Autopsy The gentle dogs go down in a thriller

[Freshwater]

Definitely not advocating 'poor me' approach, more that we need to stand up and fight. It's crap that we've been so badly shafted - the bye situation is a disgrace but it's more than that. When was the last time we had a proper blockbuster fixture? The answer is never. I've also had a gutful of having to play at that s******* in Geelong so often.

Plenty of other examples, just want the club to grow a pair, show a bit of passion and stand up for itself.

100%, I want our president out there fighting for a much better fixture, keeping fighting until at the minimum it’s fair. Shout it out if that’s what’s needed.

 

[maddog37]

100%, I want our president out there fighting for a much better fixture, keeping fighting until at the minimum it’s fair. Shout it out if that’s what’s needed.

I want to see this too but much more than that I want our players to bounce back hard and win this week.

We will always be treated like crap with the fixture so may as well get used to it.

 

[Some Idiot]

Definitely not advocating 'poor me' approach, more that we need to stand up and fight. It's crap that we've been so badly shafted - the bye situation is a disgrace but it's more than that. When was the last time we had a proper blockbuster fixture? The answer is never. I've also had a gutful of having to play at that s******* in Geelong so often.

Plenty of other examples, just want the club to grow a pair, show a bit of passion and stand up for itself.

Our round 1 match against the Dees was designed as a blockbuster 2021 grand final rematch/grudge match. We've turned it into a nothing match by not turning up.

 

[LondonBulldog]

Our round 1 match against the Dees was designed as a blockbuster 2021 grand final rematch/grudge match. We've turned it into a nothing match by not turning up.

But some of that is the club fault. That should be our replacement game for Ballarat. Promote it as a dogs home game at the g and you get a good crowd. Taking away replacement games for Ballarat was a big missed opportunity and shows no vision by the club. Both replacement games could be our mcg games and everyone wins.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[dogwatch]

100%, I want our president out there fighting for a much better fixture, keeping fighting until at the minimum it’s fair. Shout it out if that’s what’s needed.

Let's face it, every club whinges to the AFL hoping to get favours. The AFL listens politely but would mostly tune out every time that happens (unless your club is in NSW, or its name starts with a "C", "E" or "R").

So rather than make it sound like parochial whingeing we should pay Champion Data $40,000 or whatever they charge to put together a report on fixture advantage/disadvantage over the last decade, showing all clubs or at least all Vic clubs. They would be able to come up with a methodology that deals with things like Kat Park, blockbusters, playing "home" finals at a ground you rarely see in the H&A, etc.

If it shows what we think it would show then we have independent and objective analysis to beat Dillon over the head with. If not, we should just shut up.

A sneaky leak of the report to selected media during the quiet period of the off-season might also help.

I somehow doubt that even a strong case prepared by CD would overcome the hold that the networks have on the AFL but it would be our best shot, combined with energetic advocacy from KWW/Ameet.

 

[Fossie 32]

Keath is done and has been for sometime just hasn’t registered yet

Ball in hand his jittery
Moves like a container ship turning

Only reason he’s playing is we have no KPD and the one developing won’t be there going forward

What is your evidence about Buss leaving? Does anyone have any? Like when people were saying JUH would leave rather than resigning

 

[_Mike_]

Still perplexed as to why Buss cant get a game.. Havent been able to see the VFL games

 

[Dog 36]

What is your evidence about Buss leaving? Does anyone have any? Like when people were saying JUH would leave rather than resigning

No evidence Fossie just going by some of the posters on here who are ITK and have had inside word previously that been on the money

I hope he stays we need him to

 

[mitch hahn premium light]

A couple of my observations from the game watching from level 3:

- Caleb Daniel

5

Caleb Daniel

Age

28

Ht

171cm

Wt

72kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

19.5

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

CL

1.0

3star

D

16.4

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

9.2

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.2

2star

is too slow no matter where he’s played on the ground. Sad but he looks done. I can’t think of a role where he isn’t a liability.

- our tackling is average. Our best players are our best tacklers. It should be the other way round, the less skilful players should be the best tacklers. A lot of our fringe players i.e. Williams, O’Donnell, Lobb, VDM, McNeil, Sanders, Khamis are really lazy one handed tacklers. I believe a part of this responsibility lies with coaching, look at where a coaching emphasis on increased pressure has got the Bombers.

- Tim English is blessed with skill but is as soft as butter. Unfortunately I think a ruckman can very much set the tone for a team in the middle and make everyone else puff their chests out a bit. Tim English leaves us flat as. Notice it’s always Bont or Libba flying the physicality flag while Tim stares into the distance.

