Eagles/Dogs game: most critical of the last few weeks

[TwentyNine]

The last 3 wins have been by an average of over 80 points ... regardless of opposition you can't do much more than that

They've been nothing but impressive, no argument here, but playing sides who've more or less given up for the year isn't great preparation for playing a quality side like the Eagles.

 

[midorigreenwood]

We did pretty good at etihad in round 1 despite the loss and Subi suits our gameplan of locking it up forward which should help our lack of talls down back.

Saying that the doggies have firepower and it's likely to be a shootout so anything can happen. Hopefully we take our chances.

 

[ApplecrossWC]

If the Eagles can't easily account for the dogs then they are pretenders.

 

[i am a logo]

The Bulldogs haven't beaten any genuine top 4 quality team since the Swans in Rd5, and most of their big wins have come against teams far below them on the ladder (as was the case with us in 2013-2014). Also i don't buy the theory that they are 'invincible' at Docklands since our reserves side nearly beat them there in Rd1, as did the Dockers.

Flat track bullies Imho, we'll win by over 10 goals

 

[Kwality]

What part of what he wrote isn't true?

You tell me, I didn't say its not true - I did say it reeks of bad loser - do you not understand the difference?

 

[swingdog]

Good to see Channel 7 has opted for the powerhouse game on Sunday between Carlton and Melbourne, instead of this. They'd get more viewers if they switched to the community channel for three hours.

 

[Dazb86]

Round 1 was a cracking game. Hopefully we get something similar.

 

[King Bont]

The Bulldogs haven't beaten any genuine top 4 quality team since the Swans in Rd5, and most of their big wins have come against teams far below them on the ladder (as was the case with us in 2013-2014). Also i don't buy the theory that they are 'invincible' at Docklands since our reserves side nearly beat them there in Rd1, as did the Dockers.

Flat track bullies Imho, we'll win by over 10 goals

Saves this in the memory bank, although I think you will beat us, we are better than you are giving us credit for..

 

[lmach]

The Bulldogs haven't beaten any genuine top 4 quality team since the Swans in Rd5, and most of their big wins have come against teams far below them on the ladder (as was the case with us in 2013-2014). Also i don't buy the theory that they are 'invincible' at Docklands since our reserves side nearly beat them there in Rd1, as did the Dockers.

Flat track bullies Imho, we'll win by over 10 goals

The Bulldogs deserve more respect than that. They're like a mix of 2014 and 2015 West Coast, they smash the minnows but they've also knocked off some top sides in West Coast, Sydney and Richmond. They also got close to Freo. The only time they've been completely smashed was in Tasmania against Hawthorn on the rebound. They were also beaten comfortably by Melbourne and Port (they were right in it until the last quarter) but off-weeks come with being a young side.

I won't be surprised if we win by 10 goals or lose by five goals (can't see us getting smashed at home but you never know). It should be a very fast game with a lot of goals coming from counter attacks. Both teams can generate very quick rebound off half back (Sheppard, Wellingham, Hurn and Murphy, Johannisen, Wood). It may come down to who can lock it in their forward 50 the longest, which makes centre clearances super important. Getting Naitanui back will be pivotal.

 

[dean33]

Be good to see the dogs play a team in the 8 finally...

 

[go you pups]

Good to see Channel 7 has opted for the powerhouse game on Sunday between Carlton and Melbourne, instead of this. They'd get more viewers if they switched to the community channel for three hours.

When has channel 7 ever shown a twilight game? Its always the 320 game on Sundays unfortunately and these games are locked in on TV months beforehand in October when the draw comes out.

The Bulldogs haven't beaten any genuine top 4 quality team since the Swans in Rd5, and most of their big wins have come against teams far below them on the ladder (as was the case with us in 2013-2014). Also i don't buy the theory that they are 'invincible' at Docklands since our reserves side nearly beat them there in Rd1, as did the Dockers.

Flat track bullies Imho, we'll win by over 10 goals

Can only beat who you play you muppet

Wasn't the Dogs fault they had the toughest draw in the competition the first 7 weeks playing WCE, Richmond, Hawthorn, Adelaide, Sydney and Fremantle. The draw happened to open up due to Port Adelaide, Gold Coast, Collingwood, Geelong and Essendon declining on last years output. They're 8 wins and 4 losses in 2015 from those teams so far.

The next two weeks will tell us if they're good enough or not playing you lot, then North off a 6 day break. But until then your view is ridiculously narrow minded and bitter/neglective/disrespectful. We've had injuries ourselves and have played undermanned backlines and midfields also yet they've done the job.

 

[WCE_phil]

I think seriously depleted doesn't begin to bring scope to our injuries in defence. Our only option for a key defender left is in his second season, giving up 10+ KG's to a nominal opponent and has played 2 games only through injuries to others (even though he looks a great future option)

If we were selecting key defenders tomorrow from a full list our first 5 options are injured with a guy who should have been AA at the very least once in the last 2 years in Eric Mackenzie and a guy who if it wasn't for injury would have made the AA squad this year if not the final team. Then we are down Mitch Brown, Will Schofield and Fraser Mcinnes. All after club legend and former AA captain Darren Glass retired last year.

No guarantee Nicnat will be back (god i hope he is and i hope he's ok) but if he's not we are down to 1 fit ruckman on the list and he's more of a forward/ruck than a first ruckman as well.

This is the perfect time for the dogs to get us and while im much more optimistic about playing them than i was about playing freo this is very likely the game where our defence just can't hold up.

 

[go you pups]

Be good to see the dogs play a team in the 8 finally...

I know yeah........... finally Only took 4 and a half months for them to play someone, damn AFL fixturing these days is bloody ridiculous

The home and away season started in round 8 didn't it? The AFL happened to give the Dogs a BS 4-3 win-loss handicap yet Richmond copped an undeserved 2-5 win-loss handicap? Pathetic form from the AFL here helping out the crap, poor teams

Played no one yet those flat tracking puppies The draw is that easy they don't even get to play Richmond, Hawthorn, Adelaide, Sydney and Fremantle in 2015 at all and are finally playing WCE and North, after 3 consecutive months of home games under the roof at Etihad that they've flat tracked cashed in on against bottom 4 teams, they've finally copped 3 away games in a row, 2 happen to finally be against decent opponents who will smash those pretenders

Damn AFL and their handouts these days The Dogs should just fold with all the pathetic help they get from the AFL Nothing but an overperforming bottom 4 side they are and why has it taken over 4 and a half months for the Dogs to finally play a Sunday twilight game? That's their timeslot, they should rot in hell there like the pathetic poor club they are and an embarrassment for the AFL

GO EAGLES!!!!!!!!!!!! BELT THOSE FLAT TRACKING PRETENDERS

 

[HBF]

Will be a belter. Can't see any reason why the Bulldogs wouldn't go over there thinking they can win.

 

[dean33]

I know yeah........... finally Only took 4 and a half months for them to play someone, damn AFL fixturing these days is bloody ridiculous

The home and away season started in round 8 didn't it? The AFL happened to give the Dogs a BS 4-3 win-loss handicap yet Richmond copped an undeserved 2-5 win-loss handicap? Pathetic form from the AFL here helping out the crap, poor teams

Played no one yet those flat tracking puppies The draw is that easy they don't even get to play Richmond, Hawthorn, Adelaide, Sydney and Fremantle in 2015 at all and are finally playing WCE and North, after 3 consecutive months of home games under the roof at Etihad that they've flat tracked cashed in on against bottom 4 teams, they've finally copped 3 away games in a row, 2 happen to finally be against decent opponents.

Damn AFL and their handouts these days The Dogs should just fold with all the pathetic help they get from the AFL Nothing but an overperforming bottom 4 side they are and why has it taken over 4 and a half months for the Dogs to finally play a Sunday twilight game? That's their timeslot, they should rot in hell there like the pathetic poor club they are and an embarrassment for the AFL

GO EAGLES!!!!!!!!!!!! BELT THOSE FLAT TRACKING PRETENDERS

Seems I hit a nerve with your rant, I just want to see the dogs play a good side. The last team who was in the 8 when you played them was the cats and you failed that test and that was the first time since rd 5 you played a team in the 8. Looking fwd to see how you go this week against the Eagles.

