When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

[LostDoggy]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

You can only beat the opponent you're given, but full list or not North have major issues and look to have embarked upon their least competitive season for a some time,

We played North in round 2 prior Chicken gate and prior Harvey, Hale and Wells injury/problems without Murphy and with at Cooney a reduced capacity. They finished 4th last year and we hadn't beaten them for years.

Fremantle are an unmitigated rabble with a mortgage on a bottom four spot,

Yet they beat WC at home since. It was round 1 anyway, who knew if they were still a rabble or not.

[Rocket Science]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

We played North in round 2 prior Chicken gate and prior Harvey, Hale and Wells injury/problems without Murphy and with at Cooney a reduced capacity. They finished 4th last year and we hadn't beaten them for years.

Sure, all valid points. North are our biggest scalp...They've also won 2 of 6 and are currently sitting bottom-four, immediately above the other two mobs we've knocked over.

Yet they beat WC at home since. It was round 1 anyway, who knew if they were still a rabble or not.

The record suggests there's not a lot between WC and Freo in 2009, and you'd suspect the ladder will eventually bear that out.

Point taken re: the inherent mysteries of a round one encounter, but whether we knew in advance or not the predictable fact remains they're a pretty sad facsimile of a football team right now. Freo and Richmond are in such strife this season that wins against them should be worth two points not four.

A win's a win, but I think if we're fair dinkum we need to judge ourselves by how we perform against teams we consider roughly equal to us.

[GVGjr]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

We start criticizing when we can't make the finals. I don't believe it will happen.
I also don't believe this BS about we only beaten 3 bottom clubs. North had a full list at the time since 3 prime movers are missing and Freo in Perth in round 1 is no push over.
At the same time last year we were flying just as much as St.Kilda are this year.

Is making the finals really good enough? We finished in the top 4 last year and I hope we haven't lowered the bar to accept 8th or 7th as being a good enough result.

We should know in about 4 weeks if a spot in the top 4 or 5 is still a realistic chance.

[Mantis]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

We should know in about 4 weeks if a spot in the top 4 or 5 is still a realistic chance.

I think if we can get to the break in reasonable fashion (more wins than losses) I think we can make a real run for it in the 2nd part of the season. We play 8 of our last 9 at ES which gives us some advantage and an opportunity to string some games together and hit the finals in some good touch (unlike last year)

I would think that the 3 interstate games over the next 6 or 7 weeks against Adel, Syd & Port will be pretty strong indicators to where we are at. We probably need to win atleast 2 of these to allow us the opoortunity to stay in touch with the top 4 or 5 teams.

[LostDoggy]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

Is making the finals really good enough?

No but the season isn't over if we make the finals. It would only be a failed season if we didn't win 2 finals. I don't see a reason why we couldn't turn it around and hit form at the right time.

[LostDoggy]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

Maybe we're just having our 2008 form slump arse-about this time. We'll peak by going into the finals with 7 or 8 straight.

[LostDoggy]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

Maybe we're just having our 2008 form slump arse-about this time. We'll peak by going into the finals with 7 or 8 straight.

I'd love to believe that.

We could also finish top 4 and go out in straight sets and that would be just as much a failure as finishing out of the finals

Our season depends on if we play finals and how well we do in them.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

I'd love to believe that.

We could also finish top 4 and go out in straight sets and that would be just as much a failure as finishing out of the finals

Our season depends on if we play finals and how well we do in them.

Well said ES.

[Sleeve1970]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

How about bring Scott Welsh back for another hard nut proven player in the forward line.... we just may kick some goals...

[Sleeve1970]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

Well said ES.

History of the dogs 101 guys... been a fan a long long time now and when the dogs start like this and start playing with there head down like they are, a-la the rhodes era, they loose all the skills and the season will be gone. It will take alot to turn this around, I cant see them winning a game for another 3 weeks or so. They have no structure at the moment playing wide, no judgement and lost the bite and passion of the west for a short time.

They may limp into the finals but will only be a bit player.... sorry guys I'll call it now seen it too many times in the past... The season is gone, that final game in September is just a pipe dream at the moment.

I hope they turn it around but just cant see it happening.

[Bornadog]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

History of the dogs 101 guys... been a fan a long long time now and when the dogs start like this and start playing with there head down like they are, a-la the rhodes era, they loose all the skills and the season will be gone. It will take alot to turn this around, I cant see them winning a game for another 3 weeks or so. They have no structure at the moment playing wide, no judgement and lost the bite and passion of the west for a short time.

They may limp into the finals but will only be a bit player.... sorry guys I'll call it now seen it too many times in the past... The season is gone, that final game in September is just a pipe dream at the moment.

I hope they turn it around but just cant see it happening.

Sounds like you have dropped your head The season has just started and lots of time for players to get some form and improve.

[Bornadog]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

I'd love to believe that.

We could also finish top 4 and go out in straight sets and that would be just as much a failure as finishing out of the finals

Our season depends on if we play finals and how well we do in them.

Top four is not a total failure, however, at the start of the season, we would have thought a GF berth is minimum.

[1eyedog]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

I think if we can get to the break in reasonable fashion (more wins than losses) I think we can make a real run for it in the 2nd part of the season. We play 8 of our last 9 at ES which gives us some advantage and an opportunity to string some games together and hit the finals in some good touch (unlike last year)

I would think that the 3 interstate games over the next 6 or 7 weeks against Adel, Syd & Port will be pretty strong indicators to where we are at. We probably need to win atleast 2 of these to allow us the opoortunity to stay in touch with the top 4 or 5 teams.

Not sure about this one. The confined spaces at Docklands seems to favour teams who know how to implement well organised zones. We have thus far struggled against this so far this season. All clubs play at Docklands a fair bit now so there's no real advantage there IMO. We are 50/50 to win most games there against all but perhaps Freo and the Eagles.

I agree that the interstate games against Port, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane will be a good indicator for where we are at come finals time. If we win 3 of the 4 games against the interstate teams mentioned above we have a show at 3 or 4 on the ladder.

[Mantis]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

Not sure about this one. The confined spaces at Docklands seems to favour teams who know how to implement well organised zones. We have thus far struggled against this so far this season. All clubs play at Docklands a fair bit now so there's no real advantage there IMO. We are 50/50 to win most games there against all but perhaps Freo and the Eagles.

I agree that the interstate games against Port, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane will be a good indicator for where we are at come finals time. If we win 3 of the 4 games against the interstate teams mentioned above we have a show at 3 or 4 on the ladder.

You have raised some good points there.

What I will say is that if we get our skills back to our normal levels, continue to win the contested ball count and see improvement in our out of form/ underdone players we should be able to win more than half of our games at ES.

I agree we have struggled against the zone, but this hasn't been help by our inability to keep possession of the ball under little or no pressure which is criminal.

Another thing, at the start of the year it was thought that the competition was going to get more even and that perhaps just 13 or 14 wins would see you gain a top 4 position. This may well be the case.

[Sedat]

Re: When Do we Start Criticizing the Football Department

Another thing, at the start of the year it was thought that the competition was going to get more even and that perhaps just 13 or 14 wins would see you gain a top 4 position. This may well be the case.

St Kilda play Geelong and Hawthorn once each. Even if they lose both matches, nobody else will get near them if they remain injury free - they are a soda for 19 wins in the H&A bare minimum, more likely 20. Geelong will also win at least 18, and you'd expect Hawthorn to clock up around 15-16 wins when they get their full compliment back. So 4th place will be fought out but a good 4-5 clubs, and as few as 13 wins should be enough to gain the double chance.