Review Lackluster Dogs Lose To The Suns, Rd 3, 2019

[RedWhite&Blue]

I haven't been particularly impressed by Richards, granted I hardly watched any footy last year. From what I've seen this year I'd play Smith over Richards, but I have no idea how he went last year.

He and Naughton were the only shining lights in a really bad year. Richards was nothing short of awesome last year. He seems to have tailed off this year though

 

[Oliver G]

No team that has lost to Gold Coast during the H&A season has gone on to win the Premiership.

Marcus Bontempelli up to 2014-16: 58 goals, 43 behinds
Marcus Bontempelli 2016-present: 43 goals, 51 behinds

#SadStats

Bonti Shots At Goal (Career)
Shots: 223
Goals: 101
Behinds: 88
No Score: 34
Accuracy: 45.3%

Bonti Shots At Goal (2019)
Shots: 11
Goals: 1
Behinds: 6
No Score: 4
Accuracy: 9.1% (Lowest of any Bulldog who has kicked a goal this year)

Really needs to improve this area, although this should be said for almost everyone on our list.

 

[the dog's kennel]

While we're hoe-ing into the Bont with stats:

This week is almost certainly going to be the first week in a very long time that The Bont hasn't been the highest rated player from the Dogs on the Champion Data Player Ratings' overall rankings.

Bont was Number 19 last week. He just had a terrible result this week - one of his lowest scores for ages. And Macrae had another good week - so Macrae in the new rankings (according to the Player Ratings twitter account) will be.... Number 19. He almost certainly will be pushing the Bont below him.

So congrats to Macrae - people might start noticing him soon!

 

[NBates]

The more and more i reflect on today i feel it was purely an off performance by us, we were uncharacteristically sloppy. We need these wake up calls every now and then.

Well we should do it against a side we're meant to lose to! Great opportunity lost today. Not taking anything away from Suns - or maybe I am - they nearly lost and we only gave it a red hot go in 1 quarter of footy. The rest of the day we were insipid (OMG that 1st quarter!). I agree with you sides need wake up calls, but not so early in the season and this loss will see players confidence plummet. Esp youngsters. Mark my words.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[NBates]

They should close the roof. I sat on city side the ground and it may it hard to see play on the other side the ground probably a good thing given the number of skill errors we made.

Umpire number 20 shielding his eyes to see the play at one stage too (Not blaming umps for our shite performance, just saying)

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[Substance]

Bonti Shots At Goal (Career)
Shots: 223
Goals: 101
Behinds: 88
No Score: 34
Accuracy: 45.3%

Bonti Shots At Goal (2019)
Shots: 11
Goals: 1
Behinds: 6
No Score: 4
Accuracy: 9.1% (Lowest of any Bulldog who has kicked a goal this year)

Really needs to improve this area, although this should be said for almost everyone on our list.

Stats for 2015 alone and 2016 alone please?

 

[_M_16_]

Remember when we won a grand final, this decade?

Shhhh. Don't tell people that, let them melt hard like we've been a basketcase for two decades like Carlton.

Don't get me wrong, I want to contend for a flag every year, and all clubs should aim for that. But also realistic that the odds is one flag every 18 years for each team, its freaking hard to win one. Don't become like Hawk's fans who have become so used to winning, that they feel entitled in everything, that some went into full melt mode and wanted changes just after two average years just after they won three in a row. Four flags in a decade, stfu!

We are a young developing squad, people need to get that in their heads. This isn't 2016 Premiership team no more, we tried hard the last two years to milk another flag, but we were dry. Bevo has said this year is about moving on and looking to the future now, we have some of the best young players in the league and a list in a solid position compared to most young lists. Inconsistency is part of the package of young teams, not premierships. If we only win one flag every decade then that's a good strike rate, given many fans may not see their team win a single one if their lifetime. Disappointed to lose to the Suns, but even good teams have upset losses to low teams at some point in the season, and the Suns are not as bad as some people have labeled them. One kick away from being 3-0 and finally have a coach that suits their list. As long as we show upwards progress, sort out our forward efficiency problems and have a couple of talls stand up and start to take the game on themselves week in and out, I will be happy. More competitive matches, and no beltings. Already shown character to come from behind in three games so far. If we were able to get something out of the forward half against the Suns, we'd have won by a few goals, given we pretty much pumped the ball inside 50, and controlled the clearances in the last three quarters, its not all doom and gloom.

Yeah I get equally frustrated as many and want this and that player to be dropped or made accountable.

But Hate the Jekyll and Hyde over reacts week in and out on here. It's one freaking game, lets judge the season after a few games and as a whole. One game means nothing.

Sydney didn't mean we are back, Hawks didn't mean we will be top contenders, and the Suns doesn't mean we are bottom four. Still to early to judge.

