Autopsy Dogs lose to Dockers

[doggy_dog]

Frederick is a certified spud

The man would comfortably be our best small forward at the moment

 

[Doggy]

The man would comfortably be our best small forward at the moment

That doesn't say much though

 

[TheScriptorWL]

https://thenightly.com.au/sport/afl...eat-at-his-sides-lack-of-execution-c-18291921

Interesting Read on the consensus from inside the club.

 

[bobs head soup]

Kane Cornes full conversation about Sam Darcy



Sam Darcy had another phenomenal performance for the Western Bulldogs on Sunday, dominating in the front half in the eventual 16-point loss to Fremantle.
The 21-year-old filled the stat sheet, booting five goals to go with 21 disposals, 11 marks, nine score involvements and three clearances at 71 per cent efficiency.
After an awe-inspiring start to the season, Kane Cornes believes at this current moment, Darcy may well be at the pinnacle of the AFL.
“I’ve got a statement for you this morning,” Cornes told SEN’s Fireball.
“Sam Darcy is now the best player in the competition. Sam Darcy is the best footballer in the country right now.
“That is amazing. I did a top 50 (AFL player ranking) in the preseason, and I think I had him in the 20s.
“His development and improvement is mind-blowing, and what is he, 21?
“What’s he going to be? And is there any danger that someone can help him? If you are playing alongside of him, you have the best job in football.
“The (Lachlan) McNeil goal late was just as a result of how paranoid Fremantle became on Darcy, where McNeil’s opponent goes back to help in the air against Darcy, did the right thing, Darcy crashes the pack and McNeil kicks the goal.”
While Darcy’s performances leave nothing up to debate, Cornes has called out the key forward’s teammates, particularly in the front-end of the ground.
Across the first four games, Darcy’s 12 goals make up nearly a quarter of the Bulldogs’ majors, with fellow tall forwards Aaron Naughton and James O’Donnell combining for just eight goals.
“This is frightening but they need someone to come along with him,” Cornes continued.
“If I’m Darcy, if I’m a Western Bulldogs fans, if I’m Luke Beveridge, how upset would you be at Aaron Naughton’s lack of anything.
“Nine years they gave this guy, and he just has to contribute, and he has been unable to contribute.
“Until they get some help for Darcy it’s a lone hand, but I’ve never seen anything like it. As I said a few weeks ago its Wayne Carey-esque and it’s going to be exciting to watch.”
David King was well on board with the bold statement, commenting on Darcy’s ability to use the ball unlike any other key forward in the competition.
“He made Alex Pearce look like a B-grader,” King said.
“He was doing his best, I’m not having a go at him, he just made him look like he couldn’t compete.
“He had a 25-rated game yesterday, for a key forward. If you average 14 for the year you are probably All-Australian. Forwards don’t do this.
“There was a handball that he did in the corridor inside 50 that should have set up a goal. It was a 15-metre inboard handball.
“His kicking on his left like he’s Darren Kappler, and then his goal kicking is pure.
“I just love how they are prepared now to go to him at any time, because they know what they’ve got.”
With top-end talent out with injury, the Bulldogs have showed plenty of promise, winning two games and falling just short in two other contests against strong opposition in their opening four games.
Gather Round will prove a major challenge for the side as they take on the Brisbane Lions at Norwood Oval this Saturday afternoon.
Darcy's 12 goals so far in 2025 has him sitting just two behind joint Coleman leaders Nick Larkey and Riley Thilthorpe.

At the start of the season Cain listed 31 players he regarded as the games a-graders

Couldn't find a spot for Sam Darcy.

4 games later, Cain reckons he's gone past all 31 of them.

Norhing new but he's just a hot air dribbler.

 

[The White Mouse]

Ya win some ... ya lose some. Such is life.

For me, the area for improvement is corridor defence. Got opened up like a can of beans through the middle in the 2nd qtr ... but not just the 2nd qtr.

This is not just a this games' or this years' problem. Speed thru the guts has been an issue for sometime for anyone paying attention.

Butters addition at the season's end is part of the solution.

 

[Lex22]

Did Naughton have glandular fever? That’s a pretty short turnaround from off-season to Round 1 if that’s the case.

I know everyone is different, but I got it at 19 (undiagnosed for a while before I finally got blood tests - a lot of people just thought I was lazy) and I was badly fatigued for nearly 6 months (you get better, albeit I don’t think you fully recover from it).

It would be a lot tougher to manage as a professional athlete, although he appeared to move really well in Round 1.

 

[stefoid]

Naughton definitely isn't trying to hard. His effort has been very poor the past two weeks, it's something that you could never have questioned previously.

I have only watched the first quarter, but when he got the ball up the ground he kicked inside 50 really well - hit darce up twice. Admittedly, darce is a huge fat target, but he hit it.

OTOH when he is on the receiving end himself he looks nowhere near it. Long gone are the days when hapless richmond defenders let him stand 5m off the pack and jump over the top.

We have to play him up the ground. We have the best deep target in the game, there is no reason for naughts to be back there too.

 

[dogwatch]

https://thenightly.com.au/sport/afl...eat-at-his-sides-lack-of-execution-c-18291921

Interesting Read on the consensus from inside the club.

Stopped reading at "defense". They need to learn how to spell defence.