Autopsy Toothless Bulldogs overcome Norf in a game not for the ages

[grassman75]

They watched Lindsay Thomas duck and dive for a decade

And get a rule introduced that isnt even umpired how it was intended….the Norf flogs have a lot to answer for

 

[grassman75]

I feel as tho the game has gone past clarko not the great coach he used to be

He was kissed on the dick with the team he started with at Hawthorn…only had to add a couple and he was set….there is only one really great coach out there in my opinion and he coaches the Melbourne Storm

 

[Turtleman3]

He is quite slow unfortunately - no chasing down blokes for Sanders.

It is unfortunate.

Players who have deficiencies like this need to be extra elite in other areas. An example is Caleb Daniel whose lack of height was balanced out by his kicking skills and being able to read the play, whereas Brent Harvey made up for this with his pace and football nous.

One of the best players I have seen who made up for lack of pace was Greg Williams. I used to watch him jog (and I mean jog) from contest to contest. He went alright. His great vision, amazing handball, and elite kicking countered this. He was overlooked time after time by recruiters focussing on pace alone. Hopefully Sanders brings elite skills to the table.

 

[grassman75]

While I made an earlier post critical of JUH, I'll now add one in his defence. Watching from L3 directly above the goals, during the last quarter as the ball was heading inside our F50 from the city side flank, he was in the square setting himself to lead. Corr was holding him with both arms. Not blocking, not just laying an arm across him (although he did that too in the tussle), just a straight out hold. The field umpire closest was watching, made to raise his whistle to his mouth, then changed his mind. Weightman came in and got between JUH and Corr, and tried to help out. Was 40-50m ahead of the ball, there would be vision of it, but it wasn't in play so not sure broadcasters or commentators would care. We had a less blatant one paid against Jones(?) earlier in the game. If that was Curnow, I doubt the umpire would have hesitated. The reason I hate umpires is their inability to apply consistency. I get they have an overlord intent on creating confusion with rule 'tweaks' throughout a season, but the ability to apply consistency by virtually the entire AFL umpiring group is a blight on the game.

And I'm just talking about within a game, even within a quarter. Don't get me started on consistency across a round, let alone a season!

Spigotts the lot of them, just like their self-pleasuring masters at AFL HQ.

Anyway, like others, I'll take the win and move on.

I’ve always hated that - puts the whistle to the lips then doesn’t blow it. If the free is there pay it. What is the consequence? The viewing public get upset for a few weeks? The players crack it because they cant get away with illegal tactics anymore? Blow the ****ing whistle, pay the free if it’s there and as we have seen with the HTB change the players adapt very quickly. I’m sure the umps hesitate too long when they think the see something and by the time they react, its too late to call so they let it go.

wait til the day when all the players have sensor pads on them so any touch gets recorded and lights up an alarm on the screen….it might not happen, but probably will

 

[grassman75]

Sanders got 20 touches for the fifth time in his career on the weekend.

He's tracking far better than other top 15 selection midfielders that others don't seem to be so worried about, (McKenzie, Hobbs, Tsatas, Phillipou, Erasmus etc.

It's a good sign that in his first year he's being trusted to play meaningful midfield minutes, and understands how to play that role that he know how to get his hands on it. There's plenty of players that look skilled and look like they can play a variety of roles but just seem to disappear in games and don't seem to have value despite looking good early in their career, even if they don't get their hands on the footy a lot. (looking at my favourite example of everyone's I-rate-him first-year player, Lukas Webb, who many would have predicted would have played 100+ games for us at stages within his first 10 games for us).

The range of future outcomes is still massive than him. After year one, it looked like Josh Ward was the star and Finn Callaghan was not. Flipped on its head.

All we can ask is for Sanders to continue to establish himself in the best 22 and offer positive value, and develop his game. Not every player is going to be a star or even get 50 Brownlow votes.

Lots can play out whether it's a good pick or not. Plenty of Dogs fans e.g. wrote of Farren Ray early in his career. In the end, after he went to Saints and North, he turned out to be one of the better players from an exceptionally weak 2003 draft class, as one of only 11 players to play 200 games. While he only got 9 career Brownlow votes - and I honestly expect Sanders to get more - in retrospect, the Ray pick was fine, as discounting mature agers/father sons that were unavaliable, only six players drafted after Ray got more Brownlow votes in their career than him.

Still love the date Faz played his 200th and the Saints were interviewing his dad and all he spoke about was the Bulldogs…suffer in your jocks Saints

 

[GetDimmaBack]

Still love the date Faz played his 200th and the Saints were interviewing his dad and all he spoke about was the Bulldogs…suffer in your jocks Saints

Had a similar experience with him and his family some years ago, after a Saints game.
We spoke to them for about 30 minutes and the whole discussion was about the Dogs. Farren never wanted to leave.
Lovely, down to earth family.