Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

Neither player is ready. Bringing in the kids just for the hell of it isn't the answer a lot of people think it is.

Exactly right, what we are missing is experienced players as we have too many kids in the seniors. We missed Hall, Higgins today and Hargrave will be back soon as well.

Gold Coast Suns

[AndrewP6]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

Can't imagine how some of you youngsters on here would have coped in the 70's & 80's when we were a basket case most of the time!

Hahaha...good call.

[Bornadog]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

our players need to look at their boots, how many of our players went to ground today.

I was thinking the same thing. I didn't see any Swans players sliping

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

No, I have faith in the players playing & think with the inclusion of Hargrave, Hall & Higgins over the next couple of weeks we'll do well.

Can't imagine how some of you youngsters on here would have coped in the 70's & 80's when we were a basket case most of the time!

You sound like my Dad, lol.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

And these two have been performing well? I'd say we've been lucky just to have Cordy on the park for an extended period. And from Williamstown reports here, Howard has been only average.
Schofield will get a run before those two I'd say.

I agree. Schofield played a ripper game when I saw him in the Foxtel Cup.

I'm just raising Cordy and Howard as examples. Cordy is a future ruck and Howard is supposed to be the replacement for Gilbee. When are we going to blood these guys? So a guy like Skinner is well in front of them both?

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

No, I have faith in the players playing & think with the inclusion of Hargrave, Hall & Higgins over the next couple of weeks we'll do well.

Can't imagine how some of you youngsters on here would have coped in the 70's & 80's when we were a basket case most of the time!

.
Ha! nice one. Toughen up princesses!

But you have to admit TCD, today was a critical game and the disappointment is justified, considering the amount of points kicked against us.
I hate seeing Griffen in the back square kicking it in!

[Rocco Jones]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

Can't imagine how some of you youngsters on here would have coped in the 70's & 80's when we were a basket case most of the time!

I have heard this line a lot and really get where you're coming from but no Bulldogs fan has had it easy. It's like a man living on the street saying a man living in a cardboard box has it easy.

I am 30 and know I missed out on on a whole lot of crap in the 70s but while I love the Dogs, we have been an extremely frustrating side to support. I have posted this a few times on WOOF but I think it's why our fans have become so very cynical/snide.

Absolutely tragic in the years you mention TCD, then when we actually get near the top, we turn into the greatest tease of all time.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

The midfield had plenty of the ball today, so there is no excuse there.

Boyd - 33
Cooney 27
Griffen -27
Cross - 24
Ward 24

Boyd can get all the ball he wants each week, but if he uses it at 67% efficiency, it's useless.

[Doc26]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

Can't imagine how some of you youngsters on here would have coped in the 70's & 80's when we were a basket case most of the time!

Although enduring this hasn't done much for my patience and expectation for a premiership.

[Flamethrower]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

At least we have picked a good year to have a bad season. No one will get close to Collingwood for the flag this year.

We are probably better off concentrating getting some experience into Wally, Libba, LJ, Roughy, Merlin, Marko etc, so they will be ready to complement the existing players for a full on assault at the flag in 2012 and 2013.

As for Rocket, the game plan is fine - it is the execution and lack of work ethic that is killing us.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

Boyd can get all the ball he wants each week, but if he uses it at 67% efficiency, it's useless.

And even disposal effectiveness is misleading. We often had little chains of good disposal, but it's the crucial one going inside 50 or through the middle of the ground that we seem to butcher with regularity.
Boyd's hands in close, especially early on were great, but when he's 45 out in front, sprays a crucial kick. And I'm not singling Boyd out in particular, it's just one that comes to mind to make the point.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

I wasn't alive then but I was there for 96, 03 and 04. Were our supporters always this piss weak when we were losing?

On the game today I thought the effort was there but our skills let us down quite badly. Also we look really inexperienced out there especially in our forward line. Our two main forwards were Grant and Jones who are kids, and look lost at times. I think we made a mistake by not leaving Hahn on our senior list because what we need right now is exactly what he's providing at Willy, a cool experienced head in the forward half who works his arse off and does all the bullocking and tough stuff and provides a long target.

The big thing for me though was that we look unfit as a group. What exactly were they doing during the pre-season?

To be fair though, I think most thought he looked cooked last year, and was lucky to get a rookie spot.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

I have heard this line a lot and really get where you're coming from but no Bulldogs fan has had it easy. It's like a man living on the street saying a man living in a cardboard box has it easy.

I am 30 and know I missed out on on a whole lot of crap in the 70s but while I love the Dogs, we have been an extremely frustrating side to support. I have posted this a few times on WOOF but I think it's why our fans have become so very cynical/snide.

Absolutely tragic in the years you mention TCD, then when we actually get near the top, we turn into the greatest tease of all time.

Being 30 Rocco I imagine you might remember a fair bit of the 80's - my first memories of footy are from 84/85. Pretty ordinary for a stint thereafter.

Outside of 1996 & 2003/04, we've at least been competitive/in touching distance of a finals spot - and we're just that again now.

I think the expectation this year for many was a lot higher, hence the overly negative response to out start. This is sport - you have to control what are controllables, but there are SO many un-controllables that also have to go your way. That's not an excuse, it's the truth

[comrade]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

Being 30 Rocco I imagine you might remember a fair bit of the 80's - my first memories of footy are from 84/85. Pretty ordinary for a stint thereafter.

Outside of 1996 & 2003/04, we've at least been competitive/in touching distance of a finals spot - and we're just that again now.

I think the expectation this year for many was a lot higher, hence the overly negative response to out start. This is sport - you have to control what are controllables, but there are SO many un-controllables that also have to go your way. That's not an excuse, it's the truth

TPM, what's your stance now. You said you would re-assess after the Swans game.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Game Day 2011 - R7 Western Bulldogs vs Sydney Swans

TPM, what's your stance now. You said you would re-assess after the Swans game.

I think top 4 will be a massive challenge for the group from here - Carlton & Freo have the opportunity to extend the gap on everyone else this week, and Hawthorn are hovering (and winning games, albeit unconvincingly) We all saw Freo choke 4th up from around round 16 last year, but not so sure we'll be there to pounce should one of them fall away from here.

I thought we'd finish around 5th this year pre-season, and I'd be happy to get that high from here. Dems the breaks.

Was talking about this at work last night - I think Adelaide were the last side to win the flag from spots 5-8 (98) and since rewarding the top 4 more with the current system, it becomes extremely difficult to mount a challenge. Adelaide in 2009 were one candidate to potentially buck the system, getting the easiest of Elim finals first up (Ess) and then were very unlucky to lose to Collingwood in that semi. Would've been interesting to see them play Geelong the next week instead of Collingwood.

Long story short, who knows what team is going to get a run on at the right time ...like I thought we were at the end of 09........