Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

[G-Mo77]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

Kicking off the ground absolutely shits me to tears. Just bend over and pick it up. Players look scared when they do that. You should always take possession unless your going for goal.

Easier said than done. Those footballs get very slippery with a bit of water. Sometimes the best option, especially when you are running full tilt is just to kick it off the ground. Today I sometimes wished that the team would have just banged it forward rather than trying to move the ball around like it was a dry day. I thought we played much better football than North for most of the day but they seemed to get the score on the board by playing the ol' fashioned way at times which kept them in it.

[ledge]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

Dont forget he is young and will need another pre season to get that.

[Bornadog]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

Important win against a team who fancies playing us. We beat them for contested ball and clearances which was very pleasing. I think if it had been a dry day we probably would have broken them wide open as we were a bit slick in close with our hands. Once the ball got wet we were not as clean coming out of the stoppages as we normally are and that made a difference IMO.

The second quarter was dissapointing in how long it took us to adapt to the kangaroos tactics and change in weather conditions. They had about 10 consecutive inside 50s in the 2nd and we were lucky our backline had a blinder. After half time we started to play a little more direct and got more one out marking contests going forward.

I thought our backline was absolutely brilliant. Hargrave and Lake in particular were very good. Hargrave had something like 15 contested possessions and Lake took a stack of marks.

Kicking off the ground absolutely shits me to tears. Just bend over and pick it up. Players look scared when they do that. You should always take possession unless your going for goal.



Aker was very good in the heavier conditions as usual. Just his smarts made a real difference. He can get a quick handpass out or spot up a target or even just stick his bum in the right spot to shield one of our players. Thought he was more than handy.

Griffen also enjoyed the slippery conditions. Generally players who are that strong through the hips really enjoy those conditions.

Boyd and Cross were very good again. Cross played an important role filling the hole inside defensive 50 quite a bit. Boyd is a very good player now. Taken another step up I think.

Picken is going to be an interesting one. Didi a great job today but we dont need a tagger every week. Hard to say whether he wil just become a horses for courses type selection.

Johnson was the most dangerous forward on the ground.

Guido was a bit down I thought.

Ward made a few errors that have been covered but you have to love the way he gets in low and attacks the footy. Attack on the ground level ball reminds me of Selwood a little bit.

Hill was very dangerous all day. We probably dont kick the ball really well to him at times. We just need to kick to his advantage a little more and he is rarely going to be beaten in the air.

Well summed up.

I thought it was an old fashion football game on a wintery day like we use to watch. I really enjoyed this game, although for a moment in the last quarter I thought Nth had the momentum and were going to win. It was tough out there to get the ball and Nth seem to play man on man when we had the ball, so we had little options up the ground.

Good win considering coming back from a hot Perth and against a team that seemingly has the wood on us.

[dog town]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

Easier said than done. Those footballs get very slippery with a bit of water. Sometimes the best option, especially when you are running full tilt is just to kick it off the ground. Today I sometimes wished that the team would have just banged it forward rather than trying to move the ball around like it was a dry day. I thought we played much better football than North for most of the day but they seemed to get the score on the board by playing the ol' fashioned way at times which kept them in it.

Its never the best option to kick it off the ground. Courageous players slow down to pick the ball up and wear what ever punishment is given to them. Best way to control the game is to have the footy in your hands. Every kick off the ground we did today had a negative result. We are a better side with the ball in our hands. Doesnt matter how slippery the ball is, good players should always want to pick it up. First thing my coach taught me and we just dont lose games in the wet because of this. The other teams wont bend over and we have the ball all day long.

[G-Mo77]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

Its never the best option to kick it off the ground. Courageous players slow down to pick the ball up and wear what ever punishment is given to them. Best way to control the game is to have the footy in your hands. Every kick off the ground we did today had a negative result. We are a better side with the ball in our hands. Doesnt matter how slippery the ball is, good players should always want to pick it up. First thing my coach taught me and we just dont lose games in the wet because of this. The other teams wont bed over and we have the ball all day long.

Well I wouldn't say never. At AFL level yes 7-8 times out of 10 the better option would be to pick it up. Sometimes the best option is to knock it forward as far as possible.

I know this is off the kick off the ground topic, slighly similar but I think we got 2 maybe 3 goals from just a tap or punch forward of the play. Higgins did a nice punch of the ball to an unmanned Minson for a goal.

