Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

[DOG GOD]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

The easy option is to lay the blame at our lack of height up forward again. It's a convenient excuse albeit not that accurate.

We got beaten today for 3 reasons:

- Some senior players didn't stand up to be counted when the pressure was on.
- We played a couple of guys that were underdone.
- A higher portion of unforced skill errors than would normally be acceptable hurt us.

We can keep dancing around blaming the lack of height up forward but it's the same list that we had at the start of the season so why do we need to go over old ground after every loss.

We gave an experienced side a significant start and couldn't rope them back in and it's not because of a lack of a key forward.

So Gary, should we have played all 3 of Murph, Gia and Griff?

[GVGjr]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

So Gary, should we have played all 3 of Murph, Gia and Griff?

It's all hindsight I suppose but I'd say Griffen was a poor selection and perhaps Gia wasn't put under the microscope enough after his performance last week. It's easier said than done mind you but is it that surprising that both Griffen and Giansiracusa looked so short of a gallop?

[DOG GOD]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

I;m sure that Reid and Everitt (after the game against pies) wouldve given us a little more diversity in structure if they played. I'm not bagging Gia or Griff, but its obviuos Gia is nowhere near his ability and Griff looked slow and decision making was poor. U could tell he's been out for 3 weeks. The game was a little quick for him.

But as u say, its all in hindsight.

[Missing-Dog]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

It's all hindsight I suppose but I'd say Griffen was a poor selection and perhaps Gia wasn't put under the microscope enough after his performance last week. It's easier said than done mind you but is it that surprising that both Griffen and Giansiracusa looked so short of a gallop?

Hahn looked injured also. Surely Everitt at half forward would be better choice.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

The easy option is to lay the blame at our lack of height up forward again. It's a convenient excuse albeit not that accurate.

We got beaten today for 3 reasons:

- Some senior players didn't stand up to be counted when the pressure was on.
- We played a couple of guys that were underdone.
- A higher portion of unforced skill errors than would normally be acceptable hurt us.

We can keep dancing around blaming the lack of height up forward but it's the same list that we had at the start of the season so why do we need to go over old ground after every loss.

We gave an experienced side a significant start and couldn't rope them back in and it's not because of a lack of a key forward.

I agree! Why is it for the last three weeks, we didn't hear anything about "not having a tall FWD"????
It's only when the dogs loose that the issue comes up????
If you don't have a tall FWD, kick to the advantage of your smaller quicker FWDs! Thats how the dog won last time against geelong. That and using the running goal.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

Hahn looked injured also. Surely Everitt at half forward would be better choice.

Or on the Wing.
Everitt has the legs and athletisism to do the job.
He ran very well against the Pies, and is capable of doing so much more than what he has shown us so far.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

The easy option is to lay the blame at our lack of height up forward again. It's a convenient excuse albeit not that accurate.

We got beaten today for 3 reasons:

- Some senior players didn't stand up to be counted when the pressure was on.
- We played a couple of guys that were underdone.
- A higher portion of unforced skill errors than would normally be acceptable hurt us.

We can keep dancing around blaming the lack of height up forward but it's the same list that we had at the start of the season so why do we need to go over old ground after every loss.

We gave an experienced side a significant start and couldn't rope them back in and it's not because of a lack of a key forward.

Well put Gary, we just didn't play at the level required to beat a side of this quality.
The conjecture over underdone players looks easy on the surface of it as a bad call, but I can understand the process and why they decided to play Gia and Griff.

I'd also add to the 3 points you made, that our inability to control for a sustained period of time proceedings at and around stoppages hurt us. Too many times as we attempted to wrest momentum back our way, we would lose crucial clearances and allow Ablett and Ling in particular to get the ball out of traffic and into their forward line.

[DOG GOD]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

Its alot easier to play players on "reputation" than form. For me Reid and Everitt shouldve played instead of Gia and Griff. They wouldve given us more structure, diversity in our set-up and both played well the week b4 against Gia (who hadnt shown much running ability since coming back) and Griff coming off a 3 week break.

