Mike Sheahan about to give us a blast on OTC

[Bulldogsnm1]

10,11,or 12 doesn't really matter. We still have the nucleus of our2008, 2009 & 2010 sides that played hard contested football and were stiff not to make at least one GF...

How do you think these guys would feel when a new coach who has never played one game of AFL or VFL comes in and first thing he says is he is going to make his side play contested football and have a winning culture like Geelong.

He obviously wasn't opposition coach at his old club because he seemed to have no idea of our recent style or history.

Spends the next 15 weeks talking nothing but media spin, picking sides that were for most part unbalanced with no outside run. And fails to be able to counter any coach who drops an extra back on our forward line or plays their midfield with a couple of outside mods.

Always said Mike Sheahan lead the media pack, at least he can see through the crap talk.

 

[MYOB]

David Smorgon on SEN this morning.

http://www.sen.com.au/audioplayer/Audio/Western-Bulldogs-president-David-Smorgan/5314

 

[torq]

David Smorgon on SEN this morning.

http://www.sen.com.au/audioplayer/Audio/Western-Bulldogs-president-David-Smorgan/5314

ha, beat me to it

Typically 1 part defensive/3 parts optimistic from Smorgon, which is not necessarily a criticism however.

 

[Curly5]

Are there any real contenders for the Pres anyway? If so, please stand up and let have it out. Dimma can piss off as far as I'm concerned. Perhaps Sue Alberti, but TBH I know nothing about her. Surely Chris Grant is the heir in waiting, and Smorgo is playing out his time until Granty gets enough of a handle on things.

Dr Susan Alberti should and will be the next president. It would pay you to do some research about her. A Bulldog stalwart for many years and an influential person with extensive connections. Chris Grant I don't think would want to be president, at least in the short term.

It's not like a Federal election, there won't be any "campaign". The transition will happen when it's meant to happen and will be an internal club decision.

I agree Smorgon has been uncharacteristically quiet this year. I hope he is alright.

 

[_Mike_]

I couldnt care less what Sheahan thinks of us. Even when we've played good footy in the past few years he still bagged us.

Another media mongul that dislikes our club.

 

[dogwatch]

Always said Mike Sheahan lead the media pack, at least he can see through the crap talk.

Or perhaps he scans the various BF threads looking for this week's "story".

 

[Bulldogsnm1]

I couldnt care less what Sheahan thinks of us. Even when we've played good footy in the past few years he still bagged us.

Another media mongul that dislikes our club.

That's just crap.......... Sheahan has always liked the Bulldogs ever since the Hawk played.

 

[Chicago1]

Dr Susan Alberti should and will be the next president. It would pay you to do some research about her. A Bulldog stalwart for many years and an influential person with extensive connections.

Curly is correct. Dr Alberti will be a fine president of our club.

I understand that Sheahan has been a Bulldogs supporter since the 70s - about 35 years I've heard.

 

[100action]

Sheahan is a melbourne supporter.

 

[_Mike_]

That's just crap.......... Sheahan has always liked the Bulldogs ever since the Hawk played.

He's never rated us, even when we were playing good football and playing finals. He always found the negatives and focused on those, never rated any of our players as genuine stars

 

[josh the gent]

Sheahan's comments were interesting.

Thinking about it though...

We've lost half of our team in less than 2 years (since the 2010 prelim).

Of those that are left, aren't 7 or 8 of them 30 plus?!

We are in rebuild mode, and rightly so.

We haven't been rebuilding for years without results, if that happens to us, then I think we all have every right to complain. But in the meantime, just have to sit tight, it's our turn in the cycle...

 

[dogwatch]

Bump from 4th March post:

I watched the press conference after the NAB Cup win against Carlton.

I reckon Macca is going to frustrate a few journos this year with his measured and laconic style. Doesn't give them much does he?

As long as he brings the boys along the way he's doing I don't mind, but I'm not sure I'll be watching too many of his pressers.

Looks like he's got under the skin of a few supporters as well as the journos.

 

[FlyingDog]

I don't care what he said. I think we are tanking, well even if we're not tanking we only could win 2-3 games after bye.
This is my observation:

1) Minno hardly rested in the forward 50. -- my pieman's game suffer because of this!
2) Lake not used as a pinch hit.
3) Players just resting specially forwards(I think the best combination of our small/medium forwards are Gia, Higgo, Tory, Ditty, Luke Dal, Sherman and Grant. When they played together in the early season the pressure was very good. --yeb some of them are not up to it but my point is they are not playing together some reasons, resting, injury, drop, and controlled team combination I guess.)
4) Tommy not used in the defense at all against Carlton -- debatable though(he was the only meaningful tall forward during the game.)

