GRAND FINAL: Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs

[DemonJack 14 80]

What are everyones thoughts on the tactical battle ? Bevo loves to push extra numbers from the half forward line up to the stoppages. Generally we are happy to have and extra in the backline to help our intercept game. 

Is it too dangerous to let the bulldogs have an extra or two at stoppages ? Or do we back our system in and prefer to have an extra in the back line? 

I am little worried about this potential tactic considering the bulldogs quick  hands to get from inside to outside the stoppages. 

I am hoping that if our pressure is high then this would be mitigated

I need someone to put my mind at ease 😂

Edited September 20, 2021 by DemonJack 14

[Jibroni 4,228]

On a side note its good to see the Perth locals jumping on the Dees:

 

[Fork 'em 6,565]

4 minutes ago, DemonJack 14 said:

What are everyones thoughts on the tactical battle ? Bevo loves to push extra numbers from the half forward line up to the stoppages. Generally we are happy to have and extra in the backline to help our intercept game. 

Is it too dangerous to let the bulldogs have an extra or two at stoppages ? Or do we back our system in and prefer to have an extra in the back line? 

I am little worried about this potential tactic considering the bulldogs quick  hands to get from inside to outside the stoppages. 

I am hoping that if our pressure is high then this would be mitigated

I need someone to put my mind at ease 😂

They're gonna get so much heat they won't know what hit 'em.

[Chook 14,609]

3 minutes ago, DemonJack 14 said:

What are everyones thoughts on the tactical battle ? Bevo loves to push extra numbers from the half forward line up to the stoppages. Generally we are happy to have and extra in the backline to help our intercept game. 

Is it too dangerous to let the bulldogs have an extra or two at stoppages ? Or do we back our system in and prefer to have an extra in the back line? 

I am little worried about this potential tactic considering the bulldogs quick  hands to get from inside to outside the stoppages. 

I am hoping that if our pressure is high then this would be mitigated

I need someone to put my mind at ease 😂

We have to be honest with the stoppage game. If we go into this game thinking "oh we'll lose the clearances but ours will be more effective" we're kidding ourselves. Against any other side that works, but against the dogs it won't - but more to the point, if we can beat them in stoppages they have nothing to lean on to win, as that is their one, two, and thee-wood.

[Kick_It_To_Pickett 2,961]

4 hours ago, Jaded said:

He definitely doesn't have the physique of a ruckman. I think he is very raw, but definitely has a lot of talent, and if Dogs weren't desperate for a ruckman, I think he would spend a lot less time in the centre square and lot more time forward. 

It's why they are pushing Martin who is 35, barely going, overweight and underdone. They needed a physical body to compete with Lycett and they know they need one to at least try and half Gawn's output around the ground. 

Where the Dogs excel is winning clearances from opposition's taps. They have played with a terrible ruckman all year, and that hasn't bothered them one bit. 
They won the clearances against the Lions 47-37 but lost the hitouts 45-32. Against Port they won the clearances 41-35 but got smashed in hitouts 49-24. So it goes to show they can play well regardless of the influence of the ruckman at ball ups. 

Where Gawn becomes so important is his play around the ground. Martin will try and shadow him, but there is no way physically he can keep up with Gawn who plays close to 100% game time every week. I suspect they will send Martin into the backline when Gawn goes forward, but more importantly I suspect they will use their smalls to try and block him on the wings and down back. 

“Where the Dogs excel is winning clearances from opposition's taps.”

This is spot on. I watched the Rd 19 game in full and this is what lost it for us. They were always on the move and expecting and predicting where Max would tap it. They obviously put a lot of work into his tapping patterns. Max eventually got frustrated and started just aimlessly slapping the ball 20 metres forward. If this starts happening, I’d be throwing Jacko in the ruck and getting Max forward and behind the ball. Jackson is less predictable and is like an extra mid. Have a plan B

Edited September 20, 2021 by Kick_It_To_Pickett

[DemonJack 14 80]

2 minutes ago, Chook said:

We have to be honest with the stoppage game. If we go into this game thinking "oh we'll lose the clearances but ours will be more effective" we're kidding ourselves. Against any other side that works, but against the dogs it won't - but more to the point, if we can beat them in stoppages they have nothing to lean on to win, as that is their one, two, and thee-wood.

