Western Bulldogs players leave the MCG after losing the AFL 2nd Qualifying Final to the Geelong Cats
Despite a valiant performance from the Western Bulldogs in Saturday’s tight 14-point loss to Geelong at the MCG, the game highlighted a few worrying signs from the Bullies that suggest their premiership aspirations are gone.
The Bulldogs came into this September’s finals series with plenty of reason for optimism following late season victories over top 4 clubs Geelong and Collingwood.
But Saturday’s loss to the Cats left Dogs coach Rodney Eade denying claims that his side’s flag hopes were dead in the post-match media conference.
As they say a week is a long time in football, and a lot can change in a short space of time and it has for the Dogs’ premiership hopes.
Eade said after Saturday’s loss (which means they’ll face Brisbane at the MCG next Friday), “It makes it more difficult because you’ve got to play another game and you don’t get the week’s break, so obviously Geelong is in the box seat and whoever wins tomorrow (St Kilda) is going to be in the box seat – there’s no doubt about that.
“But having said that, there is a bit of character amongst the group and we’ve shown over the last three weeks what they can deliver.”
Indeed, the Bulldogs’ Round 21 and 22 wins over the Cats and the Magpies were impressive, but Eade can’t afford to gloss over their failings on Saturday by referring back to those victories.
Saturday’s loss to Geelong showed the increased stakes of finals footy and how the Dogs (who bowed out in the preliminary final last season) are short of what is required to win these important matches.
Without doubt the Dogs showed a lot on the weekend and with a bit of luck and a bit of accuracy in front of goal, they may have been singing the song at 5.30pm on Saturday afternoon.
Their inaccuracy in front of goal was one of the stories of the afternoon, but there was a reason for those failings. Pressure.
Not only was there the pressure of the occasion with a huge crowd in attendance or the pressure of what was at stake, but also their opponents Geelong applied relentless pressure, especially early.
But pressure is what finals footy is all about, as players are desperate to reach every single contest, making the game more intense.
Under that duress, the Dogs made bad decisions and errors they normally wouldn’t, with usually reliable goalkickers Shaun Higgins and Adam Cooney guilty of a few glaring misses.
But beyond their inaccuracy in front of goal, the Bulldogs also struggled to handle the pressure around the ground, as they frequently reverted to pumping the ball long into their forward line.
It’s not that going long is a bad tactic in finals, it’s just that the Bulldogs haven’t got the personnel to exploit it.
Indeed, the recurring criticism of the Dogs (that they need a power forward) rears its head again but there’s little they can do about that now.
As a result of the Dogs’ panicked bombs forward, Geelong’s backline had a birthday with Matthew Scarlett best on ground, while fellow defenders Corey Enright, Andrew Mackie and David Wojcinski all had fine afternoons.
Should the Dogs overcome the Lions this Friday, they’ll face the Saints in the preliminary final. St Kilda, of course, has this season’s stingiest defence and with players like Sam Fisher, Brendon Goddard, Sam Gilbert and Jason Gram, the Saints won’t provide any let up.
So it’s hard to find answers for the Bulldogs looking ahead and Eade’s bemused gesturing during Saturday’s match suggests he’s short of ideas too.
It seems now it comes down to the players and whether or not they can handle the pressure better in the future.
But for a side who’ve finished third after 22 rounds for the last two seasons, some of the problems of the past have re-occurred and not been resolved.
Unfortunately for the Dogs, who’ve not won a premiership since 1954, the wait may last a little longer yet.
StickyBuns
Guest
haha i like your view on which teams should go leeby! Gold coast team will fail, they'll be too busy surfing and towelling up gold coast girls to concentrate on playing good footy.
leeby
Guest
the top 8 has been in place long before the big bucks were in the game so i guess money wasnt the reason why its structured. (but its now the reason why they will never change it) but i know what you mean, the 8 seems a little ambitious. would be nice with a couple less teams (dockers, richmond and port can go) to make the comp a bit more even and see the top 6 slug it out for the flag. and introducing new teams - great little money earner but shit for the comp.
