Pre Match: Magpies v. Bulldogs - All comments please

[pietillidie]

This will be a big game psychologically as the Bulldogs will feel they can overrun us as they did in the finals last year. But this is a different season and that was a very flat game for us, so this week should be a beauty. (Those who wrote PhD theses in the off-season damning our club on the basis of that one flat game have gone surprisingly quiet in recent weeks).

Nonetheless, I think in terms of game style the Bulldogs are one side we struggle with (in contrast to say West Coast, whom we seem to enjoy playing).

With our new-found run from half back and attack on the footy it will be all about the clearances for mine, but I'd be keen to hear everyone's thoughts on how we should go about it.

[jonesy86]

an interesting fact is that we have not played at the Telstra Dome since Round 16 last season....not even a pre-season game, hopefully the club can organise a training session there this week as TD is much more narrower than the 'G

[Magpiefan3]

And also we only play 3 games at the Dome this year.

[favourites 2008]

We used to own the dogs at TD!

[Trezegol]

Our biggest problem this week will be stopping B Johnson.

With no Clement, who will get the task?

Many will suggest Heath Shaw, but Johnson will try pull him back to the goal square to remove Heath's running off the half back line.

Harry is the only possible suggestion. He's good in the air, and very quick off the mark.

However, what about plan b? What if Harry doesn't work out.

By all reports, Goldsack was close to best on ground again yesterday, so if he were to get a game, he may very well find himself on Johnson.

[STOKA35]

for me it's another test, this time it will show if it was a flat performance against the dogs in the elimination final or we are a genuine contender for 2007.

[uuuuu..... The LoneSTAR]

It will be interesting to see the IN's & OUT's this week!!

[Johnson#26]

I reckon we should play hard, tough, uncompromising football. They'll try and run us off our legs, that's fine. But as long as we can go harder at the ball and the man, we'll be in the contest all day. Quick, direct football down the middle is the way to go, with extreme pressure on their ball carriers, in Cooney, Ray and Giansiracusa. And we can expect the likes of Swanny, Burns and O'Bree to, hopefully, break even with Wets and Cross.

Fraser will be the key in the ruck.

[pietillidie]

I reckon we should play hard, tough, uncompromising football. They'll try and run us off our legs, that's fine. But as long as we can go harder at the ball and the man, we'll be in the contest all day. Quick, direct football down the middle is the way to go, with extreme pressure on their ball carriers, in Cooney, Ray and Giansiracusa. And we can expect the likes of Swanny, Burns and O'Bree to, hopefully, break even with Wets and Cross.

Fraser will be the key in the ruck.

I think we run as hard as they do now in any case (and thus far this season harder than they do).

[jimbeam]

Actually the bulldogs can be open to a thumping, and we should deliver it, they have no hight except Darcy.

If you watch the way the bulldogs play they win games our of their half back line, thats their major major area of play where they open the game up, they run off and push forward hard, they get loose because of the speed factor. Once they turn over its quick movement to give their small forward line a chance, because if the ball is coming in slow they are at a disadvantage due to there hight. They hate kicking to a contest and Saints and Adeladide force them into it nearly everytime.

Why are they rated so good, its simple, teams go into the game thinking they need speed to win, however thats the sucker punch and you cannot beat a dog at its own game.

The correlating factor in their two loses is no coincidence, Sainters and Adelaide are super defensive units, what i think both these teams done was played off their direct opponents once the ball hit their 50 alot of players pushed back along the dogs half forward line and into their forward line. Creating a wall, if the turnover happened after they went forward the dogs game plan hit a brick wall, watching the games where this type of plan was deployed made the dogs look lost, the dogs tried everything but because they are mainly soft small-medium front runners they didnt want to go long to a contest hence the ball was held up, they couldnt play on, and really only done their backwards switch up but it made no diffrence as they had the go over 14 opposition players.

The dogs got bogged along the wing and where forced to go long because the sainters and crows pushed everyone back except their forwards. Thats how you beat the dogs, push everyone back into their space and ambush them, force the long kick and bring hight into the game, once these where put into effect by the Saints and Adelaide the bulldogs lack of height and toughness where highlighted, we should smash them in the air and use their lack of height and their once dimensional speed plan against them, flood them and watch them break down when they cannot get forward.

[Cam]

If last week was a danger game, then this week... In patches during the Dees game they were downright scary with their run. At least at the Dome its a smaller ground which gives us more chance to lock them down.

[3rd degree]

Beware of Wounded Clokes! Cam! Beware!

[burnsy17]

My suggestion would be to get out and bash their runners early...

hard physical contact at every opportunity on Gilbee, Cross, McMahon, Eagleton etc... Just bash them every time the opportunity presents itself.

[TurkishPie]

Also, start Bryan in the forward line.

[RudeBoy]

Pebbles loves playing the Dome, and i expect him to kick a bag.