Autopsy Brave Bulldogs go down by 14 points

[grassman75]

If our forwards kicked like professional AFL players then the scoreboard could've been in our favour.
I cannot understand the sugar coating of the most obvious issue we have. We kicked like this against GWS and got away with it in greasy conditions. In pure conditions there can be no excuse at all.
Sure, the umpires weren't great but I'm more concerned with our skill issues.

I say bring in 3pts for posters….

 

[dergert]

What's up with Bont?

 

[Golden_6]

I do hate to say it but I am starting to see this ‘evolution’ crap that has been thrown about.

This is a very new team with a new identity. There’s a lot of talent on the list and the key will be getting the likes of Darcy, JUH, Sanders, West, Garcia, Gags, JOD & Freijah to a high level quick enough that we can combine that with the later stages of Bont, Treloar, Libba & Jones and compete with the top 4.

There’s a lot of potentially middle tier elite players already there with Richards, Naughton, Weightman and hopefully Baz & English.

I still worry about Macrae & Daniel. They have roles to play with our current injury lists but they don’t seem to fit with our list in the medium term and are contracted for a long time.

 

[CarnTheScray]

Only 27k there tonight? Thursday not a good night for us to attend given a min 4hr round trip, and work/school the next day, guessing even Melb-based fans voted with their feet.

Thursday night fixture takes away 5-10k people. Bet some were also flat after our play couple of home games, funnily enough that was the most vocal crowd we’ve had in a while.

 

[Randomthoughts]

What's up with Bont?

When Bont is down a little you usually read he is carrying an injury or two which likely explanation of course . He might just be human and have a few below Bont level games .
I was thinking where he plays in the back end of his playing years and wonder if he remains going forward or if we play in a Pendles type role down back . Hopefully there quite some time before that decision needs to be made.

 

[Dogs Rule]

I do hate to say it but I am starting to see this ‘evolution’ crap that has been thrown about.

This is a very new team with a new identity. There’s a lot of talent on the list and the key will be getting the likes of Darcy, JUH, Sanders, West, Garcia, Gags, JOD & Freijah to a high level quick enough that we can combine that with the later stages of Bont, Treloar, Libba & Jones and compete with the top 4.

There’s a lot of potentially middle tier elite players already there with Richards, Naughton, Weightman and hopefully Baz & English.

I still worry about Macrae & Daniel. They have roles to play with our current injury lists but they don’t seem to fit with our list in the medium term and are contracted for a long time.

Macrae and Daniel are going to have to find roles for themselves or they'll be gone.

Add Weightman, Libba, Smith, JJ in last night and that makes a hell of a difference, but again it's not our performance against good sides that's the issue it's the ones against the rubbish or average (counting Essendon here) that kills us.

Essendon, Freo and Hawks losses just kill you. Can't repeat that kind of rubbish and the rubbish end to last year again in 2024. Must finish strong.

 

[CarnTheScray]

Although we had many things go against us, we still probably should have won. If we had an AFL standard goal conversion we would’ve been in front with the number of scoring shots we had.

So many missed shots from close range, Sydney didn’t miss those.

 

[Doggy]

I don't really give two shits about finals which we aren't making anyway.

I just want to see that effort every week and the "evolution" and a fit squad ready to hit 2025 with hopefully a more reasonable draw.

All of that and this team can be anything from next year.

 

[Testekill]

11 players with close to 90% or more TOG on a five day break, pretty ridiculous to have a short turn around like that.

 

[BulldogMuscle]

People around the club reckon it’s an MCL for Naughton, 6 weeks depending on level.

Should find out this afternoon either way.

 

[Libba39]

My opinion hasn’t changed on Bevo and did he come up with a different plan mid game? Yes, was he forced to through circumstances? Yes.

But hey great attempt to derail a thread and try to win yourself a point. Rather than discuss Bevo in the appropriate thread.

But hey if you’re that sad that you need validation that much. You get one Bevo made changes in a single game

This post was written like you were tied to a chair and had three guys standing over you...but thanks

On SM-A505YN using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Dog 36]

Warner played well when ? When Richard’s went off the ground.

Our kicking for goal needs to be acreages asap

 

[Dale4captain]

A little worried about JUH still. I know he managed to kick a few but his body language is atrocious. He got burnt a few times on the lead by our terrible inside 50’s but so does every other forward down there. Instead of actively manning the mark he is often giving a gob full to a team mate.

