Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

[azabob]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

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).

I understand your passion for the bulldogs. Ward has exactly the same support around him Cooney, Griffen, Boyd, Cross as Selwood does. I think first quarter form is equally important as last quarter form as majority of the time the game is at its quickest tempo at the begining. Ward had plenty of help in the 4th term last night also. Anyway Im hope im wrong and Ward turns out to be a much better player than Selwood.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

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.

If we hadn't fought back last night and had lost by 6-8 goals Welsh would be fair in the gun, he was very poor.

[azabob]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

How do we rate Hahn's game?
I thought Eagleton was good.

[AndrewP6]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

If we hadn't fought back last night and had lost by 6-8 goals Welsh would be fair in the gun, he was very poor.

Yes, but we didn't lose by 6-8 goals... and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I don't agree he was poor.

[AndrewP6]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

How do we rate Hahn's game?
I thought Eagleton was good.

To be honest, I didn't notice Hahn much... thought Eagleton was good too. Interesting to note the Eagleton-bashers aren't up and about at the moment...

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

First time in a long while I've watched the replay of a game that the dogs lost.

The Good:

Brad Johnson again shutting up some people - lead the team in marks with 10, just too bad he couldn't kick the game winning goal.

Matthew Boyd - no clangers, rock solid and has now brought some consistency to his game. My vote goes to him for future Captain.

Callan Ward - credited with 10 tackles and many more influences in the packs that could not be seen but caused the ball to go to his team mates. It was great to see him be part of the "zone busting" run though to the middle of the ground which lead to Brad Johnson's 4th (and unfortunately final goal for the game).

Ryan Griffen has been criticized for having a "quiet" game - perhaps it's due to the expectation for Griffen to play 4 quarters of explosive football. However 9 tackles and 6 clearances (leading the dogs) and 2 goals (and one crucial miss unfortunately) aren't bad numbers. I mean he wasn't great, but he wasn't THAT bad.

Nathan Eagleton with his patented left foot boomerang bombs (magnificent goal on the run deep in the final quarter) deserves a pat on the back.

Picken - great goal.

Guido again shut up critics with a great all around game and again lead the team in goal assists with 4 and kicked 2 goals himself.

Higgins made a welcome return to footy - however with 16 possies, was probably a bit rusty. Hey, not all players can be like Gary Bloody Ablett and get 38 possies and 7 clearances in his first game back for a couple of weeks.

Tim Callan looked right at home in the back pocket.

And of course Jason Akermanis - 300 games and a major influence in the game (7 inside 50's) the man talks the talk, but certainly walks the walk - unbelievable goal from the boundary line.



The Bad:

Josh Hill, with only 8 possessions at 50% efficiency was disappointing. Great one handed mark and good effort on the goal attempt but that one effort is just not good enough when a four quarter effort is required.


Jarrod Harbrow is being asked to play (and learn at the same time) a role he's unfamiliar with and was soundly beaten by Stokes in the air and had 6 clangers second most (with Aker having the most with 7!) and when you make a mistake with a team like Geelong, they make you pay.

With Harbrow's role, Eade would like him to run and create while being accountable to his opponent. This is where the dogs are missing Ryan Hargrave with his run and experience in picking out midfield and half forward targets. It was interesting in the second quarter, Eade decided to move Gilbee back to home sweet home, as a half back flanker and coincidentally, the Dogs got a run on and won the quarter.

The Ugly.

Dale Morris got the run around from Stevie Johnson - sure the Glove kept Johnson to just 11 possies, but he had 7 shots at goal, not including an 8th that he (thankfully) decided to give off and kicked it straight to a doggies player.

Some shocking turnovers STRAIGHT to the opposition. As I said before, you can't afford to make mistakes against a team like Geelong, because they will make you pay EVERY TIME.

Speaking of turnovers - I consider a free kick a turnover - well you are giving the ball to the opposition. And again, the cats took their chances and kicked the goals when they were given to them. Dodgy free kicks they were too and the Cat's had a quite a few incorrect disposals/holding the ball decision go their way.


And of course - Johnno's miss on the buzzer I thought he kicked it and I started to celebrate (yes I felt like Nathan Brown from last season), I also have a sore throat from screaming too much. God, it's strange to say the dogs COULD have won the game instead of saying the Dogs lost the game - I don't know if that actually makes sense but damn I just feel sorry for Johnno.


The Game Plan: When kicking out - it's pretty simple really. The dogs don't have a power forward to make the big lead down the wing to create a contest when every one is covered. Therefore Hudson and Minson have to work EXTREMELY hard to be that target. Just create a contest and get the ball across the line or get a ball up. At least the dogs midfield has a 50% chance of getting the ball. When there was no option down the line during the game except for the small forwards, invariably the kick outs wound up right back into the Cat's forward 50.

