Matthew Robbins fierce run down on Wells

[BulldogMike]

Wells had just collected the ball in defensive 50 and started to try and run through the centre corridor across the goal face when Matthew Robbins ran him down from behind and caught Wells dropping the ball in front.
Robbins went back and slotted the goal but the thing that impressed me was how Robbo ran Wells down so quickly.
It was exactly the same way Aaron Davey has mowed a few guys down this year and showed how hard Matty Robbins was working.
On another note it was the first time Robbins has been given a run in the midfield all year and he didn't look out of place. Come to think of it he was in defence as well.
Really would be dangerous with him hitting bodies hard in the midfield from time to time like he did against the Roos.

[stefoid]

Wells had just collected the ball in defensive 50 and started to try and run through the centre corridor across the goal face when Matthew Robbins ran him down from behind and caught Wells dropping the ball in front.
Robbins went back and slotted the goal but the thing that impressed me was how Robbo ran Wells down so quickly.
It was exactly the same way Aaron Davey has mowed a few guys down this year and showed how hard Matty Robbins was working.
On another note it was the first time Robbins has been given a run in the midfield all year and he didn't look out of place. Come to think of it he was in defence as well.
Really would be dangerous with him hitting bodies hard in the midfield from time to time like he did against the Roos.

It was a good piece of play. I prefer him at half back however.

Hahn looked OK in defence. The big guy could end up being a bits n pieces type of player, ala ben harrison, dare I say it?

Johno played mainly across half forward (at last!), and got 20 odd possies, 8 marks and 5 shots on goal. Was a bit hungry I thought, but if he had slotted them all, nobody would be complaining... anyway, glad to see him playing there and giving others a chance on the ball. Would love to see him there almost permanantly, with bursts on the ball. Needs to learn to work with the other forwasrds a few times he led his man too close to a contest where another bulldog was better positioned to mark the ball. maybe just a timing issue when swooping on crumbs.

Didnt we look good kicking long to a one-out contest in the square? Now replace crofty with darce/minson whoever is not rucking, and we should get similar results.

[BulldogMike]

Didnt we look good kicking long to a one-out contest in the square? Now replace crofty with darce/minson whoever is not rucking, and we should get similar results.

The way we played at Telstra Dome on saturday night is the exact way you need to attack on the ground. Sure our defenders were told to roll the dice this match and there was little accountibillity but the way we moved the ball hard and fast up the ground is the way to create yourself enough chances to win the game.
All the players have the abillity to run hard and load the ball into the forward 50.We should be able to exploit teams with the pace we have on our list.Add this to the likes of McMahon,Gilbee,Eagleton ect kicking long and we will be setting ourselves up for a competitive match every time.

[stefoid]

The way we played at Telstra Dome on saturday night is the exact way you need to attack on the ground. Sure our defenders were told to roll the dice this match and there was little accountibillity but the way we moved the ball hard and fast up the ground is the way to create yourself enough chances to win the game.
All the players have the abillity to run hard and load the ball into the forward 50.We should be able to exploit teams with the pace we have on our list.Add this to the likes of McMahon,Gilbee,Eagleton ect kicking long and we will be setting ourselves up for a competitive match every time.

the thing about crofty was that he made a contest when he didnt get the mark. not afraid to put his body on the line to make space for others.

liked the amount of space given to crofty a times. whether by accident or design, it paid off.

[Dry Rot]

the thing about crofty was that he made a contest when he didnt get the mark. not afraid to put his body on the line to make space for others.

liked the amount of space given to crofty a times. whether by accident or design, it paid off.

Re space, was at the Swans game on Saturday night. Gave O'Laughlin (sp?) and a couple of others had acres of space. Dons had more up forward and were easily countered.

[Dog Town]

It was a good piece of play. I prefer him at half back however.

