Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

[Ozza]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

A really tough test this week.

Freo are a genuine chance of being a top 4 side this year. So, pushing them all the way would be great, and a win - outstanding.

I worry that they will just be too quick for us across the ground. Hopefully our mix of forwards with the likes of Murphy (in particular) Gia, Higgins, Dickson, Dahl and the 2 big boys - creates a few match up headaches for them in return.

[Bornadog]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

Nice one DD, love reading these on WOOF, much better than the general media.

I am really looking forward to this match as I have a sneaky suspicion we will play well. Dockers don't play well at Eithad and we have beaten them the last 4 of 5 times there.

Minson is the key to get the midfield going and I am glad Sandliands is not playing, although ny all accounts Griffin did well last week.

Lower will be full of fire and could very well be amongst the best for us.

[Ozza]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

Just on Griffin/Minson. Its a pretty crucial dual. Minson may well be our most important player many times this season - seeing as he will ruck for 80-90% of matches.

And this may be a question for MJP and other WA woofers, who see more of the WA teams live and in the media - but just in regard to Griffin, is it possible he got under the guard of the West Coast last week? is he better than everyone thought? or is it a combination of both?

And how do you think he will go/how will he match up against Minson?

He's obviously a lighter body, can he match Will in the air and around the ground ruck contests?

[Mantis]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

Going to be a massive test for us going up against one of the best drilled teams in the business. I can't see Freo allowing us to dictate terms like what was the case last week against Brisbane. As highlighted by all the midfield clash will be crucial, we gave Brisbane a spanking at the clearances which got the ball going our way, but one would think it won't be as easy this week against Freo.

It will be interesting to see how we structure up in defence - if we go 'ballsy' and think that Pav is still underdone we could see Roughy assigned to a tall (Bradley), Morris to Mayne and Young to Pav, but this creates risk.

Plenty of prime movers to negate (think Fyfe, Hill, Mundy, Barlow, Pearce), but going on our efforts last week they will need to put plenty of time into negating the likes of Griffen, Cooney, Higgins, Murphy, Libba, etc..

Looking forward to this one more so than a few weeks back.. Big challenge, I hope we are up for it!

[always right]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

Really looking forward to this game as we will get a clearer idea as to how much we have improved playing against a far better prepared opposition.

Freo present quite a challenge for us in terms of the number of players we need to negate whilst not bing too focused on them rather than us. As good as Lower was last week, he does not have the leg speed to line up on speedsters like Hill and Pearce who have typically been picked up by Picken in the past. Lower to Mundy has been suggested and that makes sense. I'd back Wallis or Libba to go head to head with Barlow as he is similarly paced.

If last week is any guide, Picken will go to the most dangerous small forward, in this case Walters. Unfortunately I don't think we have anyone else to run with Hill or Pearce and we can't afford to let them run free. Picken to Pearce for me as he has it all over Pearce mentally. Hill remains a real threat to us and we'll need a plan to reduce his impact. JJ probably picks up Walters although it wouldn't surprise to see Goodes take him due to his football smarts.

I think Roughy will take Pavlich at the start with Morris to go to the dangerous Mayne. Young to take Bradley.

The player I don't think we match up well on is Fyffe who is a fine young player with great hands and a pretty good motor. Would we consider bringing in someone especially to take Fyffe?......Easton Wood anyone?

[LongWait]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

Thanks for the preview DD.

Lots of talk on here and elsewhere about tags and match-ups dictated by the Freo player's attributes. I don't think we will approach the game with an overly negative or negating mindset. We have our structures and game style well and truly worked out now and there is not much point compromising it. We need to keep testing it and learning by applying it against quality opposition, which Freo certainly is.

I'd like to see us back ourselves in to take on Freo in exactly the same way that we approached the Brisbane game.

[F'scary]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

Thanks DD. GD's contribution got me thinking. I think there is a something in this. Lyon's sides are reknowned for playing a strangulation - cough up - turnover and rebound style. They concentrate on the space closer to the ball carrier and therefore trap sides trying to use handball, running off the mark and short passing to keep the ball moving quickly. Long passing and long kicking to positions that are well contested by us could indeed be the go.

Of course, we first have to get the ball:-)

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

Great job DD.

I'm with you on starting Roughead on Pav, give him a chance first up. From the reports Roughead did a good job on him last time in a shellacking. I'm all for tagging Hill or Pearce (perhaps even both), their run is crucial to Freo and both have been historically negated by close taggers.

Another well done from me DD. I would prefer Roughead to take Pavlich with Morris to play on Mayne. Lower could well tag Hill or Barlow. You would expect Crowley to line up on Griffen.
Our record against Freo has been good in the past and I like your prediction of an 8 point victory. This game will be won or lost in the midfield where both teams are strong. Minson and Liberatore together with Lower become keys.

[Bornadog]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

Another well done from me DD. I would prefer Roughead to take Pavlich with Morris to play on Mayne. Lower could well tag Hill or Barlow. You would expect Crowley to line up on Griffen.
Our record against Freo has been good in the past and I like your prediction of an 8 point victory. This game will be won or lost in the midfield where both teams are strong. Minson and Liberatore together with Lower become keys.

Mundy was their best player last week, I prefer Lower take him.

[Mofra]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

It certainly wont be easy in the clearances - their midfield is huge.
They also wont allow us to spread as much as the Lions did so I expect our disposal % to drop.
Cordy & Jones really need to work hard to provide targets as I'd expect a lot of rushed, high ball into our F50.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

Mundy was their best player last week, I prefer Lower take him.

You might be under estimating Barlow's ability. Barlow and Mundy shared BOG honours against WCE to be joint winners of the Ross Glendinning Medal.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

Freo had the second most miserly defence last season, bar Sydney.

Sydney don't have a tall backline, but they are quick, they get numbers back, hunt the ball together, and then they use handball, run and move it out of defence.

I'd almost be tempted to move Bob Murphy back for parts of this game, to help us set up attack off half back and cut through their zone.

[Dancin' Douggy]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

Are you all aware that Mundy was taken with pick 19 in the 2003 draft.
The same pick we traded for Steven Koops.

CLANGER!!!!

Man we stuffed that year up. Traded out picks 6, 19, 20, 36 and The no1 pre season draft pick.

For Koops, Street, Veal, Morgan and Rawlings.

Ouch.

Thank God we got Cooney

[G-Mo77]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

Yeah, that year hurt.

I do remember being pretty stoked about getting Rawlings though. 7 goals on debut as well got me pretty excited.

[Mantis]

Re: Match preview. Dogs v Dockers. Sat. April 6

I'd almost be tempted to move Bob Murphy back for parts of this game, to help us set up attack off half back and cut through their zone.

But wasn't one of the main reasons our forwardline functioned so well last week due to Murf being down there?

His ability to not only be the lead-up player, but to also create space behind was extremely valuable last week... he needs to play this role just as effectively tomorrow for us to be a realisitic chance.