FIRST TEAM TO BEAT THE DOGS - WHO WILL IT BE?

[Mate]

Westies will beat the Doggies easily this weekend!!! It will be all over before it begins.


We have told the Centrals bus driver the game is at Waikerie. Shooshshshsh

[silent hour]

Don't be surprised if Westies do beat Central tomorrow as therisingblue said it will be an outsider to bring the dogs undone.

[bulldogproud]

I agree, Silent Hour, but my tip is that it will be either South or Glenelg who does so.
Cheers!

[silent hour]

I agree, Silent Hour, but my tip is that it will be either South or Glenelg who does so.
Cheers!

well I was wrong way of the mark actually, we copped another hiding looks like I'll have to agree with you bulldogproud and go with South or Glenelg, my pick is South.

[doggies4eva]

A lot of people have gone for Sturt - our next match - but it's on our favourite ground where we haven't lost since 1985! Unless they mean the round 21 match at Elizabeth

[Hondo]

Two, delivery into forward line needs to either be quick, or settle and wait for the right option. Schell and Grima mop up back there and they flood back as AFL teams do. Need to pick on there lesser back line players if possible and capitalise on opportunities.

Flooding? Sounds like a lot, if not most, SANFL clubs have adopted current AFL tactics to some degree. How close are the doggies playing to an AFL side these days? Is that one of the reasons they are doing so much better than everyone else?

I am sure Laird would want a loss or 3 TBH, who'd want to take an undefeated team in to a finals series?? Get the loss out of the way well before then I reckon. Every team has a down week or 2 during the season.

[JK]

Two, delivery into forward line needs to either be quick, or settle and wait for the right option. Schell and Grima mop up back there and they flood back as AFL teams do. Need to pick on there lesser back line players if possible and capitalise on opportunities.

Flooding? Sounds like a lot, if not most, SANFL clubs have adopted current AFL tactics to some degree. How close are the doggies playing to an AFL side these days? Is that one of the reasons they are doing so much better than everyone else?

I am sure Laird would want a loss or 3 TBH, who'd want to take an undefeated team in to a finals series?? Get the loss out of the way well before then I reckon. Every team has a down week or 2 during the season.

As a rule I would agree with that, but I don'tthink anyone's completed an undefeated season in the SANFL have they? If not,that would have to be a fair incentive/motivator?

[doggies4eva]

Two, delivery into forward line needs to either be quick, or settle and wait for the right option. Schell and Grima mop up back there and they flood back as AFL teams do. Need to pick on there lesser back line players if possible and capitalise on opportunities.

Flooding? Sounds like a lot, if not most, SANFL clubs have adopted current AFL tactics to some degree. How close are the doggies playing to an AFL side these days? Is that one of the reasons they are doing so much better than everyone else?

I am sure Laird would want a loss or 3 TBH, who'd want to take an undefeated team in to a finals series?? Get the loss out of the way well before then I reckon. Every team has a down week or 2 during the season.

As a rule I would agree with that, but I don'tthink anyone's completed an undefeated season in the SANFL have they? If not,that would have to be a fair incentive/motivator?

I think someone has done it 50 or 60 years ago. Might have been Sturt.

[Grahaml]

I never really consider it a flood unless you have a couple of players sacrificing their attacking game to bolster the defence. Our midfielders get back when we lose the ball, but once we get the ball our players work hard to get forward and move the ball quickly. I think that's a very important difference to a flood. The key to beating centrals is in part having patience, but more importantly getting the ball moving forward quickly to beat the players working back. If a team can't get it through the middle of the ground quickly, then they need to hold it up, switch across the ground, spot up short targets and make sure if they have to kick it long that they pick a contest that they have a chance of winning, and at worst should force a bounce of throw in.

[therisingblues]

A lot of people have gone for Sturt - our next match - but it's on our favourite ground where we haven't lost since 1985! Unless they mean the round 21 match at Elizabeth

I think what is happening D4E is that people are pushing up the hype for whoever the next team is to play Centrals, speculating that "Maybe this will be the one?" Sturt are next on the chopping block this week, so I expect a bit of banter about the possibility of an upset happening.
Central has a sensational record against Sturt recently, and an even better one at Unley. IMO Sturt aren't ready to cause an upset just yet. The Dogs just need to roll up, run with us for three quarters and whack on about eleven goals in the other, finally recording a 70 to 80 point victory. Sturt have the right attitude to winning, but as in games against Norwood, Eagles and North, when facing a truly superior opponent, we get swept away. Central are much stronger than Sturt, once they get their game going they will do plenty of damage in short amount of time to put it beyond our grasp. What I am worried about is if the Dogs get their game flowing all day, it could get very, very messy.

[Grahaml]

I think the dogs have too much class, discipline and versatility for Sturt. The game plan is more effective, mainly because of those 3 reasons, but also because we've been playing basically the same way for 7 years now. Dogs would haveto have an absolutely disastrous day for Sturt to even get close, IMHO.

[Hondo]

I never really consider it a flood unless you have a couple of players sacrificing their attacking game to bolster the defence. Our midfielders get back when we lose the ball, but once we get the ball our players work hard to get forward and move the ball quickly. I think that's a very important difference to a flood. The key to beating centrals is in part having patience, but more importantly getting the ball moving forward quickly to beat the players working back. If a team can't get it through the middle of the ground quickly, then they need to hold it up, switch across the ground, spot up short targets and make sure if they have to kick it long that they pick a contest that they have a chance of winning, and at worst should force a bounce of throw in.