[GVGjr]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

Its alot easier to play players on "reputation" than form. For me Reid and Everitt shouldve played instead of Gia and Griff. They wouldve given us more structure, diversity in our set-up and both played well the week b4 against Gia (who hadnt shown much running ability since coming back) and Griff coming off a 3 week break.

I know what you are saying but imagine if the game went largely to today's script and we fell 14 points short despite playing Everitt and Reid.
My guess is that we would have a lot of people saying that we should have played Griffen and Giansiracusa and we lacked the heart to play the quality guys.

Hindsight probably confirms that they were underdone however, having the balls to not include them would have been a very gutsy selection.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

In games there's often turning points that go along way to determining the result.

Today, there were a couple:

* Huddo's chase down of Mackie on our half back line that ultimately resulted in a goal to us.

* Cooney kicking out on the full. We had kicked the first 2 goals after half time to get within 9 points & from the resultant free kick Ling goaled, Geelong through Ablett got the centre take away & goaled again. 2 goals within a minute, just took the wind out of our sails.

I'm sure there are other moments that had a significant impact, including missed shots for goal, though both sides were guilty there.

I do recall Sockeye Salmon going nuts in the last quarter when Callan Ward allowed his man to get to a contest form Shaggy's kick in & feed off to Enright who goaled.

Does anyone know why Scarlett was free so often? It really pissed me off today, BIG TIME!!!!

[azabob]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

In games there's often turning points that go along way to determining the result.

* Huddo's chase down of Mackie on our half back line that ultimately resulted in a goal to us.


I do recall Sockeye Salmon going nuts in the last quarter when Callan Ward allowed his man to get to a contest form Shaggy's kick in & feed off to Enright who goaled.

Does anyone know why Scarlett was free so often? It really pissed me off today, BIG TIME!!!!

Thought Hudson was good most of the day tried to set the tone for hardness at the footy. Thought Ward was our best player. What disapointed me was how many times the Geelong midfielders and defenders got goal side of our players.
Ablett got all his touches in the back half in round 21, this time around he got them forward of the centre and hurt us a hell of a lot.

[azabob]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

Where was the pressure and desire in the first quarter? Game was there for the taking and we couldn't take it.
Not sure which of the two is more disapointing?

[angelopetraglia]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

Further to those moments to above TCD.

These two also hurt.

-3Q late, Cooney's attempt on goal just touched on the line. Cats took it down the other end and kicked a goal straight away.

-After that. Minson marks. Kicks on the full. Cats take it down the other end in a flash and another goal.

That below the game out to six goals and it was pretty much gone.

Even though, we didn't bring our best game there were so many 50/50s in the game that just didn't fall our way. We were not good enough today to win it regardless, but every break did not go our way.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

Mitch Hahn - 12 disposals, 58% efficiency, 2 out on the fulls
Will Minson - 8 disposals, 75% efficiency, 1 out on the full
Josh Hill - 11 disposals, 82% efficiency, 1 goal and plenty of missed opportunities

These two will have to come under the microscope, especially if Everitt can play well tomorrow

Murphy's 17 disposals are listed at 76% efficiency....really??? His disposal was horendous today. Gia's 14 listed at 57%, not good.

Umpiring didn't have a massive impact - BUT, I would have much preferred a 21 point margin at qtr time, and that Bartel HTB on Cross was a CLEAR in the back.

Frustrated, but not completely gutted....I still give us a chance of making the GF, but if we do get there, winning it now becomes much tougher. Eagles in 06 last to do it from the semi.

[Happy Days]

Re: Game Day - QF2 Western Bulldogs vs Geelong

Does anyone know why Scarlett was free so often? It really pissed me off today, BIG TIME!!!!

I attributed that to us trying to kick it over him, and our kicks lacking penetration. A very poor attempt to curb his influence.