Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

The funniest thing I remember thinking was:

"We should let Buddy mark the thing and kick set shots. He can't kick straight when he has to think about it."

Just like all dumb@$$es he works much better when his brain doesn't get a chance to engage. When he had to think about it, it was 1.1 and two shots out on the full.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

I hear you Cinder.. it's really tough to take when the first two thirds of the season led us to believe our team had turned the corner, and was ready to duke it our with the heavyweights.
Unfortunately I think this year is over, whether we win next week or not, and some serious questions will need to be made once we drop out of the flag race.

I've been an unwavering supporter of Eade, but I must admit I'm starting to falter given the way the last couple of months have played out.

I also think we need to seriously entertain the thought of making some hard decisions with a few on our list. Some who two or three months ago seemed secure in their Bulldog future...

Clearly the first 15 rounds flattered us - to be 2nd on the ladder to that point was a real shock to me, but we were playing some terrific footy (Brisbane game probably my favourite)

If we can beat Sydney (I doubt North will beat them) next Friday and remain somewhat competitive against Geelong in the prelim, I'll take that as good experience for some of the youngens. All games at the G, and a prelim was likely beyond what the club thought it could achieve pre-season.

So while I remain philosophical, there's a few things that confuse me

* Why wasn't Minson played deeper in attack more often tonight?
* Why is Welsh drifting up the ground to get kicks?
* While I love Harbrow's intensity, why don't his tackles stick? I can probably answer that one

Other issues raised previously are Ray & Eagleton - Nathan might have one more year left, or maybe it's time to give Ward/Reid opportunities instead. Farren Ray had a howler, and I have to admit he's my new Sam Power. He has to go. Too slow, bad decision maker.

I thought all week that Lake should have had first crack at Franklin, and I thought he did ok on him. Some of Brian's handballs under pressure are stageringly poor though.

I thought Josh Hill was good, at least he flew for marks above his head when he went forward and created a contest. While Cross had a heap of it, he did nothing with it. I still love him though, massive heart.

I think I have a form of Bulldog September failure immunity these days - it helps that I'm crook and didn't have a drink today.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

Nathan might have one more year left

One more year doing what? Running around (slowly) doing nothing? Worse than nothing -- turning the ball over by hand in the middle of the ground? And taking precious game time from Ward/Reid? If he doesn't jump he has to be pushed. Hard.

Then thanked for his past services and given a gold watch at the B&F. Has been a good servant, but the game is definitely past him now.

[Sedat]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

When analysing the game it's easy to focus on how brilliant Franklin was but we need to search within first. We had a lot of passengers tonight and we need to show a lot more next week whoever we play.

Our midfield effort in the first half was as embarrasing a performance as I've had the displeasure of witnessing by my team. I am a gutted supporter tonight. I said a few weeks ago that our season will be defined by our perfoemance in week 1 of the finals - sadly that has been answered in the most resounding way.

The team tonight disgraced the jumper, the club and themselves as professional footballers. With the exception of Griffen, there was no desire to put their bodies on the line for the team cause. Sewell, Mitchell, Hodge, even a guy like Osborne who is a footballer with limitations, showed the hunger, the desire at the contest to put their body on the line for the team cause.

Grant Thomas, Dermott Brereton, all the doubters have been proven to be on the money about us. When the crunch came, we were found to be ruthlessly exposed. Tonight's feeling of helplessness is even worse that preliminary final 1997.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

One more year doing what? Running around (slowly) doing nothing? Worse than nothing -- turning the ball over by hand in the middle of the ground? And taking precious game time from Ward/Reid? If he doesn't jump he has to be pushed. Hard.

Then thanked for his past services and given a gold watch at the B&F. Has been a good servant, but the game is definitely past him now.

Yeah actually you're right. My brother on the way home was insisting both Ray & Eagleton have to go, and I was saying 'I think Eagleton will have a year left, he won't retire and we'll get nothing for him' though the more I think about it, it's probably time for a forced retirement of the Jeff Farmer at Freo variety.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

Our midfield effort in the first half was as embarrasing a performance as I've had the displeasure of witnessing by my team. I am a gutted supporter tonight. I said a few weeks ago that our season will be defined by our perfoemance in week 1 of the finals - sadly that has been answered in the most resounding way.

