Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

[QUOTE=Mantis;94099]Good work on the preview YHF.


On the match-up side of things it will be quite interesting and the discussion so far covers off most of these. From my perspective I hope we match the hardness and ball winning abilities of Sewell & Mitchell in the middle, make Hodge accountable by drawing him away from his comfort zone .ie. draw him wide and play through his opponent and somehow keep the twin towers in check, although it must be said that neither are in the form they showed last year.IQUOTE]

I agree completely on Hodge, which is why I nominated Hill to go to him. However Rocco also raises an interesting alternative in Picken.
I think Hill's defensive side has improved in recent weeks, his chasing and tackling. I also think he has the attacking skills to burn Hodge if he plays him too loose, and in turn might force Hodge to play tighter, removing his ability to run off and play the rebound role which he is so good at.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

Good work on the preview YHF.


On the match-up side of things it will be quite interesting and the discussion so far covers off most of these. From my perspective I hope we match the hardness and ball winning abilities of Sewell & Mitchell in the middle, make Hodge accountable by drawing him away from his comfort zone .ie. draw him wide and play through his opponent and somehow keep the twin towers in check, although it must be said that neither are in the form they showed last year.

I agree completely on Hodge, which is why I nominated Hill to go to him. However Rocco also raises an interesting alternative in Picken.
I think Hill's defensive side has improved in recent weeks, his chasing and tackling. I also think he has the attacking skills to burn Hodge if he plays him too loose, and in turn might force Hodge to play tighter, removing his ability to run off and play the rebound role which he is so good at.

IMO, neither Hill nor Picken are strong enough bodies to go with Hodge. Could Hahn possibly be given a role to make him earn every touch?

It is an interesting one, as Hodge absolutely spanked us last year in the QF. He has to be kept quiet, but not sure who we have who can do the role, and there is no way we can allow him that same freedom in our forward half.

[hujsh]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

IMO, neither Hill nor Picken are strong enough bodies to go with Hodge. Could Hahn possibly be given a role to make him earn every touch?

It is an interesting one, as Hodge absolutely spanked us last year in the QF. He has to be kept quiet, but not sure who we have who can do the role, and there is no way we can allow him that same freedom in our forward half.

Didn't Hahn have that role in the QF last year as well?

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

IMO, neither Hill nor Picken are strong enough bodies to go with Hodge. Could Hahn possibly be given a role to make him earn every touch?

Endurance is more important than strength when it comes to tagging. I think Mitch would be gone by 1/4 time if he had to apply the pressure needed on Hodge.

Picken might not have a strong body but his toughness makes up for it imo. Liam strikes me as the type of bloke who could beat a stronger bloke in a fight.

[Mantis]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

IMO, neither Hill nor Picken are strong enough bodies to go with Hodge. Could Hahn possibly be given a role to make him earn every touch?

It is an interesting one, as Hodge absolutely spanked us last year in the QF. He has to be kept quiet, but not sure who we have who can do the role, and there is no way we can allow him that same freedom in our forward half.

I wouldn't have thought that Hahn would have the stamina to go with Hodge, but I might be wrong. I wouldn't mind seeing Higgins play a role on Hodge at some point in time.

What we do need to do is make Hodge accountable and the only way to do that is to play through his opponent. In the QF after Hodge went to Minson at the first bounce I would have cleared out the F50 and kicked it on top of Will's head, but we clogged up the space and Hodge played the zone off role perfectly.

If Hodge wants to zone off this time around we must continually kick to his opponent and see if Hodge changes his playing style.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

hujsh - not sure. I was there, but most of it has been scrubbed from my memory. Perhaps Hahn did play a role on him. Mantis has alluded to Hodge going to Minson, I'm unsure...

Rocco - I've had that scene from one of Eddie Murphy's classics in my head all day, "GO ROCKO!" You make a very good point. Fitness is important, but Hill and perhaps Picken, whilst they might be able to chase him, not sure they'll be able to tackle him and bring him to ground.

It's an interesting one, because Hill probably won't make Hodge accountable enough, he plays more cameo roles at this stage. On the flipside, if Hodge pays Josh no respect, Josh is liable to tear the game apart. For me, Picken must go to Bateman.

Mantis - Higgins idea is a good one too. He did the job on Milburn. I for one thought Higgo was pretty disappointing when he went forward last weekend. He still got on the end of a couple, but he just wasn't dangerous, wasn't a presence in the forward line, like we had become accustomed to in previous years.

Your point about dictating our entry style around how Hodge plays is a good one. If Hodge is zoning off, we must repeatedly hit up his man.

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

Rocco - I've had that scene from one of Eddie Murphy's classics in my head all day, "GO ROCKO!" You make a very good point. Fitness is important, but Hill and perhaps Picken, whilst they might be able to chase him, not sure they'll be able to tackle him and bring him to ground.

Haha thanks.

Tackling is about so much more than strength. Bit like hitting a golf ball (which I am shocking at) where technique is more important than strength and power. Picken has the 2nd highest total tackles for us and the highest average this season. 11 more tackles than Hahn. Also, no point in having strength if you can't keep up with your opponent.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

Haha thanks.

Tackling is about so much more than strength. Bit like hitting a golf ball (which I am shocking at) where technique is more important than strength and power. Picken has the 2nd highest total tackles for us and the highest average this season. 11 more tackles than Hahn. Also, no point in having strength if you can't keep up with your opponent.

All very valid points. I'm just glad I'm not on the match committee this week, not an easy gig.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

Great review and posts as always

Question I've been thinking about - who does Hargrave take? Could he take one of Buddy/Roughead if Williams isn't named and Rocket's still having nightmares about Morris in the 08 QF?

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

Great review and posts as always

Question I've been thinking about - who does Hargrave take? Could he take one of Buddy/Roughead if Williams isn't named and Rocket's still having nightmares about Morris in the 08 QF?

I think Rocket likes finding a matchup Shaggy that he can exploit going the other way, whether it be a smaller opponent or a taller target that isn't used much as a target. Buddy or Roughead obviously wouldn't fall into either category.

[Mantis]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

I think Rocket likes finding a matchup Shaggy that he can exploit going the other way, whether it be a smaller opponent or a taller target that isn't used much as a target. Buddy or Roughead obviously wouldn't fall into either category.

So who do we think Shaggy will go to?

[lemmon]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

I think Rocket likes finding a matchup Shaggy that he can exploit going the other way, whether it be a smaller opponent or a taller target that isn't used much as a target. Buddy or Roughead obviously wouldn't fall into either category.

Perhaps Cambell Brown if he lines up there?

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

So who do we think Shaggy will go to?

Perhaps Cambell Brown if he lines up there?

Thanks lemmon.

Without knowing what team the Hawks will go in if I would say Campbell Brown. If the Hawks replaced Williams with a tall forward (which I both doubt and would love) I would put Shaggy on him.

Osborne is one we might struggle with.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

Rocco - I've had that scene from one of Eddie Murphy's classics in my head all day, "GO ROCKO!"

"...and give me another box of juicyfruit and the big N**** is going to pay for it...".

Raw and Delirious were the best things that Eddie Murphy ever did.

Back on the thread topic, there hasn't been much talk about when Croad is coming back over here, has there been anything in the Melbourne media.

[Mantis]

Re: Round 14, Match Preview: Bulldogs v Hawthorn

Thanks lemmon.

Without knowing what team the Hawks will go in if I would say Campbell Brown. If the Hawks replaced Williams with a tall forward (which I both doubt and would love) I would put Shaggy on him.

Osborne is one we might struggle with.

Shaggy can atest to that.