Credit to the Suns, they smashed us in the first quarter. They played with intent and ran their guts off, probably why they slowed to a crawl for the final three quarters. Them dropping an extra man or two deep is exactly how your turn our forward line into shambles, even an amateur coach should know that. Though makes me question where the F were our extra player or two? Didn't seem like we took advantage of that numbers mismatch elsewhere

 

[_M_16_]

Don't get me wrong, Gowers was solid last week and deserves his praises and fans, but I am starting to question whether he hurts us more than he helps. It's all good he kicks three goals here and there, but he doesn't play consistently week in and out. His set shots are starting to become a liability. Gowers, Dunkley miss set shots from 20m out too often, not just miss them, but fully spray them wide sometimes, Bontempelli missed a few as well. Whilst they were at a distance, they were also from near directly in front or a slight angle. All players at AFL level should be converting more of those ones than they are missing, that's why its a real worry right now. How hard is it to kick the simple ones when not under pressure, yet we seem to nail tricky in play ones on angles all the time. Kick those simple ones today, we would have won by 2-3 goals. "Star" players and club captains should be leading by example as well, but Bont's kicking and turnovers have been atrocious the last two weeks. but we all know Bont is usually reliable as shown in past seasons so fair to say he will sort it out. But we honesty need to improve by foot transition so badly. The Hawks were not the most athletic or fastest team when they won their flags, but they were one of the cleanest teams possession wise, and by foot in the league. Is it worth persisting with inaccurate players in the forward line who have cameos every 3-5 weeks? Seems like we have too many of those cameo types, need a couple of guys that play solidly 4 out of 5 games like most good forward lines have

 

[_M_16_]

I think the issue with Naughton, English and Schache at the moment is just physicality. Whilst the are quick and mobile for talls, and usually pretty good users, all traits which most talls do not have. They all easily get monstered and pushed aside to easily by more experienced opponents. Remember Witts was serviceable, but not great in his first few years, struggled to make the starting 22. Those guys have shown the right mental attitude to work hard and keep battling each week, so it will come to them eventually. But they probably need a couple of more seasons in the gym, and as much game time experience as possible so they can learn the best ways to position themselves and become the bully and not the bullied in physical contests. Important that we pump as much games into them as possible.

 

[_M_16_]

I thought Libba and Macrae stood up the most in that last quarter, Macrae was kept in check pretty well for most of the game, and Bontempelli was all over the place in the first three quarters. Then Bont went quiet, and Macrae took over the reigns in the last quarter. Makes me wish we had another Libba, the influence and control he has in the middle is massively understated. We needed to start winning the ball in the middle more quickly and cleanly, and I think those two were the main reason we were able to come back in the last quarter.

Bailey Smith had his best game as well, which is another reason you don't drop players after just one or two games citing he doesn't look like his ready just because he isn't a generational player like Walsh and everyone expects 30 possessions each week. I didn't think Smith was bad in the first two weeks (he was one of our leading clearance players in the first week as well despite not contesting many of those situations, so his clearance ratio is pretty good). Thought he was our best midfielder in one of the middle two quarters vs the Suns, forget which. Make some brilliant plays in congestion to feed the ball to someone on the outside. He was just lost and unsure of positioning in the first few games, stuff that comes with game time. You cannot build confidence, chemistry, without continuity. So have no issues carrying him given we are in a developmental stage, especially when a few have been worse than him.

Also had a little campaigner in him today as well.

 

[_M_16_]

They tried their best though.

Dude, no offence, but you support Carlton, gives you no position to gloat or troll. It's like a North fan trying to make fun of Cats fans right now. One of the main rules of trolling, if your own team is playing worse/down the bottom, than the team you're taking a shot at, you just look foolish as trying to given you have no ground to stand on.

 

[JJHunter]

Need to get Richards back off half back to use his run. Looks lost at half forward

100% this. For every naughton who adapts well to positional change as a youngster there are five who are better being settled into a spot as they develop.

 

[JJHunter]

• When does boyd come back?

Does anyone know?

Bevo said in presser next week

 

[ExRoyboy]

Was waiting for this old chestnut.
After quarter time - where Bev can actually enact a lot of changes, he coached in a way to get us back into the game.

We played like s**t and wasted opportunities. Bev was not "out coached"

I agree.... Bevo can’t kick the goals for them. We created more than enough good opportunities but just wilted under pressure in front of goals. Dunkley in the first quarter set the tone and I have no confidence in Bont kicking a set shot goal anymore. Not sure what has happened to him, he used to be really good at that.

Then there was the turnovers in our goal square when it looked like a certain goal (I think there were 3 in the last quarter), then Tory Dickson’s brain fade in the third quarter getting run down. It was like Benny Hill show bad in terms of stuff ups, and that wasn’t on the coach at all.

