Welcome to the Western Bulldogs:- Josh Schache

[merantau]

Like many, I am conflicted about Josh. Why? Because I have seen what he can do - and the obverse.

I still believe we should play him for the rest of the year. Give him a decent run at it to prove he can or can't play. Then we'll be able to make a decision on surer ground.

He has been in and out and has covered more ground than Ludwig Leichhardt. Let's hope that he doesn't come to the same end as the peripatetic German.

[Bulldog Joe]

The problem with Schache I see as a confidence issue.

He clearly has ability but not the innate confidence of a player like Naughton.

Josh needs the right coaching and sustained belief to produce his best. He may not get that and the track record is not great for similar players.

I fully expect he will be dropped this week, but believe he should be retained.

[Danjul]

Like many, I am conflicted about Josh. Why? Because I have seen what he can do - and the obverse.

I still believe we should play him for the rest of the year. Give him a decent run at it to prove he can or can't play. Then we'll be able to make a decision on surer ground.

He has been in and out and has covered more ground than Ludwig Leichhardt. Let's hope that he doesn't come to the same end as the peripatetic German.

The problem with Schache is he has been branded. You cannot see him without also seeing a distorted history.

Who can forget the coach sitting him on the bench for 45 minutes while the rest of the team fell apart. Well, everyone . They only remember that he made an error. They don’t remember that the others meekly capitulated and allowed Carlton to get 6 unanswered goals for an unexpected win.


Branding can work in a player’s favour. Think of Weightman. Exciting, excellent, lights up the forward line, etc.

Nobody noticed that 85% of his goals this year came against bottom teams that the Dogs defeated comfortably. When we needed one goal from him for a win against Adelaide he supplied zero. How many did he get against Port? Same story. Two teams the Dogs should have beaten to cement a place in the finals. But instead we lost both. We remember his goals but not the context.

We don’t look at Weightman’s performance honestly and we have never looked at Schache’s honestly. The focus is psychology, not footy.

Don’t get me wrong. I think both a good players. And In a team that was properly organised, based upon everyone playing to their strengths, would probably make the Dogs unstoppable. I am simply pointing out that they are viewed through a lens which gives the supporters what they need.

[EasternWest]

Weightman shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath as him. Cody’s won games, plural, and some big games (Port last year) for us. He clearly had talent, heart, and something to work with.

The thing about Weightman is that even if he's having a bad game, he's always in the game. He's never far away from making something happen.

Schache's problem is if he's not in the game he's non existent. I'm happy to keep him on the list, but if there's an available upgrade, he's gone.

[Danjul]

The thing about Weightman is that even if he's having a bad game, he's always in the game. He's never far away from making something happen.

Schache's problem is if he's not in the game he's non existent. I'm happy to keep him on the list, but if there's an available upgrade, he's gone.

You obviously weren’t sitting behind the goals when Schache defeated hawthorn a few years ago. Or you didn’t see him kick 20 goals in 10 games in 2019 (?). Or you didn’t see the Dogs win clearances when he rucked on Thursday. We got a greater percentage of clearances than we have had with all other second ruckmen other than Sweet recently. In all cases the mood of the crowd is he is to be banished soon after.

You simply make my point. 1 possession from Weightman a Week ago was associated with the descriptions brave, genius , in the game Etc. For you he can do no wrong. For me that performance was a joke and salvaged partly by Schache’s performance that night. The selection decision was an insult to all players striving to be selected - reminded me of all of Bruce’s failures in 2020. When Weightman was goalless against Adelaide he had failed on the day. No need to come to his defence, players have bad days and we move on (well,for some).

Personally I enjoy watching Weightman, Bruce, Schache and the rest. I have seen Weightman as talented since his first kick. Bruce had a great year in 2021. But reality is reality when it occurs.

[EasternWest]

You obviously weren’t sitting behind the goals when Schache defeated hawthorn a few years ago. Or you didn’t see him kick 20 goals in 10 games in 2019 (?). Or you didn’t see the Dogs win clearances when he rucked on Thursday. We got a greater percentage of clearances than we have had with all other second ruckmen other than Sweet recently. In all cases the mood of the crowd is he is to be banished soon after.

You simply make my point. 1 possession from Weightman a Week ago was associated with the descriptions brave, genius , in the game Etc. For you he can do no wrong. For me that performance was a joke and salvaged partly by Schache’s performance that night. The selection decision was an insult to all players striving to be selected - reminded me of all of Bruce’s failures in 2020. When Weightman was goalless against Adelaide he had failed on the day. No need to come to his defence, players have bad days and we move on (well,for some).

Personally I enjoy watching Weightman, Bruce, Schache and the rest. I have seen Weightman as talented since his first kick. Bruce had a great year in 2021. But reality is reality when it occurs.

Hey I like Schache, he's done some good things. I'd love for him to be a good player for us.

But you know I'm right. When he disappears, he's totally gone whereas Weightman is always energetic and active.

I'm not sure why the point of your post is. I never said anything about "brave, genius". I never said "he can do no wrong". You're putting words in my mouth.

Point your piss cannon at someone else.

