I'm Shattered

[LostDoggy]

Re: I'm Shattered

Agreed. Miracle we got so close.

Actually, should have been ahead from the third term -- the Cats were treading water after their burst after half time, and Cooney, Welsh and Aker missed three getable goals that would have given the Dogs the clear momentum. Hit the post 6 times as well I think (from my count), and the Cats scored 7 of their 14 goals (half!!!) from turnovers under no pressure. In a 'normal' game, the Dogs would have won by 40 points.

We just came up against a team that have forgotten how to lose.

---

ps. Umps (and I don't completely blame them) treat Geelong differently from every other team in the comp. Clear holding the ball decisions rarely go against them etc. Until their aura is burst, teams will always be fighting against the system to beat Geelong with the umps subconsciously on their side. Their run has to end sometime, and the sooner the better -- they've become a law unto themselves with the umps, and I look forward to meeting Geelong on an even playing field in the future.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: I'm Shattered

Actually, should have been ahead from the third term -- the Cats were treading water after their burst after half time, and Cooney, Welsh and Aker missed three getable goals that would have given the Dogs the clear momentum. Hit the post 6 times as well I think (from my count), and the Cats scored 7 of their 14 goals (half!!!) from turnovers under no pressure. In a 'normal' game, the Dogs would have won by 40 points.

We just came up against a team that have forgotten how to lose.

---

ps. Umps (and I don't completely blame them) treat Geelong differently from every other team in the comp. Clear holding the ball decisions rarely go against them etc. Until their aura is burst, teams will always be fighting against the system to beat Geelong with the umps subconsciously on their side. Their run has to end sometime, and the sooner the better -- they've become a law unto themselves with the umps, and I look forward to playing Geelong on an even playing field in the future.

Totally agree on the umps. Geelong seem to always get the benefit of the doubt in most situations....
Having said that I'm in no way blaming them for the loss. Our two lapses in the first and third quarter's put us behind the 8 ball.

[Bornadog]

Re: I'm Shattered

Actually, should have been ahead from the third term -- the Cats were treading water after their burst after half time, and Cooney, Welsh and Aker missed three getable goals that would have given the Dogs the clear momentum. Hit the post 6 times as well I think (from my count), and the Cats scored 7 of their 14 goals (half!!!) from turnovers under no pressure. In a 'normal' game, the Dogs would have won by 40 points.

We just came up against a team that have forgotten how to lose.

---

ps. Umps (and I don't completely blame them) treat Geelong differently from every other team in the comp. Clear holding the ball decisions rarely go against them etc. Until their aura is burst, teams will always be fighting against the system to beat Geelong with the umps subconsciously on their side. Their run has to end sometime, and the sooner the better -- they've become a law unto themselves with the umps, and I look forward to meeting Geelong on an even playing field in the future.

Three goals in the first quarter were from free kicks, soft free kicks. Plus the free against Harbrow in the goal square. Meanwhile in the last quarter they let the game flow.

Frees for Dogs 11, against 19

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: I'm Shattered

Shattered.

I really feel gutted about this.

It's hard to even put into too many words. The boys tried so hard and gave everything they possibly had.

I really feel for them/us.

My only hope is that we use this to kick start our season and destroy the other sides, like we are more than capable of doing. I hope we don't fall back into our shell or come out flat after tonight.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: I'm Shattered

Three goals in the first quarter were from free kicks, soft free kicks. Plus the free against Harbrow in the goal square. Meanwhile in the last quarter they let the game flow.

I actually didn't have a problem with the Harbrow decision, he did not handle that situation very well.

The Rooke one though where he slid into Cross and got a free for Cross holding the ball...that made me go something something!!......

[angelopetraglia]

Re: I'm Shattered

Gutted. Absolutely devastated.

We had them. They were there for the taking.

We could not delivery the final blow .... again.

They dominated the start of that third quarter but we then wrestled back control but could not make them pay, missing four set shots (memories of the prelim last year).

Even before the Johnson miss we had our chances. Welsh had an empty square when we tried the impossible short pass to Aker.

Hopefully we can fire up and win the next four ... all games that can and should be won.

[Missing-Dog]

Re: I'm Shattered

ps. Umps (and I don't completely blame them) treat Geelong differently from every other team in the comp. Clear holding the ball decisions rarely go against them etc. Until their aura is burst, teams will always be fighting against the system to beat Geelong with the umps subconsciously on their side. Their run has to end sometime, and the sooner the better -- they've become a law unto themselves with the umps, and I look forward to meeting Geelong on an even playing field in the future.

Can someone explain to me why Gary Ablett's kicks don't have to travel 15 metres yet in the second qtr Johnno passed the ball to Mitch from the boundary line to almost CHF and the umpire called play on before Mitch had even marked the ball. I thought we were shafted tonight. Not so much by the free kicks paid against us but the ones we didn't get.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: I'm Shattered

Yeah Arkie, me too!

I'm proud of the effort, just sick & tired of falling short when it really matters though.

Heard Luke Darcy on SEN today & he said that at the moment the Western Bulldogs would be rapt to be 3rd on the ladder given the interruptions to key personnel in Murphy, Cooney & Higgins. He said if we could remain in the top 4, but get games & conditioning into the above 3 players, then towards the end of the season, the Bulldogs will feel much more confident going into games.

