AFL Rd 2 2022 Post Game Permutations Carlton vs Western Bulldogs

[Mav]

One thing Saad must do ... stop flying in forward line packs when you have no hope at the intercept.  Stay down to guard against a spill to a forward.  Cost us a goal last night

One thing the Doggies do well is blocking in F50. I remember one example late in the game where the ball was kicked to around 40m out towards Naughton/Weitering & Weightman/Saad. Weightman turned around to face Weitering and acted like a Defensive Tackle in the NFL, putting open hands either on or near Weitering's shoulders. He moved a bit left & right but it only lasted a second or 2. Meanwhile, Naughton took advantage to run at the ball and leap, and Saad had no option but to follow and try to apply some pressure. Of course, Saad got nowhere near it and Naughton took an easy mark. It was as subtle as it was effective. 

Yes, that was just 1 example but I'm guessing there was a fair bit of work being done to stop Weitering and the Gov being able to access the ball, creating mismatches for their forwards.

[LP]

One thing the Doggies do well is blocking in F50. I remember one example late in the game where the ball was kicked to around 40m out towards Naughton/Weitering & Weightman/Saad. Weightman turned around to face Weitering and acted like a Defensive Tackle in the NFL, putting open hands either on or near Weitering's shoulders. He moved a bit left & right but it only lasted a second or 2. Meanwhile, Naughton took advantage to run at the ball and leap, and Saad had no option but to follow and try to apply some pressure. Of course, Saad got nowhere near it and Naughton took an easy mark. It was as subtle as it was effective. 

Yes, that was just 1 example but I'm guessing there was a fair bit of work being done to stop Weitering and the Gov being able to access the ball, creating mismatches for their forwards.

The AFL has so many umpires on the ground now, they should focus on stopping this off the ball stuff and completely ignore the trivial contacts between direct opponents that they continually reward. A good example is that one on one between Weiters and Naughton, Naughton holds Weiters by the collar of the jumper, Weiters has and arm around Naughton's waist, they are in physical combat, but the umpire arbitrarily rewards a free kick.

Fans want to see the one on one battle, we don't want to see some $10 tagging spud shepherding the stars 15m away from the contest!

I abhor what Weightman did, if he wants to get in the way put his body on the line like LoB did at the feet of the KPDs a week earlier, like Owies and Durdin did multiple times last night standing under the ball!

[Blue Moon]

I am not sure Charlie is anywhere near his best yet. His five goals indicate what he could do if he does meet his potential. I still think we are one key defender short on our list. McDonald going down could cause problems. Big chance for Young to show his wears. Marchbank is still a way off. I thought Plowman did a good job when he cam on. The other option if we have more problems in this area is for Silvagni to go back there.
As I keep saying, if you can't kick the ball to your team mates you don't have a game plan. The last fifteen minutes was a worry when we couldn't his a target coming out of defence. The team obviously tired, and our skills dropped off, but I think they panicked a bit while also trying to be too careful. The players have just got to trust their skills. I like the fact that they are using their non-preferred foot when kicking at times rather than trying to get onto their preferred side. That second or two they save in time doing that helps to move the ball forward quicker.
Our team discipline work still needs improvement. There was an incident where Kennedy handballed the ball backwards to no one which may seem like an error on his part but in fact a team mate should have been there. That is the strength of a team like Sydney. There is always someone there.
The Bulldogs are a good team that played well for three and a half quarters, but when we went in the second quarter, they weren't able to go with us. Things are looking good and while I don't think we should get ahead of ourselves, I have booked myself in for my Premiership Threepete Tattoo.

[LP]

I am not sure Charlie is anywhere near his best yet. His five goals indicate what he could do if he does meet his potential. I still think we are one key defender short on our list. McDonald going down could cause problems. Big chance for Young to show his wears. Marchbank is still a way off. I thought Plowman did a good job when he cam on. The other option if we have more problems in this area is for Silvagni to go back there.

Do not forget Kemp.

[Gointocarlton]

Yeah but they were missing Bailey Smith, and the bont almost missed and wasn't his usual pain on the backside self.  Naughton also couldn't kick which is unlike him.

Our performance was good but we lost our way in the second half but held on.

Note the fact I thought we were going to bottle it and didn't is both good and bad.  Good because we didn't, bad because even though it was a game we didn't really look like losing the fact that I thought we  weren't home with a comfortable lead is part of the issue.

I think our "disadvantages" outweighed theirs. I the past we would have lost that game and not hung on. In the 3 games (Melb, Rich, WB) thus far, I see a steely resolve and grit that I havent seen for a long time. It will grow even more with confidence. The trick for the coaches will be to keep those confidence levels balanced. I dont want to see cockiness, just a ruthless resolve to get the job done whether it be by 1 pt or 1000 pts. I am loving what I am seeing.

[laj]

Just watched the last qtr. We struggled to get to contests in that last 10 min and when we did have the ball we kicked it straight to them in the F50 or out on the full. Fortunately all their shots were from 45 to 50m and only in directly in front so weren't dead easy. They had a run-on if 5 points in 3 minutes.

[Gointocarlton]

Just watched the last qtr. We struggled to get to contests in that last 10 min and when we did have the ball we kicked it straight to them in the F50 or out on the full. Fortunately all their shots were from 45 to 50m and only in directly in front so weren't dead easy. They had a run-on if 5 points in 3 minutes.

That was our worst period in the three games this year. You could see the confidence drop and skill errors creep in. IIIRC It also coincided with Crip and Pitt being off the ground. As soon as they came back on, we steadied and to the teams credit though, they hung tough.

[Professer E]

Apparently the doggies lost the game,  we didn't win it.

[LP]

Apparently the doggies lost the game,  we didn't win it.

Just like the way the Ferals were the 2nd most pathetic team in the AFL last week, behind CheatsFC!

Be careful posting this stuff, you'll get labelled a conspiracy theorist! :o

[LordLucifer]

So much to like in the first half, so much to dislike in the second.

I'm not a fan of Setterfield and probably never will be, twice he ran past a Dogs player with the ball preferring to guard space rather than tackle, his up & under kicking is hard to cop too.

I've never been a Plowman convert and as soon as he came onto the ground, we seemed to go to poop. This was partly to do with the inbalance created by McDonald going off but also because Plowman falters under pressure.

LOB tried hard but seems just that fraction behind the play and I can't see him being kept at the club because of it, the bluff & tackle on Richards was superb though.

On the positive side, there are a handful of players who are under the microscope this year and in principle, are playing for their future. McGovern, Fisher, Pittonet, Fogarty, Newman ....... even Owies, all have had good & bad times recently but there is a much more noticeable level of desperation from them. Doesn't mean they will all go the full distance but at least they have all bought in to the attitude & game-plan.

I was genuinely concerned in the second half, they came hard at us and the strong & assertive manner in which we played in the first half virtually disappeared. Had the Dogs been more accurate from their set shots, they would have run over us in the last.

We can thank small mercies they didn't all the while being mindful that a dominant first half does not always win you games against the good teams.

Hope they learn from the fluctuating fortunes in this match, use the 10-day break to freshen up and then really put the Hawks to the sword.