Review Dogs flog the modern day ‘Fitzroy-like’ putridity.

[dogwatch]

I have no issues with him getting caught once or twice because the he succeeds more often than not and we benefit greatly. He'll get better with experience.

I'd go a bit further ... I reckon he is being encouraged to take these risks by the coaches. It's the only way he moves to the next level. You only have to look at how valuable Dale has become since he incorporated his line-breaking moves into his game.

We have to accept that there will be a few clangers along the way. And just hope they aren't game-deciders in a close one.

 

[grassman75]

I'd go a bit further ... I reckon he is being encouraged to take these risks by the coaches. It's the only way he moves to the next level. You only have to look at how valuable Dale has become since he incorporated his line-breaking moves into his game.

We have to accept that there will be a few clangers along the way. And just hope they aren't game-deciders in a close one.

You mean like the one yesterday where Dale kicked it straight across the top of the 50 and pinpointed the West Coast player….agree though, prefer a player takes the game on rather than crab sideways….thats how we will lose to better sides by becoming stagnant. Move it fast down to our gun forwards

 

[Doggy Dan]

Just watched Croftys first pluck a few times. He’s got it. I can just see it. What a fwd line we’ve got for the next 5-10 years hey.

Imagine the adrenaline shot he gets from that and how hard he is going to attack pre-season!

Still needs to learn to work with Naughts and Darcy better but best bit for me was how hard he chased in defence and his attack on the loose ball - as good as Naughton! Croft put in more effort yesterday than i’ve ever seen from Marra.

Would love him to shave his head though, that mop with his noggin ain’t great.

 

[Doggy Dan]

I'd go a bit further ... I reckon he is being encouraged to take these risks by the coaches. It's the only way he moves to the next level. You only have to look at how valuable Dale has become since he incorporated his line-breaking moves into his game.

We have to accept that there will be a few clangers along the way. And just hope they aren't game-deciders in a close one.

100% - the guy is becoming a jet in front of our eyes yet some are looking a gift horse in the mouth. He is currently on a near identical trajectory to Bailey Williams in his first few years and I think Cleary ends up at least as good!

 

[dogwatch]

...

Would love him to shave his head though, that mop with his noggin ain’t great.

Just look at his Dad. You're a long time without hair once it starts to fall out. Might as well indulge himself in it while he's got it.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

I like how we are complaining about a near 100 point win without getting out of first gear.

A couple of years ago this fixture was a loss and a number here had "trepidation " of the same happening again, and when it didn't it was still a "meh" performance.

Some people aren't ever happy.

I still think we are more than even chance to beat Fremantle, especially at home.

Don't get us wrong.

Nobody is saying we are unhappy or played badly.

It's just quite unusual for a 16 goal win to be par, especially as it easily could have been 10-20 points fewer if West Coast did not conspire to only kick 4 goals from their 15 total shots at goal, some of their set shot goalkicking was woeful and presumably would have been better if they were not going through the motions.

The reason it's only par despite the margin and not better par is the late season motivation context here.

It's also not often that warm weather but woeful teams that play in different weather conditions, late in the season, with zero motivation, play highly rated, highly motivated opposition teams away from home with the opposition having something to play for and maintaining their motivation through the push to finals.

Statistically, that tends to push out final margins, it's a rare but clear occurrence that happens. E.g. see Gold Coast's final away game for the year across their history -

2012 91 point loss, 2013 46, 2015 63, 2016 71, 2017 115, 2018 102, 2019 72, 2021 87 - all 10+ goal losses when they've given up on the season.

In 2015 Brisbane lost by 72 and 85 points in their final two away games and in 2016 lost to a rampart Adelaide in R20 by 138 points, and then lost to a St Kilda team that also coudn't make finals and were unmotivated, but at least were playing at home, by 58 points in their final two away games.

West Coast themselves lost by 83 points to Melbourne in their final away game last year, that Melbourne team only winning 6 of their other 22 games for the year, and in 2023 lost by 45 points (but with 20 fewer scoring shots) to Adelaide in their final away game, and in 2022 lost by 85 points in their final away game.

Essentially this is all factored in and the Dogs were the 11th strongest pre-game favourite out of the 2000-odd matches across the last 10 years of footy, and rightfully so.

In other words despite a huge win, I don't see us really being any better or worse than a team than I thought before the game. And other that Croft playing well, our good players played well and to expectations and our fringe players played poorly and to expectations, meaning we didn't even really learn anything about players within the team if we were surprised at which specific players were the one to step up.

