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  1. #1
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    Flat track Bullies?

    Mike Sheahan - H/S - 2 Aug

    HARD to fault a 12-goal win. Impossible, really ... or is it?

    The Western Bulldogs ended up crushing North Melbourne by 71 points at Etihad Stadium yesterday, yet it isn't all that it seems.

    All the good teams do a job on North. In six encounters this year with the five teams that stand above the rest, North is winless and in deficit by a mammoth 406 points.

    Article in full...
    85, 92, 97, 98, 08, 09, 10... Break the curse!

  2. #2
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    Really pointless article. Must have been a very slow news day for Mike.

  3. #3
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    I guess as Mike has written - it remains to be seen if we are flat track bullies - or up there with the absolute best. We'll get at least 3 opportunities to prove ourselves one way or another before the season is out.

  4. #4
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    Sorry Mike, but flat track bullies are teams that have huge wins (or players that perform extremely well) against bottom sides, but in turn get thrashed by the elite sides.

    A good example is the Fremantle Football Club, who beat the 16th placed Eagles by 75 points yesterday after losing to us by 82 points the week before.

    While the Doggies are yet to beat one of the "premiership contenders" this year, it is not as if we have been blown away either. And we haven't even played the favourites yet.

  5. #5
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    Mike Sheahan, you're an idiot.

  6. #6
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    One fickle bastard is Mike Sheahan.

  7. #7
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ozza View Post
    I guess as Mike has written - it remains to be seen if we are flat track bullies - or up there with the absolute best. We'll get at least 3 opportunities to prove ourselves one way or another before the season is out.
    I agree with this Ozza. I don't agree with the entirety of Mike's article, but we haven't proven ourselves against the top teams yet. Sure, we've had big impressive wins, but that doesn't prove that we are legitimate contenders.

    I think Mike would have written the article to show to those who didn't watch the game that it really wasn't as good as it sounds. Sure we won by 71, but I thought North were a better team in the first half, we just kicked straighter.

    It only became a dominant performance in the last quarter, and if we played the way we did in the first half any other premiership contender would have most likely destroyed us.

  8. #8
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    I think there is a half truth in the 'flat track bullies' call.

    We certainly do crush the poorer sides who give us the freedom to play our own style of game.

    I guess the term would also imply not really competing/bringing your A game up against the elite sides. We are obviously competitive against these sides but equally as obvious in our mental fragility late in these games when they are there to be won. So for about 85% of these games we look genuine contenders but in the last 15% or so we come across as flat track bullies.

  9. #9
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    Quote Originally Posted by St 07 View Post
    One fickle bastard is Mike Sheahan.
    I would have described it as - when in doubt fall back on well run cliches and stereotypes, but I dont mind that there is scepticism in the footy public about us, as long as the umpires understand we are good

  10. #10
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocco Jones View Post
    I think there is a half truth in the 'flat track bullies' call.

    We certainly do crush the poorer sides who give us the freedom to play our own style of game.

    I guess the term would also imply not really competing/bringing your A game up against the elite sides. We are obviously competitive against these sides but equally as obvious in our mental fragility late in these games when they are there to be won. So for about 85% of these games we look genuine contenders but in the last 15% or so we come across as flat track bullies.
    Agree with this.

    Still, we should be judged on our performance in the finals and not one game in round 20 against Geelong. I think we'll likely drop one game between now and week 1 of the finals, which may not be a bad thing as long as Freo drop one too. It's in this finals series that will determine whether or not we are flat track bullies.

  11. #11
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocco Jones View Post
    I think there is a half truth in the 'flat track bullies' call.

    We certainly do crush the poorer sides who give us the freedom to play our own style of game.

    I guess the term would also imply not really competing/bringing your A game up against the elite sides. We are obviously competitive against these sides but equally as obvious in our mental fragility late in these games when they are there to be won. So for about 85% of these games we look genuine contenders but in the last 15% or so we come across as flat track bullies.
    Yeah, 82 point demolition of the equal 4th placed Freo is proof
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

  12. #12
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    Maybe we just don't smash the better sides because they're actually pretty good?

    It's not like smashing sides below us is a bad thing.

  13. #13
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    Quote Originally Posted by bornadog View Post
    Yeah, 82 point demolition of the equal 4th placed Freo is proof
    I don't consider Freo in Melbourne anywhere near elite, fair play to you if you think that is roll eye inducing. FWIW I definitely don't see us as flat track bullies. I think we are an elite side who turns into a train wreck late in close games against other elite/high quality sides.

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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sockeye Salmon View Post
    Maybe we just don't smash the better sides because they're actually pretty good?

    It's not like smashing sides below us is a bad thing.
    Totally.

    Also, despite our poor win/loss against the top sides we are as consistently in the game late as it gets. Ten minutes of non train wreck footy off greatness.

  15. #15
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    Re: Flat track Bullies?

    Fair point made my Sheehan,we need a big scalp.Flat track bullies is a silly headline,Mike seems to swing in the breeze these days!

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