Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

[Eastdog]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

Does anyone else think Cooney should be played predominantly through the middle still? When he was put there in the last quarter it was massive for us. Stuff playing him off a back flank, he'd best bursting from the middle.

Yeah that's where he should play. The worry is his injury concerns with his knees.

[Eastdog]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

What did people make of Crossy's game?

[jeemak]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

What did people make of Crossy's game?

I thought Crossy showed some of his strong points really well, and some of his weak points too. In patches when the game was moving quickly, and when it required decisive ball use by foot he was left short. His effort was there, as always.

He's a champion, but the team will go on without his services after this year. He's just not dynamic enough by hand or foot anymore.

[Eastdog]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

I thought Crossy showed some of his strong points really well, and some of his weak points too. In patches when the game was moving quickly, and when it required decisive ball use by foot he was left short. His effort was there, as always.

He's a champion, but the team will go on without his services after this year. He's just not dynamic enough by hand or foot anymore.

Yeah Cross battles hard as always. So we should expect that his farewell game will be our last match for 2013.

On the other end of the age scale I thought Stringer did ok again tonight and show some good signs.

[jeemak]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

Well, a strange feeling for me was had as I was walking out of the ground.

I was absolutely livid by the umpiring in the first half. I've only ever really attributed a game change to the umpires in a Bulldogs game once before in my life (2009 prelim), though tonight in the first half I thought we were thoroughly screwed over. It was an unmitigated disgrace.

Now that's off my chest......

I though Geelong didn't really get out of third gear for the entire night. They played like a side that wasn't regarding its opposition at all, and it showed through their inability to kick away from us like they should have.

The game on the other hand was very very pleasing to me, in that despite Geelong's lacklustre approach we hung in there and didn't ever give up at any stage. We could have easily gone into our shells tonight, after such poor umpiring and easy goals outside of that giving Geelong an scoreboard advantage, and it's full credit to the club for fighting it out.

I'm a happy Dogs supporter tonight, as with such an inexperienced side missing a number of key movers we showed we have fight and talent. I thought some excellent work was done by Roughead (who struggled early), Jones, Liberatore, Smith, Wallis, Dahlhaus, JJ, Goodes, Picken et al to keep us in the game, through keeping the ball moving. I have appreciation for Tutt as a footballer, because I know how easily he gets free and he will become a bloody dangerous player when our team becomes more decisive with the ball and finds him more often.

We accounted for ourselves well tonight, and I'm proud to be a Bulldog on the back of it.

[Scorlibo]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

I thought Crossy showed some of his strong points really well, and some of his weak points too. In patches when the game was moving quickly, and when it required decisive ball use by foot he was left short. His effort was there, as always.

He's a champion, but the team will go on without his services after this year. He's just not dynamic enough by hand or foot anymore.

I think I disagree with that, has he ever been that dynamic? Thought he was excellent tonight and so long as he remains fit could be good for another 3-4 years I'd say. Maybe as a back pocket? If his output isn't reduced I don't see why he can't continue to play a role through the midfield actually.

[jeemak]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

I think I disagree with that, has he ever been that dynamic? Thought he was excellent tonight and so long as he remains fit could be good for another 3-4 years I'd say. Maybe as a back pocket? If his output isn't reduced I don't see why he can't continue to play a role through the midfield actually.

He used to be very much a dynamic footballer, who would cut across packs and take marks and use the ball by hand quickly in and out of pack situations to bring players into the game. Couple those attributes with his courage he was a genuine match winner.

I don't judge his future on what he does now, or by what he did in the past. He's the model footballer that has made players as courageous as they are now, and the professional that sets training, conditioning and dedication standards higher than any footballer I've seen.

But if we're going to be a very good team in the coming years he has to go. His decision making is getting slower, and his ability to use the ball quickly will continue to stifle our transition as we develop into a better team.

We let go of Scott West due to physical reasons, as well as knowing that he wasn't going to take us forward in terms of output versus the structure we wanted to put in place. I see Cross being in a similar position sooner rather than later.

He'd get absolutely smashed as a back pocket against the better teams, and if we're serious as a club in terms of development he's not going to have a role within our midfield as it develops. If we want to compete with the best clubs, we need to move on and develop others.

