Whilst it was a much improved and exciting year, had we won the games we we're red hot favourites in (Essendon and Carlton at the G) we would've played finals in 2016 based on the below scenario:

Essendon round 2- Their average losing margin was 51 points. Had we put in an average performance and won by 30 points.....,

Carlton round 22- their average losing margin was 30 points. Had we put an average performance and won by 18 points...,,AND

Geelong round 23 - their average winning margin was 42 points. Had we put in an average performance and lost by 42 points ...,,.

We would've played finals this year!!

I hope this sticks in the guts with the likes of N Jones and Co and we ensure we win these MCG games that we're supposed to.

 

 

I'm not backing us against either side to be honest.  I think we're still vulnerable to pace and the quicker sides will run us into the ground. 

I'm not making this up.

I had an extremely vivid dream last night where we got whipped by Norf.

Please add Norf to the list.

Edited October 21, 20168 yr by McQueen

Every chance of course, BUT will they do it is another matter. 

...and any chance of us ever beating St Kilda ever again?

To beat Carlton, we need to play much better to combat Crisps he is a bruit of a player who by my recollection smashed us in Rd 22.

 

To beat Carlton, we need to play much better to combat Crisps he is a bruit of a player who by my recollection smashed us in Rd 22.

Gibbs had a million possessions in the first half too. 

Carlton, Essendon, North, and St Kilda. 4 teams I'm sick of us losing to and if we want to push ahead we need to STOP losing to them. The Essendon game was a disgrace beyond measure but one that a lot of us saw coming, thankfully we've got a 4 time premiership player in our team who's got enough experience to hopefully be able to pull guys into line when they start to believe their own hype.

I want W's against all those teams in 2017.

Should.

Will....dunno.  Entirely up to the players, especially the leaders. 

 

I'm not making this up.

I had an extremely vivid dream last night where we got whipped by Norf.

Please add Norf to the list.

Your dreams appear to be taking an interesting direction Steve.

will

We'll win these games next year. The team is maturing and Lewis will ensure that structures and proper focus are maintained when games against less talented opposition sides are in the balance.

St Kilda though - dunno. At Etihad, probably not.

 

 

I'm not backing us against either side to be honest.  I think we're still vulnerable to pace and the quicker sides will run us into the ground. 

Don't buy that lack of leg speed was the reason for our loss to either team particularly Essendon.  Just a look at a few of the teams that convincingly beat Essendon last year should be enough to tell us that:

Collingwood - once;

Richmond - Twice;

Yet we beat both the above teams convincingly.  If leg speed was the key to beating Essendon, then logically that must make the above teams as quick and thus we should have struggled against them too - but we didn't and it doesn't stack up.

I think looking at the respective lead ups to the Carlton loss is more insightful for the reasons we lost these games.  Carlton were comming off 9 - yes 9 consecutive losses, including Brisbane the week prior to us.  We had just come off a record 3 consecutive wins.  

Both the Essendon and Carlton probably took confidence out of beating us in 2015, which gave them enough belief to think they were in with a shot against us and also would have built them selves up for the game big time - in Essendons case, it was the big week long fight back build up, pre game march and Sheedy speech.  In the case of Carlton, the 9 conservative and in particular the Brisbane loss would have provided plenty of motivation.

 

In short I do buy the Paul Roos claims that due to the age/inexperience of our side, we lacked physical and mental stamina and maturity to string together consistent form.  We are venerable to any team if we don't turn up to play mentally.

Edited October 21, 20168 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

If you look at why the Dogs made the finals it was simple. They beat the teams outside the 8. When we do that on a reasonably consistent basis we have a chance of becoming a force in the league.

I live in hope.

By the way the team being talked up as the big improver for next year is the GC Suns.

They had their chance against the Blues and Dons and should've beaten North.

A couple more experienced bodies should tip them over the line, and they've got that now.

Coulda. Shoulda. Woulda. Didn't.

Not that I like losing to those teams but the fact that we went into those games just expecting that it would all happen says why we haven't made the eight in ten years.

we will add these two to Richmond and Collingwood ...in our hareem of bltches

If we don't beat what will be the worst North team in a long time, we will never beat them. 

I want to beat them, and I want to feed off Brad Scott's complaints for a week. 

 

 

...........

In short I do buy the Paul Roos claims that due to the age/inexperience of our side, we lacked physical and mental stamina and maturity to string together consistent form.  We are venerable to any team if we don't turn up to play mentally.

Venerable? I suspect you meant vulnerable  

Anything but.

ven·er·a·ble

  (vĕn′ər-ə-bəl)

adj.

1. Commanding respect by virtue of age, dignity, character, or position.

 

 

Bottom line one is unless we can beat Essendon, Carlton, Norf, StKilda as well as continuing our mastery over Richmond and collingwood we will not progress.

 

If we can do that and snatch a few scalps from teams above us then we may approach the venerability that the Bulldogs have earned this year. 

 

Edited October 22, 20168 yr by monoccular

U could add the saints to the thread title too. 

On the flip side, I was encouraged that, other than Essendon and Carlscum, we did put away most of the teams that we should have this year i.e. GC, Brisbane, Richmond, The Filth and Freo.  In past seasons we would have been very vulnerable (Thanks for the pickup Monoccular!!) in these games, so it's not like the teams isn't making progress in the area of beating teams below us that we should.

Highlight for me was the first GC game at Carrara when the GC fought hard for half a game and could have stayed in it and ground out a win.  Alas Jack Viney's magnificent two goal burst early in the third qtr to run away with a crushing victory in a way we hadn't done for a number of years.  Capped off by Patracca getting amongst the spoils with a few sausage rolls.  Being there at the ground that night was awesome; lost my voice screaming my lungs out in joy!

Edited October 22, 20168 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

 

If you look at why the Dogs made the finals it was simple. They beat the teams outside the 8. When we do that on a reasonably consistent basis we have a chance of becoming a force in the league.

I live in hope.

By the way the team being talked up as the big improver for next year is the GC Suns.

With what midfield? I just can't see it.

There's not a team we won't be able to beat in 2017.

Inconsistency will be our enemy, but the gap between our best and worst will continue to close.

 

There's not a team we won't be able to beat in 2017.

Inconsistency will be our enemy, but the gap between our best and worst will continue to close.

Yep and 12-14 wins should be around the mark.

 

Whilst it was a much improved and exciting year, had we won the games we we're red hot favourites in (Essendon and Carlton at the G) we would've played finals in 2016 based on the below scenario:

Essendon round 2- Their average losing margin was 51 points. Had we put in an average performance and won by 30 points.....,

Carlton round 22- their average losing margin was 30 points. Had we put an average performance and won by 18 points...,,AND

Geelong round 23 - their average winning margin was 42 points. Had we put in an average performance and lost by 42 points ...,,.

We would've played finals this year!!

 

 

 

But we didn't.

Onward and upward ?