What They're Saying - The Bulldogs Media Thread - Part 3

[Charlie Bucket]

Barrett is just drip feeding his hatred for us to the footballing public.
Doesn’t want it to be obvious because of the spray Bevo gave him.
There’s a number of clubs, coaches and lists that are in far worse positions and form than us but they get no mention.
Sydney/Longmire and Melb/Goodwin are two of those.

 

[Bemoreboyddog]

Barrett is just drip feeding his hatred for us to the footballing public.
Doesn’t want it to be obvious because of the spray Bevo gave him.
There’s a number of clubs, coaches and lists that are in far worse positions and form than us but they get no mention.
Sydney/Longmire and Melb/Goodwin are two of those.

Disagree about Sydney. Been so good for so long and they’re rebuilding. Horse has plenty of credit in the bank. Goodwin not so much but I think the media might be thinking similarly about them as they did is in 2017, just an off year. No finals in 2020 for Demons and Goodwin will be in deep strife.

Have no issue with Barrett’s thoughts on this. I’d be deeply disappointed if we aren’t asking very serious questions about ourselves. Young premiership list that provided so much hope for future years and delivered nothing short of mediocrity.

I want the heat on the club dialled right up.

 

[Virgin Dog]

Disagree about Sydney. Been so good for so long and they’re rebuilding. Horse has plenty of credit in the bank. Goodwin not so much but I think the media might be thinking similarly about them as they did is in 2017, just an off year. No finals in 2020 for Demons and Goodwin will be in deep strife.

Have no issue with Barrett’s thoughts on this. I’d be deeply disappointed if we aren’t asking very serious questions about ourselves. Young premiership list that provided so much hope for future years and delivered nothing short of mediocrity.

I want the heat on the club dialled right up.

Why do Sydney get a pass because they're rebuilding, but we don't?

We are playing the second youngest team this year (and were around the same point last year). Our spine consists entirely of players <=22. We have lost a number of important premiership players for various reasons (retirement of MBoyd, TBoyd, Murphy, Biggs, Smith, Picken - plus trade of Hamling back home).

I honestly don't think we need too much criticism until we get to the point of clubs like North, where they field one of the oldest and most experienced sides, yet don't show any results. Even Carlton are substantially older and more experienced than us

 

[Charlie Bucket]

Disagree about Sydney. Been so good for so long and they’re rebuilding. Horse has plenty of credit in the bank. Goodwin not so much but I think the media might be thinking similarly about them as they did is in 2017, just an off year. No finals in 2020 for Demons and Goodwin will be in deep strife.

Have no issue with Barrett’s thoughts on this. I’d be deeply disappointed if we aren’t asking very serious questions about ourselves. Young premiership list that provided so much hope for future years and delivered nothing short of mediocrity.

I want the heat on the club dialled right up.

I think internally we’re fairly realistic with where the clubs at. I couldn’t imagine anyone pulling their hair out as some in here do.
Internal reviews are standard nowadays. Not just post season but throughout as well and I’m tipping there won’t be any red flashing lights during these reviews until this time next season, at the earliest, if we’re in the same position.

A young premiership team that’s still young, just missing almost all of the experience that was vital in the win.

Carltons last 20 years, that’s mediocrity. Our last 3, I’d say it’s more a case of premiership hangover in the first year, building towards our next flag in the following two.

 

[Virgin Dog]

I think internally we’re fairly realistic with where the clubs at. I couldn’t imagine anyone pulling their hair out as some in here do.
Internal reviews are standard nowadays. Not just post season but throughout as well and I’m tipping there won’t be any red flashing lights during these reviews until this time next season, at the earliest, if we’re in the same position.

A young premiership team that’s still young, just missing almost all of the experience that was vital in the win.

Carltons last 20 years, that’s mediocrity. Our last 3, I’d say it’s more a case of premiership hangover in the first year, building towards our next flag in the following two.

Absolutely agree with this. No need to panic unless we are still at the same point next year with no improvement and no exciting additions to the team.

