AFL 2017 - R13 - Western Bulldogs v Melbourne 3:20 PM AEST : Etihad Stadium

[The King!]

Umps have tried their best for the Dogs

Yeah about 15 frees short of the usual though

 

[Satan]

Never in doubt

 

[donkeypunchd]

Anything is possible right now for us. I've been critical of Goodwin but this is an appropriate time to eat humble pie. The man will win our club a flag for the first time since Norm Smith, we are genuine contenders now

 

[Schneider315]

Genuine shite.

Bounce, even that description is being too nice. It's strange how Dunstall can do a proper show like !On the Couch! but then reverts to this 'blokey' bulls&£! with such ease.

 

[Americanpies]

Dogs have been terrible.. but really...... 6 changes to 0. It should have been clear as day that Melbourne would be the more settled team here. Making that many changes against any half-decent team is suicide. Been the Dogs story all year though... players in and out like going through a turn-style. The Dogs have big problems forward and back. Don't know why Redpath can't get a game? They literally have nothing down forward. And Adams being out down back really exposed them today. Not sure if the Dogs are capable of making top 8 if this continues. Melbourne on the other hand.. I might put some money down for a top 4 finish. They did not super impress me today, because I believe the Dogs being so terrible made Melbourne look better than what they are. But they are still a solid team, and with Gawn and Hogan back soon I think they can match it with anyone.

 

[Tulip]

Jake Stringer take a bow

 

[schmuttt]

Garlett might get more goals out the back than Betts or Jenkins did last year for the Crows! Seems to be a constant, runs hard to get on the end and gets guaranteed goals.

Top 3 in the comp for pressure acts inside 50, is much more than a one trick pony like Jenkins.

 

[Rod Stroker]

It's ok Dogs, you'll probably have a win next week against a bottom 4 team and all will be well again.

 

[schmuttt]

Dees fans jerking off over a win.

What a shock.

When were you last relevant, 1964?

Legends say the pies fans are still booing at the MCG.

Cmon Leviathan, you're not a bad poster no need for the salt.

 

[markm106]

Doggies revelled in being the hunters last year, the underdogs that nobody rated, the team that came from 7th, got on a run and took it all out, looking from the outside, it suited Beveridge to a T.

Premiership teams become the hunted immediately. Teams are lifting against them, analysing them and gunning for them.
They don't seem to have flicked the switch accordingly.

Was saying this week that being the hunter suited them last year. This year they're the hunted and not coping well so far.
They are the reigning premiers and were awesome last year and even better in finals. However they showed how you can pinch a flag when you get going at the right time. Especially when there was no other real dominant team like Hawks or Cats of recent times.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Dees look great. You'd have to be a very good team to beat them this year. Especially in Melbourne.

I see what you did there

 

[lollol]

Legends say the pies fans are still booing at the MCG.

Cmon Leviathan, you're not a bad poster no need for the salt.

Feast on his salty tears...

 

[Xtreme]

#premiershiphangover

Couldn't happen to a nicer side. Karma for the OTT prelim celebrations

 

[Bluelegs]

So proud of that win. Four quarter domination.

 

[Andrew Mc]

So proud of that win. Four quarter domination.

Which is a change for the Demons - they usually completely screw over 1 quarter. Honestly though, they were one of the easier tips this weeks. Played well.

 

[Bluelegs]

Which is a change for the Demons - they usually completely screw over 1 quarter. Honestly though, they were one of the easier tips this weeks. Played well.

Didn't tip us

 

[Cudi_420]

Convinced biggest anomaly premiership of all-time, the Bulldogs.

2016 should be marked with an ** - I guess it already was with the fact the AFL/Umpiring department gifted it to them.

This is actually a really stupid post.

 

[VictorianCrow85]

Top 3 in the comp for pressure acts inside 50, is much more than a one trick pony like Jenkins.

