Views for Round 11

[LostDoggy]

How is everyone looking at this game?
For me, it is the first time in a long time I'm not going to the game thinking we are going to win or give it a real good crack. I'm going to the game with a toss of the coin approach.
Will we 'come to play' so to speak or play well for a bit if at all?

If we lose, we will be on the lower end of the top 8 if at all in there. If we win, it might be the game to put us back on track (again).

[LostDoggy]

Re: Views for Round 11

I think it is close to being one of the biggest games since Eade's reign a the club, a loss here could well & truly impact our chances of a top four finish later on in the season. Given that Smorgon said it's either a GF or it's failure, this is a massive game for Eade & the players.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Views for Round 11

I think it is close to being one of the biggest games since Eade's reign a the club, a loss here could well & truly impact our chances of a top four finish later on in the season. Given that Smorgon said it's either a GF or it's failure, this is a massive game for Eade & the players.

Agree and not just from the pure win-loss ladder point of view, but also from a credibility position. We were humbled by the Pies in our opening season encounter, and another loss against them, would seriously put into question our ability to be a top 4 contender in season 2010. A loss here and not only do our stocks fall in the eyes of the media and supporters mind, but more importantly it must also increase the level of doubt in the minds of the playing group.

A win on the other hand, and it may just be the thing that kick starts our stutter-stop season into overdrive, just as we approach getting some big names back from injury in time for the second half of the year.

In short this is a massive game, right on the half way point of the season.

[BulldogBelle]

Re: Views for Round 11

Well, this is the most nervous all of us would have been since the PF last year.

When our back is against the wall I have all the confidence that the boys can and will bounce back. Normally we play so well against low expectation. I just don't have that confidence this week.

Nervous week this week, our character as a team is at stake. The good thing is Collingwood should still be favourites, I absolutely hate them when they play as the underdogs.

[SPower]

Re: Views for Round 11

Each Year games are getting more important otherwise some of us poor bastards are
never going to live to see the Cup Aloft !!!!

[lemmon]

Re: Views for Round 11

Time to come out breathing fire and make a statement. Collingwood seem to be right for the picking and after the Hall of Fame dinner the boys should be psyched. A win and we regain credibility and are right back in the competition, a loss and we continue to fall down the rabbit hole we've made for ourselves.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Views for Round 11

Wouldn't have thought Collingwood would be coming off two straight loses either.

Big game all round - bigger than probably both clubs really wanted it to be (though a Collingwood loss would still leave them 7-4 and would only drop out of the top 4 if we gave them a hiding)

I know it's only May - but perception's a funny thing.

Loss to Collingwood - 3 straight loses and on the brink of dropping out of the top 4
Loss to us - 2 straight losses, on the brink of dropping out of the top 8

[LostDoggy]

Re: Views for Round 11

Im going into this game 50-50. Not my usual 99-1

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Re: Views for Round 11

I don't like the position we are currently in but with the injury list and issues along the way, we are not in too bad shape? I know this seems strange.

I like this game as the boys can really set themselves and know what's coming. This will be the game that gets our season back on track and each week we get one week closer to getting a full list back. Every game this year it looks to me that we have had at least one player with an injury. Surely our luck has to change.

The interesting thing for me is how the MC will pick the side as I think everyone needs to pull together and get the job done this week.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Views for Round 11

I think we all just need to lower our expectations a little as we may have gotten a little ahead of ourselves so far this season.

[Mantis]

Re: Views for Round 11

I think we all just need to lower our expectations a little as we may have gotten a little ahead of ourselves so far this season.

Why?

Last year we finished 3rd losing in a very close PF.

In the off-season we recruited a key forward which was one area that had let us down in the past. Our pre-season form was good (especially in the final) and our key forward was in great touch.

We had every right to have high expectations and so far these expectations aren't being met.

[The Underdog]

Re: Views for Round 11

If we get up it will probably be viewed as a somewhat redemptive win and we'll still be tracking reasonably well, but if we lose there be a pretty widely held perception that we are on the slide, both from our own fans and from outside. It's a big game not only because we get the chance to regain some reputation but because we can hurt another team that's in a similiar position.
Given where we are at and how accountable the Pies were against us last time and how badly we match up on them, I think we're in some trouble.

[Mantis]

Re: Views for Round 11

If we get up it will probably be viewed as a somewhat redemptive win and we'll still be tracking reasonably well, but if we lose there be a pretty widely held perception that we are on the slide, both from our own fans and from outside. It's a big game not only because we get the chance to regain some reputation but because we can hurt another team that's in a similiar position.
Given where we are at and how accountable the Pies were against us last time and how badly we match up on them, I think we're in some trouble.

Which players in particular give us concerns?

[Mofra]

Re: Views for Round 11

Which players in particular give us concerns?

Every quick outside player at a guess.

Shaggy used to blanket Medhurst, although he lost the duel in round 1.
Didak, Shaw, Swan and Davis have troubled us in the past. Fortunately one of the few players to hold his head up high last weekend (Picken) should be able to do a job on one of them.
O'Brien's rebound work in round 1 cut us to shreds too.

[chef]

Re: Views for Round 11

Every quick outside player at a guess.

Shaggy used to blanket Medhurst, although he lost the duel in round 1.
Didak, Shaw, Swan and Davis have troubled us in the past. Fortunately one of the few players to hold his head up high last weekend (Picken) should be able to do a job on one of them.
O'Brien's rebound work in round 1 cut us to shreds too.

Fortunately those two won't be playing this week.