Will we win a comp under Hasler?

[finchie]

Funny you use the most structured team to point out why you shouldn't be structured. That said, for that Grand Final Melbourne and the Dogs played some amazing footy, and there wasn't much between the teams. The tactics were right, it was just that Melbourne's key guys rose to the occasion. Slater had one of the best games of his life, saved so many tries that other teams would have let in.

In the parra game the tactics were to attempt to attack Parra's right side, and they perceived that as weaker than the combo of Semi and Jennings. Though we still played a lot through the middle as we should be trying to dominate the proceedings through out forwards, and apart from the first 15mins, it was even in that battle, but generally because we were unable to take advantage of that domination. I

If we don't sign a halfback or play a natural fb at freakin fullback it will be the same thing for a very long time hence the need for change

 

[blueyedsamurai]

If we don't sign a halfback or play a natural fb at freakin fullback it will be the same thing for a very long time hence the need for change

Hey dont worry we made it to the GF with Perrett at the back we can do it again!......

 

[Dogs Of War]

If we don't sign a halfback or play a natural fb at freakin fullback it will be the same thing for a very long time hence the need for change

We have signed a natural fullback. It's just that Abby needs some time to grow into that role, and put on a little bulk. Hopefully he gets a chance later this year. Be great if Morris could go to wing to replace Perrett, and Abby to fullback. It would really change up how our team plays.

I don't think we need a halfback at this point. Though if Luke Brooks signs then Mbye at 5/8th and Brooks at halfback would be great to watch. Reynolds can go and play for the Tigers then.

 

[GDR]

We have signed a natural fullback. It's just that Abby needs some time to grow into that role, and put on a little bulk. Hopefully he gets a chance later this year. Be great if Morris could go to wing to replace Perrett, and Abby to fullback. It would really change up how our team plays.

I don't think we need a halfback at this point. Though if Luke Brooks signs then Mbye at 5/8th and Brooks at halfback would be great to watch. Reynolds can go and play for the Tigers then.

great its only taken 2 years to sign a natural fullback that isn't quite ready yet .... PML ....... Cant you see a problem with what I just wrote??? LOL

 

[Ahecee]

Love or hate Des people need to look at the situation objectively. Players in the team are the ones Des wants, he didn't inherit a roster. We have no recognised fullback (Des signed Borris a 28 year old winger for 4 years to move to fullback). We have Jorris who is almost 30 who offers no attack. Sam Perrett a winger who is almost 31 who's best days are behind him. We took a gamble on Hoppa which could have gone either way. We are playing two 5/8's, one of them isn't very good and the other is a kid who is expected to step up and lead the team around in a position he doesn't really want to play in. We have a hooker who is still developing his game.

In the lower grades we have SFA to challenge players in the backs. Phillips was off contract, he wasn't signed by any other club probably because there was no interest. We got Craig Garvey at the last minute. Dane Chisholm is injured so god forbid we need a half from the lower grades anytime soon. Yes there are a few solid forwards there.

This is Des' 5th year and I would have expected us to be in much better shape player wise.

So to summarise, Des is bad for having older players in the team, bad for having younger players in the team, bad for not consulting his crystal ball on injuries but rather just trying to manage them as they happen, and, he's bad for recruiting Hoppa because so far its been a very good signing, but, it might not have been?

 

[c-b-b]

So to summarise, Des is bad for having older players in the team, bad for having younger players in the team, bad for not consulting his crystal ball on injuries but rather just trying to manage them as they happen, and, he's bad for recruiting Hoppa because so far its been a very good signing, but, it might not have been?

I don't know mate, I'm about to put my head back in the sand and pretend everyhing Des does is wonderful and no coach is better than him.

 

[Ahecee]

I don't know mate, I'm about to put my head back in the sand and pretend everyhing Des does is wonderful and no coach is better than him.

I'm not saying everything is wonderful, but there is a strong case to be made for no coach being better than Des, over the last decade, top honours would have to be Des or Bennett on results.

I want that awesome feeling of the Bulldogs getting the GF win as much as the next Bulldogs fan, don't always love our style of play, or some of our selections, but as long as Des keeps getting us right up there in the mix, I can't see calling for his head, can't speak for anyone else, but I'm 100% Des knows more than me.

 

[c-b-b]

I'm not saying everything is wonderful, but there is a strong case to be made for no coach being better than Des, over the last decade, top honours would have to be Des or Bennett on results.