Ben Somerford
Roar Guru
Leeby, One of the biggest problems the Bulldogs face now is the fact they've got to beat St Kilda in the prelim final. St Kilda have conceded the fewest goals, behinds, points etc of all clubs this season. The way the Dogs went about it on Saturday suggests against the Saints they'll struggle. Sure, the Dogs did lots of good things and they are a good side, but they're not an elite side. Sticky Buns, I dont mind the top 8 system. It's quite an accepted concept in Australia within most sports and it's exciting for all involved. And while there's money in it for the AFL, it is genuinely exciting for the fans and also an incentive for midtable clubs to improve (rather than tank). And we also wouldnt get games like we did at the GABBA on Saturday. Of note is what the AFL will do with 17 teams when Gold Coast come in?
Redb
Roar Guru
Maybe, but you could probably argue the Cats did enough to win the game when 5 goals up, slackened off a little and almost let the Bulldogs in again. it would have been against the general control of the game though.
Redb
Roar Guru
I'd agree with that. The last H & A game the Bullies got up and beat Geelong by 2-3 goals I think, if they had managed to repeat the dose in a final I would give them a good chance to make the GF but not win it. Their much talked about lack of a tall forward line hurts them in finals when everyone is off their feet late in the game. Reiwoldt and Kossie dont get any shorter in the last 5 mins, neither do blokes like Tippett or Ottens. Just take solace folks that Collingwood will bow out this week - apologies to Pies fans. Redb
leeby
Guest
i wouldnt rule them out just yet, the dogs played ok but no where near their best, whereas geelong seemed to be playing full tilt, slick, efficient footy with their big guns playing rippers. yet 14 points is only a few kicks and we all saw how it unfolded in the final term - cooney, jonno misses, and aka hitting the post. I think eades 'bemused gestures' as ben said is more to do with the frustrations of the day, the inefficient use of the footy, players not playing to their potential in a massive game, and a relatively narrow win/loss margin. I dont think its a sign that he's lost for ideas, just frustrated that it didnt come together on the day. I think he and the team still belive they can win the flag. in reflection on how well the teams performed, the cats should have won by at least 5/6 goals but it didnt reflect on the scoreboard - they dominated the statistics. so if eade saw the game how I did (dogs underperformed, geelong firing) then I think their still a shot at the flag. He will give them a blast before the brisbane game and hopefully they start playing footy from the first bounce (fingers crossed its a fair one). A good point though (which is hard to measure) is the pressure that the cats applied around the ground and particularly in the 1st quarter. they played a tough game of footy, controlled the large part of the game and deserved a win.
StickyBuns
Guest
I think you're right, the Bulldogs forward structure isn't good enough to win finals, if you look at St Kilda and Geelong, they have the Riewoldt's, Kozi, Mooney types that can step up and be a target, take a mark, kick a goal. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the structure of the finals, in how many sports can you finish 8th/mid table and still make the finals, and how often do teams in the bottom four of the top 8 get through and win the GF? Is the final series just a money making exercise? I guess there's a chance Adelaide may give things a shake this year but we'll see..
gazz
Roar Pro
Was watching that Footy Classified last nite and Grant Thomas had a similar attitude towards the Dogs. I think it's right, they're a pretty good team, but not good enough to win, or even make, the GF. Bridesmaids is an apt title.
davelee
Guest
yeah I know what u mean megatron. but i suppose as Ben says, theyll need to play alot smarter and better if theyre going to beat the saints. they played into geelong's hands on the wknd and if they do that with st kilda's def theyll get flogged. (thats assuming they do, as u say, beat the Lions)
megatron
Guest
I wouldn't write them off just yet. They pushed Geelong an they have a pretty easy path into the prelims as the Lions played their Gf last week.
Matt
Guest
A couple of good points you make there Ben. Just gotta hope as a Dogs fan that they've got a bit more poise on the ball and use it better. They should beat the Lions, but beating Saints is going to be pretty hard. They'll need to be at their absolute best.