DESPITE the flurry of rule changes brought over the off-season, the ultimate litmus test in AFL remains that if you can beat the Tigers you can contend for the flag.<\/p>\n
It was a test that fellow challengers the Demons and Power passed with flying colours, but for the Bulldogs last round, they were unable to stop the pressure after half time.<\/p>\n
Speaking on SEN\u2019s Crunch Time, Gerard Whateley said the Dogs received \u201cthat Richmond\u201d in the second half, the one that is normally asleep until the back end of the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat Bulldogs provoked that Richmond, and they didn\u2019t stack up against it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Bulldogs failure has now raised questions over whether they are true contenders, with Daisy Pearce adding they have \u201ca few vulnerabilities”.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not always a bad thing to have a loss like that (as it) exposes a few things that you need to work on,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen they come up against sides that are really good in the contest, and they don\u2019t have to rely on sending mass numbers in like the Dogs often do, they\u2019re vulnerable if they lose that contest.\u201d<\/p>\n
The inability of the Dogs to quell the Tigers momentum was also something that concerned Pearce.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve seen them just be irresistible all year with their handball game, that fast style,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast night, that was subdued, because Richmond were really good, what did they do next?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was like they were just waiting for it to come back; they didn\u2019t have a plan B.\u201d<\/p>\n
The lack of a \u2018plan B\u2019 is something that will concern coach Luke Beveridge and his team, as they lick their wounds and look to bounce back next week against Carlton.<\/p>\n
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