Preview Round 12: Bulldogs vs Cats, Sat 3 June @ 7:25pm - Superhero Stadium

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Just need to somehow eek out a win. I'm not confident, but hope we can pull one out of the bag.

I think it'll be a big difference for our season going into the bye with a win and 6-6, rather than a loss and 5-7 so get it down boys.

 

[Finknottle]

We will get smashed in the midfield, thats for sure.

It will be interesting to see if Scott persists with playing both Olli and Jack Henry in the FWD (thanksfully with Sav out he cant start SDK down there again), or rotating them through the same role. Jack is one of our better defenders, and if the ball is going down back a lot (which it will be) we are essentially taking his talent out of the game playing him forward. The game will be won for us off our ability to turn the ball over in defence and transition, not from anything we do in the midfield, we just dont have the talent to match them around the stoppages. If we get into a stoppage slog with them like we did vs the Giants then the only question will be how much the Dogs beat us by.

A few people are going to have egg on their face if we cant get the season going post bye and with players back, both on here and at the club. Momentum is everything in football, and we are struggling for it at the moment.

We've got a few too many players who just play a role and sometimes barely do that. Kolo, Bews, J Henry, Zuthrie, to a lesser extent Atkins and Tuohy. I think that's what the coach was referring to in his press conference. He wants these players to take the game on. Last year we played some exciting football and were fun to watch. This year we are playing like we are constipated.

 

[Vdubs]

We've got a few too many players who just play a role and sometimes barely do that. Kolo, Bews, J Henry, Zuthrie, to a lesser extent Atkins and Tuohy. I think that's what the coach was referring to in his press conference. He wants these players to take the game on. Last year we played some exciting football and were fun to watch. This year we are playing like we are constipated.

those lesser lights so far can only shine when surrounded by the elite at their best- that's not happening this season for obvious reasons- they are simply not up to it until proven otherwise?

 

[Finknottle]

those lesser lights so far can only shine when surrounded by the elite at their best- that's not happening this season for obvious reasons- they are simply not up to it until proven otherwise?

I think you are right, they are better when they are cogs in a machine that is firing on all cylinders.

 

[Commando]

Everything points to a loss here.
But I feel we might cause an upset.

We have a knack of winning games we have no right to win

 

[CatToTheFuture]

We have a knack of winning games we have no right to win

That's good, because we have no right to win this one

 

[Mr Meow]

I'll give you props for your loyalty to the club.

You tip us every week and won't concede the season is done until we are 5 wins & 10 losses.

Always glass 3/4s full.

I think the humour of my post (mathematical chance) was lost on you there.

I actually sit on the fence more than I tip in this most chaotic season. Richmond and Freo I saw as close to 50/50s but went with Cats for the first and Freo for the second. I only question "we have zero chance!" or "season is over, wake me up in 2024" type comments when I think they are overboard. Some might see that attitude as realistic and mine a chore, I just think it's a pointless and miserable way to live life.

Geelong are usually a solid chance over the past 15 years. They were even the last 3 weeks with half a squad, playing awfully and kicking at goal terribly. Some people get exceptionally upset the second some adversity sets in.

 

[nohairandfair]

If Bontempelli and English can be 'cooled' somewhat then we are a show.
Expecting Shark to get Bont and it will be a combined effort from Cegs/Blitz on SpeakaNo.

 

[Interdimensional Bigfoot]

I think Chris Scott

Chris Scott

Age

47

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

11.2

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.2

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

is the best coach in the league but he says a lot and gives you nothing then sits there waiting for the next question like he just answered the question, then the interviewer asks a more specific and direct question and it's "I can see how some would see it that way" next question.

I'd just like to see him once lose his s**t at a presser and scream "I'm angry like an elf, team is filled with toothpick kids who get pushed off the ball by a light breeze" then rush the interviewer screaming "70% win rate"!

 

[Play it Sam]

I think Chris Scott is the best coach in the league but he says a lot and gives you nothing then sits there waiting for the next question like he just answered the question, then the interviewer asks a more specific and direct question and it's "I can see how some would see it that way" next question.

I'd just like to see him once lose his s**t at a presser and scream "I'm angry like an elf, team is filled with toothpick kids who get pushed off the ball by a light breeze" then rush the interviewer screaming "70% win rate"!

If that's the dream then then you might have to follow St Kilda but wiithout the win rate.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

If Bontempelli and English can be 'cooled' somewhat then we are a show.
Expecting Shark to get Bont and it will be a combined effort from Cegs/Blitz on SpeakaNo.

I think they'll probably be able to play Bont forward and have a decent target there. He's surplus to their midfield requirements for this match

 

[ShaunWDT]

Have to put work into Bont, let him run free hell beat us single handedly.

Dont have much confidence MOC stops him really isnt good enough.

 

[standupand]

Have to put work into Bont, let him run free hell beat us single handedly.

Dont have much confidence MOC stops him really isnt good enough.

Bont will beat a tag, whoever it is. But if we see us roll out our team defence for more than the 10 minutes or so we've been seeing lately, we'll be a decent chance of negating their on ball division.

 

[allrighty]

Can't see we have the cattle for this one. They are up and about and we are not.

Their mids vs our mids is just not gonna balance out. Our fwds can win it for us of course, but they have to get the ball and hold it in when it gets there. Both of those scenarios looking less likely IMO and I think there are more niggles down there than we know about. Rohan in will help plenty, and who knows may tip it our way enough.