[Danjul]

You obviously weren’t sitting behind the goals when Schache defeated hawthorn a few years ago. Or you didn’t see him kick 20 goals in 10 games in 2019 (?). Or you didn’t see the Dogs win clearances when he rucked on Thursday. We got a greater percentage of clearances than we have had with all other second ruckmen other than Sweet recently. In all cases the mood of the crowd is he is to be banished soon after.

You simply make my point. 1 possession from Weightman a Week ago was associated with the descriptions brave, genius , in the game Etc. For you he can do no wrong. For me that performance was a joke and salvaged partly by Schache’s performance that night. The selection decision was an insult to all players striving to be selected - reminded me of all of Bruce’s failures in 2020. When Weightman was goalless against Adelaide he had failed on the day. No need to come to his defence, players have bad days and we move on (well,for some).

Personally I enjoy watching Weightman, Bruce, Schache and the rest. I have seen Weightman as talented since his first kick. Bruce had a great year in 2021. But reality is reality when it occurs.

From the AFL website, round 19 last year when the Dogs took top spot.



Schache selection reaps rewards
There was some surprise when Josh Schache was included in the side to tackle the Demons given the Dogs' set of tall forwards, but Beveridge swung a shock by playing the former Lion as a key defender. Schache started against Demons big man Luke Jackson but also spent time matched up against Ben Brown and Tom McDonald and played well across the night, finishing with 17 disposals and six marks. His inclusion was more valuable than the Dogs would have expected, though, given Keath's hamstring injury early in the first term left them a key defender down.

Whoever wrote that (relatively recently and not a Dog’s supporter) probably wasn’t biased by a need to have heroes and villains.

[EasternWest]

From the AFL website, round 19 last year when the Dogs took top spot.



Schache selection reaps rewards
There was some surprise when Josh Schache was included in the side to tackle the Demons given the Dogs' set of tall forwards, but Beveridge swung a shock by playing the former Lion as a key defender. Schache started against Demons big man Luke Jackson but also spent time matched up against Ben Brown and Tom McDonald and played well across the night, finishing with 17 disposals and six marks. His inclusion was more valuable than the Dogs would have expected, though, given Keath's hamstring injury early in the first term left them a key defender down.

Whoever wrote that (relatively recently and not a Dog’s supporter) probably wasn’t biased by a need to have heroes and villains.

Again, nothing to do with what I said.

[Danjul]

Again, nothing to do with what I said.

I’m not having a go at you. If it comes over that way I apologise.

I think the problem is you had a post and I clicked post reply and not reply to thread. Lesson learned.


But your statement- he is always in the game- doesn’t match my observations and neither does- he is totally gone (saw that somewhere).

My point is we view players through a lens. And that’s not directed at you. It is general. Could be written anywhere but in this thread it’s always present.

[EasternWest]

I’m not having a go at you. If it comes over that way I apologise.

I think the problem is you had a post and I clicked post reply and not reply to thread. Lesson learned.


But your statement- he is always in the game- doesn’t match my observations and neither does- he is totally gone (saw that somewhere).

My point is we view players through a lens. And that’s not directed at you. It is general. Could be written anywhere but in this thread it’s always present.

Ok.

Maybe it's body language then, Cody's energy is never lacking, whereas Schache's laconic nature can look poor.

[Happy Days]

Never seen Cody kick the ball 2m away because he's scared of body contact.

Also Cody was drafted 4 years after Schache, plays a totally different position and is way better than him. He has nothing to do with Schache being bad and seems like he's only been brought up as a strawman to deflect from Schache being bad.

[Danjul]

Never seen Cody kick the ball 2m away because he's scared of body contact.

Also Cody was drafted 4 years after Schache, plays a totally different position and is way better than him. He has nothing to do with Schache being bad and seems like he's only been brought up as a strawman to deflect from Schache being bad.

personally, I am sure the team would be better off if Weightman thought about body contact a little more. Didn’t he take himself out of the game against Port Adelaide by unnecessary body contact? Cost 2 him games. What happened to his elbow was the result of body contact, and ironically I think it was on Schache. He has not been able to play at his most effective best this year because of body contact.

On Thursday Cody and Josh had almost identical games from the point of view of getting a win. I didn’t see either as good or bad. You did. And I thought both were seriously handicapped by terrible delivery. That’s fair enough when viewing football because neither of our opinions are relevant. They just help fill in time.

[Danjul]

Ok.

Maybe it's body language then, Cody's energy is never lacking, whereas Schache's laconic nature can look poor.

I see it that way too.

[Happy Days]

personally, I am sure the team would be better off if Weightman thought about body contact a little more. Didn’t he take himself out of the game against Adelaide by unnecessary body contact? Cost 2 him games. What happened to his elbow was the result of body contact, and ironically I think it was on Schache. He has not been able to play at his most effective best this year because of body contact.

I don’t even know how to respond to this.

[Danjul]

Never seen Cody kick the ball 2m away because he's scared of body contact.

Also Cody was drafted 4 years after Schache, plays a totally different position and is way better than him. He has nothing to do with Schache being bad and seems like he's only been brought up as a strawman to deflect from Schache being bad.

I saw a comment somewhere that said deliveries into the forwards on Thursday were

to no one or opposition: 15
to Naughton: 15
to JUH: 4
to Weightman and Schache: 3

Three of them had little to work with, but JUH looked very good in those circumstances.