 

[go you pups]

I think seriously depleted doesn't begin to bring scope to our injuries in defence. Our only option for a key defender left is in his second season, giving up 10+ KG's to a nominal opponent and has played 2 games only through injuries to others (even though he looks a great future option)

If we were selecting key defenders tomorrow from a full list our first 5 options are injured with a guy who should have been AA at the very least once in the last 2 years in Eric Mackenzie and a guy who if it wasn't for injury would have made the AA squad this year if not the final team. Then we are down Mitch Brown, Will Schofield and Fraser Mcinnes. All after club legend and former AA captain Darren Glass retired last year.

Your backline has worked almost the same as ours over the last 6 weeks at times, you've had to play mediums like Sheppard, Hurn etc as talls while we've done the same with Morris, Wood and Biggs, though we've been lucky with Talia holding down full back and Hamling coming back from injury last week. Roberts, Johannisen and Roughead are still out for us, though the 2 talls finally played VFL on the weekend but I doubt they'll be rushed back in.

This is the perfect time for the dogs to get us and while im much more optimistic about playing them than i was about playing freo this is very likely the game where our defence just can't hold up.

Simpson and Beveridge seem to have similar defensive structures, I think if whoever's midfield/high half forwards can put enough pressure on the opposing midfield to deliver consistent slow high bombs into the forward line to be intercepted, then that team doing the grunt work might well be better placed in this game as long as the rebound is swift and sharp.

Once WCE get Brown and Mackenzie back next year + the added natural improvement from your young midfield then you'll be an even scarier proposition next season.

 

[Martyn_30_]

If McGovern's out that makes a huge difference he kept west coast in the game in round 1.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fronkalicious]

They've been nothing but impressive, no argument here, but playing sides who've more or less given up for the year isn't great preparation for playing a quality side like the Eagles.

Collingwood were in the 8 when we beat them and port were playing for their season when we nailed them by 11 goals.

Only belting we got this year was against hawthorn in tassie, when we rested bonti and Boyd, and Wallis and Stevens were injured in the first 10 minutes. Was never a contest.

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

Your backline has worked almost the same as ours over the last 6 weeks at times, you've had to play mediums like Sheppard, Hurn etc as talls while we've done the same with Morris, Wood and Biggs, though we've been lucky with Talia holding down full back and Hamling coming back from injury last week. Roberts, Johannisen and Roughead are still out for us, though the 2 talls finally played VFL on the weekend but I doubt they'll be rushed back in.

Simpson and Beveridge seem to have similar defensive structures, I think if whoever's midfield/high half forwards can put enough pressure on the opposing midfield to deliver consistent slow high bombs into the forward line to be intercepted, then that team doing the grunt work might well be better placed in this game as long as the rebound is swift and sharp.

Once WCE get Brown and Mackenzie back next year + the added natural improvement from your young midfield then you'll be an even scarier proposition next season.

A little different.

You have Hamling (194cm), Talia (193cm), Morris (190cm), Wood (185cm) & Biggs (183cm)

From the 3rd quarter yesterday, we were playing Yeo (190cm), Wellingham (185cm), Shep (187cm), Hurn (186cm), Butler (187cm), Ellis (187cm) & Bennell (179cm)

 

[go you pups]

Seems I hit a nerve with your rant, I just want to see the dogs play a good side. The last team who was in the 8 when you played them was the cats and you failed that test and that was the first time since rd 5 you played a team in the 8. Looking fwd to see how you go this week against the Eagles.

It's not just you though, a lot of Richmond fans are saying similar and it's probably the same supporters who didn't give us any credit for knocking you guys off in round 2 imo.

We came back from a Cairns trip that week against Geelong and our defence/midfield sucked that day, the way I look at it though was we lost to a bogey team by 8 points with half our backline out/limping (haven't won in Geelong since 2002/beaten Geelong since 2009), even though we lost and played poorly that day, our structures kept us in that game imo. FWIW we played Freo in round 7 (lost by 13 points and one of the best games of the year) and GWS in round 9 (pre Mumford/Patful/Shiel/Davis injuries) who were in the 8 at that time we played them.