Yes, what you've described is exactly the sort of game plan being used in the AFL. Sometimes a lot more effectively than others. I agree there is a difference between sacrificing 2 players to permanently bolster the defence versus just pushing your midfielders back when required. Too much use of the former is what creates 'ugly' football; do the latter better than your opposition and you'll win most of the time.

I try to point this out when I can because sometimes people slip into thinking the SANFL is played vastly different from the AFL, which I don't think it is. I also think people don't always realise why teams sometimes slow things up when moving forward at times. You are spot on it's to deal with the situation when the opposition has pushed back. I'd rather my team take their time to pick their target rather than slam it in too quickly and then lose possession.

It's no criticism of Centrals at all.

[Grahaml]

That's right. Some people seem to call them both "flooding" though, which I think is absolutely wrong. I don't take it as a criticism at all, it's the way to do it. The best SANFL team at working the ball forward ATM is the dogs. Just like they're the best at switching the play, attacking quickly at the right times, creating space and just work harder to get back when needed. These are the reasons the dogs are undefeated so far this season and have beaten every team bar Sturt. The skills, hardness around the ball and versatility add the consistency to the game plan, but the game plan wins the games. To beat the dogs, you have to at least match the game plan, and I think the dogs are already playing the best game plan. So hypothesise the only way to beat the dogs is to join them, and play a very similar general game. First team to do this will have a chance at beating them. Then it all comes down to skill, class, form and luck.

[doggies4eva]

That's right. Some people seem to call them both "flooding" though, which I think is absolutely wrong. I don't take it as a criticism at all, it's the way to do it. The best SANFL team at working the ball forward ATM is the dogs. Just like they're the best at switching the play, attacking quickly at the right times, creating space and just work harder to get back when needed. These are the reasons the dogs are undefeated so far this season and have beaten every team bar Sturt. The skills, hardness around the ball and versatility add the consistency to the game plan, but the game plan wins the games. To beat the dogs, you have to at least match the game plan, and I think the dogs are already playing the best game plan. So hypothesise the only way to beat the dogs is to join them, and play a very similar general game. First team to do this will have a chance at beating them. Then it all comes down to skill, class, form and luck.

The Eagles did this in last year's GF and look what happened

[Jimmy]

A lot of people have gone for Sturt - our next match - but it's on our favourite ground where we haven't lost since 1985! Unless they mean the round 21 match at Elizabeth

I think what is happening D4E is that people are pushing up the hype for whoever the next team is to play Centrals, speculating that "Maybe this will be the one?" Sturt are next on the chopping block this week, so I expect a bit of banter about the possibility of an upset happening.
Central has a sensational record against Sturt recently, and an even better one at Unley. IMO Sturt aren't ready to cause an upset just yet. The Dogs just need to roll up, run with us for three quarters and whack on about eleven goals in the other, finally recording a 70 to 80 point victory. Sturt have the right attitude to winning, but as in games against Norwood, Eagles and North, when facing a truly superior opponent, we get swept away. Central are much stronger than Sturt, once they get their game going they will do plenty of damage in short amount of time to put it beyond our grasp. What I am worried about is if the Dogs get their game flowing all day, it could get very, very messy.

a truer dose of reality you couldnt get...well said theri. i am positive and up beat of sturt putting in a good showing, but the dogs, according to their fans, havent even got out of 2nd gear yet and that is scary.

[doggies4eva]

A lot of people have gone for Sturt - our next match - but it's on our favourite ground where we haven't lost since 1985! Unless they mean the round 21 match at Elizabeth

I think what is happening D4E is that people are pushing up the hype for whoever the next team is to play Centrals, speculating that "Maybe this will be the one?" Sturt are next on the chopping block this week, so I expect a bit of banter about the possibility of an upset happening.
Central has a sensational record against Sturt recently, and an even better one at Unley. IMO Sturt aren't ready to cause an upset just yet. The Dogs just need to roll up, run with us for three quarters and whack on about eleven goals in the other, finally recording a 70 to 80 point victory. Sturt have the right attitude to winning, but as in games against Norwood, Eagles and North, when facing a truly superior opponent, we get swept away. Central are much stronger than Sturt, once they get their game going they will do plenty of damage in short amount of time to put it beyond our grasp. What I am worried about is if the Dogs get their game flowing all day, it could get very, very messy.

a truer dose of reality you couldnt get...well said theri. i am positive and up beat of sturt putting in a good showing, but the dogs, according to their fans, havent even got out of 2nd gear yet and that is scary.

Well I am interested to see if we can avoid a mid-season slump. I have a lot of faith in Roy who seems to be able to get them at their best in Sept/Oct but there are a lot of variables - like injuries to all teams as well as form changes. The game against Sturt should be a good test of how each team is travelling.

[therisingblues]

I reckon it might be Sturt!

[Jimmy]

no doubt it was a loss dogs fans will say they had to have, but hell, it sure was a fight to the end and credit to sturt, they could have laid down coz the dogs had them 3 or 4 times today but sturt just clawed back in it.

great performance today by the team and club, fantastic feeling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rik E Boy]

A lot of people have gone for Sturt - our next match - but it's on our favourite ground where we haven't lost since 1985! Unless they mean the round 21 match at Elizabeth

BWAHAHAHAHAHA. nyuck nyuck.

regards,

REB

[Hondo]

Um .... Sturt? Too late to guess?