We made the finals… Changes VS Dockers

[HK_Bulldog]

I wonder what our game plan would be. Do we play high octane men of mayhem? If so, I would drop Roarke for West as both VDM and West have higher ceilings and X-factor. If we plan a slower more controlled style, I would swap VDM for West or McNeil or Scott. VDM doesn’t seem to have much of a tank and only plays in bursts.

 

[immortalmike]

Hannan, Scott, McComb in

English, Darcy, Hunter out

Dunkley lead ruck to get the advantage at ground level
Hannan down back
McComb replacing Dunks on ball
Treloar down back
Scott playing iso full forward

Martin sub

Don't give him ideas.

 

[Zgope1]

Think you are overstating Freo, they are not that good. There style is a bit tricky but overall we are a better team. we just need to be efficient in our forward half and we will win easily

Good point. We’re more talented which explains the frustration of many that we snuck into the 8.

In the game 3 weeks back I thought it summed up our season. We played awful. Our link ups were poor. We had a couple down patches in the contest. We didn’t look organised defensively in extended periods.

They played connected footy, they kicked very well for goal, like, very well. They had a method that they executed.

And despite all that, it felt like we were in the game all day! We played bad, they played well and it looked like a contest

 

[yebiga]

Our defense concedes 2.5 more goals a game more than Freo. Our forward line scores almost 2 goals more per game.

In our last game v Freo we allowed them to score 16 points above their season average. And we scored 11 points less than our average.

During that game v Freo - they controlled the tempo of the game by chipping it around and racking up 49 more uncontested marks - whilst still beating us on tackles by 7. Kicking efficiency was almost 10 % in their favour and we had 8 more clangers.

Watching this game live at the Marvel - Our lack of accountability and defensive pressure was the most infuriating aspect. We were neither putting sufficient pressure
On the ball carrier or manning up the release options.

Yet - we seemed to be within striking distance most of the game. No doubt we will bring more intensity and accountability into a final - but so will they.

Of all the other 7 teams in the eight, I think our chances of winning are highest against Freo and then Collingwood. A preliminary final is not out of our reach.

We don’t really deserve to even be in the 8 - but Could easily make a Preliminary Final. Proving that sometimes merit is over rated and a little bit of luck - a la collingwood this year - can take you a very long way.

 

[Northernsoul74]

Heard a rumour on SEN that Freo might be looking at Schache in the off season

Thought homesickness was a serious hurdle for him.

 

[Bulldogs Legend]

Thought homesickness was a serious hurdle for him.

It was but I guess he is older now and wants to play more senior footy. We all know he can play but his limitations hold him back

 

[Optimistic Dog]

I really hope the forecast is correct and it is wet. The Bont, Libba, Dunks and Jacko all good in the wet. They are have more underdone players if it is a slog plus it will hinder their keeping off style of hitting short targets. Also they got smashed by the pies over there in the wet.

 

[ossie_21]

You just know Bevo is going to swing some crazy different s**t & see how it goes.

Any predictions?

Arthur Jones to debut

 

[Bulldog Brent]

I really hope the forecast is correct and it is wet. The Bont, Libba, Dunks and Jacko all good in the wet. They are have more underdone players if it is a slog plus it will hinder their keeping off style of hitting short targets. Also they got smashed by the pies over there in the wet.

And the Dees smashed them in the wet in Perth too.

 

[Munnez]

Thought homesickness was a serious hurdle for him.

It was 4 or 5 years ago probably not so much anymore I wouldn't think, become less dependant as you mature.

 

[fred cook]

Arthur Jones to debut

Mcomb in due to the fact it might be a wet game.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[ScragCity]

IF WEST DOESNT COME IN I WILL FUXKIN SPEW UP. THIS KID WAS MADE FOR FINALS. HE WILL CRUNCH PEOPLE

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Grand Final Parade is going to be… on boats going up the Yarra

 

[ScragCity]

Freo board seems pretty resigned to the fact that they are going to get flogged

 

[Optimistic Dog]

I still cannot believe that I am saying no way Roarke gets dropped. All season I have been saying he is just one of Bevo's battlers that he gifts games to. He seemed to finally have his ticket stamped. He has a couple good VFL games gets a call up in round 23 plays well and now will play next Saturday. He certainly has a sense of timing. This is his third finals series in a row and out of 47 games since 2015 his first season this will be his seventh final.

 

[stefoid]

Article in the age says this year when we score more than 80pts we win - we have won 10/11 this year where we have scored more than 80, and won only 2 when we have scored less than 80.

I mean, the 80pts cutoff is arbitrary - its just a barometer for how well we are moving the ball.

Fortunately, going into the finals, we have our prime movers available in the backline - dale, richards and Daniel. no more weird experiments with small defenders.