Yes Gold Coast structured themselves much better defensively than we did all day and in my view thoroughly deserved the win, but to say it was Bevo’s fault relieves the players of the blame for the s**t they served up for 90% of the game. I can’t believe we only lost by 5 points to be honest. That was due to the efforts of a few players like Daniel, Libba, Macrae and Suckling who played pretty well. Aaron Naughton marked it pretty well again and loved his effort all day, the other forwards went missing mainly.

I hope we can bounce back from this, although I don’t expect a win against the pies. Such a shame as we gave up a gilt edged chance to go 3-0 to start the season but hopefully they learn something from it.

Go Dogs!!

 

[JJHunter]

Remember when we won a grand final, this decade?

I don’t see the relevance mike !

I’m one fan who doesn’t want to spend the next 62 years singing about 1/2 premierships in our song.

2016 best year of my life but we have got to move on man... it’s gone.... and we should have higher expectations as a club off the back of it

 

[TheBont]

Highlight of the game for me was the old African American guy decked out in doggies gear yelling in his accent every 2 minutes

Great to see an American embracing the doggies

 

[_M_16_]

I don’t see the relevance mike !

I’m one fan who doesn’t want to spend the next 62 years singing about 1/2 premierships in our song.

2016 best year of my life but we have got to move on man... it’s gone.... and we should have higher expectations as a club off the back of it

I see plenty of relevance in what Mike said.

We are in a league of 18 teams, the odds are for one flag every 18 years per team. Even more so when the league inevitably expands. We are not in a current 60 year drought, its now two, and I bet it will be no where near that long before we win the next.

There is nothing wrong with expecting the club to be competitive each year, and strive to win the flag each year, that's the healthy mind set inside the club. But anyone who is a realist knows that demanding a flag every single year is unrealistic. Mike is just calling for perspective here, that we won the flag just two years ago. This isn't the same team any more, its not a ready made product for a premiership contender. Its the second youngest list in the league, one of the least experienced, and playing like it. I think too many people here have become too needy and live in this bubble that we should be in a flag window so soon. A realist accepts teams go up and down, spends years at a time at either end, and winning the flag every year doesn't happen. Its part of the cycle of AFL, the more you realize that, the more less angry people will be on here. We are not a basket case like Carlton and Melbourne have been, stuck at the bottom for almost 15 years.

Just because some people call for patience, not to not over react to one loss, doesn't mean they are stuck in 2016, or not passionate, or soft on expectations of a flag. They accept this is part of the journey, and know there will be bumps in the road. The way some people carry on, is like we are ridiculously s**t and have been on the bottom for 10 years since we won the flag, with little positive outlook of the list. Most of those critical are the ones who are actually stuck in 2016 thinking we have the same team and should have never dropped off.

Even though there is signs we haven't improved our forward consistency on last season, there is also signs it has been improved and will more consistent this year. The midfield has improved and defensive structures are pretty sound, we have been competitive for three games, cant ask for much more. I think people are too filthy because it was the Suns we lost to, to many disrespecting the Suns. Lose to another team that is not the Suns, then the melts probably wouldn't be as bad. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to finish top four and win the flag every single year as much as the next person. But I'm willing to be patient and give the club time, instead of two lousy years to build something. Technically this is year 1 again, we spent the last two fruitlessly trying to milk another premiership with the same game plan and not as much on pure development for the future.

 

[Johnny_Dogg4]

we play grind fest games every week. hardly any fluidity and smoothness in our style.
we scrape over the line with our wins.

we are hard to watch on the eye. we prob score the least amount of goals from open play in the league.
im not seeing anything new yet this season. (prob vs hawks the will to fight on and not get thrashed in the 4th)

 

[Fossie 32]

Maybe, but I walked away from that game thinking I would’ve been disappointed still had we edged over the line by a few points.

We played poorly and didn’t deserve to get close.

I think generally teams get the result they deserve. If the half time siren had gone a couple seconds later or the quarter time siren a few seconds earlier we may have won and deserved to, despite not playing well. I think we deserved to get close because we played better in the last quarter etc.

 

[gordo2016]

There will be many results this season like the one yesterday, when heavily favoured teams get rolled. Winning three, four or more games in a row is becoming increasingly difficult. The Dogs were a little off and they paid the price and the Suns are better than what people think they are. Collingwood will be favoured for Friday but they are no certainties. Dogs play at their best and its game on.

 

[Yojimbo]

We won all the stats,
Except for the Ruck,
I have to stop this poem as it is clearly problematic finding words to rhyme with Ruck.

 

[JJHunter]

I see plenty of relevance in what Mike said.

We are in a league of 18 teams, the odds are for one flag every 18 years per team. Even more so when the league inevitably expands. We are not in a current 60 year drought, its now two, and I bet it will be no where near that long before we win the next.

