Maybe it's time to face facts; we may actually be a pretty mediocre side

[theburst]

I would have taken a 6-3 start into the bye. We can't now obviously, and therefore am a touch disappointed. I'm guessing most feel the same.

I haven't enjoyed football as yet this year. All our games are exhausting to watch.

I agree with every word here. 2 years ago we were belting teams before beaten by Adelaide in the Elimination. Last year not so much, though we racked up the wins before a stellar month. This year so far giving away big starts or midgame like Geelong has been exhilarating when we storm back but not been convincing overall, and we've lost our 3 interstate trips too. (With Sydney and Adelaide to come).

I really believe we will click, with manic ferocity, after the Bye, but just has to get started this Saturday. We're not done yet being a top4 team.

 

[MeestaNob]

Doggies are 5-4 after consistently playing only 1 to 1.5 decent quarters almost every week. If they play a full match they won't get beaten by many.

Against Geelong they brought in Morris from injury, Murphy from a rest, Wallis for his first game in 10 months and Dickson for his first game of the season. They also removed Libba who played well against the Cats last year until he got injured. That's a fifth of the starting line up changing in ONE week. Not being totally cohesive against a motivated opponent was always on the cards.

Team needs to settle, and find consistent form, it'll happen very soon.

Someone turn off the panic alarm, they'll be fine.

 

[Dazb86]

Doggies are 5-4 after consistently playing only 1 to 1.5 decent quarters almost every week. If they play a full match they won't get beaten by many.

Against Geelong they brought in Morris from injury, Murphy from a rest, Wallis for his first game in 10 months and Dickson for his first game of the season. They also removed Libba who played well against the Cats last year until he got injured. That's a fifth of the starting line up changing in ONE week. Not being totally cohesive against a motivated opponent was always on the cards.

Team needs to settle, and find consistent form, it'll happen very soon.

Someone turn off the panic alarm, they'll be fine.

The players we brought back were pretty good I thought. It was our midfield that let us down. That and Bevo refusing to play a hard tag.

 

[SonOfScray]

The margin for error is getting slimmer every week. Our best footy is some of the most compelling footy you'll ever see, an absolute joy to behold. We haven't seen it in any meaningful patches this year. Injuries, a smidgen of complacency and the wholesale changes we've made tactically are coming home to roost at the moment.

We are where we are, on our day we can beat anyone. Can we have enough days to make finals? I think so. Are we capable of having enough days in a row to make a flag wag? Yes. Time will tell. Just strap yourself in and get what you can out of our season as the reigning champs.

 

[Werewolf]

I'm gonna order my old man to go this week. He's seen all of our wins this year (on my membership!) and no losses

 

[X_box_X]

I am hopeful we will turn it around. We are good enough to win another eleven games this year before finals. That will get us top four.

Or, we could do what Brisbane and Carlton did in 2001 and 1995 respectively. Both of those teams lost in round nine prior to winning the next 16 games en route to the flag.

Or, we could do what Geelong did in 2008. They lost in round nine, before winning their next 15 games, only to lose the next week to Hawthorn in the GF.

Oops, why did I just go there?

 

[Doggy]

I am hopeful we will turn it around. We are good enough to win another eleven games this year before finals. That will get us top four.

Or, we could do what Brisbane and Carlton did in 2001 and 1995 respectively. Both of those teams lost in round nine prior to winning the next 16 games en route to the flag.

 

[dogwatch]

View attachment 373613

LOL ... Reprise PF at Spotless!!

 

[Doggy]

LOL ... Reprise PF at Spotless!!

I know.. far out. It's either that or Adelaide over there

 

[The Slitherin' Snake]

You don't base whether you're mediocre or not by the sides you've beaten. Sydney beat St. Kilda today, North beat Adelaide, and Collingwood beat Geelong... As you see... deceiving.

As you've seen with Adelaide, St.Kilda, Richmond and now Sydney form comes and goes. We've been crippled with injuries this season like Sydney and GWS. If we go into the bye 6-4 and re-set with a fit list post bye that's not a disaster considering how difficult our draw has been at seasons start - 4 games out of Melbourne and twice to Perth.

