Desire, effort and intent.

[TennisPlayerAndy]

I am sick of the majority of the team putting in only when it suits them.

You could count on one hand the players who showed the required desire and intensity last night. The majority pick and choose when to go, when they feel like it.

It's not good enough.

It is clear that there are far too many who are too comfortable with their place in the side or who are playing based on what they have done in the past.

Something drastic needs to happen, because that is the fifth time we have served up absolute dross against a team who is no better but who we're willing to work harder.

That is an indictment on the players as well as the coaching staff.

Fix it. Now.

 

[DJ Dupree]

Agree with everything here. You can lead a horse to water, etc

Thing is, I'm over it. I half-expect half-heartedness. Don't even think I'm angry anymore when they lose, just ratty. You know? Not like the end of the world. I just get the same ratty, irritated feeling I get with a headcold when I watch this team. Could be worse. Holy hell, they could be better though. But meh, it's not.

I know I don't get caught up in the tidal-wave of self-congratulatory mirth and merriment that ensues after a hollow at home Bulldogs win, or something similar. I don't mean to come here only after losses. I don't sink the boots in, we just have to be realistic; we've over-estimated the talent, firstly. And secondly, the talent we do happen to have does not give a rats every other week. They are a cotton-wool wrapped, inner-ear p!ssed in group of overpaid prima-donnas who half the time don't deserve the privilege of entering the grounds of Arden Street (even though the Arden street THEY get to experience is light years ahead of the rubble previous legends won flags out of). Levi Greenwood, McDonald, Thomas, Nahas, Harvey, Hansen and Cunnington are perhaps the only ones to have shown any regular fight this year, any consistency in hunger. And it's crap.

I actually think we're arrogant if we think the run home will be easy. If the players think that, we're shot. Melbourne next week - they'll beat us if we serve up last night's rubbish again. Lets be under no illusions: We're no better than any other side on their day, and even though we should be, we're not. We don't bring our A-game every week, primarily because most of our 'young stars' have never bloody had to, and still have been gifted games for years.

Get caught up at your peril: We'll sneak in the finals, make up the numbers, get poleaxed out, and they'll pat each other on the back all the way to Utah for another year. From coach down to players, this side lacks the mental edge to do what's important when required.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Watching the Doggies today showed how much can be achieved with a committed effort.

They dont always do it, but today they were 100% at every contest and ran as hard as they could.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Watching the Doggies today showed how much can be achieved with a committed effort.

They dont always do it, but today they were 100% at every contest and ran as hard as they could.

That six letter word needs to be spray painted over every ******* wall inside whatever the * they call Arden St now.

 

[jacko57]

I actually think we're arrogant if we think the run home will be easy. If the players think that, we're shot. Melbourne next week - they'll beat us if we serve up last night's rubbish again. Lets be under no illusions: We're no better than any other side on their day, and even though we should be, we're not. We don't bring our A-game every week, primarily because most of our 'young stars' have never bloody had to, and still have been gifted games for years.

As we saw against Gold Coast. And Essendon. etc etc

 

[Gasometer]

I would add 'footy smarts' to the OP.

Kicking up the lines in the first half was just dumb as we weren't winning it.

I don't care too much for sideways backwards kicking...but if there was ever a need for it, it was last night in that first half.

 

[Yianni]

Anyone seen Scott's presser?

He said the same thing (except he said our kicking backwards invited pressure from Adelaide)

But he was filthy, had a different vibe to his other pressers.

Hopefully leads to a different approach too!

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Anyone seen Scott's presser?

He said the same thing (except he said our kicking backwards invited pressure from Adelaide)

But he was filthy, had a different vibe to his other pressers.

Hopefully leads to a different approach too!

heard it all before nothing will happen.

 

[Massive Unit]

This is the guts of what is wrong down at Arden Street at the moment. Lack of workrate is the catalyst behind poor disposal as we put ourselves under pressure time and time again.

Running and spreading from the contest is all about workrate and effort. You don't have to be lightning quick to make the opposition look slow. So often I look at us and the only bloke running to create an option is Gibson. Just unacceptable!

