I Am Getting Very Nervous

[Missing-Dog]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

The theory of the Crows loading up in 97/98 continues to be bandied about but no mention is made of the complete failure of Crows teams in finals series since when they have gone in as one of the clear-cut favourites, undergone the same routine and been bundled out without giving a yelp.

We have been ordinary since Brisbane and have not been building up since then.

I sincerely hope I'm wrong about this. I've been waiting longer than most on this forum for Bulldog success but right now, I think we're struggling......and have been for sometime.

Hmm, here is my attempt to put your mind a bit more at ease mate...

In 97/98 it was revolutionary, since then it has become common practice, so obviously it doesn't have the same relative benefits. That's how most innovations go. Not unlike our own innovations from around the same time, of on ground warm ups, early pre season start, and ball skills work from the start of pre season. Everyone else does that stuff now, which means the benefits don't stand out much.

Given that, just because the Crows started it, doesn't make them forever the definitive example of whether it works or not. Anyway, labelling their finals runs since then as a 'complete failure' is a major overstatement, they twice narrowly lost in prelim finals to a pretty special Eagles team.

The physical side of it is just one aspect though. We've also known for a while now that we won't move out of the top three, and since the geelong game have known that we will be playing the Hawks in week one of the finals for the right to host a prelim. I think it is pretty hard for players to have the same intencity in games when they know the consequences of a win or loss are very small.

So, don't worry too much about our form being a bit down over the last 4-6 weeks. We'll come good when it matters. I think the problem is that our 'good' is probably not good enough anyway, given the guys we will probably have missing.

[hujsh]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

It feels like pre-season again the way some people are talking about the team.

[mjp]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

So the fact that this is a better performance than last year leaves you both pleased and satisfied?

Looking over the last three years, I saw 2006 as a year of promise for the future, 2007 as a complete disaster and I am now concerned that what began as a promising year may be heading into another disaster based on current form.

Unless there is major turn around in form we are heading for going out in straight sets which would be humiliating given our start to the season. After supporting the Dogs for well over 50 years, my nervousness is growing from our current form and a long history of finals failure.

I take no satisfaction in the fact that compared to last year we are miles ahead. There is little to get excited about in reaching the finals and getting bounced straight out.

The purpose of my thread was to raise some concerns about current form. There appears to be a reluctance by everyone associated with the Dogs to accept this fact.

Perhaps it is because I am prepared to accept mediocrity? I refuse to rest until I read this on a thread somewhere.

We have lost 2 1/2 games all year and are going through a bit of a flat spot. Cooney and Hudson need rests. Akermanis badly needs a rest...and despite all of this, we comfortably accounted for the 4th placed team last weekend playing well in basically 1 quarter and just 'hanging in there' the rest of the way.

I take ENORMOUS satisfaction from our improvement from last year to now...I take ENORMOUS satisfaction in the committed gamestyle we have played all year...we are a good, hard running side that is capable of winning the whole thing - as is Geelong, as is Hawthorn.

It is going to depend on which team is in form in a months time - not who is playing well now. Nervous? Nope - just looking forward to watching us play every weekend.

[LostDoggy]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

Perhaps it is because I am prepared to accept mediocrity? I refuse to rest until I read this on a thread somewhere.

We have lost 2 1/2 games all year and are going through a bit of a flat spot. Cooney and Hudson need rests. Akermanis badly needs a rest...and despite all of this, we comfortably accounted for the 4th placed team last weekend playing well in basically 1 quarter and just 'hanging in there' the rest of the way.
I take ENORMOUS satisfaction from our improvement from last year to now...I take ENORMOUS satisfaction in the committed gamestyle we have played all year...we are a good, hard running side that is capable of winning the whole thing - as is Geelong, as is Hawthorn.

It is going to depend on which team is in form in a months time - not who is playing well now. Nervous? Nope - just looking forward to watching us play every weekend.

I might also point out the same team that beat CArlton by two points the week before who accounted for us with a fifty something turnaround.

[Dry Rot]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

Looks like the OP has got it right...

[hujsh]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

Looks like the OP has got it right...

Nothing is right untill the finals.

[Scraggers]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

You're nervous ... ?

So am I !!

Your form is only as good as your last game, and although there were good signs in the second half against North, right now, we are struggling ...

I don't want to head to the finals with form like this !!

