Review Round 5, 2025 - Western Bulldogs vs. Brisbane Lions

[notliondown]

That was some game of football!

If it wasn't for the 2 finals last year against GWS and Geelong it would have to rank up there in terms of roller coasters of well... everything really... skill, contest, tempo, emotion, frustration, sorrow, confidence, unbridled joy.... and that was just me watching it...

So so happy for Hippy. There's a lot of expectation on him this year to fill a void and after his injury last year it's taken a while to see the best of him. He's definitely a confidence player and this will do him a world of good.

It's amazing how a game can turn - like the game against Geelong, players that couldn't do a thing right in the first half had a complete reversal in the second. When we are on and it clicks it's something to behold.

As each game goes by this year it reminds me more and more of the 01,02,03 team where we didn't need to have key forwards kicking bags... everyone contributed. The spread of goal kickers makes us harder and harder to contain.

It would be some sort of irony to say that losing Joe might make us a better team...

 

[Denno]

Interesting that Fletcher has barely got a mention?

Besides one fumble, thought he was elite today, both in decision making, and disposal.

Love watching him play.

Shoutout to Payne too - he's getting pretty close to his (pre-injury) form of two years ago.

Bailey has left his crook ankle behind from last year (and is back to his dynamite best as a consequence).

Cameron is the worry - looks bereft of confidence.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Interesting that Fletcher has barely got a mention?

Besides one fumble, thought he was elite today, both in decision making, and disposal.

Love watching him play.

Shoutout to Payne too - he's getting pretty close to his (pre-injury) form of two years ago.

Bailey has left his crook ankle behind from last year (and is back to his dynamite best as a consequence).

Cameron is the worry - looks bereft of confidence.

How good is he going. Less selfish as well.

 

[martinson]

How good is he going. Less selfish as well.

We're sharing it around like good teams do .

That's helping cover the hole Joe left.

His role around the ground as 2nd ruck is uncoverable but it is what it is and we're getting by as we are at the moment.

 

[notliondown]

Interesting that Fletcher has barely got a mention?

Yep... He'd have to be one of the most underrated players around. Won't be for long but.

 

[briztoon]

I don't know what to say really. Thought tonight was going to be that wakeup call we needed. Turns out we didn't need one? I definitely think we are finding it hard to get ourselves motivated from the opening bounce. I don't think it's intentional, just half a dozen guys a little off and going through the motions, allowing themselves to work into the game. A few other things at play perhaps:

• Teams keen to give it a red hot crack against the premiers. Come out breathing fire.
• We don't panic (the coaching staff and players that is, not us fans )
• When we click and lift our energy it's very hard to stop, as well as demoralising for a side that has thrown everything at us.
• There is a bit of a Collingwood 2023 feel about our comebacks and sides just crack under the 'inevitability' of it all.

It 100% looks intentional.

 

[MSB ROYS]

Just like to state we were never actually 39 points down, Harris touched the Darcy kick. It was briefly 39 but was never technically 39.

Except when the score was 74 to 35 before Charlie's point at around 15 min Q3...

 

[Nunez]

It 100% looks intentional.

You think players are intentionally not interested in the first half? Bruh.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Just like to state we were never actually 39 points down, Harris touched the Darcy kick. It was briefly 39 but was never technically 39.

Not sure you're quite right. It was his second goal, early in the third

 

[briztoon]

Looks a lot like Jack reiwoldt to me. I would take that

Hi Quigley, have you watched any of the academy games this year?

 

[briztoon]

You think players are intentionally not interested in the first half? Bruh.

Pacing themselves.

 

[brutus76]

McDonald's needs to create a Morris Big Mac burger in QLD and cash in on the kid.

Straight shooter

 

[ice444]

You think players are intentionally not interested in the first half? Bruh.

Maybe realising the 2nd half matters more than the 1st and backing ourselves in - I would like us to lead from the front more.

Next weeks game vs collingwood should be interesting.

 

[Nunez]

Pacing themselves.

100%. That doesn't mean they're not interested though.

The way the high performance team structure our programs is to peak in the second half of the year and in finals. We are nowhere near our peak.

 

[matwt73]

I appreciate they were consistent all day and they were calling it early, but he umpires calling not 15 when the ball had gone 20-25 got a bit annoying.

Great day for Eric but Hugh and Jaspa have been my picks over the first four games and were great again today.

 

[blueiris]

1.Just got back to my hotel that was awesome I thought Levi was massive

2.Suitcase is winning a Brownlow surely has been awesome this year

3.Wash just keeps getting better

4. Not sure what Fages said that Hippy but hopefully he knows believes he belongs

5. Was great to watch the Andrews Darcy match up

 

[martinson]

Pacing themselves.

Our intensity absolutely lifts when we're under the pump. Which is what all good teams do.

The dogs played out of their skins in the 2nd quarter but they wore themselves out.

I don't think it's a matter of coming out in the first half without intent. I'd say we're trying to run out the full 4 quarters which was a problem for us in the early Fagan years and on days like today the opposition can get away from you if they do everything right.

Having said that we got more and more putrid as the 2nd quarter went on so you have to be careful what you risk when you're trying to manage your intensity.

 

[martinson]

The most impressive thing about Fletcher is how hard he worked on his marking during the off season to the point where it's now becoming a weapon.

For a small player he's developing into a complete player. You could play him anywhere . Wish we had 2 of him so we could've put him at Full Forward . I'm not kidding.

 

[luthor]

The opposotions' fear is palpable when we start mounting our comebacks.

There is an aura about us that you can almost see.

It's a beautiful thing

 

[briztoon]

100%. That doesn't mean they're not interested though.

The way the high performance team structure our programs is to peak in the second half of the year and in finals. We are nowhere near our peak.

I meant they are pacing themselves in the first half of games.

That's how it looks. Ordinary pressure rating, and a lot of trailing opposition players if the other team has the ball in the first half. Second halves and our pressure goes right up, we chase down the score and run out games far better than the opposition.

 

[Elixuh]

It 100% looks intentional.

Be honest Briz, each week they’re baiting you into thinking this might be the year we finally get a good pick, aren’t they.

 

[martinson]

Yeah.

Levi ,Will, Jaspa , Morris and Marshall aren't enough.

Sick of getting all these dud picks.

Oh for a crap year so we can attack the draft.

 

[jjami15]

Yeah.

Levi ,Will, Jaspa , Morris and Marshall aren't enough.

Sick of getting all these dud picks.

Oh for a crap year so we can attack the draft.

Daniel Annable says hi!

 

[MSB ROYS]

Yeah.

Levi ,Will, Jaspa , Morris and Marshall aren't enough.

Sick of getting all these dud picks.

Oh for a crap year so we can attack the draft.

We have picked very good players in the teen picks + Levi and Will.

 

[martinson]

Daniel Annable says hi!

He looks seriously good to me , not that I'm any sort of judge of young players.

Will's work around the ball is insane.

Fingers crossed the sky is the limit for he and Levi.