Dogs v Roos in Ballarat - 12/03

[TempleKelvington]

I Ventured up today. First time to the watch footy at that ground, and fair to say it's pretty poor even for a country venue for spectators. Not even a decent grass area to sit on! In fact...there was nowhere to sit full stop....anyway....

Things that stuck out to me about the game.

1. We still don't have that crumbing forward. Djerrkura looks more at home in the midfield, played ok, bit he's a bit clunky with his hands and is not really a dangerous forward. Sherman and Veszpremi didn't play, but again I'm not sure they are that type either, Veszpremi certainly.

2. Wood and Gilbee struggled on the super quick forward. Gilbee looks seriously out of form. I did think Stack at least gave some run.

3. Josh Hill will play round one. He was pretty good all game.

4. Liberatore must be very close to playing round one.

5. I thought Tom Williams played really well. We were always a tall defender short for this game with no Markovic on top of Lake missing. Then they played Tom in the ruck for the first part of the last quarter, leaving us with just Dale back there. Tommy as the third tall defender will be very handy this year.

6. Tommy Williams can't play ruck. As soon as he went in there we lost the clearances and handed North momentum. Worth a try in a practice match, remembering we went in with one ruck last season v Melbourne and it nearly cost us the game, using Tom to pinch hit.

7. Griff went down with a shoulder but played out the game. Phew!

9. Big Will is playing well. Best he's moved in a while and he took some grabs and really competed, when him and Hudson were off it was very noticeable.

8. I though overall it was pretty good contest and a good hit out. But I thought we were pretty average for most of it, looked in second gear, perhaps a fraction flat? I'm worried about our overall pace still. In the end we rested Higgins, Hall, Grant and the two rucks for the first 15 mins of the last quarter and Gia was already subed off. Leaving us with a Skinny Skinner at CHF and Jones at full forward. We were 4 goals up so why not. But it certainly turned the game. Minson gave away a free that cost Skinner his set shot that may have put us in front. And one of many strange umpiring calls...Griffen was penalised for deliberate when he went on one of his run, only to be confronted with that familiar scene...no forwards. He kicked the ball 50m to a vacant forward line, the ball dribbled over....amazing. I thought the umps were ordinary all game and I usually don't care that much.

Big tick for the doggy fans, we certainly out numbered the Roos at their quasi home ground. But someone does need to make it a better spectator venue....the AFL and not the tax payer should put some money to it.

 

[TempleKelvington]

Since I saw these 4 drinking jugs at the pub this arvo/tonight. Can anyone shed light on if they played today (seniors or ressies) and/or if they are injured.

Cordy
Addison
Reid
Howard.

They were well behaved and quietly minding their own business, but I just wondered if they all had injuries or just "rehyrdrating" from a hot game?

Nup...none played in Ballarat...i think Willi had an intra club last night???? they may have played there...not sure.

 

[John Dorian]

I Ventured up today. First time to the watch footy at that ground, and fair to say it's pretty poor even for a country venue for spectators. Not even a decent grass area to sit on! In fact...there was nowhere to sit full stop....anyway....

Things that stuck out to me about the game.

1. We still don't have that crumbing forward. Djerrkura looks more at home in the midfield, played ok, bit he's a bit clunky with his hands and is not really a dangerous forward. Sherman and Veszpremi didn't play, but again I'm not sure they are that type either, Veszpremi certainly.

2. Wood and Gilbee struggled on the super quick forward. Gilbee looks seriously out of form. I did think Stack at least gave some run.

3. Josh Hill will play round one. He was pretty good all game.

4. Liberatore must be very close to playing round one.

5. I thought Tom Williams played really well. We were always a tall defender short for this game with no Markovic on top of Lake missing. Then they played Tom in the ruck for the first part of the last quarter, leaving us with just Dale back there. Tommy as the third tall defender will be very handy this year.

6. Tommy Williams can't play ruck. As soon as he went in there we lost the clearances and handed North momentum. Worth a try in a practice match, remembering we went in with one ruck last season v Melbourne and it nearly cost us the game, using Tom to pinch hit.

