Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

[boydogs]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

We seemed to run out of legs early in the 3rd quarter. Can't help but wonder if we were still quite sore and sorry after last weeks game.

Take a deep breath everyone - we were 4 goals up at half time, things aren't as disastrous as they are being made out to be. We were absolutely dead on our feet, and yet we were still somehow in the game until the last 5 minutes - something to be said for our ability to hang in there

[G-Mo77]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Take a deep breath everyone - we were 4 goals up at half time, things aren't as disastrous as they are being made out to be. We were absolutely dead on our feet, and yet we were still somehow in the game until the last 5 minutes - something to be said for our ability to hang in there

Or Brisbane's lack of ability in front of goals.

[AndrewP6]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Just watched the post-match presser, and I thought Eade was remarkably calm. Gave full credit to the Lions, and he did note our poor disposal, but I thought he'd be in a mood of Malthouse proportions.

[anfo27]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

WOW what a performance that was, I thought this team was past performances like that.

It looked to me like we were playing a game straight after mad Monday or we backed oursleves to lose so the boys can go on a better end of season trip.

Seriously though that was beyond bad and right into the the embarassing category. Great effort by the defense to hold them out for as long as they did considering we were under siege for most of the game.

Felt sorry for Murphy tonight, didn't get any service and when he was clear he had to try and control a greasy ball at his feet or over his head.

There is no point trying to single people out who played poorly, it was a team effort there. Nobody ran to provide an option or support or pressure the opposition, we just didn't run period. Our tackling is a concern and Harbrow defending is also a concern for me. Shaggy was definately drunk, no doubt about it. What was going on with our kick ins tonight?

As disappointing as it is i can't understand why am i not gutted and upset. I think its because I really believe that this team is good enough to go all the way and i'm just waiting till we get to September and the real stuff starts. But if we keep playing like that then we won't even make the 8.

[Scorlibo]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Just watched the post-match presser, and I thought Eade was remarkably calm. Gave full credit to the Lions, and he did note our poor disposal, but I thought he'd be in a mood of Malthouse proportions.

Clearly he's trying the easy, easy approach. I don't like it. Lack of endeavour deserves an emotive response, and the lack of numbers at the contest is indicative of a lack of endeavour.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Clearly he's trying the easy, easy approach. I don't like it. Lack of endeavour deserves an emotive response, and the lack of numbers at the contest is indicative of a lack of endeavour.

I reckon what he says to the players will be brutal, full of invective & leave no one in any doubt about where they stand.

[Chicago1]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

I wasn't going to get up at 4am to listen to the match since I have things to do today and I knew I'd be going back to bed after the match for a few hours, but I decided it would be unBulldog of me not to. With no vision, it was hard to tell exactly what happened. It appeared our disposal was really bad and the Lions just took it up to us and bypassed us all over the ground. However, until Tom Williams got hurt things didn't seem to be too bad. Barry's goal right before half time seemed to be a sign that the second half would be even more promising. I did note that many players were hardly called in the second half. How many times did we get it inside our 50 in the second half, because it sure seemed to be very few compared to Brisbane?

I do have to admit that I really wasn't too impressed with our skills in the matches I saw, even though the Hawks match showed more promise. This didn't seem to be the same team that I remember watching at the end of last season and even in the NAB Cup. Does anyone know what happened to that team?

It worries me that we have been beaten by two teams vying for a place in the top four and our wins are against a mess of a team and one on the way down the ladder this year. I know that anything can happen during a long season, but I'm getting a bit nervous and we haven't even hit May yet. At least we won two out of three during my visit. Maybe I should have stayed...

[chef]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Fine but when you think this is answer



then we are in trouble. Neither would currently cut it against most good defences. Nor would it help a non-existent midfield or a lack of heart (except for the defenders).

Did you check out the comparative inside 50s?

We need other tall options in the forward.

