Preview Western Bulldogs vs Essendon, Docklands, Sunday 08/04/18 @ 3:20 PM

[BrunoV]

This is incoherent and yet reasonably accurate. It shows just what a ******* lottery selection is.

Not really, Fantasia is our second best forward. Tippa is better performed over a period of time and is two games into the year. He might come out and tear the Dogs apart.

There is an issue with Tippa fading in and out of games which I think is worth noting as a potential issue in the long term. That doesn't mean that he's terrible, should or will be dropped or that he can't correct the issue in a month.

If posters want to support Green they ought to focus on what he does well and not pretend that falling on players who are next to him, tackling the world's slowest player who was hardly moving and routinely being run away from constitutes good pressure.

Green's a good goal sneak. If his athleticism and work rate were not an issue he'd be comfortably best 22 in most teams.

 

[Le Archie]

Not really, Fantasia is our second best forward. Tippa is better performed over a period of time and is two games into the year. He might come out and tear the Dogs apart.

There is an issue with Tippa fading in and out of games which I think is worth noting as a potential issue in the long term. That doesn't mean that he's terrible, should or will be dropped or that he can't correct the issue in a month.

If posters want to support Green they ought to focus on what he does well and not pretend that falling on players who are next to him, tackling the world's slowest player who was hardly moving and routinely being run away from constitutes good pressure.

Green's a good goal sneak. If his athleticism and work rate were not an issue he'd be comfortably best 22 in most teams.

Exactly, i'm surprised how many people have thrown their support around him. The simple fact is the game has evolved the last two years with the Dogs and Tigers premierships and unrelenting small forward pressure and tackling is what has been proven to work. If anyone thinks Green would have got a run in either of the past two premiership team forward lines you are kidding yourself.

 

[eDPS]

Exactly, i'm surprised how many people have thrown their support around him. The simple fact is the game has evolved the last two years with the Dogs and Tigers premierships and unrelenting small forward pressure and tackling is what has been proven to work. If anyone thinks Green would have got a run in either of the past two premiership team forward lines you are kidding yourself.

Its the DERO effect, we all love DERO so in turn should all love his boy JOSH GREEN!

 

[eDPS]

Ridiculous. These pretzels, they are making the players thirsty!

 

[DERO]

Its the DERO effect, we all love DERO so in turn should all love his boy JOSH GREEN!

You mean Bruno's boy.

 

[BrunoV]

You mean Bruno's boy.

Check yourself, DERO, before you wreck yourself.

 

[DERO]

Exactly, i'm surprised how many people have thrown their support around him. The simple fact is the game has evolved the last two years with the Dogs and Tigers premierships and unrelenting small forward pressure and tackling is what has been proven to work. If anyone thinks Green would have got a run in either of the past two premiership team forward lines you are kidding yourself.

Of course not! We didn't even make the prelim. Hopefully he gets a run in this years premiership side!

 

[DERO]

Check yourself, DERO, before you wreck yourself.

It's so happening Bruno. I'll even let you borrow my profile pic.

 

[fishardansin]

I never understood why they would eat pretzels at half time anyway. Too salty.

Because it helps you continue to drink water.

 

[Beerfish]

I actually thought if there was ever a week he does miss it would be against the old side and all the media pressure. From a mental side if things.

That said. I dont think it will happen or should.

I just hope he doesn't belt someone and get rubbed out.

 

[BrunoV]

It's so happening Bruno. I'll even let you borrow my profile pic.

What is happening?

 

[TheBrightSide]

Because it helps you continue to drink water.

I thought it helped to replace the salt that has been sweated out.

 

[Benson FC]

Does anyone else think we are wasting time trying to turn tall half forwards into midfielders, i.e langford and stringer, to try and get a similar output to fyfe, cripps, bont? It's kinda like all the other test nations playing rubbish keepers who could swing the bat to try and match Gilchrist, or us sticking with Watson after Flintoff caned us in 2005.
Stick to Merrett, Parish, McGrath, Zakka, Heppell and probably Smith. We are robbing Peter to pay Paul by playing these guys who have zero defensive pressure and can't hunt the pill.
Just an opinion

 

[DapperJong]

yes

 

[Milanista28]

I don't think Green's pressure or lack there of is his biggest problem.

My biggest annoyance with Green is that he regularly finds himself as our deepest forward in a 1v1 that he is never going to win. It's incredibly frustrating to watch us stream forward ball in hand only for Green to be too slow or too small to contend with his direct opponent.

In his defense he won a FK against the crows in the above scenario to kick his 2nd.

We have plenty of weaknesses and issues with our team, Green being best 22 is way down the order.

 

[Bigjobss]

I never understood why they would eat pretzels at half time anyway. Too salty.

Tasty But Healthy brand pretzels

I thought it helped to replace the salt that has been sweated out.

They help me replace the pretzels I sweated out, is that weird?

 

[Ambrosia]

In his defense he won a FK against the crows in the above scenario to kick his 2nd.

That was an absolute farce of a decision. Green was facing away from the ball and had hold of the Adelaide player yet somehow got a free.

 

[Mr_McBoogerBalls]

yes

optus

 

[fishardansin]

I was a big advocate of Hooker forward and I know he looked good in round 1 but I still want him back. I think it will make a big difference to our whole team for a number of reasons.

Hooker is a great intercept mark and he should play off their number two and try to catch as much high ball as possible.

Hurley plays a better all-around game when he has to beat an opponent, then works off him. Not primarily as an interceptor. Give him the biggest task in defence. Then the third tall can be picked from form and horses for courses out of Hartley, Brown and Ambrose. Gleeson as 4th defender who is primarily an interceptor. Not sure who replaces him in the meantime, maybe Goddard. If Francis finds his heart he could go past Gleeson. McKenna and Saad to beat their man and run off them, not play primarily loose. However, they are to try to run behind Hooker to be released by hand.

Our forwardline will make more sense also. Daniher to be "the man" up forward with support from Stringer. Stewart to continue to push up and down the ground. His workrate and how many times we hit him up on the wings early in a game is a good indication of how well we're going to play. Daniher to give Bellchambers a chop out in the ruck, these two can also swap for the purpose of giving Daniher a gallop if he seems out of touch. Fantasia, Tippa and Green all to play forward. Tippa and Stringer to have a burst here and there in the centre square, but only when they're firing. This way then can use confidence to impact a game, rather than be sent with their tail between their legs to the area of the ground with the biggest spotlight. Fanta to have a run on the wing here and there as well. Begley, Merrett, Parish, Smith, Zaka, Langford ect ect are all capable of a few minutes here and there up forward to cover the forwards midfield forays and time on the bench.

With Daniher being "the man", Stewart taking the running tall and three dangerous smalls, Stringer becomes a nightmare for the opposition. I also believe with a little more room, a more defined role and time on the ball Daniher gets better. We have three fast forwards, a CHF running machine, Stringer bursting and Daniher up forward. This is much more pressure.

Hooker makes a big difference to our backline and if we are trying for a miracle late in a quarter then he goes forward for some long bombs.

We are still short some big ball-winning mids, but a much better team over all. If Langford plays with round 1 spirit, Myers comes back in form, Goddard has more midfield minutes with Gleeson coming back, and Begley, McGrath and Parish play like little terriers we have enough there to work around not having Josh Kennedy, Rory Sloane or Dustin Martin.

I'd like to see us try some of that this week. However, if Doggies are undersized at either end I'm almost certain that Hooker stays forward to take advantage of that.

 

[Milanista28]

That was an absolute farce of a decision. Green was facing away from the ball and had hold of the Adelaide player yet somehow got a free.

Umpire was on the right side, Adelaide player pulled Greens jumper away from the skin and crowd noise got the free awarded.

Anyway my point is dropping Green does not change how we play, When our leaders Hurley and Heppell can't take simple overhead intercept marks that we then concede from because their concentrations levels were lacking then we are in for a bad night.

 

[DERO]

What is happening?

Be patient!

 

[fishardansin]

Be patient!

Make you pick beach. I'm next.

 

[AcuteWhistle]

Does anyone else think we are wasting time trying to turn tall half forwards into midfielders, i.e langford and stringer, to try and get a similar output to fyfe, cripps, bont? It's kinda like all the other test nations playing rubbish keepers who could swing the bat to try and match Gilchrist, or us sticking with Watson after Flintoff caned us in 2005.
Stick to Merrett, Parish, McGrath, Zakka, Heppell and probably Smith. We are robbing Peter to pay Paul by playing these guys who have zero defensive pressure and can't hunt the pill.
Just an opinion

Unfortunately defensive pressure is an ongoing issue for that group you mentioned (excluding McGrath, The Saviour) & which appears, at least in part, to have translated into this push to try other players out of position.


It's great we have players who can hunt the pill. If only they could also maul an opponent who has the same pill now & then.

 

[SniffySnort]

I was a big advocate of Hooker forward and I know he looked good in round 1 but I still want him back. I think it will make a big difference to our whole team for a number of reasons.

Hooker is a great intercept mark and he should play off their number two and try to catch as much high ball as possible.

Hurley plays a better all-around game when he has to beat an opponent, then works off him. Not primarily as an interceptor. Give him the biggest task in defence. Then the third tall can be picked from form and horses for courses out of Hartley, Brown and Ambrose. Gleeson as 4th defender who is primarily an interceptor. Not sure who replaces him in the meantime, maybe Goddard. If Francis finds his heart he could go past Gleeson. McKenna and Saad to beat their man and run off them, not play primarily loose. However, they are to try to run behind Hooker to be released by hand.

Our forwardline will make more sense also. Daniher to be "the man" up forward with support from Stringer. Stewart to continue to push up and down the ground. His workrate and how many times we hit him up on the wings early in a game is a good indication of how well we're going to play. Daniher to give Bellchambers a chop out in the ruck, these two can also swap for the purpose of giving Daniher a gallop if he seems out of touch. Fantasia, Tippa and Green all to play forward. Tippa and Stringer to have a burst here and there in the centre square, but only when they're firing. This way then can use confidence to impact a game, rather than be sent with their tail between their legs to the area of the ground with the biggest spotlight. Fanta to have a run on the wing here and there as well. Begley, Merrett, Parish, Smith, Zaka, Langford ect ect are all capable of a few minutes here and there up forward to cover the forwards midfield forays and time on the bench.

With Daniher being "the man", Stewart taking the running tall and three dangerous smalls, Stringer becomes a nightmare for the opposition. I also believe with a little more room, a more defined role and time on the ball Daniher gets better. We have three fast forwards, a CHF running machine, Stringer bursting and Daniher up forward. This is much more pressure.

Hooker makes a big difference to our backline and if we are trying for a miracle late in a quarter then he goes forward for some long bombs.

We are still short some big ball-winning mids, but a much better team over all. If Langford plays with round 1 spirit, Myers comes back in form, Goddard has more midfield minutes with Gleeson coming back, and Begley, McGrath and Parish play like little terriers we have enough there to work around not having Josh Kennedy, Rory Sloane or Dustin Martin.

I'd like to see us try some of that this week. However, if Doggies are undersized at either end I'm almost certain that Hooker stays forward to take advantage of that.

I was always against this idea, and usually the people who were all for it did not take into account how important Hooker is for drawing away forwards from Joey. Look at the Sydney finals game. However, this year, with Stewart starting to come into his own, and causing headaches for backmen, I am starting to realise Stewart may be able to fill this Hooker role. Our backline has no Ambrose (plays the key forward, freeing up Hurls) and no Gleeson (intercept marker) and we are missing someone who can do both, maybe Hooker can fit this role. I think Woosh should at least be open to the idea, team structure can change, especially with injuries, so he needs to learn to be adaptable.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Star defender Michael Hurley barely trained on Thursday morning, jogging laps before disappearing inside but the Bombers are confident he will be fit to take his place in the side against the Dogs.


Hope he plays