Autopsy A wins a win, but jeez does it have to be like that!

[BrisDog]

Random observation.

Since Bevo has been coach, from round one of each season onwards, our results have been:

2015: W W L W W L
2016: W W L W W L
2017: W W L W W L
2018: L L W L L W

So in 2018, the results of each of our first six games was the complete opposite of each of the preceeding three years.

The pattern stopped in round seven.

Mate you are into some weird stats stuff - good on you

 

[doggies ftw]

• Macrae seemed to take another step up this week with an outstanding game of control and responsibility. I mean he's good every week but there was a steely look in his eye every time the camera had him up close. We may look back on this game as the first time that he was widely acknowledged as being in elite company. Clearly our best player this year

I thought the exact same, that you could actually see it in his eyes. He's always been a hard bastard but I dont think I've ever seen him as vocal or show as much intensity as he did. I've always believed that even as good as hes been over the past two years he's got another level in him. If he brings that every week the skys the limit.

 

[perro_loco]

f

Cordy is great. Had some concerns early in his career - looked too wiry and behind the pace - but never gives up and has filled out well. One of our more reliable players each week.

future backline looki

Up to 3qtr time -

Naughty is something else. He's just getting better and better. I honestly think he'll play pretty much all year. Its not even that he's good for a first year key defender, he's genuinely already good full stop. He's actually used the ball really well this week and looks much more natural on his left boot already.

I like Young a lot too and he was good but Naughtys gone past him atm so as soon as Wood is back Youngy can go and keep developing at VFL level. Which is a nice luxury for us, no rush with him whatsoever. He's definitely got it though.

I've seen plenty of good Jacko McCrae games but geez he has been unreal. Got a different look about him, I dunno you can just tell he wasnt gonna let us lose this game. He's absolutely gotta be talked about as in the elite bracket now.

McLean too just keeps surprising me, i was happy when we got him in the draft but I had no idea he had this in him. I was hoping for a flashy forward flanker and instead we've got a tough, extremely hard working ball magnet who wins it on the inside, spreads well and uses it very well on the outside, and loves a goal.

Those two are going to be the heart of our midfield alongside Bont and there is still so much upside in all of them. That trio will be as good as any midfield trio in the league very soon. Running with Bont, Macrae and Mclean when theyve hit the 23-26 yo range, you're not going to lose too many games.

Dales been up around the ball a lot more and I've really liked it, he's been super classy and a bit of a breath of fresh air. I know its taking away one of our few goal kickers but the run and ball use that he provides up the ground is probably just as important. Theres few players who I'd want to have the ball delivering inside 50 over him. I'd like to see a lot more of that over the next few weeks.

I'm not sure why people want Red out. He doesnt look like he needs a rest physically IMO. He needs as much game time as possible. Playing well enough to carry him while he gets that game time, dont think hes far off a break out game tbh.

English needs to go though, hes just so cooked physically right now. Absolutely love him but theres no harm in him having a rest and maybe a spell in the VFL to gain some confidence. Could only do him well.

Not sure why people were so upset with this game, considering the team weve put out I'm pretty rapt. So many positives to take from this game.

Obviously were carrying a few too many butchers but theres not much we can do about that right now. I honestly dont think this side is far away from playing some really good footy. If we could just swap Bont, Picken, Wood and an inform Trengove or Roughy for Honey, Jong, Young and English and we'd be matching it against any team in the comp I reckon. Thats not even factoring in Moz and Adams.

Obviously were still going to have our ups and downs being so young but we're building something very special here, and I dont think its all that far off really.

I was going to write something similar to this but you beat me to it. I totally agree with this. this is a good appraisal of where we are at atm.

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

Gowers has real limitations - like his goalkicking. But if we think of him as a direct replacement for Stringer he seems like great value to me. He's obviously not as fast as Stringer, or has the same goalsense. But he's defensively much better, he's a better mark, uses his body better in every sense except for bullocking, and he plays like a better forward in every respect except for getting out the back. He's also way more consistent.

I'm not sure i would trade 2017 stringer for Gowers, but he is only a very marginal downgrade in my view.

I don’t think Gowers has any limitations. He is coming from way back but he’s tracking beautifully and could be something really really good. It’s early days but for me, we’ve found a guy born to play forward.
He’ll only get better

 

[lateniter]

I'm a bit disappointed in the development of Lewis Young.
Yes, he's young. But he still looks like a big puppy lolloping around out there, misreading the flight of the ball and not getting his body in the right position.
I reckon he needs at least a full year in VFL to show some consistent form and learn to read the game.

