Opinion Is everyone overreacting? or: have some patience, have some faith!

[Tommycash]

We are regularly putting out one of the youngest and least experienced sides in the competition, we have been hammered by injuries to best 22 players with experience, the leaders of the club. We are regularly playing kids with less than 10 games to their names (Naughton, Richards, Gowers, Lipinski, English etc). We have a couple of new players who, largely by injury, have not yet adapted to the team and system (Trengove and Crozier).

The experienced players we do have on the park are struggling. Some, such as Wood and Roughie may be suffering from returning from short term injuries, Wallis may perhaps never get back to his best after such a horrific leg break. Dahlhouse is out of form, Biggs and Roberts too.

Other players, like Daniel, Dunkley, Webb and Dale are not performing as hoped. But we must note their age. 21, 21, 22 and 21 respectively. Have any of them even played 50+ games? Have we been so blessed by youthful talent that we can't even give these players, who have each showed glimpses, more time to develop? Is it their fault that we are so devoid of depth at the moment that they are being relied on to help carry the side?

The most recent game was horribly wet and apart from Eddie Betts, most forwards struggled. But, in the three games before that we had two youngsters in Lipinski and Gowers going at about 2 goals a game.

Yet with all this we are 4 and 5 and could easily have been 5 and 4. We've played a number of teams that will genuinely contest for the flag.

Morris and Adams are on the comeback trail, Schache has found some goals in the VFL. Boyd is playing with confidence and a lot of the youngsters are holding their own. By the end of the bye week we will probably get Picken, Dickson, Clay Smith and Naughton back. Macrae and McLean are having outstanding seasons, and Cordy and Williams look like they are going to be great long term servants for the club. Richards, Naughton, Gowers, Lipinski and English are all showing great signs as well.

Even if this season is cactus, which may or may not be the case, it seems to me like there is not any great need for despair or wholesale change.

 

[Dembe]

Things are never as good or as bad as they seem


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Lex22]

We’re going okay and I think really when you look at the first two rounds, we’ve done well to win four games.

Some massive overreactions given this always had a bit of a mini re-build feel to it at the start of the year and that was before players starting dropping like flies.

Expect us to go okay after the bye and if we can finish with 10-11 wins, then it’s a pass mark under the circumstances.

 

[ScragCity]

We're absolutely flying for a team this young. Absolutely ******* flying. How many other teams can say they've got Billy Gowers?

 

[Beasley]

A very appropriate and relevant title to the thread Tommycash.

I find it extremely disappointing to read some of the simply ridiculous and just nonsensical posts on the forum in recent weeks. There are a number of keyboard warriors who should stay away from the keyboard within the 24 hour period prior to and after a game. Some people I find it difficult to believe they actually barrack for the Bulldogs.

Sure, it is damn disappointing when the team loses, but for heavens sake they need to compute everything that is reality ...... due to a somewhat rebuilding phase and also injury forces, the Bulldogs team has been the youngest team in the AFL this year and also has the least experience. Its not an excuse .... it is reality!

Time for a few to actually reflect on the title of this thread ........ time for few to take a chill pill ..... and time for a few to actually decide if they are fans or enemies!​

 

[DroopStDanny]

I'm fairly optimistic for what the future holds with this group of youngsters. Can't make an omelette without counting your chickens all in one basket. Or sumpin' like that.

 

[Leviticus]

At the present time, we are combining an inability to score with a propensity to leak out the back. Our losses bar Sydney have been bad (anyone looked at our %?) and are characterised in some instances by the curious stat of having more of the ball than the opposition or in other games, a similar number of disposals.

While I take comfort from the fact that we have been fielding some of the youngest teams in the comp, I am also bothered by the more experienced players who inhabit the VFL and those who just can't get on the park.

Picken, Clay Smith, Redpath, Roughead, Morris, Roberts, Campbell. Maybe none of them will be in the AFL in 2019.

We may need to turn over 6 to 10 spots on the list at the end of the season, even though we are playing such an inexperienced first team.

You are almost correct, Mr Cash. We are going to need to have patience but we are going to need to have heaps not some.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

At the present time, we are combining an inability to score with a propensity to leak out the back.

Is this really surprising though? When you can't capitalise on first attempt, you have to press harder to lock the ball in. When you press harder you're more likely to get beaten out the back, particularly when you turn the ball over.

In my opinion our defensive lapses are primarily driven by our inability to convert. Improve that and our defence (save for a few games here and there) is not a significant issue for mine.

 

[Mutt]

I don't think there have been many who have over reacted to our current situation. Some have found reasons to criticise selection, coaching and/or players but I can't think of too many OTT posts.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

I have to say I am really disappointed in how we are going, simply because I don’t understand how premiership players like Biggs, Dahl, Dunks, Roberts, can lose their skills suddenly and go backwards. We are only 9 games in, what were they doing all preseason?

