Progressing Very Very Nicely

[thejiggingsaint]

Yes, progressing very, VERY nicely!

[Linton Lodger]

Good measured post and on the money Damienc.

[Linton Lodger]

The Bont is something else. Clearly a star and tough to boot. So confident he now picks fights with Mumford.
Remember last year teams thought they could rough the Bont up? They tried and failed. The bloke is an Alpha male lets face it. A genuine Big Dog of the comp.

No trying to rough up The Bont is pointless. Stopping his initial movement to the left everytime he gets the ball may disrupt him severely, as he definitely appears to have a strong preference for going left. No one has tried that on him yet. I reckon the wily Richo might, he successfully exposed all of Treleor's weaknesses. Stop him, and the Bulldogs are in a world of poo.

[SuperDuper]

Perspective

We have beat

Collingwood, Hawthorn and Brisbane - Where are they on the ladder

Even our pre season wins in perspective were not spectacular

on the other hand... Collingwood are not bad as they showed this weekend.. we also outplayed Wet Toast in perth and really should have got that win... and really we have payed only 4 bad quarters in 6 weeks, two against Melbourne one against Geelong and one against Wet Toast (a couple other average quarters like the 2nd quarter against Hawks and the first half against Lions)

we are clearly in the middle bracket fighting for a spot in the 8... whilst the Haks are clearly in the lower bracket fighting for bottom 4 spots.. unfortunately they somehow have a very favourable draw but hopefully the Swans do the double on them!

[Vazelos]

Ok. We have the makings of one helluva footy team. Notice I said makings.

We are not there yet. Sounds slightly absurd I know after demolishing Hawthorn by 75 points.

No. We are not there yet. We can play better than we did in Launceston. That is our upside and it is huge.

I watched the game on Fox so I am giving you my perspective. That was a real pressure game for us to demonstrate that we really are one of the improving sides in the competition. And we did just that. Emphatically. But it was not perfect. Not at all.

Not wishing to sound negative, at times we were wasteful in our disposal. Handballed too much when we should have kicked. And sometimes kicked poorly. But there were also times when we were positively scintillating.

Seb Ross. I just love this kid. Love they way he plays his footy. He was superb for us. Ross is fast developing into one of the best midfielders in the game. He will only get better.

Our defence was magnificent. Brown and Carlisle are great recruiting coups. Anyone who says otherwise knows nothing about footy.

Each week they go to the Opposition's best forward. Each week they get the job done. I've been waiting for Jake to blow off the cobwebs of a year off footy and really show us what he can do. Check the highlights if you can and look at the first goal he kicked for the club. It was an intercept mark and goal off a kick off. Fantastic stuff and a reminder that Jake is more than a defender. He can kick goals and kick them well.

Brown and Carlisle are allowing guys like Roberton and Geary to play their natural games with freedom. Roberton in particular is having a stellar season. He was such a damaging player again on Saturday. He really hurts the opposition with what he does.

Now I want to talk about our midfield monsters. Koby and Jack Steele.

Given his virtually non existent preparation, Koby Stevens should not have been playing.

He missed two games at the start of the year. Played two and starred for the Zebbies and then was injured in the first quarter of Sandringham's game last week.

Our last quarter fade out against the Cats and the fact that we were smashed in contested possessions meant that Koby was thrown in the deep end. He responded magnificently. 28 possessions and two goals. What is more remarkable, it was very apparent he was not at his best. Imagine what he will be like when he is.

And Jack Steele. What a revelation he is. I've been keeping a close eye on him since his debut. At times he has looked as if he hasn't quite picked up the playing style.Having said that he was still picking up 20 possessions each week. On Saturday he was brilliant. This guy can make something out of nothing and frequently does. He is tough and quick and a contested ball monster.

In my view, if we are to have a breakout season in 2017 Koby and Jack Steele must play every game. Let's hope they don't get injured. It was fantastic to have Jack Steven back. Best on the ground in my view.

If this side plays to its full potential, we could go all the way. We have to keep improving. This week will be real test for us. We've got the Giants but we also have many Jacks. They won't need a beanstalk to get the job done.

And just quietly as a postscript.

Paddy finally had the breakout game we were all hoping for and expecting. He kicked 7 for Sandringham. Woo hoo.

Great insightful post you nailed every point.

[MC Gusto]

Similar to the way Carlisle and brown have freed up Robbo and Webb, Steele and Koby (and to an extent Sinclair) really freed up billings

The quality of billings possession was exceptional. If he's nailed those two set shots he would've been in the best for mine. Still his field kicking to target was irresistible

[ChrisRyanSaints]

IMO I really didnt rate that win. Hawthorn were shockingly bad and disinterested.
Any top 4 team and hat wouldve been 130 points

We are a 7-12 team and unless we get fyfe/dusty or kelly I dont see how we get to top 4 in the next 3 years

Im thinking we still need to hit the draft hard for elite midfielders.

Look at melbourne and Carlton. They are next in line for top 4.

We are ok and will at best play a final in 2018. But we dont have elite talent other than reiwoldt montagna carlisle roberton and steven. Not enough.

And we overate billings acres dunstan lonie all bgraders at best!! Theyll nevwr be elite. We have amazing depth but theyre all bgrade. Good enoogh to make finals but no where near enough to contend with crows gws or dogs. Or melbourne / carlton from 2018. Cripps SPS Weitering Docherty Hopper (theyll get him) Marchbank, Curnow Silvagni all will be elite. You watch they ate coming.

Good news is we have drafts to come but bad news is we wont secure the talent but have to build and by then reiwoldt and montagna are gone

[Proph3t of egan]

IMO I really didnt rate that win. Hawthorn were shockingly bad and disinterested.
Any top 4 team and hat wouldve been 130 points

Oh? Like Geelong when Geelong beat them by over 100 points. wait...

[ChrisRyanSaints]

86 at MCG in the wet?? Thats like 120. And i dont see geelong being top 3. They are 4-9 team.

Dry day for us.

Gresham could be elite no doubt. We will
Be an ok team. But more like richmmond than bulldogs.
Nearly every dogs player is Agrade. Thats the difference. We have like 6 agraders they have like 20