Recent History and Re-Evaluation

[Pembleton]

This week we have a chance to go into a positive win-loss record, something that hasn't happened (besides for 1 week in 2003) since we were 9-7 during 2001 (we won only 1 more for the year). That has nothing to do with this thread really, but thought it was a little bit interesting.

Many people here before the start of the season were suggesting they would be satisfied with 8 wins for the year. I amongst others (seemingly a minority) suggested this would not be good enough. When Darcy went down, at 2-4, i must admit i would have probably taken the 8 wins. Much to the credit of the club, they have managed to lift our hopes again since that match.

So what would be acceptable to you now?

 

[MrChristo]

I did a 'ladder predictor' at the start of the season...(Highly inaccurate and guess work I know!)...but I had us competing for 8th spot. (For memory I had 3-4 teams on 11 wins)

We are currently 1 game ahead of 'schedule'. (I had Adelaide and Brisbane beating us, but I'd pencilled in a victory v. Richmond )

I can honestly see us winning up to 9 more games...I'll be disappointed if we get less than 8 total for sure, and I think 10-12 is very realistic.

 

[Derek Zoolander]

I had us making finals and was appalled by those who thought otherwise.

 

[whythelongface]

I still believe anything above 8 wins is a fair effort, although now that we have already chalked up 4 wins and with another 14 games remaining I guess I am expecting between 10 to 12 wins and maybe sneak into the finals.

 

[alwaysadog]

I had us making finals and was appalled by those who thought otherwise.

If memory serves me well Sporty, you hoped for a clean sweep. At the time I thought it an admirable statement and one that is going to be closer than most expected.
Still to answer the main question how many is good enough? From this point of the season and projecting recent form for the rest of the season, a terribly dodgy basis for any assumption, we should make at least 11 wins. I think we could win around 13 games and play finals, if everything continues to turn to gold for Midas Eade. If we don't all will not be lost.

It would be great to play finals, but it would be better to go into next season with a minimum of 8 wins and confident that we have blooded players to fill the gaps in the current side. I'd be happy to lose a few games to give us the chance to establish a few tall players for next year. Mind you at the moment the coaching panel seem to be able to win games while introducing a wealth of young tall talent.

It is really nice to not only have a restored faith in the capacity of the coach to know what is going on but to think that the tag of a list with great potential is being realised as a list that has begun to deliver.

 

[Dry Rot]

Probably not a popular post:

My wise old Swans mate who taught me a lot about footy used to say that there are always:

1. Early season bolters who fade later in the season, and

2. Surprise teams who do well until "other teams work them out"

Our fitness may suggest that we aren't #1, but I wonder about #2?

 

[Kennel Master]

It is really nice to not only have a restored faith in the capacity of the coach to know what is going on but to think that the tag of a list with great potential is being realised as a list that has begun to deliver.

This is what we are all hoping, that we are finally seeing the future of the club with the young players winning games for us.
On that basis we are all inclined to predict more wins than at the beginning of the season- well I am anyway.
If we can win the next few games then, maybe, we can think finals!!

It's a lot of fun being a Bulldog supporter at the moment!!

 

[alwaysadog]

Probably not a popular post:

My wise old Swans mate who taught me a lot about footy used to say that there are always:

1. Early season bolters who fade later in the season, and

2. Surprise teams who do well until "other teams work them out"

Our fitness may suggest that we aren't #1, but I wonder about #2?

Maybe not popular but a wise caution about not getting too far ahead of ourselves just yet. If one Swallow doesn't make a summer then we have certainly not yet won enough games to be certain of anything other than that we are better off than we have been recently and have cause for optimism rather than pessimism.

 

[alwaysadog]

This is what we are all hoping, that we are finally seeing the future of the club with the young players winning games for us.
On that basis we are all inclined to predict more wins than at the beginning of the season- well I am anyway.
If we can win the next few games then, maybe, we can think finals!!

It's a lot of fun being a Bulldog supporter at the moment!!

Pure poetry Kennel Master, what has often been thought but ne'er so well expressed

 

[Dry Rot]

Maybe not popular but a wise caution about not getting too far ahead of ourselves just yet. If one Swallow doesn't make a summer then we have certainly not yet won enough games to be certain of anything other than that we are better off than we have been recently and have cause for optimism rather than pessimism.

Totally agree about being optimistic, just concerned what will happen when smart coaches with good teams "work us out".

 

[alwaysadog]

Totally agree about being optimistic, just concerned what will happen when smart coaches with good teams "work us out".

I agree that it is a concern. I would be more worried if the improvement was a result of one or two players burning, carrying the load as has happened so often in the past and who could be shut down.