It sounds like Power is working hard behind the scenes to start picking up experienced and established talent. So far, I've heard murmurings of Harry McKay, Adam Tomlinson, Jack Martin, Isaac Smith and Jeremy Cameron, among others. Any one of those players would substantially improve our side, and we have the currency to obtain more than one if we can convince the players. Adding a decent KPF or KPD for a start would make an enormous difference

 

[Bemoreboyddog]

Why do Sydney get a pass because they're rebuilding, but we don't?

We are playing the second youngest team this year (and were around the same point last year). Our spine consists entirely of players <=22. We have lost a number of important premiership players for various reasons (retirement of MBoyd, TBoyd, Murphy, Biggs, Smith, Picken - plus trade of Hamling back home).

I honestly don't think we need too much criticism until we get to the point of clubs like North, where they field one of the oldest and most experienced sides, yet don't show any results. Even Carlton are substantially older and more experienced than us

But we’ve made ourselves young. That’s our call. We didn’t just get there.

And Sydney get a pass because they make finals every year. Very very consistent team. We’re more of a roller coaster team. All over the shop.

 

[Virgin Dog]

But we’ve made ourselves young. That’s our call. We didn’t just get there.

And Sydney get a pass because they make finals every year. Very very consistent team. We’re more of a roller coaster team. All over the shop.

But do you understand the motivation behind us putting ourselves in that position? Chris Grant did explain that they saw the list as unbalanced (which was a fair call) and identified the need for a rebuild shortly after the premiership win.

Even just looking at who has left, what more could have been done? Matthew Boyd was on his last legs, as was Robert Murphy. Liam Picken was forced out due to concussion, while Clay Smith finally threw in the towel due to lingering knee issues. None of that can be blamed on the club's decision making.

Then we have Biggs, who was an average footballer and really no loss from a list management perspective. Whether he was forced out of retired of his own volition is anyone's guess. Joel Hamling requested a trade home for personal reasons, and the club did try to keep him but ultimately he had to put his family ahead of the club which is understandable. Tom Boyd only recently retired due to mental health, which again is nothing to do with the club and everything to do with his own personal struggles.

That narrows it down to just Jake Stringer and Luke Dahlhaus. Stringer brought on him own demise, and the players had a hand in voting him out. Dahl underperformed for multiple years and allegedly caused issues off-field, so his papers were signed before the end of 2018. Roughead is really the only one I was disappointed to see the club let go.

Who is there left to debate over? Because from what I can see, very little of this is at the fault of the administration. We had a bunch of guys retire entirely out of our own control. We did attempt to bring in talent from elsewhere (Hurley and Carlisle especially) but couldn't get it done. What do you suggest we should have done instead?

As far as I'm concerned, we were forced into a rebuild thanks to a series of events that worked against us, especially unfortunate injuries to Redpath, Picken and Smith. Better to commit to the rebuild and develop our youth, than to desperately cling onto dim finals hopes and ultimately have our coach fired mid-season due to being in shambles (aka North)

 

[dogwatch]

...Roughead is really the only one I was disappointed to see the club let go.

...

There weren't many fans of Roughead here this time last year and I don't think too many were concerned to see him go. Not on form anyway, maybe a few for sentimental reasons.

I'm not saying you weren't a fan, just saying that most of us thought his best was behind him, especially as he seemed injury prone. MC must have had the same idea because he struggled to get a regular game until late in 2018.

I'm pleased he's managed to find a spot on a strong Collingwood list. There may be a lesson in that for us, both here on BF and also at VUWO.

 

[Virgin Dog]

There weren't many fans of Roughead here this time last year and I don't think too many were concerned to see him go. Not on form anyway, maybe a few for sentimental reasons.

I'm not saying you weren't a fan, just saying that most of us thought his best was behind him, especially as he seemed injury prone. MC must have had the same idea because he struggled to get a regular game until late in 2018.

I'm pleased he's managed to find a spot on a strong Collingwood list. There may be a lesson in that for us, both here on BF and also at VUWO.

