Thoughts about tonights game.

[bulldogtragic]

Top 4 sides win the tight games, we are losing them. This is concerning.

We should have beat them. Silly frees un the rear 50, 2 obviosu and stupid 40's and the runner being in the 50 at kick out (i presume it was for). Johnson's critical miss. Really good teams take their opportunities, and we didn't.

Players:

Aker - Thank got we got him.
Wilbur - Critical shot 30 metres out and kicks into the man on the mark, then follows it up with a stupid 50 which gave them a point.
Higgins - Is a freak
Griffen - Starting to worry he is plateauing
Harbrow - Gone up even further in m estimation
Lake - 2 x weeks his opponent, goalless and embarassed by him
Hargy - Great things


Butchering and turnovers. We dominated pretty much all stats ad were 41 points down. 30 minutes of footy flatters us, whilst paradoxically, we should have beaten them too.

Good big game experience for our younger players.

But i want to see more from Coons and Griff.

This is not even close to panic stations, but hopefully it acts as a massive wakeup call to what we have to do if we are going to be a form side in September. Hopefully some other results go our way and we'll see what happens.

[Dry Rot]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

1. It would be nice if the players turned up to play at the start of the game.

2, For most of the game, the Pies showed why we won't win a flag with this forward line.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

We were dead set crap for three quarters. How many times did Collingwood run the ball from their backline to the middle of the ground without any pressure at all? The first three quarters were a carbon copy of the games v Carlton/St. Kilda where we allowed them to 'overlap' us with handballs and constantly spread from the contest. Cloke was far too strong for Morris and Davis too good for Harbrow. Swan really did prove to be one of the main differences between the two sides too.

Minson and Hill were very, very poor. Minson gave away free kicks, 50's, kicked into the man on the mark, dropped marks - wow. What more can be said? We needed him to stand up tonight and he was terrible. Hill was even worse. O'Brien made a mockery out of Hill whilst he was on him. His rebound was deadly whilst Hill fumbled and stood in the one spot all day.

Why don't Cooney and Griffen run? With so much 'pace' and their talent, they aren't doing nearly enough. They may be picking up a few possessions but they're not damaging at all. This was a game where we needed both (especially Cooney) to pull out something special and be the difference. They failed to do that. Both butchered the ball almost every time. Griffen's shot for goal in the second quarter was dreadful. Cooney kicked a few 'air' balls. Overall - they were hugely disappointing IMO.

Lake was fantastic and Picken helped us get back into the game. He kicked two fantastic goals from long range and certainly did his part. Boyd was very good but made a couple of errors. Harbrow probably got beaten but at least provided dash when we lacked it. Ward's mark in the last quarter was sensational - a real credit to him.

I'm very disappointed though. This was a game we needed to win. For all our good football the reality is, we've beaten nobody. Tonight was a fantastic chance. We'd lost to Carlton, St. Kilda, Geelong and really needed to knock off a team in red hot form. For three quarters we failed to apply pressure, didn't run the lines and turned the ball over incredibly. Perhaps this was a wake-up call needed after last week - but I personally don't subscribe to that crap. If they expected things were just going tohappen tonight against a very impressive Collingwood outfit, they deserve every bit of heat they get.

The last quarter fightback was pleasing, but we've still lost to the top 4-5 sides and can't play 4 quarters of football when we most need to. (See Geelong game).

Frustrated. Angry.

Insipid football for three quarters in our MOST meaningful game this season to date.

They need to beat St. Kilda - no if's and but's now.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

What's with Johnno's brainfades? We wouldn't get close without him, but with 2 mins left, Hahn kicks a massive 55 metre punt that's going through and Johnno jumps and is the only one to get close to it and tries to mark it on the goal line and it goes off his hands and through for a behind, leaving us one point behind, which also happens to be the final margin, instead of 4 points up and all the momentum.

He also missed the shot against the Cats after the siren.

I mean, I love this bloke, but what's WITH the keystone cops routine???

[Super 27]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

we played like crap but still only went down by a point. Although I agree we should be winning these games. I am not dissapointed.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

Oh, and that was about as undisciplined as i've seen them this year in any sense. One, the gameplan. Two, the frees inside 50, and the 3 x 50m penalties leading to scoring shots (when you lose by 1 pt).

I can't remember being so undisciplined for a while.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

Shoot me down for it, but Johnson can't kick a goal under pressure to save himself. He's improved most of the other areas in his game, but he chokes/can't kick them. Every time.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

Shoot me down for it, but Johnson can't kick a goal under pressure to save himself. He's improved most of the other areas in his game, but he chokes/can't kick them. Every time.

I heard all sorts of comments in the crowd from Greg Norman to Ian Baker Finch.

I love the man, but Noth last year, Cats this year, and touching the ball on the line...

[LostDoggy]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

Johnson did miss 2 easy set shots as well.

We lost this game in the 1st half. Played horrible football despite dominating the game, we just weren't clean.

[Before I Die]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

I didn't think that individually we were that bad in the first half, I think it was a more a case of Eade being out coached. I am not being critical of Eade, I am a big fan, I just think Malthouse won on the night, at least for three quarters. Collingwood gave us no room up forward and then ran brilliantly on the rebound. What they couldn't do was keep it up for the full four quarters. Having said that, if our boys had been the more accurate ones and the Pies forwards more wayward, I may have found myself praising Eades uncanny tactical nous.

Player wise, I thought Harbrow's run was great, but 4 goals to Davis probably means Harbrow was beaten on the night.
Williams struggled, however I would play him for at least the next four games. In form he could easily be the difference and I can't say the same about anyone else not currently in the team.
I would like to see Johnno back at fullforward and Grant next to him. And I deperately don't want to see Big Bad Barry in a Bulldog's jumper next year.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

What annoyed me especially, was the opportunities we had to get momentum in the first half i.e. Minson big mark 30 and puts the pill into the player on the mark. Johno missing critical shots to change momentum. Our inability at the crucial times to do what good sides do. Tonight's performance is not going to scare either Geelong or St Kilda.

[GVGjr]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

1. It would be nice if the players turned up to play at the start of the game.

2, For most of the game, the Pies showed why we won't win a flag with this forward line.

I know this is an old chestnut of yours (along with tackling) but we have who we have and I still think the analogy that we will be exposed comes finals time is not correct.
The first quarter that left us with having to play catch-up footy for the balance of the game was more of a problem for us than just the lack of a key forward.

[Hot_Doggies]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

Another big game where our forward structure breaks down under pressure.

Once the heat goes out of the game (same as Geelong game) we can create space, link up and hit targets.

The comeback only covers up the rubbish in the first half. When is the last time we controlled a big match against quality opposition?

[Dry Rot]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

I know this is an old chestnut of yours .

See Hot Doggies post.

[GVGjr]

Re: Thoughts about tonights game.

See Hot Doggies post.

Yes but the difference is that HD is saying the forward line structure broke down and your focus has typically been the lack of a key forward.

Do you have any suggestions for a better set-up?