 

[ScragCity]

Can someone tell me why JJ has been wasted in the forward line last two weeks? We need his run and carry and if he’s not playing run back, then wing, but not stay at home forward. His marking isn’t great, and kicking for goal average

I heard Bont say in an interview that JJ is regarded within the kennel as the best set shot in the team.

 

[Next Waiting]

• Young went OK but needs more intensity at the ball and/or the player in possession. Some of his tackling and chasing efforts were pretty weak. He needs to want to DROP the player who has the ball. I'm hoping a bit of Cordy's mongrel might rub off on him. It was reassuring to see Timmy English show a bit of that in the last quarter.

Agree with Young. I think he's a pretty good chance of surviving this week but I'd be very reluctant to take him to Adelaide as part of a set up to look after Tex et al. Tex would physically destroy him. My thinking is a 2 week run in seniors and then VFL again. A bit like Schache, he's got/yet to grow into himself.

However, a bit left of centre, but with a trip to Adelaide in mind the week after, could Trengove come in as a defender for Young this week (and Campbell as a ruck). I don't know how often Trengove has matched up on Tex in the past, and if he has, how successful that has been. But he does have the suggestion of an experienced horse for a particular course about him.

I know we're playing Brisbane this week and they are a different proposition but I have one eye on Adelaide. What I don't want to see there is our young and developing defence man-handled and brutalised by big Adelaide forwards on their own dung heap.

 

[Dogs Rule]

I'm a bit disappointed in the development of Lewis Young.
Yes, he's young. But he still looks like a big puppy lolloping around out there, misreading the flight of the ball and not getting his body in the right position.
I reckon he needs at least a full year in VFL to show some consistent form and learn to read the game.

You're a harsh marker. Patience, please.

The kid is in his second year. Don't judge him up against Naughton who is one out of the box.

Young will be an outstanding player and the experience gained in each of these games now will be worth 10 or 20 in a couple of years.

 

[GreatSouthWest]

It was an ordinary game with two ordinary injury crushed teams.

Naughton was awesome. Get on him for Rising Star. Liking Cordy, Gowers, Williams and Macrae. Many others wasteful.

Big shout out to Honey and Jongy with 11 touches, a couple of tackles and a goal each. Fantastic sacrificial games where they clearly realised them not having the ball could be the difference between a win and a loss. I bet they did some terrific running and pressure acts too...terrific.

POTY nom

 

[darthbards]

Mentioned this on the Bont thread late last year. Was seeing someone for treatment who was also seeing Bont. Said club wanted him to get another op but Bont didn’t want to as his last op did nothing for him and he didn’t want to miss a pre season.

Has to be some worry if the first operation did nothing for him and he still has troubles with it. Think it’s a concern beyond just this season if that’s the case.

Sounds like Bontempelli needs a new specialist,one with a bit of respect for his job and the required confidentiality.
I'm sure you have a great relationship with this guy but you really should probably email the club with some of the details regarding this and let them make the call if we want our best player in the hands of someone like that.

 

[Bulldogs Legend]

There is your problem and answers your second part, English was horrendous today for the first 3 quarters

Yes but its a good sign that he worked his way into the last quarter. The last thing we want is players who throw in the towel just because they are having a bad day.

 

[TedDougChris]

Random observation.

Since Bevo has been coach, from round one of each season onwards, our results have been:

2015: W W L W W L
2016: W W L W W L
2017: W W L W W L
2018: L L W L L W

So in 2018, the results of each of our first six games was the complete opposite of each of the preceeding three years.

The pattern stopped in round seven.

That is very random...

 

[Tommycash]

Well, a lot of players will be in the gun despite the win. Pretty poor today, but perhaps to be expected with so many players out. Nice to have two genuine forwards in Gowers and Lipinski.

 

[fronkalicious]

The Lipinski file needs to go to school on how Jack Gunston’s played his footy over the years.

 

[Cadillac]

The Lipinski file needs to go to school on how Jack Gunston’s played his footy over the years.

What are your thoughts on the kid?
I love his goal sense but still fades in and out of the game. I think he has Dickson like potential but unfortunately hasn’t got the pace to be a blue chip prospect. Bevo might even throw him in the middle for stints next year.

 

[Bulldogs Legend]

You're a harsh marker. Patience, please.

The kid is in his second year. Don't judge him up against Naughton who is one out of the box.

Young will be an outstanding player and the experience gained in each of these games now will be worth 10 or 20 in a couple of years.