7. Griff went down with a shoulder but played out the game. Phew!

9. Big Will is playing well. Best he's moved in a while and he took some grabs and really competed, when him and Hudson were off it was very noticeable.

8. I though overall it was pretty good contest and a good hit out. But I thought we were pretty average for most of it, looked in second gear, perhaps a fraction flat? I'm worried about our overall pace still. In the end we rested Higgins, Hall, Grant and the two rucks for the first 15 mins of the last quarter and Gia was already subed off. Leaving us with a Skinny Skinner at CHF and Jones at full forward. We were 4 goals up so why not. But it certainly turned the game. Minson gave away a free that cost Skinner his set shot that may have put us in front. And one of many strange umpiring calls...Griffen was penalised for deliberate when he went on one of his run, only to be confronted with that familiar scene...no forwards. He kicked the ball 50m to a vacant forward line, the ball dribbled over....amazing. I thought the umps were ordinary all game and I usually don't care that much.

Big tick for the doggy fans, we certainly out numbered the Roos at their quasi home ground. But someone does need to make it a better spectator venue....the AFL and not the tax payer should put some money to it.

Lol. More like 50/50. Also note a lot of North supporters would have stayed in Melbourne due to the concert.

 

[boydsno1]

Brad Scotts words. Tells me he realised we were putting the cue in the rack for the last quarter and just playing around while they went for the win.

"The Bulldogs took Barry Hall off, they experimented. They probably could have put the foot on our throat if they'd really wanted to, but still our guys had to run it out and they did."

 

[The OBSTacle]

Would expect to win this by 10 goals, anything less would be a tad disappointing considering the strength of our squad.

I think you may have underestimated us a tad, considering the strength of your squad, of course.

Good game of footy. Cooney and Griffen seem to be at the peak of their powers.

Big bustling looks like he needs another hit out. I'd get him in to a willi practice match if I was Eade.

It was only a practice match, and we are certainly not at the dogs level yet, but i'm confident the days of 10 goal beltings are over.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Wow, some people on here, North and Dogs fans alike, are taking this way, way to seriously.

Looks like it was a good hit out for both teams. The result is irrelevant. Hopefully both clubs got out of the game what they wanted. We were able to try a few things. Some worked and some didn't. That is what these games are all about. That and getting run into the legs of under done players such as Cooney.

If Cooney struggled I would have been far more worried than if we lost by 5 goals.

 

[The OBSTacle]

Well to be fair to Gus, your IP address matches with The Ziebull.

Hahahahaha!

 

[Kretiukwasking]

I Ventured up today. First time to the watch footy at that ground, and fair to say it's pretty poor even for a country venue for spectators. Not even a decent grass area to sit on! In fact...there was nowhere to sit full stop....anyway....

Things that stuck out to me about the game.

1. We still don't have that crumbing forward. Djerrkura looks more at home in the midfield, played ok, bit he's a bit clunky with his hands and is not really a dangerous forward. Sherman and Veszpremi didn't play, but again I'm not sure they are that type either, Veszpremi certainly.

2. Wood and Gilbee struggled on the super quick forward. Gilbee looks seriously out of form. I did think Stack at least gave some run.

3. Josh Hill will play round one. He was pretty good all game.

4. Liberatore must be very close to playing round one.

5. I thought Tom Williams played really well. We were always a tall defender short for this game with no Markovic on top of Lake missing. Then they played Tom in the ruck for the first part of the last quarter, leaving us with just Dale back there. Tommy as the third tall defender will be very handy this year.

6. Tommy Williams can't play ruck. As soon as he went in there we lost the clearances and handed North momentum. Worth a try in a practice match, remembering we went in with one ruck last season v Melbourne and it nearly cost us the game, using Tom to pinch hit.

7. Griff went down with a shoulder but played out the game. Phew!

9. Big Will is playing well. Best he's moved in a while and he took some grabs and really competed, when him and Hudson were off it was very noticeable.