 

[DexterTan]

So 13 players, from one of the most one sided non-contest finals I've ever seen. As I recall, the media built that game up as a total laydown misere, and it lived up. 2 years on, we have the same core group, 2 years older, but with much the cream skimmed off, and a revolving door of players under 30 games. I havn't looked at the players listed, but I'm pretty confident most those 13 would have been getting on in age in 2010. Eade was coaching for the short term and the payoff didn't come. Wow, who would have thought we'd gone backwards by 2012?

Beyond that, yes we should have won last weeks Carlton game, not because of the players fielded, but because of the way we played for 3 and half quarters and then died in the arse. That's the stuff that kills you as a supporter. I don't care how many player Carlton had out.

BMac's spin getting on everyone's nerves (including mine) because to be honest it's not what anyway wants or needs to hear. But he has a message, and he will stay on message until either the team comes good or he gets the sack. Seems to be his way, which, as I've stated elsewhere, is all about the 'long game'. I'd be very surprised if he wasn't privately livid that we didn't get the job done, but he'll stick to his guns.

Smorgon's probably got his head down because he talked up this 'refresh' line when we sacked Eade, and clearly that is not what is transpiring. What is he going to say now? "Sorry, but it turns out we actually are going to be shit for the foreseeable future and I was talking utter rot". Maybe he has lost some spark because we are back to being a poor side for the time being, and that's whole new campaign for the ol' warhorse. Maybe he's just biding his time until we actually have some runs back on the board to talk about.

Are there any real contenders for the Pres anyway? If so, please stand up and let have it out. Dimma can piss off as far as I'm concerned. Perhaps Sue Alberti, but TBH I know nothing about her. Surely Chris Grant is the heir in waiting, and Smorgo is playing out his time until Granty gets enough of a handle on things.

Oh, whilst Sheehan has supposedly retired and should stay there, if Gerard Healy sees the upside in our list, then that's the worst thing I've heard all year, because the man is prematurely senile.

Agree with everything you've said.

The whole "sack" the president is getting pretty tiresome as well. Sure sack him, replace him with who?
As I said in a previous rant, if "passionate" supporters had their way, the dogs would be going into the off season without a President, the football department and half the list. I wonder how many wins the dogs will have next year with that kind of "solution" .

Smorgo is stepping down at the end of next year. Have a smooth transition with a new President and then the supporters can then turn their attention to sacking the coach and the football manager and recruiter.

Dogs supporters tired of the spin?

I'm tired of the short sighted whinging and "sack" everyone demands by doggies supporters.

 

[Johnno_6]

It's not the President's fault that the team is performing poorly. He and the rest of the Board ratified the unanimous decision of the coaching committee, set up to select the new coach. This Committee included Chris Grant and Tom Harley amongst its members. You would think they would have a clue. If this committee did get it wrong, then it is their mistake. I think at this stage it appears they did get it wrong. I sincerely hope I am wrong. McCartney is coaching poorly and the players are playing accordingly. Despite the rebuild this season this team is still at least 3 games short of what it should have won this season. The style of play is boring and the result in most cases can be anticipated fairly early in the game. The President has really nothing to do with the players' performances. In fact under David Smorgon's Presidency this Club has played in 5 Preliminary Finals. It's not his fault that we lost all of them.

 

[MaddAdam]

I reckon you guys will be fine onfield. Reckon your next 15 - 20 rounds of footy will be horrible but by halfway through next season the kids will be showing enough to give you hope, especially if you nail some gems in the upcoming draft. Already got some quality kids, especially Dahl and Clay Smith.

McCartney is fine. We've sat through two and a half years of Brad Scott positivity after thumpings too.

Not the time or place to talk off field stuff but I can certainly sense the media glare rising off North on that one. If you guys are put in the gun, well, geez, I know how crap that feels.

 

[Dry Rot]

I reckon you guys will be fine onfield. Reckon your next 15 - 20 rounds of footy will be horrible but by halfway through next season the kids will be showing enough to give you hope, especially if you nail some gems in the upcoming draft. Already got some quality kids, especially Dahl and Clay Smith.

IMO we're a good chance for the spoon next year.