The Game Plan: When the dogs are running from the backline - usually the dogs like to use the corridor to mount an attack but when they use the wings/flanks those who are on the opposite side of the ground HAVE to run hard and give the half back flankers a chance of hitting a viable target. So many times the structure broke down with the dogs flooding back and forgetting to have some targets up forward. The Cats seemed to always have 3 - 4 defenders WAITING for that release kick and straight back into their forward 50. A couple of forwards have to have enough discipline to not get sucked into the play and just hold their position.


Until the dogs get their power forward, those are probably the main ways they can carry the ball out of the defensive 50 - although hitting their targets and stopping those brain fart turnovers would help very much so.


The Game Plan: Tackling - it was amazing the number of times we thought that a ball up was going to be called, but the Cat's players somehow, one way or the other (sometimes illegally) got the ball out of the packs. Tackles are a great stat, but what I would like to know is how many tackles are actually broken. The Cat's are masters of getting tackled but someone getting the ball to a team mate. During the game, I always thought it was a "win" that there were quite a few stoppages, because Cats like to keep the ball moving quickly but the dogs tackles were sticking and was preventing the cats midfield from having multiple possessions in quick succession and gaining momentum (this fell down a bit in the all important championship quarter).

The Swans: The match ups will be interesting - Slim Picken doesn't really have a match up - unless he becomes a run with player against Rhyce Shaw. If Hargrave misses - who's going to go with Ryan O'Keefe? Morris is the logical choice for Michael O'Loughlin and Brian Lake on Big Bad Busting Barry Hall. And what about Jarrad McVeigh who seems to enjoy playing against the dogs. And Tom Williams? Will they move him to the forward line as a tall forward target?

It will be yes...another great test for the dogs and whoever Morris plays on will be facing a very angry Glove, determined to erase any memory of the Geelong game.

GO DOGS!

[LostDoggy]

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....



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.

Have been sitting here reading all the posts on last night's game, and wondering was I the only one who saw that Geelong got a pretty good run with free's?? Have to agree with what you said Griff#16 - there seemed to be a number of blatant free's that we didn't get! That being said, I was pretty happy with the boys performance last night - I don't really go along with the line of an "honourable loss" - at the end of the year, all that will be remembered (by everyone else) is the score line and that we didn't win. I'm also hoping that last night was the start of our season - and hopefully we can win the next 4 to give the side confidence

[AndrewP6]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Have been sitting here reading all the posts on last night's game, and wondering was I the only one who saw that Geelong got a pretty good run with free's??

God no, I saw it... and have posted on it.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

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.

Yes he kicked 3 against a limited opposition backline that had other players to keep a handle on. I am just concerned that he isnt working hard enough/is out of form/struggling with fitness and this will be shown up against the better teams.

On song, he has been a match winner.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

God no, I saw it... and have posted on it.

I think a few of us have mentioned it. May have been the difference for me, that and 3 missed opportunities in a row from some of our best kicks for goal in the third.

There were a few examples where similar free kicks were paid for Geelong players but when it was a dog it was play on.

If Aker didnt deserve a free kick in those final moments when he probably could have almost claimed sexual assault... (not making light of a serious matter but my god! He had arms and legs all over him!)

[AndrewP6]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Yes he kicked 3 against a limited opposition backline that had other players to keep a handle on. I am just concerned that he isnt working hard enough/is out of form/struggling with fitness and this will be shown up against the better teams.

On song, he has been a match winner.

I reckon he's still coming back from his time out. At his age, he spent a long time this year out of the side. I think he'll come good.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

I reckon he's still coming back from his time out. At his age, he spent a long time this year out of the side. I think he'll come good.

Reading through posts, few others on here reckon he did some good work too. I might have to watch the game again my heart was in my mouth and beating out of my chest for a good portion.

[AndrewP6]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Reading through posts, few others on here reckon he did some good work too. I might have to watch the game again my heart was in my mouth and beating out of my chest for a good portion.

Me too... screamed my lungs out for a while there... especially after half time. Sat next to a guy who had the nerve to complain about some frees the Cats DIDN'T get...

[boydogs]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

Re. DexterT's Good, Bad and Ugly (don't want to quote the whole post)
Great post. I thought Cross on Bartel and the Centre Bounce ruck work from both Hudson and Minson were also notable Good's

[Missing Dog]

Re: Game Day - Bulldogs vs Cats

--

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?

It harder to come back when you are 5 goals down: you not only have to kick 5 yourself, but you have to stop them from kicking ANY. The opposition can also take on a more defensive structure if you get a run on, making it harder still to make up the deficit. Physically its very draining. Who's body's would be more sore, ours or Geelong's? Do that over 22 weeks and it takes its toll come final's time.