It didn't hurt Geelong playing a developing tall(Hawkins and N.Ablett in premiership years) or Port(Westhoff in a GF year) and Hawthorn threw a couple in the deep end and they have developed nicely. I would love for Everitt to given a full game in the forward line, but Rocket obviously doesn't think he can cut it there.

[Mantis]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Clearly he's trying the easy, easy approach. I don't like it. Lack of endeavour deserves an emotive response, and the lack of numbers at the contest is indicative of a lack of endeavour.

It can also be due to the fact that the players were out on their collective feet.

I know for a fact that players were absolutely knackered after the Hawthorn game last week. In that game we lost a few players to injury which affected our rotations meaning the players didn't get their usual breaks and pulled up a little worse for wear.

Did it make a difference last night.... Yes, I think it did and although I wasn't happy with parts of our performance I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and expect the team to bounce back over the coming weeks/ months.

In saying that a few guys need to make way because their performances haven't really been consistent enough, but in reality most of them are forwards and in the 2nd half last night their butts got cold as the ball just didn't get down there.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

It can also be due to the fact that the players were out on their collective feet.

I know for a fact that players were absolutely knackered after the Hawthorn game last week. In that game we lost a few players to injury which affected our rotations meaning the players didn't get their usual breaks and pulled up a little worse for wear.

Whilst I understand what you are saying, there are going to be a lot of bruising encounters during the season, and during the finals. We need to be able to get ourselves up to play at or very close to 100% every week.

Adelaide will no doubt come out all guns blazing next weekend, if that's a tough game, do we excuse a domination by St Kilda the following week?




I'm not writing us off at all, but if we are going to be a top side, we're going to find ways to win, sore bodies or not. What we saw last night was a complete inability to move the ball from the defensive half to half forward. We were smashed in I50's, and just couldn't get near it. The 2nd half we were completely dominated. If Brisbane had been able to apply the proper score board pressure that correlated with their dominance, we would have lost by 6+ goals, easily.

[Missing Dog]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Or Brisbane's lack of ability in front of goals.

We shouldda been 4 goals down in the first 5 minutes.

Hall kept us in upto half time. Even IF we were up by 4 goals, we were getting killed in the general pattern of play, it was only a matter of time before Brisbane actually scored from more than just one in every 10 inside 50's they had.

The fumbles or turnovers you expect on the odd occasion in a game, but to do it for 4 straight quarters, across the entire playing list is some achievement.

Voss took both Fevola and Brown off: very astute coaching, Brown was being beaten by Lake's pace, Fev was in it beascue had he kicked straight he might have had 3 at quarter time, but Voss took both off to keep 'em fresh. When the game was there to be won in the last quarter, Lake was dead on his feet, whereas Brown lead him a merry dance. I'd hope that Rocket would learn to give both Morris and Lake a spell when both Brown and Fevola are off.

Everett and Minson aren't good enough to be playing AFL footy. Williams will probably end up being a "shouldda been" footballer. Too many other poor performers really.

Our intensity on the ball is gone, players are getting easily brushed aside in the 50-50's, the skill errors are what you'd expect in the under 14's. There's a huge mountain to climb for us to be considered a genuine Grand finalists.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

It can also be due to the fact that the players were out on their collective feet.

I know for a fact that players were absolutely knackered after the Hawthorn game last week. In that game we lost a few players to injury which affected our rotations meaning the players didn't get their usual breaks and pulled up a little worse for wear.
Did it make a difference last night.... Yes, I think it did and although I wasn't happy with parts of our performance I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and expect the team to bounce back over the coming weeks/ months.

In saying that a few guys need to make way because their performances haven't really been consistent enough, but in reality most of them are forwards and in the 2nd half last night their butts got cold as the ball just didn't get down there.

No coincidence that Hawthorn got smashed last night as well, six day break after that contest (and theirs vs Geelong before that) wasn't ideal preparation, let alone the travel.