I want that awesome feeling of the Bulldogs getting the GF win as much as the next Bulldogs fan, don't always love our style of play, or some of our selections, but as long as Des keeps getting us right up there in the mix, I can't see calling for his head, can't speak for anyone else, but I'm 100% Des knows more than me.

Agree with alot of what you're saying and the real test will be when Lichaa is back and if we can play like we did in the first half against Manly. The club should be strong in both top grade and NSW cup but at the moment it's not looking too bright with the same style of play yet again. All I'll say with coaches is that the game sometimes passes even the best coaches by sometimes, we need look no further than one of our own in Chris Anderson and what happened at the Roosters.

 

[Ahecee]

Agree with alot of what you're saying and the real test will be when Lichaa is back and if we can play like we did in the first half against Manly. The club should be strong in both top grade and NSW cup but at the moment it's not looking too bright with the same style of play yet again. All I'll say with coaches is that the game sometimes passes even the best coaches by sometimes, we need look no further than one of our own in Chris Anderson and what happened at the Roosters.

We'll see as the season unfolds, hopefully it will be more round 1 (or round 2 for bad games) and less round 3 type results...... no doubt we'll all have plenty to talk about and debate all season, so at least the kennel will be interesting

Eastwood's been named this week, so that's a good start at least....... not quite Lichaa different, but its something.

 

[Kempsey Dog]

Des is a good coach. However his game plan is boring and it isn't appealing to quality/established off contract opposition players... That is unless they have a twin brother at the club or previously played for Manly.

 

[Ahecee]

Des is a good coach. However his game plan is boring and it isn't appealing to quality/established off contract opposition players... That is unless they have a twin brother at the club or previously played for Manly.

I think most off contract quality players will sign with whoever pays the most...... I don't blame them, it is their relatively short career. It would sound shitty to say it direct though, so you have to say it was about the coach, the team, or their plan for the future or something.

I'd bet its very rare to find a contract that didn't come from the top, or second top but close dollar offer from a more desirable team in some cases. We are a Sydney based team, we train in a area that allows you to live in desirable places and drive to work easy enough. Any player that didn't want to sign with us because of our play style (the style that sees you in the finals mix every year)....... they are lying, someone just offered more money.

(or your Hannant and just want to be in QLD so much you don't care if it abruptly ends your real career)

 

[doggieaaron]

One of the things that really concerns me with hasler is he is so set in his ways,he wont drop anyone till the end of the season,guys like bennett and mcguire make tough calls and drop players

 

[Ahecee]

Tim Browne, Greg Eastwood, Josh Jackson, David Klemmer, Shaun Lane, Moses Mbye, Curtis Rona, Tony Williams...... that would be why we where quite recruiting, all those guys are off contact end of this season (there are more actually, just the rest haven't been fixtures in FG yet - well, Pat O'Hanlon too).

So, how many do we let go, and to pick up who? .... Bulldogs having a issue recruiting for me is a myth, its more that we have such a strong roster its hard to compete on offers to the top dollar players, and on others.... we already have better players in that spot so we don't have the need.

For mine, I'd be looking to keep that whole list above (with Williams on less money which is a given, he won't be getting offers for what he is on now anywhere I'd imagine), but that list is much better than most of the other off contract player list I think... so why look outside too much?

 

[Ahecee]

One of the things that really concerns me with hasler is he is so set in his ways,he wont drop anyone till the end of the season,guys like bennett and mcguire make tough calls and drop players

True, he does lean to the established over the gamble on junior talent, or, he brings junior talent in slowly, Mbye is a good example, for our club, Barba and Idris are other good examples.

Barba and Idris both felt our program was wrong and left..... one doesn't play any more and only makes the news pretending to have been kidnapped, and the other hasn't mattered any more. Hope Mbye re-signs, and other juniors a step back or so took note of that, our program works pretty well for players careers...... the list of players who left and ended up doing better is a pretty short list (SBW....... um........ SBW? oh, maybe Sezer too).

 

[Psycho Doggie]

Tim Browne, Greg Eastwood, Josh Jackson, David Klemmer, Shaun Lane, Moses Mbye, Curtis Rona, Tony Williams...... that would be why we where quite recruiting, all those guys are off contact end of this season (there are more actually, just the rest haven't been fixtures in FG yet - well, Pat O'Hanlon too).

So, how many do we let go, and to pick up who? .... Bulldogs having a issue recruiting for me is a myth, its more that we have such a strong roster its hard to compete on offers to the top dollar players, and on others.... we already have better players in that spot so we don't have the need.