Mediocre means average - not good or bad. I'm not sure how anyone can argue we are playing good footy this year or have demonstrated we are a good team

 

[grassman75]

LOL ... Reprise PF at Spotless!!

After a loss at AO, then backing up there the following week......ouch

 

[The Original Swooper]

Mediocre means average - not good or bad. I'm not sure how anyone can argue we are playing good footy this year or have demonstrated we are a good team

And by the same rationale nor are we bad. 5-4 is not bad. 1-8 is bad. Not thumped once. 100 pt hiding(s) is bad. So I'd suggest we ARE playing mediocre footy, but are capable of BRILLIANT footy.

 

[Werewolf]

After a loss at AO, then backing up there the following week......ouch

If we make the top 4 and lose week 1, we'd get the semi final at home

 

[BRWB]

Mediocre means average - not good or bad. I'm not sure how anyone can argue we are playing good footy this year or have demonstrated we are a good team

I'm not sure how anyone can ignore the fact that we are the reigning premiers with a young developing list which had minimal changes in personnel from last year.

Mediocre teams don't win flags.

There is a large difference between calling our team mediocre as opposed to saying we are a good team that isn't performing consistently.

 

[Sharkey66]

I'm not sure how anyone can ignore the fact that we are the reigning premiers with a young developing list which had minimal changes in personnel from last year.

Mediocre teams don't win flags.

There is a large difference between calling our team mediocre as opposed to saying we are a good team that isn't performing consistently.

Although we had 10 players Friday night that did not play in the flag side. The list may have had minimal changes but the playing side certainly has.

 

[grassman75]

If we make the top 4 and lose week 1, we'd get the semi final at home

Of course we would. I forgot what happens when you lose finals. Just not used to it anymore

 

[Woof]

It's September, the Dogs play the cats on the MCG in a critical final. The cats have continued to rely heavily on midfield guns Danger and Selwood. What are the chances Bevo lets the Cats use Blicavs as a tagger on Bont and doesn't respond by having someone run with at least one of Danger or Selwood? I say zero.

 

[The Slitherin' Snake]

I'm not sure how anyone can ignore the fact that we are the reigning premiers with a young developing list which had minimal changes in personnel from last year.

Mediocre teams don't win flags.

There is a large difference between calling our team mediocre as opposed to saying we are a good team that isn't performing consistently.

So we are playing good footy?

 

[BRWB]

So we are playing good footy?

Sometimes.

We are a good side sometimes playing mediocre footy. Not a mediocre side IMO.

Just reckon it's inaccurate and over the top to say we are mediocre. We aren't. (But that doesn't mean we can't play s**t at times).

It's early days. Id be more worried about how we play when it matters in finals (assuming/hoping we get there).

 

[Doggy]

It's about halfway through the year.. should be clicking by now

 

[flamethrower]

Difficult to judge exactly where we are at considering we have played only 3 home games so far, and have travelled twice to Perth, once to Geelong and once to Siberia aka Canberra (losing all 4).

 

[Metal]

Allowing sides to get 4 and 5 goals up isn't good footy.

Kicking for goal and missing so often isn't good footy.

Turning up at quarter time isn't good footy. Neither is playing for a quarter, then going missing.

Not bringing the same intensity to contests is playing average footy especially when we know that if the ball gets out, oppositions can run us off our feet.

Yeah, I'd say we are playing mediocre footy.

Can we turn it around? Yes, but only if we find the combination that works for us and we get more method into our forward play.

 

[X_box_X]

It's September, the Dogs play the cats on the MCG in a critical final. The cats have continued to rely heavily on midfield guns Danger and Selwood. What are the chances Bevo lets the Cats use Blicavs as a tagger on Bont and doesn't respond by having someone run with at least one of Danger or Selwood? I say zero.

You have to leave room for the element of surprise. It has to be more than zero, surely. Even if it's only 0.1.

 

[TheQuietTurtle]

I'm gonna order my old man to go this week. He's seen all of our wins this year (on my membership!) and no losses

I'm in the same boat. Been to 5 games/5 wins!

 

[BulldogJake]

Mediocre means average - not good or bad. I'm not sure how anyone can argue we are playing good footy this year or have demonstrated we are a good team

Mediocre means when you're at your best you're still not playing the level required to be successful - we aren't playing our best footy.