[G-Mo77]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

Just a couple of things before I go to bed. (Carrying the flu and barely made the drive today)

Why was Brad Johnson not awarded a mark in the last quarter right near the end? Looked like he had enough of it to me.

The goal that put North within 3. I think it was Mcintosh that kicked it. Was it a mark or a Free Kick? I may have my Bulldogs glasses on but I didn't think it was either.

[AndrewP6]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

just have to get this off my chest...I'm a bit over people saying we looked tired after last week's travel from Perth...after playing in the 'heat'...for God's sake, these blokes are professionals... and they played LAST WEEKEND... don't give me that "recovery" nonsense... to quote someone from another footy code... HARDEN THE **** UP!

[Sedat]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

Overall, a grinding match that was at times difficult to watch, but pleasing that we managed to find a way to win against a side that we've struggled to find something "extra" against in recent times.

You can thank North for that. Their use of the midfield rolling zone was professionally implemented but it made for some very tedious passages of play. I thought we looked at our best when we took risks and ran at the zone using quick hands to break through it. A far more satisfying win than last week, against both a willing opponent and a game style that has caused us no end of trouble.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

just have to get this off my chest...I'm a bit over people saying we looked tired after last week's travel from Perth...after playing in the 'heat'...for God's sake, these blokes are professionals... and they played LAST WEEKEND... don't give me that "recovery" nonsense... to quote someone from another footy code... HARDEN THE **** UP!

This post shows a complete lack of understanding of high level sport.

Every AFL side (yes, even Richmond and Melbourne) are within a whisker of every other team in the comp. Everyone on an AFL list is competant and there is very little between them all.

Travel is a major factor, that's why Brisbane charter a plane for trips to Perth - they don't fly above 25,000 feet, it effects recovery.

Eade told us it was such an important issue every player was going to be tested during the week by Vic Uni and anyone showing signs of fatigue was going to be rested, he had a squad of 27 picked for the 1st 2 rounds.

We had to return on the red-eye as well.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

As you can see from my Woof name, I have been on board the Griffin train for a few years now - I love the way he goes about his footy. I wasn't able to be at the game today because of a family commitment, but got to see the last quarter on the TV, after having listened to the radio. Given our record against the shinboners in the last few years, I am more than happy to take the win! My (perhaps premature) prediction is Griffin for the Brownlow - maybe this year or next! Go Doggies, go!

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

Might want to get that spelling right bud.

[Bornadog]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

Just a couple of things before I go to bed. (Carrying the flu and barely made the drive today)

Why was Brad Johnson not awarded a mark in the last quarter right near the end? Looked like he had enough of it to me.

The goal that put North within 3. I think it was Mcintosh that kicked it. Was it a mark or a Free Kick? I may have my Bulldogs glasses on but I didn't think it was either.

It wasn't a mark to Brad even though he tried to fool the umpire. He then pointed his fingers towards his eyes indicating to the umpire he was blind and was pinged for a 50 metre penalty.

The other one you mentioned was a free kick against Addison for chopping the arms.

[wb_age]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

just have to get this off my chest...I'm a bit over people saying we looked tired after last week's travel from Perth...after playing in the 'heat'...for God's sake, these blokes are professionals... and they played LAST WEEKEND... don't give me that "recovery" nonsense... to quote someone from another footy code... HARDEN THE **** UP!

I heard Gilbee being interviewed on SEN the other day, he was asked about his recovery from playing in Perth and he said that he wasn't right until Wednesday.

Travel factor combined with the travel through time zones, Perth daylight savings commence earlier than Melbourne.

This resulted in a light load on the track this week to freshen the boys up, so I'd say this has more to it other than simply hardening the ____ up.

[hujsh]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

Surprised we won the clearances. I though we were smashed. Felt like North had players on the outside waiting for the ball and we didn't

[lemmon]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Kangaroos

This post shows a complete lack of understanding of high level sport.

Every AFL side (yes, even Richmond and Melbourne) are within a whisker of every other team in the comp. Everyone on an AFL list is competant and there is very little between them all.

Travel is a major factor, that's why Brisbane charter a plane for trips to Perth - they don't fly above 25,000 feet, it effects recovery.

Eade told us it was such an important issue every player was going to be tested during the week by Vic Uni and anyone showing signs of fatigue was going to be rested, he had a squad of 27 picked for the 1st 2 rounds.

We had to return on the red-eye as well.

Perfectly put, its that 2-5% that decides the match.