For mine, I'd be looking to keep that whole list above (with Williams on less money which is a given, he won't be getting offers for what he is on now anywhere I'd imagine), but that list is much better than most of the other off contract player list I think... so why look outside too much?

Good question, which challenges us to actually think for a few seconds like we are in recruitment. Here are the players off contract this year. Which ones should we make a serious play for, and who are they replacing?

We've heard that the club is focusing on re-signing Klem, Jacko, and Moses. So try and replace the other spots, and assuming we are close to the cap, it can't be with a player that is obviously going to cost a lot more.

 

[Ahecee]

great its only taken 2 years to sign a natural fullback that isn't quite ready yet .... PML ....... Cant you see a problem with what I just wrote??? LOL

We also signed a centre that could cover FB given he's played there before in case our FB went out injured, verdict was divided on letting Laf go for Hoppa....... kinda a master stroke signing at this point isn't it? Say no, you would prefer Perrett at FB right now, I dare you thats one thing Des did.

 

[Ahecee]

Good question, which challenges us to actually think for a few seconds like we are in recruitment. Here are the players off contract this year. Which ones should we make a serious play for, and who are they replacing?

We've heard that the club is focusing on re-signing Klem, Jacko, and Moses. So try and replace the other spots, and assuming we are close to the cap, it can't be with a player that is obviously going to cost a lot more.

I like that, actually, its maybe new thread worthy...... listed players off contract, list of outside players available, who to keep, who to let go, and who to go after.

Little harder than saying everything sucks, what exactly would YOU do better/different? would be a awesome thread, kinda better to pose the question on its own right?

 

[Kempsey Dog]

Tim Browne, Greg Eastwood, Josh Jackson, David Klemmer, Shaun Lane, Moses Mbye, Curtis Rona, Tony Williams...... that would be why we where quite recruiting, all those guys are off contact end of this season (there are more actually, just the rest haven't been fixtures in FG yet - well, Pat O'Hanlon too).

So, how many do we let go, and to pick up who? .... Bulldogs having a issue recruiting for me is a myth, its more that we have such a strong roster its hard to compete on offers to the top dollar players, and on others.... we already have better players in that spot so we don't have the need.

For mine, I'd be looking to keep that whole list above (with Williams on less money which is a given, he won't be getting offers for what he is on now anywhere I'd imagine), but that list is much better than most of the other off contract player list I think... so why look outside too much?

Hannant lol what a Dog... was good for us, loved him Stagg and Ennis when they arrived.
Thats very true, but my main point is that our retention through no fault of our own i.e SBW Barba, leaves us lacking in key positions or down that "superstar" Long deals have made it harder to alter the side.. but hey thats the nature of the beast.
The only real positive signings outside the club i can name are Rona and Lichaa tbh, everything else is internal which is good, but its not enough atm unfortunately.
As for off contract stars, i mentioned in another thread. Only players we should be looking at are Brooks, Gillett and Coote in that order.

 

[Kempsey Dog]

Tim Browne, Greg Eastwood, Josh Jackson, David Klemmer, Shaun Lane, Moses Mbye, Curtis Rona, Tony Williams...... that would be why we where quite recruiting, all those guys are off contact end of this season (there are more actually, just the rest haven't been fixtures in FG yet - well, Pat O'Hanlon too).

So, how many do we let go, and to pick up who? .... Bulldogs having a issue recruiting for me is a myth, its more that we have such a strong roster its hard to compete on offers to the top dollar players, and on others.... we already have better players in that spot so we don't have the need.

For mine, I'd be looking to keep that whole list above (with Williams on less money which is a given, he won't be getting offers for what he is on now anywhere I'd imagine), but that list is much better than most of the other off contract player list I think... so why look outside too much?

Hannant lol what a Dog... was good for us, loved him Stagg and Ennis when they arrived.
Thats very true, but my main point is that our retention through no fault of our own i.e SBW Barba, leaves us lacking in key positions or down that "superstar" Long deals have made it harder to alter the side.. but hey thats the nature of the beast.
The only real positive signings outside the club i can name are Rona and Lichaa tbh, everything else is internal which is good, but its not enough atm unfortunately.
As for off contract stars, i mentioned in another thread. Only players we should be looking at are Brooks, Gillett and Coote in that order.

 

[finchie]

Brooks
A fullback
Gillet
Back up hooker whom can actually pass hehe