Totally agree, I hope Goodwin and Yze are right on to this aspect of the game !! 

[Cyclops 454]

43 minutes ago, DemonJack 14 said:

What are everyones thoughts on the tactical battle ? Bevo loves to push extra numbers from the half forward line up to the stoppages. Generally we are happy to have and extra in the backline to help our intercept game. 

Is it too dangerous to let the bulldogs have an extra or two at stoppages ? Or do we back our system in and prefer to have an extra in the back line? 

I am little worried about this potential tactic considering the bulldogs quick  hands to get from inside to outside the stoppages. 

I am hoping that if our pressure is high then this would be mitigated

I need someone to put my mind at ease 😂

Gawny to win the toss and kick with the wind.

[Sideshow Bob 2,165]

[censored] me..

Longest 2 weeks of my life... and we're only a week into it!!! 

[Monocology 1,108]

21 minutes ago, Sideshow Bob said:

Longest 2 weeks of my life... and we're only a week into it!!! 

I worry we'll enter all-out war with China prior - & who could blame them over the promotional games they received?

Edited September 20, 2021 by Monocology

[Gawndy the Great 7,678]

Also got to watch out for Daniels coming off HB into the stoppage. He was left alone in game 2 and setup their play off HB. 

[spirit of norm smith 13,337]

Stay focussed. The media circus has been crazy. All Dees players and staff getting interviewed and featured. 
 

BUT BRING OUT THE RAW MEAT.  THE JOB IS NOT DONE.  KEEP THE FOCUS.  WE HAVE TO RUN THROUGH WALLS THIS WEEK. 

[At the break of Gawn 3,617]

13 minutes ago, CYB said:

Also got to watch out for Daniels coming off HB into the stoppage. He was left alone in game 2 and setup their play off HB. 

Just saw this on ‘On the Couch’. It’s a really interesting decision on whether we will equal them at the stoppages or not. We equaled Geelong at the stoppages in Rnd 23 in the first half and out back 6 looked vulnerable against the likes of Hawkins and Cameron.

Given the Dogs don’t have the same firepower as the Cats I think it’s something Goody will be willing to do. 

The question is, will Goody equal them at the stoppages at the start of the game to ensure the Dogs don’t get a fast start, or will be back our system in first? 

The other factor in all of this is Gawn. If Gawn is dominating hit-outs early, we probably don’t need an extra person at the stoppage. If he can give us silver service and first possession post clearance we will probably be ok. Port Adelaide last week actually won the first possession post clearance but they were so fumbly and error ridden they couldn’t take advantage of it.

[Sideshow Bob 2,165]

26 minutes ago, CYB said:

Also got to watch out for Daniels coming off HB into the stoppage. He was left alone in game 2 and setup their play off HB. 

Not fussed at all about that 2nd wb game. Would like to think both Goody and Bevo left some cards in the deck that night. Bevo may well have played one or 2 extra cards to make sure they didn't come into finals as 0-2 against us - but highly doubt either side showed the full hand.

I've convinced myself that prefinals the only time we went close to the full tactics was the 2nd half against Geelong - playing around with positioning and tactics in the hope we didn't have show too much the week before possibly playing them again - then we had no choice but to kick into full speed and haven't looked back since. I don't think the dogs are actually aware of how good our best set up actually is

[Timothy Reddan-A'Blew 4,071]

4 out of 4 picking us on Footy Class.

Uh-oh...

😄

Edited September 20, 2021 by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

[dazzledavey36 49,207]

3 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

4 out of 4 picking us on Footy Class.

Uh-oh...

😄

And confidently too..

[wheaters31 592]

This vision from the competitive training session is not filling me with much confidence:

Shows examples of the red (B) side easily manoeuvring their way through our blue (A) team with fast handballs and breakaway runs through the front of stoppages, which is how the Bulldogs will be looking to play. They will look to run it out through our defensive setup rather then bombing it long to Lever/May and co. Nerves have increased even further.

