Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

[Sedat]

http://westernbulldogs.com.au/tabid/4112/Default.aspx?newsid=60236

By Ben Casanelia
10:12 AM Mon 26 May, 2008

WESTERN Bulldog star Jason Akermanis was under no illusion as to what cost the Dogs victory against North Melbourne in yesterday's Telstra Dome thriller.

"There was a bit of selfish footy with blokes trying to win off their own bat and go away from the team stuff," the 276-game veteran said.

"When that happens and we miss too many tackles then we become our own worst enemy.

"No disrespect to them (North Melbourne) because they played really well, but we kept shooting ourselves in the foot and making mistakes."

Other than Brad Johnson's now-famous after-the-siren miss, the Bulldogs failed to take their chances on a few occasions in the last quarter.

Johnson also missed two gilt-edged opportunities during that hectic final term, while costly turnovers through the middle of the ground also hurt the side.

A bitterly disappointed Akermanis could not hide his disappointment.

"It was a game we feel we should have won and should have iced early," he said.


"We had lots of shots at goal and missed some easy ones and that kept them in the game."

The triple premiership player said the Dogs, like the Brisbane sides in the early part of the decade, had to develop a killer instinct.

"We've got to get better at that," he said. "When we're up we got to put the foot down and keep going."

The Dogs led by four goals at half time but were outscored nine goals to five after the main break by a Kangaroo side inspired by the 250th appearance of favourite son Brent Harvey.

Akermanis said Harvey's milestone played no part, rather the trip to Perth last week and the fact the side had been up for so long might have shaved the edge off the third-placed Dogs.

"I've always felt that if we play our best footy then we are hard to stop and today was a good example of that," he said.

____________________________________________________________ _____________

Thought the highlighted bit was interesting. Aker loked shell-shocked after the siren. He really cares about the club's fortunes.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

Is he talking about Johnno?

[Mantis]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

Is he talking about Johnno?

Of course he is....

[Bornadog]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

Is he talking about Johnno?

Also Cross and Welsh running through the corridor and stuffing up when seemingly we were heading towards a kick into the forward 50.

[hujsh]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

Also Cross and Welsh running through the corridor and stuffing up when seemingly we were heading towards a kick into the forward 50.

Apparently Acker was on his own then as well.

To me Acker is more often than not the victim of selfish play and is one of the least selfish players we have imo.

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

Apparently Acker was on his own then as well.

To me Acker is more often than not the victim of selfish play and is one of the least selfish players we have imo.

Yes, his ability to get to good spots is still sometimes missed. I think this is more so due to the fact that he has a license for a bit of freedom, and subsequently can often bob up in places where teammates aren't expecting.

Either way, hopefully the side can address this issue and really have a self sacrificing game this week against the Hawks.

[Tugun Goalsneak]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

Don't blame Johnno for the loss - Games are not won or lost by the last kick of the game.We should not have let North head us in the last quarter, and I can't comment on individual performances because the game was not televised here in Qld. At least Johnno put himself in the action and was providing us with heaps of scoring opportunities, unfortunately the footy gods were not with him on Sunday. The point is that we have to get tougher in tight situations, and keep the lead rather than trying to come from behind all the time.
it was a particularly devastating loss for us because we could have been sitting in 2nd position with a 10 point buffer between us and 4th position. After R9, this would have almost certainly guaranteed us a top 4 finish.
Hopefully Rocket Rod gave the boys a real payout after the game, we just need to toughen up a bit in the tight contests, after all there will be a lot more close matches this year - starting with a close win over the Hawks next week - holding on to our lead rather than coming from behind.
Go doggies!

[GetDimmaBack]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

Don't blame Johnno for the loss - Games are not won or lost by the last kick of the game.We should not have let North head us in the last quarter, and I can't comment on individual performances because the game was not televised here in Qld. At least Johnno put himself in the action and was providing us with heaps of scoring opportunities, unfortunately the footy gods were not with him on Sunday. The point is that we have to get tougher in tight situations, and keep the lead rather than trying to come from behind all the time.
it was a particularly devastating loss for us because we could have been sitting in 2nd position with a 10 point buffer between us and 4th position. After R9, this would have almost certainly guaranteed us a top 4 finish.
Hopefully Rocket Rod gave the boys a real payout after the game, we just need to toughen up a bit in the tight contests, after all there will be a lot more close matches this year - starting with a close win over the Hawks next week - holding on to our lead rather than coming from behind.
Go doggies!

Fair point, Tugun.
Coming from behind is always a roll of the dice - much better to hold the lead than try to win it back.
Having said that, if Johnno had goaled, he'd be a genius and we'd be happy!
Pain is a teacher, and I guess we all need to learn...

[hujsh]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

Fair point, Tugun.
Coming from behind is always a roll of the dice - much better to hold the lead than try to win it back.
Having said that, if Johnno had goaled, he'd be a genius and we'd be happy!
Pain is a teacher, and I guess we all need to learn...

