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Only mystery is how Bulldogs got so close to Geelong
Mike Sheahan | September 07, 2009 12:00am
THOSE in the Western Bulldogs camp honest enough to confront the truth will say they got stage-fright on Saturday. They were outclassed by Geelong early in the game and never produced the exhilarating football that had carried them to third place.
The Cats had the best seven or eight players in the game, even allowing for the persistence of Lindsay Gilbee and Brian Lake, and Jason Akermanis's three goals.
Nothing of any consequence from way too many, principally Ryan Griffen, Josh Hill, Daniel Giansiracusa, Mitch Hahn and Will Minson. Even Bobby Murphy had a poor one by his standards.
So, how the hell did the Bulldogs finish just 14 points short?
Had Adam Cooney, the Brownlow medallist, and Brad Johnson, the captain, converted relatively simple opportunities in the last quarter, who knows what might have eventuated?
Oddly, the Doggies kicked 10.9 after quarter-time to Geelong's 8.7.
And this is a Geelong with Gary Ablett, Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright, Jimmy Bartel, Darren Milburn, Cameron Ling, Joel Corey and Andrew Mackie all at or near the top of their game.
It's crazy, really.
Perhaps that's why Rodney Eade says the Doggies aren't done with just yet.
They face the Brisbane Lions, the banged-up Lions, at the MCG Friday night.
Eade has to decide to keep the faith in the players who took the club to third, or inject fresh blood.
Andrejs Everitt springs to mind.
The Doggies look cumbersome with both Minson and Ben Hudson in the team. Everitt could be used like the Lions have used Jared Brennan, a smaller, more athletic ruck type.
Not sure what the coach has in mind in front of goal.
The Doggies and their supporters can say what they like about how heavily the team has scored this year, but finals are different.
When players are under pressure, the bail-out tactic is to kick long and hard, and hope.
Not really the textbook way when the bloke camped under the long bomb is Akermanis, Johnson, Hill, Nathan Eagleton or Shaun Higgins.
The key indicators - contested possessions, clearances, inside-50s - were almost identical, as the margin suggested, yet Geelong had all the good players.
I'm not sure about either of them just yet.
Mike Sheahan | September 07, 2009 12:00am
THOSE in the Western Bulldogs camp honest enough to confront the truth will say they got stage-fright on Saturday. They were outclassed by Geelong early in the game and never produced the exhilarating football that had carried them to third place.
The Cats had the best seven or eight players in the game, even allowing for the persistence of Lindsay Gilbee and Brian Lake, and Jason Akermanis's three goals.
Nothing of any consequence from way too many, principally Ryan Griffen, Josh Hill, Daniel Giansiracusa, Mitch Hahn and Will Minson. Even Bobby Murphy had a poor one by his standards.
So, how the hell did the Bulldogs finish just 14 points short?
Had Adam Cooney, the Brownlow medallist, and Brad Johnson, the captain, converted relatively simple opportunities in the last quarter, who knows what might have eventuated?
Oddly, the Doggies kicked 10.9 after quarter-time to Geelong's 8.7.
And this is a Geelong with Gary Ablett, Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright, Jimmy Bartel, Darren Milburn, Cameron Ling, Joel Corey and Andrew Mackie all at or near the top of their game.
It's crazy, really.
Perhaps that's why Rodney Eade says the Doggies aren't done with just yet.
They face the Brisbane Lions, the banged-up Lions, at the MCG Friday night.
Eade has to decide to keep the faith in the players who took the club to third, or inject fresh blood.
Andrejs Everitt springs to mind.
The Doggies look cumbersome with both Minson and Ben Hudson in the team. Everitt could be used like the Lions have used Jared Brennan, a smaller, more athletic ruck type.
Not sure what the coach has in mind in front of goal.
The Doggies and their supporters can say what they like about how heavily the team has scored this year, but finals are different.
When players are under pressure, the bail-out tactic is to kick long and hard, and hope.
Not really the textbook way when the bloke camped under the long bomb is Akermanis, Johnson, Hill, Nathan Eagleton or Shaun Higgins.
The key indicators - contested possessions, clearances, inside-50s - were almost identical, as the margin suggested, yet Geelong had all the good players.
I'm not sure about either of them just yet.
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