I get we are very young, with huge losses in Picken, Libba, Clay Smith, Morris and Adams not on the park, but we still have senior players who are underperforming, it’s really, really worrying.

 

[Scary_Foot_9]

I think we are making some understandable mistakes that you would expect from a young side, and those don't bother me so much. Naughton, English, Cordy, Richards, Gowers and Williams have all made catastrophic errors at times that have hurt us badly, but I'd say all of them have showed signs of learning from them and subsequently adjusting which gives me a positive outlook on the future.

What bothers or concerns me is the lack of improvement/further development from Hunter (maybe harsh, but to me he is too safe and sideways with the ball still), Daniel, Wallis, Dahlhaus and JJ. They show no signs of being able to add more strings to their bow and think through the game at a higher level, which makes us quite easy and predictable to play against. The middle three are often three of the main culprits when it comes to us overdosing in 2 metre handballs (as well as Macrae and McLean) which play right into the opponents pressure. Their stagnation over the last 18 months is more what is holding us back than our youth imo. Their lack of development/playing style/role is a legitimate concern going forward I believe.

Just my take.

 

[Mattdougie]

We have gone from a flag to uncompetitive in 18 months with no acceptable reason or excuse why this needed to occur.

We have no forwards
A one speed midfield(slow)
Coaches that have no idea
No depth at all
Inability to fix these issues at this trade period
Issues with injury staff
Off field issues in management
Too many “bulldog” boys returning to take roles at the club
Massive turnover of a flag winning back room staff.
Dropping membership
Dropping crowds
Dropping financial intake.

Sorry but I think the reaction from most has been very placid and completely underwhelming. We are in massive shite

The only positives are jack and a few kids

 

[dogwatch]

We're absolutely flying for a team this young. Absolutely ******* flying. How many other teams can say they've got Billy Gowers?

True, but we're a bit deficient in the Rioli department.

We're almost flying.

 

[Unorth]

Is this really surprising though? When you can't capitalise on first attempt, you have to press harder to lock the ball in. When you press harder you're more likely to get beaten out the back, particularly when you turn the ball over.

In my opinion our defensive lapses are primarily driven by our inability to convert. Improve that and our defence (save for a few games here and there) is not a significant issue for mine.

I agree. Similar stuff as last season.

With how hard teams pressure now, the game is hugely based on momentum. In most games, teams will each have their chance to control the game. Whichever team capitalises on that chance the most not only gets enough goals to win, but they're almost worth twice as much if the other team has been wasteful. It's like if the old '12 point swing' was applied to whole 10-15 minute patches of dominating the play.

We had our chances on Friday night. We dominated plenty of play during the first half, but failed to get reward for effort, while they (Read: Betts) punished us with their accuracy. There's always lots of ifs and buts, but Gowers sinks that shot in the 4th and we're down 20 with plenty of time left with the rain having ceased. Instead we end up getting blown out. That's just an example of how much impact one passage of play can have. We get plenty of possessions, we rank highly in inside 50s and even marks inside 50s (first for that one, last I checked). I believe we're also first or second in behinds. We're actually doing a lot of things right despite the circumstances. If we were better at capitalising on momentum and kicking straight, we'd be doing well this season. Due to a variety of reasons though (personnel, structure, forward 50 delivery) that penny just refuses to drop.

 

[Dogsbestfriend]

Im a pretty patient member and i have faith but ffs can we please just nail some very gettable set shots.

And kicking for goal in general.

Surely someone at the club can do something to improve this and it will make a huge difference.

 

[dogwatch]

We should be aspiring to be an AFL powerhouse team.

I agree there's lots of promising youth and they give me some hope for the future ... but not yet total confidence in it.

The reason is that at the same time that we've got these youngsters on board (how many ... six?) we've also been decapitated at the top (Murphy, Moyd, Morris, Picken have retired or are heading that way) and we've been hollowed out in the middle, due to loss of form and departures (Biggs, Roughead, Hamling, Stringer, Crameri, Smith, Roberts ... maybe even Dickson).

I don't want us to be the club that's forever got "promising youth". Melbourne, St.Kilda and the Queensland perennials have been in that category for years and only Melbourne is finally making genuine progress. It's taken them almost a generation to finally show something.