I was disappointed in the sense that I loved him being a member of our club, but I also understood why it was time to move him on. He was basically a lesser Trengove, and there was really not space for both on our list. I'm really glad to see him doing well at Collingwood though, and I'm not even bothered that we got sweet **** all for our premiership ruckman

 

[TedDougChris]

But do you understand the motivation behind us putting ourselves in that position? Chris Grant did explain that they saw the list as unbalanced (which was a fair call) and identified the need for a rebuild shortly after the premiership win.

Even just looking at who has left, what more could have been done? Matthew Boyd was on his last legs, as was Robert Murphy. Liam Picken was forced out due to concussion, while Clay Smith finally threw in the towel due to lingering knee issues. None of that can be blamed on the club's decision making.

Then we have Biggs, who was an average footballer and really no loss from a list management perspective. Whether he was forced out of retired of his own volition is anyone's guess. Joel Hamling requested a trade home for personal reasons, and the club did try to keep him but ultimately he had to put his family ahead of the club which is understandable. Tom Boyd only recently retired due to mental health, which again is nothing to do with the club and everything to do with his own personal struggles.

That narrows it down to just Jake Stringer and Luke Dahlhaus. Stringer brought on him own demise, and the players had a hand in voting him out. Dahl underperformed for multiple years and allegedly caused issues off-field, so his papers were signed before the end of 2018. Roughead is really the only one I was disappointed to see the club let go.

Who is there left to debate over? Because from what I can see, very little of this is at the fault of the administration. We had a bunch of guys retire entirely out of our own control. We did attempt to bring in talent from elsewhere (Hurley and Carlisle especially) but couldn't get it done. What do you suggest we should have done instead?

As far as I'm concerned, we were forced into a rebuild thanks to a series of events that worked against us, especially unfortunate injuries to Redpath, Picken and Smith. Better to commit to the rebuild and develop our youth, than to desperately cling onto dim finals hopes and ultimately have our coach fired mid-season due to being in shambles (aka North)

I get that side of things, it’s more the team selection, side setup and ridiculous flexibility mantra that I cannot fathom. It’s not just this year, it was most of last year too.

Nearly every fan, ahead of the North game said - Brown is too tall and mobile for Trengove, Goldstein will be too physical for English. What happened ??

Pre WCE game, Kennedy/Darling will will be too quick for Trengove. Same bloody result.

We lack goal scoring, so let’s play our highest scorer from last year, our second highest, and our highest in the VFL this year as inside midfielders. WTF doesn’t begin to explain that.

Dunkley and Wallis in reversed roles. Richards forward, wing, back - out.

Need a kpp - bring in Lachie Young instead of Lewis.

We took a side that played really well at the end of last year and ****ed around with it ‘cause “reasons”...

There is no linking the words out of Bevos mouth and our selections, our match day side and our output. It’s about time he was held accountable by someone - for this shit.

That doesn’t mean sack him, just get him to develop a plan and deliver on it. Not invent a new one each week.

 

[Virgin Dog]

I get that side of things, it’s more the team selection, side setup and ridiculous flexibility mantra that I cannot fathom. It’s not just this year, it was most of last year too.

Nearly every fan, ahead of the North game said - Brown is too tall and mobile for Trengove, Goldstein will be too physical for English. What happened ??

Pre WCE game, Kennedy/Darling will will be too quick for Trengove. Same bloody result.

We lack goal scoring, so let’s play our highest scorer from last year, our second highest, and our highest in the VFL this year as inside midfielders. WTF doesn’t begin to explain that.

Dunkley and Wallis in reversed roles. Richards forward, wing, back - out.

Need a kpp - bring in Lachie Young instead of Lewis.

We took a side that played really well at the end of last year and ****** around with it ‘cause “reasons”...

There is no linking the words out of Bevos mouth and our selections, our match day side and our output. It’s about time he was held accountable by someone - for this ****.

That doesn’t mean sack him, just get him to develop a plan and deliver on it. Not invent a new one each week.

