We Can Beat the Dogs

[Canteen Worker]

Despite the doom and gloom and also the reality that the Dogs will be a hard test this weekend, we are still a chance:

Glass is half full today.

1. We are unbeaten at Brookie and our form against Sharks, Melbourne etc has been reasonably good.
2. Our backs look to have more firepower than earlier in the season.
3. The Dogs are still without their superstars.
4. We have beaten them once this year away.
5. They are the reigning premiers and a side usually needs no motivation to perform well against the Best.
6. We have been flat over the last little while and should be able to lift the way good sides do in big games.
7. Kennedy and Beaver are playing.
8. Should be a big corwd at the Fortress to give the dogs heaps.
9. Kite will be keen to play well against Shrek.
10. Our forwards have more mobility than the Dogs and if we can match them we can pressure their very good halves.
11. It is the most important game of the year.
12. There is no number 12.

A good challenge that will tell us where we are in relation to the rest of the year. We can do it - but we will have to play well.

 

[Dan]

number 11 you are the winner

 

[sue ridgepipe]

tough game.i think niether side has many points in them against good defence(as both sides have usually).with the crowd behind us and if monaghanand witt are willing to utilise our speed out wide we are a fair chance.you wouldnt call their outside backs speed machines.

our prospects will be put to death or not in the cowboys and broncos double at brookie.this dogs side "as is" is not in their class.

 

[The Wheel]

They are predicting rain for Sunday - should be a wet track. Not sure who that will help - but it will bring the teams closer together what ever way you want to look at it.

 

[sue ridgepipe]

we do NOT need to play the dogs in the rain.

 

[Chip and Chase]

If we let the Dogs forwards get on a roll like the Knights did than we are in for a long day. The mainly PL Knights pack carved us up in the first half, we were soft up the middle and we couldn't slow down the ruck. Imagine Ogre and Asotasi with that sort of a roll on. Add to this Ryan / Grimaldi out wide while we are on the back pedal and it could get ugly.

We need to work hard in defence and get moving forward to meet them, not let them come to us and steamroll. It was shades of last year in the first half against the Knights. The key is to try and dominate the ruck to slow them down. I want to hear plenty of "dominant" calls from the ref on Sunday.

 

[PEPSI]

Hicks and Tezza V Utai, should be fun

 

[ManlyBacker]

Great work CW. Positive thoughts!

 

[Canteen Worker]

The Rain thing scares me! Our front row needs to stand up. Kite is up to it but it remains to be seen whether King will stand up and play this week. No Kylie and Hecks is a worry - though Kain Cleal might be the go on this day. He impressed some against the Knights.

The pressure will be on the kicking game - and it could become a territory war. I am sure that Monaghan will be pressurised!

 

[lasvegas]

i agree,cleals game was the best i have seen from him,showed a fair bit of ticker with his running.

 

[Fluffy]

The dogs backs have been up and down this year, i hope its another down. We need to pressure anasta, sherwin hasnt been in the best touch.

Wish Kylie was back for this, think its next week. Kylie got done for 2 against bris and missed 9 and 10, got suspended again in 11 for 5. which would mean this is his last week if my cals are correct.

 

[Canteen Worker]

I thought it was another week! Could be wrong though!

 

[Ice Fusion]

Here's an amazing statistic, we score an average of 39 points at home. So far this season we have played 7 home games. Our lowest score has been 25 against the Storm while our highest has been 48 which we have score twice (Knights and Rabbitohs). Aside from the Storm encounter we scored 34 or more points on every other occasion. Given this maybe we can expect the team to score at least 25 points against the Bulldogs maybe?

 

[ManlyBacker]

Good stat Ice. I will use it on the punt this weekend and if they don't come up with the goods I may have to sinbin any further info from you (for 1 week at least!).