What They Are Saying at Western Oval

[Lucifers Hero 37,197]

Not a lot of posting happening, maybe more as the game gets closer.  There is a bit of talk about not going to the game, arriving after the flag is unfurled or retreating to the bar so they don't see it.  And a it of reflection on the GF result.

Overall they have been fairly tame.  Some selections from bf and 'woof':

• I want to see a more defensively-minded midfield. Someone tag Petracca or Oliver for the whole game. I don’t care who.

• Q: What bay is our cheersquad in? I bought a couple tickets in M3 but I think that might be with the Dees’ fans…. ?? A:  I think you are smack bang in the middle of the Melbourne cheer squad
• We had and still have multiple deficiencies/weaknesses in our team especially in our key position roles, had to travel to 4 states, had to win 3 finals in a row to get to the GF, had a third of our team sh*t the bed in the GF from the start of the first quarter, yet we were still up by 3 goals at one point in the third quarter.   Another year of development and fixing key weaknesses goes a long way. We are still the second best team in it even with these apparent faults.

• How about we stop discussing how we have little chance against this "juggernaut" and start discussing tactics to actually win.  The pessimism is ridiculous.
• I don't blame the tactics\coaching instructions so much as the players' over zealous reaction to those instructions. The road to ruin is always paved with good intentions.  Moving forward we need to back ourselves to adjust to the opportunities that Melbourne's defence will give us on the ground rather than focus too much on the ones that we think they will prior to the match.
• I'm pretty fatigued still from last year, and watching on tv again with all the pitfalls that brings does not excite me. Also don't like the idea of getting done by Melbourne first up.
• I'm excited for round 2. I just want round 1 to be over.
• Some trepidation. And the fact that we STILL don't have a ruckman continues to concern me.  But I'll probably have the lid off at first bounce.
• I'm looking forward to having a different game to dwell/celebrate over. *!*!*!*! that GF memory off.
• Let us make a Round 1 statement and rain on Melbourne's parade.
• Yeah, I reckon our blokes hate those Demons flogs. Would love to see us start some biff next Wednesday.
• Besides Libba who do you expect to take it up to Melb from a physical stand point?  I can't think of many as we have a quite a few 'nice boys' in our team... and not many with any mongrel.
• Would love Libba to lead the way and the nice boys to drop the halo and take a stand. Nothing stupid or over the line but I want to let those flogs to know we’re coming for them.

I think my favourites the last few looking for some mongrel from their palers.  It wasn't that long ago that we were the ones that played nice bruise-free footy.  Now we have Salem, May, Viney, Picket, Spargo etc who know how to hurt without hurting themselves or getting reported.  WB were soft in the GF,  May, Salem and Viney knocked the stuffing out of a few key players in the first 10 minutes.  They may tinker with their game plan but I don't think they are going to find 'mongrel' overnight.  Its not in their DNA.

Edited March 13, 2022 by Lucifers Hero

[faultydet 7,593]

1 hour ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Not a lot of posting happening, maybe more as the game gets closer.  There is a bit of talk about not going to the game, arriving after the flag is unfurled or retreating to the bar so they don't see it.  And a it of reflection on the GF result.

Overall they have been fairly tame.  Some selections from bf and 'woof':

• I want to see a more defensively-minded midfield. Someone tag Petracca or Oliver for the whole game. I don’t care who.

• Q: What bay is our cheersquad in? I bought a couple tickets in M3 but I think that might be with the Dees’ fans…. ?? A:  I think you are smack bang in the middle of the Melbourne cheer squad
• We had and still have multiple deficiencies/weaknesses in our team especially in our key position roles, had to travel to 4 states, had to win 3 finals in a row to get to the GF, had a third of our team sh*t the bed in the GF from the start of the first quarter, yet we were still up by 3 goals at one point in the third quarter.   Another year of development and fixing key weaknesses goes a long way. We are still the second best team in it even with these apparent faults.

• How about we stop discussing how we have little chance against this "juggernaut" and start discussing tactics to actually win.  The pessimism is ridiculous.
• I don't blame the tactics\coaching instructions so much as the players' over zealous reaction to those instructions. The road to ruin is always paved with good intentions.  Moving forward we need to back ourselves to adjust to the opportunities that Melbourne's defence will give us on the ground rather than focus too much on the ones that we think they will prior to the match.
• I'm pretty fatigued still from last year, and watching on tv again with all the pitfalls that brings does not excite me. Also don't like the idea of getting done by Melbourne first up.
• I'm excited for round 2. I just want round 1 to be over.
• Some trepidation. And the fact that we STILL don't have a ruckman continues to concern me.  But I'll probably have the lid off at first bounce.
• I'm looking forward to having a different game to dwell/celebrate over. *!*!*!*! that GF memory off.
• Let us make a Round 1 statement and rain on Melbourne's parade.
• Yeah, I reckon our blokes hate those Demons flogs. Would love to see us start some biff next Wednesday.
• Besides Libba who do you expect to take it up to Melb from a physical stand point?  I can't think of many as we have a quite a few 'nice boys' in our team... and not many with any mongrel.
• Would love Libba to lead the way and the nice boys to drop the halo and take a stand. Nothing stupid or over the line but I want to let those flogs to know we’re coming for them.

