Review Bulldogs get by the Swans. 105-96

[Doggy]

TBF Sydney is forecast to get over 100mm of rain this week.

Last week wasn't up to scratch and probably should've been played elsewhere but it'll be a much worse surface this week.

Move it within Sydney.

If Perth becomes an option we should be livid.

 

[King Harold]

Just watched the replay.
McNeil , Vandermeer and Coffield all non contributors and next to useless.
And my god some of Coffield’s touches could have cost us the game.
That last one to Bramble was a droppable offence—- horrific !

 

[maddog37]

Just watched the replay.
McNeil , Vandermeer and Coffield all non contributors and next to useless.
And my god some of Coffield’s touches could have cost us the game.
That last one to Bramble was a droppable offence—- horrific !

How massive was that first quarter from English!!

 

[King Harold]

How massive was that first quarter from English!!

Was on his way to BOG, but Grundy was the reason Sydney were always a chance.

 

[maddog37]

Was on his way to BOG, but Grundy was the reason Sydney were always a chance.

He stuck at it though. Could have totally iced the game with that last kick at goal.

 

[ExRoyboy]

We are still way too shaky in defence to be a serious threat this season. Our forwards and mids are formidable, but if we can’t stop the other team scoring every time they go inside 50 then we will get bundled out of the finals quickly again.

While I like how JOD is developing and he is very courageous, for me at the moment he is still too shaky as a key defender. I would really want Liam Jones

19

Liam Jones

Age

35

Ht

199cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.4

2star

K

6.5

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

4.3

4star

T

2.0

4star

MG

134.5

2star

D

7.6

2star

K

6.1

3star

HB

1.4

1star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.4

2star

MG

116.3

2star

D

9.4

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

2.0

2star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.2

4star

back in the team and at his best if we are to be a serious finals team. Also we have to find other options rather than Coffield and McNeil. Bramble had been shaky at times as well but was fantastic against the Swans. So these are the areas we need to improve and if we don’t then we won’t amount to anything in the Finals against the best teams.

It’s a shame Cody is out for the season, imagine having him instead of McNeil?

 

[ExRoyboy]

I'm not English's biggest supporter, but there was night and day difference between this game and his first 3 or so games of the year. He was beaten on the night, but was definitely having a crack. Such an improvement compared to when he was getting beaten at the start of the year.

He's had some terrific games in between, so he's allowed a down one every now and then

Totally agree with this. Tim was actually going well in the first half. He had a really poor third quarter but was also injured for a chunk of it. I thought he tried hard when he came back on in the fourth quarter. Yes he was beaten on the night but I thought he was giving a lot of effort for sure.

 

[Foxman98]

We are still way too shaky in defence to be a serious threat this season. Our forwards and mids are formidable, but if we can’t stop the other team scoring every time they go inside 50 then we will get bundled out of the finals quickly again.

While I like how JOD is developing and he is very courageous, for me at the moment he is still too shaky as a key defender. I would really want Liam Jones back in the team and at his best if we are to be a serious finals team. Also we have to find other options rather than Coffield and McNeil. Bramble had been shaky at times as well but was fantastic against the Swans. So these are the areas we need to improve and if we don’t then we won’t amount to anything in the Finals against the best teams.

It’s a shame Cody is out for the season, imagine having him instead of McNeil?

Our defence isn’t the issue give 1 of Heeneys goals where he was actually playing forward the rest of their forwards kicked 4 goals the mids/ruck/wingers kicked 9

We were woeful at stoppage

 

[ExRoyboy]

Our defence isn’t the issue give 1 of Heeneys goals where he was actually playing forward the rest of their forwards kicked 4 goals the mids/ruck/wingers kicked 9

We were woeful at stoppage

I’m not just referring to the game against Sydney, but overall, I think we are the fourth easiest team to score against once the ball goes inside our defensive 50m zone. That suggests we are way too shaky defensively and needs to be corrected.

