Review vs Swans

[BRWB]

Just watched the game again. Can only say, proud to be a Bulldogs supporter.

A couple of points of interest (some arising from Bev's presser):

1 - Bev is big on defense and heaped praise on our defenders. (And rightly so)

2 - Bev flagged the crap treatment of Boyd by the umpires but did it very subtly and without looking like he was whinging. Got his point across well.

3 - At one point he caught himself and was about to say something like 'its set our season up' but instead said 'set us for the next game' Brilliant composure.

4 - Ayce (Rucks). A few guys have been saying it, but now I believe it. Ayce's defensive work is helping the side (and Minson and Campbell's don't). That is why he is playing. However, at the same time he said he was happy with Acye, he also said they would keep searching....hmmm

5 - Hrovat - still appears to lack composure, got a bit of it with fresh legs, had an absolute crack but his decision making and execution on mulitple occassions wasn't good enough. Hopefully this will come.

6 - Bev seemed willing to harness the feel good story about us, but importantly highlighted that the players are starting to believe that we can, as Bev put it....'maybe beat anyone'. Massive.

Bring on the rest of the season!!

 

[fitzroybowiedog]

haven't watched it yet, plan to in the next couple of days.
Some of the most intense reading on the live stream ever. My work colleagues think i'm nuts.

 

[ExRoyboy]

Finally had a chance this evening to watch a replay of the game. Listened to it on the radio yesterday while out and about dropping the kids at various Saturday activities.

Wow what a game!! The guts and determination of this team to win after being headed in the final term was just outstanding. Beating Sydney at the SCG in the wet is probably one of the hardest assignments in Football. For a team as young as ours to accomplish that without a real ruck presence and missing probably our two best inside mids in Libba and Wallis was just sensational. Despite how well we had been playing this year I really didn't see us winning this one. But boy I'm so glad I was wrong. The way they attacked the game in the first quarter and then locked down and ground it out once the rain came was a sign of a top team, not one that finished near the bottom of the ladder last year.

Luke Beveridge is an absolute genius. The way he has turned this team around and got them to believe in each other and his game plan has been amazing. Even the way a guy like Fletcher Roberts came in and just played his role not appearing out of his depth, just like Lukas Webb who continues to impress me. Again the old heads Picken, Murph and M Boyd were outstanding. The young guys like Stringer, Bonti, T Boyd, Dahl were brilliant and Easton Wood is just an absolute champion. His play all day was outstanding but his last 5-10 minutes, my God. First he wins us the game with smart play in using his martial arts skills to kick a goal that otherwise would have been touched, then he saves the game multiple times with his cool head and clean hands.

This type of win for such a young team will be crucial in cementing their belief in their ability. Now we just have to make sure we make the most of this fantastic first month by consolidating our position in the top 8 by beating St.Kilda, Melbourne and the other lower teams from last year who will also be hungry to knock us off.

I hate to get ahead of myself but considering how hard our first month was and to be 4 and 1 with many winnable games to come you can't help but get excited and think they are a strong chance now to make the finals. Just need to win the games we would be expected to win, but given how this year is panning out that is easier said than done.

Go Dogs!!!

 

[Dav1d]

Yesterday I saw many people reading the newspapers, opened up on the section of articles about the Bulldogs
I overhead people saying things like 'Did you see that game?!' 'How about Bontempelli!'
and noticed at least twice as many people wearing Bulldogs merchandise than last week
I thought...How good is this? Is this as good as it gets?

Dannnnnnnnnn you like movie quotes, so try this one 'The night is darkest just before the dawn' I believe I see a glint of sun rising

 

[ttomred17]

I'm curious to what peoples thoughts are on Bontempelli's game, in both the sun and the age's votes he was given top and second most votes. Is it scary that this guy has played 20 games and this is just what we expect already?

I'm a known die hard doggies fan amongst my friendship circle and obviously have been mocked a fair bit in recent times with our struggles, but its all about the admiration of our young blokes now, everyone admits that Bonti is incredible to watch.

 

[HiReception]

http://www.afl.com.au/video/smart-replay

This is working now.

Are you sure? I just tried it, and every game from Friday and Saturday was available except the Swans-Dogs game. The scores were greyed out and nothing happened if I tried to click it, the same way as the Sunday games.

 

[goondog]

Are you sure? I just tried it, and every game from Friday and Saturday was available except the Swans-Dogs game. The scores were greyed out and nothing happened if I tried to click it, the same way as the Sunday games.

Same here brother. It seems someone at Telstra is intentionally messing with us.

 

[King Harold]

I'm curious to what peoples thoughts are on Bontempelli's game, in both the sun and the age's votes he was given top and second most votes. Is it scary that this guy has played 20 games and this is just what we expect already?

I'm a known die hard doggies fan amongst my friendship circle and obviously have been mocked a fair bit in recent times with our struggles, but its all about the admiration of our young blokes now, everyone admits that Bonti is incredible to watch.