 

[Jonnoo]

Heard bulldogs bob murphy repeatedly telling other doggies players to be 'manic' before the game today (he was mic'd up). We could do with a good dose of manic desire.

 

[koshari]

Heard bulldogs bob murphy repeatedly telling other doggies players to be 'manic' before the game today (he was mic'd up). We could do with a good dose of manic desire.

any flavour of desire would suit me.

 

[Jack Bradley]

One thing is for sure, you can never rely on this team. I seriously struggle
to watch watch games right now - I just get so angry/depressed

 

[Roo-Boy]

Just look at the Hawthorn and Carlton game. A desperate Carlton challenged Hawthorn but Hawthorn knew what to do to make sure they don't lose why couldn't we be like that against the desperate Adelaide if we are serious to make the finals this year.

 

[The Big H]

What we've learned over the last few weeks and particularly today is that any team can win on any day. And unless you have the system (and talent) of a Sydney or Hawthorn, its near on impossible to win every week and give the effort required each week.

 

[Heaps of fun]

I'm a big fan of Bastinac but he let us down badly last night. Any midfielder that refuses to shepherd, smother and tackle should not be in the team.

 

[shinboner magic]

Bon needs to be more ruthless with underperforming players.
They have been given a free ticket for to long.

Im also over the heartless/dumb performances

 

[Yianni]

any flavour of desire would suit me.

Guys we do have desire. We just have it every two weeks.

Our problem is that we seem to be reactive in our desire. That our desire is outwardly driven rather than inwardly produced.

If we can't motivate ourselves week in and week out, we're farked.

 

[Yianni]

Bon needs to be more ruthless with underperforming players.
They have been given a free ticket for to long.

Exactly. I saw a report on the NBA Spurs-Heat final where the pundit said that the Spurs coach took one of his top players off the minute he messed up defensively and that that sent the message that noone was bigger than the team.

We could do with a bit of that.

 

[Black2Blue]

I'm always curious about what it is that leaves a whole team looking flat. The 2 consecutive 6-day breaks with Perth and Adelaide trips may have been a factor, but it seems to be between the ears more than anything. Whenever we had kick outs from a point there was barely any movement, the spread from the midfield wasn't there, Black and Tarrant leading hard into space was nowhere to be seen. This wasn't the case in the Eagles game, for one example to contrast. I can understand players running hot and cold, but it was the majority, but not all, of the team on Saturday.

If we bring desire, effort and intent we look a top 4 side, but when we don't bring it we can be knocked off. I think it is interesting that every side that has put us to the sword is one of those fighting with us for a spot in the 8. Collingwood, essendon, Gold Coast, Geelong, Adelaide are all in that bracket of teams fighting for 4th to 8th spots on the ladder. I wonder if our boys have really been setting themselves for the games against the big guns and the holy grails (interstate wins in Perth/Sydney) and haven't shown the same respect to our nearest competitors. It's almost seems like the belief that we have got the measure of these Collingwoods, Geelongs, etc feeds complacency and leads to an automatic 4-6 goal defeat in games that should be tight tussles.

So based on this theory, we might be a good show against the Hawks and we should be very worried about the games against Carlton, Geelong, and the Crows (again).

 

[Only Forwards]

You know what is funny and sad at the same time - I coach under 12s I talk about Desire Effort and Intent.

These are league footballers. They should be non negotiable.

 

[archereleven]

I would hate for the boys to just 'lob' up this weekend. They need to be ferocious and put these spuds away by 12+ goals.

btw, when is the cutoff date for membership? Will members who sign up this weekend from Tassie be counted or is it over?

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

It was there against Hawthorn.

It sure as s**t better be there this week.

 

[TooUglyForFugly]

There's only so much a person can reasonably blame the coach without sounding like a Melbourne executive.

Time for the players to run through the banner with footprints on the backs of their shorts.

 

[archereleven]

No in the dark listening to whales mating before the game please.

Let the players listen to their music, hit the bag, whatever they want. Need them in the zone before they run out, not relaxed and in a trance.

 

[archereleven]

Does anyone know the membership cutoff date as requested?