But I do agree about the stoppage goals. Sometimes our mids are way too offensive minded when it’s in the other teams fwd 50. They need to be more defensive in those situations.

 

[MaxiBont]

I’m not just referring to the game against Sydney, but overall, I think we are the fourth easiest team to score against once the ball goes inside our defensive 50m zone. That suggests we are way too shaky defensively and needs to be corrected.

But I do agree about the stoppage goals. Sometimes our mids are way too offensive minded when it’s in the other teams fwd 50. They need to be more defensive in those situations.

That’s how we play though. We play with a high defensive line which lets us generate lots of inside 50s

This also leads to us getting killed when there is a bad turnover and gives the opposition easy shots out the back.

 

[lachy]

We are still way too shaky in defence to be a serious threat this season. Our forwards and mids are formidable, but if we can’t stop the other team scoring every time they go inside 50 then we will get bundled out of the finals quickly again.

While I like how JOD is developing and he is very courageous, for me at the moment he is still too shaky as a key defender. I would really want Liam Jones back in the team and at his best if we are to be a serious finals team. Also we have to find other options rather than Coffield and McNeil. Bramble had been shaky at times as well but was fantastic against the Swans. So these are the areas we need to improve and if we don’t then we won’t amount to anything in the Finals against the best teams.

It’s a shame Cody is out for the season, imagine having him instead of McNeil?

So their forwards kicked 3 of their 14 goals and its our defence thats shaky!!!

How about lack of accountability of mids at stoppages and fowards either missing easy shots or not pressuring their defenders on transition.

The only times our defenders have been exposed is when we have had shocking turnovers in our transition.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

That’s how we play though. We play with a high defensive line which lets us generate lots of inside 50s

This also leads to us getting killed when there is a bad turnover and gives the opposition easy shots out the back.

I agree, but a point saved is still the same a point scored.

Our balance is out of whack in many cases, and from this point in the season forward I would argue it's far easier to get our 10-11th ranked defensive ball movement stuff up to 7th-9th league average than it is to get our rank 1 ball movement stuff up to be even more betterer than how it's already league leading than what it currently is....

If we all agree that we need improvement from where we are to perhaps win this year's flag.

We're playing entertaining footy, but there's some issues. Teams are getting a scoring shot 46.5% of the time they enter the D50, worse than league average and in contrast to other top rated teams who are the 41% range.

And the quality of these shots is good, at 3.38 expected points per shot, it's third worst in the league. Opposition set shot locations are expected to get 3.63 points per shot, second worst in the league, indicating a trend of our key defenders not being able to force wide leads or push oppositions into deeper leads.

 

[King Harold]

He stuck at it though. Could have totally iced the game with that last kick at goal.

Yeah agree , they were both good.
English good
Grundy v good

 

[King Harold]

So their forwards kicked 3 of their 14 goals and its our defence thats shaky!!!

How about lack of accountability of mids at stoppages and fowards either missing easy shots or not pressuring their defenders on transition.

The only times our defenders have been exposed is when we have had shocking turnovers in our transition.

Not going to try to change your mind Lachy. been down that road already
And I partly agree with you.

But for a start Sydney had no aerial threat with makeshift key forwards.
After watching the replay , my issue was more decision making and I would argue there was a lot that was shaky .
Add , JJ , Lobb’s horrendous short kick, JOD’s determination to hand Sydney a goal in the first, then Coffield where he got out of jail with the Bramble pass and then putting the ball on Davidson’s head one on one with another Swan in the area.
I think that cost a goal ?

Reminded me of Daniel’s last couple of years with us where you could pencil in at least 2 goals a game from dumb ( or shaky if you like ) decisions.
The shifting surface could be a reason for miss kicks , but bad decision making is in players heads.

Sydney tried to pick us apart and were pretty good at it with good help from Grundy. I don’t blame the defence for that.
We were just lucky they didn’t nail those early shots.

 

[maddog37]

Watching the replay really showed how far Sanders has progressed. Has the game speed calibrated now and is a very good driver in heavy traffic.