There is nothing wrong with expecting the club to be competitive each year, and strive to win the flag each year, that's the healthy mind set inside the club. But anyone who is a realist knows that demanding a flag every single year is unrealistic. Mike is just calling for perspective here, that we won the flag just two years ago. This isn't the same team any more, its not a ready made product for a premiership contender. Its the second youngest list in the league, one of the least experienced, and playing like it. I think too many people here have become too needy and live in this bubble that we should be in a flag window so soon. A realist accepts teams go up and down, spends years at a time at either end, and winning the flag every year doesn't happen. Its part of the cycle of AFL, the more you realize that, the more less angry people will be on here. We are not a basket case like Carlton and Melbourne have been, stuck at the bottom for almost 15 years.

Just because some people call for patience, not to not over react to one loss, doesn't mean they are stuck in 2016, or not passionate, or soft on expectations of a flag. They accept this is part of the journey, and know there will be bumps in the road. The way some people carry on, is like we are ridiculously s**t and have been on the bottom for 10 years since we won the flag, with little positive outlook of the list. Most of those critical are the ones who are actually stuck in 2016 thinking we have the same team and should have never dropped off.

Even though there is signs we haven't improved our forward consistency on last season, there is also signs it has been improved and will more consistent this year. The midfield has improved and defensive structures are pretty sound, we have been competitive for three games, cant ask for much more. I think people are too filthy because it was the Suns we lost to, to many disrespecting the Suns. Lose to another team that is not the Suns, then the melts probably wouldn't be as bad. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to finish top four and win the flag every single year as much as the next person. But I'm willing to be patient and give the club time, instead of two lousy years to build something. Technically this is year 1 again, we spent the last two fruitlessly trying to milk another premiership with the same game plan and not as much on pure development for the future.

Try telling an astronaut that they aren’t going to the moon after they had been there and seen it’s beauty.

Sorry but I’m over hearing about 2016 every time the team performs poorly.
It’s not perspective !

It’s being used as a get out of jail free card. At what point then do we stop using it ???? At what point will 2016 stop being used as a “perspective”.
Hell mike even said we are struggling without Boyd down back.
He hasnt played in two years!!! May as well say we are struggling without Rick Kennedy.

It’s Time to move one
Time to demand being better.

We should be challenging for finals every year - that’s not an unrealistic expectation as there are plenty of clubs who do!

Failure to do so this year or next and our premiership coach may well move on or be out of a job.

Think I speak for most when I say I don’t want to be the side that won a flag and then missed finals for the next four years straight.

 

[Virgin Dog]

Interesting post match press conference from Bevo.

Very unhappy with our high forwards not putting defensive pressure on, especially early. Not happy that we didn't take our chances in front of goal. Likely to persist with English, I'd guess JJ comes back this week straight into the seniors.

Tom Boyd to play VFL this week too.

Just have this good feeling about Boyd returning. He's been pretty ordinary when last playing, but I think he also cops a lot of undue criticism because of his massive contract. Not to mention people are down on him because he's not producing results, but I wonder how much that has to do with him just not playing in the first place. Between his mental health and back issues, he's barely played half the available games since the GF so of course he won't be putting up many results. He's 23 now - should have the strength to start standing up to the bigger rucks and actually be able to take a mark. A firing Boyd would make us a whole new team

 

[Virgin Dog]

Couple of take aways from today's game
•Richards looks lost and adds nothing to the team with his lack of set position, needs a run in the VFL and at half back I feel
•Although English gets smashed in the hit outs I don't see the need for change, considering our mids are so dominant. Yes they could be even more dominant with Trengove or Sweet? But there's more important issues than making English the scapegoat
•Happy with Young in the last 2 games but I'm still wary if a key defender role fits into Bevo's mantra. Better with a tall id say
• I think we have under utilised McLean, especially today. Would throw him onto the ball more than Wallis, who I rate, yet feel he plays the role of a forward better
•Lloyd and Schache very very ordinary but prepared to let Lloyd play next week, he's used up his token however. Wider pockets of the MCG suits them better
•Finally Bailey Smith is improving by the week, great faith by Bevo and the selection committee, resisting the temptation to bring Lipinski in for him. Still feel Lipinski should be rewarded but now it's clear that Smith should not be dropped for him

Hate to say it but Richards needs to come out for Lipinski. When Lip is dominating the VFL like that, it can't do much for his confidence if we don't reward the good form, as there's really not much more he can do to prove himself. Not to mention we have been carrying a few passengers this year.

Have to say though, I'm really not a fan of Richards on half forward or wing. Him and JJ belong on our half back flanks, and play their best footy behind the ball where their rebounding ability can be put to full use.

 

[Virgin Dog]

Also had a little campaigner in him today as well.

At least three times I saw him really getting stuck into the opposition. Have a feeling he was the one who started that big group push and shove somewhere in the 2nd/3rd quarter. Really good to see someone with a bit of fire (considering we've missed that with Picko and Smith both retired)