Strategy Round 24: Western Bulldogs vs. Fremantle Dockers

[Feathercap]

Richards worries me. We don’t have a player that can go with him running wise.

 

[Taylor]

Sean Darcy

4

Sean Darcy

Age

27

Ht

203cm

Wt

111kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.1

3star

K

3.4

1star

HB

6.6

4star

CL

2.4

4star

HO

28.8

5star

D

6.8

1star

K

2.0

1star

HB

4.8

3star

CL

1.8

4star

HO

20.3

5star

D

11.4

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

6.8

5star

CL

2.6

5star

HO

32.0

5star

beats English in the ruck most games, English gets around a lot and they look to move it through him, it's not the around the ground match up that matters there - it's if Darcy wins the ruck battle at the stoppages and our mids get first use.

The whole game rides on that.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Richards worries me. We don’t have a player that can go with him running wise.

We need to break even with midfield or at worse slightly lose, and then get the defence to hold up.

Our forward line vs there back line is our one advantage.

 

[kingswood71]

Richards worries me. We don’t have a player that can go with him running wise.

Yes. He scares me as much as Bont. I must admit I hadnt really noticed him much until this year, but he is a hell of a player.

 

[s_wd6]

Yes. He scares me as much as Bont. I must admit I hadnt really noticed him much until this year, but he is a hell of a player.

He wasn’t really much of a player until this year. The only time I had noticed him was the Freddy tackle on him in that EF

 

[Piggy Smalls]

Yes. He scares me as much as Bont. I must admit I hadnt really noticed him much until this year, but he is a hell of a player.

It's in his blood. Lou Richards is his grandfather.

 

[go_the_dockers]

 

[The Feeder Club]

The week is panning out well for us so far, all the talk in the media and beyond gives us little chance. I'd be more pessimistic if we were playing this at home and favourites to win, that's the circumstances where we curl up into tiny balls.
We just need to load up the midfield, win the ruck battle as Taylor said and scrap. Can win.

 

[s_wd6]

Not unexpected

 

[go_the_dockers]

Not unexpected

Aussie sporting sisters heartbroken by death of ‘beautiful’ mum

Geelong legend Joel Selwood joined netball and football greats in mourning the much-loved figure.

7news.com.au

Just saw this.

 

[s_wd6]

What happened?

His partners mother passed away

 

[Purple Suit]

It’s Serong’s average disposal by opponent. There’s several previous comments of context.

The stat is for this year. We have won the 11 times he’s got 28 or more. Our last game he got 38 against the Bulldogs.

We have still won 4 games he got under 28 but never the other way around.

I assume Bevo won’t tag him so the outcome is going to make or break the stat and one of our seasons.

 

[malpaso]

I am once again calling for Brandon Walker to run the ball out of the back pocket.

I don't care if every 3rd kick is a clanger, I just want someone to move fast and try and bite off something daring.

Yeah it's bleeding obvious we need another line breaker. I don't care if Banfield has been serviceable, he'd be more serviceable up on a wing.

 

[Dale147]

 

[ilikepotatoes]

I really hope we are aware that a draw is good enough too.

I still remember that Carlton - Collingwood game a few years back and it was pretty clear at the end of that game Carlton were not aware of that.

 

[oldgoat]

All in, this club is not serious if it doesn't throw everything at the Dogs on Sunday

ah yes...clearly the problem...this club is not serious!
Time for a relegation and rebrand...The Wylcatchum Wanderers!

 

[oldgoat]

3.50 seems a bit harsh. I bet about 3 times a year and I've taken it.

$67 for the cup?

 

[oldgoat]

The more I think about this game, the more I am worried we will get absolutely slaughtered. Our only hope is to exploit their poor defence but I don't think we have the aggressive ball movement to do so. Our midfield is outgunned especially with Wagner and Young being underdone. Erasmus, Fyfe and Jom is also a really slow midfield mix. All eyes of the AFL will be watching us, let's hope they pull one out of their ass.

Better go back to bed Wak , well let you know what happens.

 

[Docker82]

I really hope we are aware that a draw is good enough too.

I still remember that Carlton - Collingwood game a few years back and it was pretty clear at the end of that game Carlton were not aware of that.

Sure they'll know - it's basic maths the Bulldogs won't go past us if we both draw.

I what situation are you thinking about a draw until the last 30 seconds to minute of a game?

 

[WA footy mad]

What i find frustrating about Freo they dont defend the short kicks, they hold off and allow the 15m kick. This trying to get the opposition to play down one wing is just not working. They need to make the defenders kick to a contest & not allow 15m kicks one after the other. Our forwards need to be accountable for a player when the oppostion have the ball in hand especially kick-ins. I still have hope for this weekend, but going forward our defensive side of the game needs to be changed.

 

[PurpleEyes]

In Round 23 2016 we got more frees than they did - 22 to 18. Not since then though...

Yep, 13 games in row we have not won the Free Kick count against the Bulldogs.
Or just 2 times in the last 24 games (tally: 362 Frees For vs 466 Frees Against).
(Disclaimer: 2006-2008 we actually won the Frees 3 games in a row, but that is nearly 2 decades ago).

 

[muckypup]

$67 for the cup

More fair than 3.50 v Bulldogs. Multi odds or parlay as the yanks call it are loaded.

 

[Purple Suit]

I really hope we are aware that a draw is good enough too.

I still remember that Carlton - Collingwood game a few years back and it was pretty clear at the end of that game Carlton were not aware of that.

Great point,
Against Port, I recon Noddy didn't know that a draw was basically as good. He had it on the wing with 50m of grass in front of him with 2 minutes to go and he held it up and waited to kick it forward. He could have almost kicked it to the top of the square if he ran forward straight away.

 

[Perfect Purple]

I refuse to allow myself to get even remotely excited about this game in spite of some peoples’ positive comments.

I’m still reeling from Friday’s game and just can’t take the disappointment again.

I really wish I could bounce back like so many of you seem to have done.

 

[Tommo]

What i find frustrating about Freo they dont defend the short kicks, they hold off and allow the 15m kick. This trying to get the opposition to play down one wing is just not working. They need to make the defenders kick to a contest & not allow 15m kicks one after the other. Our forwards need to be accountable for a player when the oppostion have the ball in hand especially kick-ins. I still have hope for this weekend, but going forward our defensive side of the game needs to be changed.

I can kinda see what they are trying to do with it though.
I feel they don’t so much as allow the short kick, as allow the opposition to move the ball to a position where we want a turn over to happen or create a contest or marking opportunity.
JL is conservative, he doesn’t want to press up hard as that exposes the backline. I think we allow the opposition to come forward to a point then look to create a turn over then, and try to get it going the other way.
The problem with this is the other team is also set, as they have been able to chip it around, so sometime we get through on the counter, and sometime we have to hold up as the other defence is organised.
The problem I see with this conservative approach is it puts a lot of pressure on the backline and defensive running of the mids and high half forward.
I’d like to see a high press game with lot of forward pressure, but I don’t think we pick a team for that.

None of our smalls fwds a lightning quick, we pick 3 key forwards, who while quick for their size are not really pressure forwards.
Our half forwards are not pressuring, but guarding space and looking to get involved in the transition following a turnover.
Our mids are strong two way runners with above average contest game.
Our backline relies heavily on team D, and are generally hopeless with one on one defending.
I think the game plan is reflective of a conservative coach implementing a plan based on what he has.

I would call JLs plan the cautious slingshot