[boydogs]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

Stringer made a lead on the wing, almost past the half way line. He got quite involved I thought.

He lead up at the ball, but left the chasing and tackling to others. Typical Higgins. But like I said, I reckon that must have been the instruction as he isn't normally like that. As a result he managed 80% TOG and wasn't a liability for the bench rotations, which is why we were able to make a run at them in the last.

[jeemak]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

He lead up at the ball, but left the chasing and tackling to others. Typical Higgins. But like I said, I reckon that must have been the instruction as he isn't normally like that. As a result he managed 80% TOG and wasn't a liability for the bench rotations, which is why we were able to make a run at them in the last.

In some ways I actually wasn't happy with Stringer's output tonight across many levels, though his finishing was excellent.

Having said that, a 19 year old playing against a very good team can't be judged too harshly.

[boydogs]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

But if we're going to be a very good team in the coming years he has to go. His decision making is getting slower, and his ability to use the ball quickly will continue to stifle our transition as we develop into a better team.

You don't win games of footy with 22 racehorses. There is a spot for him, but in a full strength side he's competing with Boyd, Smith, Libba, Wallis and Stevens for it.

I had him BOG tonight, I thought he was exceptional in getting to contests and making a spoil, or a smother, or laying a tackle, and getting the quick fire long range handball out away from the contest to get us moving forward. Most of our mids did a reasonable job at finding someone to handpass to when under pressure, but Crossy was the one to break the chain of hospital handballs.

[jeemak]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

You don't win games of footy with 22 racehorses. There is a spot for him, but in a full strength side he's competing with Boyd, Smith, Libba, Wallis and Stevens for it.

I had him BOG tonight, I thought he was exceptional in getting to contests and making a spoil, or a smother, or laying a tackle, and getting the quick fire long range handball out away from the contest to get us moving forward. Most of our mids did a reasonable job at finding someone to handpass to when under pressure, but Crossy was the one to break the chain of hospital handballs.

Never said you do win games of football with 22 race horses. And there's going to be a spot for him in our side for the remainder of this year, and potentially next year if he continues to play on. But is the latter the best thing for the club?

I saw him do the same things you did, but I also saw him hang on to the ball instead of moving it quickly, I also saw him butcher an across ground kick that exposed us badly, as well as go for a spoil (or whatever it was) that ended up with Harry kicking a goal from the goal square, when all he had to do was hold up play.

All I'm saying is there's going to be a time when our list develops to a point where Cross playing or not playing is going to be inconsequential, and certain players based on merit in performance or otherwise are going to have to take his spot for the betterment of that development.

Developing a list is a bloody tough thing to do, and it's not easy to cut players out of the side and immediately see the results of that cut translate onto the field performance wise. For mine there just has to be a time when certain players are given a tap on the shoulder, and I think Cross for all his worth is going to be a player we have to do that to.

As you've noted we are lush in stock of inside midfielders. As we build a list or team around them, we need to give players that are more specialised from a positional perspective a chance to show their worth. Unfortunately that means guys like Cross, who have been absolute masters at the club have to miss out or be moved on.

[Remi Moses]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

He's the heartbeat if the club, probably our James McDonald .
He's very selfless, so I'm sure he'd put the club and its development in the forefront of his mind.

[Remi Moses]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

It would be horrible if the club has to make a call on Cross.
Personally think Gia and Cross will finish up at years end.

[westdog54]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

Disappointed with the result but I was a lot more upbeat walking away from that game tonight. I thought we might of got done by a lot more but we really fought the match out right to the end. Geelong always had the wood on us in this match. I give us a chance next week against West Coast despite the match being played in Perth.

Eagles are a bit ordinary at the moment aren't they. Coughed up a 41 point lead to get rolled in a thriller. They're a shadow of themselves from last season.

[MrMahatma]

Re: Game Day - R5 Western Bulldogs V Geelong

Keep Cross. Lose Gia. Maybe Higgins. Maybe even Williams.

Loved Jones being a threat up forward. Really great to have a guy who can take a grab. Almost pulled a big one in in the last qtr. would've capped things off nicely.