Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

[azabob]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

I'm not a huge supporter of Harbrow but I still think this assessment is a tad harsh. He's learning and he has the right attitude but he still has a way to go. We need to be patient with him and I wouldn't stamp his cards from playing in defense again. Given our small forwards are going OK it's more likely that he could be better value coming off the bench as a burst player.

I'm not a huge supporter of Harbrow either, but after watching him tonight there is quite a bit to work with. Yes he still needs to work on his one on one and decision making. But he has dash and dare, always goes in for the footy. I think he uses the footy well its just his decision making which needs to be improved. Gilbee (except for most of last night) and Griffen have been moved from defence into the midfield so we need someone to provide run out of defence. Overall I think he is improving each week.

[azabob]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

I was very annoyed when I left the game mainly because of the missed opportunities we didn't capitalise on but on the trip home I had the same feeling that we played very well against a top side who put in one of their better efforts.

Funnily enough I left happy enough. To be 6 goals down then to lose by 2 points is a great effort. What I like the most was I really thought Will Minson was good for us, have no idea of his possessions or hit outs but I thought he really set the tone for us when we were coming back. He'd really crash and bash players and tackle them hard and he started to get the footy and actually used it ok.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Fantastic performance by our guys last night, and whilst it is very disappointing not to have walked away with the win (forgot Johnno's miss - what about Aker being molested by by David Johnson a few moments earlier - blatant free in anyone's book!) we played a real 4 qtr effort. Hill, Griffen, Cooney, Welsh and Akermanis all missed easy chances and we sort of let the cats off. I thought we clearly outworked them defensively, but they just run and spread so hard offensively they only need a few moments to tear you apart.

I counted at least 8 Geelong goals where the chain started from a free kick. Anyone else notice the Ablett free rule in effect last night? Cooney was unceremoniously dumped after disposing of the ball a few times and never received the 50, Ablett got 2 both for (imo) softer incidents.

Anyway....


Struggling to find a bad player last night - Harbrow is about the only guy who made multiple mistakes. We need Hargrave back, as I didn't feel safe all night with Harbrow kicking the ball in.

Higgins looks injured still but got quite a few important touches.

Griffen is so important and is definitely a big game player. Really lifted at times last night and finished with 9 tackles and 6 clearances.

Gilbee and Eagleton continued their better form of the past few weeks.

Cross was solid, and Boyd was his usual self.

Akermanis is about our most dangerous forward at the moment - on the lead, I just feel confident he's going to snaffle it.

Hahn and Welsh were both decent last night - Hahn's desperation at the end, willing himself to the contest, some how emerging with the ball, regaining his feet and getting it to Johnson was a super effort.

Minson and Hudson were both great too.

Not to get too excited....but I think our season has just begun. We can win the flag this year. No doubt in my mind.

[Desipura]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Would Picken be a better bet for the small quick back pocket spot? Harbrow is just a tad small, plus it could release Harbrow forward.

Jerry, are you saying there is a spot for Picken now?

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

I will wait for another look at the game before I hang anyone

Anyone else think we immediately look a better side with Tim Callan in? Lacks a little polish but he helps out other defenders and is one of the bravest players in the comp.

His effort to leave his man, create the contest and spoil in the 3rd(?) was huge.

[Desipura]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Selwood didn't get it much in the final quarter did he. I think we can call it even, which, seeing as its Callan's first handful of games and Selwood is a heralded 50-gamer, tells me that Callan has a brighter future than Selwood, and far more upside.

What sort of comment is that? Selwood is already a champion, Callan has a long way to reach his status. I dont know how you can say Callan has a brighter future, based on what?
Callan has more upside because he has alot more improving to do whereas Selwood does not. A bit biased me thinks.......
Not saying it will happen, what if Ward does not improve and Selwood continues being the player he is? I cant see Selwood become any worse than he is as he is only young.

[azabob]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Selwood didn't get it much in the final quarter did he. I think we can call it even, which, seeing as its Callan's first handful of games and Selwood is a heralded 50-gamer, tells me that Callan has a brighter future than Selwood, and far more upside.

Disagree totally, between Selwood and Ablett they were the reasons Geelong jumped us. Selwood is a gun, gets the hard, tackles, runs, does everything and more. Selwood was already playing great football at this stage of Ward's career.

[Missing Dog]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Pretty evident now that we are really more of a scrounging hard nosed side than the fleet footed runners we were previously known for......

.......Griffen- Showed glimpses but for mine he is still far to highly rated.

Agree 100% with both of these comments.

Tim Watson: "The Dogs have the highest rate of turnovers in the competition. That they are skillful side is a total fallacy". I agree, unfortunately. far far too many turnovers that resulted in goals.

Griffen is approaching 90-100 games. Selwood has played 50. Selwood is about 50% better then Griffen. Griffen lacks stamina, his hands are ordinary and so is his kicking, especially for goal on the run.

Geelong are a team that plays on confidence. If they dominate from the first bounce, then they are hard to stop, usually the game is over by three quarter time. Stay within four goals till the last quarter, apply pressure and they fade badly in the last. Selwood and Ablett looked dead at three quarter time.

geelong had a short forward line. that suits us. if Mooney, Gamble, Ottens and Hawkins were all there I think they would be harder for us to control.

the umpires: Ablett ducks, its too high. Cross ducks, its holding the ball. Ablett gets bumped in the side, its ion the back. They bump us, its play on. S Johnson bumps in the side, he's paid a mark. We do it, its in the back. Acker gets held, its play on. We do it its holding the man.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Yep the umpiring was shocking, we missed some gettable goals in the third quarter too, I certainly dont blame Johno, he had a great game but I am sure he is beating himself up about it.

