Wiseblood

Good point King - one thing we seriously lacked when Roos took over was talent on the list. We had far too many duds. Roos' recruiting, along with the rest of the team of course, has been spot on over the last two years. We still have too many players on our list that aren't AFL standard but we've certainly improved in this area.

The positive is that the talent we have has committed to the club - Hogan, Salem, Brayshaw, Petracca, Gawn... they have all signed contract extensions which is a show of faith in the club going forward. If things weren't going well then they would be happy to look elsewhere or not sign the early extension.

Or about the administration and culture surrounding the club....? I never blamed Bruce for leaving. The stench around the club when he left was so great that he was happy to leave for less money. I agree that his leadership skills weren't flash but he has gone on to become a successful assistant coach, so they can't be that bad.

The question of the last two though is - should they have been dropped? Howe and Lumumba have hardly set the world alight this year, but you could also argue that we don't really have anything near their quality plying their trade down at Casey. I still think Roos wants people to earn their place in the side, but until the necessary depth is there then it doesn't leave us with much choice.

I don't think there is anyone who would actively campaign for his removal. People just need someone to blame over a loss. One week we beat Collingwood and he is praised, the next we get smashed and everything he does is questioned by the usual crew.

Paul Roos is perfect for our club because he doesn't panic. He isn't in a position where he needs to. He knows that he isn't going to be our next premiership coach and is, instead, trying to instill in this club that requirements that will one day get us there. So much of the club was rotten in the past and now Roos has, generally, changed much of that and we are in a far better position than we were 2,3,4,5 years ago. Imagine if we had missed out on Roos and gotten an unproven coach who couldn't turn us around? Imagine if we hadn't been able to lure guys like Vince and Cross to the club and had instead merely invested in youth and only won 2-3 games again? I don't think we would be able to survive all of that. The losses on the weekend hurt now because we KNOW we are capable of better. But this team is still going through the learning phase and thankfully Roos isn't straying from the course he has set us on. By the time Goodwin takes over he will inherit a team and a club that is truly beginning to thrive again in the industry. Roos will have well and truly done his job.

I could well be wrong, but Matt Suckling strikes me as a player who looks much better in a good side that can get him the ball. I'm not sure a player of his type would fit at a lower club right now. His kicking is excellent but he needs to have a system that not only gets him the ball but gives him time to use it.

It's 12 weeks ago mate, but I understand what you're trying to say. We created a 60 odd point turnaround against the Pies in our favour in less time than the above, so for us at the minute it works both ways. Close the gap and learn to link the defensive and offensive efforts better and what happened on the weekend simply won't happen. I admire how much you enjoyed the loss on the weekend though. What happens when we start winning on a regular basis? What will you talk about then?

Very well put titan. I don't think any supporter could argue that at least some of the blame lays at Roos' feet, however, he has had to deal with FAR more than any other incumbent coach has over the last few years. Getting potentially 7-8 wins out of this group considering how utterly awful we were less than 2 years ago is something close to a miracle.

I was under the impression Roos said the above in his press conference, but maybe I was wrong. My point stands. Burgo isn't going to bag the club, it's not his job. The club has put up puff pieces for years.

If you haven't worked out that the coaches approach these media conferences almost as if they are politicians then you're slower than I thought stuie. What they say to the media is always vastly different to what goes on behind closed doors. Roos achieves nothing by giving brutal honesty to the media and chucking the team under the bus. The performance itself was enough. He answers the questions in as general terms as he can and leaves.

Really? You're going with that line? So a few supporters don't chuck a hissy fit about a loss in Round 20 when finals are well and truly gone and it's the reason why we have been pitiful for so long? Might not have anything to do with terrible recruiting, horrible administration and, for a time, crippling debt? Nah, must be a few supporters who are to blame. And it's a shame your son didn't enjoy this game, but it's an even greater shame he has missed the chance to see some sensational wins this year.

Blah blah blah jnr. No one here accepts it. While I don't get my knickers in a twist like you do we need to take a greater view. The Bulldogs had ONE year of being a basket case. ONE. They have always had the cattle and it's all coming together now after McCartney's hard work. Outside of Libba they've had minimal injuries all year and a soft draw. They play a brand of football that our team can't contend with, yet, and they smashed us. We've got some senior players down on form, younger players who are totally running out of puff and nothing to play for. We did, however, beat them earlier in the year so we aren't that far off them, no matter what happened on the weekend. Beat your chest, crack the sads and wet yourself over the weekend. Go for it. Fact is we are better than we've been for a long time no matter how much the Dogs rolled us by on the weekend.

Spot on. But they revel in it. The moment things go wrong they splash themselves all over the site with dribble. We need to thank all the gods that the site went down last night as we may have had a few jump off a cliff otherwise.

Yep, OD would have been watching this game with glee at the thought of how much he can get stuck in this week. Let the negativity flow through you OD. Revel in it if you can.

Meh. Not surprising really. Dogs are one FIYAH and they play a style of footy that suits Etihad to the ground. They run and run and run and run. We don't at the minute and we were smashed. No big deal in the context of the season. Dogs will be found out in September though when they have to play outside.

Look at them come out of the woodwork again. We have too many supporters who love losses like these as they can jump up and down and rant and rave about this and that. Knock yourselves out guys. The game means nothing. We played a side hungry for finals and we literally have nothing to play for. In the context of our season and where we are headed it means nothing. Move on quickly, if you can. You'll feel better.

We'll win from here..... I don't even care today. Who gives a stuff really, we are just riding out the year now. Dogs are going for Top 4. Stop getting upset by it and understand the difference in what the two sides are playing for.

I was going to post something similar. I know Biff might be taking the mickey a bit but I would have thought that we would be above this sort of stuff, jokes or not.

Can we not fill up yet another thread with this stuff, please? Stick to the game fellas.

It was reported in the paper that T-Mac had in fact rolled his ankle but had pulled up okay and was a certainty to play.

Because Bail is in and Salem is out ill, it just hasn't been updated. I thought everyone knew that though. Sub for us today is Jack Grimes which is an interesting choice to say the least.

Roos said it himself. Every game is different and past results don't hold as much weight as others think they do. As I said, I don't agree with him that we aren't a chance as I think we are, even though it's small, but to just throw out there that we beat them last time as some sort of indicator that we'll do it again is short sighted.

I think what he was trying to say is that there is no way the Dogs are going to drop this game to us. I don't agree with his line of thinking, as I still think we are a chance, but the fact that we beat them 11 weeks ago means nothing now as they are playing much better footy at the moment.

It's actually a fair point rjay. Stef always plays his best footy as a number 1 ruckman, but if we want Gawn to play that role it makes recruiting him a little silly. We tried him in the role Pedersen and Dawes play now and it never worked and, while he has improved, I can't see that changing much now and would be a waste.