That smother from Doc D late in the game was huge. He is a very well rounded player already with upside to come.

Freijah has so much confidence. Walking out next to the Bont pre game exuding leadership. Go back and take a look.

 

[my plums]

Watching the replay really showed how far Sanders has progressed. Has the game speed calibrated now and is a very good driver in heavy traffic.

That smother from Doc D late in the game was huge. He is a very well rounded player already with upside to come.

Freijah has so much confidence. Walking out next to the Bont pre game exuding leadership. Go back and take a look.

Heard on crunch time Fridge was the one organising the mids in the centre bounce in the earlier rounds.

 

[Westerndog11]

Interesting stat I found. Cooper Hynes had the highest contested possessions for the Dogs with 10. One more than Naughton, Harmes, Freijah and Libba on 9.

 

[lachy]

Not going to try to change your mind Lachy. been down that road already
And I partly agree with you.

But for a start Sydney had no aerial threat with makeshift key forwards.
After watching the replay , my issue was more decision making and I would argue there was a lot that was shaky .
Add , JJ , Lobb’s horrendous short kick, JOD’s determination to hand Sydney a goal in the first, then Coffield where he got out of jail with the Bramble pass and then putting the ball on Davidson’s head one on one with another Swan in the area.
I think that cost a goal ?

Reminded me of Daniel’s last couple of years with us where you could pencil in at least 2 goals a game from dumb ( or shaky if you like ) decisions.
The shifting surface could be a reason for miss kicks , but bad decision making is in players heads.

Sydney tried to pick us apart and were pretty good at it with good help from Grundy. I don’t blame the defence for that.
We were just lucky they didn’t nail those early shots.

Actually agree with most of your points King.

It is our decision making that does make our defence look worse than it is, not necessarily with defenders actually defending.

But it is not just the defenders making those horrendous decisions as you have noted. Libba ball chasing a forward 50 stoppage. Other mids who allowed the Swans another 5 goals from stoppage not being accountable. Mids and wings with similar errors higher up the ground. I know it was not this game but McNeil a forward, backwards pass against the Hawks. Buku rushing a pass to DVM, West not looking for an easy option allowing an end to end transition that nearly had us less than a goal in front with time on the clock. Players such as Bont, Dale and Richards have had a few moments they would also like back

As a collective our team needs to get better at decision making if we are to go deep into the finals this year.

However, our defenders are rarely torched defending normal ball movements evidenced by how few forwards have actually got hold of us this year. When they have it has been really poor decision making across the ground ie Geelong in the first half and the Hawks most of the game.

 

[ExRoyboy]

Interesting stat I found. Cooper Hynes had the highest contested possessions for the Dogs with 10. One more than Naughton, Harmes, Freijah and Libba on 9.

There is a lot to like from Coop already I think. Once the game slows down for him and he gets more confidence he is going to be a really good player, and will add to our strong midfield like smoking Joel Freijah. Loved those two smothers from him in quick succession on the wing, reminded me a little of Biggsy with that amazing effort in the 2016 GF

 

[lachy]

There is a lot to like from Coop already I think. Once the game slows down for him and he gets more confidence he is going to be a really good player, and will add to our strong midfield like smoking Joel Freijah. Loved those two smothers from him in quick succession on the wing, reminded me a little of Biggsy with that amazing effort in the 2016 GF

Believe Coop is getting stronger for longer already a bit like Freijah last season. He is not in the team at the moment just to get some games into him, he is playing his position better than the alternatives, which at this stage of the season should be why players are picked

 

[Westerndog11]

Believe Coop is getting stronger for longer already a bit like Freijah last season. He is not in the team at the moment just to get some games into him, he is playing his position better than the alternatives, which at this stage of the season should be why players are picked

He positions himself too and because of his size and strength he is hard for players to move him around. Against the saints he outplayed senior defenders more than once but couldn’t get the reward. When he puts everything together you can see him as a multiple goal kicker in a game.