Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

[Mantis]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

A little harsh Mantis I thought first up from a spell in the wind we were actually preety good.

We train on one of the windiest grounds in Victoria so I can't see that as an excuse, perhaps the stands made the conditions 'flukey', but I was disappointed with our kicking in general and especially the field kicking of the 3 players mentioned... Cross only had 3 kicks with 2 of these being absolute clangers. His left footed kick into the forward-line was dead-set embarrassing.

Wood also undid some fine work with some shoddy kicking.

What about the rucks?

Will seemed to play more in game 1, Roughy more in game 2... Don't have any stats to back this up, just a feeling I had.

Both dominated the tap-outs, but Will was much more effective around the ground. Both offered little up forward.

[Dazza]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Thought Grants kicking for goal had markedly improved on last year. I remember him struggling for distance a few times last season but he kicked through the ball quite well yesterday and made the distance easily from 50 out.

[Missing Dog]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Griffen is noticeably skinnier, he looked like Mcmahon at times on the TV. Yesterday he struggled to shrug tackles, so I hope this is just an aberration.

Jones is another to frustrate me. I continually hear about how he has been outmarking Hall at training, how he is dominating the match practice drills and that he is ready to take a big step forward. Much like last year he failed to impact the contest. There were times yesterday when he was too easily pushed off the contest, and other times where he should have marked the ball or at least brought it down with him. I think he is a good prospect, but atm none of his performances have shown anywhere near as much as you would hope. They've all shown that he could be a good player, not that he should.

Howard was very dissapointing. Barely got it (I recall three kicks, one a kick out) and the two kicks in play were both poor. Also looks fairly slight. I realise he will take time but based on that showing I'm worried.

These are the three I was very dissapointed in.

Griffen looked like a first year player, couldn't shrug off his usual tackles and his skills were quite poor. I expected him to get bigger rather then skinnier.

Jones I think needs confidence more then anything, he's got good hands but just hasn't shown it at this level yet. He needs one big pack mark, then he's right I reckon.

Howard just isn't up to it at the moment and it's time for me to change my avatar.

I liked Wood, Grant, Vespa, Panos, Libba and Wallis game of the younger guys. Still undecided about Djerrkura. The older boys in Higgins, Boyd, Hahn, Moles, Williams and Gia looked good. Markovic was also okay.

A little surprised Schofield and Hooper didn't play.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

There appears to be some divided opinion on here regarding Djerrkura but interested to read the coaches comments from the club website about his inclusion in the team.

Djerrkura played his first two games for the Bulldogs on Sunday during round one of the NAB Cup at Skilled Stadium.

The forward showed some positive signs against North Melbourne in the Bulldogs' first match, adding some pace to their forward line with eight touches and two tackles. Shaun Higgins also had his tackle count up in both games.

"Obviously it's an area we need to improve," Eade said.

"We need to get better at that and obviously some of our older players weren't good at that in the past and Nathan can add that - but he certainly can play on ball as well."

"Him and Jones have got some pace and Grant's got some pace and I thought Higgins tackled well today so it's a pleasing sign as well."

[Mantis]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

A little surprised Schofield and Hooper didn't play.

Who would you have liked these 2 play ahead of?

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Just imagine a midfield Cooney, Griffen, Wallis and Libba in a couple of years WOW.

And Higgins and Ward

[LostDoggy]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

A little surprised Schofield and Hooper didn't play.

I'm sure we'll see them in the next 3 weeks.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

And Higgins and Ward

Not allowing for players to be poached by the northern invaders.

[mjp]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

mjp, what were your thoughts on the game plan?

Seemed to have a bit of a focus on more numbers around the ball. Our spread from the contest was pretty good (some terrific passages of flowing handball to running players in both games) and when we handballed to stationery options it seemed to me that was the only choice available.

I am still concerned that we continue to kick the ball to a contested situation 50-80m from goal. I just don't see the point of this - it really is right in the middle of a turnover zone (particularly when the ball is in the corridor).

Why do our players keep doing this?

[Missing Dog]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Who would you have liked these 2 play ahead of?

Schofield - Stack

Hooper - Probably no one now that I think about it.

[Mantis]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Schofield - Stack

Stack is playing for his footy career at our club in 2011... He deserves first crack at it.

[Missing Dog]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Stack is playing for his footy career at our club in 2011... He deserves first crack at it.

Fair enough. I just love the look of him from the very limited times I've seen him. By reports he's also been good in training, just thought he deserved a run.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Agreed with the conerns on our disposal/game plan. The long bombing into the forward 50 is very annoying to watch. It tends to get worse against better opposition too. Griffen does this far too often - a player of his skill should be hitting targets more than he does. Cross electing to use his left foot is idiocy too - he should know his limitations.

Surprised more hasn't been made of Panos' game. A few said he was quiet - I disagree. Think he showed quite a bit out there. Great hands, moving much better, looks for shorter options to pass the ball to, and is a nice kick. I have big hopes for Panos after watching that - he really should be doing all he can to have a good season at Williamstown to secure a senior spot in 2012.

Some are a little harsh on DJ, but I agree he tends to find the ball and then confuse his team mates by doing circles and waiting for support to handball to. To be fair, Geelong do this a lot - they keep handballing in circles until they find a running option. Perhaps he's still adjusting to the different game plans. Either way - I think it's extremely unfair to write the guy off. He's strong, quick and can find the ball - that's a start. He may need to play exclusively forward, or he may simply need the confidence to do what Wood (for example) was doing, and that's using your pace and strenth to advantage.

Also thought Hill showed some positive signs despite the little he got of it, but again, he didn't have a lot of opportunity. Thought he showed some class and composure when he had the ball, in situations where a lot of other players either bombed away or fumbled.

Libba really was impressive though, the more I think about it. He's going to be a great player in 2-3 years time.

[Mantis]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

Also thought Hill showed some positive signs despite the little he got of it, but again, he didn't have a lot of opportunity. Thought he showed some class and composure when he had the ball, in situations where a lot of other players either bombed away or fumbled.

I was pretty disappointed in the way we used Hill. In the scratch matches I had seen (I didn't see the intra-club) I had thought that he had been pretty good playing up on a wing and had hoped he would spend some time in this position yesterday.

While he had some nice touches he gets lazy up forward, looking for the easy one over the back all the time and needs to be played up the ground.

[Greystache]

Re: Nab Cup vs. North Melbourne/Geelong Review

What about the rucks?


one thing I learnt about the games from yesterday, don't listen to SEN

Neither particularly effective, both probably beaten on the day. Minson the better of the two in around the ground. Roughy did take a mark inside 50 and kick a goal.