And so it goes.... As usual!

[Bulldog4life]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

We weren't beaten, we gave them the win. We stuffed around, wasted chances, and failed to capitalise on opportunities. The game was ours, and we gave it back. More than disappointing, it points to some deep-seated flaws within the group. The season is almost a third done, and we just keep saying we'll get better.

Agree with this. We are not playing as well as last year. There is nothing to indicate that we will play as well as last year. Teams go up and down the ladder when you least expect it. Hopefully we are as good a team as we think we are. Maybe though we're not.

[chef]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

Bulldust, we dominated 90% of the game and choked when the game should've been locked up. If we couldnt beat St Kilda without seemingly their only goal kicking option- we're toast.

I don't agree with any of that.

[EasternWest]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

All these comments are well and good, but nobody has answered why, WHY, WHY can't we ever ice a game?

[LostDoggy]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

All these comments are well and good, but nobody has answered why, WHY, WHY can't we ever ice a game?

Cos we suck! hehe Just kidding. But its getting beyond a joke now. When are we going to start playing like a flag favorite!?

Maybe we should not keep a lid on it and be like Collingwood. Maybe that will work for us more.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

Our inability to prevent easy goals being scored against us has hurt us again. As BAD mentioned in his thread this week, although we have a pretty strong back 6 opposition sides can still get a run on against us. That they managed to kick 3 goals in such a short space of time is very disappointing.

Some of our players showed terrific desperation, (Harbrow being an obvious one I can recall) but at times we either didn't commit enough, or over committed and that allowed St Kilda to create their opportunities. It was almost as if they knew if they were within striking distance, they could get over the line against us. They just grinded away all night, and then pounced.

As other posters have said, the most disappointing aspect is that, once again, we were able to match it with them - at their game style mind you - for 95% of the match, but not walk away with the points.



Those who were at the game, did we flood numbers back after the Saints 1st or 2nd goal in the last?

[lemmon]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

I don't agree with any of that.

Can I ask why?

[Missing Dog]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

The obvious difference last night was the way their defense at the start of the last quarter stood firm and would not even concede a point. Instead they were willing to play out from the back, and they seem to do what Geelong does so well: always have an option, always take the ball cleanly and quickly-this in particular- find a team mate with an accurate handball. The way their defenders were able to make 5 or 7 handballs in quick succession in tight with lots of pressure and still not turnover I thought was a glaring difference. The decision making speed under pressure was faster than ours.

[Missing Dog]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

All these comments are well and good, but nobody has answered why, WHY, WHY can't we ever ice a game?

now that i've calmed a little bit (only a little ) I can answer this by saying that sometimes we can ice a game. I can think of Brissy last year, Collingwood last year and if I tried harder I could probably think of plenty more. I wish we had last night but i dont think its right to say we cant ice games ever.

[LostDoggy]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

Smells like 2007 to me...

[Flamethrower]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

I don't think there was anything wrong with our tactics against "Saints footy AKA the cure for insomnia". We lost for a few different reasons.

- We didn't take our chances in the 2nd and 4th quarters kicking 1.7.
- Our structure broke down late in the last quarter. With the Saints needing 3 goals in 5 minutes, we should have had a wall of Brian Lake, Ryan Hargrave (on Milne) and Dale Morris across the back line, so that when Tom Williams turns the ball over there is a wall of defenders to stop Milne kicking an easy goal.
- There were a few times when Baz was 1 out with Zac Dawson as we were moving the ball down field. We need to get the ball to Grif, Harbrow or Lindsay to kick it over the zone to this contest before Gilbert/Blake/Fisher can drop back to help out.
- When there is a slow build up and we are kicking the ball across the field we need to find a way to isolate Grif, Gilbee, Harbrow and Eagle so that they can run onto a handball or short kick about 60 out to have a long shot for goal. Even if they don't score, if they do it often enough hopefully it will pull the Saints zone apart and leave space for a pass to one of the forwards.
- As much as the Saints missed their captain and Jason Gram, this game was taylor made for Matty Boyd, Liam Picken, Cal Ward and Brodie Moles.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

Smells like 2007 to me...

Let's hope not. Rocket is on record of saying that anything less than a GF appearance this year will be unacceptable. Not going to be easy to get there if we lose the unlosable games like we did last night.

[Doc26]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

- As much as the Saints missed their captain and Jason Gram, this game was taylor made for Matty Boyd, Liam Picken, Cal Ward and Brodie Moles.

We missed our All Australian clearance and inside 50 champ in a big way last night. Sure, we are only as good as the side that runs out on the night, but Boydy missing should'nt be understated in a tight game like that.

As is typical very little media comment when a Bulldog player is out injured. Take Judd out of Carlton or in last night's game, a Hayes out of St Kilda, and see the effect it has.

[comrade]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

Smells like 2007 to me...

Or 2009 when we had exactly the same win-loss ratio but had been defeated by riff raff like Carlton and West Coast??

No one can be happy about last night, but to say that this is like 2007 doesn't make sense.

[The Pie Man]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

The goal umpire is on record as saying he made a mistake.

Really? I've never heard/read that



I was at the top of the Southern in the pocket that looked down the ground towards to Ponsford end, and it did look to me like it had gone over the post, but if the ump's on record saying he made a mistake.....who'dve thought my mood could get any worse today

[chef]

Re: And so it goes.... As usual!

Can I ask why?

Yeah sorry, was in a bit of a rush this morning.

I didn't think we dominated that much of the game(it was an arm wrestle), I don't think we choked(that's not how I saw it anyway) and I believe the Saints are still a bloody good side even without Roo(they are probably still the best team in the comp) and were not toast. We will be 8 and 3 in 5 weeks time IMO.