The stats from the last game give some hope that they might find that difficult. We had thirteen players with 17 or more possessions, so it will not only require a massive effort but if we have a side that continues to contribute across the board it will allow the deployment of plan B which wasn't even required against Brissie and is the reason that the bench players were used sparingly.

I don't think Rocket has only one strategy, though I can't speak for him. He might take us into his confidence at some future date or results will speak louder than words.

 

[MrChristo]

Totally agree about being optimistic, just concerned what will happen when smart coaches with good teams "work us out".

Can someone explain to me what other coaches are bound to 'find out' about us?
We are faster than most teams. Fitter than most teams. Our kicking skills are better than most teams (Damn, is it a long time since I could say that!).
We keep possession, run to position and hit the next player in line until we get close enough to goal to have a shot.
Certainly not rocket science (no pun intended!), and if we here all know it, why would anyone think that other teams don't?
Stopping it is another proposition all together.

Adelaide and the Kangaroos are 2 teams that DO play man on man, accountable football, and we were good enough to send them both packing.
No secret how Sydney will play us this weekend. What 'secrets' are out there?

 

[Dry Rot]

Stopping it is another proposition all together.

Will be interesting to see what tactics we come up against as the season unravels - perhaps playing defencders or taggers up forward against the likes of McMahon and Gilbee?

 

[Turtleman3]

Totally agree about being optimistic, just concerned what will happen when smart coaches with good teams "work us out".

Eade has said that there are three game plans that they use so hopefully working us out is a little more difficult as we aren't completely predictable. We have what Eade has called non negotiables so as long as the players follow those we should do OK.

 

[Sedat!]

Totally agree about being optimistic, just concerned what will happen when smart coaches with good teams "work us out".

Under an inexperienced coach I'd say yes. But there are not too many around that handle the cut and thrust of match days better than Rocket. If anything, I'd say we are more likely to work other sides out.

 

[Red House]

Can someone explain to me what other coaches are bound to 'find out' about us?
We are faster than most teams. Fitter than most teams. Our kicking skills are better than most teams (Damn, is it a long time since I could say that!).
We keep possession, run to position and hit the next player in line until we get close enough to goal to have a shot.
Certainly not rocket science (no pun intended!), and if we here all know it, why would anyone think that other teams don't?
Stopping it is another proposition all together.

Adelaide and the Kangaroos are 2 teams that DO play man on man, accountable football, and we were good enough to send them both packing.
No secret how Sydney will play us this weekend. What 'secrets' are out there?

We're doing the basics and doing them well. Nothing to work out.

The problem we cause a lot of teams, is that we have a good 4 or 5 midfielders that can find the ball regularly. You can't tag everyone, and that's where our advantage lays.

 

[dlanor the dog]

Probably not a popular post:

My wise old Swans mate who taught me a lot about footy used to say that there are always:

1. Early season bolters who fade later in the season, and

2. Surprise teams who do well until "other teams work them out"

Our fitness may suggest that we aren't #1, but I wonder about #2?

So very true.....Hopefully
1 Nth Melbourne
2 Richmond

 

[MrChristo]

We're doing the basics and doing them well. Nothing to work out.

The problem we cause a lot of teams, is that we have a good 4 or 5 midfielders that can find the ball regularly. You can't tag everyone, and that's where our advantage lays.

Agree 100%.

2. Surprise teams who do well until "other teams work them out"

Thing is, I don't think we are a 'surprise' team, Dry Rot.

 

[Curly5]

It's one thing to "work us out" - duh, I fink dere quick! Then they've got to catch us.

 

[X_box_X]

It's one thing to "work us out" - duh, I fink dere quick! Then they've got to catch us.

"Get on your bike and run."

 

[Dog Town]

We will have our ups and downs as all young sides do but I would be dissapointed if we dont come out square with wins and losses or better by the end of the season.We will get worked out for a couple of weeks every now and then and we will have to find ways around these problems.

 

[MeestaNob]

I refuse to make anymore ladder or win/loss predictions until the next month or so of games have been played.

We'll have a fair idea where the dogs are at by then.

 

[alwaysadog]

I refuse to make anymore ladder or win/loss predictions until the next month or so of games have been played.

We'll have a fair idea where the dogs are at by then.

Well said Meesta, totally agree. Hope you can keep to it.
A win on Sunday would not just warm the cockles of this supporters heart but would leave a glow that could be seen from as far away as the moon. Going to be pretty hard to keep a lid on after such underperformance in recent seasons.

 

[Dry Rot]

Just watching Q1 of tonight's game - perhaps we're a lot better than I thought.

Saints & Crows are crap.

 

[C.E.Lovett]

Just watching Q1 of tonight's game - perhaps we're a lot better than I thought.

Saints & Crows are crap.

The penny has dropped!