[LostDoggy]

Re: I'm Shattered

Can someone explain to me why Gary Ablett's kicks don't have to travel 15 metres yet in the second qtr Johnno passed the ball to Mitch from the boundary line to almost CHF and the umpire called play on before Mitch had even marked the ball. I thought we were shafted tonight. Not so much by the free kicks paid against us but the ones we didn't get.

Oh, and Max Rooke never gets called for a high tackle because he's 'hard'. Rubbish.

ps. You should know by now that 'Son of God' only gets the most obvious of frees paid against him, and if you touch him they'll blow the whistle.

How many in-the-backs did we cop in the forward 50 tonight that wasn't paid? If Geelong were any other team they would give away twice as many frees as they do.

Well, they've earnt the leniency, in a way, by being so good for so long. If we become the dominant team we can expect an easier ride from the umps too, so no use complaining -- let's just surpass this level, and create an aura of our own.

[LostDoggy]

Re: I'm Shattered

Yeah Arkie, me too!

I'm proud of the effort, just sick & tired of falling short when it really matters though.

Heard Luke Darcy on SEN today & he said that at the moment the Western Bulldogs would be rapt to be 3rd on the ladder given the interruptions to key personnel in Murphy, Cooney & Higgins. He said if we could remain in the top 4, but get games & conditioning into the above 3 players, then towards the end of the season, the Bulldogs will feel much more confident going into games.

This loss should give the Dogs the momentum to really smash teams for the rest of the year -- so that when we meet the Saints and the Cats again later in the year, the momentum should all be with the Dogs.

Both those teams have peaked already. We haven't even been CLOSE to peaking, and we still came close tonight. Tell you what, we're a real show for the flag this year.

[Missing-Dog]

Re: I'm Shattered

This loss should give the Dogs the momentum to really smash teams for the rest of the year -- so that when we meet the Saints and the Cats again later in the year, the momentum should all be with the Dogs.

Both those teams have peaked already. We haven't even been CLOSE to peaking, and we still came close tonight. Tell you what, we're a real show for the flag this year.

Bloody big call. Only if we start playing consistently. If we give an effort like that every week we will be ok, but that has been our problem for the last 2.5 months.

[LostDoggy]

Re: I'm Shattered

Bloody big call. Only if we start playing consistently. If we give an effort like that every week we will be ok, but that has been our problem for the last 2.5 months.

It is a big call, but if you consider that Geelong will have to be flag favourites, and we could/should have beaten them tonight despite being quite terrible most of the night, we would HAVE to be in the mix.

As I said, also, the Saints and Geelong have already both peaked this year, while the Dogs haven't come close to playing at out best at anytime in the first 8 weeks. If we play at our best, we are a real show against anyone.

I'm interested in what others think, but I believe that Geelong played pretty near their best tonight -- all their prime movers got plenty of the ball, their stars all kicked goals etc.

I don't think we were anywhere NEAR our best tonight.

[LostDoggy]

Re: I'm Shattered

It was also a little frustrating to watch with some of the umpiring decisions. Did anyone see the Rooke tackle on Cross? Or the holding of Akermanis? The diving of Steve Johnson? I'm not taking anything away from Geelong but I just wish there would be more consistentcy in umpiring from the first bounce to final siren. I mean you look at some of the free's for Geelong early in the game and they were really piss weak 50/50's. Cross gets his head mauled by Rooke and it's holding the ball.

[Missing-Dog]

Re: I'm Shattered

It is a big call, but if you consider that Geelong will have to be flag favourites, and we could/should have beaten them tonight despite being quite terrible most of the night, we would HAVE to be in the mix.

As I said, also, the Saints and Geelong have already both peaked this year, while the Dogs haven't come close to playing at out best at anytime in the first 8 weeks. If we play at our best, we are a real show against anyone.

I'm interested in what others think, but I believe that Geelong played pretty near their best tonight -- all their prime movers got plenty of the ball, their stars all kicked goals etc.

I don't think we were anywhere NEAR our best tonight.

We had a lot of players down tonight so to get that close was pleasing. Include Murphy and Shaggy and yes we will be better but Mooney and Milburn makes a huge difference to Geelong.

My point is we are yet to prove we have consistency. To achieve the level of consistency required to seriously challenge we have to believe that we are good enough and tonight went a long way to proving that. Geelong were close to their best and we matched them if not bettered them in close. They always seem to have a spare man as a "get out" when they have the ball. I think we need to improve our defensive running to counter this.

[LostDoggy]

Re: I'm Shattered

This loss should give the Dogs the momentum to really smash teams for the rest of the year -- so that when we meet the Saints and the Cats again later in the year, the momentum should all be with the Dogs.

Both those teams have peaked already. We haven't even been CLOSE to peaking, and we still came close tonight. Tell you what, we're a real show for the flag this year.

It will be interesting to see if we can maintain the intensity we found tonight into the next game. It seemed like we needed Geelong to set the tone for us, both at the start of the game and in the third quarter they came out with greater intensity which we slowly matched and finally exceeded. The challenge is to set that level of play ourselves.

It does feel like we are starting to build some momentum though, and with Murphy to come back and Higgins and Cooney still not at full fitness there is a huge upside if we can get our best 22 all in from at the one time. I also thought we missed Shaggy tonight as another mid sized defense option with speed, Dale looked lost at times on Steve Johnson.