8. I though overall it was pretty good contest and a good hit out. But I thought we were pretty average for most of it, looked in second gear, perhaps a fraction flat? I'm worried about our overall pace still. In the end we rested Higgins, Hall, Grant and the two rucks for the first 15 mins of the last quarter and Gia was already subed off. Leaving us with a Skinny Skinner at CHF and Jones at full forward. We were 4 goals up so why not. But it certainly turned the game. Minson gave away a free that cost Skinner his set shot that may have put us in front. And one of many strange umpiring calls...Griffen was penalised for deliberate when he went on one of his run, only to be confronted with that familiar scene...no forwards. He kicked the ball 50m to a vacant forward line, the ball dribbled over....amazing. I thought the umps were ordinary all game and I usually don't care that much.

Big tick for the doggy fans, we certainly out numbered the Roos at their quasi home ground. But someone does need to make it a better spectator venue....the AFL and not the tax payer should put some money to it.

Very accurate assesment for mine.
Cooney looked good. We were in control for the majority of time when cooney and/or griffen were in the centre square.
Gilbee is of concern.
Our use of the ball by foot is still not where it was 2-3 years ago

 

[staphy]

Lol. More like 50/50. Also note a lot of North supporters would have stayed in Melbourne due to the concert.

So they had 6 people at the concert, great turn out

 

[dogwatch]

Thanks for the write-up TK.

 

[Werewolf]

Wood and Gilbee struggled on the super quick forward

I take it they played on Lindsay Thomas?

I thought Tom Williams played really well. Tommy as the third tall defender will be very handy this year.

Agree with the second statement. Obviously can't make a judgment on the first, but who did Williams pick up in defence?

 

[The OBSTacle]

I take it they played on Lindsay Thomas?

The Dogs rotated players on him for most of the game. Dale Morris, Bob Murphy and Josh Hill even had stints on him.

It didn't matter, Lindsay was just "on' today.

 

[Testekill]

The Dogs rotated players on him for most of the game. Dale Morris, Bob Murphy and Josh Hill even had stints on him.

It didn't matter, Lindsay was just "on' today.

Well, he is one of those players who is impossible to curb if he is having a ripper.

 

[The OBSTacle]

Well, he is one of those players who is impossible to curb if he is having a ripper.

He just turned 23 a week ago and he has been flying in the last couple of practice matches.

He's the fittest he's ever been, he's got 72 games under his belt, and i'm expecting a breakout season. A smart DT/SC player should sneak him on to their list.

 

[Mr. Walker]

Thanks for the write up TK.

It's going to be a long year for some of our posters if they get this upset at a practice match loss. North won good luck to them. I don't care who we had out, how many of their supporters were there or what their coach said. I care more about statements like we loked slow, Gilbee is poor, Barry is just going, no-one could keep up with their small forward and Hill looks a certainty for round 1. (Actually if his attitude and work rate has changed then good - i just think he will go missing when the real stuff starts. Like to be proved wrong)

Based on these practice games do people think Libba and Wallis will play R1?

 

[eagles2011]

Wow, some people on here, North and Dogs fans alike, are taking this way, way to seriously.

I think that could be applied to fans of all teams. With some of the talk around here, you would think that these games are as significant as say, the real season, or millions of people being affected by tsunamis.

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

He's the fittest he's ever been, he's got 72 games under his belt, and i'm expecting a breakout season. A smart DT/SC player should sneak him on to their list.

He won't be too hit and miss to have him in dreamteam or supercoach?

 

[The OBSTacle]

He won't be too hit and miss to have him in dreamteam or supercoach?

Kicked 3.3 v Hawthorn and got plenty of it.

Kicked 0.4 v GWS but had his own ball.

Kicked 6 and change today, 3 assists and was excellent.

Make up your own mind mate but he's getting a hell of a lot of the ball for a certified forward pocket, and I honestly believe he is about to arrive.

Still, it's your call.

 

[paul scholes]

First Time on here for a while and seriously cannot believe how serious this is being taken! Let em' get excited folks.

 

[paul scholes]

Wow, some people on here, North and Dogs fans alike, are taking this way, way to seriously.