- Jamarra does not work hard enough when things aren’t going his way / when he isn’t getting much of the footy. He must improve all of the 1%ers if he is to excel. Right now he looks like he just wants a few easy goals per game.

- Rhylee West

14

Rhylee West

Age

24

Ht

183cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.3

3star

K

5.7

2star

HB

6.7

4star

M

2.5

3star

T

1.5

3star

G

0.5

3star

D

12.0

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

6.0

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

13.0

4star

K

5.6

3star

HB

7.4

5star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.4

4star

G

0.6

3star

works hard and has mongrel. He wants to win and he can fire up his teammates. He didn’t have a great night against Lions but he tried all night.

Defensive structure - our defenders are clearly instructed to push up high at all costs. We never ever play man on man. The amount of free goals we gift the opponent by letting them get out the back is outrageous. Even when we are getting monstered in the middle our defenders are still 20 metres in front of their opponent. It makes no sense and explains why we have been one of the worst teams in the last few years for conceding runs of goals.

it has Bevo stubbornness written all over it given the fact that it hasn’t changed once in 8 years.

 

[Fossie 32]

No evidence Fossie just going by some of the posters on here who are ITK and have had inside word previously that been on the money

I hope he stays we need him to

I had a look for 'ITKs' comments and could only find this post which says they are 'hearing' he is gone. Not putting down input from reliable ITK people, who I appreciate but it's not the same as saying 'he IS gone'

Hearing Busslinger is goneski back to WA

 

[Fossie 32]

A couple of my observations from the game watching from level 3:

- Caleb Daniel is too slow no matter where he’s played on the ground. Sad but he looks done. I can’t think of a role where he isn’t a liability.

- our tackling is average. Our best players are our best tacklers. It should be the other way round, the less skilful players should be the best tacklers. A lot of our fringe players i.e. Williams, O’Donnell, Lobb, VDM, McNeil, Sanders, Khamis are really lazy one handed tacklers. I believe a part of this responsibility lies with coaching, look at where a coaching emphasis on increased pressure has got the Bombers.

- Tim English is blessed with skill but is as soft as butter. Unfortunately I think a ruckman can very much set the tone for a team in the middle and make everyone else puff their chests out a bit. Tim English leaves us flat as. Notice it’s always Bont or Libba flying the physicality flag while Tim stares into the distance.

- Jamarra does not work hard enough when things aren’t going his way / when he isn’t getting much of the footy. He must improve all of the 1%ers if he is to excel. Right now he looks like he just wants a few easy goals per game.

- Rhylee West works hard and has mongrel. He wants to win and he can fire up his teammates. He didn’t have a great night against Lions but he tried all night.

Defensive structure - our defenders are clearly instructed to push up high at all costs. We never ever play man on man. The amount of free goals we gift the opponent by letting them get out the back is outrageous. Even when we are getting monstered in the middle our defenders are still 20 metres in front of their opponent. It makes no sense and explains why we have been one of the worst teams in the last few years for conceding runs of goals.

it has Bevo stubbornness written all over it given the fact that it hasn’t changed once in 8 years.

Yes, pretty much all spot on imho.
Was just thinking about the point about the ruckman 'setting the tone' myself. It's inspiring to see any player show courage but highlighted when all the focus is on them in ruck contests.

 

[Palace03]

Friday nights performance was as dismal as we've rolled out this year, but circumstances, I think caught up with us. I can be quick to criticise, but that looked like a tired, busted up team with too players not up to it due to injuries. There were a few factors at fault;

• Coaches got it wrong with the non tag of Neale, he can't go forward like Bont can and has shown he struggles with a hard tag. When any of our guys start well the oppo coach makes the correction at 1/4 time and the game changes. Also got the press horribly wrong, too many Brisbane goals out the back.
• Playing JOD forward and Buku sub meant the structure of the backline was affected as well as the forward line. Should of left JOD back and played Buku forward, Gags or McNeil sub.
• 3 of our best 4 forwards out left the forward line dysfunctional.
• Loosing 2 players early in each of the last 2 games (1 of those off a 5 day break) meant there were alot of tired players out there.
• Brissy getting 2 byes before we get 1 is just unacceptable and unfair.
• Too many sub par players. Lobb, VDM, Gags, Bramble, McNeil and Daniel either not up to it or not ready yet. Too many other capable players having a bad night like West, Sanders and Garcia.

