How well will the Bulldogs do in 2012 ?

[Allstar Knights]

Barba got himself under the ball which stopped Taylor from grounding it. Wasn't that great.

 

[DoggiesBro]

You've been trying to play that angle because you realise how stupid it was to use one instance in a mock trial that you clearly can't remember as proof that Ben Barba isn't a bad defender.

Give it a rest, even the rest of your supporter base would be able to accept it's a weak area in his game right now.

The weak area in his game was the high ball. His tackling has improved dramatically in 2011. Your comment is incorrect and your to pig headed to face it.

 

[Big Pete]

Well done you've just written the most hypocritical post in all of LU.

But hey, your first statement is true to a point. Now that he's out of the front line he's not being torn apart on a regular basis. He's still useless as a last line of defence but hey it's an improvement.

 

[RWB]

When Gulavou was signed he was average at best. Des along with Manly turned him into what he is rated now.

Saying they didn't recruit smart? So who exactly was a bad signing Ennis the NSW hooker to replace Corey Hughes? Kimmorley to replace noone? Hodkinson to replace a retired Kimmorley when noone else was available and he was making city country squads in his first season? Morris who has made NSW and AUS teams since joining the Dogs. Graham & Tolman to replace Hannant and Tandy? Pritchard and Eastwood to add some impact to our backrow which lacked any at all in 2010...

Des Hasler the title winning coach along with 2 in a few years to replace Moore a guy the players lost faith in and the club lost hope in. Once he left Dymock took over and we had a great run. Imagine how they will fire up playing for someone like Des.

The only dud recruit we have made was Keating in my opinion and if it comes down to Roberts vs Keating its shit vs shit. I'm sure they are watching that position and will have something in mind to fix this problem.

Maybe I need to take it even slower for you. I never said any of the signings the Bulldogs made were duds... I just said Des & his staff did some smart recruiting at the Sea Eagles which isn't seen at the Bulldogs. This is in reference to as I said earlier "purchasing players for under their value". None of your examples represent this...

Also you saying Gulavou was an average player makes you exactly the type of fool Hasler has made his living off. Gulavou was great at Penrith, Souffs f**ked him round (surprise) and then he showed he still had it at Parra... Des just gave him a home and role in which he could play to his full potential. He doesn't have a magic wand that makes players play better than their capabilities he's just smart with his purchases and when a player is undervalued by the market he seems to have knack of picking them up.

 

[Timmah]

Pete, I can only assume you stopped watching Bulldogs games around Round 15 or so.

 

[HowHigh]

I very much hope they don't make the 8
9-12

 

[Big Pete]

Pete, I can only assume you stopped watching Bulldogs games around Round 15 or so.

I wish I had.

 

[Timmah]

Your opinion seems uneducated enough to suggest you didn't.

I'd go so far as to argue Barba was the best player in the competition behind Slater and Lockyer in the final 5-6 rounds of the competition. The high ball troubled him for a couple of weeks, sure.

You also don't score 23 tries by fluke.

 

[Big Pete]

I'd go so far as to argue Barba was the best player in the competition behind Slater and Lockyer in the final 5-6 rounds of the competition. The high ball troubled him for a couple of weeks, sure.

And then you couldn't blame me for laughing at your bias. Ben Barba better than Cam Smith, Benji Marshall, Daly Cherry-Evans, Kevin Locke, Josh McGuire etc. etc.? It's a joke.

You also don't score 23 tries by fluke.

And by the same token, scoring 23 tries doesn't make you a good player. Just ask Nathan Merritt.

You and DoggiesBro seem to be under the illusion I have some agenda against Ben Barba. I don't, he's an exciting player to watch but even he's admitted he struggled last season. I haven't completely written him off either but he's going to have to step his game up to carry your average backline and spine.

All the best in the upcoming season.

 

[DoggiesBro]

Your opinion seems uneducated enough to suggest you didn't.

I'd go so far as to argue Barba was the best player in the competition behind Slater and Lockyer in the final 5-6 rounds of the competition. The high ball troubled him for a couple of weeks, sure.

You also don't score 23 tries by fluke.

How right you are.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Going to say they'll finish 6-10. Will be fighting it out in the last few rounds and could either sneak in or miss out.

Potential, but a lot of unanswered question marks, especially in the spine, and with a new coach you never know how he's going to switch up the game plan.

 

[Raider_69]

Not found of their halves, or fullback
i like Ben Barba as a player, excitement machine, but defensively he's weak, positionally he's weak (although his speed helps him cover that up fairly well) and he never looks comfortable under the high ball.

They have a good pack, some handy outside backs, Id say they finish around 10th. Just outside the 8

 

[Raider_69]

Not found of their halves, or fullback
i like Ben Barba as a player, excitement machine, but defensively he's weak, positionally he's weak (although his speed helps him cover that up fairly well) and he never looks comfortable under the high ball.

They have a good pack, some handy outside backs, Id say they finish around 10th. Just outside the 8

 

[RWB]

Your opinion seems uneducated enough to suggest you didn't.

If his opinion was uneducated in what way would that suggest he didn't watch the last ~10 games? His opinion might come across as unknowledgeable or ignorant but to say it's uneducated doesn't make any sense.

It's got to be one of the most commonly misused words on forums (with so much irony).

 

[sputneek]

Barba scoring 23 tries just exemplifies how utterly useless the rest of the backline actually was.

 

[2012....Sharks Year]

Afterall this is a thread on how everyone perceives how the dogs will go next year. Some of you dogs supporters have to learn not to take others opinions so personally. Just remember opinions are like arse-holes....everyone has one....doesn't mean they are all accurate!

 

[Ausguy]

Afterall this is a thread on how everyone perceives how the dogs will go next year. Some of you dogs supporters have to learn not to take others opinions so personally. Just remember opinions are like arse-holes....everyone has one....doesn't mean they are all accurate!

Mine is pretty accurate... cant remember the last time i missed.

 

[boxhead]

Ben Barba one of the top three players in the NRL in the last six rounds :lol: I've heard it all now.
Wait, he apparently was great defensively towards the end of the season? Jeez, I watched all those games and anyone who isn't terribly biased would say the opposite.
Don't mistake me for disliking him. I love watching him play. But there's little doubt that he is defensively very weak and has to be played at fullback.

I don't think they will be top four, but if they don't make the top eight the rest of the NRL will be howling with laughter. I'll say 6th-9th.

 

[aussies1st]

Probably top 8, have a good enough squad and having Hasler on broad has to be a plus. Will be interesting seeing how Hodkinson goes under Des after going alright under him in his debut season before having a pretty average one last year.

 

[DoggiesBro]

Barba scoring 23 tries just exemplifies how utterly useless the rest of the backline actually was.

You mean the roosters one he scored about 4 against?:lol::lol::lol: