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Bulldogs tackle pointless exercise
By Stuart Honeysett
July 22, 2005
BULLDOGS coach Steve Folkes admits he is concerned with the premiers' inability to score second-half points heading into tonight's blockbuster against Brisbane at Telstra Stadium.
Folkes also said the match against the competition front-runners would be a good test to determine where the 10th-placed Bulldogs are for their title defence with six rounds to go before the finals.
The Dogs have failed to score in the second half on five occasions this season, with their most recent effort coming last Friday night against Penrith. They led 18-6 at the break before holding on for an 18-16 win.
It was the only time this year they have won after struggling to score after the break, with their other four games, against the Sydney Roosters, Manly, North Queensland and Melbourne, resulting in losses.
"I guess it's a concern," Folkes said yesterday, after the team had finished its final training run at Belmore. "Obviously you'd like to be coming home with some points.
"Last week's game we didn't score in the second half but we only had the ball 15 times and most of that was at our end of the field after doing a massive amount of defence."
Folkes said part of the reason for the second-half drought could be tied to the horrific injury toll that has forced the club to use 30 players in first grade this season.
"I can't remember the other games where we haven't scored but I think maybe the fact we've had guys that have just come up into first grade and the pace of the game takes it out of them ... maybe they haven't got as much left in the tank as early on," Folkes said.
"I'm not sure which games they are but we just need to get some stability to the same 17 each week and we can build on that."
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Bulldogs prop Mark O'Meley, one of the players who has missed a large chunk of the season through injury, said a positive from last week was that their defence held under plenty of pressure.
"I'm not sure what the possession was but it felt like it was 60/40 the whole game and we had a few opportunities and we took them just before half-time," O'Meley said.
"In the second half we probably had a few opportunities and blew them, but our defence was great, the same as it was the week before against the Warriors.
"If we can keep that defence up and get our attack on song we'll start getting back to where we were."
Folkes is pinning his hopes on halfback Brent Sherwin, who started off the bench against Manly a month ago because of concerns about his form.
"He's turned the corner a bit, I think, and we need him to play well," Folkes said.
"He's just been running the show a bit better, he's talking better and things have been coming off better for him.
"His kicking game has been better so he's continuing to grow in confidence and that will be good for us."
The Bulldogs will need to be at their best to contain a Brisbane outfit that boasts the third best attacking record in the NRL, behind Parramatta and Melbourne.
The two sides have already met this season, at Suncorp Stadium in May, with the Broncos getting home 35-28 in a thriller against an injury-depleted Bulldogs.
"I was disappointed, I thought we deserved to win that game," Folkes said.
By Stuart Honeysett
July 22, 2005
BULLDOGS coach Steve Folkes admits he is concerned with the premiers' inability to score second-half points heading into tonight's blockbuster against Brisbane at Telstra Stadium.
Folkes also said the match against the competition front-runners would be a good test to determine where the 10th-placed Bulldogs are for their title defence with six rounds to go before the finals.
The Dogs have failed to score in the second half on five occasions this season, with their most recent effort coming last Friday night against Penrith. They led 18-6 at the break before holding on for an 18-16 win.
It was the only time this year they have won after struggling to score after the break, with their other four games, against the Sydney Roosters, Manly, North Queensland and Melbourne, resulting in losses.
"I guess it's a concern," Folkes said yesterday, after the team had finished its final training run at Belmore. "Obviously you'd like to be coming home with some points.
"Last week's game we didn't score in the second half but we only had the ball 15 times and most of that was at our end of the field after doing a massive amount of defence."
Folkes said part of the reason for the second-half drought could be tied to the horrific injury toll that has forced the club to use 30 players in first grade this season.
"I can't remember the other games where we haven't scored but I think maybe the fact we've had guys that have just come up into first grade and the pace of the game takes it out of them ... maybe they haven't got as much left in the tank as early on," Folkes said.
"I'm not sure which games they are but we just need to get some stability to the same 17 each week and we can build on that."
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Bulldogs prop Mark O'Meley, one of the players who has missed a large chunk of the season through injury, said a positive from last week was that their defence held under plenty of pressure.
"I'm not sure what the possession was but it felt like it was 60/40 the whole game and we had a few opportunities and we took them just before half-time," O'Meley said.
"In the second half we probably had a few opportunities and blew them, but our defence was great, the same as it was the week before against the Warriors.
"If we can keep that defence up and get our attack on song we'll start getting back to where we were."
Folkes is pinning his hopes on halfback Brent Sherwin, who started off the bench against Manly a month ago because of concerns about his form.
"He's turned the corner a bit, I think, and we need him to play well," Folkes said.
"He's just been running the show a bit better, he's talking better and things have been coming off better for him.
"His kicking game has been better so he's continuing to grow in confidence and that will be good for us."
The Bulldogs will need to be at their best to contain a Brisbane outfit that boasts the third best attacking record in the NRL, behind Parramatta and Melbourne.
The two sides have already met this season, at Suncorp Stadium in May, with the Broncos getting home 35-28 in a thriller against an injury-depleted Bulldogs.
"I was disappointed, I thought we deserved to win that game," Folkes said.