Not a deciding factor but the umpiring is utterly atrocious. The depth of umpiring is not there to have 4 per game. The change in HTB interpretation needs to focus more on the run down tackles after the ball carrier takes 3-4 steps even if they get a toe poke on it (ie Daicos last week and Neale this week) rather then penalising players tackled and taken to ground immediately. There's little incentive to be first to the footy anymore.

 

[Sharkey66]

Yes the CEO doing this behind the scenes maybe occasionally publicly. But this is mainly the President’s job. Gordon was a fighter in his own way. And Smorgo did it too, but was extremely conscious to overcome the ‘poor me’ complex we had as a club, so always took things on the chin a bit.
I think we’ve moved past the ‘poor me’ attitude of the 1980’s/90’s era it’s probably time for our President to be much more forthright in the media about the shithouse FIXture we get year in year out.
2 games at the MCG as the away team, way less than Geelong and even some interstate teams, yet if we qualify for a home final, it’s at the MCG? I have been thinking for years that Queens birthday eve was the only free blockbuster time slot not utilised and this I see it’s bloody Carlton Essendon this year, how is this right? We could go on Good Friday, Round 0, Collingwood only ever as away team and at Marvel? Kardinia Park every year?
Maybe we could take the league to the Arbitration for Sport Committee for a hearing and legally ask for an equitable fixture, not a favourable one, we just want an equitable one!!

Bit of a conspiracy theory here but i Honestly believe that KWW tilt at the top job recently has put a few noses seriously out of place at HQ and being the vindictive boys club that they are, we are copping the effects over the last 2 seasons.

 

[dogwatch]

Bit of a conspiracy theory here but i Honestly believe that KWW tilt at the top job recently has put a few noses seriously out of place at HQ and being the vindictive boys club that they are, we are copping the effects over the last 2 seasons.

I love a good conspiracy theory!

 

[_Mike_]

English should be dropped to the ressies, his WR is substandard for a supposed AFL level elite ruck

 

[Dogs Rule]

English should be dropped to the ressies, his WR is substandard for a supposed AFL level elite ruck

There's the workrate and the fact he has the presence of an Auskicker. Darcy is 20 and he's already got him well and truly beaten in the physical stakes.

 

[_Mike_]

There's the workrate and the fact he has the presence of an Auskicker. Darcy is 20 and he's already got him well and truly beaten in the physical stakes.

Sign him on for a $7m deal, to play like a $7 local footy player

 

[Doggy]

Sign him on for a $7m deal, to play like a $7 local footy player

What are you on about? Noone has signed English to a $7m deal

The club isn't even proposing to pay near that

 

[_Mike_]

What are you on about? Noone has signed English to a $7m deal

The club isn't even proposing to pay near that

statement based on a hypothetical.. hyperbole... etc etc sarcasm intended

 

[Dogs 13]

I’ll never forgive him for killing Apollo Creed, “if he dies he dies”.

Seriously I consistently had 3 words when it seemed a fait accompli that he was coming to us.
Do
Not
Want !!

How wrong is Dermie there defending one of his Giants protégés, he may occasionally outreach his opponent, but he rarely marks it. He has concrete hands. Shows less urgency and aggression than Schache.

He’s played a couple of serviceable games including the one against a Cats side who were already put in cotton wool in the last round last year. I know there’s plenty on here who say he serves that forward/relief ruck role, but jeez if we think Tim is a marshmallow this guy is fairy floss.

I also heard Gerard when driving home on Friday night and he was passionate and strong about the inequity of the way the byes have “fallen”. Questioning how they couldn’t have foreseen this being the result. Bullshit, in my opinion this wasn’t headquarters stupidity or an oversight, this is a deliberate leg up for the northern states. Like round zero was intended to be.
Brisbane were floating across the ground, while a banged up and depleted Dogs dragged themselves around the park. They’ll fix it next year with the pressure put on them, but that’s too late.

 

[Munnez]

I’ll never forgive him for killing Apollo Creed, “if he dies he dies”.

Seriously I consistently had 3 words when it seemed a fait accompli that he was coming to us.
Do
Not
Want !!

How wrong is Dermie there defending one of his Giants protégés, he may occasionally outreach his opponent, but he rarely marks it. He has concrete hands. Shows less urgency and aggression than Schache.

He’s played a couple of serviceable games including the one against a Cats side who were already put in cotton wool in the last round last year. I know there’s plenty on here who say he serves that forward/relief ruck role, but jeez if we think Tim is a marshmallow this guy is fairy floss.

