bulldogproud wrote:I think the Wedgemeister summed it up well in saying that both sides could take a lot out of today's game. For Glenelg the two points will be very handy. Congratulations to them and their supporters on that. For Central, getting within three points of Glenelg at Glenelg Oval with three of our best out was a pretty reasonable performance. Add Chris Gowans, Paul Thomas and Ian Callinan to that side and it becomes a 5-10 goal better side. My one concern was the loss of Charles Slattery with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.
Glenelg certainly have a strong marking forward division with players like Grima, McConnell and Duldig up there. Their onball squad is also good with Fisher, Backwell, Allen and Cranston. However, having predicted that they would play in the Grand Final this year I am now not so sure. A good side would have buried Central today after our slow start and with the withdrawals from our starting lineup.
As a footnote, just wondering if someone could explain which Glenelg player touched Dutschke's 'goal' in the first quarter. I had the binoculars on it and he picked the ball up to the right of the pack and threw it onto his boot with no Glenelg player on that side of the body. Yet the umpire claimed it was touched off the boot. Am still bewildered about that one.
Cheers
Summed up the day pretty well there Bulldgoproud...
Three dissapointing things for me out of today down at Challenge Recruitment Oval...- The reserves having 10 goals to 2 kicked on them in the last quarter to lose the game after dominating it for 3 quarters and at one stage leading by us much as 43 points from memory. Not good enough for 4 quarters by the boys in the early game.
- The injury to Charles Slattery which i thought at first might have been a reaccurance of his bad ankle injury from last year. Just hope it is not a serious knee issue as mentioned above. Hopefully someone from the club with some inside information may shed some more light on it ?
- And of course, the loss by the League team. As much as it was a tough fighting effort from a slightly undermanned team, I don't like losing any game, naturally. There was some good signs throughout the game but like the reserves, not playing 4 consistant quarters cost us in the end.Just on your point with on the so called "touched" kick on goal from Dutschke, I actually thought it was Trent Goodrem but am happy to be told otherwise. If it wasn't actually touched then you
COULD say that the decision actually cost the Dogs the game. Of course, I'm not going to get up on my high horse and cry bloody murder but I ask the question as to whether the umpire who made the decsion in question actually did hear / see the touch off the boot
HIMSELF or was the man in white convinced to make te call by a Glenelg player who made a bit of fuss claiming he touched it, influencing the umpire to make the call that he did ?
Interesting topic, but like I say, I don't have any sour grapes to the umpires, who for once I thought weren't actually too bad. A bit ticky touch wood at times but finally consistant for both teams on the playing field. They must have listened to one of my favouite catch cries I yell out to them on a regular basis as they run past me on the outer wing during their pre game warm ups. I kindly make a simple suggestion to them which has actually had a few chuckles and rise smiles back at me from a few of the men in white in games gone by. Some of you have probably heard me scream out before:
"HEY UMPIES, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE SHIT TODAY, PLEASE BE CONSISTANTLY SHIT". I thought they let the game flow reasonably well today and paid the free kicks when they were there. Of course, like every week there were a few soft or confusing frees paid but it went both ways (as I suggested for them to do !!??) in the end.
At the end of the day the game wasn't decided or influenced by poor officiating and IMHO, despite my team not winning, it was a tough, free flowing, exciting game by two quality teams that was put on display and I really enjoyed the game from a spectators point of view. With a beautiful day and a resonable crowd down at the Bay today, it was a great spectactle on offer and a real showcase game on display from our great SANFL competition. I'll have more details on the two games themselves later tonight when I finalise my game reviews of both the league and reserves clashes.
In closing, with 3 quality players in Callinan, Thomas and C.Gowans to come back into the line up, we now just have to move onto next weeks
Rivalary Round battle with the Eagles under lights at Hamra Homes Oval. We will be better for the loss and as mentioned on other posts before, seem to be showing more and more improvement on a weekly basis. Obviously we need to get the mix right sooner rather than later to win games regularly but with the quality of players mentioned above to come back in, I reckon we will have a pretty strong team to tackle the ressurgant Eagles next week. I think today's game just highlights how competitive this years competition has and will be for 2008.
GO U DOGGIES...
Big Phil...