Reminded me of the Carlton game in 08 when the same peanut got hold of us in the 2nd half - media scribes mentioned we'd been going through a heavy training load (was it round 16?) in prep for the finals, and we were flat as a tack in the 2nd half of that one. I'm sure they'll freshen up (light week etc) for Friday night, and I get tired the legs thing, but round 4?

Losing to WCE last year hurt the supporter group, and then we went up to Brisy and had a great win. Big Friday night for both Adelaide and the Dogs next week! I'd like to think that at worst we'll be 3-3 after round 6, and then we have a decidely easier run for a period from there.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

No coincidence that Hawthorn got smashed last night as well, six day break after that contest (and theirs vs Geelong before that) wasn't ideal preparation, let alone the travel.

But how do you explain round 1 when we looked just as poor as last night and we'd had the week before off? I think the problems are structural . and possibly psychological

[The Pie Man]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

But how do you explain round 1 when we looked just as poor as last night and we'd had the week before off? I think the problems are structural . and possibly psychological

Oh I think we were worse last night than round 1 - my concern is that we're playing tired in round 4....I get the 6 day breaks.....but I'd get a heavy training load a month out from the finals more.

And they aboviously were tired - Boyd keeps racking up the numbers....and the clangers - he's a favourite of mine, but his disposal has been off so far this season.

Lake's holding the ball in the last quarter was a fair reflection of how knackered they must have been - he got his arms free to handball but still dropped the pill. Watching the next 10 minutes of the game was torture, couldn't believe we were still only four points down deep into the 4th (would I have rathered we be blown away earlier?)

At least the smallish margin means we stay in the 8 ahead of Melbourne for the week.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Game Day - R4 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Whilst I understand what you are saying, there are going to be a lot of bruising encounters during the season, and during the finals. We need to be able to get ourselves up to play at or very close to 100% every week.

Adelaide will no doubt come out all guns blazing next weekend, if that's a tough game, do we excuse a domination by St Kilda the following week?

I'm not writing us off at all, but if we are going to be a top side, we're going to find ways to win, sore bodies or not. What we saw last night was a complete inability to move the ball from the defensive half to half forward. We were smashed in I50's, and just couldn't get near it. The 2nd half we were completely dominated. If Brisbane had been able to apply the proper score board pressure that correlated with their dominance, we would have lost by 6+ goals, easily.

Agree wholeheartedly with this.

Need to stop making excuses for this group. It's very early in the season and we've had one tough encounter. If we stumble/fall that easily - we've got absolutely no chance of performing on the big stage when it counts.

We played one quarter of football. The other three were very ordinary for a talented side and it really isn't good enough. They switch off far too easily and as a result play unaccountable, lazy and sluggish football.

St. Kilda lost two players v Collingwood and Hayes was off for periods of the game with his nose injury. They still found a way to beat Collingwood - and quite easily in the end. They've shown real determination and mental strength for a while, we haven't.

Lastly, we cannot keep playing under performing players. I am very critical of the coaching staff for continually allowing the same players to make the same mistakes. Minson and Hahn are the two biggest offenders yet we use Hill as the constant scapegoat. We invest far too much faith in our senior players and it regularly costs us.

I went to the game and there were many worrying signs. Our defensive tactics/structures are really poor as evidenced by how many goals we continue to leak. Indiviually our defenders are pretty good, but we still conceed a lot of goals. If we're going to improve, that has to stop. Whether we employ floods/zones ala St. Kilda, Geelong and Hawthorn - I'm not sure. Either way though, I am tired of seeing very little defensive pressure/structure from the midfielders especially and forwards. Any side seems able to kick 3-6 goals on us in quick succession. You'll rarely see a Geelong/St. Kilda side do the same. We do it every week.

Overall I am not surprised at last nights performance, but disappointed and frustrated. Murphy taking side steps to avoid contact etc. doesn't make me feel any better.

Plenty of time to turn it around at least.