Autopsy North vs Western Bulldogs

Remove this Banner Ad

My concerns here really go a bit deeper than just what we saw yesterday.

People keep saying that we need to play the kids, we have all of these top draft picks playing in the seconds, etc..

However I have been watching a lot of VFL this season, just to see if there is anyone coming through that may provide a semblance of hope, and I really don't see where it is going to come from.

On exposed form:
-I don't think Hardeman will get there, I haven't seen any of the run and carry or ball use that we thought he'd bring
-Payne hasn't got near it since being drafted
-Lazarro tries hard but I think we all know he just doesn't quite have it to make it at AFL level.
-Same with Phillips. In fact he was poor on Saturday when he really should be tearing it up against lower players.
-Greenwood will retire
-Taylor & Sleevo are cats (and I can add Stephens to that list as well)
-CCJ - does any more need to be said
-Biggie, I think we all agree on his ability at AFL level
-We ruined Sellars
-I still have hopes for Harvey but in reality think he also won't make it.
-Free will be delisted
-Goad is scared to go near a contest (yes I know it is early but he is a loooong way off)


From a semi positive perspective
-Goater and George - should be playing AFL based on reputation; however with their serious injuries who would really know if they will get back to the top level?
-Maley - Looks like a prospect but still sooo raw
-Duursma - yes, if his head is in the right space at Nth
-W Dawson hopefully will get there
-Drury - probably the only one who stood out on Saturday, unfortunately though he is similar to Lazz in just missing a yard of pace and is probably a bit short..

So out of that list of 19 players I would say conservatively 13 or 68% are list cloggers. Not a great drafting success rate...

And on top of that we seem to be continually drafting light bodied players. Sleevo, Taylor, Payne, Biggie, Bergman, Goad, Hardeman, Ford, RHJ... it is no wonder we constantly get bullied by most opposition teams

It's no wonder we are where we are, and not sure how we really improve without a lot more pain.
Hardeman is a list clogger? It’s his first year, he’s struggled as of late but had some great matches in the VFL earlier in the year. Plus he’s but on decent size, way to early to make that call bloody hell
 
Hardeman is a list clogger? It’s his first year, he’s struggled as of late but had some great matches in the VFL earlier in the year. Plus he’s but on decent size, way to early to make that call bloody hell
Just calling it as I see it mate.
 
We were back to horrible yesterday. As someone said there were red flags everywhere.

A lot of half arsed attempts, heads down and generally lack of any cohesion. It’s unusual because post bye the team has looked a lot more connected and full of energy.

I don’t know if yesterday was a sign of a tired team limping to the finish or something else, but I do know that after quarter time they pretty much raised the white flag and let those flogs use them as a punching bag.
 

Log in to remove this ad.



We played the dogs less than 2 months ago and they put an additional 79 points between this time.

All of those dogs listed played the last game.

We were missing a 19 year old and a bloke that looks like he wont be on our list next year.

We were never winning the game. You rightly point out that after Comben and Larkey went down we were toast.

The midfield is more capable than it showed yesterday. Especially after shitting the bed the previous week.
 
My concerns here really go a bit deeper than just what we saw yesterday.

People keep saying that we need to play the kids, we have all of these top draft picks playing in the seconds, etc..

However I have been watching a lot of VFL this season, just to see if there is anyone coming through that may provide a semblance of hope, and I really don't see where it is going to come from.

On exposed form:
-I don't think Hardeman will get there, I haven't seen any of the run and carry or ball use that we thought he'd bring
-Payne hasn't got near it since being drafted
-Lazarro tries hard but I think we all know he just doesn't quite have it to make it at AFL level.
-Same with Phillips. In fact he was poor on Saturday when he really should be tearing it up against lower players.
-Greenwood will retire
-Taylor & Sleevo are cats (and I can add Stephens to that list as well)
-CCJ - does any more need to be said
-Biggie, I think we all agree on his ability at AFL level
-We ruined Sellars
-I still have hopes for Harvey but in reality think he also won't make it.
-Free will be delisted
-Goad is scared to go near a contest (yes I know it is early but he is a loooong way off)


From a semi positive perspective
-Goater and George - should be playing AFL based on reputation; however with their serious injuries who would really know if they will get back to the top level?
-Maley - Looks like a prospect but still sooo raw
-Duursma - yes, if his head is in the right space at Nth
-W Dawson hopefully will get there
-Drury - probably the only one who stood out on Saturday, unfortunately though he is similar to Lazz in just missing a yard of pace and is probably a bit short..

So out of that list of 19 players I would say conservatively 13 or 68% are list cloggers. Not a great drafting success rate...

