Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

[Remi Moses]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Huge turnaround since the last time we played them.
We simply got out coached and out played today. Brisbane just worked us over.

A lot of passengers and the win last week meant a few missed being put under the microscope. That shouldn't be an issue this week though

I know I have been banging on about this for years but we must address our approach to goal kicking. It's just embarrassing that we are so inept in front of the sticks.

Watched the 08 game at the Gabba last night.
We had 11 gone from that side and the Lions had an incredible 16!
Quite a turnaround, it's just so imperative we recruit well this year and next.

[SonofScray]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Just a shocking day out. We were outgunned, out coached and out supported at home. By an interstate team that we had some small rights to expect an even contest against.

It is looking worse as the season goes on from here.

[Eastdog]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

It was certainly a bad performance and we have a lot of work to do that's for sure. We are a shadow of the team we were a couple of years ago.

[Maddog37]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Today was complete trash. Lack of chase with intent. Lack of poise with ball in hand. Lack of spirit. Lack of heart. I *!*!*!*!ing hated every second of it.

Weak as piss.

We are clearly still trending downwards and I hope the coach will cut deeply at years end. Not before time as many have said in the past on here.

[The Underdog]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

I'm not a tear up my membership sort of person, but if i was i would be doing that.

It's heaps harder since they became plastic. Use a guillotine...satisfying.
One day your membership will be a barcode on a smartphone and then you'll need to smash your phone to tear up your membership.

On that note, I don't think teams should tank but reckon Griff should spend some time in a back pocket rotating through the bench and that Boydy would be great at FF for the rest of the year. And Hooper deserves a shot in the firsts, on the ball...

[BulldogBelle]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

I have to say, I am very underwhelmed by the performance of our coaching staff -- particularly in recent weeks.

Too top heavy up forward, the slowest fielding of football sides since the game's inception and a refusal to make necessary changes throughout matches.

Leaving Addison on McGrath for as long as we did was painful to watch, and extremely frustrating. I must have commented on this 36 times before he was eventually shifted.

The fact that we are without Sherman, Veszpremi, DJ and Grant (all for various reasons) is irritating too; we are incredibly slow, flat footed and devoid of skill.

Campbell looekd OK though.

^^^

Anyone think that McCartney needs a senior mentor in the coaching box on game days???

He is surrounding by junior assistants in King, Grant and to a lesser extent Monty

In the way that Rocket would be working with Buckley

McCartney seems to make some tactical errors on gameday, that may be remedied with greater experience, but our structures, selection and matchups at times is puzzling

Addison on McGrath was painful as Dylan just didn't have the pace to go with McGrath
Brown took Lake on a tour around the ground, whereas Lake would have been better suited to playing deep e.g. on Merrett when he was down there
Murphy again was dragged to deep - smart move by Voss
Cordy, Roughead and Cooney were ran around like witches hats on our full forward line - add to them Gia and Higgins and our forward pressure was non existent

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

I don't care they got beat I'm just happy they didn't hurt anyone's feelings today. The club should be proud, the AFL will be happy. They are not there to show heart and battle, they are there to tread lightly and piss off their supporters, before the league moves them interstate.

This.

Did we expect anything else from a team that just had their administration tell them, in no uncertain terms, that telling 'yo mama' jokes at your opponents expense was a hanging offence, worth more than a win, and that they would not come to your defense no matter what was said about you.

Did we expect anything else from a club that just had its brand TRASHED in the media this week without raising so much as a peep of dissent?

We have proven without a doubt this week that we are soft as horseshit off the field, why would players go the extra mile to support an administration that has shown itself incapable of supporting itself, or that has shown its willingness to hang out one of our best performers and long-term servants at the whim of a soft Port player and his bogan family?

