were at the forefront the last time the Western Bulldogs played in a grand final of any kind?

We are talking the old mid-week night series back in 1970.

Former Carlton president John Elliott might have been harsh calling the history "tragic", but it has been a mighty long drought.

And it took a bloke who hasn't even played a serious game with the club to break it.

Forget the hype of Barry Hall's six goals against Hawthorn.

Game No. 2 in the NAB Cup against Port Adelaide last night was considerably better.

Hall had 12 disposals. Every one resulted in a score.

He kicked 4.3, assisted in another three goals - directly - and played a part in two other scoring chains.

They are the kind of numbers that keep the stats guys up at night.

After a brief spell deep in time-on, Hall resumed duties in the forward line with the Dogs three points down.

Shaun Higgins pumped it in.

In past years, the ball would invariably be thumped away and repelled. Yet Hall, keeping to the fairytale, would be the difference.

He took a towering contested mark 25m out with 69sec on the clock.

It was the kind of grab the Dogs were crying out for in that agonising preliminary final loss last year. In a flash, Hall fired off a handball to a shocked Brian Lake, who slotted the winning goal.

If Hall was king of the West at the family day last Sunday, how big is he now?

Yes, it is only the pre-season, but you could sense the genuine passion in the stands in the final five minutes last night. Suddenly, Dogs fans who have an eye on a far bigger prize, decided they desperately wanted to win.

The players lifted a notch, too. But how would they be feeling at Whitten Oval behind closed doors?

They would be relieved to dodge a trip to Mt Gambier next Saturday night, but Dogs coach Rodney Eade probably couldn't have cared either way. He told Channel 7 at three-quarter time, with scores level, that his boys were having the hitout they needed.

The skills were sloppy, but at least it was a high-intensity game. Eade would have been thrilled that his team comfortably won the tackle and contested possession statistics.

Playing in a NAB Cup grand final is great for the membership and merchandise people, but it does present its issues.

How do you deal with the media interest? How do you douse the hype that has been completely out of whack after one win against an undermanned Hawthorn?

What's it all mean? It's not as if the club has had much experience with grand final weeks.

Get ready for Eade and Co. to shut the lid as much as possible next week. Round 1 will still be the focus despite scenes of Doggie fans getting excited in early March.

And Eade knows he has plenty to work on.

How can you make so many mistakes and still be seven points up at halftime?

Just about everything that could go wrong early in the game did.

James Mulligan run down from behind by Warren Tredrea. Goal to Port.

The usually creative Jarrod Harbrow committed a kick-clanger. Another goal to Port.

Tom Williams kicked it out on the full. Yep, another one.

Lake had one of those nights where he couldn't get a handle on the pill - until it counted most deep in the final term.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/af...-1225837571337

[AndrewP6]

Don't think BAZZA pays much attention to these articles.

[LostDoggy]

I read this article at work in my break, and this line just sent shivers down my spine..

''Hall had 12 disposals. Every one resulted in a score.
He kicked 4.3, assisted in another three goals - directly - and played a part in two other scoring chains.''

[Remi Moses]

Barry hasn't lost much pace for a 33 y/o and looks in great shape. Took amark on a lead where he burnt off Carlisle easily

[chef]

Don't think BAZZA pays much attention to these articles.

And even if he did you would think he would be used to it.

[LostDoggy]

I just wish the media would get off Bazza's case and just let him play Footy.
I Know it's all exciting but realistically, it's just the NAB Cup and there's 22 H & A games to play before we can think of unfurling anther flag.
Far Too much hype in the media and within the general Public.
So Let's all put everything back into perspective and go Game by Game.
Unlike some who are virtually giving us back to back aleady!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!