Take a Breath & Debrief - Round 8

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  • Palmybulldogs
    Rookie List
    • Apr 2025
    • 55

    Take a Breath & Debrief - Round 8

    I’ve taken a breath after the excitement of the game. Here are my thoughts. First cab off the rank, I just want to praise Luke Beveridge, not just for this one but this whole season thus far. Cops a heap of schlack in losses, but I think this year in particular he has got the team humming, and done it with a horrible fixture and injury list. He has made some bold selection choices and mid-game moves that have paid off. I’m fully convinced the Dogs should sign him up. He’s our man. Still.


    Now I want to preempt this by saying it’s round 8. We are a long way away from September. BUT, this team has all the makings of a premiership team. Not a single hole and still high-quality players to come in. The elite players are dominating, the young players have been terrific, and the role players are playing their roles perfectly.


    To the midfield, for the first time in a long time, I can confidently say we no longer need a dominant Bont performance to win. He is still the GOAT, but even when he was down on his usual standards, the team was still well on top, and there is no doubt in my mind that the Dogs midfield is the deepest midfield in the comp. Not just in number, but everyone going through the midfield is a high-quality player. Special shoutout to Tim English today as well. That’s the best game he’s played in quite a while. He’s been good all year, although underrated, but today he tore the game apart.


    A quick shoutout as well to our defence. I thought JOD was fantastic today. He played a very brave game, and it paid off. He is rarely beaten at all. Lobb the same. Our pillars down back just got in all the right spots all game and competed hard all game.


    Last point is the fixture, we’ve had a really hard fixture to start the season, both with travel and quality of opponents and you know what, it hasn’t mattered one bit. The Dogs have been focused and consistent in every game. Sure, there’s been disappointing games and moments, but we have been in every game and now that most troops have returned, a 5-3 record puts us in a perfect spot to push for the top 4 at the end of the year. Next week will be our 6th different venue in a row, up in Darwin, where the Suns play great footy. Then, Geelong shortly after. If we can win those and go into the bye with a strong 8-3 record, even 7-4 would be solid too. We will be in a prime spot for the top 4.


    Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Dogs fans. I know I will. If you have time, chuck on the replay. It’s not every day we get to enjoy victories like that.


  • merantau
    Coaching Staff
    • May 2015
    • 3974

    #2
    Yep, agree with all you say. Very pleasing to see contributions across the board. Fantastic team effort. Also Naughton is getting back in form
    [URL="http://journals.worldnomads.com/merantau"]http://journals.worldnomads.com/merantau[/URL]
    "It's not about the destination - it's about the trip."

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    • BornInDroopSt'54
      Bulldog Team of the Century
      • Jan 2009
      • 5165

      #3
      Just looked at the draw and by the time we play Hawks, in three weeks, we could well be on top of them. They have some tough games leading into it.
      Footscray Football Republic.

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      • Palmybulldogs
        Rookie List
        • Apr 2025
        • 55

        #4
        Originally posted by BornInDroopSt'54
        Just looked at the draw and by the time we play Hawks, in three weeks, we could well be on top of them. They have some tough games leading into it.
        Did somebody say revenge game

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        • Bornadog
          WOOF Clubhouse Leader
          • Jan 2007
          • 66082

          #5
          image.png

          Coaching beautifully
          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.

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          • BornInDroopSt'54
            Bulldog Team of the Century
            • Jan 2009
            • 5165

            #6
            Originally posted by Palmybulldogs

            Did somebody say revenge game
            The other revenge game before, is Cats at Gross Bodily Damage Stadium.
            Somebody said bringe on revenge games.
            Sooo good to've torn them apart last time there.
            We as Bulldag supporters now deserve to feel bullish about our chances.
            We have an elite team again, with coach and captain and others connecting us to '16 premiership (why does my mind go to Tom Boyd?), so an era that continues this season.
            Footscray Football Republic.

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            • Palmybulldogs
              Rookie List
              • Apr 2025
              • 55

              #7
              Originally posted by BornInDroopSt'54

              The other revenge game before, is Cats at Gross Bodily Damage Stadium.
              Somebody said bringe on revenge games.
              Sooo good to've torn them apart last time there.
              We as Bulldag supporters now deserve to feel bullish about our chances.
              We have an elite team again, with coach and captain and others connecting us to '16 premiership (why does my mind go to Tom Boyd?), so an era that continues this season.
              Outside of finals, if there’s 3 games I am desperate for the Dogs to win this year it’s Cats, Hawks and Giants again

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              • Bumper Bulldogs
                Coaching Staff
                • Apr 2008
                • 2923

                #8
                Originally posted by Palmybulldogs

                Outside of finals, if there’s 3 games I am desperate for the Dogs to win this year it’s Cats, Hawks and Giants again
                Agree but I would like to throw in the Plies also.
                BB.

                Looking forward - Naughton, Darcy and JUH. It will be the envy of everyone.

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                • Palmybulldogs
                  Rookie List
                  • Apr 2025
                  • 55

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Bumper Bulldogs

                  Agree but I would like to throw in the Plies also.
                  I don’t think we play them again this year do we?

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                  • Bumper Bulldogs
                    Coaching Staff
                    • Apr 2008
                    • 2923

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Palmybulldogs

                    I don’t think we play them again this year do we?
                    We should have won that one. However beating them in September really has a nice ring to it.
                    BB.

                    Looking forward - Naughton, Darcy and JUH. It will be the envy of everyone.

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                    • Palmybulldogs
                      Rookie List
                      • Apr 2025
                      • 55

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Bumper Bulldogs

                      We should have won that one. However beating them in September really has a nice ring to it.
                      Genuinely wouldn’t be surprised if we played them in a granny. Dogs, Lions and Pies the best teams in it in my opinion

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                      • azabob
                        Hall of Fame
                        • Sep 2008
                        • 15206

                        #12
                        My take a deep breath , is on a couple of players and their recent form.

                        VDM was in really good form prior to his injury. In his return games he has been fumbly. His fumbles are in critical parts of the ground, typically at HF and then the ball is turned over. Hopefully he can regain his touch as he is a vital cog in our team.

                        The other player is Tim English. He has had a great three weeks, really built into the season. English is at his best when taking marks at either end of the ground. I wonder how we manage English as we enter the back end of the season? It seems the recent trend is that teams are only going with one designated ruckman and we need to make sure English is cherry ripe so we can take advantage of that.
                        More of an In Bruges guy?

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