John Crow Batty

Him and Hunt will bookend the halfback line nicely.

I figured the Richmond supporter might need it more than me in the future. The temptation was there though.

I was offered a cheap microwave immediately after the Richmond game. I refused of course.

If true could be a revival of an old tactic. Terry Wallace used to do it with the Bulldogs. Mix in runners, trainers and water boys/girls to fill in the empty spaces especially when his team was under pressure. Umpires should take note.

If he came in to play and his brief is only to contest with nothing to lose and no expectation he will be a match winner it will be OK IMO. It's only unreasonable expectations that will hurt him.

The dogs tanked that game. They had nothing to gain or lose ladder wise by busting their guts on the road and rested I believe five players. A flag winning strategy.

Similar to what I have been saying for a long time. What irks me is posters blaming our problems on fringe and developing players. This is a team psychology problem caused by decades of underachieving and damaged leadership. We have a top 2 team here that needs to shed its demons to progress.

Used to work with him at the old Herald and Weekly Times. Didn't know him that well. Much quieter bloke than his public image. RIP.

They should try that good Bolivian charter airline that specialises in moving football teams around. Service is out of this world I hear.

I remember 1971. We were 8-1 top of the ladder after 9 rounds with huge wins under our belt and never even made the finals.

Longer than that. The Daniher, Balme and even the Northey eras were susceptable. At least Northey got us in good positions before we fell in a heap. I remember an article in the paper in the early 90's about opposition players suggesting we were full of ourselves and always ripe for an easy chop.

Our underperforming when we are favourites is now a mainstream perception or more accurately an accepted reality by all the football community except a few here who continue to blame this and that player etc. Watching the replay even the commentators were talking about it when we were taking the field.

Because we let them and watch the replays of the rest of their games. They still can pull out the tricks for the softcoques.

We do talk about all the positives and upsides. There are many but without ridding of this persistent mental weakness we will never seriously be a deep finals side let alone win a premiership before the next rebuild is called for.

Like the stereotype disfunctional public service department with poor culture. Hire talented people and pay well who end up doing bugger all.

Coincidence mental toughness and Beveridge arrived at the Bulldogs at the same time?

Hawthorn are on the decline. Their skills have been woeful this season. Their experienced players are slow. When spuds like Langford and O'Brien star all day is an indictment on us. They still know how to take mug sides like us that think the game is won before the first bounce though.

Gawn is very important but was not missing in games against Essendon and Carlton last season. He is not the reason why we lost to the likes of Freo and the Hawks.

Jetta seems like our only defender that can get a decent punch on the ball in marking contests. But you are right he should not go up when taller defenders are going for the ball.

The most infamous example was the 1990 Semi Final against a lacklustre WC. We were favourites for the flag that finals series and red hot to beat WC. Our form prior to this game was stellar. They jumped us at Waverley in the first quarter and we could never catch up. WC bombed out in the prelim allowing the filth to take an unlikely flag against the bummers.

What's clear is this pathetic mindset against low ranking opposition won't go away easily. Much discussed last season and reappeared right on cue this season twice. Whilst I am sure we can put in a decent effort next week against a very good side with only a slim chance of winning we still have to play GC, Collingwood, Brisbane and North. ATM the odds don't look good for even breaking even with this mob. It really pains that we will continue to hear great things about training, attitude and improvement happening but with almost certantity the same dross will be served up against strugglers this season.

If we got Luke Beveridge as coach instead of Neeld we would have a couple of flags by now.

I checked and it was 5-2.

I suppose I can still fantasize for a few more weeks. Brisbane were 4-5 after nine rounds in 2001, stormed home and created a dynasty.

Bombers leading against Freo in the heat at Perth. Lucky we got them on the 5 day turnaround. We can only beat tired or distracted sides.