Looks like it was a good hit out for both teams. The result is irrelevant. Hopefully both clubs got out of the game what they wanted. We were able to try a few things. Some worked and some didn't. That is what these games are all about. That and getting run into the legs of under done players such as Cooney.

If Cooney struggled I would have been far more worried than if we lost by 5 goals.

SenSible post a rare commodity in this thread. For mine I'd take a loss in a praccy match than having to endure shit bogan musicians and a player ripping a hammy in a PRACTICE match

 

[paul scholes]

Kicked 3.3 v Hawthorn and got plenty of it.

Kicked 0.4 v GWS but had his own ball.

Kicked 6 and change today, 3 assists and was excellent.

Make up your own mind mate but he's getting a hell of a lot of the ball for a certified forward pocket, and I honestly believe he is about to arrive.

Still, it's your call.

Yes in a what's called a trial match ! My two bobs on Thomas is he's a typical goal sneak as he has big games then doesn't get a kick for weeks. Flashy inconsistent type. I'll be off now the Norf giddiness is relentless

 

[styley]

As many have said, don't care much for the result.
Good on the Roos for pulling out a top class last quater.

On a side note.

- Good to get through the game injury free and having a bit of an experiment with a few tactics and positions.
- Really happy Higgins is continuing his good form coming into the season, will be up for a ripper season if he stays on the park.
- DJ pressing for round 1 selection is excellent, out of all our new recruits i thought he would need at least 1 season until he was looking like breaking into the side. Very happy he was named in the bests.
- Wood named in the bests also pleases as i think he will take another step this year and start thriving in our backline.
- If someone had of said Libba will be pushing for round 1 selection ahead of Wallis when we recruited the pair, I would have told them that they're dreaming. Good on the kid.
- Cooney coming back from a not so great pre-season and dominating with 55% game time. What else is there to say, awesome.
- Griffen, each season he makes another small step upwards. Will continue to improve this season no doubt
- Not sure how Ward went today but his pre-season remains solid and should be a big contributer to the midfield this season, exciting player.
- Grant continues development. But, please don't be a 'Leon Davis round 1-22 specialist' and be able to perform in big matches.

However amongst the positives i do have some negatives.

- Fast, small forwards (i.e. Thomas) Are capable of destroying us. It appears we have no real answer to them at the moment apart from relying on our defensive structures. Harbrow was a bigger loss than most acknowledge.
- Gilbee, the decline continues. Could be outside best 22 come season end. Please prove to me that it's just the nab cup and go back to your best 'Lazer Foot' self.
- The ability to finish that game. YES, i know we were experimenting and the result is pretty much irrelevant. But being in that position the younger guys pushing for selection probably should have done a bit more.
- How exposed we would be if 1 or god forbid, 2 of our key defenders go down.

 

[Gus]

Hahahahaha!

And he thought he was being clever about it.

 

[wayniac]

Very good assessment from TK.

We went to the game and a few other things I observed:

Wallis is not ready, he needs to adjust to the pace of AFL, a couple of times he made bad decisions and turned the ball over. He was moved to the half back line and that was not a good decision.

Picken was very good, absolutely smashing into contests, a great kick.

Boyd is a worry, hospital hand balls a couple of times, poorly directed kicking.

Agree about Gilbee, seems to offer zilch. Maybe try him in the forward line/wing.

I have serious doubts now about our defense. Last year I thought Harbrow was a weakness combined with Hargrave. This year we appear to have less at the back, we'll need a fully fit Brian Lake to shore us up. We fail to build coming out of defence, major turnovers will cost us.

Higgins looked great.

Cooney brilliant.

Bill Will did a good job and hope he silences the knockers this year.

Griffen did come off looking hurt - shoulder. I hear he's OK.

A couple of times we had the run and carry going through midfield, good to watch.

We were poor in rucking contests and our second efforts let us down badly.

Last quarter was a weird experience in how not to ruck. Cooney is better than Williams at the ruck!

 

[The Doctor]

Wallis is not ready, he needs to adjust to the pace of AFL, a couple of times he made bad decisions and turned the ball over. He was moved to the half back line and that was not a good decision.

??????

Wallis didn't play.