Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

[Dry Rot]

I've seen bugger all pre-season games so I'm wondering if anything you've seen in the last few weeks has changed your view about the prospects of any team this season?

All I've seen is that the Cats are as good as ever and the Swans might do better than expected with this new rolling defensive zone.

[Ozza]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

My main point of contention at the moment is that every man and is dog is convinced that Carlton will not only finish in the 8 - but that they'll finish top 4. Yes, Judd is firing, yes their midfield looks great - but two things haven't changed - their backline is ordinary - particularly with regard to tall defenders. And they don't have a secondary goal kicker to Fev.

Betts only kicked about 25 goals last year, and Fisher kicked about 22 - if Fev gets shut down - they will lose more often than not. For them to be 3rd favourite for the flag is absurd.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

I am more concerned with our own team.

Major injuries/repairs to a number of players has resulted in them having a very restricted pre-season and this must impact on their individual and the team's performance.

Cooney, Murphy, Williams, Lake and Hahn head the list with Acker and Welsh not far advanced on them.

Without the benefit of the workload endured by the rest of the team (and the opposition) it will be difficult for us to have a start to the season anywhere near that of last year.

Pre-season started much earlier last year with the result that come Round 1 we were flying. I can't see that happening this year.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

I am more concerned with our own team.

Major injuries/repairs to a number of players has resulted in them having a very restricted pre-season and this must impact on their individual and the team's performance.

Cooney, Murphy, Williams, Lake and Hahn head the list with Acker and Welsh not far advanced on them.

Without the benefit of the workload endured by the rest of the team (and the opposition) it will be difficult for us to have a start to the season anywhere near that of last year.

Pre-season started much earlier last year with the result that come Round 1 we were flying. I can't see that happening this year.

I tend to agree, but I'm not too worried. For the blokes coming back from injury, they'll start slowly but they can build up slowly too, and hopefully won't get hampered by injuries/soreness towards the business end of the season like they did last year.

All this means is that guys who have had a full pre-season, like Griff and Higgins, need to stay injury free and become our prime movers. We have enough quality to get through the first part of the year and finish strongly. We don't need to win every game, just make top 4, and from there, anything can happen.

I honestly would not be surprised if we went 2-3 to start the season.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

I haven't watched any pre season games, because to me, the pre season means nothing.
Round 1 is when I'll start analysing and talking serious footy.

[Scorlibo]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

I have seen the Port Power play twice this pre-season and I am very impressed. They are fluent with their ball movement, their midfield is top-notch and have guys like Nathan Krakeur coming through and really blossoming.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

I am more concerned with our own team.

Major injuries/repairs to a number of players has resulted in them having a very restricted pre-season and this must impact on their individual and the team's performance.

Cooney, Murphy, Williams, Lake and Hahn head the list with Acker and Welsh not far advanced on them.

Without the benefit of the workload endured by the rest of the team (and the opposition) it will be difficult for us to have a start to the season anywhere near that of last year.

Pre-season started much earlier last year with the result that come Round 1 we were flying. I can't see that happening this year.

I agree with all of this. I expect us to have a much worse year than last year and may not make the finals.


Watch the knives come out then.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

I agree with all of this. I expect us to have a much worse year than last year and may not make the finals.

Watch the knives come out then.

I was feeling like this earlier but I've turned the corner away my Danny from Droop St alter ego

Guys like Boyd, Morris and Cross leave me full of confidence that their teammates have not been bludging all summer.

We've really only had 1 preseason hitout, which was against Melbourne. Before that we had so many senior players missing that it was bound to be a bit ragged.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

I have seen the Port Power play twice this pre-season and I am very impressed. They are fluent with their ball movement, their midfield is top-notch and have guys like Nathan Krakeur coming through and really blossoming.

Totally agree. They were obviously fighting out of their division when they made the grand final two years ago but I'd expect them to turn it around from last year and make the eight comfortably. This is coming straight from the fingers of a Port hater.

Their ability to keep unearthing football smart, ball magnet, speedster Aboriginals with freakish skills (who are quickly AFL ready) is down right infuriating. Throw Wade Thompson in your dreamteam lads.

[KT31]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

I agree with all of this. I expect us to have a much worse year than last year and may not make the finals.


Watch the knives come out then.

I remember 97 first game against Freo and you writ us off.
Yea have little hope ,I'm not saying we will win the flag but we are a better unit than most sides which gives us a good chance.

[BulldogBelle]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

I tend to agree, but I'm not too worried. For the blokes coming back from injury, they'll start slowly but they can build up slowly too, and hopefully won't get hampered by injuries/soreness towards the business end of the season like they did last year.

All this means is that guys who have had a full pre-season, like Griff and Higgins, need to stay injury free and become our prime movers. We have enough quality to get through the first part of the year and finish strongly. We don't need to win every game, just make top 4, and from there, anything can happen.

I honestly would not be surprised if we went 2-3 to start the season.

l totally agree.

l think we will have a bit of a slow start to the year. They have the fitness but not the ball skills yet which will come over the first few games.

If all goes well with injuries etc we should hopefully finish the year off well.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

I remember 97 first game against Freo and you writ us off.
Yea have little hope ,I'm not saying we will win the flag but we are a better unit than most sides which gives us a good chance.

I AM saying we'll win the flag. Well, we'll give it a good shake anyway.

Yet again I am on the high-expectations side of the ledger. Sure, the Dogs haven't had a fantastic pre-season form wise, but nothing I have seen of the other teams have convinced me that they're in any better shape going into this year anyway. Hawthorn will slide, Geelong will do a bit, Dogs will be thereabouts, Brisbane is a threat.

There are those putting Collingwood and Carlton in the Top 4. If they are supposed to be in the best four teams in the league, the Dogs are playing in a different competition. Carlton won't make the eight, and Collingwood are trying to do this rolling zone rubbish that will take them the best part of half a season to figure out is next to useless when you don't know what the heck you're doing. It's the usual media hacks who are talking up glamour teams that have barely proven themselves. How can a team that didn't even make the 8 last year logically be considered a better prospect than a top 3 team that made the preliminary final?

The thing that gives me the most hope is that Rocket is just a lot smarter than 80 - 90% of the make-weights masquerading as AFL coaches these days, and has a solid (if slightly underdone) list to work with.

[KT31]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

I AM saying we'll win the flag. Well, we'll give it a good shake anyway.

.

Love the positive outlook and hope you are one hundred percent right.

[Missing-Dog]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

Richmond are still shite.

[Dry Rot]

Re: Has anything you've seen in the pre-season changed your view of a team?

What about the Saints after Friday night? IMO they appear to have gone up a step.