Western Bulldogs a ‘mess’ down back

THE Western Bulldogs dropped out of the top eight after losing to Geelong at Marvel Stadium in round twelve.

A poor start cost the Bulldogs dearly, conceding seven first-quarter goals to trail by 33 points at the first change.

After trailing the Cats by as much as 40 points early in the second quarter, the Dogs rallied late but ultimately fell short, going down by 13 points.

The Bulldogs have a tough run home playing Brisbane, Sydney and Geelong away, and St Kilda, Melbourne and Fremantle at home in the second half of the year.

SEN host Gerard Whateley isn’t as confident about the Dogs’ finals chances following their “disappointing” performance against the Cats.

“We’ve watched the weekend go by having sat together on Crunch Time in the immediate aftermath of the Bulldogs’ loss,” he said SEN’s Whateley.

“It feels even harder for the Bulldogs than it did on Saturday.

“I sat here with you in the Means Test and theorised that I think they’re in the race for fourth, I do not feel that anymore.

“That was such an important game… It was predicated on being the gatekeeper and they were so disappointing.

“What I thought was a set of games that they needed and they would be ready for, I feel much less confident in that now.

“In the way that it’s shaping up… is it more likely that Collingwood and Gold Coast are going to make the finals than Richmond and the Bulldogs? I think the Bulldogs are really up against it now on the pressure index.

“It’s a disaster if they miss again coming off a grand final.”

David King replied, “Of course it is. They’re good enough to play finals.

“Outside of their midfield, they’re asset poor.

“Their defensive 50 is rated 12th in the competition, they don’t win the ball back when the opposition are transitioning coast to coast, they’re 15th for midfield intercepts, they don’t have an intercept marker.

“What is one thing that coaches must have in their kitbag to be successful in the modern game over the last four or five years? You have to have someone who can cut the ball off at the pass, they don’t have that.”

King said the Dogs are a “mess” defensively and doubled down on his view that Aaron Naughton should be moved down back.

“I think Luke Beveridge has got massive challenges,” King said.

“They’re a mess down back, a mess. You can’t be a mess defensively in this competition and survive.

“If they don’t get that right, they’ll miss the finals. How many goals [Aaron] Naughton kicks doesn’t matter, they’re better off saving four goals at the other end than trying to kick six inside 50.

“Because if you can’t defend, you are gone.”

– BY ALEX ZAIA/ SEN