I'd have seen it as making up for missing that one form the square

[LostDoggy]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

Fair point, Tugun.
Coming from behind is always a roll of the dice - much better to hold the lead than try to win it back.
Having said that, if Johnno had goaled, he'd be a genius and we'd be happy!
Pain is a teacher, and I guess we all need to learn...

No we wouldn't. Many of us said after last week's win at Freo that this can't keep going the way it is. If we don't turn up to play and just rely on little bursts of magic to ice teams in the last quarter, it's going to come back and bite you up the butt more times than not.

I think Aker's said it best -- this pretty, pretty, tough-nut team has to just develop an edge, a clinical, killer instinct. A certain nastiness, a certain mercilessness. Put the foot down early, break a team open, then just keep going.

Teams that have had a lack of success for a while struggle to get that killer instinct because they empathise too much with losing teams and so struggle to realy blow teams out. Successful teams don't care if they beat you by 20 goals (same in other sports -- Manchester United don't take their foot off the pedal for anyone -- if it means they trash Spurs 5-1 or Fulham 4-0, they'll do precisely that, same for Brazil, the Bulls in the '90s etc.). They'll just keep on doing it for as long as they can.

You do it because you know your window is small and closes as quickly as it opens. You do it because your career is short and is over before you know it. You do it because you don't ever, EVER, get second chances in this game. And you do it because playing your absolute best every single minute is the only way you show respect to your opponent, your fans, and yourself.

Bloody hell. Anyone who is happy after that loss should go talk to Johnno. He'll kick you in the teeth.

[Dancin' Douggy]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

Yes, his ability to get to good spots is still sometimes missed. I think this is more so due to the fact that he has a license for a bit of freedom, and subsequently can often bob up in places where teammates aren't expecting.

Either way, hopefully the side can address this issue and really have a self sacrificing game this week against the Hawks.

It's staggering how often Aker is in the right place at the right time. It's genius. And he is not a selfish player. I'm really warming to him. He won the game for us against freo and honestly he could have won the game against North. Yes I'm talking about Johnno. Not attacking him or blaming him, I love the man but yes, Aker was there and Johnno should have given it to him.

[Missing Dog]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

No we wouldn't. Many of us said after last week's win at Freo that this can't keep going the way it is. If we don't turn up to play and just rely on little bursts of magic to ice teams in the last quarter, it's going to come back and bite you up the butt more times than not.

I think Aker's said it best -- this pretty, pretty, tough-nut team has to just develop an edge, a clinical, killer instinct. A certain nastiness, a certain mercilessness. Put the foot down early, break a team open, then just keep going.

Teams that have had a lack of success for a while struggle to get that killer instinct because they empathise too much with losing teams and so struggle to realy blow teams out. Successful teams don't care if they beat you by 20 goals (same in other sports -- Manchester United don't take their foot off the pedal for anyone -- if it means they trash Spurs 5-1 or Fulham 4-0, they'll do precisely that, same for Brazil, the Bulls in the '90s etc.). They'll just keep on doing it for as long as they can.

You do it because you know your window is small and closes as quickly as it opens. You do it because your career is short and is over before you know it. You do it because you don't ever, EVER, get second chances in this game. And you do it because playing your absolute best every single minute is the only way you show respect to your opponent, your fans, and yourself.

Bloody hell. Anyone who is happy after that loss should go talk to Johnno. He'll kick you in the teeth.

Well said i could not believe it when the doggies got clapped off the ground i wasd so bloody mad!!

We as supporters need to get that killer instinct aswell close is NOT good enough we need to demand respect and will not get it by acting like little league parents

[GetDimmaBack]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

I'd have seen it as making up for missing that one form the square

That's what I meant - many would have glossed over all the failings of most of the side and been content just to win again. That's the history of this club!!
The whole club, supporters included, need to suffer over this loss. If we don't then we're back to accepting mediocrity, and nothing will change as a result.
Listen to Aker! He's spot on.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

we're back to accepting mediocrity

Thank you, we've been waiting for that BS cliche.

[ledge]

Re: Dogs their own worst enemy: Aker

Well said i could not believe it when the doggies got clapped off the ground i wasd so bloody mad!!

We as supporters need to get that killer instinct aswell close is NOT good enough we need to demand respect and will not get it by acting like little league parents

I believe in clapping a side that tries, in the end its a game, yes we are passionate and it hurts but we love our players and the efforts they put in. The clapping was probably to help Johnno feel it wasnt his fault, remember he was hurting, you have to support him he is the red, white and blue.
You couldnt possibly think of supporters booing him could you after that?
Dissappointment of loss yes we are, but in times of doing it hard as Johnno did you have to help him out, i think the clapping was more of a support for him and lets face it we can be critical of mistakes but look at the big picture it was a great game.
Johnno presented all day, and tried his heart out, maybe one of our better players, just his finishing let him down, and remember 2 shots hit the post, millimetres away from winning it.
But alas in saying that he shouldnt be out there if injured, its definitely a leg problem and causing him to not follow through in his kicking.
Otherwise yes i agree with everything else you pointed out about killer instinct.