I think my favourites the last few looking for some mongrel from their palers.  It wasn't that long ago that we were the ones that played nice bruise-free footy.  Now we have Salem, May, Viney, Picket, Spargo etc who know how to hurt without hurting themselves or getting reported.  WB were soft in the GF,  May, Salem and Viney knocked the stuffing out of a few key players in the first 10 minutes.  They may tinker with their game plan but I don't think they are going to find 'mongrel' overnight.  Its not in their DNA.

I don't think the bulldogs are a soft team at all. Quite the opposite actually, and apart from Libba who is a sniping dog and Hunter who is a ducking coward,  the majority of their players are "hard but fair". It's easy to look soft when you have taken the foot off the pedal and the other team makes you look like you don't want it. That's the way I saw the Grand Final at least.

I reckon the first quarter will be a ding dong battle as the oldies would call it.

Edited March 13, 2022 by faultydet
thanks @jontee

[Lucifers Hero 37,197]

1 minute ago, faultydet said:

I don't think the bulldogs are a soft team at all. Quite the opposite actually, and apart from Libba who is a sniping dog and Hunter who is a ducking coward,  the majority of their players are "hard but fair". It's easy to look soft when you have taken the foot off the pedal and the other team makes you look like you don't want it. That's the way I saw the Grand Final at least.

I reckon the first quarter will be a dingaling battle as the oldies would call it.

I agree, they aren't a soft team but they played somewhat 'hands-off' in the GF.  Our level of aggression was off the scale.

It seems a few of their fans think they play 'nice' and are looking for some mongrel.

[faultydet 7,593]

1 hour ago, Lucifers Hero said:

I agree, they aren't a soft team but they played somewhat 'hands-off' in the GF.  Our level of aggression was off the scale.

It seems a few of their fans think they play 'nice' and are looking for some mongrel.

Agree with that.

I think it's a sign that they are not sure the playing list and game plan has changed enough to make a difference if we are in top gear. No different to what many of us, myself included would call for when we were not quite there in our past few finals efforts.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if they roll us this week. I also would not be surprised if the Dogs have a small drop down the ladder this year.

Edited March 13, 2022 by faultydet

[dazzledavey36 48,942]

21 minutes ago, faultydet said:

I don't think the bulldogs are a soft team at all. Quite the opposite actually, and apart from Libba who is a sniping dog and Hunter who is a ducking coward,  the majority of their players are "hard but fair". It's easy to look soft when you have taken the foot off the pedal and the other team makes you look like you don't want it. That's the way I saw the Grand Final at least.

I reckon the first quarter will be a dingaling battle as the oldies would call it.

I reckon Tim English is one of the softest players running around in the AFL.

For a guy his size he's scared of his own shadow.

The rest of the doggies team are pretty hard and fair which I agree with.

Edited March 13, 2022 by dazzledavey36

[Fritta and Turner 3,729]

21 minutes ago, faultydet said:

dingaling battle

um ding dong actually 😃

[McQueen 17,864]

I wouldn’t be too yappy either after getting annihilated in a GF. 

[Watson11 1,899]

47 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

I agree, they aren't a soft team but they played somewhat 'hands-off' in the GF.  Our level of aggression was off the scale.

It seems a few of their fans think they play 'nice' and are looking for some mongrel.

I don’t think the dogs are soft. The dogs supporters were complaining how we just stood up in their tackles and could easily get handballs away. Their gripe is with the coaches, who seem way too obsessed with winning the free kick count, rather than teaching them how to tackle to hurt and not care if the odd free is given away.  

[titan_uranus 22,548]

1 hour ago, faultydet said:

I don't think the bulldogs are a soft team at all. Quite the opposite actually, and apart from Libba who is a sniping dog and Hunter who is a ducking coward,  the majority of their players are "hard but fair". It's easy to look soft when you have taken the foot off the pedal and the other team makes you look like you don't want it. That's the way I saw the Grand Final at least.

I reckon the first quarter will be a dingaling battle as the oldies would call it.

46 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I reckon Tim English is one of the softest players running around in the AFL.

For a guy his size he's scared of his own shadow.

The rest of the doggies team are pretty hard and fair which I agree with.

Agree with both posts.

Libba's a pest and not in a good way, Hunter is a Selwood-level ducker (some will say Spargo is the same but whatever) and I reckon Beveridge has known for years that English is too soft to be a good ruckman as he gets bullied around far too easily.

Otherwise, I think the Dogs get physicality right. Macrae, Dunkley, Bont, Daniel, Smith, Naughton - these are players who don't shy away from contact but don't go out of their way to be [censored] about it (unlike Libba).

[Stiff Arm 4,412]

58 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

I reckon Tim English is one of the softest players running around in the AFL.

For a guy his size he's scared of his own shadow.

The rest of the doggies team are pretty hard and fair which I agree with.

Josh Schache is worse than English.

