Simply we lost the game because we lacked class. We turned the ball over when we shouldn't have, we didn't execute when we had chances and we couldn't win the ball cleanly in the middle for long periods of the game.

We have the plan to win games (or stay close when we aren't playing well) but we lack the crispness to move the ball quickly and accurately to take advantage of our tall forward line.

I think its more about being prepared to move and create options. This week and last weve been playing stop start footy, too many flat footed players not running to present and/or create space. Then on numerous occasions guys like Salem, M Jones etc did run to make a lead and they were ignored for a long bomb to a pack that was invariably punched out of bounds or cleared by the Dogs. The flat footed play was the worst part of the Neeld era and its been evident over the last month with the exception of a quarter and a bit against the Bombres.

I personally really like Toumpas and the signs he HAS shown. Rather than focusing on what he hasnt shown or others have shown, we should take a look at who we would potentially would replace him with.

I dont want to rush him back, but he is probably one of those players that wil gradually improve at AFL level.

Personally, i'd give him very short spells on ball and move him to half back. Beautiful kick and creates alot of time and space

Match was lost at selection

Bringing in Nicholson and Terlcih to a team that already has deplorable skill level was a death blow

Match was lost in the second quarter when they let it get away from them.

If any of the players expected to win having shown up for 3 quarters, they're absolute felchers.

There'll be a couple of (deserved) tough days on the track this week I feel. They looked tired last week but today there was energy, just not enough of it for long enough. We just need to bring consistency every week, with the level we played at for the second half.

and that's how you gift a team 4pts, what a shocker!

team is drained

Some of you are so pessimistic it makes me laugh.

Etihad is no way suits our game plan, and the Bulldogs game plan is built on it (which I think is a terrible idea long term because it's not a ground for finals). A lot of out long term players look tired and only have 1-3 preseasons under their belts.

Even is we finish 18th this season we've taken huge steps in terms of competitiveness, structures and standards. Look how hard it is to get a game in the seniors for some players. Last year it was a raffle.

Our forty club is on the rise guys. You've got to take a step backwards to go 2 forward. We butchered the ball today at a ground that we've been flogged at for years and only lost by 6 points. We must be doing somethings right.

Pathetic effort from the team today. We just lost to a depleted bottom 4 team. We are now entrenched in the bottom 4 and are a chance for the spoon if Brisbanes revival continues.

Also Chip Frawley needs to go. Hasn't played great footy for a few years, but at present he isn't best 22 and cost us multiple goals today through dumb decision making and poor skills. Really disappointing to see such a fantastic defender degenerate into a poor utility. Hopefully we can still make out with good compo even though he isn't worth it.

Wow. You probably need to have a spell from posting for a while. Frawley not best 22? He was in our best today. Just because he hasn't signed doesn't mean people can get away with stupid comments.

Out of all that you pick our Jack Watts that was probably his only blunder for the game.

unbelieveble

That was not his only blunder. I've given up trying to keep track of how many times he goes to ground in the contest and watches his opponent run off with the footy.

Starting Terlich forward was a mistake....had no idea to make space for the lead up forward.

That was not his only blunder. I've given up trying to keep track of how many times he goes to ground in the contest and watches his opponent run off with the footy.

Watts struggles to keep his feet and he made a couple of mistakes today - the biggest I believe being when he ran directly to the bench without looking at the ball, after Dunn played on from a kick in, hoping to bomb it to Watts on the flank. That was a total loss of concentration on his behalf and cost us a goal.

However he was far from our worst today and was valuable in some link up play. He has come a fair way from the last couple of years, no matter how many people still love to bash him.

Wow. You probably need to have a spell from posting for a while. Frawley not best 22? He was in our best today. Just because he hasn't signed doesn't mean people can get away with stupid comments.

Good footballers don't continually make basic mistakes and Frawley does.

Starting Terlich forward was a mistake....had no idea to make space for the lead up forward.

He was playing as a defensive forward to try to stop bob murphy. Not saying he did a great job and when he did lead it was into traffic but his main task was to stop bob.

After horrendously slow starts Jones and Vince came in to the game.

The Jamar and Gawn combination finally worked both in the ruck and up forward.

Jack Viney did a huge job on one of the near elite players in the comp.

The backline dominated in general play then coughed up goals at an alarming rate at strange moments.

The midfield were hot and cold.

And the forward line. Well if Dawes could mark he could've had plenty of shots. Very disappointing. Watts and Pedersen did their jobs. Terlich was something different and I think worth a go. Salem and Kent struggled to get in to the game but had their moments.

Besides a stretch in the second quarter we controlled the game, we had most of the play in the first quarter. Owned the 3rd quarter and then had so many chances in the last. A deplorably badly umpired game and players weren't much better.

Gawn's tap work was terrific. Easily his best game for the season. Was impressed by him today. It was Jamar's tap work that cost us. When Gawn moved into the ruck in the third, he started tapping aggressively and he managed 3 or 4 hit outs to advantage for the quarter. We looked less likely to win the centre clearance with Jamar are in there, but he was an important foil for Gawn, whose tank is obviously not quite there yet. I think Gawn showed today that he's going to be a very good tap ruckman.

Jamar had the height advantage up forward and should have kicked four or five. Disappointing in the end.

As for our midfield, I thought they were thoroughly outplayed around the ground again, but in the centre square they held their own and were excellent in the third term.

I have just watched the Bail deliberate rushed behind clip - it is something that one sees several times every game of every round: why pick that one??

How many have been paid this year? Last year? Ever?

It seems so unjust, but typifies the pathetic inconsistent state of umpiring at AFL.