We've just seen what a team without a heart looks like today. Forget skill, structure or any other crap like that -- we're just going through the motions now.

ps. I've said this in another thread, but I will take a bet at any money that Will will be gone at the end of the year. Forget what you saw at the presser, he may actually be a bit contrite, but no way he's staying. You can bet that inside he will have felt completely betrayed by the higher ups.

pps. I said that I was giving up football if Will got suspended. The reality is that the Dogs gave up on itself a long time ago, long before we did. I don't care about success as much as I do about self-respect. This last seven days has shown that we have absolutely none. As a team, as a club, as an administration. This week, we saw the start of the long death of a football club. With our membership declining etc. I have no confidence that we will exist as a club in our current form 15 years from now.

[Eastdog]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

We are just in a bad patch in terms of our progression. We need to draft well get some kids and I'm sure in a few years time will get back up the ladder.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

This.

Did we expect anything else from a team that just had their administration tell them, in no uncertain terms, that telling 'yo mama' jokes at your opponents expense was a hanging offence, worth more than a win, and that they would not come to your defense no matter what was said about you.

Did we expect anything else from a club that just had its brand TRASHED in the media this week without raising so much as a peep of dissent?

We have proven without a doubt this week that we are soft as horseshit off the field, why would players go the extra mile to support an administration that has shown itself incapable of supporting itself, or that has shown its willingness to hang out one of our best performers and long-term servants at the whim of a soft Port player and his bogan family?

We've just seen what a team without a heart looks like today. Forget skill, structure or any other crap like that -- we're just going through the motions now.

ps. I've said this in another thread, but I will take a bet at any money that Will will be gone at the end of the year. Forget what you saw at the presser, he may actually be a bit contrite, but no way he's staying. You can bet that inside he will have felt completely betrayed by the higher ups.

pps. I said that I was giving up football if Will got suspended. The reality is that the Dogs gave up on itself a long time ago, long before we did. I don't care about success as much as I do about self-respect. This last seven days has shown that we have absolutely none. As a team, as a club, as an administration. This week, we saw the start of the long death of a football club. With our membership declining etc. I have no confidence that we will exist as a club in our current form 15 years from now.

That's very worrying to read. We had every reason to play hard tonight. Where has our heart gone? We didn't look that bad against Port.

[SonofScray]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

I've been a Lantern fan boy in recent discussions and the reason is, what is getting putting up cuts very close to the bone. We are in dire straits, the actual fabric of the Club has been eroded massively in recent years. The pride and value we had in what we are has been surpassed by the loathing for what we are not. What I mean is that the failure to score that elusive Premiership has been put squarely on our identity (name change, working class roots etc). There is a real sense of identity cringe and self loathing that permeates through our Admin and unfortunately even our fan base.

In the quest to be "better," we've become a weak, bland and ultra conservative organisation that doesn't value our roots (poor history, loser culture) or our fans (not enough, not the right ones). Its driven significant change and delivered nothing tangible. The books might look healthier, with AFL assistance, but thats a poisoned chalice in itself that prevents us from ever correcting our path and breaking away from this weak, yes man, conservative approach to participating in the game. We are completely impotent. Toothless.

We threw Minson to the wolves this week rather than muscle up and protect our player, our reputation against the outrageous, in genuine moral panic generated by the likes of John Ralph and Caro. Rather than raise the ire of the AFL, our pimp daddy. The idea of Cede Nullis has been irreparably damaged, we have no capacity or will to dig in. Yield to None has given way to Yield to All if it means survival.

I don't like that. It hurts. It annoys. It reflects poorly on me as an individual who associates with the Club. I can't imagine why anyone would put themselves in that position. It isn't the Club I grew up with, or the one that my Nan fought for in 89 or claimed she'd crawl on her hands and knees to see one more time before passing away. I hate the feeling, the drama it brings up but it is real to me and has grown exponentially since 09 in particular. I can't walk away because my family history and own personal investment is too closely knitted into things but it is making me angry and bitter.

Mac's message about ruthlessness on the field really stirred something up I think, a promise to be true to the idea of Bulldog Tenacity has us all sucking it up for another roller coaster ride and it is brilliant that this language is finding a place in the Club again, we love it. But we need to see it. It needs to be a feature of the whole Club's life. This week was an example of it not happening at all.