 

[paulveed]

Hope Ward enjoys his money. One thing that made me sick was the players not seeming to give a shit about him taking the money. Still angers me he played that last round against Freo. No doubt he made up his mind half way through last year as he appeared to not go as hard in the 2nd half of the year.

Sad for the game to say,- But Get Used to It! This new free agency Bull Sh1t is just the thin edge of the wedge. Unless the AFL gets some nuts and direction from somewhere/one, we are heading down the same drain pipe as a number of other codes and sports, where players swap and flip from club to club every couple of years following the almighty $, and the word loyalty is totally redundant.
Won't be long before if you try booing every player who has left your club during a match, you wont have any time left to ever cheer. Teams will just resemble the old French Foreign Legion.

 

[Snarls Barkley]

IMO we're a good chance for the spoon next year.

Really? Next year is likely to be a tough one for us supporters, but do you really think GWS and GC are going to surpass us? Even Melbourne are a fair bit behind us at this stage.

 

[NBates]

I agree Smorgon has been uncharacteristically quiet this year. I hope he is alright.

He's been at the games. I've seen him in the race all bar once (I think) at the end of the game with his +1. Another reason he may be so quiet is because a few weeks back (Lions game I think) he copped a right ol' spray from a couple of blokes above the race - unwarranted IMO and very aggro. A bit scary really. They had extra security there the next time. Macca's copped the same after the Hawthorn game (might have been the same bloke). I must confess I lost it with the players after last week, but (avatar to the left aside) I don't think I appear like I wanna kill people like the others did.

 

[MaddAdam]

IMO we're a good chance for the spoon next year.

I honestly doubt it. McCartney has already instilled a fighting spirit in you blokes. Depends how you approach the off season. I reckon some trading for more picks in this draft is the way forward but if you manage the experience well during your rebuild (like North did) rather than just turfing everyone (like Melbourne did), you'll be OK. You won't play finals but you certainly won't be bottom.

 

[Dry Rot]

I honestly doubt it. McCartney has already instilled a fighting spirit in you blokes. Depends how you approach the off season. I reckon some trading for more picks in this draft is the way forward but if you manage the experience well during your rebuild (like North did) rather than just turfing everyone (like Melbourne did), you'll be OK. You won't play finals but you certainly won't be bottom.

We'll get little out of new draftees next seasons, and our older players will get worse or retire.

 

[MaddAdam]

We'll get little out of new draftees next seasons, and our older players will get worse or retire.

Dunno, but you'll get more out of guys developing now like Cordy and Smith and Dahlaus etc. Get the drafting right/lucky and pick up at least one bloke who can play from the get go (and with two top ten, probably top 8, picks you'd hope you can do that) and it looks a lot better.

 

[Anja_Nees]

I get a bit sick of people saying he's coaching poorly. We're usually competitive until half time and then get overrun (and we usually play directly and quickly early). You could put any coach in the comp in his chair at the moment and you'd get the same result. I still recall people having a go at Eade for not employing the press. It wouldn't have mattered if he had - our side is crap! It's not gameplan - it's our players' lack of ability to execute it. We could cut loose and play a free-flowing and long kicking game but with the lack of skill, pace and fitness the losses would be even worse. The problem is that other sides are significantly stronger and fitter, largely because our 18-21 year olds haven't aren't psysically developed and our 30+ year olds are slowing down rapidly and/or carrying injuries. It doesn't help that our players can't kick. Two or three more years in the gym for the younger players will see them being strong enough to play a contested style and run out a game. Right now they do ok early and tire badly enough that we get killed in the second halves.

I think Macca is doing everything he can to educate players and play them in positions he expects them to play in years to come. That's not to say he'll coach a flag but it's a copout to say we've been outcoached - no one could coach this lot well enough to make them competitive. If it's not working out in another 18 months he may be replaced but someone was always going to have to wear this season (and next at least). It may as well be someone who appears to take an interest in developing a side rather than saving their own skin short term.

For what it's worth, I don't have any great love for his post-match rhetoric either. He does put on 'spin' and talks in imprecise and broad terms. I think he's just trying to maintain a consistent public image. He can come out and condemn the players publicly but what will it achieve? No mix of players on our list will win us more matches this year.

 

[Barkly St End]

IMO we're a good chance for the spoon next year.

We have to face up to this as a distinct possibility. Plenty of over 30s either retiring or entering their final year of footy. Can't expect this year's draft picks to step up. If we have a few senior players out through injury, and if blokes like Cordy and Jones don't step up, we are definitely looking at challenging for the spoon next season.