I hope I am wrong and we fire up.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

So much talk about Bontempelli and how to stop him - I think the equation is simple, and it's probably why we lose. It's why we've been losing for weeks now.

You have to make players like Bontempelli defend. You do this with competent ruckwork and coalface midfielders who can win the contested ball before he does. Once he wins it, it's already over. This is why we've been so weak out of the middle for weeks now. No Dangerfield, no Guthrie. Also why we've been so weak out of the middle this season. No Selwood.

Getting Danger and Guth back will be a good start to fixing this problem.

I really lament everything that happened with Tim Kelly

11

Tim Kelly

Age

29

Ht

184cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.6

5star

K

13.5

5star

HB

10.1

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

4.9

5star

D

19.9

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

7.6

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

4.7

5star

CL

3.6

4star

D

21.6

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

11.2

5star

M

2.8

3star

T

3.8

5star

CL

3.8

5star

. If we'd kept him and his form had kept improving, he would've been such a handy player to have in the middle to keep things a little more watertight. I know he wasn't a bull player like Danger/Sel but he'd be far ahead of Atkins, Guthrie, Holmes etc.

Our clearance work at the moment is just a lottery.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

So much talk about Bontempelli and how to stop him - I think the equation is simple, and it's probably why we lose. It's why we've been losing for weeks now.

You have to make players like Bontempelli defend. You do this with competent ruckwork and coalface midfielders who can win the contested ball before he does. Once he wins it, it's already over. This is why we've been so weak out of the middle for weeks now. No Dangerfield, no Guthrie. Also why we've been so weak out of the middle this season. No Selwood.

Getting Danger and Guth back will be a good start to fixing this problem.

I really lament everything that happened with Tim Kelly. If we'd kept him and his form had kept improving, he would've been such a handy player to have in the middle to keep things a little more watertight. I know he wasn't a bull player like Danger/Sel but he'd be far ahead of Atkins, Guthrie, Holmes etc.

Our clearance work at the moment is just a lottery.

Yes and no.
I think the clearance work is important and no doubt we are struggling there but teams like richmond built flags off losing first possession at clearance but then applying enough pressure to force turnovers all over the ground to get ir back and score from those chains. Our front half turnovers have fallen away (understandable with no rohan and stengle for a while) and our lack of whole ground pressure is noticeable. We need to lift that massively tonight-IF we do we can still generate enough inside 50s to win the game (off turnover) despite losing clearances and that means our pressure has to be on because i cant see us winning the clearance stats tonight.

 

[winty]

What Cup are we playing for Saturday night

Id say - the Bill Goggin - Ken Newland - Bluey Hampshire - Peter Featherby - Richard Murrie Cup

Apologies to anyone of note that ive overlooked

Luke Dahlhaus Cup.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

Yes and no.
I think the clearance work is important and no doubt we are struggling there but teams like richmond built flags off losing first possession at clearance but then applying enough pressure to force turnovers all over the ground to get ir back and score from those chains. Our front half turnovers have fallen away (understandable with no rohan and stengle for a while) and our lack of whole ground pressure is noticeable. We need to lift that massively tonight-IF we do we can still generate enough inside 50s to win the game (off turnover) despite losing clearances and that means our pressure has to be on because i cant see us winning the clearance stats tonight.

Interesting that you mention Richmond, because in their flag years, the Bulldogs actually won more games head to head. So whilst there might be merit to Richmond losing clearance but still holding their own, it didn't happen against the Bulldogs.

It also must be said that Richmond still had competent ruck-work in their flag years, despite losing clearance. A lot of the time they were structured so that the ball-carrier would be under immediate pressure, so tapping to a player wasn't a concern for Richmond, rather tapping to a quadrant of the circle.

We're not doing anything like this. We're still trying to hit up players with the tap. Half the time the ball is going nowhere near intended. The other half, we're the ones turning it over after clearing the ball.

I don't think we're the kind of team that can reliably win games of football when we get belted out of the middle. Just my opinion though.

 

[Cataholic]

I think Chris Scott is the best coach in the league but he says a lot and gives you nothing then sits there waiting for the next question like he just answered the question, then the interviewer asks a more specific and direct question and it's "I can see how some would see it that way" next question.

I'd just like to see him once lose his s**t at a presser and scream "I'm angry like an elf, team is filled with toothpick kids who get pushed off the ball by a light breeze" then rush the interviewer screaming "70% win rate"!

He could channel a little bit of Ricky Stuart.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

He could channel a little bit of Ricky Stuart.

The less anyone is like Ricky Stuart the better.

 

[D BRIDGE]

I really lament everything that happened with Tim Kelly . If we'd kept him and his form had kept improving, he would've been such a handy player to have in the middle to keep things a little more watertight. I know he wasn't a bull player like Danger/Sel but he'd be far ahead of Atkins, Guthrie, Holmes etc.

Yes, Kelly would be ideal atm... If I could go back in time and change the Kelly situation I certainly wouldn't change a thing though.

Kelly moving got us Cameron and helped us win a flag.

 

[dazbroncos]

Game Day - Round 12: Bulldogs vs Cats, Sat 3 June @ 7:25pm - Superhero Stadium

If it s not D Day.. tis pretty ******* close to it. Win and we stay in it.... lose and it's a LONG way back and destiny is getting out of our hands. We have people coming back but after the bye.... At our best we can win but its gonna need to be literally everyone at their best. No misses...

www.bigfooty.com

Game day

GO Cattera