I completely agree with the versatility mantra, does my head in too. I think some of our team selection choices are a symptom of our unbalanced list too though - with Morris out, who could have played on Brown/Kennedy? Roberts would have conceded more than Trengove, Young is underdeveloped. Throw Naughton back and we suddenly have no forward targets. We are desperate for talls tbh

 

[TedDougChris]

I completely agree with the versatility mantra, does my head in too. I think some of our team selection choices are a symptom of our unbalanced list too though - with Morris out, who could have played on Brown/Kennedy? Roberts would have conceded more than Trengove, Young is underdeveloped. Throw Naughton back and we suddenly have no forward targets. We are desperate for talls tbh

Why not play: Trengove ruck. English forward, Gardner/Cordy/Naughton rotates through 2 back and one forward spots ??

 

[Virgin Dog]

Why not play: Trengove ruck. English forward, Gardner/Cordy/Naughton rotates through 2 back and one forward spots ??

No Gardner in the North game, but I get what you're saying. I just worry that playing something like English + Gardner up forward is such an enormous risk and would likely mean we don't take a single contested mark inside 50 all game.

I'd love to see Cordy trialled up forward again, but I worry that we won't get the chance this year since we are already stretched so thin in KPDs

 

[TedDougChris]

No Gardner in the North game, but I get what you're saying. I just worry that playing something like English + Gardner up forward is such an enormous risk and would likely mean we don't take a single contested mark inside 50 all game.

I'd love to see Cordy trialled up forward again, but I worry that we won't get the chance this year since we are already stretched so thin in KPDs

Agree on Gardner v North, and I understand your point - but what do need ? I have no idea because each week it’s spin the wheel for position selection....

English can mark - he was actually a reasonable target against North. 2 goals one, one that was kicked under him and one mark taken just over the boundary line when well clear.

5 shots from a resting ruck would have been a good return....

 

[Virgin Dog]

Agree on Gardner v North, and I understand your point - but what do need ? I have no idea because each week it’s spin the wheel for position selection....

English can mark - he was actually a reasonable target against North. 2 goals one, one that was kicked under him and one mark taken just over the boundary line when well clear.

5 shots from a resting ruck would have been a good return....

Really just highlights how much we need to focus on recruiting talls this trade period. We need a KPD and KPF at bare minimum. Can't rely on rookies like Gardner, Sweet, etc actually panning out

 

[Dogsman16]

Why not play: Trengove ruck. English forward, Gardner/Cordy/Naughton rotates through 2 back and one forward spots ??

Just in regards to Naughton in defence. Granted he is a great interceptor, but I don’t think he’s the type to shut down the gun opposition key forward, which is the type of KPD we need. Interceptors are great when the ball movement up the field is slow but teams are cutting us to ribbons in the midfield. Naughton isn’t the saviour for the switch.

 

[TedDougChris]

Just in regards to Naughton in defence. Granted he is a great interceptor, but I don’t think he’s the type to shut down the gun opposition key forward, which is the type of KPD we need. Interceptors are great when the ball movement up the field is slow but teams are cutting us to ribbons in the midfield. Naughton isn’t the saviour for the switch.

Mate, you could be right. It’s hard watching from a distance, you don’t see everything - but I have no idea where we are at - for the first time in a long time - I just don’t have a clue. We appear to have no strategy, structure or plan.

Even ‘crack in and the goals will kick themselves’ had more logic than this.....

Nearly....

 

[Bemoreboyddog]

But do you understand the motivation behind us putting ourselves in that position? Chris Grant did explain that they saw the list as unbalanced (which was a fair call) and identified the need for a rebuild shortly after the premiership win.

Even just looking at who has left, what more could have been done? Matthew Boyd was on his last legs, as was Robert Murphy. Liam Picken was forced out due to concussion, while Clay Smith finally threw in the towel due to lingering knee issues. None of that can be blamed on the club's decision making.

Then we have Biggs, who was an average footballer and really no loss from a list management perspective. Whether he was forced out of retired of his own volition is anyone's guess. Joel Hamling requested a trade home for personal reasons, and the club did try to keep him but ultimately he had to put his family ahead of the club which is understandable. Tom Boyd only recently retired due to mental health, which again is nothing to do with the club and everything to do with his own personal struggles.

That narrows it down to just Jake Stringer and Luke Dahlhaus. Stringer brought on him own demise, and the players had a hand in voting him out. Dahl underperformed for multiple years and allegedly caused issues off-field, so his papers were signed before the end of 2018. Roughead is really the only one I was disappointed to see the club let go.

