Autopsy Post 2021 Grand Final Western Bulldogs game review, the good the bad and the ugly, come talk about it here!

[Dogs Rule]

Thing was none of those teams were thumped

Teams who get thumped seem to lose all confidence and drop their bundle

Carlton 1993 lost by 44, had an ok 1994, think they made a semi or prelim, pretty sure they got rolled by West Coast who won the flag, then they won 1995 convincingly after being arguably the best performed team in the 90s across a season (20-2)

Hawthorn thumped Essendon by 83 points in 1983 only for Essendon to flip the tables on them the next 2 years and salute

It just doesn't seem to happen often after a drubbing that those teams bounce back, we have to be resilient and find a way.

I think you're arguing against yourself there.

Let's be Essendon in '83!

 

[_Mike_]

Just don't get the incessant bagging of Cordy. He really isn't that bad watch the first half again he saved our arse' multiple times

The way I see Cordy is that he often gets used as a 2nd KPD which isnt within his capacity. He does get beaten often in the air and is more of a ground ball get on the backline however he may be better suited to his 2016 role as a defensive half forward flanker. Its a structural deficiency, no worse than relying on English as a first ruck

 

[dergert]

Hope the team gets some good down time and hit pre season well.

I remember Mark Thompson saying he was over the Cat's 2008 Grand final loss later that night. I hope we take some heed in that.


We definitely have the bones of a side that can be up there for a while. I just hope we don't fall into pieces like Adelaide, Collingwood etc.

Go dogs!

 

[footscray1973]

So Gardner back next week, maybe VDM and Richards too, and Scott. Who makes way though?

 

[Triple Baileys]

I made this point in the Retire Wood thread and I'll make it again here.

Name a defender in the competition who could've done anything about the avalanche of inside 50 that they had coming their way when the game turned on its head in the 3rd? Richards, Gardner or Jesus ******* Christ himself wouldn't have made a lick of difference tonight when the Demons got on a roll.

It needed to be stopped in the middle and we couldn't do it.

I concur.

 

[1961grandfinal]

I don't get this Cordy was pretty good in the first half. Sure he struggled when Gawn went fwd and he had to take Brown. But Cordy was going ok. Gardner would have shat the bed with pressure they were putting on. Dale and Williams shat the bed. Cordy was actually a steadying influence. Them walking the ball through our mids is what killed us. Jackson slaughtered us when Gawn went fwd.

Jackson has matured into a very good ruckman who can clunk a mark. They are onto a winner.

What was obvious was their use of handball to a runner who kicks it to a moving forward. Our hand ball philosophy needs to adapt to a changing game.

 

[go you pups]

I think you're arguing against yourself there.

Let's be Essendon in '83!

Ahhhhhh no

Carlton and Essendon are the only 2 examples I can kinda think of in the last 40 years who turned the tables after a drubbing, Essendon in particular

Maybe West Coast getting done in 2015 then saluting in 2018 can be included here too, so 3 in 40?

 

[adogsfan5]

Jackson has matured into a very good ruckman who can clunk a mark. They are onto a winner.

What was obvious was their use of handball to a runner who kicks it to a moving forward. Our hand ball philosophy needs to adapt to a changing game.

there’s a big difference between him and Tim. Tim is clean but soft. Plods around a lot.
Jackson is almost another mid.

 

[BRWB]

This

Our midfield first and foremost capitulated when we had 1 foot on their throat

After that they all dropped their heads and gave up

The real turning point was Caleb doing a little victory dance over Gawn after smashing him into the artificial turf. Gawn was shaken and went fwd. Keath took Gawn and Cordy took Brown. Jackson went into the ruck. Dees were stung into action and that was all she wrote

CD was like Nathan Brown prematurely celebrating against Norf. Reckon CDs little dance over Gawn will get a fair bit of air time unfortunately

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

How can you say that when the Dees are just as young, better coached and clearly, much much better?

It helps they have three senior coaches on their payroll. Chocco, Goodwin and that other dude, no doubt paid from the MCC memberships.

They hunted this year and now they will become the hunted.

 

[ExRoyboy]

Proud that we made it to the Grand Final. Disappointed in the way we started and finished, the in between was beautiful. It was a really good game until the point where they started waltzing it out of the centre like 4 times in a row.

Bont was looking like the Norm Smith medalist at that point. When JJ took that screamer I thought we were a huge chance. The momentum changed so quickly once Hannan didn’t go for the big kick forward from that free kick. It was a poor decision followed up by a couple of fumbles and then they just couldn’t miss after that. We had them on toast at that point. Even the most confident Melbourne supporter would have been worried.
Maybe the travel finally caught up with them, but the change in the game from that point was extraordinary.

But Melbourne definitely deserved it, they were the best team for the year, and they just pummeled us after that turnaround.

