Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

I thought I'd read/ heard that we have come from behind at 3/4 time 14 times under Bevo and that that was a big number. Then there was that Hawks win two years ago.

I wonder how many of those games we should have been behind at 3/4 time.

[GVGjr]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

I'm not ready to get hurt again

You need to put yourself out there
I'm not lowering expectations on this side any more. We simply need to show up and put in a good effort because we have the talent to be a genuine top 4 or 5 contender.

[Bornadog]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

You need to put yourself out there
I'm not lowering expectations on this side any more. We simply need to show up and put in a good effort because we have the talent to be a genuine top 4 or 5 contender.

Agree, the players are now matured, we have a good blend of games experience from <50, 50-100, 100- 150 and 150 plus. We have one of the best midfields in the AFL, and two big forwards who can mark and kick goals and a pretty good defence, plus help in the ruck.

Whether we are good enough will remain to be seen. I am confident of a top 4 finish.

[1eyedog]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

Yep must be top 4 this year.

[jeemak]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

I wonder how many of those games we should have been behind at 3/4 time.

It's an interesting, yet unanswerable question given the resources at my disposal!!!

We all have different expectations from this group, some think we should have been contending or at least closer to contending the past 24 months while others think we've had massive turnover and have been rebuilding and are just about where we should be (I'm in the latter group).

If we can bring the desire/ willingness to keep competing shown on the weekend week in and week out, then we've already improved. That's been the biggest issue for me these past few years, though inconsistency in these areas is typical of developing sides. While we still have deficiencies in some areas which are well known, a lot can be compensated for with consistent effort from a team that shows up each week.

[Mantis]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

I think we are a team that thrive on confidence. There has been something joyless in our footy in recent years. I saw so much more spirit, risktaking, signs like blocking and working harder for each other. Over recent times we would have gone back into our shells when the Eagles took command. We continued to take the game on. It's why I see it as one of our most important wins post 2016.It's

A piece of play that highlights this which was in the last qtr and was highlighted on one of the footy shows was when LV put a block on for Hunter and then received the handball before putting the ball on a platter for Naughts who rightfully converted. LV could've peeled off, but the team first mentality was on display and we/ he was rewarded.

When we do this right ,we become very hard to beat.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

With this team no room for negativity or fear from players or supporters.
No tentative anxieties have a place.
You are on the train or not. This is potentially the best team we have ever had.
It is now or never.
Leave the decisions to the club and enjoy your team.
The best ever time to be a Footscray supporter.

[SonofScray]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

I think we are a team that thrive on confidence. There has been something joyless in our footy in recent years. I saw so much more spirit, risktaking, signs like blocking and working harder for each other. Over recent times we would have gone back into our shells when the Eagles took command. We continued to take the game on. It's why I see it as one of our most important wins post 2016.It's

Great point re: return of joyful footy.

So often since the flag it felt like the story was written mid week, come game day we’d see an inaccurate and fluctuating effort result in us being torched by 1 good quarter of opposition footy. Some times 3Q of good footy undone by just 1Q. Not fun for us, we’d seen it all before.

Players going one paced in a very methodical fashion. It was joyless.

Laitham’s introduction into the team is a fa for. The exuberant footy that Dutch in particular brings the table reconnects this squad with the Bulldog identity. Our women’s team did it this season, their best traits were the things we see in our idealised version of the club. The boys are going to bring it too.

[Ozza]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

I find it hard to fault the start of the year too much.

- We introduced 4 new players to a group that already hasn't played heaps of footy together.
- Pies round 1, MCG Friday night, big stage - won, and at times looked electric. Scoreboard flattered the opposition.
- Round 2, playing a very good team, we got behind but found a way to generate our own momentum to get back in front and overrun them.

You can choose to focus on the excuses for opposition, or that we didn't absolutely flog them - but reality is, we've got 8 points from 2 games, and would have taken that at the start of the year regardless of how it comes.

Of course, it all means nothing if we don't win this week and lose that advantage. But we've gotten ourselves a head start on Collingwood, West Coast, Geelong, Brisbane and St Kilda in terms of the start to the year - and we know there is improvement to be had in connecting with our forwards, and in conversion.

Exciting times.

[Bornadog]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

I find it hard to fault the start of the year too much.

- We introduced 4 new players to a group that already hasn't played heaps of footy together.
- Pies round 1, MCG Friday night, big stage - won, and at times looked electric. Scoreboard flattered the opposition.
- Round 2, playing a very good team, we got behind but found a way to generate our own momentum to get back in front and overrun them.

You can choose to focus on the excuses for opposition, or that we didn't absolutely flog them - but reality is, we've got 8 points from 2 games, and would have taken that at the start of the year regardless of how it comes.

Of course, it all means nothing if we don't win this week and lose that advantage. But we've gotten ourselves a head start on Collingwood, West Coast, Geelong, Brisbane and St Kilda in terms of the start to the year - and we know there is improvement to be had in connecting with our forwards, and in conversion.

Exciting times.

It will be nice if we can go 3-0 into a crack at Brisbane next week in Ballarat.

[Ozza]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

It will be nice if we can go 3-0 into a crack at Brisbane next week in Ballarat.

Hope the lions win tonight in a really tough game.

[comrade]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

I find it hard to fault the start of the year too much.

- We introduced 4 new players to a group that already hasn't played heaps of footy together.
- Pies round 1, MCG Friday night, big stage - won, and at times looked electric. Scoreboard flattered the opposition.
- Round 2, playing a very good team, we got behind but found a way to generate our own momentum to get back in front and overrun them.

You can choose to focus on the excuses for opposition, or that we didn't absolutely flog them - but reality is, we've got 8 points from 2 games, and would have taken that at the start of the year regardless of how it comes.

Of course, it all means nothing if we don't win this week and lose that advantage. But we've gotten ourselves a head start on Collingwood, West Coast, Geelong, Brisbane and St Kilda in terms of the start to the year - and we know there is improvement to be had in connecting with our forwards, and in conversion.

Exciting times.

I'm pretty rapt with how we've played. We've won in 2 very different types of games, but most pleasing is we have displayed effort and commitment right until the final siren in both games which isn't something we've been consistent with for years.

I'm really hoping the penny has dropped and this is the baseline standard for the rest of the year. If so, we're into this season up to our eyeballs.

[Ozza]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

I'm pretty rapt with how we've played. We've won in 2 very different types of games, but most pleasing is we have displayed effort and commitment right until the final siren in both games which isn't something we've been consistent with for years.

I'm really hoping the penny has dropped and this is the baseline standard for the rest of the year. If so, we're into this season up to our eyeballs.

Wait til we get Jamarra in the side....

[Grantysghost]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

Wait til we get Jamarra in the side....

[soupman]

Re: Western Bulldogs and West Coast Eagles showcased Australian rules football in its purest form

I was pretty pessimistic going into the season but have been very impressed thus far.

I still have queries about a lot of list management decisions but the 22 that has been playing has been working really well and we have certainly delivered, most importantly we don't look like the fragile side of the last few years. May this form continue.