 

[Mofra]

I have no issues with him getting caught once or twice because the he succeeds more often than not and we benefit greatly. He'll get better with experience.

We need to move the ball quickly or the ball gets parked in the back half.

TBH from an uneducated view looking inwards, he's following coach instructions.

Edit: dogwatch just posted something similar above.

 

[Johnny_Dogg4]

Very good performance. Welcome Croft

Onto next week. Hope results go our way and get a home final

 

[Astro_]

I noticed during the game Freijah was getting into a number of Eagles players.

He needs to decide if he wants to be the next Bont or next Libba

 

[maddog37]

I noticed during the game Freijah was getting into a number of Eagles players.

He needs to decide if he wants to be the next Bont or next Libba

Lacks competitive instinct.

 

[Unorth]

Naughton when Darcy was out injured: 0.8 contested marks and 1.3 goals per game

Naughton since Darcy returned: 2.3 contested marks and 4 goals per game

(for reference - Jeremy Cameron

5

Jeremy Cameron

Age

32

Ht

196cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.5

3star

K

9.0

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

5.4

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

2.6

5star

D

10.0

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

2.9

2star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

8.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.4

4star

G

2.0

5star

is at 3.6 goals per game for the season)

 

[Whoyagot]

I noticed during the game Freijah was getting into a number of Eagles players.

He needs to decide if he wants to be the next Bont or next Libba

I noticed during the game Freijah was getting into a number of Eagles players.

He needs to decide if he wants to be the next Bont or next Libba

he does this to try and draw a 50 if the player responds. He did it in the Giants game and attempted it after Croft’s first contested mark on the 50 metre line this weekend.

 

[Fossie 32]

Don't get us wrong.

Nobody is saying we are unhappy or played badly.

It's just quite unusual for a 16 goal win to be par, especially as it easily could have been 10-20 points fewer if West Coast did not conspire to only kick 4 goals from their 15 total shots at goal, some of their set shot goalkicking was woeful and presumably would have been better if they were not going through the motions.

The reason it's only par despite the margin and not better par is the late season motivation context here.

It's also not often that warm weather but woeful teams that play in different weather conditions, late in the season, with zero motivation, play highly rated, highly motivated opposition teams away from home with the opposition having something to play for and maintaining their motivation through the push to finals.

Statistically, that tends to push out final margins, it's a rare but clear occurrence that happens. E.g. see Gold Coast's final away game for the year across their history -

2012 91 point loss, 2013 46, 2015 63, 2016 71, 2017 115, 2018 102, 2019 72, 2021 87 - all 10+ goal losses when they've given up on the season.

In 2015 Brisbane lost by 72 and 85 points in their final two away games and in 2016 lost to a rampart Adelaide in R20 by 138 points, and then lost to a St Kilda team that also coudn't make finals and were unmotivated, but at least were playing at home, by 58 points in their final two away games.

West Coast themselves lost by 83 points to Melbourne in their final away game last year, that Melbourne team only winning 6 of their other 22 games for the year, and in 2023 lost by 45 points (but with 20 fewer scoring shots) to Adelaide in their final away game, and in 2022 lost by 85 points in their final away game.

Essentially this is all factored in and the Dogs were the 11th strongest pre-game favourite out of the 2000-odd matches across the last 10 years of footy, and rightfully so.

In other words despite a huge win, I don't see us really being any better or worse than a team than I thought before the game. And other that Croft playing well, our good players played well and to expectations and our fringe players played poorly and to expectations, meaning we didn't even really learn anything about players within the team if we were surprised at which specific players were the one to step up.

Cleary did well

 

[dogwatch]

Naughton when Darcy was out injured: 0.8 contested marks and 1.3 goals per game

Naughton since Darcy returned: 2.3 contested marks and 4 goals per game

(for reference - Jeremy Cameron is at 3.6 goals per game for the season)

Interesting but beware post hoc propter hoc.

There’s not necessarily a causal relationship. There could be other reasons, eg his slow recovery from the after effects of off-season glandular fever.

My guess is it’s a bit of both.

 

[Wetdog]

I noticed during the game Freijah was getting into a number of Eagles players.

He needs to decide if he wants to be the next Bont or next Libba

What’s wrong with a hybrid? It’s the future.