Also hunter just had his best game for quite some time. Real bonus if he can continue that form.

 

[bobs head soup]

I still cannot believe that I saying no way Roarke gets dropped. All season I have been saying he is just one of Bevo's battlers that he gifts games to. He seemed to finally have his ticket stamped. He has a couple good VFL games gets a call up in round 23 plays well and now will play next Saturday. He certainly has a sense of timing. This is his third finals series in a row and out of 47 games since 2015 his first season this will be his seventh final.

Matt Spangher played 3 final series, 6 finals and a Premiership game in a 56 game career.

Roarke played a fair bit forward, so can be slated as another Spangher success story.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Matt Spangher played 3 final series, 6 finals and a Premiership game in a 56 game career.

Roarke played a fair bit forward, so can be slated as another Spangher success story.

Er… wot?

 

[jdz101]

Er… wot?

You've just been spanghed.

Welcome to Spangherdome.

 

[grassman75]

I still cannot believe that I saying no way Roarke gets dropped. All season I have been saying he is just one of Bevo's battlers that he gifts games to. He seemed to finally have his ticket stamped. He has a couple good VFL games gets a call up in round 23 plays well and now will play next Saturday. He certainly has a sense of timing. This is his third finals series in a row and out of 47 games since 2015 his first season this will be his seventh final.

Mr September

 

[Libbaaaa]

Freo board seems pretty resigned to the fact that they are going to get flogged

Getting major pre prelim Port support vibes from them. Remember venturing to their board and all week there was zero analysis of the match-up but just fear of losing the free count. They won the free kick count but still got flogged.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Might just be some cherry picked quotes by the AFL site, but if this is a true reflection of Naughton's comments, certainly sounds like Bruce might be out:

Naughton is in no doubt about where he thinks the 205cm Darcy should line up.

"I'd like him down there with me," Naughton said on Monday.

"He takes another big defender away so I'd be pretty happy with that.

"We've only really had the one game (together) and he was really impressive.

"His sheer height and being able to stand under high balls is something not many blokes can do.

"He's only going to get a lot better and it's pretty exciting to play hopefully alongside him this weekend with Jamarra down there.

Dogs ponder Darcy's best role for Freo showdown

Having impressed both forward and back in his short AFL career to date, Sam Darcy's role against Fremantle is yet to be determined

www.afl.com.au

 

[Unorth]

Might just be some cherry picked quotes by the AFL site, but if this is a true reflection of Naughton's comments, certainly sounds like Bruce might be out:

Dogs ponder Darcy's best role for Freo showdown

Having impressed both forward and back in his short AFL career to date, Sam Darcy's role against Fremantle is yet to be determined

www.afl.com.au

I’m sure the guys love having Bruce out there in terms of intangibles but he’s become a genuine liability and we’re basically a man down with him out there.

It’s a huge gamble either way.Darcy up forward, when he’s spent most of his afl/vfl career to date in the backline, and not even played 5 games - while we’re already playing the inexperienced and inconsistent Marra. But he does look significantly more threatening than Bruce and there’s less tape for oppo coaches to watch on him.

We could also go with the experience in Bruce and hope at the least he can negate a defender from stopping Naughts. He might also find a bit of form, all it takes is a couple of early goals and Freo now have up their attention on him.

I think we may as well roll with Marra/Darcy/Naughts. If we win and one of Marra/Darcy underperforms we can make a switch then. I’d like to see both of them get a finals game under their belt too.

We have also seen some backline Bruce minutes lately…but is Bev that crazy?

(…We know the answer is yes)

 

[doggies ftw]

It really wouldn’t surprise me if we swapped Bruce & Darcy and played Bruce back full time. We’ve been edging that way since he came back into the side with genuine minutes behind the ball.

Interesting move at this time of the season but I’m not against it

 

[Merlins Revenge]

I think we have to have Darcy up forward for this game. Will Freo plan for him? Of course. However, he is 100% a better option up forward than Bruce atm. He is leading to smart places and can turn experienced defenders inside out (See his first goal on Sicily).

I do worry that Bruce doesn't have the reach/can't get to contests in defensive 50 if he plays in defence. However, as prior posters have mentioned, it's very useful having him in the team to be able to switch forward if Darcy is getting torched by Freo defenders. If Schache plays, it would be forward, and none of Astro, Darcy, Naughton should be playing back right now.

If this game is in the wet, we win. That simple. We smashed Freo in contested ball last time. Yes we lost, but it was mainly due to their "Keepings off" strategy and easy transition out of our forward 50. Good luck doing that in the rain! I want to see Garcia and West in for this game to help us lock the ball in our forward 50.