Who is there left to debate over? Because from what I can see, very little of this is at the fault of the administration. We had a bunch of guys retire entirely out of our own control. We did attempt to bring in talent from elsewhere (Hurley and Carlisle especially) but couldn't get it done. What do you suggest we should have done instead?

As far as I'm concerned, we were forced into a rebuild thanks to a series of events that worked against us, especially unfortunate injuries to Redpath, Picken and Smith. Better to commit to the rebuild and develop our youth, than to desperately cling onto dim finals hopes and ultimately have our coach fired mid-season due to being in shambles (aka North)

If they saw the list as unbalanced back then, look at it now! Take away midfielders and short to medium defenders and what do you have left? If Morris, Dickson and Suckling retire this year, that leaves Wood as the only player born in the 80’s on our list.

As you point out, many of the outs weren’t at the fault of the club. Totally agree. The Stringer departure still eats away at me. If the players did vote him out (I reckon a fair few would have preferred he stay) then those players would want to make sure they deliver on field.

All year last year I said I was happy for Dahlhaus and Roughead to leave. Still feel that way. I thought they would play well for their new clubs. Not sure that we can get the best out of our players right now.

If injuries to players like Smith, Redpath and an ageing Liam Picken force you into a rebuild then questions need to be asked of your list strategy.

You speak of the players we tried to bring into the club and couldn’t get it done. That’s most of the problem. A good club gets it done.

I can suggest things until the cows come home. But unless someone gives me an actual list of what we’re paying our own players, and what discussions we’ve had with opposition players it’s hard to produce a solid argument either way. All we can go on is hearsay. Like paying Trengove $500k per season for four years. Was fine with Trengove coming in, but $500k x 4 for a guy playing reserves for his old club is questionable to me. Was anyone else interested? $650k x 5 for JJ. He was probably worth that in 2015/2016. His form since hasn’t been worth that. 2 year deal for Lin Jong. For a guy who’s not in our best 22, and unlikely to improve, why a 2 year deal when Liberatore who is best 22, gets a 1 year deal? There’s been a few instances of us hanging onto players a little bit longer than required as well.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Brad Hardie to be inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame.

 

[Spiritof82]

Why do Sydney get a pass because they're rebuilding, but we don't?

We are playing the second youngest team this year (and were around the same point last year). Our spine consists entirely of players <=22. We have lost a number of important premiership players for various reasons (retirement of MBoyd, TBoyd, Murphy, Biggs, Smith, Picken - plus trade of Hamling back home).

I honestly don't think we need too much criticism until we get to the point of clubs like North, where they field one of the oldest and most experienced sides, yet don't show any results. Even Carlton are substantially older and more experienced than us

Murphy wasn't a premiership player eventhough in his mind he thinks he was, Wallis, Redpath and Jong did more to get the team to the GF than what he did

 

[maddog37]

Murphy wasn't a premiership player eventhough in his mind he thinks he was, Wallis, Redpath and Jong did more to get the team to the GF than what he did

Poppycock. Read the literature.

 

[Mattdougie]

Murphy wasn't a premiership player eventhough in his mind he thinks he was, Wallis, Redpath and Jong did more to get the team to the GF than what he did

Lol ok

 

[Virgin Dog]

Murphy wasn't a premiership player eventhough in his mind he thinks he was, Wallis, Redpath and Jong did more to get the team to the GF than what he did

Excuse me, kindly go *******e yourself with a cactus

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Murphy wasn't a premiership player eventhough in his mind he thinks he was, Wallis, Redpath and Jong did more to get the team to the GF than what he did

So, so far from the truth. He knows hes not and it eats him alive daily.

 

[ThirdLegUp]

Murphy wasn't a premiership player eventhough in his mind he thinks he was, Wallis, Redpath and Jong did more to get the team to the GF than what he did

Murphy knows he isn't a premiership player, he has spoken of that pain often enough. But to claim he had no influence through out the season is complete bullshit. He continued to lead in every way he could.