Personally though I think North will flog us, we lost to St Kilda and Geelong after taxing road trips the week before that would've taken a bit out of us, we were lucky to have a bye after our loss to Port in round 10 also as our midfield were limping at that time and the week off did them good. Playing North on a 6 day break from Perth will be a massive test of endurance imo.

Another thing to think about, I think we've been lucky the way our deliberately doctored low-drawing fixture from the AFL has drawn out though which just happens to include poor performance from declining sides like Port, Essendon, Gold Coast and Collingwood etc. We have currently played more home games than away games so far, finishing the year off with 3 away games probably due to the AFL writing us off last year, but we've played all Victorian teams away except Collingwood and Carlton with Hawthorn and Geelong in Launceston/Geelong, meaning we've played more interstate teams at home than everyone else (7 interstate sides + 4 Victorians sides all outside the 8). Once we get a few more high drawing fixtures on Friday/Saturday nights, more MCG games (only 2 this year), no more travelling to Launceston/Geelong and less interstate fixtures at home then it could change a bit though with something close to a standard fixture any bigger Victorian side would get, but who knows with the AFL and the almighty dollar to be made.

Proper judgement on the Dogs can be made after the North game imo, but it won't surprise me if we fall in a heap off the back of these Perth and Brisbane trips leading into the finals. Finishing top 4 would be an amazing effort however, but 3 away trips in 4 weeks would kill us for the year imo.

 

[Tiger71]

I'd be very surprised if we win - the Eagles look amazing at the moment. Should be a cracking game though between the two most improved sides in the league

Agree with this. My hart wants the dogs to win, god knows I would love them to actually win the flag. BUT I need them to lose this, so we can take there spot .

It is going to be a cracking game, one thing both sides have proven this year, they are brave.

 

[DerpWerls]

I can't agree with Dogs by 4-6 goals tip. That would be the Eagles worst loss all year and they are playing at home in the most critical game of the last few weeks.

 

[go you pups]

A little different.

You have Hamling (194cm), Talia (193cm), Morris (190cm), Wood (185cm) & Biggs (183cm)

From the 3rd quarter yesterday, we were playing Yeo (190cm), Wellingham (185cm), Shep (187cm), Hurn (186cm), Butler (187cm), Ellis (187cm) & Bennell (179cm)

I said we got Hamling back last week this is based off 4 of the last 6 weeks.

Against Collingwood and Essendon we played Talia (194) Morris (190) Biggs (187) and Wood (186) against the likes of Grundy/Witts when resting, Moore, White, Daniher, Hooker, Ambrose who are all way taller than their opponents were on the day, hence why I think there's a comparison between the two backlines.

Shep, Hurn, Butler and Ellis are all 187 but Freo don't have the biggest forward line either if their rucks aren't resting up there with Pav at 192 their tallest and Mayne at 188.

As long as you take care of Redpath/Boyd as we only play 1 of them at a time, we only have Stringer 192 and Crameri 189 to be taken care of by your mediums which isn't the worst thing as they're very mobile and better at ground level than in the air. As I said earlier, whoever can create poor F50 entries the most from midfield pressure on the ball disposer, then create attacking rebound on the turnover will have a big say in this game.

Agree with this. My hart wants the dogs to win, god knows I would love them to actually win the flag. BUT I need them to lose this, so we can take there spot .

It is going to be a cracking game, one thing both sides have proven this year, they are brave.

You'll need more than 1 loss from us, our percentage is nearly 9 percent better than yours. WCE and North would need to do a number on us while you have to beat Collingwood (bogey team) and North potentially playing for a home final (bogey team also ). You'll have to make up most of your percentage against Essendon also.

Imo Sydney would be hoping we lose more than you guys, while we should be hoping GWS/St Kilda can pinch a win off them. Would you rather play the Dogs in a semi at the MCG or Sydney in a semi at Fitzpatrick Stadium?

 

[Doggies_2008]

If the Eagles can't easily account for the dogs then they are pretenders.

How so when they destroyed freo and Swans, beat tigers in Melborune ?

Are Hawks not contenders because they lose to bombers?

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Our back line is hurting atm. But the one side that really isn't demanding great key tall defenders to play against is the dogs.

Unless Redpath and Boyd both play.