.I reckon Robbins could be extremely damaging as part of the midfield rotation switching into the forward line.His break away pace around the middle gives us a huge lift I reckon.Its been suggested prior to saturday night on this board by alot of posters that he play midfield but for some reason he has never been given a chnace there.I reckon the argument against would be that he could be a little bit free wheeling and may lack the footy smarts but I reckon the positives would out weigh the negatives.His ability to run with the footy away from contested situations aswell put some much needed physical pressure on the opposition ball carriers would be fantastic for us.Could play in the guts or off a wing.IMO one of the most under utilised talents on our list.

Hahn looked OK in defence. The big guy could end up being a bits n pieces type of player, ala ben harrison, dare I say it?

.
Been saying for a while that he should return to defence.Gerard Healy reckons he would be a little slow but I reckon he would be playing on bigger guys who would be of a similar pace.Hahn doesnt lack pace anyway IMO.He might be a little bit slow of mind but his leg speed is serviceable.I just think his confidence is down a fair bit and being able to just do a job on someone every week and run in straight lines at the footy would make him feel alot more comfortable about his place in the leadership group and his contribution to the team.His overhead marking would be a bonus to a defence that has given up a heap of goals to crumbs that should have been marked aswell.



Johno played mainly across half forward (at last!), and got 20 odd possies, 8 marks and 5 shots on goal. Was a bit hungry I thought, but if he had slotted them all, nobody would be complaining... anyway, glad to see him playing there and giving others a chance on the ball. Would love to see him there almost permanantly, with bursts on the ball. Needs to learn to work with the other forwasrds a few times he led his man too close to a contest where another bulldog was better positioned to mark the ball. maybe just a timing issue when swooping on crumbs.

Great to see a forward with genuine footy smarts playing up there.North must have nightmares about him.He slays them every time we play them.I reckon the working with other forwards problem has been a team wide problem all season.The amount of times players were drawing there men into what should have been one out contests between Darcy and his opponent this season has been huge.Players dont work together enough at the other end either.They never protect Grant when he works off his man to be the second man up in a contest and it cost us alot goals this season.

Just on Johnson.If he plays as a more permanent forward then his midfield stints could be devestating.He is the best gut runner in our side and there would next to no one who could keep up with him after spending a half in the forward line.


Didnt we look good kicking long to a one-out contest in the square? Now replace crofty with darce/minson whoever is not rucking, and we should get similar results. It was good to see Croft in one out situations especially when Laidley made the terrible blunder of leaving Callum Urch on him.

[Dog Town]

Re space, was at the Swans game on Saturday night. Gave O'Laughlin (sp?) and a couple of others had acres of space. Dons had more up forward and were easily countered.Good observation Dry Rot ;) The swans push back harder than most sides and get lots of numbers behind and around the ball.This not only makes it hard for teams to generate run and fluency against them but it opens it right up once the opposition have turned it over.They will surge it forward in waves of handpasses and then have 3 or 4 targets up forward in massive amounts of space.It is particularly effective on the smaller grounds.Of course the fact that they have some brutally hard players in there side helps.They are one of the sleepers in the final 8.You dont want to play them in a knock out final.

[stefoid]

I reckon Robbins could be extremely damaging as part of the midfield rotation switching into the forward line.His break away pace around the middle gives us a huge lift I reckon.Its been suggested prior to saturday night on this board by alot of posters that he play midfield but for some reason he has never been given a chnace there.I reckon the argument against would be that he could be a little bit free wheeling and may lack the footy smarts but I reckon the positives would out weigh the negatives.His ability to run with the footy away from contested situations aswell put some much needed physical pressure on the opposition ball carriers would be fantastic for us.Could play in the guts or off a wing.IMO one of the most under utilised talents on our list.


You might give him a run on the wing, but I dont think he has the awareness or hands to play in tight. i.e. on the ball.

[Dog Town]

You might give him a run on the wing, but I dont think he has the awareness or hands to play in tight. i.e. on the ball.Yeah I remember you saying that once before and I agree to some extent but if he has a couple of genuine onballers around him then it could be off set.We have lacked the Judd/Ackermanis type of player out of the middle for a while now.Cooney gives us a bit more break away sort of pace in the middle but Robbins is another step up from that.You probably wouldn't get alot out of him in terms of dishing out handpasses but he would still win a bit of contested and loose balls around the ground just by hitting the contest as hard as he does and running away with the ball.If it doesnt work for the reasons you said then yes he could be a very good winger aswell.