[Eastdog]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

I've been a Lantern fan boy in recent discussions and the reason is, what is getting putting up cuts very close to the bone. We are in dire straits, the actual fabric of the Club has been eroded massively in recent years. The pride and value we had in what we are has been surpassed by the loathing for what we are not. What I mean is that the failure to score that elusive Premiership has been put squarely on our identity (name change, working class roots etc). There is a real sense of identity cringe and self loathing that permeates through our Admin and unfortunately even our fan base.

In the quest to be "better," we've become a weak, bland and ultra conservative organisation that doesn't value our roots (poor history, loser culture) or our fans (not enough, not the right ones). Its driven significant change and delivered nothing tangible. The books might look healthier, with AFL assistance, but thats a poisoned chalice in itself that prevents us from ever correcting our path and breaking away from this weak, yes man, conservative approach to participating in the game. We are completely impotent. Toothless.

We threw Minson to the wolves this week rather than muscle up and protect our player, our reputation against the outrageous, in genuine moral panic generated by the likes of John Ralph and Caro. Rather than raise the ire of the AFL, our pimp daddy. The idea of Cede Nullis has been irreparably damaged, we have no capacity or will to dig in. Yield to None has given way to Yield to All if it means survival.

I don't like that. It hurts. It annoys. It reflects poorly on me as an individual who associates with the Club. I can't imagine why anyone would put themselves in that position. It isn't the Club I grew up with, or the one that my Nan fought for in 89 or claimed she'd crawl on her hands and knees to see one more time before passing away. I hate the feeling, the drama it brings up but it is real to me and has grown exponentially since 09 in particular. I can't walk away because my family history and own personal investment is too closely knitted into things but it is making me angry and bitter.

Mac's message about ruthlessness on the field really stirred something up I think, a promise to be true to the idea of Bulldog Tenacity has us all sucking it up for another roller coaster ride and it is brilliant that this language is finding a place in the Club again, we love it. But we need to see it. It needs to be a feature of the whole Club's life. This week was an example of it not happening at all.

I like the sentiment SonofScray. Do you think David Smorgon since coming in as our President from 1996 has done a good job. At the time when he came in we were in real dire straits and he is passionate about the club and trying too put it in the right direction.

[SonofScray]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

I like the sentiment SonofScray. Do you think David Smorgon since coming in as our President from 1996 has done a good job. At the time when he came in we were in real dire straits and he is passionate about the club and trying too put it in the right direction.

Of course he has done a good job, but I'd like that measured against the idea that trying and achieving are not the same thing. That was a real sentimental rant, I realise but just feeling down on the week and the club and the AFL juggernaut right now.

[Doc26]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

I'm not a tear up my membership sort of person, but if i was i would be doing that.

Funny. I'm not the type not to show up to our games but if I was .....

[Sedat]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

Could not agree more with Lantern and SoS - we have had a wretched week as a club.

20k this week, 16k last week. Meanwhile Collingwood draw over 70k against an interstate club - I remember a game between these 2 teams that drew 27k at the same venue not all that long ago (when Tranquilli kicked a bag), so the 'it's Collingwood, they are a big club' wears thin. There is a real smell about us right now that is undeniable - it is beyond time for a complete overhaul of our admin and board. Time for a fresh set of ideas and perspectives to be implemented by a new board..

[LostDoggy]

Re: Game Day 2012 - R13 Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane

First game I've gone to this year. Disappointing spectacle but I enjoyed the social aspect of chatting to the members I've got to know over the years in the same seats and it felt good to yell and carry on like I can't do in any other social situation. Skill levels were poor but effort not. Saw Austin take a mark with Brown thundering towards him from behind, didn't bat an eyelid - love that stuff. Higgins was filthy when the final siren sounded. I don't believe there is no heart amongst the players. It has been a shitty week in what was always going to be a tough season and it often feels like we (the club) are always up against it but to me that's more about the AFL manipulating things.