It wasn't a criticism dude, quite the opposite. People complete underestimate how hard Betts/Jenkins worked to get on the end of goals constantly. What it shows is Garlett works back exceptionally hard and also the team has a great understanding of how to open up the ground to get guaranteed goals rather than a set shot they may miss.

 

[schmuttt]

It wasn't a criticism dude, quite the opposite. People complete underestimate how hard Betts/Jenkins worked to get on the end of goals constantly. What it shows is Garlett works back exceptionally hard and also the team has a great understanding of how to open up the ground to get guaranteed goals rather than a set shot they may miss.

My mistake, thought you were giving the old backhander.

 

[VictorianCrow85]

My mistake, thought you were giving the old backhander.

Definitely not, I rate Garlett's work this year but it's not just him as the stuff starts way up the ground and the team seems to have a great synergy to really capitalise from it. Primarily it's driven from exceptionally fast ball movement. It's very attractive to watch when it's firing, trick is now for them to deliver it week in week out but with some powerful wins over Adelaide and the Dogs now they've shown what they can deliver that opposition should be taking notice.

 

[PieLebo87]

Makes last week's loss to them a little easier to take. They're playing quality footy.

In saying that, it's been 6 consistent quarters, will be interesting to see if they can maintain the standard with a few hard games coming up.

They win 3 of the next 4, they're well and truly deserving of a top 8 finish.

 

[PieLebo87]

Doggies on the other hand making last season look like an absolute fluke.

I'd be extremely disappointed as a Dogs fan, you have to be playing a better brand of footy as the reigning premiers. Period.

 

[_M_16_]

Not really fussed too much. Whilst we did play good football last year, and our win/loss record would have gotten us top 4 in at least 60%-70% of the seasons since 2000. We overachieved

Not because we are not good or do not have the talent. We did beat every team but one, and had a tough finals draw, the underdog in all games. But because taking into the account the age and games played for most of the team, we were no where near the typical age and games experience profile of typical premiership teams, we won it before our time

We rode on the back of great team defence, high intensity attack on the ball, fast disposal and our senior players leading the way. The and a few others this year have been inconsistent, teams have taken blueprints out of our premiership run and implemented some aspects to their game style and figured us out. We are still solid defensively, but our weakness last season has gotten worse this season, and that's kicking goals and getting marks inside 50

Teams now flood back and clog the forward line, so without any true marking forwards, our smalls are now too choked for space to get the cheeky in play goals we often crumbed off our talls last season, and loose defenders just mop us in the air. We were always going to be the hunted this year, and we haven't handled the pressure too well

I think we also partied way too hard and for too long in the offseason, but what do you expect from a team who has broken one of the longest droughts in the game. Hodge could be right, it could be this decades 2008 Hawthorn

Will we make the eight? I think we still can? Can we win the flag? Not on current form. Then again finals is a whole new season and no team looks red hot right now. Would I be disappointed if we missed the eight? Definitely. Would it be a bad thing? Probably not. We do need a long and proper preseason, reset mentally, fix the forward line up, plug in a few holes in the draft, and maybe switch an assistant or two around

We still have one of the more promising lists in the league in terms of amount of quality or potential quality of young players on our list compared to most teams. We will be up there again, still 2-3 years from reaching where we need to be and the true opening of this lists premiership window

Too many Bulldogs fans overreacting like we have been crap/bottom four for 10 years in a row. The future looks more rosy than cloudy

 

[brmi]

Doggies on the other hand making last season look like an absolute fluke.

I'd be extremely disappointed as a Dogs fan, you have to be playing a better brand of footy as the reigning premiers. Period.

We weren't the best team last season. We finished 7th on the ladder.

We played one month of high quality footy and it happened to be at the right time of the year. It ain't no fluke playing 4 finals the way we did, it was the umpires haven't you heard?

 

[Marc_Remillard]

#premiershiphangover

Couldn't happen to a nicer side. Karma for the OTT prelim celebrations

* I would love to have a premiership hangover