Our boring/conservative style guarantees us finals football

[Moedogg]

So we will make the finals 4 years in a row without any real superstars but just by playing restrictive and boring but effective football . Other teams that play expansive footy and have had recent success like Manly, Roosters, Brisbane and Souths will miss the finals or missed it during the same period. Is it better this way? Just play safe till the finals and then bringout your best game come finals time ( we saw that in 2014 against Melbourne in Melbourne and wouldve had a better shot at Souths had Ennis not been injured. I have no idea how we are sitting in the top 4 but somehow our brand of footy got us there and i reckon we are pretty much guaranteed every year if we play this way. Other teams like the tigers who have been far more entertaining and provided so many highlights this year are sitting at the bottom of the eight.

 

[GrogDog]

Tough question. I like entertaining footy and always have, as I have stated before...1 premiership every 10 years is the goal IMO. I like to feel the season so for me this frustrating footy may get us into the finals etc but the rest of the season sucks.
I really don't think their is any reason or excuse to play the way we do, we are better than the shite we put up most of the time. I do think their is a win win style of play that is in between what we do now and allowing the backs to get proper ball without forwards being involved. The only real weakness we have is 3 things 1. kicking game 2. Perrett & 3. a genuine player to accompany Mbye.
Those things aside I still think we could win the comp but I just don't think our players agree.

 

[_G-Dog_]

For me the 'boring style' isnt so much the problem. Finals games are played that way usually... the main issue at the moment is our 5th tackle options eg kicks, lack of direction with neither Reynolds or Mbye stepping up and taking control like most halfbacks do..

 

[CrittaMagic69]

For me the 'boring style' osnt so much the problem. Finals games are played that way usually... the main issue at the moment is our 5th tackle options with neither Reynolds or Mbye stepping up and taking control like most halfbacks do..

Our kicking game will continue to be shit with us constantly having a forward feed our half on the last really. Our halves have no momentum and are pretty much flat footed with the defence up in there face most the time. The few times our halves actually get the ball at first receiver they usually put in much better kicks.

 

[Rodzilla]

why does it guarantee finals football? because it wins games?, winning games is good tbh

btw souths played the most boring football in 2014

 

[Nano]

How can you bring out your best game if you don't practice it?

It's like holding back, then when you try and use it you don't know how since you haven't used it. I don't buy it seeing it over and over now

 

[c-b-b]

The style will guarantee a final spot but I don't think it will win a grand final.

But then again that's ok with alot of supporters and the ceo who will trot out the usual line of making the finals every year and being in 2 grand finals in the last 4 years.

 

[Boxer]

I just want a G/F win I don't care how they do it ,but problem is other teams can read us easily and will struggle to win in the finals.

 

[Bulldog_4_Life]

I honestly don't think it is possible to win a GF playing conservative football, because once you go behind in a game the players have to follow a whole new game plan to try and get the game back.

And the comparisons with South 2014 or even the Storm aren't really 100% true because they play/ed a disciplined game plan not conservative.

 

[blueyedsamurai]

I'd rather miss the finals a few years if it was going to guarantee a premiership. Honestly I'd rather of won in 2014 and be where souths are right now tbh.

 

[no1bulldog]

we don't even play with any aggression.......what bulldogs team has no intimidation factor?? we used to make meters with our defence now our defensive line doesn't even move forward we all stand there with our arms out like we're hearding sheep in to a yard

We play without emotion and that carries over to the supporters who feel numb and detached while watching the game...........game day for dogs supporters is like taking a box of Lexapro and staring at the wall for hours eating bland tasteless gruel, I just cant wait til we wake from this coma with a coach who lets us play football and the kennel can once again erupt with excitement and expectation

 

[Mr Invisible]

We seem to just do enough to win games, but that mindset then catches us out when a team doesn't play us "like Des expected they would", and that's the problem with statistics.. they can't take into account a team lifting, or an opposing coaches idea to target players in YOUR side.

This is where we seem to get unstuck.

We need to let our playmakers play what is in front of them on the field with a small amount of structure.

 

[chadiwrx]

So we will make the finals 4 years in a row

It's 5 years in a row 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

 

[Klemhammer]

We don't know how good we have it with Des

 

[Baby Blues]

Maybe Des deliberately has us 'under the radar'. In 2012 we played great expansive footy but got beat my a mistake free Melbourne team who were too good on the day. I think we are in a much better place than in 2014 and should be able to nan a top 4 spot if we are good enough. Top 4 is massive as that potential week off makes such a big difference. You could see that it was just too hard to get up for 4 straight weeks in 2014.

 

[Haddaway]

We make the finals not becasue of our boring style, we make them because Des is a great coach and his teams dont miss out on finals footy. For the last 12 years he has had teams in the finals, Bellamy hasnt nor has Wayne, Trent and Madge after winning comps have flopped this season and yet Des still pluggs along.


Honestly a comp win would put this era as one of our most successful eras, three GFs in 5 years with a one comp win. I just dont think we have the style to win the big one, I hope Im wrong.

 

[dhoo8450]

The style will guarantee a final spot but I don't think it will win a grand final.

But then again that's ok with alot of supporters and the ceo who will trot out the usual line of making the finals every year and being in 2 grand finals in the last 4 years.

Well it is a pretty good record tbh. I wonder if we had won one of those grand finals whether everyone would still complain as much as they do on this forum.

 

[Moedogg]

It's 5 years in a row 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.

2012 wasnt boring so i said 4 . Started counting from 2013.

 

[Moedogg]

Remember 2010, 2011 when we missed out and had to watch other teams like the Dragons play finals football. Missing out on finals is the worst feeling.

 

[KelpiesHuskies]

at our best we can win the comp.