His body work in the contest is now nonexistent. He just tries to jump higher than the guy next to him and hope for the best. Luckily for him he is a superb timer of the ball so it works but so many times last night he could have given a little hip check and stiff arm and probably finished with 10 marks.

His off the ball work has gone down the toilet. Marras calling card used to be manic pressure and chase with crunching tackles but we haven’t seen that at all this year. He’s completely disinterested if the ball isn’t landing directly in his hands.

Hopefully someone is addressing it with him because it will only spiral now that Naughty isn’t out there to call him out on his shit. I love the kid but he needs to pull his socks up.

I think Harvey will get a rest this week too. His last quarter was good but he looked tired. Maybe a sub for the week.

Joel Freijah was okay but still looks very much like a first year player. A little timid but it will come in time.

Red was awesome and should not leave the centre square for the rest of his days in a bulldogs jumper. Adds another dimension. Further, we saw Bev having trust in the young guys to put them in at a centre bounce. That is genuine progress for Luke. He’s been very vocal that the rotations through here are limited for trust reasons and he’s believing in our youth now. Good signs.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Two head clashes. Our two players go off and are out of the games. The two Swans players continue playing. Are Sydney’s protocols different to everyone else’s? Or do our players have softer heads?

 

[uns]

Need West, Garcia, and maybe a Gallagher/Sanders rotating bench, forward, guts, as a permanent rotation.

Both West and Garcia need more middle minutes as a plan and not as a forced change mid game.

 

[CarnTheScray]

We had players make plenty of errors, especially our younger players like Freijah etc who would boot the ball straight to a Swans player at times. Sanders still does too much sideways and backwards handballing even at centre bounces instead of being more direct to give forwards a good chance.

Even guys like Jones had bad moments where they didn’t think, undoing half the good things they had done leading up to that point.

That game has solidified in my mind that Bramble should not be playing. Said it a few weeks ago, is a panic and turnover merchant unfortunately. Did a good thing and won the ball back, then did every thing in his power to turn the ball back over and get pinged.

And **** Sydney, unbeatable side my arse. If we could get that close with 3 players down before half time, some shocking turnovers from us, poor kicking for goal and the worst officiating I have witnessed live, then it’s guaranteed a better equipped side will handle them later in the season and in finals.

 

[mitch hahn premium light]

I have been very negative on us this year (warranted I think) but tonight was possibly one of our best games for the year despite the end result.

We outplayed them for lots of the match. Bontempelli was tagged. We had 2 concussions and a serious leg injury to Naughton.

But we fought hard right to the end. The kids all stood up and had a crack. Jack Macrae fought his guts out.

We kinda even found our old brand of super tough contested footy again. English looked angry for the first time ever (can he please be angry every week like he was against Grundy).

Harmes is slotting in very nicely as a Mr fix it just doing team things wherever he’s needed.

We had 14 more inside 50’s and double their centre clearances (not bad given their midfield)

The only sad thing from that game is the 50m penalties, wasteful goal kicking and the fact that we are going to be very hampered by injury going into the Collingwood game next week.

 

[potdog21]

Warner played well when ? When Richard’s went off the ground.

Our kicking for goal needs to be acreages asap

Absolutely this. I get he played great after half time but not one commentator mentioned this.

 

[Golden_6]

People around the club reckon it’s an MCL for Naughton, 6 weeks depending on level.

Should find out this afternoon either way.

That’s the absolute best case scenario and a bullet dodged if true.

 

[Golden_6]

Need West, Garcia, and maybe a Gallagher/Sanders rotating bench, forward, guts, as a permanent rotation.

Both West and Garcia need more middle minutes as a plan and not as a forced change mid game.

How do we get those minutes though? They got them last night because Libba & Ed were injured and Bont was moved forward. All 3 are a walk up start in 2 weeks time.

It’s not easy. Does the club push out Treloar & Libba from the midfield next year to fully make way for these guys? Otherwise they just have to be patient until those guys ‘move on’.

In 2024 you potentially have Bont, Treloar, Richards, Libba all still going and have to find minutes for Smith (maybe), Sanders, West, Gags, Garcia etc. It just doesn’t work.

 

[Doggies_13]

Not trying to derail a thread…you have been extremely vocal about his lack of Plan B, and clearly I hit a nerve.

It wasn’t even a dig at you but it clearly hit a nerve. Yours was just the first one I saw of those who have been extremely critical of him.