Jury still out on JUH 

[Willmoy1947 3,804]

I don't care any more about hard and fair and I think both teams line up pretty well.What I don't want to see is a lapse in either first or second qtrs. I'm looking for the more complete effort for four qtrs and that will give me a lot of satisfaction against the supposed second best team

[DubDee 20,917]

Speaking to my dogs supporting mate, his main gripe is with Bevo never keeping a settled team. Even when undefeated, he made 5 unforced changes, for example

I agree and reckon the dogs have never played really consistent footy. Evidenced by never making the top 4 under Bevo

[dazzledavey36 48,942]

22 minutes ago, Stiff Arm said:

Josh Schache is worse than English.

Jury still out on JUH 

Look I'll be honest, I already knew how incredibly soft Schache is. We all knew this from when we worked with him through the Murray Bushrangers system back in his under 18's days.

He was a high talent and Darren Ogier the bushies coach at the time would make him do extra competitive work after training to try and toughen him up a bit. This was a direction given to him by recruiters.

Watching his progress over the years not much has changed.

JUH is more down to attitude problems and whether he applies himself to his training and diet off field.

Edited March 13, 2022 by dazzledavey36

[daisycutter 28,629]

20 minutes ago, willmoy said:

I don't care any more about hard and fair and I think both teams line up pretty well.What I don't want to see is a lapse in either first or second qtrs. I'm looking for the more complete effort for four qtrs and that will give me a lot of satisfaction against the supposed second best team

yeah, 4 qtr effort......and......kick goals, not points

[Sir Why You Little 34,637]

If we are “switched on” and ready to go, we will anihalate them again. 
We have too much talent 

(think Whorethorn from 1975-91), they just played the same way every year. Tough and skillful 

[Fork 'em 6,538]

  

20 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

yeah, 4 qtr effort......and......kick goals, not points

The only thing that makes us look shaky is our kicking for goal.
If it wasn't for that the GF would've been over by half time.

Hope Petracca for eg spent time on his kicking with Choco during the break.
As good as he is he sprays them everywhere.
 

[rpfc 27,560]

Imagine the equivalent ‘what they’re saying down at Demonland’ thread… 

“they seem to be fascinated by a Carlton player and the machinations of a trade that never happened.”

”well at least they ain’t obsessed with bananas like they was a few years ago!”

”that rpfc is astute! If I knew what that word means”

[Dr. Gonzo 22,524]

I wouldn't be surprised if they come out with a point to prove but we have a real chance to destroy them psychologically and I hope we take it

[Mazer Rackham 14,970]

They're a good side and may win. I think it's a blessing we didn't walk all over Carlton. This is an opportunity to really put the cat amongst the pigeons at Barkly St and potentially finish their season. GO DEMONS!!!

[Stiff Arm 4,412]

4 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Look I'll be honest, I already knew how incredibly soft Schache is. We all knew this from when we worked with him through the Murray Bushrangers system back in his under 18's days.

He was a high talent and Darren Ogier the bushies coach at the time would make him do extra competitive work after training to try and toughen him up a bit. This was a direction given to him by recruiters.

Watching his progress over the years not much has changed.

JUH is more down to attitude problems and whether he applies himself to his training and diet off field.

Very true. I knew a recruiter at an AFL club during Schache's draft year. He said Schache was amazingly uncompetitive for a guy his size.

[titan_uranus 22,548]

2 hours ago, rpfc said:

Imagine the equivalent ‘what they’re saying down at Demonland’ thread… 

“they seem to be fascinated by a Carlton player and the machinations of a trade that never happened.”

”well at least they ain’t obsessed with bananas like they was a few years ago!”

”that rpfc is astute! If I knew what that word means”

I'm sure they'd be commenting on overconfidence.

There are too many posters who are describing this game as a "should win".

We are going to lose games in 2022 and the first of those could easily be this Wednesday.

[picket fence 15,322]

5 hours ago, DubDee said:

Speaking to my dogs supporting mate, his main gripe is with Bevo never keeping a settled team. Even when undefeated, he made 5 unforced changes, for example

I agree and reckon the dogs have never played really consistent footy. Evidenced by never making the top 4 under Bevo

The drink is an OVERATED coach 

[whatwhat say what 19,177]

6 minutes ago, picket fence said:

The drink is an OVERATED coach 

hmmm, dunno...

i don't see how any coach who can get two sides who finished outside the 4 into a grand final, and one won a premiership after traversing the country to play away, can be overrated

he seems to be able to get the absolute best out of his group and get them up for the big occasion 

[picket fence 15,322]

Ok he is a goodish coach, BUT Ill tell you why... If he was EXCEPTIONAL he would have gone Back to Back or at least 2 in 3 to 4 years. Leigh Mathews did it , Hardwick did it and our very own Norm Smith did it as well! The doggies coach tinkered too much and injuries occur... but you must have solid reinforcements. The Doggies although good in 2016 had absolutely everything go right for them including having the boot polish at the right level of shine and the meat pies at exactly the right temperature for comfortable fast eatability

Edited March 13, 2022 by picket fence

[WalkingCivilWar 32,642]

8 minutes ago, picket fence said:

the meat pies at exactly the right temperature for comfortable fast consumation!!

😳