Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

[jeemak]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

I've never seen a game where even though our good players were playing out of their skins the ball just didn't bounce their way and even they gave up fumbling errors and didn't do the percentage things to lock the ball in.

There's just so much to improve on, but we were still in it.

[Sedat]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

We go seven consecutive 50m entities for one point, Against the trend they get out the back and kick a goal with their first entry of the last quarter.

JUH missed 2 clear chances in 2 minutes before that Geelong goal against the run of play - good teams nail the moments and JUH wasn't up to it tonight. VDM is going to cop it (and fair enough) but JUH was terribly disappointing tonight except for a 5 minute cameo in the last.

[Happy Days]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

That’s a split decision if I’ve ever seen one. Big up and move on.

[azabob]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

I was disappointed with the run out of the backline, only Ed had 9 rebound 50s, whereas once more JJ was ineffective. We need him running and bouncing and creating.

I don't think we have a player on our list that can go with Cameron

They were all poor. Bramble, JJ, Dale also. Considering the number of times Jones and Khamis took intercept marks.

[josie]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

In 150 years of football that was never a mark. The moment he touches it might be a millimetre on the line, the moment he controlled it he is well over.

Thanks. That?s what I thought too.

[jeemak]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

I was disappointed with the run out of the backline, only Ed had 9 rebound 50s, whereas once more JJ was ineffective. We need him running and bouncing and creating.

I don't think we have a player on our list that can go with Cameron

Especially given how much we intercepted the football.

Too many times we actually left it to Jones to go the long kick after an intercept instead of peeling off and getting it moving. Geelong close out any width in the ground so quickly.

[jeemak]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

That’s a split decision if I’ve ever seen one. Big up and move on.

Agreed.

The commentators gushing over Geelong, but we did them in every stat except scoring. It was a lot closer than it looked.

[Rocket Science]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

I've almost stopped giving a shit about another flag, I just want to live to see us beat a full strength Geelong outfit one day.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

Things people won?t say but we should be discussing.

- if you play 3 tall forwards you need to be marking it more than we do?much more. We have been forced in some ways to invest in our list that way but it hurts us against the very best at the moment.
- People will focus on Macrae and Daniel but what?s happening to them isn?t personal it?s a balance issue related to our ability to cover the ground. If Sanders is playing one of them can?t.
- Naughton has regressed as an aerial threat year on year since 2021. His first general play goal in 2021 was in the GF. Pressure is great, we need him marking it. Pundits rate our list based on Naughton being a star, he isn?t that right now.
- We need 1-2 guys that can run and burst in our mid group ASAP.
- We hack kick against the good teams out of stoppage. Significant difference based on quality of the oppo.
- For the inevitable blame Bevo crew. Which line on paper do you think we have them covered?
- 3 talls, a mid, Weightman (leading forward) is a bad mix when West has an instinct to go to ground under pressure.
- If there is questions around ball movement tonight we took too long to take a few risks with the ball but every time we turned it over we got burnt so I understand the balance.
- 3 senior players took short steps or pulled out in Q2. Happens a bit against the very best and it?s easy to ignore but it?s probably an
issue in tight games. Dale, English and Treloar which is out of character for him.

Happy to say Geelong are top 4 locks and we are not far off them. Just some thoughts before the avalanche of blame and cliches.

Love to see you articulate your views here DT. I think you've made some really interesting insights, the Macrae/Daniel comment is one of those.

[Bornadog]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

Agreed.

The commentators gushing over Geelong, but we did them in every stat except scoring. It was a lot closer than it looked.

I am still seething over the free against Flea when he was trying to handball to West and the umpire called it insufficient bullshit. They took that all the way for a goal.

Anyway, at one stage I thought we were going to get smashed, but we fought on.

[angelopetraglia]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

Treloar 37
Bont 35
Libba 35

Each of them also kick a goal. Yet we lose the game and the inside 50m count as well.

[Eastdog]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

Cannot question our effort tonight. Libba is a beast along with the Bont. Just disappointed we could not win a close one. Last year this was a big difference lots of close losses except against the Tigers at the G to where we could have been higher up the ladder playing finals.

[Danjul]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

What you said.

Im happy we pushed them, but those are the wins that get you top 4 and they win them often.

Complete pros.

We make so many dumb decisions.

It really was back breaking performances by Libba, Bont and Jones that had us close.

Cameron pantsed us too. Nobody covered him up the ground.

Thats because of our poor game plan. When our players get the ball they start thinking. Geelong didn?t have to think, for them the play was a reflex action. Their thinking was done at training. That?s what it is for.

Look at their handball, for example. Blind handball out of congestion repeatedly opened up running clearances.

[weltschmerz]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

Last year we'd have dropped the heads somewhere in q3 and given up six goals in a row.

[kruder]

Re: Bulldogs V Cats - Round 4 (Gather Round), 6/4/24 Adelaide Oval 8:10pm AEST

Naughty and JUH were poor let's be honest, while our half back flankers couldn't tackle to save themselves and just didn't do any damage with ball in hand. It was a solid effort but still kind of feels like ground hog day under Bevo atm.

Love to know what's going on with Daniel and Macrae, AA talent looking like VFL level right now.