[adonski 9,271]

2 minutes ago, wheaters31 said:

This vision from the competitive training session is not filling me with much confidence:

Shows examples of the red (B) side easily manoeuvring their way through our blue (A) team with fast handballs and breakaway runs through the front of stoppages, which is how the Bulldogs will be looking to play. They will look to run it out through our defensive setup rather then bombing it long to Lever/May and co. Nerves have increased even further.

Agreed, make 22 changes and play the B side imo

[Timothy Reddan-A'Blew 4,071]

2 minutes ago, wheaters31 said:

This vision from the competitive training session is not filling me with much confidence:

Shows examples of the red (B) side easily manoeuvring their way through our blue (A) team with fast handballs and breakaway runs through the front of stoppages, which is how the Bulldogs will be looking to play. They will look to run it out through our defensive setup rather then bombing it long to Lever/May and co. Nerves have increased even further.

Noticed that too, along with some other curiosities e.g. Majak highlighted, Hunt's dash. But someone at the Club has edited presumably 80/90/100 minutes down to these  2/3/4. Maybe a cunning plan? Be careful viewing Doggies...

[david_neitz_is_my_dad 3,946]

Ofcourse the guys who are not best 22 are going to go 100% in a training run

Edited September 20, 2021 by david_neitz_is_my_dad

[Chook 14,609]

25 minutes ago, wheaters31 said:

This vision from the competitive training session is not filling me with much confidence:

Shows examples of the red (B) side easily manoeuvring their way through our blue (A) team with fast handballs and breakaway runs through the front of stoppages, which is how the Bulldogs will be looking to play. They will look to run it out through our defensive setup rather then bombing it long to Lever/May and co. Nerves have increased even further.

Ben Gibson: "So Simon, we have to appease these bloody Melbourne supporters all week since they can't watch the game in person and for some reason that irks them. Can I put up some training footage?"

Simon Goodwin: "Gee I don't know about that Gibby. Won't the Dogs use it to their advantage?"

Ben Gibson: "Hmm…Good point Goody. I know, let's just show the bits where our likely 22 look terrible."

Simon Goodwin: "Great idea Gibby. Make sure you put in all 3 of the times in the whole two hour training session where the B-team break away by hand."

Ben Gibson: "Awesome, that's a wrap!"

Simon Goodwin: "Thanks Gibby. Keep up the good work. By the way, it's a best 23 these days. Love the poddy mate!"

Edited September 20, 2021 by Chook

[Sean Balor 49]

Yeah, every single footy show person tipped us tonight. It's a bit nerve racking. Not to mention being short priced favourites to win. Very scary. 😂

[Gawndy the Great 7,678]

6 hours ago, A F said:

I think their talls are a bit like ours. Their number one priority is bringing the ball to ground for their smalls. As Naughton and Scache did last week. Ground balls will be massive. Really hoping it's a dry night.

Looking to be a ripper day. 

[Gawndy the Great 7,678]

1 hour ago, Sean Balor said:

Yeah, every single footy show person tipped us tonight. It's a bit nerve racking. Not to mention being short priced favourites to win. Very scary. 😂

It does play into Bevos ‘us against the world’.. theme - ‘no one has backed us, no one thinks we are a chance’ etc etc. its a bit much I think and potentially  a double edged sword because millennials these days might not buy into the hype so readily. 

[Sean Balor 49]

2 hours ago, CYB said:

It does play into Bevos ‘us against the world’.. theme - ‘no one has backed us, no one thinks we are a chance’ etc etc. its a bit much I think and potentially  a double edged sword because millennials these days might not buy into the hype so readily. 

The problem is.. if it were me? I'd be pretty fired up if someone said I wouldn't/couldn't win. So everyone picking Melbourne certainly may inspire them a little bit. Will give Bevo something to talk about, as you mentioned. Hopefully, they're just not good enough in the end. Hopefully, we want it more. And after waiting 57 years to make it happen, if we aren't fired up enough ourselves (and more so than them)? There's something wrong.

SURELY.. we get it done. Right? 😬

[CityDee 738]

The tactical battle is interesting indeed - 

I'm hoping Kossie replicates his uncles norm smith performance for Port . 

 

Had a lazy 20$ on Kossie for the Norm Smith