The team tonight disgraced the jumper, the club and themselves as professional footballers. With the exception of Griffen, there was no desire to put their bodies on the line for the team cause. Sewell, Mitchell, Hodge, even a guy like Osborne who is a footballer with limitations, showed the hunger, the desire at the contest to put their body on the line for the team cause.

Grant Thomas, Dermott Brereton, all the doubters have been proven to be on the money about us. When the crunch came, we were found to be ruthlessly exposed. Tonight's feeling of helplessness is even worse that preliminary final 1997.

That hurts doesn't it? They spruke perceptions, it's sad that our reality is matching it.

We spoke all week of cutting supply to their forward line through midfield pressure - didn't quite work out. Have our midfielder's lost weight midyear?

[Bornadog]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

I'm only 27 and I doubt that I will ever see the Bulldogs win a flag.

I am 52 and I am worried

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

Our midfield effort in the first half was as embarrasing a performance as I've had the displeasure of witnessing by my team. I am a gutted supporter tonight. I said a few weeks ago that our season will be defined by our perfoemance in week 1 of the finals - sadly that has been answered in the most resounding way.

The team tonight disgraced the jumper, the club and themselves as professional footballers. With the exception of Griffen, there was no desire to put their bodies on the line for the team cause. Sewell, Mitchell, Hodge, even a guy like Osborne who is a footballer with limitations, showed the hunger, the desire at the contest to put their body on the line for the team cause.

Grant Thomas, Dermott Brereton, all the doubters have been proven to be on the money about us. When the crunch came, we were found to be ruthlessly exposed. Tonight's feeling of helplessness is even worse that preliminary final 1997.

Totally agree.

It was so painful it was actually quite funny watching the game without pressure in the final quarter KNOWING that some of the guys were going to make mistakes and being proven right.

Didn't fire a shot all night -- and worse, didn't put ANY kind of physical pressure on Franklin and just let him play off his confidence and strut about like a dickwad. The guy is mentally fragile, but we just let him go about his business without any physicality.. just can't wait for his third drug test strike. Can't come soon enough.

That wasn't a finals game by the Dogs.. it was just home and away running around rubbish.

[cinder]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

Goodnight fellow doggies supporters. If nothing else at least we know how each other feels! That's some comfort ...

[1eyedog]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

SHit, Shit, SHit, thatls ir!

[GVGjr]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

Did anyone else notice how often our players went to the interchange bench at what seemed to be the wrong time?

[Happy Days]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

I am 52 and I am worried

I'm 16 and I'm terrified.

It seems pointless to even bother with next week, it'll only lead to another pasting.

Why did Welsh even bother to turn up? I almost got as many kicks as he did. Same goes for Hahn. Far too many passengers tonight...about 20 of them to be exact.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

Did anyone else notice how often our players went to the interchange bench at what seemed to be the wrong time?

It's ridiculous isn't it? You'd think that;

a) The runners would have some common sense of when to tell a player to come off.
&
b) The player himself would realize the situation and come off after the ball has cleared the vicinity.

[Sedat]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

Totally agree.

It was so painful it was actually quite funny watching the game without pressure in the final quarter KNOWING that some of the guys were going to make mistakes and being proven right.

Didn't fire a shot all night -- and worse, didn't put ANY kind of physical pressure on Franklin and just let him play off his confidence and strut about like a dickwad. The guy is mentally fragile, but we just let him go about his business without any physicality.. just can't wait for his third drug test strike. Can't come soon enough.

That wasn't a finals game by the Dogs.. it was just home and away running around rubbish.

You can blame our midfield for this. The amount of easy ball being gifted into Hawthorn's forward 50 had to be seen to be believed. Would have been an absolute nightmare being a defender for the Dogs tonight.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day Finals Edition - Bulldogs vs Hawks

You can blame our midfield for this. The amount of easy ball being gifted into Hawthorn's forward 50 had to be seen to be believed. Would have been an absolute nightmare being a defender for the Dogs tonight.

Brad Sewell had like 13 hard ball gets and 8 centre clearances or something -- BRAD FLIPPIN' SEWELL.

What a joke.