I was surprised to see him come into the side, but I thought that Joseph did a pretty decent job on an in-form and dangerous Giansiracusa; probably beating him on the night. However, his ball use let him down.

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

Cons:

The MC, I have like them most of the year but this was a shocker!!! Playing Waite and Walker while in doubt and then using russell as the sub while 2 were in doubt!

Also I was a bit out of it this week, whats the go with irish? was he fit???

also turning on the game to see bower in forward line... wow!


Really?!?!?!

Our only chance was to roll the dice. Hall was going to kick his 4 or 5 goals no matter who we had on him.

Send Henderson & Thornton to the Key Forward Posts with Bower or Laidler on Hall and their other Key Forward.

At least we would have had our mid-fielders looking up to see some sort of contest up forward.

We as usual were too reactive - and also ran into another team bringing their "A" performance to a game.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

you watch that first quarter and half you wonder how we ever lost that game

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Coaches' Votes
Western Bulldogs vs Carlton

9 Cooney (WB)
9 M Murphy (Carl)
6 Boyd (WB)
3 Hudson (WB)
2 R Murphy (WB)
1 Gibbs (Carl)

Wonder if Ratts gave Gibbs one vote? Certainly thought he didn't work hard enough without the ball

Most piss poor effort from the coaching box in some time.

Ratten will not be required next season, if this crap continues.

Obvious move was to send Henderson forward when Waite was subbed out.

With Bower, Duigan, Thornton and Laidler all playing back, why couldn't they have taken turns on Hall.

Bower up forward, what was that? He has kicked a handful of goals in his career and isn't known for his overhead marking.

We needed a target forward and that was Henderson. Hall would have still got his 4 or 5. But the setup robbed our forward line of structure.

Walker was out of sorts and not presenting, robbing Betts and Garlett of any chance to rove.

Strange that Russell and not Joseph was the sub. Russell is required off half back and on the wing, for size and kicking ability. Also ability to get in the hole in front of leading forwards.

For a team that was missing only Jamo from the best 22, it was disgraceful. Equal with WCE as games that the coached got wrong.

Ratten couldnt pull any moves that improve the performance. To be top 4, when challenged you must pull changes that most an impact.

Ratten will be sacked if he cant find the right approach soon.

Dont forget Parkin has got the boot for far better performances.

Not sure if anyone else noticed, but Bower was one of the players (with the forwards and midfielders) taking shots for goal both in the warmup about 30-40 minutes before the game and then again in the warmup after the players ran out onto the ground immediately preceding the game. He was kicking most of them as well. Unfortunately he made no impact while up forward during the game.

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

Mitch shouldn't have risked it. BUT, that was the clearest 50 of the day that wasn't paid. Mitch hadn't played on and the Dogs' player clearly intercepted the ball from over the mark - i.e. if Mitch handballs the ball laterally, the guy on the mark can't have his hand waiting there to intercept it!? Small point, but in a game where the umps paid some very technical 50s (happy for them to do it but they need to do it consistently) that was a terrible non-call. Very frustrating but it probably would have only delayed the pain.

Haven't seen the match yet but goes without saying that I'm looking forward to seeing the replay. Gee we missed Cooney earlier this season - even at 75% he is a jet that runs the lines. Apparently you guys had more of the ball - did we pressure you intol going shorter and wider than you normally would? Our defensive pressure has improved out of sight in the last month (from a pitiful base it must be said). I heard Hudson nullified the ruck contests well and that Dahlhaus did a good defensive job on Yarran. Morris took one of the small forwards too I see

Good luck next week against the filth. I hope you bash into them hard all day and make them feel like they've played a game of footy.

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"You've got no fear of The Underdog, that's why you will not survive"
- Spoon, 2007
- Western Bulldogs, 2016

And with Twomey playing this week, that makes 37.

And Davies makes 38.

Yep. We're now in the bottom four of the league in this statistic. That said, we have churned through an unusually high number of rookies in doing so, so while that stat might indicate the cupboard is bare, we've failed to blood Lucas & Kerr, and given very little time to Austin & Armfield.

IMO, those are four names that can come in and do a job.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

I think it time to admit that Austin is cooked. Cant have a future with us surely

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I'd agree with that on how he's being treated, but his form was fine.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Seriously? I thought his form was better a few years back. This year he has not done enough for someone who has been on the list for as long as he has in my opinion. He has got to the end of the season to pull a rabit out of the hat.
Richardson has a rep as a good developer of talent. If he says Austin is a no go then i reckon we have to trust his opinion.
Not that he has said that but it does look like it may be the case.

I reckon it is a very good thing that we are blooding all these players -38 players in a side that is presently 4 th is excellent -we need if we are to become a superpower like geelong and collingwood to have at least 30 players who can play/contribute in a successful senior side -38 means we have canvassed all possibilities - generally covered injuries and whilst the main prize is this season kept an eye on the future

Agree that some lucas mclean armfield watson and austin havent probably had enough continuity to show their wares at senior footy but if they are players 34-38 naturally they wont get a lot of opportunities

I think he should have been playing, but it appears they want to play anybody but him.

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Pretty sure that Lucas played in the first game of the year.