2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

[Ozza]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

Got a text we were 19 points up and then to find out we lost, well pissed off, is an under statement. Why we persist with guys like Austin, makes me wonder, and how did Cooney come straight in after missing so many games. He was obviously rusty and should have played at VFL and Smith in the AFL and maybe he wouldn't have sustained another knee. MC big mistakes in selection this week. This was more than winnable.

Agree with NBP, Campbell and either Roberts or Talia should be played for the rest of the season, and no that is not gifting them games, that is developing them at senior level.

Austin, for his limitations with the ball - defended well and read the play well.
I don't think watching the game via text message is a great viewpoint to be criticising how guys went. Understand you are referring to 'bigger picture'.

[Greystache]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

How did they go for Footscray on the weekend?

Roberts was excellent. Some intercept marks, some good one on one defending, and used the ball confidently. Talia was solid rather than good, much like most of his season.

[EasternWest]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

Got a text we were 19 points up and then to find out we lost, well pissed off, is an under statement. Why we persist with guys like Austin, makes me wonder, and how did Cooney come straight in after missing so many games. He was obviously rusty and should have played at VFL and Smith in the AFL and maybe he wouldn't have sustained another knee. MC big mistakes in selection this week. This was more than winnable.

Agree with NBP, Campbell and either Roberts or Talia should be played for the rest of the season, and no that is not gifting them games, that is developing them at senior level.

Aw man. That just sucks.

[whythelongface]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

Got a text we were 19 points up and then to find out we lost, well pissed off, is an under statement. Why we persist with guys like Austin, makes me wonder, and how did Cooney come straight in after missing so many games. He was obviously rusty and should have played at VFL and Smith in the AFL and maybe he wouldn't have sustained another knee. MC big mistakes in selection this week. This was more than winnable.

Agree with NBP, Campbell and either Roberts or Talia should be played for the rest of the season, and no that is not gifting them games, that is developing them at senior level.

That is a rather harsh call. Hindsight is wonderful. How do you know if Smith had of played in the seniors that he wouldn't done his knee as well? I know the MC make mistakes but to apportion blame for them on the Smith injury is ludicrious. BAD, I know you probably don't mean it that way but that is the way it can be interpreted based on your comments.

[chef]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

Roberts was listed as best afield, although I didn't see the VFL match - so can't add any more than that.

Roberts was excellent. Some intercept marks, some good one on one defending, and used the ball confidently. Talia was solid rather than good, much like most of his season.

Good to hear.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

Agree with NBP, Campbell and either Roberts or Talia should be played for the rest of the season, and no that is not gifting them games, that is developing them at senior level.

I want to win games, neither Talia or Roberts have performed better than Austin. Roberts is too slow to be a 3rd tall defender and if he isn't strong or athletic enough to play on a Carlisle. Campbell at least has form on his side but I'd rather Jones.
If you are so gun ho on Campbell why didn't you pick him in the match committee thread?

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

I want to win games, neither Talia or Roberts have performed better than Austin. Roberts is too slow to be a 3rd tall defender and if he isn't strong or athletic enough to play on a Carlisle. Campbell at least has form on his side but I'd rather Jones.
If you are so gun ho on Campbell why didn't you pick him in the match committee thread?

Are they the same reasons the MC weren't prepared to move Austin onto him?

Austin and Roberts both have there weaknesses, but I'm all for playing the bloke who has far much more upside. Especially given the circumstances of our season currently.

[Happy Days]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

Saying the club is somehow responsible for Smith's injury by not selecting him is really unbelievably dumb.

This game just reflected what we've all been saying on here for ages; the backline is a bigger problem than the forward line is. Roughy is promising but anyone with even decent athleticism and quickness can pose a serious threat to him, and continually playing Austin is stagnating the development of Talia and/or Roberts as prospects (not to mention he's not as good as either of them).

Sorry if it's been mentioned elsewhere but what happened with Wallis/when did the injury occur? He was doing a fantastic job on Heppell until the 4th quarter when he pretty much won them the game, guessing he got hurt around the same time?

[jeemak]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

Saying the club is somehow responsible for Smith's injury by not selecting him is really unbelievably dumb.

This game just reflected what we've all been saying on here for ages; the backline is a bigger problem than the forward line is. Roughy is promising but anyone with even decent athleticism and quickness can pose a serious threat to him, and continually playing Austin is stagnating the development of Talia and/or Roberts as prospects (not to mention he's not as good as either of them).

Sorry if it's been mentioned elsewhere but what happened with Wallis/when did the injury occur? He was doing a fantastic job on Heppell until the 4th quarter when he pretty much won them the game, guessing he got hurt around the same time?

From the presser it happened just before Picken was subbed out initially, then happened again later on to finish him up. If his foot isn't broken then it's badly bruised.

Agreed that Heppell's last quarter killed us. He's going to be a dominant player soon enough.

[Mantis]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

This game just reflected what we've all been saying on here for ages; the backline is a bigger problem than the forward line is. Roughy is promising but anyone with even decent athleticism and quickness can pose a serious threat to him, and continually playing Austin is stagnating the development of Talia and/or Roberts as prospects (not to mention he's not as good as either of them).

If he can't play on the likes of Tippett, Carlisle, Lynch,etc.. (the new age forward - very tall and mobile) then where does that leave him?

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

That game proved we still have much building from the back to be done to be become a genuine consistent finalist in the future.

[Ozza]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

That game proved we still have much building from the back to be done to be become a genuine consistent finalist in the future.

I don't think anything is proved from one match.

Essendon had far more inside 50s than us, had one bloke completely on fire, kicked to him every single time and weren't pressured well enough up the ground, so the entries were good quality.

Our forward line went at a better efficiency than Essendon's (53% as opposed to 46%).... so to me - it doesn't really stack up that our defence is a complete failure.

[jeemak]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

If he can't play on the likes of Tippett, Carlisle, Lynch,etc.. (the new age forward - very tall and mobile) then where does that leave him?

I think he will be able to. He's still got a lot of development left in him as a full back, but like most he'll be prone to good days and bad days.

[Happy Days]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

If he can't play on the likes of Tippett, Carlisle, Lynch,etc.. (the new age forward - very tall and mobile) then where does that leave him?

On the hulking forwards like Cloke...oh wait.


Roughy's had some seriously good games in defense so my faith in him is in his body of work rather than his attributes. His weaknesses are far more glaring than his strengths right now.

[lemmon]

Re: 2014 Game Day Round 18 - Western Bulldogs V Essendon

If he can't play on the likes of Tippett, Carlisle, Lynch,etc.. (the new age forward - very tall and mobile) then where does that leave him?

As a ruckman playing makeshift full back. It was the same story as when Cloke got a hold of him, Roughy lacks the athleticism in the first 5 metres to get enough body on body and affect the spoil. I'm probably in the minority in terms of being far from convinced on Roughy as a full back but he was lucky to not have had more goals kicked on him on the weekend, some of his holding tactics were questionable bordering on panicked. I like Jordan and the leadership he brings to the side but these are the guys he will have to make a career out of playing on. Yes he plays a tough position in a struggling side but he gets taken to the cleaners too often and Morris often gets the best forward anyway.

I just wonder whether at times for the rest of the season Roughy plays full forward and relief ruck and we perhaps bring in Roberts to play key back. I understand the argument that he doesn't learn if he's not playing there but he could potentially fill one of the other big gaps on our list and we get to find out whether Roberts is an AFL footballer.