Autopsy Post 2021 Grand Final Western Bulldogs game review, the good the bad and the ugly, come talk about it here!

[Sharpiesadog]

Had a picnic last night with a mate who is on Richmond's physio/performance staff. He said he was unsurprised we ran out of steam in the third. His opinion is that from a fitness and conditioning point of view, all the travel and lockdown crap had to catch up with us at some point. He said it is incredibly difficult to keep fitness levels up in lockdown due to the lack of movement outside of training and was impressed how well we did.

He also thinks the teams that missed big opportunities are Brisbane and Port - got to not be locked down and sleep in their own beds etc, and still couldn't get it done. 2 years in a row for Brisbane now, they are just not quite good enough.

Was good to hear that point of view on our season from an industry insider not connected with the dogs.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Had a picnic last night with a mate who is on Richmond's physio/performance staff. He said he was unsurprised we ran out of steam in the third. His opinion is that from a fitness and conditioning point of view, all the travel and lockdown crap had to catch up with us at some point. He said it is incredibly difficult to keep fitness levels up in lockdown due to the lack of movement outside of training and was impressed how well we did.

He also thinks the teams that missed big opportunities are Brisbane and Port - got to not be locked down and sleep in their own beds etc, and still couldn't get it done. 2 years in a row for Brisbane now, they are just not quite good enough.

Was good to hear that point of view on our season from an industry insider not connected with the dogs.

I can’t help but think even if we had made top four and reduced the travel, it was Melbourne’s destiny to win it this year.

 

[NBates]

I can’t help but think even if we had made top four and reduced the travel, it was Melbourne’s destiny to win it this year.

Yes. And I've figured out why. It's the curse of the Byron Bay Hollywood movie star. Blame Chris Hemsworth and Russell Crowe - both of their teams lost their grand finals.

 

[stefoid]

Had a picnic last night with a mate who is on Richmond's physio/performance staff. He said he was unsurprised we ran out of steam in the third. His opinion is that from a fitness and conditioning point of view, all the travel and lockdown crap had to catch up with us at some point. He said it is incredibly difficult to keep fitness levels up in lockdown due to the lack of movement outside of training and was impressed how well we did.

He also thinks the teams that missed big opportunities are Brisbane and Port - got to not be locked down and sleep in their own beds etc, and still couldn't get it done. 2 years in a row for Brisbane now, they are just not quite good enough.

Was good to hear that point of view on our season from an industry insider not connected with the dogs.

Which is entirely our own fault for ******* up the last 3 games of the season.

 

[D Mitchell]

Which is entirely our own fault for ******* up the last 3 games of the season.

Which is all very well but how many were at Sharpiesadog's picnic ? how far from his joint was it ? how many were double vacc'd ? how many were wearing masks except when eating and drinking ? how many different households were there ? was the R'mond bloke within 15 km of his place ? was it really a picnic ?

 

[Sharpiesadog]

Which is all very well but how many were at Sharpiesadog's picnic ? how far from his joint was it ? how many were double vacc'd ? how many were wearing masks except when eating and drinking ? how many different households were there ? was the R'mond bloke within 15 km of his place ? was it really a picnic ?

No rules were broken at this picnic, I would not want an AFL club staffer to put his job at risk.

How dare you suggest such a thing, I haven't broken the lockdown rules and I don't intend to.

 

[Sharpiesadog]

Not entirely serious, but I haven't broken lockdown rules.

 

[D Mitchell]

Not entirely serious, but I haven't broken lockdown rules.

That's disappointing, surely one of you must have taken his/her mask off, just for the mischief of it ? probably not that R'mond bloke, though, he/she'd have been too busy running 'round picking up empty plates and cups.

 

[Sharpiesadog]

This is what we were wearing at the picnic.

 

[D Mitchell]

This is what we were wearing at the picnic.View attachment 1252463

Mis diagnosis. Come back in 6 months for a check up and bring your medicare card, Dr Mitchell bulk bills.

 

[Mofra]

I can’t help but think even if we had made top four and reduced the travel, it was Melbourne’s destiny to win it this year.

It did seem like that but they have been the best second half team all year and we've covered more kms than Carmen Santiago in the past month.
The no training outdoors thing would be a huge impediment.

 

[Jean Claude Vas Deferens]

It did seem like that but they have been the best second half team all year and we've covered more kms than Carmen Santiago in the past month.
The no training outdoors thing would be a huge impediment.

Liked for the Carmen Santiago reference!

 

[The Inbetweener]

I still can’t comprehend that we were up at half time, kicked the next 2 goals, then got belted.

I really hope we win another flag with this group otherwise this will be looked back as a massive opportunity lost.

Incredibly proud of how we played in the finals after missing top 4, but the last 45 minute of this game was baffling.

 

[Leon]

I’ll be pissed off if we play Melbourne as their home game in Round 1 (or if their first home game next year is against us)

I also didn’t like that our first home game in 2017 after our flag was against Sydney.

You won the flag, you’re more than entitled to your moment of glory of unfurling the flag and having your supporters soak up the historic moment.

You don’t need the GF’s losing side’s fans at the ground to essentially rub it in to them.

By all means have a GF re-match early in the season, but first game - nope.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

I’ll be pissed off if we play Melbourne as their home game in Round 1 (or if their first home game next year is against us)

I also didn’t like that our first home game in 2017 after our flag was against Sydney.

You won the flag, you’re more than entitled to your moment of glory of unfurling the flag and having your supporters soak up the historic moment.

You don’t need the GF’s losing side’s fans at the ground to essentially rub it in to them.

By all means have a GF re-match early in the season, but first game - nope.

Yeah I felt uncomfortable about that in 2017.