Not saying it cost us the game, but it certainly put more indecision into our deep defenders especially in the dying minutes, who may otherwise have rushed it through.

Could have, should have..

Our decision making (lack of decisiveness) inside defensive 50 was a big part of our problem. Too many being too cute..

Not being clean or skilled in disposal caused us no end of pain.

Poor tempo. Many times we rushed when we should have slowed down, and waited when we should have moved fast.

Kicking inside 50 was disgusting, most of the day,

Being beaten in the clearances ( by 10) was a critical stat. We were then 2nd to almost every contested possie,

Barry ran to great positions. Salem didn't do much, but what get did he did well.

Not good enough, even to beat the scraggers.

Good footballers don't continually make basic mistakes and Frawley does.

He was our best defender today. Simple as that. People are bashing him because they think he's going.

The entire team made mistakes today. We build pressure on ourselves because of our own stupidity and the mistakes become contagious.

He was playing as a defensive forward to try to stop bob murphy. Not saying he did a great job and when he did lead it was into traffic but his main task was to stop bob.

Didn't work.

Bad move.

Maybe Saty can ask Watts to wear longer stops.

I have just watched the Bail deliberate rushed behind clip - it is something that one sees several times every game of every round: why pick that one??

How many have been paid this year? Last year? Ever?

It seems so unjust, but typifies the pathetic inconsistent state of umpiring at AFL.

Not saying it cost us the game, but it certainly put more indecision into our deep defenders especially in the dying minutes, who may otherwise have rushed it through.

Don't even get me started. I still have a headache from the almighty spray I gave the umpire over that decision.

Disgusting call from a pea hearted loser who has clearly never played the game.

I have just watched the Bail deliberate rushed behind clip - it is something that one sees several times every game of every round: why pick that one??

How many have been paid this year? Last year? Ever?

It seems so unjust, but typifies the pathetic inconsistent state of umpiring at AFL.

Not saying it cost us the game, but it certainly put more indecision into our deep defenders especially in the dying minutes, who may otherwise have rushed it through.

I thought it was going to go against him, he ran towards the line from a long way out. I think he was looking for options and was under no pressure at first but when he didn't find any and some pressure came on he took the point for safety.

The Dustin Martin one a fews weeks back where he hand balled from 15 to 20 metres out was a definite, this one was debatable but I can see why it was given. Bail's indecisiveness cost him.

Could have, should have..

Our decision making (lack of decisiveness) inside defensive 50 was a big part of our problem. Too many being too cute..

Not being clean or skilled in disposal caused us no end of pain.

Poor tempo. Many times we rushed when we should have slowed down, and waited when we should have moved fast.

Kicking inside 50 was disgusting, most of the day,

Being beaten in the clearances ( by 10) was a critical stat. We were then 2nd to almost every contested possie,

Barry ran to great positions. Salem didn't do much, but what get did he did well.

Not good enough, even to beat the scraggers.

Agreed, B_N. I think our overuse of the ball right across the ground has been criminal for weeks now. Our midfielders look for a handball option running towards them or wide, before looking for the best kicking option up field. It draws pressure on our guys consistently, when the better option is a quick kick forward inside 50. This would then put our opposition under pressure, rather than our team mates. So frustrating. We got away with it a little bit more today, but it still cost us a number of times going forward. It means we're essentially moving the ball slower and it's one of the reasons why our forwards have such a hard time of it.

Robbery is what good teams do often. They just find a way to win... We just cannot stay composed in the heat of battle to pinch a win.

So you have a 3 week memory capacity then?

I think the Watts bashing is unfair. He has been solid this year and there are a lot more players he have been worse.

Garland has lost all confidence. All our defenders made critical mistakes at times, Dunne made a few in the last...Kicking out to a two on one, handballing to Grimes when he was under pressure (we did this too many times today).

We had too many average players today: Kent, Terlich, Bail, M Jones, Garland.

We lack midfield depth (really noticed Cross out of the team). Vince, Jones, Tyson, Cross and Viney are our main midfielders and it really tapers off after that...

Jetta, Jamar & Gawn were the major positives today.

Agreed, B_N. I think our overuse of the ball right across the ground has been criminal for weeks now. Our midfielders look for a handball option running towards them or wide, before looking for the best kicking option up field. It draws pressure on our guys consistently, when the better option is a quick kick forward inside 50. This would then put our opposition under pressure, rather than our team mates. So frustrating. We got away with it a little bit more today, but it still cost us a number of times going forward. It means we're essentially moving the ball slower and it's one of the reasons why our forwards have such a hard time of it.

But the worst part is that when we do finally kick it, all our defenders have just ran 40-50m from their direct opponents and can't recover in time to stop the counter-attack.

I have just watched the Bail deliberate rushed behind clip - it is something that one sees several times every game of every round: why pick that one??

How many have been paid this year? Last year? Ever?

It seems so unjust, but typifies the pathetic inconsistent state of umpiring at AFL.

Not saying it cost us the game, but it certainly put more indecision into our deep defenders especially in the dying minutes, who may otherwise have rushed it through.

I've said it before, but umpiring has become the stand alone ugliest aspect of our game. It destroys enjoyment, and it too often influences the result of games (Carlton v Geelong?, today? ). It's become the aspect of the game that nobody talks too loudly about from the clubs, as they fear punishment. It is simply an embarrassment to the otherwise great spectacle and professionalism of our game.

Somebody with REAL influence needs to make it THE issue of the future of our game, because it's a blight.

Seriously still lacking in gun midfielders and midfield depth

After Jones, Viney, Vince and Jones there is a massive drop off

Gonna be a big draft-trade period