I’ve had my say about why I think he’s a good coach and why our performances were down early in the year and I think I’m pretty spot on so far.

I get frustrated like the rest of you when I th8nk he’s sitting on his hands, but there is always a reason and we aren’t privy to it.

I have been vocal and I keep it to the future thread where it belongs.

Quote me in there and no issue I’ll debate it.

Quoting me in here to a post where I acknowledge it was a good game by both the players and the coach and being proud of the team is someone trying to one up and use one result to say they are right.

My opinion is still the same and it will take sustained changes to change it, but that’s a discussion for the future thread

 

[Doggies_13]

This post was written like you were tied to a chair and had three guys standing over you...but thanks

On SM-A505YN using BigFooty.com mobile app

Adding nothing to big footy like usual, another of the posters on here that makes it unbearable to interact on here

 

[VitalDread]

Some more random observations:

• Couldn't understand the Game Day thread pile-on for Gallagher. I thought he had a reasonable game and did some very nice things. He also has a nice side-step and composure in traffic. This kid hadn't played a senior game a couple of months ago. He'll be fine. In fact I think he'll be better than fine. He's only 20 and has had only one full AFL pre-season.

• More generally I don't see how it's fair to bag first and second year players repeatedly. There are always calls to "play the kids" (because we're going nowhere this year and Macrae, Daniel, Duryea, etc are all supposedly past it). But as soon as those kids get a run they get crucified. You just have to be patient with young players while they pick up the speed of the game, learn a few tricks, develop the physique and physicality needed for senior footy, build cohesion with other senior players and start to believe in themselves. Very few players arrive ready made like Bontempelli, Naughton or Harley Reid. At times tonight Sanders, Gallagher and Freijah all copped it ... but they are all going to be good players. People don't seem to understand how much harder it is for players like Gags and Sanders to be playing in the guts so early in their careers. You're always against the very best there. And it's very physical. Gags is 20. Sanders is 19. Freijah is only 18. They have acquitted themselves well already and will get better as the season progresses.

• One aspect of Ed Richards' play that hasn't attracted much attention is his ability to balance himself before taking his kick. Weaving through traffic he knows the tackle is coming but he doesn't panic, and rarely gets caught with the ball. He releases at the last instant. Take a look at how he steadied before chipping the pass to Naughton in the first quarter. That sort of awareness and composure is what sets aside the best players from the run-of-the-mill. Bont has it in spades of course. Perhaps Ed has been watching him for a few years?

• Another player who is growing before our eyes is Riley Garcia. It wasn't so many games ago that he was reviled for clangers and lack of poise. Many doubted he'd make it. But now he's reached 25 games he's becoming a valuable player. Who would have thought? One great asset is his low centre of gravity. He keeps his feet, moves well in traffic, has good agility and bounces off other players. Sort of what we've been calling out for over the last year or so. Especially with the end not so far away for Libba's career. His first goal tonight, bursting away from two Swans tacklers was beautiful to watch. He's starting to look like a canny late draft pick (#62). We just had to be patient because he was coming off a serious knee injury.

• I'm also loving the start of Joel Freijah's career. He makes a few serious errors each game and has no doubt cost us a few goals. But he does some really eye-catching thing and is no longer overawed by the bigger stage of senior footy and the revered names of his opponents (if he ever was). Yet again we have to be patient and accept a few clangers. He'll iron those out soon enough. And he'll become a real weapon on the wing or half back.

• He may still have a few things to work on but Ryley Sanders can definitely stick a tackle. It's mostly in close at this stage because he can't catch the speedsters, but for a 19yo against seasoned men his tackling in close has been impressive. He had equal most tackles for us tonight (6) and very few, if any, missed tackles.

Feel like for Joel early development

I really liked him playing that forward link up role
Looked more comfortable with the ball

 

[maddog37]

When Libba and Ed are playing again I would like to see West and Garcia get used in rotations more too as they give us a different look.

Treloar can start on a wing and go wherever he wants.

I’m looking to play Gallagher in Brambles position at some stage to see how that looks.

 

[Shacf501]

Looks like Bevo's Young brigade look on board with his coaching. Macrae should be ashamed for his performance.

Mcrae isnt quick enough to play forward, puts absolutely no defensive pressure on when he doesnt have the ball. He has limitations and unfortunately they get exposed defensively when he plays forward. Don't know how much if it is attitude and the desire to really want to compete or pure physical attributes.