DOG DAY by George On The Outer

Posted July 24, 20223 yr

It is said that every dog has its day and that was certainly the case when the Western Bulldogs defeated Melbourne under the roof at the Docklands on Saturday night.

While the Dogs were certainly at the very top of their game, the same couldn’t be said of the Demons. All around the ground, dismal individual performances and dismal team performances were the order of the day. Fans should have been worried right from the start as the game turned into a goal-fest. This is not their team’s method of operation - both sides kicked 20 goals between them in the first half.

The alarm bells should have been ringing in Demon headquarters since this is not how this side has traditionally played the game. Strong reliable defence is it’s mantra but when the Bulldogs kept on scoring it seemed only a matter of time before the dam wall broke.

At the other end Melbourne has a patched up forward line, without any main target, and it was only inevitable that it would not kick a winning score if the match were to proceed in the way it was heading.

Doubling up with the forward problems was the utter lack of effort coming from those same players. Not a single tackle, not one for the whole game resulted from those occupying the front half of the ground. Worse still was that the Dogs were allowed again and again to waltz the ball from deep in their defensive zone to outside fifty before a single Melbourne player challenged them.

When players are selected on the basis of being “defensive forwards” then there is no place for them in coming weeks, because in this case they can be replaced by a number of those performing at Casey who will put in effort.

Once again, the coaching group must share some of the blame as they continue with the obviously flawed tactic of resting rucks in front of goal. Once again zero scoreboard output from them, and once again both Max and Luke look like they are moving around the ground with concrete boots. Yes they are coming back from injury, but they need a rest from rucking duties, and they are just not getting it.

The defenders were just overwhelmed from the lack of support up-field and their systems just fell apart in the absence of Jake Lever, a last minute withdrawal. It meant Steven May was forced further up the ground, and tried to replicate Jakes role, but to little effect. Their cause was further made precarious with English often left unattended in the forward line as he drifted forward. He wasn’t being rested there, he just left the Demons rucks struggling to keep up, with their forward duties sapping their endurance.

The kick-out strategy also failed, probably because too many in the Demons’ camp keep saying we should try something different. The result: short chip kicks from kick-ins just resulted in pressure being provided where none exists when long kicks outside the 50m arc are taken. In the 3rd term it just seemed the Demons were unable to clear the defensive 50m zone for 15 minutes, and it was only because of three opportunistic goals that they kept in touch. It was just a matter of time before the Dogs capitalised …

And the time came. Even though the Demons still held on to a lead with 10 minutes to go, it turned - the Dogs took their chance and the Demons didn’t.

Could the Demons have played a more miserable game? Max Gawn was comprehensively beaten in the ruck by Tim English, who topped it off with 2 goals. Luke Jackson could only manage 3 kicks and 3 marks for the game. Alex Neil-Bullen ran around pointlessly, while failing to tackle instead of trying to corall, merely manages 11 touches. James Harmes with a lousy 9 disposals keeps losing his man and when given the chance to deliver easy kicks misses by 20m. Jake Melksham kicks the easy goals out the back, yet doesn’t put any defensive work in to stop his opponent moving down the ground.

Sam Weideman is still to take a contested mark and likewise keeps looking around for an opponent to follow, after it is too late.

At least the mids held their own. Christian Petracca was assigned Bontempelli duties, and both nullified each other. Clayton Oliver with one hand was magnificent with 28 touches, while Jack Viney with chipped in with 24 and a lot of guts. But it was also simply not enough in the end.

Up next against the Dockers and this game will go a long way to deciding top four. It was all on the line for the Dogs this week, as to finals aspirations. It is all on the line for the Demons in this game against Freo. Do they have the same willingness to win? Will the selection team face up to the failures in the forward line, and stop expecting miracles or superhuman efforts to be performed to win matches?

If not, it will be just another dog day for the Demons.

MELBOURNE 6.3.39 11.5.71 14.7.91 15.10.100

WESTERN BULLDOGS 4.0.24 9.2.56 12.6.78 17.8.110

GOALS

MELBOURNE Fritsch 4 Weideman 3 Melksham Pickett 2 Harmes Jackson Neal-Bullen Sparrow

WESTERN BULLDOGS Ugle-Hagan 5 English Garcia Naughton Weightman 2 Bontempelli Macrae Treloar West

BEST

MELBOURNE Oliver Gawn Brayshaw Petracca Fritsch May

WESTERN BULLDOGS Bontempelli Ugle-Hagan Dale English Macrae

INJURIES

MELBOURNE Jake Lever (shoulder) replaced in selected side by Adam Tomlinson

WESTERN BULLDOGS Adam Treloar (calf)