I also heard Gerard when driving home on Friday night and he was passionate and strong about the inequity of the way the byes have “fallen”. Questioning how they couldn’t have foreseen this being the result. Bullshit, in my opinion this wasn’t headquarters stupidity or an oversight, this is a deliberate leg up for the northern states. Like round zero was intended to be.
Brisbane were floating across the ground, while a banged up and depleted Dogs dragged themselves around the park. They’ll fix it next year with the pressure put on them, but that’s too late.

Absolutely a stitch up to give the Northern states the best opportunity to have a strong season. They have built a monster out of the Swans with the Academy selections.
What can you the AFL will always take the p1ss

 

[Dogs Rule]

Our round 1 match against the Dees was designed as a blockbuster 2021 grand final rematch/grudge match. We've turned it into a nothing match by not turning up.

No, it was never and will be that kind of a fixture and that was just the AFL patting us on the head and telling us to go away. Pathetic really.

Anyway, on we go.

Agree that the northern academies are a disgrace and for all the whinging those states do about cost of living and growing the game, the fact the AFL just hands out the best from NSW, QLD and NT to those clubs is something Victorian clubs need to fight to change.

Who am I kidding? It will never change and thus the corrupt and fixed competition we have. But yes, Sydney do go on about the couple of frees you think you were robbed of eight years ago....

 

[The Inbetweener]

I’ll never forgive him for killing Apollo Creed, “if he dies he dies”.

Seriously I consistently had 3 words when it seemed a fait accompli that he was coming to us.
Do
Not
Want !!

How wrong is Dermie there defending one of his Giants protégés, he may occasionally outreach his opponent, but he rarely marks it. He has concrete hands. Shows less urgency and aggression than Schache.

He’s played a couple of serviceable games including the one against a Cats side who were already put in cotton wool in the last round last year. I know there’s plenty on here who say he serves that forward/relief ruck role, but jeez if we think Tim is a marshmallow this guy is fairy floss.

I also heard Gerard when driving home on Friday night and he was passionate and strong about the inequity of the way the byes have “fallen”. Questioning how they couldn’t have foreseen this being the result. Bullshit, in my opinion this wasn’t headquarters stupidity or an oversight, this is a deliberate leg up for the northern states. Like round zero was intended to be.
Brisbane were floating across the ground, while a banged up and depleted Dogs dragged themselves around the park. They’ll fix it next year with the pressure put on them, but that’s too late.

I felt this game was going to be really challenging without Naughton, Darcy and Ed regardless, but yeah the fixturing is such a rort.

 

[mitch hahn premium light]

Bit of a conspiracy theory here but i Honestly believe that KWW tilt at the top job recently has put a few noses seriously out of place at HQ and being the vindictive boys club that they are, we are copping the effects over the last 2 seasons.

I wouldn’t be surprised one bit. It’s an awful boys club at the top of AFL HQ

 

[Dogs Rule]

I’ll never forgive him for killing Apollo Creed, “if he dies he dies”.

Seriously I consistently had 3 words when it seemed a fait accompli that he was coming to us.
Do
Not
Want !!

How wrong is Dermie there defending one of his Giants protégés, he may occasionally outreach his opponent, but he rarely marks it. He has concrete hands. Shows less urgency and aggression than Schache.

He’s played a couple of serviceable games including the one against a Cats side who were already put in cotton wool in the last round last year. I know there’s plenty on here who say he serves that forward/relief ruck role, but jeez if we think Tim is a marshmallow this guy is fairy floss.

I also heard Gerard when driving home on Friday night and he was passionate and strong about the inequity of the way the byes have “fallen”. Questioning how they couldn’t have foreseen this being the result. Bullshit, in my opinion this wasn’t headquarters stupidity or an oversight, this is a deliberate leg up for the northern states. Like round zero was intended to be.
Brisbane were floating across the ground, while a banged up and depleted Dogs dragged themselves around the park. They’ll fix it next year with the pressure put on them, but that’s too late.

The most predictable part will be all the suits at the AFL (including Kane) will then feign ignorance and pretend they had no idea this fixturing/bye BS would
happen with some glib statement like it being an 'unintended or unforeseen circumstance'. Crap. Course it was a leg up for the northern states, it was never anything but.

The only thing they'll be crying about at the AFL is that Brisbane still find themselves out of the eight. Had they been in the eight by now the windows would be permanently fogged up in there such would be the excitement levels.