The players currently on our list that we can expect to build our 2020+ flag hopes around are:

• YOUTH - Naughton, Richards, Lipinski, English, Williams and probably Gowers. I think we have to wait and see with Young but the signs are not too bad so far.
• UNDER 25s WHO HELPED WIN A FLAG - Bontempelli, Macrae, McLean, Boyd, Hunter. Not sure about Daniel and Dunkley but they are still very young. Maybe those two go into the "footsoldiers" category.
• OLDER PLAYERS WHO CAN BE THERE FOR THE NEXT TILT - Liberatore, Wood, Johannisen
• FOOTSOLDIERS - Wallis, Trengove, Crozier, Dale, Dahlhaus - these are the players who can play a useful role without being in our top dozen players (every premiership side has a fair smattering of such players)

That's 14-17 probables with maybe another 5-8 useful footsoldiers. 22 names in total.
The rest are too old, not good enough, unproven or have chronic injury problems so I'm discounting them for now.

What we need is a list of about 30 contenders so in my view we are still about 6-8 players short in the "good" "very good" or "elite" categories. We may well pick up some of these in the draft, FA and trades this year but not all of them can be expected to make the grade. So in 2019 we may still be 4-5 players short of the quality list we need. We also have only 2 players among the above who could be regarded as elite at this stage, and one of those is currently playing well below his best. Ideally you'd want 5-6 in the elite category. Naughton seems like he could get there eventually.

My concern is that while this sounds like we are close, there are probably another half-dozen sides who will finish outside the finals this year who will be in a very similar position.

What all of those clubs need is a little bit of luck to make the step up to be genuine challengers:

• No players cruelled by long term or career-ending injuries.
• Some of their young guns to make the step up to being "elite".
• Their 2018 and 2019 high draft picks to be winners, with maybe a surprise packet or two in their lower order draft picks or trades.
• No unexpected raids or loss of star players.

We're no different. We need those sort of things to go right for us too.

I have both patience and hope. Anybody who follows a perennial also-ran for 60+ years has to have those qualities in good measure.

I'm pretty confident we'll be playing finals again within a year or three. I just think it's too early to say with any conviction that we are headed for an extended spell as one of the AFL's powerhouse sides. That's what we must aspire to be. We don't want to be forever in the 5th-15th range.

 

[Lex22]

There's always lots of ifs and buts, but Gowers sinks that shot in the 4th and we're down 20 with plenty of time left with the rain having ceased. Instead we end up getting blown out. That's just an example of how much impact one passage of play can have.

A really good point and one that I think gets missed a fair bit. Key moments in games that we don’t capitalize and you just get the feel it really deflates us. He kicks that and who knows, maybe at worst we only go down by 10 points and all of a sudden it’s a good effort?

Happened 2-3 times against Sydney where it cost us the game, against Brisbane when we should have been going 5 goals up and setting ourselves for a big win but instead gave them a sniff and it was a key factor in about 4 losses last year (GWS game by memory was the biggest example and that Geelong loss was similar to the Adelaide one on Friday night in that respect).

It was pretty common in why we didn’t belt as many sides in 2016, although we’d find a way to drag the momentum so we could at least win the game. This season and last we stuff them opportunities up and it really seems to be a dragging us down.

Above a lack of ability and anything else it’s clearly a lack of confidence from our end that’s holding us back the most and poor finishers are leading to that.

 

[Yojimbo]

Luck plays a big part in football and this year it feels we have run over an
entire family of black cats. As a long suffering Bulldogs fan I can say I've
seen a lot worse, but you never questioned the effort and you always
got bang for your buck. This year has taken me back a little because
every week we have the same guys kicking ass and guys who I thought
had turned the corner have fallen away alarmingly. I also find some of
the teams around or below us are so superior in structure and even
basic direction that it scares me. As long as I can see light at the end
of the tunnel I will keep driving, but the high beams are on.

 

[Scary_Foot_9]

We should be aspiring to be an AFL powerhouse team.

I agree there's lots of promising youth and they give me some hope for the future ... but not yet total confidence in it.

The reason is that at the same time that we've got these youngsters on board (how many ... six?) we've also been decapitated at the top (Murphy, Moyd, Morris, Picken have retired or are heading that way) and we've been hollowed out in the middle, due to loss of form and departures (Biggs, Roughead, Hamling, Stringer, Crameri, Smith, Roberts ... maybe even Dickson).

I don't want us to be the club that's forever got "promising youth". Melbourne, St.Kilda and the Queensland perennials have been in that category for years and only Melbourne is finally making genuine progress. It's taken them almost a generation to finally show something.

