Half time against the Dogs

[liz]

Scrappy game. Our team looks like they know they are youngsters and I don't think they believe they can win.

Ironically it is the experienced players who are probably letting the team down with some ordinary disposal.

Still nice to see them working hard.

I thought LRT had a particularly good first quarter. His instinctive play has been good and he seems to read the ball well.

[Foreign Legion]

Yes Liz, J.Bolton and O'keefe have not impressed with their disposal so far.

I have liked Vogels (quite mobile for a big fella), LRT - looks much better at CHB, Nicksy doing OK but we won't win I don't reckon.

BUT, I reckon I've seen enough of Moore to call him a player.

He will make it!

Lose the headband ROK...

[Damien]

Jarrad McVeigh is really impressing me today.

Horrible match, but it is good to be in touch and some great experience for the younger players.

[Mike_B]

McVeigh's skills really shine out when the rest of the team are so scrappy. Dempster has been good and should debut sometime early in the season IMHO. Jolly looks like he's trying too hard. Agree that Vogels looks good and mobile for a guy his size.

LRT looks like Phil Waugh!!!

[Bart]

Originally posted by Foreign Legion
Yes Liz, J.Bolton and O'keefe have not impressed with their disposal so far.

What's with ROK's David Beckham style hairband. Looks ridiculous. LRT looks like a horse

[Foreign Legion]

Moore did some good things in that qtr - he's one of those blokes who are born to play footy.

Can I be the first on RWO this year to say the umpiring is crap?

Vogels is a good kick, Dempster looks like a Tiger Kennelly type - quite poised. Nothing like his old man really as he is quite solidly build now.

The Bulldogs? Same players that are good every year - Johnson, Darcy, West, Smith - nothing else stands out really.

[liz]

Originally posted by Foreign Legion

The Bulldogs? Same players that are good every year - Johnson, Darcy, West, Smith - nothing else stands out really.

Cooney was pretty impressive too.

Overall there were a few encouraging bits and pieces even if none of it was particularly cohesive.

Powell's second half was good.

Moore others have mentioned and I suspect more will. He is quite clearly a senior player, and probably sometime this year.

McVeigh looks classy but would have liked to see him get into the action a bit more.

Shaw was one who I didn't expect to do much but looked good. I think he's already taken more marks for the Swans than Meiklejohn did.

The "senior" fringe players were maybe a bit of a disappointment this afternoon, the likes of Bevan, Schneider and Buchanan. None was bad but none of them have their place for round 1 sown up based on this afternoon's performance.

[Foreign Legion]

We finished it off pretty well - most of the young blokes had a good go too.

LRT was good, Spriggs was OK - nothing special, Jolly was average. Doyle was better as than game went on - in front of Jolly for the No.2 ruck spot.

Really, I think the result was bloody good considering the makeup of the sides.

Vogels could be a handy backup for any of our tall forwards. Shaw showed a bit, very raw and awkward but looks OK.

I am officially driving the team on the Jarred Moore bandwagon!

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by liz
The "senior" fringe players were maybe a bit of a disappointment this afternoon, the likes of Bevan, Schneider and Buchanan. None was bad but none of them have their place for round 1 sown up based on this afternoon's performance.

With some of the rookies performing quite well and of course the core of the senior side to return as well, hopefully this will spur the senior fringe players on to better performances as if they don't show some improvement on today, they could see themselves starting in the magoos. Pressure from outside the top 22 is always healthy.

[midaro]

All I can say, is that Bulldogs supporters are in for a very long year.

[Foreign Legion]

Originally posted by midaro
All I can say, is that Bulldogs supporters are in for a very long year.

I agree - the same old players were in their best. They will improve but not but much - probably win 8-9 games I reckon.

Chris Grant looked slow, lethargic and also put his knees in a couple of times during tackles.

[Scottee]

Some positives and negatives:

Positives:

Great effort against a full doggies outfit.
LRT looks like out CHB
Moore oozes class and could be the sort of player we are looking for.
Vogels is an excellent pick-up and be a great backup if not a player in his own right.
Campbell ditto.
Shaw is a natural ruckamn but is just a kid, could be a real prospect in a year or two.
Nicks looks as fit as a gazelle, could play wing.
Spriggs ads depth to the midfield.
Dempster still looks a prospect.
Dempster, Vogels, Moore and Campbell are all excellent kicks.
James looked a tad better than last year but his enthusiasm can still turn to panic.
Schneider is fit, the rumours are true, just needs to find form now.
Craig Bolton is a gun.
Buchanan can still be dangerous.
O'Keefe is looking even better!
With a full team we are going to be awesome!
Doyle is in form and fit.


Negatives:

It's mostly about the rucking.
Jolly will never do any good unless he watches the bloody ball.Overall a disappointing performance but not beyond hope.
Doyle will never do any good until he stops jumping early, the new rules means this doesn't work.
WE NEED A RUCK COACH!!! If we don't improve markedly in this area then 2005 is going to be another wasted year.
Players who could have done more:
Fosdike
Bevan
Buchanan
Powell
Pity Clarke didn't play.
Pity about the umpires, don't they know how to wreck a game of football. Pathetic interpretation of holding the ball / holding the man/in the back/interference rules.Left players wide open to unfair/unsafe tackles. Not good.

[liz]

Originally posted by Scottee

James looked a tad better than last year but his enthusiasm can still turn to panic.

I really felt for James in the early part of the 3rd quarter when the Swans defence was under siege for 10 full minutes. First he gets a very dodgy free against him when the Dogs player ducked his head into James' chest.

Then he runs too far after failing to find a way through the congestion.

Then he was lucky not to give a HTB free away.

And then he kicks the ball out from a kick-in and fails to find a man.

I thought he settled pretty well after that. I was worried he was going to go to pieces. As a third tall forward he could do well this year. Playing along side Schauble and with Barry and Kennelly providing options to clear the ball he could go OK. He was playing on a class, if somewhat long-in-the-tooth, player this afternoon and did OK.

[Swannette]

As an insight into the depths of the swans talent, this game was a confirmation of what has been speculated about, and to some degree, revealed last Friday. We have within our ranks the raw talent to go all the way - whether its this year or next - we can be happy about that. The Bread Man is an exciting prospect, as is Shaw and Garrubba. Personally, I am thrilled so far with Spriggsy and Jolly - they promise a lot and should deliver as much. All in all, we can be excited I think about the fact that we have so many young players with enough raw talent/enthusiasm amongst them to push for senior selection this year, if not next. Bring on the Hawks - my 11 year old Hawks-mad mate from the North Coast can't wait and neither can I. Go Swans!

[Nico]

Originally posted by Foreign Legion
I agree - the same old players were in their best. They will improve but not but much - probably win 8-9 games I reckon.

Chris Grant looked slow, lethargic and also put his knees in a couple of times during tackles.

You are a supreme optimist. Get on the Bullies for the spoon while there are still some odds on the board.