The lid stays on, says Smorgon
By Roger Vaughan, 15 Mar 2010 Roger Vaughan is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- AFL, Barry Hall, David Smorgon, Western Bulldogs
Ben Hudson and Tom Williams of the Bulldogs share a laugh after their win in the AFL NAB Cup Grand Final between the Western Bulldogs and the St Kilda Saints at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne. Slattery Images
Western Bulldogs president David Smorgon promises the “lid” will stay firmly on at Whitten Oval in the wake of their stirring victory in the AFL’s pre-season competition.
Saturday night’s memorable 40-point win over St Kilda at Etihad Stadium gave the Bulldogs their first premiership of any sort since 1970, when they won the league’s night series.
They have won only one home-and-away season premiership, in 1954, and there are great expectations that this season the drought will break.
High-profile recruit Barry Hall was best afield in the final with seven goals, giving him 17 goals in three pre-season games.
If Hall can stay fit and away from the tribunal, he will be the key forward the ‘Dogs have missed so badly in the last two years, when they lost preliminary finals.
Smorgon said the team’s focus will turn immediately to the round-one game on March 28 at Etihad Stadium against Collingwood, another side expected to challenge for the premiership this year.
“I can assure you, the lid is firmly on,” Smorgon said.
“On Monday morning, the boys are back – round one.
“We’ve said from round one of the NAB Cup, Collingwood is our priority, we won’t do anything to put ourselves at a disadvantage, that’s what our plan was.”
But Smorgon is also demanding the Bulldogs, so often the league’s battlers, keep developing a winning mindset.
The only result that will satisfy the Bulldogs this year will be the premiership that counts.
“We’re building a club, we’re developing it season by season and we have to develop a harder edge,” he said.
“I say we go into season 2010 (thinking) we fear no-one and nor should we – we’ve beaten Geelong last year, we kicked away from the Saints, the way we demolished them (last night), albeit in a practice match.
“We have to go into season 2010 confident of our ability to take on everyone and let every club worry about playing the Bulldogs.
“If we finish eighth, seventh, sixth, fifth, fourth, third, second – we’re not going to be happy.
“That’s what the attitude has to be, but we’re not getting carried away.”
Coach Rodney Eade said outside expectations would not affect what is happening within the team.
“We have no control over that, we talk about it internally, what we need to go through and I suppose the processes, the way we measure our effort and intensity and the things we value as a team,” he said.
“There’s a really good culture in the club and outside focus or distractions I don’t think will have any impact.”
The Bulldogs will have a solid four-day block of running from Tuesday to ensure they are fully-fit for the Magpies and no doubt to make sure their minds are back on the job after the pre-season title.
Captain Brad Johnson should be fit for round one after missing the pre-season final through injury, although Eade is concerned about his lack of match practice.
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Redb said | March 15th 2010 @ 7:25am | Report comment
How good was this game, great win for the Western Bulldogs, love the way they go about it. Great to see big Bazza bag 7.
The pressure is just going up in AFL footy – its a blitzkrieg in 2010.
Can’t wait for Round 1 – how good will the Bulldogs v Collingwood game be!
Al said | March 15th 2010 @ 9:48am | Report comment
It wasn’t the greatest spectacle in all honesty.
Can still see Hall blowing his top when having to play against a decent defender and not spuds like Dawson and Gibson.
Redb said | March 15th 2010 @ 9:58am | Report comment
Al,
you always have a negative slant, thats your opinion, but I enjoyed the game and thought the intensity was very good coupled with good foot skills from the Doggies. If your a Saints fans their disposal let them down badly in the first Qtr.
I was very much on the Bullies side and throughly enjoyed the contest.
Bazza certainly has white line fever, the addition of Brad Johnson back into the forward line will only help him as he can play decoy and take 2 defenders with him. No-one can doubt Hall is playing a team game, his followup and tackling was hard at it.
He does look like he’s going to blow a fuse any second – who would be a defender eh?
But perhaps just perhaps the implied pressure this brings to the Bullies forward line will help them on many levels.
good to see Hahn is not too badly injured, he looked on fire.
Al said | March 15th 2010 @ 10:05am | Report comment
I was impressed with the Doggies intensity in the first quarter and their tackling pressure, they really did out St.Kilda St.Kilda. The second quarter was decent as St.Kilda (with the help of some dodgy umpiring) got back into the contest but after the Bullies blew their lead out in the third it was pretty much over as a contest.
I was concerned with Hall having a go at Dawson and Gwilt after kicking one of his early goals, it seems if provoked and if being beaten by a defender, he could easily throw a fist into someone’s jaw. Most of his goals came in junk time in the last quarter anyway when St.Kilda played a kid on him, he was virtually unsighted for one and a half quarters. I was impressed with Higgins, Murphy and Cooney moreso than Hall to be honest.
Regardless, the dogs were impressive and made St.Kilda look second rate at times.
Redb said | March 15th 2010 @ 10:29am | Report comment
Hall’s 7 goals got him best on ground (agree a few at the end were relatively easy) , it was a probably the even-ness of the Bullies contributors which made it hard to find a stand out. Certainly Cooney and Higgins played good games, young Moles has a future with good balance for a kid. The only disappointment for mine was Hill who rarely had a touch, his game against Port was very impressive.
Hall’s contested marks were terrific though and his goal radar on target.
St Kilda’s defence with Dawson must be a concern for them. The Hawks and Lions bring power forwards to the table as well, who is going to match them up?
Al said | March 15th 2010 @ 10:52am | Report comment
I think St.Kilda last season relied moreso on their intense pressure around the entire ground and on the ball carrier than on one on one matchups exclusively in the backline, the fact that they restricted teams from getting the ball into their back 50 to begin with was probably reason enough as to why they could justify going with a played like Dawson at full back (with Fisher taking on more of accountable role aswell last season it must be said).
What makes the doggies such a perfect candidate in beating St.Kilda’s style of play is that they run and carry at every opportunity coupled with their blsitering speed, add a proven full forward into the mix and all of a sudden getting a decent matchup in the backline becomes important. Essendon exposed them aswell last season late in the year with the same style of up-tempo, fast running, run and carry type of game, plus Watson had an absolute blinder that day aswell.
With the Hawks and Lions, I would think that they would have to adapt to play a much more faster running game to negate St.Kilda’s intensity further down the ground, two teams that aren’t really noted as playing that style of football.
Redb said | March 15th 2010 @ 12:00pm | Report comment
Good points. I think there will be many sides bringing that sort of intensity to the contest all over the ground this year – Blitzkrieg style. The so called ‘Saints Footy’ will be replicated by 8 or 10 sides in 2010.
Re Ess v St Kilda game last year, it was Ryder who really dominated in the centre and Watson was the beneficiary, once Ryder went off at 3 Qtr time St Kilda got back into the game.
St Kilda are not as skilled as Geelong or Western Bulldogs who are willing to keep attacking and trust their team mates up the field to win the one on one contests.
Reiwoldt remains a deadly up forward if enough supply is given, what a workhorse!