Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

[Bornadog]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

In Greece at the beach all day and just saw the scores and stats - I sincerely hope there are some vintage shots of 'Brad Scott face' from the coaches box in light of the free kick differential

To quote Allan Joyce after winning a Qualifying Final in Perth when he was coaching Hawthorn, "we're just happy to get the 4 points". Sounds like we are still playing like busteds, but it is endless lols beating Norf twice in a seaaon by less than a kick. Especially when there's a hint of controversy.

Now back to the beach

First of all, bloody freezing here, you lucky bastard.

Last night we changed our game plan and it worked. The only thing that let us down was the 9 goals 10 behinds from set shots. Should have put North away by 40 points, but we gave them a sniff and momentum took them along for the ride and they nearly snatched it.

[boydogs]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

Does anyone have any idea why we chose to use Bonti as the spare man in the last 5 minutes?

Because we were absolutely hopeless in high ball marking contests. Just lucky Mason Wood blocked Tom Campbell, or Brown probably would have outmarked him anyway and won the game for them

[Eastdog]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

Ok, it's true confessions time. Winning the flag last year has drastically altered my emotional state when watching us play. Pre 2016, after a game like that, I would have been absolutely spent. I would have been in a world of pain and elation, white knuckled and the edge of my seat would have been ground smooth.
But last night? We're 26 points up ... great we've got this now.
Hang on. They've just kicked a couple. Hmmmm ... this could be intetesting.
Bloody Cunnington! Bob's up at the death!
Hmmm .... we could lose this. Damn!
Ben Brown. Oh, good we got a free and a 50.
Higgins. Damn!
Last play. Good kick Suckers. Well done Jack. Nice take Lachie. Good lead Jake.
I had no doubt he would score.
And we won. It's like I'm on some sedative, sleep walking my way through games.

Don't get me wrong. I'm really happy we won. Maybe if our oppenents was the Cokes I would have been more emotionally invested because I really dislike that club. North ... I was at the G in '77 for the draw and the replay soI don't mind them too much. Maybe that explains my reaction.
Maybe I need professional help. I think I liked it more when I was a smouldering wreck at the end of a game.
Jesus, I want us to towel the Cokes, run them ragged, grind them up and spit them out!
I'm starting to feel better already. GO DOGS. GET INTO 'EM!!!

Cool post yep hoping we do it again next week a little more comfortably at the end. So have you been to any games this year merantau or in Indonesia now? If we make another grand final you would certainly need to come down again.

Go Bulldogs!

[merantau]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

Mate, I am praying that we will get to the big dance again. I'm planning to replicate last year's agenda if the planets line up - ie motorbike trip to Sumbawa, watch the Prelim there, turn around next day and head back to Lombok for a flight home. It worked a treat last year, so why not again?
Yeah, I caught a few games as we didn't leave until May 15. Swans at Etihad was a ripping win. The atmosphere in standing room was high voltage. Very enjoyable.

[Eastdog]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

Mate, I am praying that we will get to the big dance again. I'm planning to replicate last year's agenda if the planets line up - ie motorbike trip to Sumbawa, watch the Prelim there, turn around next day and head back to Lombok for a flight home. It worked a treat last year, so why not again?
Yeah, I caught a few games as we didn't leave until May 15. Swans at Etihad was a ripping win. The atmosphere in standing room was high voltage. Very enjoyable.

Good game and we unfurled our flag that night.

[jeemak]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

I was largely satisfied with most aspects of the game, aside from our goal kicking (once again) and clear concentration lapses at the beginning of the first three quarters, the end of the second - and of course the last eight minutes or so of the final.

Funnily, this is an improvement on how we've applied concentration in previous weeks. However, it's concerning that we think we can enter any segment of the game without being switched on at this point of the season, given each time we've done the same thing we've been punished in game play and on the scoreboard. Our players refuse to learn that they're not special compared to the rest of the competition as a collective - unless they actually put the mental and physical work in.

I think we should have avoided these issues, and had three or four (or more) goals in addition to our buffer to dwindle away after half or three quarter time.