 

[Mattdougie]

Very surprised how poor Bailey Williams was ,not at all how poor Bailey Dale

31

Bailey Dale

Age

28

Ht

188cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

5.6

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

1.6

4star

MG

117.4

2star

D

9.0

2star

K

5.1

2star

HB

3.9

3star

M

2.3

2star

T

1.7

3star

MG

117.4

2star

D

8.0

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.4

2star

T

2.0

4star

was.

Anyway let’s hope civid is gone next year and we can attend the footy even if we finish last I truly don’t care anymore

 

[stefcep]

I don't get this Cordy was pretty good in the first half. Sure he struggled when Gawn went fwd and he had to take Brown. But Cordy was going ok. Gardner would have shat the bed with pressure they were putting on. Dale and Williams shat the bed. Cordy was actually a steadying influence. Them walking the ball through our mids is what killed us. Jackson slaughtered us when Gawn went fwd.

Just don't get the incessant bagging of Cordy. He really isn't that bad watch the first half again he saved our arse' multiple times

I actually feel sorry Cordy because he asked to play as the second KPD when the guy is basically a half bank flanker. And whose fault is that?

 

[Peter Wallis]

So Gardner back next week, maybe VDM and Richards too, and Scott. Who makes way though?

Hannan, Wood & Cordy for starters.

 

[Doggy Dan]

there’s a big difference between him and Tim. Tim is clean but soft. Plods around a lot.
Jackson is almost another mid.

Have only taken note of him late in the year, that kid is incredible!

Jackson, not Tim.

 

[Doggies_13]

Upset, disappointed and a bit angry about the performance today. Season and finals series as a whole we took a big step forward.

On today, they smashed us through the middle in the second half, their adjustments at half time to get the ball out of the inner contest to their players keeping width tore us apart. Wood was given a bath. Our defenders get caught out a lot because their first instinct is attack when it should be defend. We played a decent quarter and a half tonight and got dealt with. We try to be way too cute with the ball coming out of the backline and gave up so much ball. Also the football instincts of some of our players needs work. Late in the third when Melbourne were walking it out of the middle Tim wins a tap and taps it back over his head giving them momentum to walk it out again

Pretty disappointing to concede our biggest score against and biggest losing margin in the biggest game of all. We definitely threw in the towel in that last quarter.

Would have been nice for the captain to acknowledge the members post game rather than solely worrying about sponsors.

Will be interesting how we respond next year.

 

[Draft Pick]

 

[10571z]

Sorry doggies fans, points of the game it looked as if doggies would run away with it but Melbourne are a really good side. Back line need needs a boost I feel. Fantastic team to watch what a ride for the fans. Spewing Adam didn’t get a medal

 

[adogsfan5]

Still can’t work out how a supporter of a club who didn’t make the grand final or finals at all.. can actually dish it out to the runners up am I missing something? If we sucked, I’d be the first to congratulate a losing side.

 

[Oliver G]

I think you're arguing against yourself there.

Let's be Essendon in '83!

It works both ways too. St Kilda got as close it gets in 2010 and then fell off a cliff. Getting smashed in a GF in reality means nothing there are plenty of examples either way.

 

[footscray1973]

Hannan, Wood & Cordy for starters.

Will be interesting to see what happens with Hannan next year. Wallis on the outer, but Hannan only had significant offensive impact in 2 finals, used as a defensive forward most of the year. Under Bevo we've had lots of medium forwards who have one good season, then fail to back it up and/or are moved on. Stringer, Lloyd, Wallis, Gowers. Is it a trend due to the coaching style? Is Hannan next?

 

[random__hero]

 

[Sentinel]

Thing was none of those teams were thumped

Teams who get thumped seem to lose all confidence and drop their bundle

Carlton 1993 lost by 44, had an ok 1994, think they made a semi or prelim, pretty sure they got rolled by West Coast who won the flag, then they won 1995 convincingly after being arguably the best performed team in the 90s across a season (20-2)

Hawthorn thumped Essendon by 83 points in 1983 only for Essendon to flip the tables on them the next 2 years and salute

It just doesn't seem to happen often after a drubbing that those teams bounce back, we have to be resilient and find a way.

I think it means about as much as grand final experience going into the game, or any other omen. Not many teams make the grand final from outside the 4 but the Dogs have done it twice in 6 years. Every team is different, it's about the individuals involved not what other teams have done or not done before. Its also easy to cherry pick stats one way or another to try and prove a point (as I did myself).

 

[dergert]

Will be keen to see how Schache progresses next year. Make or break year.

 

[Deadly Darcy]

As well as everything else…..

We had to cobble together a forwardline without Bruce. It really didn’t help that he went out when he did. Amazing year for him.

Another year into JUH and Bruce coming back at the end of next season plus another ruck will really help.

I don’t think any of them should hang their heads. Outstanding finals run. Special shout out to Roarke Smith

37

Roarke Smith

Age

28

Ht

184cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.7

3star

K

5.6

2star

HB

6.1

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

1.7

4star

CL

0.4

2star

No current season stats available

D

12.0

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

6.2

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.6

4star

CL

0.2

2star

- played out of his skin tonight.