The players currently on our list that we can expect to build our 2020+ flag hopes around are:

• YOUTH - Naughton, Richards, Lipinski, English, Williams and probably Gowers. I think we have to wait and see with Young but the signs are not too bad so far.
• UNDER 25s WHO HELPED WIN A FLAG - Bontempelli, Macrae, McLean, Boyd, Hunter. Not sure about Daniel and Dunkley but they are still very young. Maybe those two go into the "footsoldiers" category.
• OLDER PLAYERS WHO CAN BE THERE FOR THE NEXT TILT - Liberatore, Wood, Johannisen
• FOOTSOLDIERS - Wallis, Trengove, Crozier, Dale, Dahlhaus - these are the players who can play a useful role without being in our top dozen players (every premiership side has a fair smattering of such players)

That's 14-17 probables with maybe another 5-8 useful footsoldiers. 22 names in total.
The rest are too old, not good enough, unproven or have chronic injury problems so I'm discounting them for now.

What we need is a list of about 30 contenders so in my view we are still about 6-8 players short in the "good" "very good" or "elite" categories. We may well pick up some of these in the draft, FA and trades this year but not all of them can be expected to make the grade. So in 2019 we may still be 4-5 players short of the quality list we need. We also have only 2 players among the above who could be regarded as elite at this stage, and one of those is currently playing well below his best. Ideally you'd want 5-6 in the elite category. Naughton seems like he could get there eventually.

My concern is that while this sounds like we are close, there are probably another half-dozen sides who will finish outside the finals this year who will be in a very similar position.

What all of those clubs need is a little bit of luck to make the step up to be genuine challengers:

• No players cruelled by long term or career-ending injuries.
• Some of their young guns to make the step up to being "elite".
• Their 2018 and 2019 high draft picks to be winners, with maybe a surprise packet or two in their lower order draft picks or trades.
• No unexpected raids or loss of star players.

We're no different. We need those sort of things to go right for us too.

I have both patience and hope. Anybody who follows a perennial also-ran for 60+ years has to have those qualities in good measure.

I'm pretty confident we'll be playing finals again within a year or three. I just think it's too early to say with any conviction that we are headed for an extended spell as one of the AFL's powerhouse sides. That's what we must aspire to be. We don't want to be forever in the 5th-15th range.

Don't shoot the messenger DW, but I would have Boyd in the footsoldiers category going forward. I just think thats unfortunately reality at present.

 

[AJARWA]

Massive over reactionary dribble from the usual suspects.

Before the essendon game... "we'll never beat anyone this year".

Win four of our next five games.

Then... beat Adelaide for inside 50's with the round's youngest team, in Adelaide. But don't convert or take our scoring chances... (noting our three best small forwards are injured atm so we're forced to play a makeshift young forward line)... and all of a sudden we should sack the coach again. It's laughable.

Sure our injuries this year highlight we've got a couple of holes in the list... libba (need some mid depth), Dickson, picken, Smith (need some small forwards). But add a top draft pick and rhylee west to the midfield, and a couple of small forwards, and we'll bounce quickly.

 

[footyfan000001]

A lot of over reaction. But I think it’s more frustration that we all, as fans, want to have a good year. It may be a long season of ups and downs but I think it’s going to keep us in good stead down the track. Can’t see us winning many interstate but may grab a couple of big wins at some stage at home. Plenty to like with our youth. If we finish in the bottom 6 I’d say there will be a decent cleanout at the end of the year.

 

[dogwatch]

Don't shoot the messenger DW, but I would have Boyd in the footsoldiers category going forward. I just think thats unfortunately reality at present.

Right now that may be a fair call. 1 Oct 2016 was a bit different (maybe he saves his best game for GFs?)

Either way I think we come up short.

 

[Mattdougie]

Massive over reactionary dribble from the usual suspects.

Before the essendon game... "we'll never beat anyone this year".

Win four of our next five games.

Then... beat Adelaide for inside 50's with the round's youngest team, in Adelaide. But don't convert or take our scoring chances... (noting our three best small forwards are injured atm so we're forced to play a makeshift young forward line)... and all of a sudden we should sack the coach again. It's laughable.

Sure our injuries this year highlight we've got a couple of holes in the list... libba (need some mid depth), Dickson, picken, Smith (need some small forwards). But add a top draft pick and rhylee west to the midfield, and a couple of small forwards, and we'll bounce quickly.

Haven’t actually seen anyone that has suggested we sack the coach that is being serious.

Of course people making things up others have said is par for the course on here so keep plugging away.

 

[SonOfScray]

A bit of both.

Very frustrating to be in this position and struggling with the most important and enjoyable part of the game (goals, in case we've forgotten the simple pleasure of an inflated kangaroo carcass sailing between the big sticks.)

Fairly promising that an exceptionally young team are getting enough chances to influence the outcome, and when paired against similar sides, are getting the wins.

 

[Dazb86]

Our general stats are not so bad. Just getting the score on the board isn't happening. The forward line needs work. Both gameplan and personnel.

I'd be using the rest of the year to try to get games into the kids. Especially up forward.