 

[Mr. Walker]

I am sure the club will do an internal review of the GF and I am also sure we will not hear the results. I think that is fair enough, as criticism of players and coaches should remain in house but it would be good to know the results. Maybe we have to wait for Bev’s memoirs to find out answers to questions such as why, why why did Dunkley only attend 3 centre bounces for the match when we were getting smashed in that last 45 minutes?
( I am better now)

 

[Bulldoge]

It did seem like that but they have been the best second half team all year and we've covered more kms than Carmen Santiago in the past month.
The no training outdoors thing would be a huge impediment.

Wasn't it Carmen Sandiego

 

[glenashley]

I'm expecting a fair bit of changes from our gf side for next year.

You'd think players like JUH, West, Richards and the like would be pushing for regular spots.

Plus some of the younger blokes like Bendendo may play few not to mention possibly a new ruck (or sweet if he improves) plus O'Brien.

 

[Dry Rot]

I have had little time for footy and forums since just before the grand final when my elderly mother broke her hip interstate and I have been focussed on this ever since.

Along the way, I received a really good email from one of my mates is is both highly footy knowledgeable and a Sainter. This was his interesting view of the GF which I meant to post earlier.

What do you think?

I have watched Saturday's GF again and have a couple of comments that may be useful for you.

Remember, these are observations of an experienced loser of Grand Finals: 1965, 1971, 2009 and 2010 (Inc. a draw). We have a deserved reputation as perennial underachievers. This reputation is influenced by our GF win/loss losing record but is actually built on having the second lowest all-time win percentage of any team still playing in the league, and 27 wooden spoons, admittedly on two this century.

To my main point ...

In the early 80s a mate and I lined up to tackle a ten race card at Wyong. While I did not back the winner of every race, I did WIN on every race, including a couple of outstanding place dividends, one starting at 150-1, alongside six winners on the day.

My mate had been at the game for forty years, and after the last (won by Beche de Mer), he turned to me and said, "Enjoy every minute of it mate because it will never happen again"

I have never seen a Grand Final like it in my 55 years following the code. Yes,So the game has changed enormously.

Earlier this season, St Kilda got flogged by Essendon when we were heavily favoured. Essendon were literally flawless for four quarters. And I said to myself, and to a few Bombers supporters, "Enjoy the win, you won't experience anything like it again this season, probably for a few years."

So, were the Demons flawless from mid-way in the second half. Flawless Def: without any imperfections or defects; perfect. I think they were.With ruck dominance, and scoring so furiously quickly, they grabbed the chance to play flawless footy for forty minutes.

As an experienced loser, I had no interest in reading media match reports. Instead, I waited for evidence-based analysis to emerge, some from former coaches. I look at match statistics of course, but they don't tell anywhere near the whole story. The psychology of team sport is where the story lies.

Played again, you could have won, and won strongly. You could even have played "flawless footy".

In summary, well done on a great season. The Dogs' reputation is enhanced by the way you go to the Grand Final after being tossed into 5th place, so late in the home and away.

Enjoy the best of the analysis you can find. Everyone is different, but I found it helped.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

That’s an interesting take, Dry Rot , and I think your friend is spot on when he mentions the psychology of the game. How else to explain the weird results in many games? We don’t get to replay THAT game, but it needn’t foreshadow future outcomes.

 

[The Inbetweener]

Heard our GPS numbers were way down compared to normal, even at half time when we were in front.

Need a top 2 finish so you don’t do it the hard way.

 

[Dry Rot]

That’s an interesting take, Dry Rot , and I think your friend is spot on when he mentions the psychology of the game. How else to explain the weird results in many games? We don’t get to replay THAT game, but it needn’t foreshadow future outcomes.

As a Sainter, my mate is an expert in grand final losses and general footy disappointment. Knows a lot about footy too.

 

[Freshwater]

As a Sainter, my mate is an expert in grand final losses and general footy disappointment. Knows a lot about footy too.

He even forgot 1997.

 

[Dry Rot]

He even forgot 1997.

He was very unhappy after that.

Still is. Has a theory that Adelaide and SA should not exist and be destroyed, with salt ploughed into the ground Carthage style.

Loves a schooner.

 

[X_box_X]

Heard our GPS numbers were way down compared to normal, even at half time when we were in front.

Need a top 2 finish so you don’t do it the hard way.

It may not have changed anything, but I'd love to know what would have happened had Bruce not got injured.

Would having him in the side made a difference against Port in round 23? Possibly. Win that and we finish third. You can only assume from that position we also make the GF, although with fewer interruptions and quarantining.

In these circumstances, with Bruce in the side, possibly at the expense of Cordy (Schache playing in defence), it's now an even playing field against Melbourne. We are fresher and emotionally not as fatigued.

Considering we were 19 pts up during the third quarter, one can only assume with Bruce in the side, we'd have been better positioned during the third quarter. Perhaps we are 20+ pts up. Perhaps 30+ pts up. Remember in this parallel universe where Bruce doesn't get injured, we are fresher. Does this give us a larger lead during the third quarter?

In this parallel universe, does it mean we are better equipped to deal with a Melbourne run on? Perhaps they still get a run on, but we don't drop our heads for two reasons:

1. We are not as mentally fatigued in this parallel universe. We have had the same preparation as Melbourne.

2. We were 4+ goals up before their run on, meaning the scoreboard doesn't look as bad. We still have hope and don't drop our heads.

Two pretty important intangibles in this parallel universe are less interruptions in the lead up to the game, and the presence of Bruce to change the forward line dynamic.

We will never know what would have happened, but one thing I am certain of is we would not have been blown out of the water if this parallel universe existed. Perhaps we still go down, but we go down fighting.