It was good to see many of our players find some form, just as it was discouraging to see others struggle as they have in previous weeks. I thought Bont, Hunter and Honey were very influential with the touches they had in the first forty minutes of the game, other players just ground out opportunities for themselves and team mates and things went well. We benefited from a more traditional midfield structure, we should keep it the same when Toyd is fit and see what we can make of it.

Two big games coming up, if we can win both of them - which we can if we play to our capability - our season position is all of a sudden much healthier.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

Although we are still a long way from where we need to be, I thought there were some good positives to come from the game. Most crucially, our big man structure suddenly looks a lot more versatile. With Campbell excellent in the Ruck, Roughy solid as a KPD and Redpath useful as a key forward, we will have a lot more options once Tom Boyd becomes available.

[Murphy'sLore]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

No one seems to be talking about Cunnington's blatant punch of Toby McLean. Didn't even try to disguise it, shown on TV, yet no mention. Has he been reported?

[Bornadog]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

No one seems to be talking about Cunnington's blatant punch of Toby McLean. Didn't even try to disguise it, shown on TV, yet no mention. Has he been reported?

The way the AFL has come out saying they will stop all this punching, he should get a week.,

[Murphy'sLore]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

I think Roos said, well there's a thousand bucks.

But what difference will that make? Zero.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

I think Roos said, well there's a thousand bucks.

But what difference will that make? Zero.

Which is inane stupidity of the public statements.

First: AFEL CEO says we are losing ground to soccer. Parents don't want their children subjected to violence they see on TV so we are going to do something about it.
Second: Let punches to the stomach and face (holding the jumper makes it not hurt as much...) go unchecked until it's happening every game virtually.
Three: Because the AFEL weren't proactive about the whole soccer/parents thing they're wanting to address allegedly, they make a reactive public comment about cracking down on it now.
Four: The MRP, a group of ex-players, don't really want to do anything about it, they don't really do anything about it. If they do what they're told like Hawkin's one week last year, the media rip them to shreds which they don't like so they regress.
Five: Players don't get suspended for obvious things and get rat cunning. On us alone, Cloke gets his ribs smashed (derailing his comeback as a player with us), Caleb Daniel has his teeth knocked out by Toby Greene who shouldn't have been playing (where's the duty of care for the safety of players), McLean gets punched in the throat and so on.
Six: Repeat.

Players aren't as safe as they should be. Frankly, like in Daniel's case, I'd like to see a legal action over breaching the duty of care owed to him (there's been some on the ground condition, I think Shaun Rehn was one). There's only real action if it involves the AFEL losing or making money, so that might get their attention about what kind of workplace & workplace safety they should be providing.

[Ozza]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

I think Cunnington's punch was worth a week for sure.
Pretty dangerous to be punching someone in the throat like that, and potentially much worse than a punch to certain areas of the head.
I'd rather be punched in the cheek than in the throat.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

I think Cunnington's punch was worth a week for sure.
Pretty dangerous to be punching someone in the throat like that, and potentially much worse than a punch to certain areas of the head.
I'd rather be punched in the cheek than in the throat.

I'm long enough ill health retired, but all through my time from recruit, to 6 monthly training, to then out - one thing was made very clear. You do not do anything to throat, no hitting in any respect, no grabbing, no choking, no anything. WD would know all that stuff inside and out. It'd be a weird thing if coppers in Victoria were not allowed to punch a violent attacking offender in the throat, yet footballers in Victoria could do it to an opponent for no reason and with no recourse...

[Ozza]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

I'm long enough ill health retired, but all through my time from recruit, to 6 monthly training, to then out - one thing was made very clear. You do not do anything to throat, no hitting in any respect, no grabbing, no choking, no anything. WD would know all that stuff inside and out. It'd be a weird thing if coppers in Victoria were not allowed to punch a violent attacking offender in the throat, yet footballers in Victoria could do it to an opponent for no reason and with no recourse...

There are a hell of a lot of things that players get suspended for, that I'd prefer have happen to me than being punched in the throat - that's for sure!

[Bornadog]

Re: Game Day Round 14, 2017 - Western Bulldogs V North Melbourne

There are a hell of a lot of things that players get suspended for, that I'd prefer have happen to me than being punched in the throat - that's for sure!

Prediction: - deemed as chest, $1000 fine.