I agree I don't understand why he attracts so much criticism, he was the youngest player in the AFL last year when he debuted he has plenty of upside.

 

[dogwatch]

Agree with Young. I think he's a pretty good chance of surviving this week but I'd be very reluctant to take him to Adelaide as part of a set up to look after Tex et al. Tex would physically destroy him. My thinking is a 2 week run in seniors and then VFL again. A bit like Schache, he's got/yet to grow into himself.

However, a bit left of centre, but with a trip to Adelaide in mind the week after, could Trengove come in as a defender for Young this week (and Campbell as a ruck). I don't know how often Trengove has matched up on Tex in the past, and if he has, how successful that has been. But he does have the suggestion of an experienced horse for a particular course about him.

I know we're playing Brisbane this week and they are a different proposition but I have one eye on Adelaide. What I don't want to see there is our young and developing defence man-handled and brutalised by big Adelaide forwards on their own dung heap.

Not a bad idea. I agree Young would be a poor direct match up for Walker. Who was it he brutalised to get the winning goal in the 2015 EF? A much younger Cordy?

However Trengove would need to have a fair tank and a bit of closing speed to go with Walker. I don't yet know if he's got that. Also I'm sceptical of Bev ever allowing Trengove to play in what, historically, has been his best position (KPD). At least if he's in the 22 it does leave open the option to swing him back if needed.

Considering we've paid a reasonable salary and locked up a list position for four years, we really should be giving Trengove a gallop in the ones this week. I don't think he's shown us yet what he's capable of. He will silence some of the critics if he can do that over the next few weeks (maybe not first week back). If the club doesn't give him that chance or if they do and he shows nothing then I might be joining the critics of the acquisition.

 

[Dogsman16]

Not a bad idea. I agree Young would be a poor direct match up for Walker. Who was it he brutalised to get the winning goal in the 2015 EF? A much younger Cordy?

However Trengove would need to have a fair tank and a bit of closing speed to go with Walker. I don't yet know if he's got that. Also I'm sceptical of Bev ever allowing Trengove to play in what, historically, has been his best position (KPD). At least if he's in the 22 it does leave open the option to swing him back if needed.

Considering we've paid a reasonable salary and locked up a list position for four years, we really should be giving Trengove a gallop in the ones this week. I don't think he's shown us yet what he's capable of. He will silence some of the critics if he can do that over the next few weeks (maybe not first week back). If the club doesn't give him that chance or if they do and he shows nothing then I might be joining the critics of the acquisition.

Roberts was the one Tex smashed.

 

[dogwatch]

Roberts was the one Tex smashed.

Thanks. Similar height but a bit lighter than Young. Roberts may have been stronger at 22 than Young is now at 19, though.

Anyway, the anecdote is handy to illustrate why we need someone strong if it comes to a 1-on-1 with Tex.
Our best hope is still that our zone defence is on song that night.

Wood could be an option if fit.

 

[Dogsman16]

Thanks. Similar height but a bit lighter than Young. Roberts may have been stronger at 22 than Young is now at 19, though.

Anyway, the anecdote is handy to illustrate why we need someone strong if it comes to a 1-on-1 with Tex.
Our best hope is still that our zone defence is on song that night.

Wood could be an option if fit.

Ted is not a huge contested mark nor pack mark of the ball. Would rather someone athletic with closing speed rather than someone like Trengove on him would who allow easy uncontested marks on the lead.

 

[dogwatch]

Ted is not a huge contested mark nor pack mark of the ball. Would rather someone athletic with closing speed rather than someone like Trengove on him would who allow easy uncontested marks on the lead.

That was my concern with Trengove too. Hence my suggestion of Wood.

 

[Dogsman16]

That was my concern with Trengove too. Hence my suggestion of Wood.

Yep I would go with wood as well. Naughton does alright too, if he plays from behind with his closing speed.

 

[Fossie 32]

I don’t think Gowers has any limitations. He is coming from way back but he’s tracking beautifully and could be something really really good. It’s early days but for me, we’ve found a guy born to play forward.
He’ll only get better

Always great to watch a player with natural forward instincts like he has

 

[Struggle]

Much more worried about Jenkins than Tex, we love giving goals out the back and there's none better at it than Jenkins. His workrate pushing up the ground then back is elite.

 

[scooter600x]

Much more worried about Jenkins than Tex, we love giving goals out the back and there's none better at it than Jenkins. His workrate pushing up the ground then back is elite.

Cordy to Tex
Trengove to Jenkins