3 Things Learned - R9, 2025 vs Gold Coast

[GVGjr]

Welcome to the 3 things learned thread

Please list 3 things you learned from our Round 9 clash against Gold Coast at Darwin

[Bulldogs201616]

1. JOD is going to play alot of games for the Bulldogs.

2. Our first request for next year's draw has to be no games in Darwin!

3. We need to figure out another target up forward until Darcy is back someone to just put up a contest

[GVGjr]

3rd quarters are somewhat problematic for us
Davidson just doesn't stop running
Naughton needs someone a bit better than Khamis to play alongside.

[chef]

Naughton needs someone a bit better than Khamis to play alongside.

I guess that should be an easy fix, Buss in and Lobb forward. It's not ideal but it's the best solution.

[lemmon]

1. JOD should be playing on the opposition's most dangerous tall. It seemed like King did most of his scoring against Lobb and we had the matchup wrong.

2. We might be a better side playing Davidson as a third tall forward at the moment. We need to manufacture a way to take some heat off Naughton and he can take a grab

3. Bailey Dale might be the most underrated player in the comp. He's never talked about but I'd struggle to choose another half back ahead of him. His defensive work has come on in leaps and bounds too

[Go_Dogs]

JOD is absolutely our #1 key defender of the future. Let’s keep him there. Jones may struggle to get back. He needs to improve his disposal and decision making though.

Libba is timeless - I keep hoping against but waiting for a regression. When he eventually calls curtains on his career it will be a massive loss. Both playing wise but more importantly cultural, heart and soul.

Williams is a sneaky chance for a top 5 B&F. Consistency, adaptability. He’s the sort of 250 gamer unheralded by ops, but the galvanising type every successful era has. He can be our glue for the next 3-5 I suspect.

[Critter]

1. We need to have one lock-down KPD playing each week. I’d suggest that either Busslinger or Liam Jones is best suited to that role.
2. I believe we need at play at least 2 key KPFs each week. Naughton and Darcy are no brainers. In Darcy’s absence, I don’t think the answer is Buku. He is taken out of the contest too easily. I think Lobb should play up forward until Darcy returns.
3. At times our defence looks shaky. We should use the mid-season draft to bolster our capability.

[Scorlibo]

This team has enormous belief
More than I do anyway. If we'd been a bit cleaner in those last 3 minutes it would have completed one of the great comeback wins. Credit to the team to just keep asking the question and when the Suns took the pedal off the gas we were ready to capitalise.

O'Donnell has a right foot but Harmes has no left foot
Was genuinely shocked by the purchase that JOD got on that kick coming from the last line of defence. Hands over eyes stuff.

Our tackling is below the standard required
A lot of missed opportunities for turnovers by not completing the tackle. In those conditions you need to tackle with the body as much as with the arms.

Additional related learning: the umpires toss a coin at the beginning of the game to decide if they're going to pay holding the ball or out of bounds if the tackled player simultaneously walks it out of bounds.

[Bornadog]

I think Lobb should play up forward until Darcy returns .

Agree, as much as I would hate to move Lobb. With Darcy out, and Buss in good form, let's do it. Lobb forward, JOD CHB and Buss FB. We can still have Buku forward/ruck and Jones can also fit into the backline. Will depend on the opposition and who they have playing forward.

[Rusty12]

JOD, backed up the faith showed in him.
No knock on Khamis, he is playing his role. But is Naughton going well enough to have him as his running mate.
Being sent to Darwin is not ideal, the planning required, the ground was in ordinary condition, the conditions make for ordinary footy. It is an uneven comp.