And on top of that we seem to be continually drafting light bodied players. Sleevo, Taylor, Payne, Biggie, Bergman, Goad, Hardeman, Ford, RHJ... it is no wonder we constantly get bullied by most opposition teams

It's no wonder we are where we are, and not sure how we really improve without a lot more pain.
Nailed it unfortunately. I’m not writing hardeman off yet though. He displayed encouraging signs in the first half of the year and for a first year player, I think he’s roughly on track. I don’t think we necessarily ruined Sellers, he’s just not good enough.
 
I watched the game very high up behind the goals. The set up of the dogs from our kick in was a master class in how to choke and then panic the shit out of your opposition. It was like one of those Nth Korean army propaganda marches. Legs, arms and rifles in synch and not a hair out of place.

From what I could see there were Marker/Guide Captains for the left, middle and right keeping their group of 5 in unison at all times. The other 3 defenders (Jones/Dale/O’Donnell) were just licking their lips as to who would take the intercept mark. Wash, Rinse and Repeat.

It would be fascinating to see all this plotted from their GPS units thru the match. If our coaches do not look and plan to this level of detail, then they should lift their game or piss off to the local amateurs.

For the few times we did manage to crack their press, it was like we had no plan for after that. It was almost like, gee what do we do now with a guy streaming out of the centre and the forwards not coordinating their lead patterns to get picked off again.

There just needs to be accountability on the coaches and players to get this right. If you don’t get it right for Kim Jong Un in Nth Korea on the army march……well there are consequences 😎
 
Last edited:
Sorry Horace, but I don't get excited by AFLW. It's just not for me. Otherwise I agree with your post. It was coming from a mile away. I had a few things on, and chose not to go to the game, knowing it was likely going to be a blowout. But my two elder sons went with their mates. I feel sorry for them...

You should give the girls a go, Event Horizon . We have some exceptional footballers in our team and for me, there is no difference in my support for either team.

Each wears the Royal Blue and White, each runs out to the same wonderful tune and in the case of the girls, this year might just be the year, they lift a Premiership Cup. (Dare I say it if Jenna Bruton had not gone down with an achilles in last years GF, we might have already had one.)

For me, and I may be alone in this, but it is the girls who help and have helped to keep my spirits up, over these last few years.

Get on board everyone, I say. Its gunna be good.
 
The last sentence 👏. It’s not the senior prom for gods sake.
When did this get implemented? Pagan definitely appointed Carey, and then I'm not sure how the other captains became captains.

If we're strong team full of leaders, it works, but right now its a complete joke. It's like the blind choosing the blind to lead the blind...
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

X was good without being dominant.
Kerch tried hard.

Don’t think anyone else had a good day.
Archer kept Weightman to 2 goals which is as good as any effort since he’s played us.

First quarter we dominated early play and all of their 5 goals came from our turnovers.

Bevo then moved to a zone defence and with Chom out, Larkey hobbling, etc there was no one to kick to and that was the easiest 3 quarters of footy the Dogs will play.

The list has a long way to go and I just wonder how long will we continue to turn it over and churn players in and out and finish bottom 2. Can’t be axing 10+ off the list and expect improvement.

5 years. 5 years of bottom 2.

That’s just not right.
 
I will call it right now - Bulldogs will NOT play finals. That would be a shock to their supporters, but bookmark it.
I reckon GWS will roll them in Ballarat. And Freo will beat Port.
 
We were missing our best player and after Comben went down, our two best key defenders, with a young team out of legs at the end of the season

Against a team with a stacked forward line, playing for finals that's full of mature bodies. And believe me, we won't be the last side to get touched up by Sam Darcy.
That doesn't excuse whatever that was. They didn't just kill us in their forward line, they killed us on the wings, on the flanks, in the middle, in their back pocket, at the pie stand, at the dodgy Red Rooster in Spencer St station. Everything was shit. Their lineup yesterday was not 96 points better than ours
 
I will call it right now - Bulldogs will NOT play finals. That would be a shock to their supporters, but bookmark it.
I reckon GWS will roll them in Ballarat. And Freo will beat Port.
They will be chock full of false confidence right now that's for sure.

Things will feel different when they have to play against an actual AFL side again.
 
X was good without being dominant.
Kerch tried hard.

Don’t think anyone else had a good day.
Archer kept Weightman to 2 goals which is as good as any effort since he’s played us.

First quarter we dominated early play and all of their 5 goals came from our turnovers.

Bevo then moved to a zone defence and with Chom out, Larkey hobbling, etc there was no one to kick to and that was the easiest 3 quarters of footy the Dogs will play.

The list has a long way to go and I just wonder how long will we continue to turn it over and churn players in and out and finish bottom 2. Can’t be axing 10+ off the list and expect improvement.

5 years. 5 years of bottom 2.

That’s just not right.
We're going to have to until we don't have 10 players to axe.

We could probably already pick next year's delistings.

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Autopsy North vs Western Bulldogs

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top