We need to turn it around and quick. West, Williams et al. will be great inclusions, but they are not the cattle that got us where we are now ... the current players need to extract the digit and quick

This makes Brisbane the perfect test for us ... shut down their midfield, cut off supply to the twin towers

If we dominate against Brisbane we can get back the winning way

[The Underdog]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

Perhaps it is because I am prepared to accept mediocrity? I refuse to rest until I read this on a thread somewhere.

If you're prepared to accept it they're offering it up in spades at the moment. The first half wouldn't have even scared mediocrity.

[mjp]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

Go on, say it...say it is because I am prepared to accept mediocrity. :-)

Sure the first half was frustrating, but to me today was about two important things:

1/.Johnno back in form.
2/.Murphy back in form.

Johnno has been average all season, and Murphy not much better for the past 6 weeks...today was a positive turn-around for both players who will be keys for us going forward.

[Mantis]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

^^^^

And the midfield??

[Scraggers]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\

And the back line ?

[mjp]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

The midfield is struggling at the moment Mantis...but when Cooney started to get his hands on it after half time, we looked much, much, much better. If only Griffen would do SOMETHING things would be better still.

Have a look at the inside 50m stats in the first half before you slaughter the defenders. I think North had 13 or 14 goal-kickers, so it wasn't as if the defenders were smashed individually...just outnumbered and overwhelmed at times by weight of possession.

What would winning today have actually achieved? I would have rather lost and had Murphy and Johnno (and Cooney in the 2nd half) start to get some form back than won with them continuing to be non-contributors...we need our best players up and going - they are our best players.

[Scraggers]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

The midfield is struggling at the moment Mantis...but when Cooney started to get his hands on it after half time, we looked much, much, much better. If only Griffen would do SOMETHING things would be better still.

Have a look at the inside 50m stats in the first half before you slaughter the defenders. I think North had 13 or 14 goal-kickers, so it wasn't as if the defenders were smashed individually...just outnumbered and overwhelmed at times by weight of possession.

What would winning today have actually achieved? I would have rather lost and had Murphy and Johnno (and Cooney in the 2nd half) start to get some form back than won with them continuing to be non-contributors...we need our best players up and going - they are our best players.

How about making our final three spot a certainty

How about instilling confidence in our players / coaching staff / supporters

How about ensuring we don't have to stress one more week about poor form

I take your point about Johnson, Murphy, Cooney et al., but we need a whole team performance if we are going to make a dent during the finals

[mjp]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

How about making our final three spot a certainty

How about instilling confidence in our players / coaching staff / supporters

How about ensuring we don't have to stress one more week about poor form

I take your point about Johnson, Murphy, Cooney et al., but we need a whole team performance if we are going to make a dent during the finals

Honestly, who cares if supporters are stressed...the coaches will be focussing on coaching which generally does not involve 'stressing' about form. Confidence for players? Well that comes and goes from one-moment to the next. They finished the game off well and will take confidence from that - how many times does a slow finish (think vs Sydney) get followed by a slow start the next week (today)...confidence is moment to moment. To me Gia had a shocker, but I bet he left the ground thinking that he was starting to turn it around in the last quarter and is looking forward to next week.

Of course we need a whole team performance to be successful in finals...back to your confidence point, if our best players are playing well, then the rest of the team will gain in confidence from that...and it will all start to roll...

Dont get me wrong, I wish we won...but I was wrapped at Johnno's efforts and (to me) his turnaround at half-time when we were getting smashed. If he is kicking goals and playing well, we going to be a chance...

[Mantis]

Re: I Am Getting Very Nervous

The midfield is struggling at the moment Mantis...but when Cooney started to get his hands on it after half time, we looked much, much, much better. If only Griffen would do SOMETHING things would be better still.

Have a look at the inside 50m stats in the first half before you slaughter the defenders. I think North had 13 or 14 goal-kickers, so it wasn't as if the defenders were smashed individually...just outnumbered and overwhelmed at times by weight of possession.

Awesome....Or midfield totally relies on the efforts of a couple of 22 yo's.

And what of the rest?

The thing that I noticed today and have noticed a bit over the past few week's is that we look bloody slow. We have gone from having a super quick team 18 to 24 months ago to being a team of plodders. Our ball movement isn't as sharp which doesn't help, but we seriously lack foot speed all over the ground.