Aker and Johno what a combo tonight.

Great hard games by Picken and Ward, another step for both, haha a proud call I imagine by Pickens dad after the game...'great goal son!'

Great game by Minson too, a game where his value is actually on display rather than behind the scenes.

SO many great contributors, massive applause to the in and under guys that put their body on the line time and again. After the first qtr I was thinking...these guys are just all bigger and stronger across the ground but we hurt them in the end.

Is Welsh a passenger at the moment or am I missing something?

I bet I sound like we won the game but it almost feels that way. Might be a good platform.
We need to win the next 4 in a row.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

What sort of comment is that? Selwood is already a champion, Callan has a long way to reach his status. I dont know how you can say Callan has a brighter future, based on what?
Callan has more upside because he has alot more improving to do whereas Selwood does not. A bit biased me thinks.......
Not saying it will happen, what if Ward does not improve and Selwood continues being the player he is? I cant see Selwood become any worse than he is as he is only young.

Ah. You've just encapsulated the attitude of the umps out there last night. Selwood plays for Geelong and therefore must be so, so much better than any player in a red, blue and white jumper.

Rubbish.

Selwood had a blistering first quarter but faded after half-time. Ward had a quiet first half, but an even better fourth quarter than Selwood's first quarter. How is that not 'even'?

The fact that Selwood has played 50+ games and had his colours lowered when the game was on the line in the fourth -- yes, LOWERED -- by a 12/13 gamer tells me that Callan has a lot more upside.

And of course I'm biased. If the umps out there can be biased enough out in the middle to decide games, I can be biased on a relatively inconsequential post on an online forum towards a gun young Doggie player who played his socks off against a player (Selwood) that, while I really like, gets too much love from the umps and media (understandably so, but still).

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Disagree totally, between Selwood and Ablett they were the reasons Geelong jumped us. Selwood is a gun, gets the hard, tackles, runs, does everything and more. Selwood was already playing great football at this stage of Ward's career.

Selwood was playing 'great' football in his first 13 games? Rubbish.

Like many others, Geelong's aura has made them giants in your eyes. Selwood has always been good, but until this year he hadn't really threatened to take a game apart, and he plays with the best midfielders in the comp, which makes his life running around without a tag (he copped a 13-gamer as an opponent last night for heaven's sakes) easy as hell.

Ashley Hansen looked like a gun too when West Coast had Judd and Cuz giving him the ball on a platter. It's easier to look 'great' when four of the best in the business (Ablett, Corey, Bartel, Ling) are around to take the attention off you.

And Joel Selwood has, for all his reputation for being hard, NEVER, in 50+ games, laid 10 tackles in a game, which Callan just did last night.

--

ps. why is first quarter form considered greater than fourth quarter form? So what if they got the jump? Isn't reeling them back in EXACTLY the same on the scoreboard, only in reverse? If Ablett and Selwood (there you go, Ablett AND Selwood, he got some help there didn't he) gave the Cats the jump, Aker in the third and Ward in the last dragged us back into it.

pps. Look at Daniel Kerr now -- it was a lot easier to destroy teams when Judd and Cuz copped the hardest tags, it's a bit harder to be dominant when you're the main man. We'll have a better handle on Selwood's real value when Corey, Ling and Bartel retire (Ablett will play till he's 60).

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Jerry, are you saying there is a spot for Picken now?

Not in the midfield. If Addison cant play on the quick forwards why dont we stick Picken down there?

We need some class in the middle to help Cooney and Griffen out.

[AndrewP6]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Is Welsh a passenger at the moment or am I missing something?
.

Don't agree with that. He was up the ground a fair bit. Works hard even without the ball. Not in career-best form, but not alone in that. He kicked 3 last week - that's hardly a passenger.

[azabob]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Agree 100% with both of these comments.

Tim Watson: "The Dogs have the highest rate of turnovers in the competition. That they are skillful side is a total fallacy". I agree, unfortunately. far far too many turnovers that resulted in goals.

Griffen is approaching 90-100 games. Selwood has played 50. Selwood is about 50% better then Griffen. Griffen lacks stamina, his hands are ordinary and so is his kicking, especially for goal on the run.

Geelong are a team that plays on confidence. If they dominate from the first bounce, then they are hard to stop, usually the game is over by three quarter time. Stay within four goals till the last quarter, apply pressure and they fade badly in the last. Selwood and Ablett looked dead at three quarter time.

geelong had a short forward line. that suits us. if Mooney, Gamble, Ottens and Hawkins were all there I think they would be harder for us to control.
the umpires: Ablett ducks, its too high. Cross ducks, its holding the ball. Ablett gets bumped in the side, its ion the back. They bump us, its play on. S Johnson bumps in the side, he's paid a mark. We do it, its in the back. Acker gets held, its play on. We do it its holding the man.

If Mooney played I dont think Gamble would have. I think Lake and Williams could have played on Hawkins and Mooney and done well. We may have struggled to contain Ottens but we did well in the ruck so maybe Thompson would've been forced to ruck Ottens rather than have him rest forward.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Griffen is approaching 90-100 games. Selwood has played 50. Selwood is about 50% better then Griffen. Griffen lacks stamina, his hands are ordinary and so is his kicking, especially for goal on the run.
.

Have to disagree.

Griffen cops the hard tag every week. Selwood runs around with Callan Ward for company. No comparison. If Griffen ran around with a 13 gamer on him he would tear games apart, which teams know, and thus send their best tagger to him.

For what it's worth, Griff had 9 (!) tackles, 6 clearances (only Ablett had more with 7) and 2 goals last night, and was instrumental to a lot of the midfield pressure the Dogs put on the Cats and is a key reason to why we are the best clearance team in the comp at the moment.