[Dry Rot]

This not only makes it hard for teams to generate run and fluency against them but it opens it right up once the opposition have turned it over.They will surge it forward in waves of handpasses and then have 3 or 4 targets up forward in massive amounts of space..

Had a great seat to watch their forward line and a pleasure to watch their use of space.

Of course the fact that they have some brutally hard players in there side helps.They are one of the sleepers in the final 8.You dont want to play them in a knock out final.

Totally agree. The one side the Lions fear?

[Dry Rot]

Good observation Dry Rot ;)

Yes, I'm learning.;)

Don't get to see many games live, and having a great seat up high I closely watched Swans tactics.

Very effective.

[year of the roo]

Wells had just collected the ball in defensive 50 and started to try and run through the centre corridor across the goal face when Matthew Robbins ran him down from behind and caught Wells dropping the ball in front.
Robbins went back and slotted the goal but the thing that impressed me was how Robbo ran Wells down so quickly.
It was exactly the same way Aaron Davey has mowed a few guys down this year and showed how hard Matty Robbins was working.
On another note it was the first time Robbins has been given a run in the midfield all year and he didn't look out of place. Come to think of it he was in defence as well.
Really would be dangerous with him hitting bodies hard in the midfield from time to time like he did against the Roos.
That passage of play was infuriating from a North perspective. Not just because it was a free kick in front of goals and a dubious umpiring decision, but because no one was talking. Robbins would not have caught Wells had he known he was coming and was so close.

But it was a good chase nonetheless and probably deserved the goal.

[NorthBhoy]

First time Wells has ever been caught holding the ball IMO.

Good tackle.

Summed up the game. Wells, needing a hand from teamates, Bulldog's player willing to do something hard for his mates.

[BulldogMike]

That passage of play was infuriating from a North perspective. Not just because it was a free kick in front of goals and a dubious umpiring decision, but because no one was talking. Robbins would not have caught Wells had he known he was coming and was so close.

But it was a good chase nonetheless and probably deserved the goal.

If nobody was talking to Wells then he would of had to have been stiff. It did seem a little harsh Laidley benching him straight away.

[Dog Town]

That passage of play was infuriating from a North perspective. Not just because it was a free kick in front of goals and a dubious umpiring decision, but because no one was talking. Robbins would not have caught Wells had he known he was coming and was so close.

But it was a good chase nonetheless and probably deserved the goal.It was a bad decision.I reckon the ball landed on his boot after he got tackled.Think he probably under estimated Matty Robbins pace aswell.

[Dog Town]

Had a great seat to watch their forward line and a pleasure to watch their use of space.



Use of space is the key phrase there.Collingwood almost pipped them with a similar game plan in 2002.Probably are the team that Brisbane would fear most.I reckon Geelong has a game plan that will work in finals footy aswell.Theres no soft cocks at Geelong anymore and they dont rely overly on anyone.They will push Port even at there home ground come the first week of the finals.

[NorthBhoy]

.Think he probably under estimated Matty Robbins pace aswell.

Agreed.

I think the boy was genuinely shocked someone got close. Robbins was a good tagging option. Strong as all hell, fast and the ability to hurt Jesus going the other way.

[Anja_Nees]

First time Wells has ever been caught holding the ball IMO.

I thought the same thing when it happened. You get so used to him getting away with it. Still, congrats to Robbo and I hope he gets used in the middle a bit more. I agree that in the long term he could be a liability there given his lack of footy smarts, but when the match-up is right, then having that agression and size in there doesn't hurt. Love those bumps as well (though he's lucky to not have been reported for a few of them - i.e. on McPhee against Essendon and against Port last week).

[Fossie 32]

Robbo's chase & tackle was one of our best plays in the last 2 years. [Looked like Wells got the ball on the boot tho].

Mitchy I think looks best in defence.

Johnno could've got a couple more marks in front of goal but the passes were a bit long instead of out in front of him.