Overrated , will soon fizzle out

 

[fronkalicious]

23 touches, 2 goals and 6 tackles is a standard day at the office for bonti. Kids 19. Ridiculous.

 

[Roscoe_au]

23 touches, 2 goals and 6 tackles is a standard day at the office for bonti. Kids 19. Ridiculous.

He will have at least 6 Brownlow votes already. Imagine if he kept this going over the next 10 years of his career.

Would love to see comparisons between he, Ablett, Fyfe, Pendles after 20 games. Kid is a beast at the contest and skilful in space.

 

[Roscoe_au]

Close, but 'Ivan Easton' gets a 10 from me. Won so many essential things that added up to a match winning performance.

That one handed pick up in the wet with 4 seconds to go was worth a 10/10 alone

 

[fronkalicious]

He's so damn tall. Would love to know his exact height. The kick in he marked one handed was hilarious. Swans player was sure he could lob it over his head, but the Bont just threw his gadget arm back and plucked it. Then nailed it from 50m of course.

 

[BorisDawg]

He will have at least 6 Brownlow votes already. Imagine if he kept this going over the next 10 years of his career.

Would love to see comparisons between he, Ablett, Fyfe, Pendles after 20 games. Kid is a beast at the contest and skilful in space.

I was mighty bored...

 

[farstrider]

I was mighty bored...

Clearances and tackles are far ahead of the rest, great stats to be able to say that about.

 

[Roscoe_au]

He's so damn tall. Would love to know his exact height. The kick in he marked one handed was hilarious. Swans player was sure he could lob it over his head, but the Bont just threw his gadget arm back and plucked it. Then nailed it from 50m of course.

As you'd expect

 

[Roscoe_au]

I was mighty bored...

Great work!

I had read somewhere that the only knock on the kid was his physicality, but nobody doubted his skill.

Those clearance, cp's and tackle numbers would seem to suggest he loves the contest. Amazing we're comparing him to the league's elite already.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Great work!

I had read somewhere that the only knock on the kid was his physicality, but nobody doubted his skill.

Those clearance, cp's and tackle numbers would seem to suggest he loves the contest. Amazing we're comparing him to the league's elite already.

Yes, and he won't be bullied either.

 

[stefoid]

Amazing numbers from Fyfe as well. Ill assume Fyfe started his career as a half forward whereas Bonts has played midfield, which basically explains the difference in marks and shots on goal versus clearances, CPs and tackles.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

193cm apparently. He said that himself on The Footy Show a couple of weeks back. It annoys me how heights aren't always correct. It's quite clear, for example, that Jong is taller than his listed 188cm.

 

[stefoid]

Holy shit, I hope Jong sends Macrae some flowers and chocolates because he absolutely @#$@ him with that handpass.

Pyke laid one of those anime-style smoking crater tackles on Jackson. Its lucky he survived.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Holy shit, I hope Jong sends Macrae some flowers and chocolates because he absolutely @#$@ him with that handpass.

Pyke laid one of those anime-style smoking crater tackles on Jackson. Its lucky he survived.

Pyke's eyes lit up when he could bring back some of his Rugby heritage. Bone crushing tackle.

 

[Dizzy Stuff]

The replay is finally working on the AFL website (for me at least).

http://www.afl.com.au/video/smart-replay

 

[the conch]

He's almost 25, in his 7th season. If he could become stronger and compete with other ruckman physically in marking/ruck contests I think he could make it. He has good footy smarts for a big man. We've all been very patient and his body failing frequently hasn't helped. What I'm saying is that I don't think he has a clear position (it's nothing personal). Bev knows plenty, but do you think Bev would be happy with the 'huge' discrepancy in hit outs to advantage, giving the swans first use of the footy? I wonder whether this clear advantage that the swans had would have been capitalised on more if the conditions were better?
We'll see what Bev does next week. I'd give him 1 more chance. 1 more season assuming that there is very little improvement ...???

I agree, but Ayce has shown great improvement this year with being injury free. Bev is putting faith in this improvement ,like in the whole list, even though he often looks out of depth in centre bounces, but he has probably had little experience playing the best big and heavier mature ruckman... he mistimes his jump or positioning. I agree he needs to be more competitive and stronger, but Bev is taking a punt on the upside.
Bev seems pretty relaxed about the centre clearance deficiences... (maybe small guy syndrome lol: thinks rucks are overrated ?)
And having our best clearance inside mid players in Wallis and Libba out makes the stats look worse.
Another thing I wonder about is the sticking it to Will might be a lot about team message as much as anything... ?

 

[Dogs Rule]

If you're that way inclined, Bonts was $26 for the Brownlow when I last checked. Tasty odds.

 

[the conch]

Pyke's eyes lit up when he could bring back some of his Rugby heritage. Bone crushing tackle.

One of Macrae's best games ever imo.
He really put his body in and was slammed big time a number of times.. but he got up, amazingly, and really willed himself to get in to support. No easy, pretty by himself outside on the wing type footy in this game. He's a much tougher player than what he looks or I thought.
I'm full of admiration for his part in that win.